《I regressed and became the Sword Ice King》


 Chapter 1- Waking Up

    How many? Just how many of them have I killed? My body is tired. I''m TIRED.


    "Is this what you truly amount to? The first son of the Jun family ?"


    I could feel my legs shudder each time I tried to stand back up.


    ''What sort of situation is this ?''


    I looked around, glaring at the wholesome army surrounding me and the one who led them.


    "Prince Jullian....why ?"


    I served the nation all my life. I fought till the end. I wasn''t strong but I got stronger with each passing time.


    "Isn''t it obvious? You''re too much of an uncertainty...as if your father wasn''t a threat alone...you just had to grow as strong as him...."


    Blood dribbled down my lips as I stood back up again, holding the hilt of my blade tightly.


    "You...what do you mean ?"


    I always suspected it. What this man was capable of.


    "Kill him". He ordered, and a man with rough black hair and golden armor walked up to me. He held a great sword and a gloomy expression exuded his face.


    "You...have fought well.."


    "Don''t....don''t pity me !"


    I pointed the blade at him and screamed out, forcing the little aura out of me.


    "I shall not die like this !".


    I charged at him, swinging my blade up, and he struck back with the same timing.


    Our blades struck each other and the force pushed me back. I was weak, far too weak.


    Heaps of soldiers lay dead behind me, and they were all at the 8th star.


    I defeated hundreds and hundreds of masters of the sword and my body was crumbling in pain.


    I back-flipped, flinging short knives at him at the same time.


    He deflected them when I used that opportunity to get behind him.


    "Oh....you still move even in this state?" The crown prince chuckled.


    "Get this over with!" He had a scowl on his face as if he felt disgusted at just the thought of me surviving.


    "Yes ! Master !". He slammed the great sword behind me, pushing me to the ground.


    My bones snapped and I screamed in pain.


    I was unable to move, Unable to speak, and unable to hear. My eyes could still see and I marked each one of their faces.


    ''I''ll kill them....I''ll drag them to Hades and kill them all! I will come after their souls...after their generations...and kill them all


    There were 11 officials. All from the 12 great families. They took everything from me and killed everyone that tried to assist me.


    They isolated me from the world and ordered me to save humanity from the demons in exchange for my freedom.


    And this? This is what I get in return.


    "IF I RETURN...I SHALL TAKE YOUR HEAD-".


    The last thing I saw was the ground rotating with the sky and some piles of bodies as I felt mud in my mouth.


    I couldn''t feel my body....I couldn''t breathe. My eyes blurred and slowly...reality faded away.


    ****


    *Wa


    ''What...what is this noise?''


    A baffled expression exuded my mother''s face as she chuckled.


    "Weren''t you having fun with your dad?" She asked.


    They all shook their heads as they ran towards her. "He went out for work" Gloria replied with a faint smile as they gathered around her.


    I sighed, resting my head on my mother.


    ''I wish to protect this family....and I will grow stronger by doing so''


    ''We were a beautiful family''


    ***


    5 years later.


    I just turned 7 and my once very affectionate mother has reduced her contact with me by just a little. It''s not something I wasn''t used to before but it still feels weird.


    "Master Raffaello"


    "Just call me Raph, Serena"


    Serena, the maid that was in charge of me even before I regressed. She was always by my side and remained with the family even after most of our people abandoned us. I will never forget them.


    "Has my teacher arrived ?"


    "...he...quit..." she said with a solemn expression and a sigh escaped my lips.


    I was currently on my bed in my room meditating. I had finally reached 3 stars and I was slowly gaining an understanding of mana. In this life, I decided to become a Magic Swordsman. A job that became a rarity in the future and to do so, I would need to form a mana circle.


    Swordsmen made use of stars to count the level of mana they had accumulated in their dantian. Each star is equivalent to a circle formed around a mage''s heart, and having both was thought to be suicide or at least until a way to possess both were leaked by the magic tower.


    "This is the 3rd sword teacher that has quit...can''t Father find someone that has the guts ?" I asked while stretching my body.


    Serena had a baffled expression on her face as she nodded. "Your father hired Ballom Jack....an adventurer this time..."


    "Oh? An adventurer ?"


    At this time..they were people known as adventurers who performed mundane and not-so-mundane tasks. They were helpful during the war, and Ballom Jack...isn''t a name I''ve heard before.


    "If he''s an adventurer..then he wouldn''t be so scared right ?"


    "Of course...your growth is simply astounding...that is why it has been hard to find the right teacher"


    Well, it was only right that I grow strong quickly. I intend on reaching the 12th star, The Great Grand Swordsman. A level thought unachievable.


    "When will he be here ?"


    "He''s at the training yard at the moment with your father," she said.


    "Then...take me to them". I stood up from my bed as I headed out of my room when I was stopped by an unwanted guest.


    "Where are you off to Raph ?"


    "Morgan..." I slowly turned towards her and then glared at my maid at her incompetence for not telling me about her arrival. She looked away guiltily.


    "...to the training yard..." I replied. "Is there a reason why you''re here and not at Mother''s residence?"


    "Of course! To witness the growth of my baby brother," she suddenly pulled me into a bear hug, and I begrudgingly accepted my fate.


    The affection my sisters and mother had for me was no joke and it was stifling.


    "You..you can let me go now.."


    She sighed as she pulled me away. "When did you grow to become so mean..." she pouted.


    ''Nonetheless..she is still a 9-year-old girl''. I thought.


    "I''m going to be late....I have training practice" I slowly pulled away and continued my way to the training yard.


    Morganna sighed as she turned towards Serena. "Come and explain how his growth has been these days".


    "Yes, my lady" she nodded and walked after her.

 Chapter 2- 5 stars

    As the only son of the Jun family, I had to grow accustomed to the weight of diminished expectations from those around me.


    Especially the other noble houses of the kingdom of Lumbrica.


    Including us, there are exactly 12 noble houses and the royal family that rule this kingdom, and each is ranked according to their talents and accomplishments.


    The Jun family is ranked 3rd, the Teras family is ranked 2nd, and the Kang Lin family is ranked 1st. The Aquarius family, ranked 7th, is where my lover from my past life was born. Like me, she was the only daughter amongst four elder brothers and two younger brothers so it was easy for us to get along when we first met.


    The families come together for a battle of the youngsters every ten years to settle the ranking of the 12 families.


    Gloria and Fiona participated in the last family battle two years ago, and they emerged 3rd, which was a wonderful feat since boys were mostly their competitors.


    I, as the sole son of the Jun family, should not falter in any way. Something I failed to understand in my past life because of how pampered I was.


    A sigh escaped my lips as I arrived at the training yard. ''Not in this life...''


    "You''ve arrived, son.." My father called out while I looked up at him. A small smile exuded my lips until my gaze slowly went to the next person who stood in a dignified manner. Blood boiled down my body as memories flashed before my mind.


    ''Him.....''


    Noticing my sudden change in mood, the man known as Bollam chuckled with a weary sigh. "It seems like your son doesn''t have a good impression of me".


    In my past life, I was 12 when I gained my 3rd star, and I didn''t require an advanced teacher at the time, but this man is the future right knight of the 2nd crown prince as well as the person that cut off my aura veins.


    ''....to think I would meet him this early....''


    "Raph ?"


    My father called with a worried expression and a sigh escaped my lips as I walked towards them.


    ''No...he hasn''t committed any of those atrocities in this life yet''.


    "I apologize sir Bollam, for my rudeness....I seemed to have a momentary image of how cruel my training would be with you and I flinched for a moment"


    He chuckled with a wide smile as he patted my head. "Don''t worry about it kiddo. It was right of you to show me what you''re made of from the very beginning".


    Unlike my father, who was reserved and neat, Bollam was a rather brush-it-off fellow with a rough personality. His hair was black, spiky, and messy, and his clothes did nothing to hide his large, bulky, hairy build.


    "Is that so..." I could still hear the worry from my father''s tone. I looked up at him and smiled trying to ease his mood while he released a small sigh before turning towards Bollam.


    "I leave my son in your hands...and I must warn you...he is a handful"


    They chuckled as Bollam shook his hands.


    "That..I can see".


    "Father? When can I start learning from you ?" I asked while he was about to walk away. He turned around to face me with a smile. "You are yet to learn the basics...when you reach 5 stars...then I''ll pass down our techniques to you as well"


    I nodded my head as I watched him walk away.


    My father and I were alike in many ways including our hair color. I was the only one born with his snow-white hair, while my sisters had my mum''s blue-colored hair.


    However, a difference would be in the color of our eyes. Where my dad was blue...mine was whitish just like my mum.


    A color that made me seem blind to others.


    "Are you ready? Unlike the other trainers you''ve met...I''m a lot different...you should know that" Bollam said as he handed a wooden sword to me.


    I nodded my head. "I should be asking you the same thing. I''m a lot different from the rest of the students you''ve taught...are you ready ?" . I took my stance, gliding my blade towards the front while my other arm was just below my waist and my legs spread apart.


    Bollam laughed as he picked up another wooden sword. "Come at me !".


    In one swift sweep, I pushed myself forward towards him in the blink of an eye.


    Bollam POV.


    I always thought his father was exaggerating when he told me stories of how his son exuded his strength and bested his teachers. It seems like an understatement now that I''m experiencing it in person.


    ''He''s fast..'' I quickly turned to my right, dodging his attack, and prepared a counterattack immediately when he suddenly vanished. ''How is he so fast?'' .


    "Then I shall take my leave". She bowed and walked away immediately fuming with embarrassment.


    She was never good with words, and she had always wanted to fulfill my dad''s greatest wish since I was too spoiled to do it. My smile slowly faded as memories of the past clouded my mind.


    ''3 years from now...when she turns 15...an assassin will be sent to kill her right after news of my mother''s death was announced. "I must get stronger!" I cried out loud as I turned towards Bollam.


    He stared at me with an amused expression. "Sir Bollam ! Please help me".


    Bollam chuckled. "I shall do the best I can...and who knows...learn a thing or two from you lots...".


    I smiled as I held the hilt of my wooden blade with determination.


    ****


    3 years later.


    It was winter and my final assessment had begun. My parents and sisters watched from a safe distance away as well as with our maid and some of our guards.


    "This is your final assessment.." Bollam said as he folded his hands. "You have shown amazing progress, and your fighting skills are more reserved than they were before and, honestly, too impressive for a ten-year-old....so as of today, if you defeat me...I will no longer be your master..."


    A small sigh escaped my lips as I held my sword at him in my stance. "Do you always have to recite those cheesy lines before our yearly assessment ?"


    "But of course...you''re a monster amongst your peers...it was only a matter of time before I leave you"


    These three years weren''t for naught. I have reached the bottleneck of the 4th star, which is exuding, and I''ve learned a lot of skills...skills I couldn''t learn from my past life.


    ''...Bollam....'' Memories of what he had done to me were still evident, and I never once forgot about them this past year, but at the same time...I learned to think of it in a new way. ''He''s not that bollam in this life...at least not yet...''. I still haven''t forgiven him yet but at least, I don''t hold a grudge..at least..not yet.


    "Then here I come !" I yelled out as I swung my blade across the air. I was old enough to wield a real sword now at least in the Jun family culture.


    The footwork I had created in my past life while facing endless numbers of demons was my pride. It was a rhythmic movement that had little flaws called the Wandering Feets.


    I swiftly appeared behind him swinging my blade towards his side. He noticed it instantly and blocked, using his other hand to try and reach out to me. I quickly, swiftly appeared at his front aiming my blade at his neck when he turned back in an instant and brushed it off.


    The strength of a now 8th-star swordsman was no joke. He swung his blade down almost instantly, and I quickly pushed myself backward as he smashed his great sword to the ground, causing a thunder-like sound.


    ''Is he trying to kill me ?'' I thought as I prepared to attack again when he suddenly appeared beside me.


    "That weird footwork of yours.... it''s really handy..."


    I bent back, dodging his sudden attack, and spun around, kicking him back.


    ''To think he would master my footwork so quickly....as expected of the future right knight of the crown Prince''.


    "Is that all you got ?!" He cried out as he swung his blade around, causing aura to envelop it.


    "Tch.." I wanted to save this for later but


    "Aura....". The fourth state of a swordsman is exuding. Possessing the ability to exude aura from your body. It wasn''t a difficult thing but it required time and precision, though I mastered it when I was 12 before I regressed.


    The 5th stage is engulfing, and it involves you skillfully controlling your aura to surround you or your weapon like a barrier.


    A stage I''m yet to attain because it requires me to push my 4 stars to the limit.


    Aura slowly exuded my body in light amounts before surrounding my body, I forcefully channeled it to my sword as I felt a bit of blood drip down my lip.


    "Raph ?"


    I could hear my mother''s worried tone but more than that, I could feel my father''s worried gaze.


    ''If I don''t push myself now? Then when ?''.


    I pushed myself forward, charging at Bollam with my blade sprung up.


    He had a bitter sweet smile on his face as he did the same and surrounded his blade with aura.


    "....strike !".


    I struck his blade in a clean and swift attack and appeared directly behind him all in a blink of an eye.


    Bollam chuckled. "....Congratulations on getting to 5 stars...".

 Chapter 3- Traits

    Normal POV.


    "5 stars ?" Michelo said with an overwhelmed expression.


    "He went ahead and pushed himself too hard..this kid". Morganna cried out as she got up from her position.


    "It seems the fight has ended..." Gloria muttered.


    "Yes....it''s impressive he''s been able to grow this much...he''s truly our pride" Rebecca nodded with excitement.


    "Oh please...don''t know what''s with you boneheads and swords...you really should try magic". Fiona said with a rather satisfied expression.


    They all seemed pleased at his results, though their mum, Rachael, thought differently. "He''s hurt isn''t he ?" She quickly walked after Morganna to where her son stood talking to Bollam.


    "I guess it''s time he does that..." Fiona said while she looked up to her dad.


    "Indeed...it shouldn''t be too difficult seeing as how he''s gotten to this extent ignoring his age".


    "You mean the passage rite.." Thalia said while adjusting her glasses.


    They stared at her blankly.


    "Don''t give me that expression... I meant it when I said I didn''t want any part in it". She got up and headed towards the mansion.


    "Let''s go Bella".


    Bella, her personal maid, nodded as she quickly walked after her.


    "Did you notice it....those glasses ?"


    "She doesn''t even have an eye defect so why...?" Michaelo wondered as he got up as well. "Let''s go congrat our boy then".


    They all nodded, walking towards Raph.


    Raph POV.


    A small sigh escaped my lips as I watched Thalia walk away in a hurry. She made it a habit of distancing herself from us ever since she started going to the Law school she always wanted and it was painful for her family to watch. Luckily, she always had Bella, who cheered her up; I''ll have to do something about her once the series of events is resolved.


    "Are you alright, my boy?".


    I turned towards my mother and Morganna, who were finding their way towards me, and my lips curled into a tight smile.


    "Mother ! I''ve made my 5th star now".


    Though it wasn''t stable yet...not until after I''ve amplified it with mana by meditating, it was still there.


    "Honestly...you have such gifted children...I''m sure the other houses would be quite jealous, my lady," Bollam said, laughing out loud.


    "You flatter me". My mum replied as she bent down to my size holding my cheeks with her soft hands.


    "You little rascal...you''re so young...why do you insist on pushing yourself so much". She wiped off the blood on my lips and I giggled.


    "Of course to protect you".


    She smiled with a baffled expression as she patted my head. "Silly boy" she chuckled while Morganna puffed her cheeks at me.


    "You too, Morganna," I giggled.


    "Hmph !" She turned away completely ignoring me.


    "You''ve done well, son..." My dad and the rest of my sisters gathered around me, and I excitedly nodded my head.


    "I guess I''ve done my part..the rest is all up to you now". Bollam said as he headed towards the exit.


    My 4th eldest, she should be 13 now and she''s been going to a Law School since a year ago. She was the best student during their final assessment, and a lot of aristocrats took a liking to her.


    "Why do you keep pushing yourself ?" She slowly climbed up my bed and sat down facing me. "You''re only 10...it pains me when I see you keep trying to push your limit..."


    My lips curled into a smile.


    "Don''t you do the same elder sister...at your school..?"


    Her eyebrows twitched. She always had a nasty temper compared to how caring she was.


    "Huh? How does studying and training have anything to do with each other?


    I chuckled.


    "What''s so funny, you prick? I''m being thoughtful here, and you..."


    "..I just want to protect my family...I don''t know what may happen in the future...or what dangers exist in the world...but from the books that mum read us...outside these mansion walls...is a world that isn''t nice"


    Her expression suddenly turned serious.


    "Why does a kid like you have to worry about that....we can protect ourselves you know.."


    I raised a brow while staring at her and I''m sure she got the hint since she seemed rather quick on leaving.


    "....sword and magic isn''t Everything!" She yelled out just as she was about to leave.


    "It may not be everything....but it''s still something necessary of us....as members of the Jun family to prosper in this world".


    She froze at the door and suddenly turned to me.


    "That''s....Seriously, not something a 10-year-old should be saying..." before fuming out of my room in a rage of fury.


    I chuckled. "You can stop hiding now, Father"


    "Oh....." Out of the far corner of the room close to the window, a shadow glimmered in the light as his father''s figure appeared.


    "You''re already able to recognize a person''s presence through mana alone".


    "Of course Father, I''m at the 5th star now".


    Since a while ago, Father had walked into the room and stood silently while watching the events unfold.


    "She''s right, you know...you don''t speak like someone that''s 10 years old"


    My smile only widened. If only they knew I wondered.


    "I just obtained my father''s profound knowledge"


    He chuckled as he sat next to me on my bed.


    "Where''s your personal maid ?"


    "I asked her to help the other maids in cleaning our mess....they need a pay rise you know"


    My father chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Maybe one of these days, my son". He smiled.


    "Now...do you have something for me Father ?".


    My father wasn''t someone who would come to his children without having something important to discuss.


    "Hmm..." he sighed. "It''s about the tradition of the Jun family...the Jun Passage Rites.."


    Finally....one of the steps I need to take before I begin to learn my family''s sword techniques. Acquiring a trait.

 Chapter 4- Trial begins

    A Trait.


    A power blessed by our ancestors to their descendants to continue their lineage. We were always a powerful family, and nothing less than 10 stars was expected from our family heads, but to get to this stage, we required a trait.


    It is unique to an existent member of the Jun family but they are all powers that once existed within our heritage. Our forefather and the founder of the Jun family, Mario Jun, and the eleven other members of the 12 great families defeated the Demon Lord and sealed the gates of Hades.


    They were blessed by the goddess of casualties and granted immense powers for their contribution.


    These powers were spread to their descendants and a wider and far greater range of skills began to appear.


    All of these skills became our traits and were passed down through generations. When a Jun dies, their powers return to our blood and are once again sprouted in their future descendants.


    A person can upgrade this trait and make it completely theirs.


    In my past life, I obtained the trait I SEE YOU. A skill I was unable to use until my death because of my lack of understanding but after going through so many books at our family library, I found a way to use it.


    ''It''s such a shame I wasn''t able to use this OP skill in my past life''.


    "Are you listening to me? Ralph ?"


    "Sorry Dad....too much information to process"


    "Oh...well..it''s something I was supposed to tell you when you reached the 5th star but who could have thought..." he sighed. "Maybe until.."


    "NO !.... I''m ready...for anything you throw at me, Father ''''.


    I fixed my gaze on his gaze for him to see my determination. If anything, my trait is one thing I need to get.


    My father chuckled. "Alright...I will give you a week to prepare for it..." he said before getting up to leave but, next week was when.....


    "Father? Didn''t you have an expedition next week?".


    He stopped at the door and stared at me with a baffled expression.


    "....I was walking past your study when I overheard"


    In my previous life, my father didn''t go for the expedition because he had to oversee my training since I was being too lax...but this time. I have to make sure he goes with her.


    "Oh...well, your mother can take care of that...she''s a 9th star after all," he smiled at himself.


    "Father? Have you forgotten from the legends of old..of how cunning demons were..."


    I could see his wary expression. He seemed tired.


    "You want me to go with her don''t you?...this Mother''s Child". He sat back down on the bed.


    "Well...if I agree to go, it means I''ll have to postpone your rite till I return.."


    "But father...can''t it be done tomorrow ?"


    His expression slowly turned from amused to worried.


    "Do not...be overconfident my son...the rites are not something to be ridiculed"


    "...I''m not....I''m simply saying that I can at least give it a try to ease your worry going forward.."


    My dad stared at me as if contemplating what I had said. He rubbed his temples and stood up. "Well....you can always try again when you reach the 7th star...though getting there is much harder than reaching the 5th". "Alright....I agree".


    He headed towards the door. "I give you 15 hours....at midnight tomorrow, you shall begin your rites".


    "Yes, Father! I shall not let you down".


    "I truly hope so". He nodded and walked out of my room.


    ''He must be feeling like I''m being overconfident....but...I''ve been through the rites before...and this time...I intend on passing with flying colors.


    *****


    Michelo POV.


    "How was it ?"


    I could hear the lovely voice of my wife as I stepped into our room.


    I didn''t realize when I had sighed and walked up to her, lying down on the king''s size bed while resting my head on her thighs.


    "Since when did a 10-year-old become so smart ?".


    She chuckled. Her laugh always made my heart flutter.


    "You silly woman..What kind of genius did you give birth to me?". I couldn''t help but chuckle as well.


    "Did something happen ?"


    "Yes..he insisted I follow you for the Demon subjugation"


    I could feel her faint disbelief with the way she suddenly stopped stroking my hair and then continued after a moment''s breath.


    It wasn''t long before an hour had passed when I finally found my way to my father''s study.


    My sisters were worriedly staring at me, while my mother and father had indifferent looks.


    ''I''m sure it was hard for them to decide.....a ten-year-old is about to take the rite....and just after forming his 5th star too...it''s irresponsible, to be honest...but the sooner.., the better''.


    I walked up to my father and bowed.


    "Ready for the rite ! Father !".


    I could hear his sigh as the chair he sat on shifted.


    He walked up to me and tapped my shoulder.


    "Alright then....I shall now..infuse the mana...be prepared..."


    I nodded my head in agreement as I stood up straight.


    "Alright then..."


    The initial process was always the most annoying...you wouldn''t know when you''ve suddenly passed out due to the influx of ma-....na....


    Normal POV.


    Raffaello fell to the ground like a piece of wood as he felt the sudden surge of mana that flowed through his body. His father''s hand glowed bright blue as he panted lightly.


    "The rest...is all up to him..." He said silently as he went back to his chair.


    His family stared at him hopeful...that his confident demeanor was more than enough for him to make it out in one piece.


    Meanwhile, in the mansion, the maids were going about their usual tasks when Charmy walked into the kitchen.


    "Where''s the head cook ?" He asked.


    The cooks all pointed towards the storage room and he nodded, walking towards the room.


    The door opened just as he got there, and an old woman in her late 50s walked out. "Oh....how may I help you today ?". She asked why looking around the kitchen. "Focus on your tasks !" She screamed out after noticing their nosy looks.


    "Seems like we need a better place to talk.." Charmy said as he walked into the storage. She followed after him, locking it behind.


    "Have you gathered enough?"


    "Of course....the money was given to buy food supplies...I''ve secured enough.."


    "That''s good...we should send news to the King so we can get out of this house once and for all..."


    "Indeed.." the cook sighed. "How is the child ?"


    "He''s begun his trial..."


    "Oh...then all the family members must be locked up in there..."


    "Yes...isn''t that why I''ve come to visit you ?"


    "Oh...is that so....".


    They stared at each other silently, as if aware of each other''s thoughts.


    "That child...is dangerous isn''t he ?" The cook asked.


    "Indeed...as if that devil..the 3rd daughter wasn''t enough..."


    "We''ll just have to include their son in the assassination as well".


    "True..but..why do I feel like it won''t go as planned ?"


    "....according to my ears and eyes...the patriarch might leave with his wife for the expedition.."


    "..if That''s the case...then..the children will be left unsupervised".


    "Not necessarily....he might summon his younger brother"


    "Oh....you must mean Phillip"


    "Who else? Retard"


    Charmy glared at the woman with a disgusted expression. "Don''t...you dare...say that again" he said as he suddenly pointed a knife close to her neck.


    The woman chuckled.


    "...you...think I''m afraid of you ?...fallen noble...."


    His eyes exuded blood lust that could not be contained, yet he turned a blind eye and walked out of the storage room before leaving, he said.


    "Wait for further instructions and we''ll....discuss this matter in detail soon.."


    The woman''s lips curled into a devious smile as she cleaned the drop of blood that dribbled down her neck.


    "What an idiot..."

 Chapter 5- dual traits

    How long was it....that I felt this feeling of emptiness.


    I couldn''t feel my hands or feet or the sound of my heart beating. ''Hah...this feeling.....I kind of miss how reassuring it feels...but soon....'' A bright light shone on my face, and slowly, I could feel my body listening to me once again.


    "Oh...your fate is unique...a person that has returned from the future....".


    ''How ?''. I turned around to find the source of the voice but like last time as well, they wouldn''t reveal themselves first.


    "Where are you looking ?"


    I turned to my right immediately and my gaze was fixed on two individuals.


    ''That''s weird.....why are there two of them ?''.


    One was white, while the other, a more familiar figure, was black and had a white bandage wrapped around his eyes.


    "He possesses strong eyes....he deserves to gain my trait".


    "He''s someone that can turn Destiny itself.....I''m interested in this one..."


    "But..will he be able to pass our trials?"


    "That, my friend, is all up to him". The one on white flipped his finger and the void space suddenly turned cold.


    I felt a chill creep up my spine and my skin slowly crumbled to the cold. ''Where is it coming from ?''


    I thought without realizing I was in the middle of a snowstorm. ''This wasn''t the trial I went through last time''


    "Young Jun....you must be one with the cold".


    ''One with the cold? How do you expect me to do that? Do I look like an ice cube or something?''


    "Why does he resist ?" The other one said.


    ''Resist....me ?'' I had not realized it this whole time but the body automatically reacts when a foreign entity causes harm to it. We cool ourselves when it''s hot and we struggle to cluster warmth around us when it''s cold.


    If he wants me to be one with the cold....then does he insist...I die in it ?...''


    I stared at my cold hands that had completely frozen up.


    "No...not just be one with it....exist with it".


    I stood still and let the cold pierce through my body. It was a cold and harsh feeling, and I felt like holding myself tight to resist the cold, but would something like that even be helpful?


    My legs had completely turned to ice and then slowly, I felt it slowly creep up to me to my knees and then my lower abdomen. It wasn''t long before it had reached my face.


    I closed my eyes tight and hard as it surrounded me in its cold.


    "You have done well....".


    A white light pierced through the ice and it cracked open, shattering in pieces from my face down.


    I breathed in heavily, falling to my knees.


    ''I could have...died ?''


    "He has passed your test.....then....is it my turn ?".


    ''What another one ?''


    He clicked his finger again and the icy storm turned into a grassy plain


    ''This...I am familiar with...the goal...''.


    I slowly turned to my left where a target was laid over a kilometer away. ''...to shoot down that single target''


    "It seems like you get the gist of it....my test is simple...shoot down that human target from your current position".


    ''It may seem simple...but the distance was too abnormal before my regression but now....maybe...''


    A bow and arrow appeared before me and I picked them up.


    I stood at the position designated and aimed it at the object.


    ''As expected it''s too far....though....''


    I exuded aura from my body, leading them to my eyes.


    "Kid! What are you doing ?"


    Using aura on organs such as the eyes is usually dangerous since they have a 50% chance of damaging them if used wrongly, but the trait I SEE YOU is just that important.


    The aura rushed through my eyes, sharpening my vision several levels higher but causing blood to drip down at the same time. A smile escaped my lips as I shot out the arrow.


    It rushed through the plain field at an incredible speed and shot down the target in an instant.


    Not just vision mattered in this trial, strength mattered as well. Without applying mana to fortify your aim...it would be impossible.


    "It seems we have a genius even amongst our family..."


    "Indeed...I''m curious as to what you will achieve in the future..."


    "We approve of giving you our Traits....may you use it to bring honor to yourself and your family". They appeared again floating above me.


    "Yes...now that they''ve alleged contact with their ancestors...I''m sure a new trait will be applied each time their destiny changes".


    Rachael sighed. "Should we start our preparations for the Demon subjugation.."


    "...yes we should....I''ll have to summon my younger brother to look after them".


    "...he''s a 10-star knight of the Imperial Family now, isn''t he...."


    Rachael sighed as she rested her body on his desk. " you guys are so talented...."


    "Oh shush wife...." Michaelo held her hands. "You''re just as powerful...and you will continue to grow...I will be sure of that".


    Rachael chuckled at his words. "I know you will...you''re a stubborn man"


    Michaelo chuckled as well.


    "Did the King at least tell you where the demons appeared from ?"


    "Not at all....as if he expected us to find it ourselves..."


    "..well it shouldn''t be hard since I possess the Search skill"


    "..skills..."


    Michaelo placed his chin on his small beard while pondering over the name.


    "They are more than one way of obtaining power, Michaelo"


    "...yes....the system....we still don''t know where that thing came from so we ought to be careful"


    "...well..it still comes in handy"


    "It does..."


    "..I hope this demon subjugation goes as planned....I don''t want to leave my babies with someone from the imperial palace..."


    "It''s alright dear..." Michaelo said with a smirk on his face. "I sent aid to the north...I''m sure you remember him...The King of the Human-giant race"


    "King Hercules"


    "Yes....he agreed to send a knight of his as well....though this is just insurance....his knights are at the 10th star as well but their unique blessing from the giant god should more than make them strong enough to face even me".


    ".....the powers that exist in this world..."


    "..we''re nearly getting to the peak of it all....we ought to refine ourselves"


    Rachael nodded her head in agreement as they continued their conversation about their son.


    ****


    Raffaelo stepped on the snowy field of the training yard as he heard his sister''s footsteps


    He turned around and his five sisters were presently watching him in earnest.


    "Do I look like an alien or something ?"


    "Well....you are something not human" Morganna said with a chuckle.


    I laughed as I grabbed a wooden sword from the bundle placed in the corner of the training yard.


    "You said you had something to show us...". Gloria said, staring at him with keen interest.


    "...." Raffaelo tapped the sword on his shoulder rhythmically while glancing at his sister.


    "...wh..what ?" She stammered.


    "Why aren''t you putting on female clothing? Even if it''s cold....you should"


    "What is this nonsense !" Gloria cut him off and turned her face away blushing.


    "Ye...yeah..you tell him, sis !" Rebecca nodded.


    Morganna and Thalia chuckled.


    "It''s their preference...I couldn''t even do anything about them," Fiona sighed, shaking her head.


    "Stop this pestering and show us".


    "Okay...Okay," Rafaelo chuckled as he pointed his sword forward. "I realized something from the trial.....a way to make our abilities ours and make them blossom".


    The snowflakes that fell slowly began to gather around the tip of his sword.


    His sisters gasped at the reaction.


    "You just obtained it though!" Rebecca muttered.


    "Yes....but...making it ours and growing with it...isn''t that one of our goals as a Jun...to continue growing stronger to protect what is ours".


    The snow formed into a ball and it solidified into an ice ball. He shot it out, and it flew to the other side of the court, striking the ground with a small, snowy explosion.


    "Let''s work hard sisters....I might surpass the whole lot of you at this rate". He smirked at them as he dropped the sword and walked back to the castle.


    Gloria smiled. ''That''s seriously not something a 10-year-old should be saying...''.


    I''m sure they all had the same thoughts as they stared at their brother''s back while he skipped his way back to the mansion.

 Chapter 6- circles and stars

    Thalia POV.


    The ticking of the clock echoed in my room in silence as the rattling of the window from the snowstorm occurring outside began to get louder.


    The small book in my hand containing law information didn''t seem to get into my head as I sipped my tea.


    Well, it''s not like I couldn''t understand it...it just felt like I couldn''t focus.


    "Bella..."


    "Yes..my lady ?"


    She replied with a stammered expression. She always had low self-esteem, but that was what I liked about her.


    "Do you think I''m going down the wrong path ?"


    "...what...what do you mean, my lady ?"


    "...well ....our genius younger brother said something I never thought of before.


    He said something along the lines of ''obtaining power to protect what is ours...''...I never thought of it that way".


    "...my lady, if I may... everybody''s destiny is different..."


    "...yes....but to be unable to protect what is mine doesn''t sound pleasing....imagine if I was not strong enough to protect you, Bella"


    ".....there''s no need my lady...because I shall be the one doing the protection..."


    "....that''s right...you''re a 7th circle magician..."


    ''Honestly....most of our maids are mages...and if not mages then swordsmen....I''m honestly surprised how we haven''t started a war with this kind of power...."


    "...does...does my lady want to learn magic ?"


    I stared at her quietly. She saw through my questions. ''Yes...swordsmanship...looks like something I wouldn''t want to learn...the sword is a beautiful thing but...I don''t have the time and patience for that...magic on the other hand requires understanding...that is what I want''


    "...yes..seems like I''ll have to take a short trip to Fiona''s room".


    MeanwhileNo?v(el)B\\jnn


    Fiona''s POV.


    "...wh...wh..what did you just say ?" I had to repeat the question. It was a question that I had to ask because of the statement that my younger brother just made.


    He was currently in my room and without my permission.


    I turned towards my maid, Isabel, and quickly notified her to leave.


    "You...you want to get yourself killed ?"


    He shook his head rather adamantly.


    "Creating a mana circle...I want to do that".


    He repeated his earlier statement.


    Though my curiosity as a mage took the better of me, my worry as his sister was much stronger.


    "You can''t have both...it''s impossible".


    "....what if....I tell you there was a way...."


    "...what ?".


    "Though... I''m simply bringing up the topic to you now....I truly wish to form one"


    "..what method do you have in mind ?"


    I couldn''t help it. My curiosity got the better of me.


    "The reason why it''ll be impossible to form a mana circle and an aura star in the same body is because of the conflicting energy''s purpose in the body.


    Where the star is to form aura which swordsmen use for fighting...the mana circle is used for magic...to make the impossible the possible"


    "Well...obviously..."


    Raffaello chuckled. "You''re too nice"


    "..I''m not..." she stopped skimming through it and dropped it. "Fiona was right...I understood it easily"


    "...well..you are a genius"


    "Nonsense". She waved her hand for him to quit his compliments.


    "Alright". He picked up the book and opened it as well.


    "You....you shouldn''t push yourself so much....why do you want to learn magic ?"


    ".....I can get stronger with magic and swordsmanship"


    "....you already possess a trait though..."


    "...you shouldn''t be satisfied with just one thing when you know you could have gone for more..."


    Thalia stared at him and sighed. "You...are you even 10 years old ?"


    "...who knows" he giggled as he stopped at one part of the book.


    "...I want to start practicing this...can you call for Fiona if anything goes wrong..."


    She stared at him and turned towards the book. "....don''t...try anything you can''t handle" she muttered slowly while taking a meditating position.


    "I''m going to try it out as well....and I''m sure Fiona will come if she notices something bizarre occurring... "


    "....well...true..".


    They closed their eyes almost immediately to begin the mana breathing.


    It was a simple yet difficult process where they had to feel the flow of mana in the air, then try to incorporate it into their body and slowly move it to their heart, where the first ring slowly forms after circulating it for a while. Stabilizing it was also a difficult process.


    However, it was a whole different thing for Raffaelo, who already had an aura star in his dantian. He had to incorporate mana into his body around his heart to form the mana circle while substituting the latent energy with aura from his stars so they could balance each other out.


    He was in the middle of the process. The mana had penetrated his body and reached his heart...this was where the difficult part started.


    Raffaello POV


    I could feel the mana gather around my heart smoothly but then the conflicting aura from my stars had begun to fight it out. It''s a natural process that would occur, but the pain it caused was tremendous, and the mental fatigue caused was exhausting.


    I had to take heavy breaths just to maintain my current position. ''Now...what comes next....''.


    Extracting aura from my stars and moving it to my heart to substitute for the mana that my body won''t accept.


    I felt blood dribble down my lip as I clenched my teeth to the pain. I was almost done. The circle began to form from the aura stars and it began to surround my heart carefully.


    I was already feeling relieved that the process was about to end when my heart suddenly thumped and the mana trembled. My hand gripped my chest as blood spurted out from my mouth.


    "RAPH !" I could hear Thalia''s voice as heavy footsteps rushed towards me.


    "Idiot ! your mana isn''t enough!".


    I suddenly felt an influx of mana rush into my body from one of my sisters.


    The pain began to subside and the mana circle was stabilizing more.


    "Quickly...form the circle !".


    I sat back up and quickly stabilized the excess mana in my body to my heart. A circle formed instantly but there was still mana that roamed freely in my body. ''If I stop now..then this excess mana...''


    I gathered them around my heart again and using my 2nd star, I formed a 2nd circle. The mana left wasn''t enough to form a third so I distributed it equally around my stars until it stabilized.


    I panted lightly as the pain slowly ceased. ''I....I did it...''


    My mind slowly went blank as I fell limply on the bed.


    "RAPH !" Thalia screamed again.


    "Relax...he''s just exhausted...this kid...he did it.." the second voice I heard was from Fiona.


    ''I guess her curiosity as a mage took the best of her in the end''


    My lips curled into a weak smile as their voices slowly faded away.

 Chapter 7- Uncle Phillip

    My vision slowly began to return to me. I caught a few glimpses of a very familiar-looking ceiling before I weakly turned my head around to observe the environment.


    ''Seems I''m back in my room..''


    "...oh..you''re awake..."


    A stern and strict voice echoed in my ears and the familiarity made me shudder a little. I looked towards the door to find my mother in silver Paladin armor.


    ''Looks like I slept for quite a while''.


    "...you are a handful...nearly killing yourself...."


    She walked up to me sitting down on the chair next to another one. I had not noticed all this while. A little girl''s body lay soundly asleep on top of my chest.


    ''This girl...she could have at least laid down on the side next to me and not on top of me !''


    "Don''t mind Morganna, she insisted you''ll wake up faster this way"


    ''....well..she has a point".


    "You.....are you my son ?"


    My pupils dilated at the sudden question, and I felt a bit of a cold breeze creep up on me, but soon I regained my normal expression.


    "What sort of ?" I muttered weakly.


    "Well.....you''ve done absurd things that have worked for you so far, and you''re extremely talented even for a Jun. This is absurd".


    I smiled at her a little. "You worry too much, Mother...I am your son...it''s just that...they are somethings that require the only son of the Jun family to achieve in this life..."


    My mother stared at me with a baffled expression as she caressed my hair. "That''s not something a 10-year-old should be saying...seriously...you sound older than me sometimes, you know..."


    ''Now that I think about it....I didn''t live as long as my mother in my past life....how regretful....''


    "I''m just...trying to get as strong as I can....surely this world has much more powerful unknown forces out there...I just don''t want to be at the losing end"


    She stared at me silently and sighed.


    "Your father''s younger brother is in his study with him. They''re discussing some official matters...."


    "The demon subjugation is today....guess it''s no surprise...I''ve been unconscious for a week now?"


    "To be precise 11 days...."


    "Oh...." I sighed. "But...I seemed to have achieved what I wanted".


    My mana circles and aura stars were all stable. ''And it seems I''ve formed a 3rd circle....as I thought....my mana circle and mana star are connected...if one grows so does the other....it will be faster to reach the peak of a Grand Master Swordsman with this''


    "Yes....I can only fathom the depths of your abilities in the future..." she smiled as she got up. "I look forward to it....and try not to kill your sisters with anxiety.....especially Thalia...you have no idea how worried she''s been these few days"


    ''Well...I''m sure of it that little girl is a big softie''


    "I shall be on my way then.."


    "Good luck ... mother...and come home safe".


    She stared at me with a surprised expression. She smiled, causing a feeling of reassurance to swell in my heart.


    "Of course...." And she left.


    I sat up, slowly pushing Morganna to the bed. "She must have stayed by my side this whole time...."


    ''Even in my past life, We were the closest''


    Now, my mother''s safety is ensured since my dad would be going as well, unlike in the past, so all that''s left....is the assassination attempt between this evening and the next three days.


    My dad walked out with my mum and they got on their horses as they headed out with a battalion of 50 soldiers armed in armor and on top of war horses.


    ''....in my past life, 30 died...and all 30 were from our army unlike the 20 sent from the imperial palace....the whole thing was sketchy....I hope my dad can handle it....though...they probably don''t know he has reached the 11th star at this stage


    Phillip sighed as he turned around to face us.


    "So...is there something you would like to do since your parents are gone now ?". He smiled.


    His smile. I never liked it, actually none of us did. I turned around to walk away, and my sisters followed after, except my eldest.


    "I apologize on behalf...they probably have training to do". Gloria said with an amused expression trying to wave it off.


    He laughed as well.


    "...well...I''m sure they would".


    NORMAL POV.


    Phillip stared at Raffaelo as he walked up the stairs with his sisters. A devilishly impulsive smile curled from his lips as he turned around and walked out of the mansion to the courtyard.


    All this while Gloria watched his every action.


    Gloria was 19 now and had reached the peak of the 8th star. The process of climbing from the 5th star upwards is much harder compared from the 1st to the 5th since a broader understanding of the sword is required, but for her age, it was still a wonderful feat.


    She had reached the master of the sword, and she was fully able to feel the emotions people emitted through their mana. And felt the cold and devious feelings he gave off as he walked out.


    ''He....'' She glared at him and slowly turned around to walk up the stairs.


    Phillip walked down the courtyard quietly then stopped when he got to a tree at an end close to the walls surrounding the complex.


    "This noon...aim for their son...eliminate him first".


    The leaves of the tree rustled and a satisfied smile curled from his lips.


    ''Slowly brother...I shall take everything you have built.''


    ****


    Gloria stopped in the hallway when she noticed her siblings standing in the middle while staring at her.


    "Oh..where you guys waiting for me ?" She asked as she walked closer to them.


    "Raph suggested something that I think you need to hear". Fiona said, nodding her head to Gloria''s question. There was never any obvious conflict between the sisters and they respected each other unless it came to personal matters.


    "Which is ?" She asked as she got to them.


    "I think...it would be best if we slept in the same room...until Dad and Mum come back," Raffaelo replied.


    "...hmm...what for ?"


    "Uncle Philip.....even you felt it didn''t you..." Rebecca replied. "He doesn''t have good intentions...I don''t trust him..."


    Though Rebecca wasn''t in the realm of a master, she was at the 7th star now. A level away from the master, but through her unique trait, soldier of light, she can tell malicious intent just from the aura they give off as well.


    "....true..." she sighed.


    "Alright...let''s decide on a room".


    "Of course, it will be Raph''s".


    They all turned towards Raffaello with expressions he couldn''t afford to refute.


    "...o...o..of..of course...". He had a weary expression on his face.


    ''These sisters of mine''. He chuckled as he turned around. "Let''s go".

 Chapter 8- Spawns

    Michaelo POV.


    We marched silently in the forbidden forest while being cautious of our surroundings.


    It was an obvious strategy but I had to take extra precautions since I could not feel the presence of any thing.


    The green scenery and majestic trunks that stood out from the Long and tall trees of the forbidden forest where it''s distinguishing features. It was a habitat that seemed full of life yet it could not nurture animals. The trees tend to feast on wild animals, or so I''ve heard.


    "Hey, Michaelo.....do you think the kids are alright..."


    ''This woman...''


    "They''ll be fine...there is no uncertainty with my plans".


    "I know that but...." She muttered..


    I sighed, turning to my left to face the leader of the army troop sent by the imperial king.


    "Did the highness give you details of the demons we''ll be facing?"


    His name was Alex Burner, an 8th star master swordsman.


    "....the villagers had been going missing whenever they came in contact with the forest...it''s only right the King suspects the presence of demons...he sent you to inspect it..didn''t He?"


    ''.....hmmmm.....''


    I let out a small sigh and continued facing forward.


    The imperial family was never satisfied with the Jun family even before my generation. They''ve been unable to control us as much as they want since we''ve always proven our way as Knights.


    It''s right to believe that the other houses might be in cahoots with the imperial family.


    ''But...that is nothing but a mere thought'' .


    We continued marching forward when I felt the sudden change of influx in mana in our surroundings. It wasn''t a feeling I wasn''t used to, blood lust.


    "Halt !" I raised my arm in the air and they halted.


    "...you feel it too..." my wife said while coming down her horse.


    Silence followed after when a sudden scream echoed from.behind our troops.


    I turned around almost immediately to find one of my men being dragged like livestock by a black thin moldy creature.


    "A spawn of hell". My wife muttered as she held up her hand.


    "Listen to my plea! Lightsaber". In response to her call, a golden light struck down from the sky and onto the palm of her hand forming a golden greatsword.


    She pushed herself forward and sliced off the creature into two in one single swoop.


    I smiled at her quick reflexes when the man next to me decided to interrupt.


    "MORE ARE COMING !"


    I quickly turned to my front to find a horde of them rushing towards us. Some crawled on the ground while some swung down from the trees.


    The number was numerous, almost overwhelming.


    ''But this much...is nothing...''


    My lips curled into a smile as I pushed my trusty steed forward.


    "Obey the sound of my voice! Mystic blade".


    I felt my blood swell at the palm of my right hand as a reddish blue long sword appeared on my grasp.


    I swung it across emitting my aura and a sharp crescent moon formed, slicing off the spawns before me


    "Men !! CHAAaarge !!!!".


    My men roared to my order as they charged with me, slicing and killing any that came our way.


    I felt a sudden thrust of wind above and on looking up, my eyes made out a falling silhouette crushing down on the demons in front of me. She turned back at me with a daring smile.


    "You''re too slow hun...I see you''ve been slacking off".


    She jumped up again to another side, slamming down her great sword causing a loud thunder sound each time.


    "As expected of my wife".


    I chuckled as I waved my blade from the bottom up.


    "Chapter 1 of the 13 Jun Swordsman !".


    Michelo appeared just in front of her and sliced off the death knight that had attempted to kill her. Time resumed once again and blood dribbled down his lips as he panted heavily.


    "Why did you ?" His wife muttered when he signaled for her to look around.


    She did and her expression slowly turned into shock.


    "..when ?".


    "They''ve been here all along..."


    They were presently surrounded by four more death knight''s.


    "It''s nothing we can''t handle together".


    Michelo held out his blade at them. Rachael sighed as she held the hilt of her blade firmly.


    "It''s been a while since we did a combo huh...." Her lips curled into a smile. "Let''s do this !"


    She rushed towards one when the other three attempted to come at her.


    "6''o clock: slow time".


    A symbol of a clock appeared within his eyes as time slowed down around only the death knight''s.


    It was part of his unique trait. The ability to affect time for a particular or group of things that could be living or non-living but like the saying goes, every power comes with great risks.


    He is unable to use another trait while using THE KING OF TIME trait and the amount of mana it consumed was great.


    The death knights movements were highly reduced as Rachael quickly swung her blade up surrounding it with aura.


    "Chapter 2 of the Jun Swordsmanship ! Clean surge".


    She swung it down, causing the wind to propel and aggressively pushed it back against countless numbers of trees.


    She spun her sword around and slammed another one to the ground, turning again and slamming another one away into the air.


    She surrounded her blade with aura and clenched her teeth as her eyes glowed. "Chapter 6! Unparallel Surge".


    The ground felt like it trembled to her mana and it did. The force pushed the knight into the ground again and again. Pushing it deeper and deeper.


    Its armor cracked and shattered to the force, twisting and turning in directions normally impossible for the human''s body.


    She struck her blade into its armor like it was a sheet of paper and it crumbled into dust to the force.


    Time resumed and she panted heavily, falling to the ground.


    "You''ve mastered the 6th already?". Michealo said as he walked up to her panting.


    "Yeah...though it seems like it''s still taking a toll on my body". She chuckled.


    Michaelo smiled at her reaction.


    "So stubborn".


    "Sir Michaelo ! All the spawns have been taken care of".


    "Is that so....". Michaelo turned towards Alex as he walked towards him. "How many losses ?"


    ".....we lost 4 of your men...due to their nature and numbers". He bowed.


    "...that''s okay ... .it shouldn''t be your fault....just gather the dead bodies and keep them safe...we''ll have to return them to their families at the village they reside".


    "...Of...Of course".


    ''Such benevolence is always the source of a great man''s weakness....''. He turned around to observe the death knight''s that laid limply on the ground unable to move


    ''They defeated them so easily ... .and quickly too ... .these death knight''s that killed a lot of the king''s masters ... .guess they didn''t amount to much''.


    "Should we start going back ?" He asked.


    "Going back ? You realized we haven''t solved the main issue right?"


    "....the main issue?" He muttered with a baffled expression. ''Guess they know about it already''


    "The fruit of depravity" Rachael sighed. "They usually have a guardian...much stronger than the death knight''s....". She turned towards her husband. "You don''t plan on using any other do you ?"


    He stared at her, understanding her question while Alex watched in confusion


    "All of them ?" He asked.


    "....it''s nothing...and no...just one".


    Rachael stared at him worriedly. "Don''t overdo it...and use them if necessary". She stood up slowly. "Let''s go...it should be further inside...it won''t be that hard to find it"

 Chapter 9- La Teuer

    Raffaelo''s POV.


    I stared at the beautiful ceiling paintings in my room while trying to get some sleep.


    It wasn''t as easy as I thought


    ''Hmm....who could have thought sleeping on a blanket on the ground would be this uncomfortable''.


    It was an inconvenience since my sisters somehow found a way to sleep on my bed without finding enough space for a 7th person.


    ''This is absurd...shouldn''t the owner of the bed at least be sleeping on his bed...''. I could only complain to myself, though.


    *Raffaelo*


    I heard my sister''s voice loud and clear in my head.


    Voice transfer.....the ability of mages to transfer their thoughts through words into someone''s line of thoughts. It''s a 4th tier spell that enables people to talk without actually having to move their lips.


    *yes...sister ?*.


    I replied to Fiona, slowly moving my body towards their direction.


    *don''t move too much....*


    *...I won''t...*


    *Alright....don''t be too shocked with what I''m about to tell you...but above you...there''s a person on the roof*.


    ''What? Someone managed to sneak up on me through the roof....I may be a 5th star...but that doesn''t mean I''m unable to feel people''s presence.....well unless they''re far stronger and more cunning when hiding their presence''


    *Is Elder sister Gloria aware ?*


    *Yes.....she''s unable to tell what he''s doing...so we want to wait and see...*


    ''...there''s a man that could kill me above me....and they can''t tell what he''s doing....he''s able to hide his aura from a master....I''m sure....this isn''t an easy opponent''.


    I laid back, facing the ceiling as my lips curled into a smile.


    ''Guess I''ll at least make it difficult for him...''


    I exerted my aura and blasted it around me, pushing it towards the ceiling.


    It exploded, causing a crack as debris fell to the location I once laid.


    "Why would you ?..." Fiona yelled out as she woke up her sleeping sisters.


    "No...it''s much better this way...now we can face whoever is hiding..head on". Gloria said as she stretched her hand to the sky. "Ascend the thrones of greatness ! Magic bone". A blue glowing greatsword shaped like a canine tooth seemed to have fallen from the sky into her hands as she surrounded her aura around her.


    "Chapter 5 of the Jun Swordsmanship !".


    She took a step forward, suddenly appearing some few feet away, blasting any object that came her way in the process, and waved her sword with great efficiency at what seemed empty.


    "Humble surge".


    The strength of her sword and aura caused a refined flow of aura to suddenly strike out from her blade destroying anything that came its way.


    Of course, that included the walls and a part of the ceilings of my room as well.


    "That sword....." he pointed at the Sword that Gloria held. "It must be the famous Soul Weapon....a weapon that has formed a contract with your soul....Ke Ke Ke Ke" he chuckled.


    "He knows...too much..." Fiona said with a raised brow.


    "He does..." Gloria muttered in reply.


    The soul weapon is an exclusive skill of the Jun family as well as those married into the Jun family. A soul weapon is formed when a swordsman forms a contract with a spirit that forms their weapon. They say some kind of words that act as their activation code which summons their weapons. All activation code varies.


    "....we can''t let you live," Fiona muttered, stretching her hand towards the Assassin. "We''ll capture you and take every information from you".


    A lightning bolt began to form around the tip of her fingers.


    "5th tier magic: Lightning bolt".


    The lighting roamed around her increasing in size and power as it shot out towards the assassin.


    A loud explosion occurred destroying the rooftop and walls of the room.


    "Seriously....your powers are too absurd...shouldn''t we just kill the lot of you !" The assassin screamed out as he jumped out from the shadows behind them aiming his blade towards Fiona.


    "Tch !". She muttered when Gloria appeared in front of her, swinging her blade towards the assassin.


    Their weapons clashed and the force pushed the man away.


    "You might not realize it but I wasn''t the only assassin commissioned...." He chuckled as he swung his blade again, increasing the speed and force of each strike.


    "3rd tier magic: bind!"


    Fiona yelled, widening the palms of her hand. Vines of mana shot out from the ground and grabbed the man by his arm and his feet.


    "Huh ?" The man grumbled trying to fight back when he felt a stinging pain from his chest as blood splurged out of his body. "Aargh".


    He screamed out.


    Gloria pulled out her blade smothered in his blood as she stretched her fist towards his face. "Go to sleep".


    She punched him once, and he growled, unable to retaliate.


    ''Mere 3rd magic wants to stop me ?!''. He cried out, causing a sudden increase in the intent around him, pushing them back.


    He sliced off the vines, panting heavily as he glared at the two girls.


    ''This strength? Shouldn''t her mana have been exhausted when she used that 5th-tier magic...isn''t she a 5th-tier mage....what is going on??''


    "It seems you received misinformation..." Gloria said, lowering her head. "It would have been a bit of trouble if they sent someone stronger than you...but even amongst our people...we hide the depths of our power".


    "Shush! Gloria, that''s not something you should be telling an assassin!" Fiona face palmed herself, sighing.


    Gloria stared at her flustered. "I...I didn''t think there was an issue...since..."


    "Alright, Alright...you sword brains never reason sometimes". She muttered when they noticed the sudden change in atmosphere.


    "..wha ....wha....what did you just say...someone stronger than who ? Me? Don''t make me laugh...." He chuckled abhorrently. " HOW DARE YOU ! I AM JAMIE LA TEUER ! I AM THE STRONGEST OF MY GENERATION !".


    He screamed out, blood rushing to his eyes. He laughed madly as his murderous intent grew stronger and wider. It turned black and mucky, slowly consuming him in this endless surge of evil.


    "You..I shall kill you all". He placed his right hand on his face, glaring at them through the small holes his hands presented for him.

 Chapter 10- Assassin King ?

    The footsteps of Raffaelo and his siblings echoed in the hallways as they rushed towards the staircase.


    Their eyes roamed around the rooms they could get into but their spirits were always laid down with disappointment with each passing time.


    "....I can''t believe the maids in charge of this Castle are missing"


    "...it''s either they went on leave....or they know an assassin has been sent for our necks". Rebecca muttered when they finally got to the stairs.


    "Will Fiona and Gloria be alright ?" Morganna asked with a worried tone. It was her first time in this sort of situation and she never liked the thought of violence.


    Raffaelo could only feel sorry for her.


    "They''ll be fine...they''re not kids...". Rebecca replied when she suddenly halted. Her expression slowly turned dark and gloomy as she bit down her lips in annoyance.


    They all turned towards the direction she glared at and they gave out a similar reaction.


    "Oh....to think some of you would escape....that idiot..." The man standing before them in his golden armor chuckled as he walked away from the dark towards them.


    He stood down the stairs as if waiting for them all along.


    "As I thought...my brother hid your true abilities from his workers...he was always the cautious type but seriously...". He held out the palm of his hand.


    "It is time for Judgement ! Dark saber".


    The darkness warped around him, obeying his bid, and formed a black greatsword on the palm of his hand.


    Raffaelo had a worried expression on his face. ''If I remember correctly....Uncle Philip was a 10th star at this period...we don''t stand a chance against a monster like him...''


    "Hm. Since it''s come to this....I may just kill the whole lot of you..." he said with a hollow smile on his face. His expression was devious and empty, too void for a human to comprehend.


    ''To think our ancestors had someone with this kind of power.....'' Raffaelo thought as his gaze slowly shifted towards Rebecca. ''Though....I think we have someone with an opposite trait...''


    "The goddess favors me ! Speck of light". Rebecca muttered as a blinding light shone from her hands forming a white long slim sword. "Stay behind me...".


    She pointed her sword forward.


    "Let the world''s light obey my will ! Righteous Brightness!".


    A blinding light shone from the tip of her sword and consumed the hallway turning it into a bright coloured mess.


    Phillip felt a stinging pain from the light and on observing his body condition, he realized his skin was melting.


    ''An ability that can affect me even with my armor''. He chuckled as his lips curled into a devious smile.


    "Interesting!". He screamed out slamming his sword into the ground. "Absolute darkness".


    Black shadows began to creep out from his blade and spread out, completely consuming the light that was once blinding.


    ''The difference in stars was too much...if only she were a master''. Raffaelo thought as he watched his sister splurt out blood from her mouth. His expression turned wary when his other sisters held her before she fell exhausted.


    "Tch...you should be glad I was here to make things easier for you !" Fiona cried out. ''Seriously this girl...well, she hasn''t exactly found someone as strong as her...even amongst her peers''.


    "Ke Ke Ke Ke" he chuckled as reality slowly dawned on him. "I don''t intend on going out just like this you see....so if anything...". He slowly stood up, staggering in the process.


    "I like that you''re persistent....but you can''t defeat us," Gloria said as she walked up to him, pulling her great sword with her.


    "Don''t let your guard down; he''s an assassin," Fiona said, sighing as she walked after.


    "TCH !" He suddenly disappeared, as if he had submerged in the darkness.


    "...you see what I mean...." Fiona muttered as she turned around and slowly stood behind Gloria, their backs against each other. "You have my back ?"


    "Always sister," Gloria held her sword forward, "to think he still had more tricks...".


    "What did you expect....he''s an assassin..."


    They stood quiet, trying to locate his presence in the once Raffaelo''s room.


    Three minutes turned to five minutes...and then ten minutes.


    "That f*cker" Fiona muttered. "Did he escape ?".


    She walked towards the broken-down walls to try and locate him while Gloria lowered her sword.


    "Hmm....." Gloria muttered. She could still feel it, blood lust. It was a very minuscule amount, invisible to the normal human but not to a master. ''He must have not realized my full abilities from the fight....but I''m unable to even tell his position this time...''


    Fiona looked around for a while and sighed as she turned around to face Gloria. "Alright, I-


    In That split moment, Jamie''s hand pulled out of the ground and grabbed her leg.


    She felt paralyzed and her spells could not alter out of her mouth.


    "If you let your guard down like this....Ke Ke Ke....I have no choice but to take it head on".


    He pulled her down into the crumbling wood and pulled himself out.


    Fiona felt splits of wood pierced her skin as she fell to the last floor while Jamie jumped out of the hole.


    "Now...all that''s left is-


    It was too late, whatever he thought he had in mind was too late. He could see his life flash before his eyes as he felt the sharp sword slowly and easily pierce through the back of his neck. Her sword glowed a bright and fiery white and it all seemed to go on in slow motion in his head.


    ''Soul Aura ?....she..was a master ?''. He thought as the world suddenly spun around his bloodied-colored eyes. ''Oh....I stood no match from the very beginning ?'' He thought to himself as his head landed hard on the ground.


    His gaze slowly focused on Gloria in her blood-stained night dress. The moon glowed down on her blue hair, her cold eyes, and her sword covered with blood.


    "Beau..."


    His eyes lost focus and he gave out his last breath.

 Chapter 11- Aura Field of Vision

    Raffaello POV.


    The plan my sister, Morganna had was a rather simple and risky one.


    It depended on our mastery of our traits and skills. Of course, it''s to be expected. Against a monster like Phillip.


    He stared at us, with his arms folded as I lowered the dome around us.


    "Hmm? Did you think of a plan or something ?" He asked, tilting his head to the left with an amused expression. "Shall I see what you had in mind...".


    I''m sure of it, just as Morganna had said, he''s going to underestimate us from the very beginning, but even if we''re far below him in power, we can still make up a little bit of it in our brain.


    Rebecca walked up in front of us and held up her blade with both of her hands.


    "Chapter 6....". Her eyes glowed white as the force of the technique she was about to use pushed her down into the ground.


    We had to stay a few feet away from Rebecca because the 6th technique of our family, Swordsmanship, doesn''t discriminate.


    Phillip might be a Jun but he does something that we don''t. He underestimates his opponents. He''s probably thinking, ''How cute'' since the difference in stars also affects how strong our techniques can be, but that''s only referring to normal Jun family members.


    She swung her blade down in a clean sweep and the force spread to Phillip in an instant.


    He felt shocked and quickly raised his sword to block the strike; it wasn''t too effective since he was forced further and further into the ground.


    "Unparalleled Surge". Her aura increased explosively and her aura roamed around her body as she forced him deeper into The ground.


    Phillip spurted out blood from his mouth, and his eyes were shocked by the force of the strike.


    This is my queue. ''The ability I possess....The King of Snow.....I''m not fully aware of how to use it but the basics at least


    I charged at him, avoiding the areas that were under the effect of my sister''s skill. I didn''t need to get close to him.


    The whole point wasn''t to get close to him either.


    I rushed mana to my left hand as it slowly grew cold.


    "Ice burst". I slammed my hand on the ground at a considerable distance from him, turning the snowy field into hard solid ice.


    It crept up from the position I slammed to Phillip and grew up his body, freezing half of it in place.


    ''It worked....'' I thought.


    NORMAL POV.


    Phillip felt a chilling sensation creep up his body and his gaze slowly went to Raffaello.


    ''When did he get there ?'' He thought, still holding the strike from hitting hard on him. ''If not for this girl....why is she able to hold this power for so long ?'' He thought slowly falling to one knee.


    ''Doesn''t matter...if this is all-


    It took an instance when he felt someone''s presence behind him. His eyes quickly moved towards the location and his gaze was fixed on Raffaelo, who was holding a sword and swinging it toward him


    ''What a sword....I see...was this why he froze half of my body Where did he even get that sword ?'' The ice on his body shattered as he forced his arm to block the attack.


    "NOW !" Morganna cried out and Phillips'' attention quickly turned to them as he heard a crackling noise.


    Thalia held a cannon made of lighting on top of her shoulder as she glared at him.


    "High tier 2nd circle magic: Lightning cannon".


    "B*tch use your damn words !" He cried out as he swung his sword in retaliation. ''This is it....she might have reached master...but I''m still high-


    She disappeared from his presence and appeared behind him. His expression slowly turned to annoyance. "What are you thinking of in the middle of battle ?" She asked as she swung her blade again, slamming the back of his head and forcing his body into the ground.


    "Tch....that''s some strong aura..." she muttered as she jumped backward


    "Hah for f*cks sake ! Why are the whole lot of you monsters ?!" Phillip cried out as he slowly stood back up.


    " ...you''re not any different....getting back up as if nothing happened after all those hits..."


    "Huh? It''s to be expected,isn''t it? You didn''t want the fight to end like that, did you ?" He tapped his head worriedly. "Hah ,geez...how hard did you hit my head...." He muttered, feeling blood. "I''m going to lose a lot of blood like this...." He grumbled to himself ignoring her presence.


    "Now...should I get serious...." He said as he held his blade up in a stance.


    "....." Gloria sighed as she held her blade up in a stance as well.


    She disappeared again in an instant


    ''She''s fast...just as I thought...'' He muttered. "But you''re predictable !" He turned around to where he thought he would find her.


    "Predictable you say ?" Her voice rang in his ear from behind and a mix of annoyance and confusion etched on his face.


    She swung her blade on the back of his waist and slammed him further away into the ground.


    She clicked her tongue as she stood up. "What sort of barrier..." she muttered slowly. ''But...it''s not unbreakable''


    "Hah geez...." Phillip muttered slowly as he stood back up. "You know you''re going to have to do more than that to stop me right?"


    ''He''s right....I can''t even cut through him no matter how much I''ve tried''


    "Well then..." Gloria pushed her blade into the ground as she focused her aura around her.


    "Oh...are you...you can use that already ? You must be a sword master then"


    A technique a swordsman from the Jun family can create from his will and aura when he or she has reached the apex of their trait.


    "What trait did you have again? Plant control...was it ?" Phillip thought to himself as he held up his chin playfully.


    "Well....you''ll know it once you see it". Gloria replied, focusing on her aura.


    It''s an AOE technique that encompasses their strength and It is called the Aura field of Vision


    The snowy field began to rumble to her will as large and thick vines began to sprout from it.


    It grew 50 meters tall and completely enclosed them leaving only an arena-sized space for the both of them.


    Some of the vines began to bloom into carnivorous flowers with teeth ,and some began to grow hefty, sharp, and purple coloured thorns on their bodies


    One of the vines slowly pulled down towards Gloria and formed a crown on top of her head and her sword was slowly enveloped in green vines.


    "Aura Field of Vision....House of Thorns". She muttered slowly as she opened her eyes.


    Phillip stood mesmerized by her powers. He felt a cold sensation creep up his spine and he couldn''t help but laugh out loud.


    "Now that I think about it ... .there''s no way an assassin could kill you....." he muttered, his expression turning plain and cold once again.


    He held out his blade as dark matter began to envelop it.


    "Then....." Gloria said as she slowly pointed her sword at him.


    "Shall we get started ?"

 Chapter 12- The Will to protect

    A dim light pierced through the deep, gloomy darkness as a white-haired boy drowned in it. His eyes were partly open and his breath haphazard. He felt like he was losing himself to space, and his heartbeat slowly dropped.


    ''Hah....? Do I die like this.....''.


    Memories of how Phillip exploded, causing his current situation flashed through his mind.


    ''No.....my sisters....I still need to protect them''.


    He stretched his hand forward as if trying to hold on to something but he still kept drowning.


    He felt his breath suddenly cease, and he opened up his mouth to catch quick breaths, but instead, he choked up in the darkness.


    He gripped his neck as he struggled to fight back.


    ''Shit ! I don''t want to die ! I''ve already died ! I don''t want to ! Not in this life ! I will survive...and protect my sisters.


    I alone !''. He ignored the choking feeling and pulled his arms up trying to swim out of the darkness. He felt like he was finally going to escape when he suddenly felt something pull him back down.


    He looked down to find dark, icky hands grabbing onto him. He struggled but it kept increasing, holding him tight from ever escaping.


    ''What is this ?!'' He thought, unable to fight back, and slowly drowned deeper and further away from the surface.


    "Do you wish to survive ?".


    A familiar voice projected in his ears as his eyes roamed around the darkness in an attempt to locate it. The source of the voice.


    "Why bother searching for something that''s right in front of you ?".


    The scenery changed in a second. The darkness turned into a bright white-colored room.


    Raffaelo stared at the walls and his body condition when he heard footsteps coming from afar.


    "...." he looked up to find two strange people coming his way. One a female and another a male.


    The female had a bandage wrapped around her eyes and the male had an expression exuding coldness and indifference.


    "You are....." Raffaelo didn''t need to think twice before he realized who these people were. They both had the characteristics of a Jun patriarch. Blue hair.


    "Raffaelo....we meet at last". The male said with cold breaths. The air around him froze at the sound of his voice.


    ''So....so cold'' Raffaelo thought as he stared at them.


    "What.....Why did you call me here ?" He asked.


    "Why ?.....how do we even explain this situation to a 10-year-old?" the female said, playfully extending her finger to her pink peach lips.


    "Don''t jest; we''re your ancestors....and the predecessors of your trait," the male replied, ignoring her taunts.


    Raffaelo chuckled at their reaction. "I am well aware of that....it''s just...I thought I was going to die so.."


    "Die ?" The female repeated as her lips curled into a smirk. "You think something like that can kill you? We simply called you here"


    "Called me here ?" Raffaelo repeated, raising his eyebrow baffled at her statement.


    "It''s a thing ancestors do when their descendants don''t use their traits properly," the male said.


    "What....what do you mean ?" Raffaelo asked, confused.


    "To put it simply...we''re just giving you a little tutorial on how to use it..." The female said, walking up to him slowly. "You don''t mind if I start first right ?" She asked her partner, who stood behind her, and he shrugged in reply.


    The ground suddenly split, and he was pushed further; he felt his knee bones crack, and he fell to his knees, screaming in pain.


    "...Peerless surge". On opening her eyes, her body was ravaged with a ferocious amount of power. Her aura roamed around her as it spread out forming the head of a dragon on her blade. "....just Die...".


    She muttered as it exploded with a supersonic scream. Phillip screamed in pain as she effortlessly split his right arm off his body.


    "Arrrrgggghhhh...." His body vibrated to the force of the attack while Gloria felt relieved in her heart that she was somehow able to achieve something when murderous intent prickled her skin.


    A vine pulled her away from him in an instant as black spikes, long as a pole struck out from his body.


    "That FUCKING HURTS YOU KNOW !" He screamed in outrage as blood rushed to his eyes. " Tch...I''ve had enough....I''m killing the whole lot of you".


    Gloria watched him stand up effortlessly as black mana formed another arm. "....Aura Field of Vision..."


    The sky began to gather above him in obedience to his will.


    It formed a tornado-shaped black mass of clouds as it slowly began to descend to the earth. The sky roared with black thunder and the vines began to die off.


    The tornado-shaped black mass began to form an arm as large as a skyscraper.


    "Just so you know.....you brought this upon yourself". He muttered as he pointed his blade at her.


    Gloria could feel it. Dread and an ambitious feeling of doom. ''Was the difference always this large !?!... Am I going to survive this....''. Memories of her siblings flashed through her head as she held the hilt of her sword tightly with a feeling of new determination.


    "I can''t believe I was scared....what would Dad make of this?". She chuckled as the vines began to grow out of the ground once again.


    She pointed her sword at him as well.


    "Don''t think I''ll let you do as you please".


    "Much better.....it won''t be fun if you don''t put up a bit of resistance".


    She swayed her sword across as she disappeared from her position and appeared beside him; she swung her blade across, aiming for his neck when the arm from the sky struck her away.


    "Huh? Did you think that would work again ?" He muttered as she got back up from the pile of rocks.


    "Who said so ?"


    A vine suddenly sprouted out directly beneath him, stabbing into his right leg. He winced, slicing the vine off his leg.


    "This bitch !". He charged at her aggressively swinging his sword towards her neck. She blocked it and the force pushed her back, opening up her defense.


    Phillip jumped in the air, rotating his body in the process as he kicked her across her face.


    She groaned as the force slammed her to the ground. She struggled to get back up when the arm from the sky grabbed her and threw her back into the ground.


    "Stay down already...." Phillip muttered as he walked towards her. He attempted to slice her when a vine pulled her back away from him.


    The hand from the sky reacted instantaneously as it was about to slam her.


    Another vine from a different location pulled her to the left changing her position as the hand slammed into the ground.


    "....oh..." Phillip muttered while he stared at her as she landed safely on the ground. "You''ll be troublesome to take care of".


    "....well...sorry for disappointing you....but I don''t intend on letting you have your way"


    "....we''ll see then".


    They stood, staring at each other, calculating each other''s weaknesses and strengths as ideas spontaneously formed in their heads.


    Gloria could feel adrenaline build up in her but she could also feel strength draining out of her. She was nearing her limits, but the yearning to protect her siblings was strong and her will even stronger.

 Chapter 13- A saviour ?

    Raffaelo''s body quivered as blood dribbled down his eyes, staining the white plain floor of the small room he was presently held in.


    His bloodshot eyes stared at his trembling hands when he felt energy slowly dissipate from his legs. He fell to his knees and his breathing became hurriedly haphazard.


    "Aren''t you pushing him too hard ?" The male asked the female with a slight frown on his face.


    She cast a glance at him and chuckled at his remark.


    "It''s only right he does this much for him to use it to its full potential....though...." She slowly took a peek at him and her lips curled into a satisfied grin. "He''s done well so far".


    She slowly walked away from him and towards the male sitting on an ice throne. "I''ll take my leave now....I''ve thought all that''s been needed so far".


    The male watched as she walked past him and slowly disappeared into thin air.


    "Are....are you going to make me spill blood too ?" Raffaelo asked with a cold tone in his voice. He held his eyes with his hands but the male was sure he glared at him.


    "Do not worry..." he sighed, adjusting his position on the throne, crossing his legs, and resting the side of his face on his right hand. "My trait only requires you to be smart"


    "...smart ?" The baffled tone in his voice could not be reduced no matter how much he tried to reduce it in his head.


    "Yes..." he ignored his tone and continued with his explanation. "You see...ice....freezes all"


    "..." Raffaelo paused his line of thought for a moment at his "immature remark" or so it seemed in his head. Well, of course, it was natural for ice to freeze all things.


    "Well...I''m sure it does". He replied, trying to fake a smile.


    ".....don''t make jest of me, boy". The male said with a stern tone. The walls of the room and the air itself began to make crackling noises as flakes of Snow and ice began to form.


    ''...he....froze the air ?'' Raffaelo could feel it. The air he had been breathing suddenly felt smaller than it formerly was. It may have been reduced a while ago since there didn''t seem to be a source of ventilation but it wasn''t as obvious since just now.


    "You see child....we can freeze everything....it depends on your concept and skills but ice can even be harder than metal"


    "What ?!" His eyes bulged in surprise and a hint of excitement as the true ability of his trait seemed to be much wider than he expected.


    "It''s like I said....during my time...there was nothing I couldn''t turn into ice....be it a human....be it water and even the mountains. Everything froze before my feet.


    Turning them into solid ice forms was nothing but child''s play for me".


    ''Okay....now it just feels like he''s boasting''. Raffaelo thought, feeling a bead of sweat drop down his forehead but before it could touch the ground. It had turned into a beautiful crystal of ice.


    "I see.....so depending on how I see it....there''s nothing that can''t be frozen ?"


    "Of course...that includes gas as well....droplets of liquid...and even ice in the absence of water...dry ice.....they are all possible". He stood up from the throne and it disappeared into tiny bits of shiny particles.


    "Don''t limit your imagination.....and your understanding....imagining it is one thing but understanding is a completely different aspect...."


    "Hmm...understood".


    "...good....then.....till we meet again...".


    A bright light suddenly enveloped Raffaelo causing him to disappear. "....and good luck to you....Ice King".


    ****


    Thalia and Morganna held Raffaelo''s hands as trickles of tears ran down their pretty faces.


    Rebecca had a solemn expression while Fiona stared at them in ridicule.


    Her mana spread furiously around her body as lightning sparks slowly emitted from her body.


    She disappeared and reappeared right next to him.


    "What is it with your f*cking speed !" He muttered and flung Gloria''s body into the air. It hit the ground limply some meters away from him with a loud bang.


    He then quickly turned when she stopped his attack by holding his blade.


    "Mountain Giant Shock".


    The sky rumbled and yellow lightning struck down from the sky onto her. She streamed it around her body to the tip of her fingers where it suddenly compressed and exploded into sharp stings of lightning bolts.


    The number of which completely stunned him causing him to scream out in pain.


    His body slowly turned black as the lightning reduced.


    Fiona felt him slowly lose his grip on his sword and the thought of him falling unconscious crossed her mind.


    She slowly dropped her hand when he swung his sword at her at a speed that was impossible to dodge.


    "Just kidding~" He played with the end of his statement as she begrudgingly glared at him while stopping his attack with a mana shield.


    It shattered to the force and another one blocked it from going further.


    She used that opportunity to draw back away from him when her siblings finally caught up with her.


    Phillip clicked his tongue at them when his gaze jumped to Raffaelo.


    "Huh ? You''re still alive....well that doesn''t matter....I''m gonna kill you all anyways".


    He sighed as he flipped his finger. "Aura Field of Vision.....The Dark Side".


    The sky formed the large arm of black clouds once again as it stretched towards Raffaelo and the rest of his sisters.


    They could only mutter small curses at him, unable to fight back.


    ''Curses! Do I die like this ?''


    Images of their time together flashed before their eyes as hope quenched from their heart.


    "Is this it-"


    Fiona thought when a sharp sound like the sound of a sword slicing through the air projected in their ears.


    Their eyes slowly bulged open, observing a thin line that was formed on the large arm, slicing it into two.


    Phillip felt a pang of pain across his chest as blood spurted out from his mouth and a fine cut appeared across his chest.


    "Oh.....you bully your brother''s children now ?"


    "What ?! What are you doing here ?! Jerome!!!".


    The children gasped at the sight of a black-toned man that appeared apparently out of nowhere. He stood in their presence, blocking them from their foe, Phillip.


    "Sorry I''m late, kids....took a while to find the assassins that were sent for your heads'' ''. He stretched out his bandaged-ridden hands holding two long swords smeared with blood. "Can you believe it ?! There were 12 assassins sent for your heads !" He laughed out merrily. "Michaelo has to pay double! There''s no way our king will let this kind of opportunity pass him by".


    He pointed his right blade at Phillip with a provocative smile on his face and his left blade on his shoulder. "I''ll be your opponent now, Phillip".

 Chapter 15 Chalter 15- Sulter

    Jerome slowly dropped his blade when the night was filled with the silence it ought to be filled with.


    A satisfied expression exuded on his face as he walked up to the dead body of his former companion, Phillip Jun.


    A sigh escaped his lips when he stared at the put created by the technique.


    "Honestly....the Jun family...are too strong".


    He avoided the pit, walked up to Phillip, and retreated the spikes back into the shadow. "....if you weren''t so weak from the battle against his children....you would have won..."


    He lifted his dead body and slowly made his way to the complex.


    "I''m pretty sure Michelo isn''t working as hard as his children....when did he say he''ll be back again...."


    ****


    Meanwhile, About 2 hours ago.


    In the forbidden forest, Michealo and Rachael were marching deeper into the forest. After defeating the five death knights, they decided to find the fruit of depravity. A fruit that should not be eaten because of its deep connection to Hades. It summons monsters on a whim and makes a terrain uninhabitable by both animals (yes including humans) and plants.


    They stopped when Rachael halted her horse


    "Did you find something ?" Michealo asked his wife as he came down his horse.


    She pointed at a crispy old tree. It had the appearance of a malnourished tree that was burnt up, but at the tip of one of its seven shaky branches was a bright red fruit in the shape of an Apple.


    "Oh....that''s it..." Alex chorused as he was about to set his horse down the small cliff they were currently on.


    Rachael cast a glance at him with prickly eyes and he brought himself to a halt before he could even move down.


    "Where do you think you''re going ?" She asked sternly and he lowered his head in submission.


    He bit down on his lips as he trembled in his fit of rage. "I apologize...." He muttered through gritted teeth.


    "Keep your apology for your king since it seems misfortune loves you.."


    He gritted his teeth, stopping himself from replying while Rachael came down her horse thanks to her husband''s aid.


    A wry smile exuded his lips. "Calm down..."


    "Calm what ?" She muttered and pointed at the fruit. "That thing could kill us all if we''re not careful".


    He chuckled as she walked past him.


    "....I''ll burn it with the holy flames then".


    She carefully came down the cliff and walked up to the black-looking tree.


    Michealo whispered as his sword appeared in the palm of his hand. "Obey the sound of my voice....mystic blade".


    He held it firmly as he watched his wife''s every move.


    She clasped her hands together and whispered some words. A bright white flame appeared at the palm of her hand when she opened it and a small sigh exuded her plum lips.


    She was once a temple knight of the Temple of Lucia. She served the god of casualties, Mayura that saved humanity from the grasp of darkness before she met Michaelo.


    She still remembered the countless number of times he broke into the Temple just to see her. She always chuckled at the thought whenever it crossed her mind.


    Placing the fire on the tree and taking safe steps back, she watched as the fire spread and consumed the tree.


    It slowly burnt making crispy noises as a result of the burning of wood.


    He sliced the two paws of its hind legs causing the beast to cry out in pain.


    It fell to the ground unable to maintain the balance with just a pair of arms left.


    ".....to think I''ll see a beast with 6 arms".


    Rachael said as she walked towards its tail.


    "Are you cutting it off ?" Michaelo asked, walking towards its head.


    "Of course....and you...you''re cutting its head off ?"


    He nodded as he raised his sword in the air.


    She did the same and simultaneously, they cut off its tail and head.


    The beast lay motionless on the ground as Rachael pulled the tail by its end towards her husband.


    "Should we just burn it directly?"


    "Yes....it''ll be more effective that way". Her husband replied with a small sigh. ''I guess...nothing major occurred....''


    The white flame appeared on the palm of her hand as she set the fruit on fire directly.


    She watched as the red color of the fruit began to turn black before settling as ash and whisking away into the air.


    Michaelo felt refreshed at the thought of accomplishing their mission. Now that the fruit is gone, the forest will slowly revert to its original form. At first, he felt suspicious of the mission but now that all has been done, he felt like he could believe the king A little.


    "Should we leave now ?" He asked his wife with a satisfied expression spread on his face.


    She chuckled. "You''re just glad nothing serious occurred". She walked away with him as a blissful feeling swelled up in her chest. "Wonder what the kids-


    They froze on the spot as they felt a horrifying disgusting aura creep up on them. This wasn''t an energy that could be emitted by the small-time demons but the big bosses of their field.


    It was choking and spread a feeling of dread in their hearts.


    Rachael attempted to turn around when Michaelo stopped her. "Don''t even...move..."


    Cold sweat ran down their spine as Michaelo quickly took a step forward holding his wife disappearing and reappearing a long meter away from that spot.


    He turned around in an instant and drew out his sword as a dark red sword struck down on his.


    "Oh....you can see me ?" The amount of power he held in his voice was more than enough to bring fear into the hearts of the normal people and cripple those that attempted to ignore it.


    The air warped as a large figure in black spiky armor appeared. He held a dark red greatsword and two long horns protruded from its forehead. Its tail was half its body length and its eyes were red with rage.


    "I am the 3rd Knight of the Demon Emperor known as Sulter, the Rage king".


    His introduction didn''t seem necessary as Michaelo could identify who he was.


    A demon who was the 2nd strongest in the rankings in Hades was well known all around the world.


    It said he brought down everything and anything that stood in its way to their knees in one hit.


    "You....you burnt the fruit you know....you know how long it takes to grow those ?" He said as he increased the strength of the grip of his sword.


    Michaelo groaned as he was forced into the ground. The stones pierced his armor but did not dig deep enough to deal actual damage to him.


    "You need to die...you and that woman....you killed my pet like it was some chickling....you have any idea what it took to groom that beast ?" His eyes smoldered with rage ,and contempt filled his expression. He felt disgust in his chest at their existence and he only thought of wiping them off the face of the earth.


    "Just die already"

 Chapter 16- Will to Protect

    It happened all in a matter of seconds as the snow frenziedly fell from the sky when Sulter appeared. Michealo still found it in himself to doubt his existence.


    If something like him were to be released into the world, the number of deaths that would be as a result would be drastic.


    ''I can''t let a being like this set loose into the world''.


    He struggled with his sword, trying to gain back momentum


    "...Oh....you can fight still ?" He suddenly squeezed the hilt of the Sword, increasing the power seven folds.


    Michaelo groaned, his eyes.nearly going blank in the process. ''I nearly fell unconscious...'' He thought, looking up at Sulter.


    "You.....why do you keep struggling". His tone came rough and arrogant and he felt disgusted at his worthless struggle.


    His gaze slowly moved from Michaelo to Rachael.


    Her body felt frozen in place as her eyes met his. She felt cold sweat fall down her spine with each moment and the only thought that ran through her mind was doom.


    ''....Michaelo...'' She thought, sadness in her heart, knowing fully well what was about to take place.


    Sulter felt an unprecedented situation occur. His sword was being pushed back by a human.


    His gaze jumped back at Michaelo when he noticed something different about him. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and raised his sword in the air, slamming it back down faster than a person could blink.


    It slammed the ground causing a loud explosion as pieces of rocks and snow floated in the air.


    He grunted as the particles in the air settled down and he regained his vision.


    "Tch....you don''t want a quick death do you ?". He muttered glaring at Michaelo and Rachael that were currently almost a whole kilometer away from them


    Michaelo panted deeply and heavily, resting slightly on his wife.


    ".....you talk alot..." he muttered in between breaths and a bulge of vein could clearly be seen pop out from Sulter''s forehead.


    He took a step forward to attack them when an invisible force held him back, completely ceasing any more of his movement. He clicked his tongue once again and pointed the Sword at them instead.


    "Come at me !" He cried out.


    Michaelo had noticed his failed attempt to charge at them and a smile slowly crept on my face. "Oh....Seems like you won''t be able to come any closer than that..."


    Sulter remained quiet, his annoyance couldn''t even be expressed any more. "Are you....picking a fight with me ?". He asked slowly, dropping his sword.


    "What do you mean by that ?! You''re gonna kill us even if we decide not to fight". Michaelo replied with a raised brow while keeping his smile up.


    His wife remained silent, she was well aware of the large difference in power and she didn''t intend on having a conversation with this being. If he so wanted It, he would have killed her in a single strike but the presence of her husband was more than enough to at least survive for some few hours.


    She was concerned about the words he altered. He was clearly aggravating the matter and she didn''t seem to understand why.


    Her hands shook lightly when Michaelo slowly held it, she looked at him and his expression calmed her down a bit.


    "Did you force your way into our world ?" Michaelo continued as Sulter''s expression continued getting darker. "I see....so if you come any farther away from the gate you forcefully opened....then you''re going to lose some of your strength...."


    "Hmm.....I shall erase your existence and your future lineage from this world....if you speak one more time".


    If a normal human were to be in the presence of their battle, they would surely dissolve into the air like nothing.


    A clock sign appeared in Michaelo''s eyes, freezing time once again.


    ''This again ?'' Sulter thought. He was unable to move but his line of thought was still in place.


    Michaelo swung his sword towards his neck when he felt a crack to the time he had paused causing a swelling pain in his guts. He ignored it and before he could cleanly slice it off, Sulter broke free and blocked his attack causing blood to spew out of Michaelo''s mouth.


    "Huhhh....can''t you not use petty tricks ?" Sulter said as he grabbed Michaelo by his leg.


    He slammed him on the ground causing a depression and swung him to the other side, slamming him again.


    He attempted to slam him on the other side when he felt his presence disappear. "Oh....so this is how you escaped...not only time....but space as well ?". He slowly lowered his sword as Michaelo appeared above him swinging his sword down.


    "Not exactly" he said as he sliced through the air and landed behind him.


    ''Hm ?'' Sulter thought, turning around to swing his blade at him when his hand suddenly fell off while blood began to spill to the ground. "Huh ?"


    "Oh ! It seems you''ve spent too long....your regeneration isn''t working anymore". Michaelo hardened the grip on his sword and raised it up. He sliced his other hand off causing a gush of air to blow out at the end of his attack.


    Sulter felt bedazzled. ''He cut off my arms ?''. A snickering smile grew on his face as he jumped away, preventing Michaelo from attacking any further.


    "It seems...I may not be able to take you with me this time....I still have four minutes left....but the attack I''m about to use will most likely pull me back to Hades forcefully".


    He sighed. "Why don''t you just come with me ?"


    Michaelo took a step forward."I will have to decline your offer....I have a wife and kids waiting for me you see"


    "Oh....that insignificant woman standing next to you...." He asked with a solemn expression. "I must apologize as well....to think I would have provocative thoughts with your wife....I must have been a fool"


    Michaelo felt taken aback by his words. He raised a brow. "Why would you apologize ?"


    "I am a demon. We respect the strong and all those who follow the strong. If you were a demon. You would surely surpass me in terms of destructive powers.....but it''s a shame....you were born as a human".


    "..." Michaelo could not find the words he could use to reply to his remark. It was something he heard for the first time and nonetheless from a demon.


    "Humans use political power to control the masses....something like that shouldn''t be allowed. We demons shall come to claim your land and rule you properly not by social power or money but by absolute strength"


    "...but why are you telling me all this ?" Michaelo asked. He couldn''t find a reason why he would tell him so much about their plans.


    "If you really survive this attack.....then fight with me during our invasion. It shall occur ten years from now when the sun and moon meets and the gates weaken then the demons shall tread upon the earth"


    "..." Michaelo sighed. He had no intention whatsoever to let himself die now. He still had children to protect and a wife to love. There was more to this world than just power and especially when you''ve found Love. "Even as a human I am stronger than you".


    "Oh..." Sulter sighed as a ball of black mass began to form over his head. It grew exponentially in size, forming a perfect sphere as tiny red balls began to emit out of the black ball and surround it forming two rings opposite each other. "Why do you say so ?"


    Michaelo''s body began to emit a colorless aura. Something similar to steam. "The Will to protect those you love...."


    "Black atom...." Sulter said as the ball speedily floated over towards Michaelo in an instant. "Will to protect those you love ?" He laughed out loud. "Let''s see how far that kind of strength can last against me"


    "You see...." Michaelo split the air and a thin line formed and slowly opened up like a zipper. "....if you don''t have that...how do you intend to be strong ?"


    The line formed a pathway to a dark-filled space with tiny bits of light as it swallowed the ball in a heartbeat.

 Chapter 17 - coming home

    "...." Sulter was stupefied at the sight before him. The thin line that was formed wasn''t something a human should be able to do. "....you...made a connection with space ?" He muttered as the invincible force began to wrap around him. Slowly becoming more visible to the naked eyes.


    "...what...What exactly is your power ?" He asked with a baffled tone. He had never felt this sort of way before. He held this human with much regard now. He only wanted to know more about him. "Answer me..."


    "...I can''t say the whole thing since eyes are watching...." Michaelo answered, referring to the soldiers from the king''s court.


    Sulter clicked his tongue when a red dome surrounded them both. "Alright....now can you reply ?"


    Michaelo chuckled. "I don''t control space....but position. I have the ability to change positions with anything and anyone. It is called CONTROL OVER MATTER".


    "...such a power exists in the human world ?" He asked as his body slowly faded towards a small hole in the air above the location of where his pet died.


    "Hah..." Michaelo chuckled. "It would surprise you...the powers of humans are not to be underestimated"


    "Hmmm....this is good information....I shall come back stronger and mightier....expect me...Master...."


    "Michaelo....Michaelo Jun".


    "Jun ?" Sulter repeated with an amused expression. He laughed out loud when his presence was just about to disappear and said "That explains it".


    Michaelo felt relieved as the pain and fatigue broke out in his body. He felt an immense pain rile up in his chest as he coughed out blood. His vision began to turn blurry when he heard the voice of his wife. '' Oh...such a lovely tone'' and with a short sigh of relief. He fell unconscious on her open arms.


    She patted his head lightly as beads of tears streamed down her eyes. "You did it....you really did it". She muttered in between her mellow tears as she slowly lowered down to the ground. The saying went as" great power doesn''t come without a great risk" and she was the only one well aware of what he had to pay in order to gain that strength.


    A few minutes passed when Alex walked up to them with slow steps. ''Monsters ! F*cking Monsters ! How the f*ck am I supposed to explain this to the King ?'' He pondered with a nervous expression.


    "....Ma...Ma...Master Rachael..." he managed to call out on getting close to them.


    "Call the Calvary....we''re retreating back to the mansion" she said without waiting for any of his remarks.


    "..un....understood" he bowed and turned around to walk away when he noticed the blood thirst in the air. He froze on the spot as cold sweat dripped down his back.


    "....was the King aware ? That the gate to Hades was weakened in this area ?"


    He pondered on his thoughts before uttering any word because he was well aware that the wrong statement would cost him a head.


    "....how...could he be aware ?" He replied as strongly as he could.


    She remained silent for a while before dismissing him.


    She bit down on her lips as she stared at her Michaelo''s face. "Just how far do you want to push my husband.....uncle"


    ''Well.....at least the kids couldn''t have experienced an event worse than this....'' She thought while trying to calm her nerves.


    Her siblings had a wry smile on their faces, all thinking of the same thing ''don''t make it so obvious''


    Jerome chuckled.


    ''He''s right though....'' Raffaelo thought slowly, staring at his palms. ''Thanks to Phillip....I''ve been able to learn a lot of things....''. He slowly closed his eyes, then opened them as he looked around the veranda.


    He was able to see their flow of mana and how much mana they had. Their pulses, the flow of blood and even the flow of neutrons from the brain. He could tell each of them from the other.


    It wasn''t just subjected to what was before him, it saw through objects and the maids as well.


    ''This will surely come in handy''


    "Mister Jerome....you mentioned our father....did he really send you here ?" Morganna asked, her gaze not leaving him for even a minute. She seemed to have grown a deep resentment to the things that have unfolded. Not only were they betrayed by their family but even those she thought were special to the family.


    "Not to worry..." Jerome chuckled, nodding his head at the same time as he saif "It''s good to be cautious...but if you don''t have the strength to back up that kind of resolve...it''ll be meaningless"


    "....." Morganna remained quiet, still staring at him. His remark made her reconsider her line of thoughts. He had a point, a basis without some kind of backing doesn''t mean a thing in this world and someone like her that''s an advocate of peace would find it even more difficult.


    "Not all peace is tranquil" he continued. "I noticed....that you''re the only one out of your siblings that possesses neither a mana circle nor a mana star....you will need to get one at least if you want to promote peace...."


    Her siblings couldn''t take their eyes off her. Jerome had a point and it was something they wanted her to consider.


    Morganna slowly stood up from her seat. "I''m done with my meal". She muttered slowly walking into the room of the building.


    "You think she''ll change her mind ?" Rebecca asked when Morganna left.


    "Well...I''m sure she will, it worked on me didn''t it ?" Thalia replied, sipping her cup of tea.


    Raffaelo glanced at his sisters as memories of his past life flashed through his line of thoughts. He could still remember how persistent she was in not learning either magic or the Sword even though she was well aware of the dangers she was going to go through as a member of the Jun family.


    ''Well she''s smart...she''s not someone I need to worry about''.


    They continued their conversations for a little while longer when they heard the sound of horses marching towards their gates.


    Jerome turned around first as his lips curled into a blissful smile


    "It seems they''ve finally returned".


    The excitement that followed was in no short of words as Raffaelo and the girls turned towards the gates.


    A guard quickly rushed up and opened it up revealing Rachael as she led the tired-looking Calvary into the building.


    Their expressions slowly twisted into worry, noticing the unconscious body of their father laying limply on their mother''s back.


    "....seems they had a bit of trouble as well...."

 Chapter 18- Royal message

    Raffaelo POV.


    Time passed by quite quickly after the battle against Uncle Phillip and more than a week had already passed.


    During that week, Gloria was unconscious until a few days ago when she finally woke up.


    It was relieving to find her training on the training fields again after all that time.


    ''Well, now....she''s going to be more focused on getting stronger".


    I currently reside in Mother''s mansion since my Father''s mansion was undergoing reconstruction after the battle but my sisters couldn''t find the time to trouble me since they had other things to take care of.


    Gloria, Fiona and Rebecca left for the Republic of Lumbrica...the capital of our country. They were attending the Homeric Academy of Gifted children.


    It''s an institution that''s more or less like a school but for Kids with talents in magic or Swordsmanship. It doesn''t have to be those two either, all kinds of talents are welcomed.


    The academy takes in new students every year and you must have at least reached 15 before getting in, meaning five years from now after the battle of the families I have to attend the academy and Rebecca is also taking the entrance examination this year. She''ll be safe with Gloria and Fiona so I don''t need to worry about her and the exam isn''t something she would fret over as well


    ''In my previous life...the academy was more like torture for me.....though I met some very interesting people at the time....especially Annie....my former fiancee....''


    I sighed as I looked down at the pavement.


    The snow had finally stopped falling and signs of spring were finally blooming out.


    I didn''t really have anything to do throughout the week.


    ''I''ve done so much mental training that I''ve gotten sick of it''. I thought.


    Thalia went back to Juvenile Law school but she seems to be preparing to get into Homeric Academy. It''s a good thing too since I won''t have any family waiting for me when I get over there. Morganna on the other hand seems to be holding a grudge on us...I think.


    "Raph.. " and just like the saying goes speak of the devil and she appears.


    I slowly turned around to face her. "....Yes sister ?"


    She was still wearing her night dress.


    "...you must have overslept" I muttered as she walked closer to me, fisting her sleepy eyes.


    "Is that how it seems...." She muttered as she yawned loudly. "I can''t find the new maid...where is she ?"


    "You mean Priscilla...."


    "..yes...her...I need to take my bath and all....where is she ?" She repeated her earlier statement as she stared down the window as well.


    After the whole incident, my mum ensured to find every single one of our maids and guards that abandoned us. The punishment given to them wasn''t light either since it was a straight banishment. Well it''s a suitable punishment since The Jun family has a generation old torture room in the basement. No one really liked to talk about that till now.


    The head cook and Charmie escaped. There wasn''t a single trace of them in the towns surrounding us so I figured they either bailed out of the country or had someone really high up there protecting them.


    She stared at the big tree next to the mansion and let out a small sigh. "Why do you think those maids betrayed us ?"


    ''Is she still caught up with that ?'' I thought with a puzzled expression. She never really mentioned anything about it since then, retreating to herself.


    "Why do you ask ?" I asked with a raised brow.


    She turned towards me with an expression that seemed to mature for a 12 year old.


    "What is it ?" I asked.


    There were shelves of books surrounding the walls of the room and only two windows served as the ventilation and source of light. ''With this kind of setting...it''s no wonder they have six kids''


    I chuckled at the thought and she furrowed her brow as if reading my mind.


    ''Are all of you psychic now ?'' I sighed. "Mother you jest, I''m a handsome kid just so you know". I turned around to face my Father ignoring her words. It''s true.


    Even in my past life, I was regarded as too "beautiful" for a guy because of my white hair and eyes.


    "This kid !" She cried out, adjusting her position as my father laughed.


    "Let''s get to the reason I called you here shall we"


    "But...before that....Father...you got an 8th star maid ?" I asked, remembering the lady that I had just met outside.


    The question seemed to hold more weight than I actually thought.


    "How did you know ?" My mother asked.


    My gaze jumped to her and we stared into each other''s eyes. I did get these particular eyes from her.


    "My trait....I can see it" I replied.


    My father seemed flabbergasted while my Mother just clicked her tongue. "The Jun family". She muttered and continued with her novel.


    "Anyways...Raffaelo....I think it''s about time". My father pinched in and he said just the right words to peak my interest.


    I turned my gaze towards him in an instant beaming with excitement. The Jun Family technique. Once you become a 5th star and possess a trait, you begin your training in earnest.


    There are exactly 13 techniques each with its own difficulty in mana control and strength. It''s something we pass down only to our direct lineage and if allowed, our partner. Luckily, the male heads of the Jun family don''t favor polygamy mostly because they''re a bunch of lover boys.


    Well, that includes me too.


    "The Jun Swordsmanship Training...it''ll be good for you to start in earnest so you can make preparation for the battle of the family".


    I nodded my head without waiting for him to explain the rest. He chuckled.


    "You little kid....do you think the Jun Swordsmanship Training is some joke ?" My mother asked with a disapproved tone.


    ''Is she one of those....tsundere mum ? Is that a thing ?'' I pondered on my thoughts, almost forgetting she asked me a question.


    "....I want to get as strong as I can....after all...I intend on protecting my mum" I replied with a childish smile.


    She stared at me blankly.


    "That may had worked 3 years ago but not again"


    I felt a piece of arrow poke my heart at her remark. ''Why are all the women being mean to me this morning ?" I thought quickly, turning to my father. "Can we please start....?" I asked.


    He chuckled, enjoying my predicament as he got up from his chair.


    I felt satisfied with my parents'' reactions. It meant we were still a close family.


    ''At least....no more drama for a while....''


    Or so I thought when we heard a loud horn sound from outside. A sound that sent chills down my spine without me even realizing it. ''PTSD...'' I thought as my dad looked out through the window.


    "As expected.....the royal messenger"

 Chapter 19- A turning point

    Michaelo POV.


    The loud sound of a horn that would send chills to the normal citizen continued to disturb the peace and tranquility of my home even as I hurriedly walked down the stairs.


    My wife rushed after me while Raffaelo took his time to get down. I didn''t realize when the same smile appeared on my face again.


    The same smile that appears when I feel proud of my children. I chuckled at the thought as we finally got to the front gates.


    Jerome and Gilda, our new head maid were already conversing with the familiar looking man in a white armor holding a golden horn.


    "How may I help you ? Sir Alex".


    His expression changed quickly on seeing me from his usual arrogant demeanor to a respectable knight . I laughed at the thought as he said.


    "You have been summoned to the royal court in 3 days by the king ! Please do well to attend with your family and my niece, Rachael Jun"


    ''Oh....'' I thought as I slowly turned towards my wife beside me. She held a bitter expression and her hands strangled the helm of her pretty dress.


    I sighed and held her hand and she seemed to have tensed down a little on seeing my expression.


    ''She always did have a cute reaction'' I thought and turned back at Alex.


    "We will be there...please tell the king".


    Alex bowed and walked back into the carriage that brought him over here.


    The coachmen struck the whip on the horses and they were on their way.


    "That old man ! He clearly knows that it takes 3 days to get to the Royal Castle from Pasville.


    Pasville was the closest city we governed and we lived at the end of it away from the townspeople.


    "Hmmm....It seems we''ll have to be on our way to the capital..." I muttered as Raffaelo walked up to me.


    His expression seemed anxious and I couldn''t shake off the feeling that came with it.


    "Is there something wrong son ?" I asked as we headed back to the Mansion. I turned to Gilda and Jerome.


    "Do you mind...we''ll most likely be back in a week. You''ll have to handle the affairs of the mansion during that time"


    Gilda nodded.


    "It is my duty to serve you, my Lord".


    "Oh...." Raffaelo muttered while he waited.


    My gaze jumped to him and my eyebrows furrowed. He shook his head and turned around.


    I sighed.


    "Alright...you too Jerome ?"


    He nodded, giving me a thumbs up at the same time. "No worry Big bro. I''ll handle things here". He chuckled and I waved them goodbye while entering the mansion.


    "I''ll get the maids to prepare as well" Rachael said as she walked away.


    "I guess it''s just me and you then....". My gaze couldn''t leave my wife as I opened the doors of our study. Memories of our past before we finally settled in together filmed through my head on entering the room with my son.


    She''s been through alot as well and all because of her Uncle.


    I sighed, slumping back on my chair.


    "Father ? Do you think the King would want to take one of us ?" My son asked.


    My expression slowly turned to disgust as I was about to refute the idea when I pondered on it more.


    The King had Phillip as his left sword because he was a Jun. The thought of losing a Jun must be a shocking blow to his military power.


    "I see.....is there a way to hide it ? My mana heart ?"


    My mana heart had recently just reached the 3rd circle and I''ve been doing alot of research with Fiona''s books which have been a really great aid to the things Swordsmen lack .


    "Magic is pretty interesting isn''t it..." I mumbled but his ears picked up my words with keen interest.


    "Just having a human with both makes you a certified test subject for magic researchers"


    "Don''t say weird things''''. I shrugged my shoulders.


    He was right, if I didn''t have such a strong backing like my family, I would have probably been kidnapped and used in all kinds of ways. "Is there a way I can hide it ?"


    Jerome took a glance at me, while humming. "It''s when you reach the stage of a Master. Only then will you gain the ability to hide your mana heart".


    I contemplated his words for a few seconds when I heard a knock on my door. We both turned towards it to find Morganna all dressed up pretty.


    She gave me a knowing look before turning around and walking away.


    "....she can be so weird..." I murmured as I jumped down the bed but Jerome could still clearly pick up my words.


    He chuckled. "Alright then....I will see you in a week''s time....."


    I nodded my head, walking towards the door.


    "Do be careful....the King of the West isn''t....a worthy King".


    I paused for a moment contemplating his words. Yet again another point, he is most likely comparing him with the King of the Northern capital, Noure and compared to him, our King is more like a child.


    I continued, taking slow steps as I headed down the stairs.


    *****


    About 30 minutes later, we were all suited up and my father had prepared two carriages.


    One has our load for the week and the other is where we stayed.


    We said one final goodbye to the new maid and Jerome as the coachmen stroked the horse to start moving.


    "...the capital huh" I muttered to myself as I stared through the window of the white well crafted carriage. I still have memories of the days I spent there and the torture I went through.


    The imperial family never liked our family from the very beginning and they weren''t keen on hiding that fact either.


    "I heard the king has 5 children" Morganna said, probably in an urge to break the silence.


    "That''s right" my Mother sighed. "And they all take after him...."


    ''Well that''s horrible....'' I sighed. '' But it''s through....'' The 13th King of Lumbrica, Lord Marcello the IV, had five children. The first three are males and the last two are females.


    I still remember how they fought for the throne before my regression and I am well aware that none of them deserved that throne. ''.....should I have that on the list of things I want as well.....'' A flimsy thought appeared in my mind causing my lips to curl into a devilish smile.


    "....What are you thinking of ?".


    I slowly turned away from the window only to find my parents and Morganna''s curious gaze on me.


    I chuckled.


    "It''s nothing...it''s just....I hope this goes on smoothly".


    My mum nodded while my dad continued staring into space.


    Morganna seemed to have seen through me but I didn''t think much of it.


    "Thalia and the rest....would they be given an invite as well ?" She asked, staring at my father.


    "Knowing the king....well yes".


    The uncertainties that would take place in the King''s palace were numerous and we were still far from being strong to protect ourselves. However, this would be the start of the turning point when my destiny comes back to haunt me but in all, I was prepared.

 Chapter 20- Greenhorn

    I could hear my name faintly being called as my focus slowly returned back to me.


    A yawn escaped my lips as I slowly looked up to meet the eyes of my sister.


    "Morganna...?" I muttered as she pointed out the window.


    ''Oh....we''ve made it'' I thought as the beautiful scenery before me stirred a nostalgic feeling within. My family may think this is my first time arriving here but the memories of my past life made it painfully clear that it wasn''t.


    The capital was large and beautiful. It was adorned with numerous arts and sculptures because the first King was a fan of it. He intended on creating a city just for that single purpose of creating master art pieces though over the years, with each new King that reigned, a new dream aspired and as such, the Capital flourished in all aspects.


    The streets were always bustling with people and Carriages were the norm here. It was hard to find this kind of economy at this period of time making The kingdom of Lumbrica one of the Five great Kingdoms.


    "We''ll arrive at our Mansion in a bit..." my dad said as my gaze slowly moved towards him. He looked like he had been overthinking again seeing the expression he had on his face. He was always transparent, it''s no wonder my mum doesn''t find him difficult.


    I nodded in response and continued to watch the scenery past us as we headed towards our Mansion.


    ****No?v(el)B\\jnn


    About an hour more and the floral white gates of our Mansion were slowly opened up for us by two guards.


    My attention was fixed on their outfit revealing they were royal guards of the King. ''Till the end...this man is trying to get a grasp on us....well, I''ll just have to handle it eventually''.


    We passed by a water fountain before the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of a mansion far bigger than the one we lived in at Pasville.


    "When will Rebecca and the others get here ?" I asked as I jumped down the carriage.


    "We arrived quite a while ago"


    The familiar voice projected in our ears as we looked up the stairs.


    Rebecca, Thalia, Fiona and Gloria waved at us with a bright smile on their faces.


    They were each in their academy uniform and just as I thought, Rebecca got in seeing as she was putting on the greenhorn uniform.


    "When did you arrive?" My mum inquired as she climbed up to meet them while I turned around to my Father.


    "Father....if you don''t mind then I wish to take a walk around the capital...".


    It is supposedly my first day and I was curious to see how the public was faring now. You can never tell how much you''ve changed the future, until you observe more.


    My dad stared at me with a disapproving expression. I could tell he was going to be reluctant when Rebecca stepped in."I''ll go with him then..." she added as she smiled at me.


    I returned her expression with a sigh of relief. My Dad nodded his head as he went after Morganna and mother that were already heading to the mansion.


    "Is there a reason you want to look around ?" She asked.


    I shook my head while taking quick glances at the same time as we headed back to the gates.


    "Nothing in particular...."


    "....is there something on my face ?" She asked.


    I shook my head. ''Well damn...she''s pretty in that uniform...''. Sometimes, I always get this momentary realization that my sisters are pretty during random moments like this.


    "I can''t wait to get in Homeric that''s all"


    "..Oh...Well I''m sure it would be easy for you". She nodded her head when we stopped by at the gates for the guards to open it up.


    They stood like monumental statutes at both sides of the gate, each holding a northern style sword called a katana at the time.


    ''I remember these weapons...'' it wasn''t anything too noteworthy but the katana was an interesting weapon because of its structure. The sword was invented almost 50 years ago for a man whose origin was unknown. Well, the details don''t matter.


    My sister was about to open the gate when a sigh escaped my lips.


    My sister stopped when we got in front of a wooden hut with a potion sign on the front.


    ''Oh....She found one so quickly...''


    I turned towards her. "You....you didn''t come here with a guy right ?"


    Her expression seemed flustered to my question and she awkwardly avoided my gaze. "What nonsense are you saying ? It was only a friend outing".


    A wry smile appeared on my face. ''Clueless girl''


    She was about to open the door when a very unfamiliar voice called up her name in surprise.


    I turned around quickly and my gaze was fixed on a brown haired boy with hazelnut eyes behind his huge round glasses. He wore the same homeric uniform as my sister though the male version of it and on both of his hands were bags containing what I presumed would be herbs.


    "Oh...." I muttered, well he is cute.


    "Phestus ?!" She screamed out his name, her cheeks glowing red.


    ''Oh...this seems good''


    "I didn''t know you helped the blind too" the boy said with a bright smile. Well, as cute as he seemed I guess he was also clueless. Moments like this I don''t even need to get angry because my sisters seem to like my eyes a lot.


    "What did you just say ?" Her voice came out colder than she probably wanted to but he got the message clearly.


    Shifting back a little while adjusting his glasses he said. "Wait ? Is this your brother ?!"


    ''Oh....he''s quick-witted too''. I slowly looked up at my sister and whispered. "I like him..."


    Her face froze up and she looked away. I chuckled.


    "I''m Raffaelo, her younger brother" I stretched my arm up for a hand shake.


    He walked up closer and stoked it. "I''ve heard so much about you....it''s nice meeting you in person. I''m Phestus Greenhorn"


    "Nice to meet you....GREENHORN!!!"


    My expression changed on hearing his surname again.


    My sister and Phestus stared at me with a baffled expression and I quickly shook my head.


    "...is there a reason you''re out here ?" He asked, staring at Rebecca.


    She looked away shyly. "Just came to check some of your potions out".


    He chuckled. "Then come on in..."


    He led us in, shutting it close from behind.


    The room was filled with the pungent smell of herbs and concoctions. On the shelves were all sorts of bottles of potions and some others had ingredients. There didn''t seem to be any form of ventilation except for the air vent on the ceiling and the two windows at either side of the room.


    A woman was a dark shade under her eyes and big gloomy glasses stood behind the counter while giving us a quick look down.


    "Hey mum, I brought the herbs"


    She gave the boy a bright smile as Rebecca and Phestus walked up closer to the counter


    "Good day, Miss Greenhorn" I heard my sister say as my thoughts slowly organized themselves.


    In my past life, in order to get better results while gaining strength, a potion was more than a basic necessity. Especially in battle, once vitality was the deciding factor in all.


    The top-tier Alchemy shop at the time was The Greenhorn household. They experienced the complete opposite of what we went through. What I mean is that they rose up from grass to grace and became future influencers of the King because of their astounding talents in alchemy.


    ''For Rebecca to get in touch with the eldest son, Phestus Greenhorn ... .well this is good''.

 Chapter 21- Bruno

    My lips curled into a smile as I walked towards the counter as well.


    "Oh...so this is the only son of the Jun family ?" The woman muttered as she gave me a thorough look. Her brows slowly furrowed up and I was fully aware of the reason why she would have that kind of expression.


    ".....you...How can you use both of them ?" She asked while my sister let out a sigh.


    Phestus stared at both of us with a baffled expression as he dropped the bag on the counter.


    "That''s why I came here" I muttered with a wry expression. It couldn''t be helped, since I would have to wait till I''m a master before I could hide my aura or mana heart then it would be best to use a potion instead.


    She held up her chin.


    "A potion that can hide one''s aura.....I do have one....but it only works on one of them...." She muttered slowly.


    "....." Phestus seemed to want to say something when he decided to remain quiet.


    ".....hah !" She yelled out as if she had just reached a hypothesis.


    Well, alchemists were really rational sets of people at times. Few of them even decide to become a mage.


    "Though it might take some days to get it prepared...I do have something else that''ll suppress it for you for only a day.....at least for now".


    Well I didn''t really expect much in the first place but I was more curious about Whatever she had in mind than whatever she had right now.


    "Can...can we go get the ingredients ? Money isn''t exactly a problem for us...." My words may have come out a bit arrogant but it was true.


    She stared at me with a baffled expression before suddenly bursting out with laughter.


    "Oh...you''re a funny one..." she turned towards Rebecca. "He causes a lot of trouble doesn''t he ?".


    She nodded her head relentlessly.


    ''Oh..way to go sister...and you''re supposed to have my back ?'' I did feel a little hurt but it''s not something I can''t handle.


    "Alright then...." She wrote down some things on paper. "As long as you pay the right fees, then there''s no potion we won''t concoct".


    She handed the paper to Phestus and when he looked over it, he turned towards me in bewilderment.


    "You have both ?" He cried out.


    ''Well...I should be the one surprise....you understood what the potion was for by just looking through the ingredients ?!'' My lips curled into a smile.


    "Your brother''s amazing ! Rebecca"


    She looked up with a smug expression.


    ''Too cute....'' My gaze quickly turned towards Phestus and he had the reaction I had expected from him.


    He quickly adjusted his glasses walking towards the door and Rebecca quickly walked out towards him, urging him to slow down.


    I slowly observed them when the woman behind the counter said "You see it too don''t you...the sparks"


    I chuckled with a smile. "Young couples these days huh..."


    "Oh...your sister was right...you really do talk like someone that''s not your age".


    I shrugged slowly, placing my hands on the counter. I had some questions I needed to confirm of course.


    "When did she first arrive here ?"


    Her intense gaze which was fixed on mine seemed so petrifying, almost like she could see through my soul.


    ''Oh...they''re even making the same expressions now...how cute''.


    They finally made their way up the stairs when Phestus was pushed back by an unfamiliar figure.


    He was about to snap at the person when a frightened expression appeared on his face. Rebecca didn''t seem pleased either as she quickly strode to his front.


    A young blonde boy with a smug look on his face, stared at them as some boys slowly walked up behind him.


    "Oh ! If it isn''t Ph*niusWarlock" the boy said with a childish tone in his voice.


    ''Oh....he looks familiar...'' He noticed the group of boys that stood behind him. ''Bullies ?''


    My sister glared at him. "What do you want ? Bruno..."


    ''Hah !....Bruno Pheran....the 5th varsal family of the Imperial King himself and also the son and 2nd child of the owner of the Central garden''.


    Regrettable memories crossed through his mind as he stayed still behind them during the situation.


    He didn''t really need to do a thing since Rebecca was with him. The problem was Bruno just happened to take one unique feature of his father, the King at the time. Craftiness.


    It was something he wasn''t able to handle with just his power alone.


    "My name isn''t that !" Phestus cried out as Bruno''s expression slowly turned into a scowl.


    "Try not saying that behind a girl''s back next time".


    ''.....well damn....that''s going to leave a spot''


    "What do you want ?" Rebecca questioned, her expressions turning colder. It seemed like he made a mistake without even realizing it.


    A group of boys, 4 in number began to walk out behind him each calling out his name as if they had been occupied with something.


    "Oh ! Its Ph*nisWarlock and the Ice Princess !" One of them yelled out. A chubby fellow at that.


    Raffaelo could feel the urge to burst out a laugh when he held up his mouth to hold it tight. ''They''re all from the vassal families...what is this ? League of the Vassals ?''.


    The current King was an individual with great wisdom and skills since he was able to guide the town for so long but sometimes he would grow weary of his wife and sleep with other women from other households.


    Those that got accidentally pregnant become part of his vassal family.


    The 7 vassal families were more like a vermin to the Imperial Family before he regressed and they were also youngsters his age that attended the Academy.


    "It would be best if you avoid causing any issues". Rebecca said with a stern tone in her voice. She was prepared to summon her sword, the moment he tried anything funny.


    Bruno chuckled as he shook his head.


    He turned away from them and walked closer to the stairs.


    "Let''s go boys...we still have other things to take care of". He said when he stopped next to Raffaelo.


    His gaze centered on him. "So you''re being nice to Blind people now" he chuckled as his friends walked past him. "Tsk...that kind of careless righteousness will be the death of you..." . He laughed with his friends as he waved his hand in the air.


    Raffaelo slowly watched him with a sour expression on his face. A sigh escaped his lips as he turned away towards his sister.


    "He didn''t notice the hair did he ?" He asked as they resumed their trip.


    "Most likely not...." Rebecca replied. Her tone still sounded way harsher than she had intended.


    All this while, Phestus walked behind her with his head hanging low. He had much more talent than he thought he had and much more ahead of him.


    He wasn''t aware of this but deep-within his heart was the Will of Revenge.

 Chapter 22- Respect

    The night had finally come and the Jun family were finding their way towards their carriage to get to the King''s castle.


    They were all dressed on formal attires with their father leading the way into a night filled with uncertainties.


    They got in their carriage and the coachman did his job of making the horse move.


    In silence, their short journey came to an end when Raffaelo noticed the walls and gate of the Castle. "It seems we''ve made it, Father". He said with a hushed tone.


    "Hm....is someone nervous ?" His mother chuckled as she smirked at him.


    His expression slowly lightened up in embarrassment as he looked away. ''Is this what they call PTSD ?....and from my past life at that''.


    Memories of his past life in the Castle weren''t situations he could be proud of. The king made it a habit of using the Jun family at the forefront of the War against the demons. Only for him to be betrayed by them.


    "How nostalgic...." He muttered, noticing the number of guards that stood in pairs on each side of the road leading to the Castle .


    The structure was just as magnificent and artistic as the whole city itself, maybe even more. It kind of looked like the famous Pantheon but its structure didn''t seem as old. It had golden pillars with white marbles spread around it.


    Floral and aesthetic designs portrayed a feeling of elegance on the walls as a beautiful swan water fountain stood tall in the middle of the courtyard.


    It had a well lawned field and projecting from the roof gutters were statues of wyverns.


    The carriage stopped and they slowly found their way down.


    Raffaelo looked around, observing the other families that had been invited as well.


    ''Really just seems like a normal party'' he thought when an attendant walked up to them.


    "Please come this way, Jun residence".


    My father nodded and with his wife''s arm in his, he walked behind the attendant while Raffaelo and his sisters followed quietly.


    "Do you think we''re going to get beheaded ?" Thalia murmured in Raffaelo''s ear though it seems she wasn''t able to get the desired result.


    "Behead us ? For what ? Uncle Phllip attacked first" Morganna replied sharply.


    "Be calm girls..." Gloria muttered as she turned her face around to take a look at her siblings.


    Morganna grumbled while Thalia chuckled.


    Her gaze slowly fell on Raffaello and a worried expression pierced his gaze.


    He shook his head. "I''m fine".


    She stared at him for a bit longer then looked away.


    They finally got to the inner chambers of the Castle. The word Artistic would not be able to describe how well built it was made. They were led to an open space without a roof, tables and chairs arranged neatly while other families took their seats.


    A well arranged table was reserved for them and they took their place quietly.


    "How many of them came ?" Rachael asked Michaelo as she looked around the number of people gathered and socializing.


    "Six of them....luckily the First family isn''t here". He let out a sigh, relaxing his body on his chair.


    "The other families are here as well ?" Gloria asked her tone unintentionally expressing her excitement.


    Morganna''s eyes slowly bulged open.


    "You dare ? Aggravate the Great Jun Family ?!" His words though childish were still firm and vigorous and it left them speechless of words.


    His expression was evidently cold as the air around him began to freeze up in his spur of emotions.


    "This kid..." Kelvin muttered taking a step forward when he suddenly froze up. He felt a sting on his throat and on slowly looking towards his side, Gloria stood aiming her giant sword for his throat.


    "It would be best if you stay out of our father''s way..." she replied coldly.


    "..."


    Kelvin turned around as he climbed back up on his Griffin and immediately took off into the air.


    Gloria and Michaelo slowly went back to their seats as the other guests continued with their conversation while trying as much as possible to avoid their gaze.


    Derek and his wife slowly walked up to their table as they slowly turned their gaze at them


    "Do you wish to cause a scene as well ?" Michaelo asked with a stern voice.


    "Surely you jest !" Derek laughed out. "I am just here merely to greet you"


    "Oh..." Michaelo stood up slowly as they shook hands


    "It has been a while, Rachael". The woman said, covering her lower face with a hand fan.


    Rachael chuckled. "Still the same, Luxia".


    "Your kids have your fighting will in you" Derek said as he glanced at Raffaelo. "Especially your boy"


    Michaelo chuckled. "Of course they would have to....They won''t be able to protect themselves if not".


    "True..." Derek sighed. " Do you wish to cause a commotion yourself though ?"


    "Why would I? I just wish for the safety of my family".


    "....hmm...with the appearance of the other three of the 12 great families...it might prove difficult".


    "Why do you think that ?" Michaelo asked with a raised brow.


    "....the other 3 families attending...the 9th family, La Teuer .....the fourth family, Son Goku and the 6th family, Merlin are all arriving...."


    Michaelo sighed while pondering on his words.


    "All I''m saying is...do be careful". He waved them goodbye as he walked away with his wife while Michaelo took his seat.


    "Should we listen to him ?" Thalia asked with a worried expression.


    "Don''t be worried Thalia...we won''t go down that easily even if they all decide to fight us right now...." Raffaelo whispered into her ears loud enough for the rest of his family to hear him.


    They chuckled as they questioned Raffaelo on how he was bold enough to speak the way he did when a loud horn was blown.


    All those who had been seated, quickly stood up and those who were in the midst of a conversation organized themselves as they walked up besides the red carpet while watching as the King in his admirably beautiful attire slowly walked up towards the Throne set for him.


    His gaze flickered around the place until it fell on Raffaelo and a sinister smile began to grow on his face.

 Chapter 23- I want him as mine

    Raffaelo''s POV.


    It felt like needles prickly on my skin when I noticed the King''s gaze on me. A tight nut formed around my abdomen and the hair on my skin stood on end.


    It wasn''t just danger I felt, the urge to quickly grab a weapon and aim it at the King''s neck was what overwhelmed me the most. I simply wanted to be on guard.


    My dad''s right arm slowly tapped my back and the thoughts that roamed through my mind came to an immediate halt. I quickly regained my posture and looked away from the King as a small sigh escaped my lips.


    The King, a man with black hair and brown eyes continued his entrance nonchalantly as a fair blonde woman slowly walked after him.


    Her beauty always captured the eyes of many men even when I was 20 in my past life.


    I always wondered if she had some sort of power that continued to make her look younger.


    Their kids walked right After, the first Prince first and the second daughter last.


    There were four of them. The first Prince, Prince Thylan....who is going to be the future Tyrant King after his father. The first princess, Manita. Her beauty was just as eye-catching as her Mothers but couldn''t hold a candle no matter how much she tried.


    She had a habit of using her body to get what she wants from people. I would know, since I lost my virginity to her in my past life.


    The 3rd Prince, Prince Julian. Well, the bastard that ordered my elimination in my past life, though things will be different now.


    The 4th daughter and second princess, Meadow. She died far too early for me to have enough information on her but what I do know for sure, is that she didn''t die a natural death.


    After what seemed like forever, the Royal families took their seats on the Thrones presented for each of them.


    The King''s was placed in the middle while the Queen''s was right of his. Four smaller thrones were placed to the left of the King.


    Silence filled the courtyard as the King slowly raised his right hand. " You may go back to your seats...".


    In response, every one slowly went back to their seating position all the while noticing the number of guards that had suddenly increased after the entrance of the King.


    Some few seconds later, maids walked into the courtyard with covered trays of food.


    "The King didn''t seem to pay attention to us" Thalia murmured into my ear as I slowly turned my gaze to her.


    "Hmmm..it seems so".


    "It''s only right he attends to us last....just put your fingers crossed for whatever event he intends on playing for us today" Morganna said, fiddling with her hair as she stared at the maids coming their way.


    Her impression was right but not something you would expect from an eleven year old. ''Maybe she experienced her growth sprout too early ?'' A small sigh escaped my lips when I noticed my father''s worried expression as he stared at me.


    I gave him a weak smile and he nodded softly.


    After a few minutes, Everyone seemed to be engrossed in their meal while chattering with one another.


    The King had an attendant next to him, Nexulus Bon, the life line butler of the Imperial family.


    He whispered words into his ears after every few minutes while taking a glance at the courtyard.


    My father and mother had noticed this strange behaviour as well but they insisted on ignoring it unless Something provocable occured.


    "Firstly !" The King said with a loud voice that made everyone present silent. The thought of disobeying his orders was unfathomable.


    The imperial family are known for having an unnecessary bias with the goddess of casualties and the abilities they possessed were unique and difficult to deal with.


    They would have been a force to be reckoned with if not for the presence of the Jun family.


    My mother suddenly turned towards him staring daggers into his expression and the King seemed to have noticed.


    "You do not want your son to serve the nation, cousin ?"


    "Of...of course my king but he is young and knows not of the world"


    "Then do you propose I take in one of your daughters then". He asked and my mother seemed to have been put in a stand still as she pondered on his words


    ''This m*therf*cker.....why take any of us in the first place? What are we, some kind of cattle ?!''. I thought while hearing the giggles of the 2nd daughter again.


    Our attention slowly fixed on her and the Queen had this worried expression as she stared at her.


    She slowly turned away ignoring our stares and continued her poker face.


    "My King!" It was my turn to pitch in now. In this time and age, the thoughts of children hardly ever mattered to adults but in the presence of my father. Who dares to touch me ?!.


    The King slowly looked at me with a baffled tone.


    "Did your son just speak before adults ?"


    "Hah...my King....it must have been a mistake...I will surely correct-" I slowly tapped my father and he slowly looked at me. His soft eyes exuded a worried expression as he sighed.


    "My King ! There are still things for me to do at the Jun household ! All my father asks is that you wait 5 years for when I officially graduate from the Academy".


    The King didnt seem pleased at the thought.


    "Why would I agree to such a condition".


    ''Oh wow...son of a b*tch can''t even hold his true intentions now''


    Once again, the 2nd daughter giggled holding her hand over her mouth this time to stop herself from increasing the intensity.


    I ignored, I didn''t know what was going through her mind but this was more important.


    "I don''t agree to such an absurd demand ? Do you realize how important Phillip Jun was to the military ?! I have techniques in the Castle that will benefit you"


    ''Why is he being so stubborn''.


    "My King...the only son of the Jun family has to learn everything from his household if not the family will not thrive until another son has been born". My mother retoriated.


    It seemed they have stopped at a standstill. If the King says any thing more, it would only imply he has other intentions other than "training me".


    "Tsk....I do not care....from now on, by the power invested in me...Raffaelo Jun is now- *THUD*


    The King froze in his statement as our attention was slowly drawn to the crowd behind us.


    It seemed like something, a black mass had suddenly fell from the Sky.


    "Hmm.." my father chuckled and Yes so did the rest of our family.


    The black mass suddenly began to twirl and mutate as small bulges began to pop out of its skin.


    It suddenly increased in size slowly and persistently as it formed what looked like a two legged creature. Its arms were muscular to a fault and it had a long lion tail. It''s head grew into a mass of round balls forming the mane and the head of a mighty lion as two long red horns protruded out of its head. All this while, the crowd had begun to panic due to the unknown uncertainty.


    Most began to rush towards the exit before it even completed its transformation.


    The black mass had transformed into a mighty lion-demon like creature as it stumped on the ground causing a super sonic scream and letting out a mighty cry. "ARGHHhhhhhh !!!!"

 Chapter 24- Layla Lake

    I turned towards my father and he seemed to have the same expression I had.


    ''What perfect timing''


    The soldiers around the King quickly came forward to surround the Imperial family.


    "What is the meaning of this ?! I was in the middle of a procession". He cried out.


    ''Well...I''m sure he would be pissed''. We quickly rushed towards a dessert location. Most of the crowd had escaped but those who couldn''t were being mercilessly turned into shreds by the beast.


    "How did a demon appear in the Kings castle?!" Morganna screamed out when we finally gathered together.


    "It seems they''ve been dabbling with things they ought not to" Fiona replied as their attention slowly turned towards mine.


    ".....what is it ?!"


    "That was really close..." Thalia sighed. "I didn''t realize they were going to take you...the king is pretty mean..."


    "Oh please ! There was no way it could have worked....luck is on this kids head" Morganna said but her expression gave away her hidden emotions.


    "Let''s just be glad the demon appeared when it did...."


    "....I''ll take care of it with the other heads of the family.... so Rachael and Gloria, find a way to evacuate the other nobles while the rest of you find somewhere safe to stay"


    My father held out his hand as he recited his quote to summon his sword.


    He walked towards the Kings side where the other family heads were assembling.


    NORMAL POV.


    "Oh.....if It isn''t the Sword Lord himself" A brown haired man with bright brown eyes said with a Swedish accent.


    "Nice to meet you too, Bryne" Michaelo replied with an amused expression as the brown haired man, Bryne pulled out a needle from the back of his ear.


    He held it upright and it expanded into a golden staff.


    "What is the meaning of this ?!" The King screamed out as his soldiers made way for him to walk through.


    "It seems a demon as appeared in your castle my Lord".


    Derek replied, cleaning the smudge off his rapier.


    "I want that thing dead !" He screamed out, stumping his feet on the ground.


    "Not to worry my King" Kira, the head of the 6th household. Merlin. A dazzling beauty with dark toned hair and fair white skin.


    She walked up to the band of men and said "I have sent members of my green tower to capture it in a barrier".


    "....." the King puffed as he slowly glanced at Michaelo.


    "I still wish to have your son beside me"


    "And it shall be so, my king....but what I ask of you is to let him be nurtured by his true heritage so he could serve you properly".


    "....." the King turned away brushing off his cloak as he stumped out of the area.


    "Michaelo ?" She cried out as she patted his head.


    The other heads froze on the spot as their faces exuded a baffled and confused expression.


    "Did...did you do something Kevin ?" Derek asked.


    "...what.....what could I possibly do to put him in that kind of situation ?"


    "....Hmm....you''re right...you''re much weaker than him"


    Kevin slowly turned towards him with an annoyed gaze. He clicked his tongue and quickly jumped on his Griffin and flew away.


    "You never cared about your words huh" Bryne chuckled walkimg out as well.


    "Hmm....." Derek watched for a little longer but the more he tried to gain understanding of what had occurred, the more difficult it became.


    "Did...did he want to pee ?" He muttered as he turned around and walked out.


    "I''m fine...do not be alarmed" Michaelo said as he slowly found his way up.


    "I think it is best we return to our home" Rachael said turning her gaze towards Gloria.


    "Get the coachman to come here immediately"


    "Yes mother". She nodded and quickly walked out.


    They all consoled him while Raffaelo stood quietly behind them.


    He had a surprised expression on his face as well but not because his father had almost fainted but because he clearly saw what made their father nearly faint and the conversation they had replayed in his head quite vividly.


    ''That creature that appeared to him.....the ghost of Layla Lake...a lake that appeared after the death of the mother of the Third king of Lumbrica''


    ".....so that demon that appeared was her doing ?"


    He couldn''t seem to put the pieces together in his head but the memories of his past life clearly played out the event that had occurred.


    The reason they called her the ghost. She lived by that lake for over centuries and she only appears whenever she finds something that amuses her. She possessed the absurd abilities of summoning undead creatures and Chimeras.


    There was a whole laboratory hidden from even the King in his castle where she ensnared people to perform her vicious work of using living humans as a material for creating monsters.


    She was a being meant to be dead but for some reason she established a means for herself to affect us in the future, causing harm to us during the battle against the demons.


    ''Does she find my father amusing ?'' He thought over it as he slowly bit his lip. ''I don''t intend on handling her or her secrets yet...and it would be too weird for a 10 year old to know so much about her.....but....She won''t have her way of using my father in any of her diabolic ways''.


    "I shall not let that happen...."


    This was something he couldn''t afford to let happen.


    Former popular Swordsmen used in her work were formidable Chimeras to battle but his father. A being close to the zenith of humans. If he were to be turned into a Chimera, the amount of devastation that could be caused is unimaginable.


    "Raph ? What are you spacing out for ? We have to leave !"


    His thoughts were put to a halt when Morganna called him. He quickly looked up to find his family leaving the scene and with a sigh, he walked after them.


    "I''m coming...."

 Chapter 25- tomb

    When the night grew colder and the moon pierced its darkness with full glory, a man walked out of the Jun residence heading calmly and carefully towards the gate.


    He wore a cloak over his body shielding him from unnecessary attention if any and exited the building, walking past the sleeping guards as he headed for the King''s castle.


    Just as he walked out, Raffaelo opened the door slowly. His gaze fixed on the door. "...". He sighed, cold breath sipping out from his mouth as he turned his gaze to the mansion. "....we''ll be back".


    He covered himself up in the cloak and quietly exited the complex as well.


    "....where do you think they''re going?" Morganna''s voice projected as the girls watched from the window.


    "Not sure....but they saw something we didn''t...." Fiona replied.


    "...no need to worry....they''ll be back before mum wakes up..." Gloria turned around and walked away while her sisters watched her back.


    "...I hope so...."


    Raffaelo POV.


    The night was cold but my body was colder. I haven''t told anyone but after I met the predecessors of my trait, my internal organs grew cold. Not in a state unbearable to me but comfortable enough for me to handle the cold easily.


    It felt like I was becoming one with the cold. ''Is this what he meant ?...''


    I thought about following my father to the lake directly but I''m well aware he has over a km of sense so he''ll sense me the minute I enter his radar.


    Instead, I''ll follow a different path to the Lake, the underground pathways that lead to different annexes of the castle complex.


    The laboratories that were captured in my past life were also located there but....it should not have advanced much at this time.


    ''The tomb....'' I thought about walking away from the direction my father took. ''A tomb is located at the edge of the Royal fence. A tomb built by the 3rd King of Lumbrica''.


    That being said, the tomb wasn''t an easy structure to find since it had the characteristics of blending in with its environment, like a camouflage.


    It was hidden away for many years before I found it by accident in my past life.


    ''Now that I think about it.....it must have been these eyes of mine''


    Memories of the conversation I had with the predecessor of my eye traits played through my head as my lips curled into a smile.


    ''This...shouldn''t be an issue''.


    *****


    Minutes turned into hours as Raffaelo walked past the building complexes surrounding the castle complex.


    The castle guards that stood in different annexes of the building marched around while taking their rounds.


    They held wooden torches and their expressions void and serious as they carried out their tasks.


    Raffaelo found his way past them. Lowering his mana level to a bare minimum while surrounding his body with aura in order to hide himself.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    His aura may have been mediocre but his trait played an important factor in lowering his temperature passed below the average human body temperature.


    I felt the door suddenly pull back instead of it being pushed by the force I applied on it and startled by the sudden movement, I looked up towards the upper side of the door when my body froze in surprise.


    Two big bright green eyes with concave shaped pupils stared down at me. Its eyes exuded a feeling of cold blood thirst as it roamed around the open space behind him.


    A female snicker exuded from whatever is behind the darkness as a sharp row of canine teeth glistened white just below the eyes.


    "Oh....how interesting".


    It stretched out its hand as it pulled Raffaelo into the room in an instant and locking it as soon as he was in.


    *****


    NORMAL POV.


    Michaelo had finally arrived by the lake.


    He slowly took off his hoodie as his gaze was drawn to a statue of a woman that was built at the beginning of the Lake.


    A sigh exudd his lips as he said. "Come out creature ! I am here to answer your call".


    Walking passed the guard and making his way towards the Lake wasn''t a difficult task for him. After all, he is a swordsman at the top of game but that didn''t mean he couldn''t get in trouble if he was foundthis deep inside the Kings complex.


    After his outburst, nothing really happened and a feeling of frustration washed over him as he walked closer to the lake. He stared at the reflection of himself in the Lake and a smile slowly grew from his lips.


    His gaze remained fixed until he noticed the dark pond had sudde Kyle Hogan to lighten up exuding a white smoke in the process.


    Alarmed by the sudden change, he took a step back as the smole began to spread thicker around them.


    The white light shone brighter and some particles of the water began to float up in the air while contesting together to form the ghost that had appeared before him.


    A perplexed expression appeared on his facial features as the ghost that he had wished was just a dream floated, with her piercingly blue eyes at him.


    A cold smile formed from her lips as she said.


    "You came....my saviour".


    Michaelo felt confused. He raised a brow looking over the ghost from top to bottom and asked.


    "When did I ever save you....when you should be dead ?"


    She giggled.


    "You may not remember me but I remember you....your lineage has been passed for centuries"


    "...and you ought to be dead..."


    Michaelo said coldly. He didnt like uncalled situations that could possibly endanger him. "What is it ? Whar is it that you want from me that you have appeared so ?" He asked.


    "..." her expression slowly furrowed into a displeased scorn. "Give your son to me. His destiny is something that I require in my research"


    "....what ?"

 Chapter 26- Reptilian

    "...." Raffaelo felt a stinging pain on his head as his eyes slowly regained focus.


    He slowly raised his head as he felt another stinging pain from his eyes as the light shone bright on his face. "Huh..." he mumbled, adjusting his field of vision to the way it was before he used it to see in the dark.


    ''.....I guess the sensitivity matters'' he thought as his vision finally lowered focus enabling him to observe his environment.


    He heard some clicking noise like the sound of glass utensils being used and on turning to his left, his expression slowly became dark.


    "You''re finally awake I see".


    A woman with a well defined body structure and full bosoms was busy handling some glass tubes and a beaker. It contained a green liquid and she seemed to be analyzing it.


    Her eyes were green and a scaly tail hung out openly from her lab coat.


    Her skin seemed tough and her arms and legs were covered with hard scales.


    She had long brown hair and two elf-like ears popped out in the messy bundle she tied it into.


    "....why is a Reptilian still in the Kingdom ?"


    A species that was long ago banished from the Kingdom because of their persistent indulgence in the inhumane occult arts.


    "....." she ignored him and continued with her tasks. "You''re the first and only son of the Jun huh....it''s hard to believe you found this place through the tomb alone. Did someone tell you of this place ? You''re only 10 which makes it more suspicious....I can see why the madam has taken a liking to you..."


    ".....you talk a lot..." Raffaelo said with a raised brow and she turned sharply at him with her stinging gaze. "You don''t seem to understand your situation do you..."


    "...honestly, maybe we should just take care of all this problems all together" raffaelo ignored her while he contemplated on what to do next.


    "You''ve been captured and those chains".


    She referred to the chains that bind his arms to the walls and the clubs on his feets.


    "Those chains seal off both your mana and aura"


    ".....you really investigated that much in such a little time...."


    He said as he turned around. It felt weird that she was the only one currently in the wide laboratory room.


    ".....you have other branches". He said and her expression gave off a perplexed hue.


    "....why do you know that much....aren''t you supposed to be 10 ?" She held a syringe in her hand and sucked in the green liquid in it as she slowly walked closer to him.


    ".....a truth serum ?" He asked as he slowly turned his gaze at her.


    Her perplexed expression turned into a mix of confusion and annoyance. "At least leave that task for me"


    She said as she closed the distance between them. "The madam wouldn''t mind if you were left half-dead....after all you are a Jun....I''m going to get all the information you possess....do you understand ?" It felt more like a statement than a warning question and he didn''t welcome it in any bit.


    A sigh exuded his lips as he bowed his head. "Don''t get cocky..." he said as the air around him grew cold.


    Her eyebrows furrowed as she took some steps back. "What ? What are you doing?"


    He slowly turned his gaze towards the counter to find the woman still hiding.


    "Do not worry. I shall take care of her when I am done with you" it said, taking a step forward.


    "...and for what reason ? I am not involved in any aspect related to you..."


    "No...it is you....you humans that have used my kind for your pleasure for centuries ! I shall eradicate your kind from the face of the earth !"


    ''.....a lion head with a bad temper....they really must be of the beast kin...but it seems their lineage had been cut short by the absurd taste of Layla''


    He held out his sword, as he struggled to stand back up. "I can''t let you do that....I have problems of my own you see....so I can not afford to die".


    "...a mere chickling dares to ?"


    The air around the lab suddenly grew cold at an instantaneous rate. The walls and the ground of the lab had slowly turned into a snowy field.


    "Why do grown ups like saying that about me anyways".


    ''I never really use it do I ?" He thought, lowering the temperature of the environment at an exponential rate.


    The creature snarled as its feet slowly froze up to the ground.


    "What sort of sorcery..."


    It roared as it stumped its feet on the ground letting out a mighty roar.


    It caused the cold air to dissipate and the freedom of his body temperature was returned to him.


    It was about charging towards him when its eyes dilated in shock.


    "Don''t worry....I''ll come to you"


    Raffaelo appeared in front of him at the blink of an eye as he swung his sword towards the creature''s neck.


    ******


    ".....what did you say just now ?" Michaelo muttered as his annoyed gaze was fixed on the ghost.


    "It is like I said....your son is too unique for me to let go....I require him in my research"


    "....you....how could you possibly be undergoing research when you''re a ghost ?"


    "...why do you care so much about the details ? Won''t you give him to me. I wanted you first but your son foolishly followed you here and now I want him instead"


    "..." Michaelo''s expression could no longer be described with words. A dark annoyed expression took over it as he recited his code, summoning his sword in his palms.


    "I do not know what it is that you wish to ''Research'' but I will tell you one thing.....my son....hand him over to me"


    ''That kid....'' He thought as a chilling presence exuded his body.


    "...." she remained silent while he slowly took steps, towards he

 Chapter 27- Cold zero

    "Do you seriously intend on fighting against me ?" She asked with an amused tone in her voice.


    "....I assume you must have put a barrier around this place.....it doesn''t seem like people come here that often".


    He replied with a straight face.


    Her lips curled into a dubious smile as a black portal appeared beside in the air.


    "You don''t seem to realize....that I am the one responsible for the appearance of that creature"


    She referred to the monster that appeared during the meeting with the King.


    "I am truly grateful for that....but if the King couldn''t get my son...what makes you think a dead person could ?"


    Her expression turned dark at his statement but she remained fixed to her position.


    Two arms popped out of the portal, dragging the rest of its body out with its head first.


    "....you called mother..." it said as it landed on the ground with a loud thud.


    "It seems I won''t be able to get this one...please take care of it" she said pointing at Michaelo.


    The creature snarled as it charged at Michaelo with great might.


    ".....do you...." He muttered out as he swung his blade down, slicing the beast into two in an instant "....underestimate the power of a Jun ?"


    He asked, staring at her blankly.


    "....". More portals appeared surrounding her, as more of the creatures forced their way out, landing on the ground with great might.


    "let''s see how long you last"


    "...if this is all that you have prepared...then I may have to be worried for the people that captured my son instead of my son".


    Her brows furrowed into an annoyed gaze as her body slowly dissipated back into the Lake.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I''ll be sure to make sure that doesn''t happen".


    ".....a ghost....." Michaelo muttered as he looked around his environment. "The king...would like to know of this...".


    Another monster charged at him but he cut it off in an instant.


    Turning towards their direction, he swung his sword up. "I will have to notify him once I''m done with you lots".


    Swinging it down, a power thrust caused a wave slicing off those in his presence.


    "He is just one person ! Let us take him down together !".


    One of the creatures screamed out as it opened its mouth, causing a beam of white light to gather at the front.


    Three others followed its lead while the rest. Almost fifteen charged at him together.


    Michaelo slowly turned his gaze up in the air. There were a total of 17 portals and each summoned one of these creatures in a span of 2 minutes.


    ''The only way to close the portal would be to attack the creator first but since she''s not here.....I will just have to kill every one of them''.


    He jumped to his left dodging a beam of light that struck the ground some few darts away causing a loud explosion.


    He dodged another, running to his left while flipping and turning to dodge the rest that came his way.


    "Chapter 1 of the Jun swordsmanship ! Endless surge !".


    By his command, a stream of waves of energy surges out of the air each time he swung his blade down.


    The energy sliced the creatures as easily as you would with a piece of paper.


    He vanished from his position, appearing in front of the beast that led the rest.


    "I get that not all of you can talk ?"


    ''I''m well aware'' Raph''s memories from the past were a unique experience for him since he remembered quite vividly how she was defeated.


    "You appeared too early". He said as he controlled the mana in his veins, spreading it around while manifesting a white flowing flame on the palm of his hands.


    Her eyes bulged open in confusion when he suddenly grabbed her physically. The white flame spread around the blade of his sword as he attempted to slash her again.


    ''Impossible !" She cried out when the female standing next to them attempted to push Raph away.


    The mana spread vividly around his body and bursted out in a large pulse pushing her away. He continued with his attempt to slice her when the loud screams he heard became too close for him to continue the attack.


    He quickly shielded his body with the sword as a heavy blow pushed him away, causing him to crash on the white walls of the underground room.


    Raph coughed out blood as he landed on the ground, standing.


    "...I see..." he muttered as he stared at the beast that had barged through the walls of the room, using its head to push him away. "You had more than just the Lion-looking chimeras"


    ".." layla stared at him with great contempt as the 1000 square feet large lizard creature crawled around her.


    It was green in color with four pairs of eyes and a long tongue with sharp bits stuck out of its mouth.


    "...." Raph gripped the hilt of his blade. "I wonder ... .how you intend on hiding all of this from the royal family" he said.


    "...." she remained silent as she stroked the beast. "....Kill him but don''t devour his body".


    The creature cried out as it charged towards him in a frenzy, blowing off the ceramic counters that stood in its way.


    Raph jumped out of the way causing the creature to crash its head into the walls causing another tremor.


    "Mother, if this continues, all our researchers will be gone !" The female screamed out as she crawled her way towards the floating figure.


    "None of that would happen..." she muttered. "I already prepared another way ... .detonate everything if they win.."


    "...." she nodded her head as she quickly ran out of the room.


    "Now then...show me your abilities....Raffaelo Jun"


    Raph jumped out of the way as the creature''s tail slammed its former position causing a crater due to its force.


    It cried out as it suddenly turned around in an instant, whipping its tail as he landed on his new position.


    Raph cried out as he blocked it with his sword. The force pushed him against the wall again causing a larger crater.


    "...."


    He slowly stood up from the debris as he wiped off the blood that dribbled down his lips.


    ''If I had learnt at least the first chapter ... .but...from my past memories....''


    Raph had reached a situation where he would have to depend on himself instead of his sisters. At least, in this life.


    He didn''t seem scared at the thought of losing but he did feel something else. Excitement.


    It had taken over his body as he hardened the grip on his sword. ''This....would be good practice for me...''


    It was his real first battle against something or someone whose power level wasn''t that higher than his.


    It was a perfect time to hone his skills.


    "I do have some skills I''ve been thinking up in my head though". He muttered, the temperature around him suddenly began to decrease rapidly.


    ''This snow isn''t enough.....I''ll have to do that....''


    A skill he came up with after many trials and errors in his head on how best to use his traits.


    "Cold zero".


    He muttered as a chill breath surged out of his mouth. His body began to turn pale white as the snow that covered the room began to turn to ice. His sword was turned into a fine sculptured ice sword and the tip of his white air began to freeze up.


    He pointed his blade at her as he said. "Can you handle the cold ?"

 Chapter 28- What more about the King ?

    About thirty minutes earlier, in the Kings castle.


    The king sat uncomfortably on his office chair as he stared at the documents handed over to him by the man on black suit with long flowing golden hair.


    He had a pair of red gem eyes and his gaze was fixed on the King.


    "This is not a matter that can be handled by the King''s legion.." the man said.


    "The neighboring kingdoms are finally showing their hostility..." the king muttered slowly, dropping down the document. "And we lost a Jun...."


    He stroked the hem of his hair while his finger tapped his table.


    The man, apparently his butler, slowly walked up to his side. "We still have 6 more...."


    "....." A sigh escaped from the King''s lips as he stood up from his chair. "They do serve the kingdom... but other great families are involved as well....I want you to prepare an elite team"


    "An elite team ? Without the great families ?" The butler asked with a raised brow as the King walked towards the door of the room


    "Yes.....an elite team of players....I shall summon a great congregation meeting".


    "But my liege? Why people that use the system ?"


    "...the great families are our biggest allies but also our biggest enemies...if they decided to overrule the king....then doing so wouldn''t be a difficult feet for them"


    ".....that is something that would never happen, my liege..."


    "Only when we tie them down when they are at their most weakest.....do as I say and do it discreetly". He opened the door, giving his butler one more look as he said. "I expect great things from you, Jester Ophiux"


    He locked the door shut soon after, turning towards the large window in front him while he gazed upon the moon.


    ''...at least...I still have hope...'' he thought when a black aura suddenly began to creep around his body.


    His expression seemed to lose its color on his face as he turned towards the left direction and walked slowly.


    "Is there something wrong ? My King". An eerie voice, different from Layla''s and dissimilar from any human property projected in his ears as his pupils began to lose its white color, turning into an empty dark husk.


    "Not at all, sovereign....I am only excited about the plans you have come up with...." The king muttered.


    "Is that so, well that is good....keep up the good morale....oh...and one more thing"..


    The floor suddenly rumbled in shock causing the King to quickly place his body on the window, narrowly escaping falling to the ground.


    "It seems there was someone else like me..." the voice said as the black aura slowly formed a ghostly figure in a dark worn-out cloak. "A ghost....lives in the castle...find her...and exorcize her"..


    "A ghost ? But how ? No one but you should exist in the human world..."


    "They are many ways of being a ghost, My liege....you have formed a contact with a higher demon and I am his subordinate....but this ghost is different"


    "How so ?"


    "She seems to have no ties with the Demons I know of....yet she somehow lives in the human world...she is too dangerous to be left unchecked".


    ".....is she the cause of that tremor ?" He asked as he slowly got back up when the tremor resounded again, louder and stronger than the last.


    "It very much is...my king" the ghost began to dissipate as the black aura disappeared from the King''s body.


    ''....it seems I will have to check it out with the head guard''. He thought while walking towards the exit of the castle.


    He spread his mana around his veins as blue flames lit up at the tip of his finger nails.


    The flames grew wild and formed a large ball of flames as he slowly dropped it in the water. "High tier 7th magic ! Flames of gehenna"


    The flames sank into the lake untouched until it reached the bottom as it suddenly grew larger and wider forming the face of a ravaged beast as it evaporated the lake to its last drop.


    Cain felt amazed by the power of the King as he slowly looked up at him. He was a player himself, but the growth of a player is far easier than non-players.


    The system works in unpredictable ways.


    The King jumped into the lake and Cain quickly followed as they landed on the dry hard ground.


    His gaze wandered around the walls of the now formed Basin.


    "I see..." he noticed the closed door that was locked shot at one end of the wall and he walked towards it.


    "Brace yourself Cain, even I don''t know what lays in wait in that place"


    "I will heed your warning, Sire".


    ''....The sovereign mentioned a ghost....but to think all this while there was an underground system... how did I not know of this...'' the king thought as he punched the door open exposing the dark humid path that led to the deeper paths he wasn''t aware of.


    "Let us go in"


    ******


    The large lizard slammed its head on the ice walls as it made an attempt to break off the ice that had seemingly frozen most parts of its body by now.


    It screamed and snarled in annoyance as it searched the room for Raph.


    "If you''re looking for me...."


    His voice attracted it and it snarled towards its direction with its mouth open revealing its large set of canine tooth


    "How bothersome" he muttered as he suddenly appeared behind the Lizard with his sword facing up.


    The right fore and hind limbs of the Lizard suddenly cut off as blood splurged out of its wounded parts. It screamed in pain.


    "What are you doing ?!" The ghost screamed out in annoyance.


    "....it can''t defeat me..the way I am now" Raph said, turning towards her direction. "I didn''t just freeze the surface but the internal organs as well, everything required to produce energy has been put in a dormant state.....do you possibly think your last trump card would work against me ?"


    ''Freezing its internal organs ? What sort of....'' She thought with an aggravated expression.


    "I shall come for you next". Raph said as he quickly sliced off the other half of its legs.


    It cried out again, landing flatly on the ground causing loud tremors.


    "....I wouldn''t be surprised if the King arrives here to check out the situation". He said as he walked towards the Ghost with slow steps until they stood facing each other.


    "Your plans....were useless from the start....you realized we were of the Jun household and yet you chose to attack us ? Are you a ghost without a brain ? You are a ghost right? Do I need to exorcize you ?" Raph asked as he pointed his sword towards her seemingly pale face.


    Her lips curled into a smug.


    "What ? Do you think you can freeze mana as well ? I am made up of a large vast amount of energy....so for someone like you....exorcizing me....is a mere thought...."


    She raised her hand up in an attempt to attack when a sword suddenly sliced her in half and an immeasurable pain washed over as her face curled into a confused and shocked expression causing her to scream in pain.

 Chapter 29 Chaptrr 29- The future will change

    Raph''s gaze turned towards the perpetrator.


    A satisfied smile appeared on his face on seeing his father walk calmly towards us through the door while holding the head of the lizard lady.


    "I''ve taken care of the rest of your minions....you shouldn''t have any means of fighting right now". His father said as he dropped the head on the ground.


    Layla began to dissipate into the air. Her eyes lost focus and her hands hang down limply.


    "....don''t....think....this is...the end...." She muttered on her last breath.


    Michaelo slowly turned his attention from the ghost that disappeared to his son. He noticed the ice and snow that surrounded the room and a smile slowly found his way on his face.


    "You''ve pushed yourself.."


    "...of course....I have to do this much to prove myself as a Jun.." Raph replied as they walked out of the room towards the direction he came from. "The King and his guards are on their way here, right ? It''s best we follow the path I came through"


    "...." his father remained silent as he walked behind him.


    ******


    The night grew brighter with the appearance of the sun on the horizon as Raph and his father walked towards the door of their residence.


    "....It was disappointing wasn''t it ?" Michaelo asked as they opened the door.


    The maids in charge greeted them both while they nodded in response.


    "Not as much as you father....though we may have stopped a dangerous event from occurring in the future..."


    "...Hmm...." His father nodded his head as they climbed up the red carpeted royal wood staircase.


    "When we get back to our residence in pasville.....your training shall begin...understood ?"


    Raph nodded in excitement as they parted ways to different rooms.


    RAFFAELO''S POV.


    I felt exhausted from the short trip as I pulled the sword from my back. ''It was worth borrowing this from the guards''. I thought as I dropped it next to a table.


    I walked up to my bed with a tired sigh only to find an unnecessary guest lying quietly on it.


    ''....the nerve of this girl...'' I thought as I walked over to the other side.


    It was a tiring night. Not every 10 year old has the stamina to keep up with that kind of situation. Not to mention....she was a ghost....only mana worked on her...supposedly....but Father definitely doesn''t possess mana....so how did he....'' I did have my thoughts and theories on how he defeated her but they were all uncertainties.


    ''...what if she just played to be defeated.....'' that was also a possibility I considered but i don''t think she''ll pose much of a threat in the future.....I will surely become stronger than I am by the time I meet her if she wasn''t exorcized''.


    "..is...is that you, Raph.." Morganna''s voice projected in my room as I turned back towards her while sitting on the other end of my bed.


    "Did I wake you up....I apologize..."


    "Hmm...." She muttered as she rubbed her eyes with her fists while sitting up.


    ''So cute....'' I thought, laying down.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I''ll be going to sleep now..." I said


    "Oh....is dad back yet ?"


    "Yes....we arrived together".


    She stared blankly at me and yawned.


    It seemed the King only notified the houses present and his family. I heard they were excavating the underground laboratories to find out the perpetrators.


    ''Though they''re mostly going to find dead bodies....''


    "Raph...are you prepared ?" My mother asked, her voice snapping me out of my thoughts.


    My gaze fixed on her as I stopped walking in front of her.


    "Yes....I don''t really have any personal luggage..."


    Her smile deepened.


    "My young man....it seems you went out causing trouble again with your dad".


    I could see my Dad giving us the side eye.


    ''Well...I''m sure he was curious as Well....so he ended up telling her about it...''


    I shook my head. "It was nothing mother....they weren''t that difficult to handle..."


    She sighed, holding out her hands to hold mine.


    "You silly child....do you realize you could have gotten hurt....you''re only 10"


    "....." it wasn''t something I could refute, though I may seem like a child to them, my mind and personality were far from my actual age. I sighed. ''Well...not like I can tell them about it....at least not yet''


    "I''m sorry mother....I will be careful next time..."


    She sighed as she helped me into the carriage.


    "Aren''t you coming as well ?" I asked as I sat down next to Morganna.


    "...I have something to take care of here in the Capital....It might take awhile before I come back home..."


    ''What ? Did something like this happen in the past ?''


    "Is there something going on, Mother ?" I asked with a raised brow.


    She patted my head. "Not something a young child should be concerned about..."


    Her gaze shifted to My father and I could notice her subtle change in expression.


    "....take care of the kids, My Lord"


    He nodded. "Don''t get hurt....and summon me if you are in need of me..."


    A weak smile grew from her lips. "Of course"


    Some few minutes later, the coachman struck the horse causing it to move.


    My gaze was still fixed on my mother until we left the residence.


    I could feel a deep gap in my heart as mixed emotions filled my heart.


    ''In the past, she died too early....so now that she''s alive....I can no longer tell what will happen to her in the future....''


    "Don''t worry too much...." Morganna said as she patted my back. "She''ll be back soon" her smile gave me some reassurance.


    "She''s right...nothing will happen to your Mother".


    My father stated clearly on observing my expression. I smiled while nodding to his statement.


    Some parts of the future may seem uncertain because of how much I''ve changed it but if I''m with my family, I''ll be sure to grow strong enough to protect them.

 Chapter 30- Training begins

    My gaze was fixed on the drops of rain that struck the window of the carriage as ideas and distractive imaginations seemingly carried my attention away.


    My left shoulder rested on the surface as I stroked the hair of Morganna who laid soundly asleep with her head on my thighs.


    "You seem to be lost in thoughts..."


    My attention was attracted to the voice of my father as I turned towards him.


    One of the questions I pondered about popped up in my head when I felt the need to ask.


    "....how Did you defeat her ?"


    I never really realized it but since that day, I wasn''t able to find time to be alone with my father to ask this question.


    He raised a brow as he turned towards the window.


    "....is there something you noticed about her ?"


    "Yes....aura didn''t work on her....it was only by the physical manifestation of mana..."


    "....Oh....I see" he muttered.


    "....What Do you think the difference between aura and mana is ?"


    ".." I raised a brow in response to his question. It wasn''t a question I needed much thought before answering but he always had a meaning to what he said.


    "....an aura is manifested by a swordsman and mana by mages...."


    "Hmm...then why do you think a person is born with one ?" He asked


    "....I don''t necessarily think a person is born with one....I feel a person is born with affinity to both....they choose at their disposal which they have more affinity to..."


    "....true...most people that don''t have the physical adaptation would simply cultivate mana and begin their lives as a Mage while most of the physical capable would cultivate aura"


    "...it is as you said..."


    "But....if you think about it...aren''t they the same thing....but just stored and used for different things..."


    "....."


    I could hear the sound of an engine suddenly break down as if my brain couldn''t contemplate the words he said but at the same time he was slowly making sense.


    "...but mana is also with nature...aura isn''t....it grows from one''s hard work..."


    "...there''s that as well...but aura and mana when they are at equal amounts can be used for the same thing.....they can be substituted for one another and can be used to replace mana at the right amount...."


    "..you can''t use aura to summon beasts...or flames or water..."


    "And yet our traits work with aura....and not mana...."


    "....."


    I always felt it was weird. Most powerful attacks work best with mana but the Jun''s household is different.


    We were made to use aura and all our techniques and traits require it for us to manifest them.


    "Even so....I don''t necessarily think they are the same thing....a Mage can not use aura and a swordsman can not use mana..." I stated frankly, trying to make sense of what he meant.


    "....well....you can put it simply...both forms are energies that aid us when manifesting the supernatural....even though different results are gotten...they are still fundamentally the same thing..."


    "..." my gaze was fixed to the ground as I contemplated his words. "I see.....on a molecular level....you were able to substitute your lack of mana for aura....that''s complex in its own way..."


    "Well of course...you need to become a grand master for you to be able to do that..."


    Its size was approximately the width of the Mansion and its depth was deep enough to prevent any tremors from leaking out although it tends to fail sometimes.


    It''s a method used by most households to prevent any leakage of their techniques passed down through generations. Texts on how to perform them are usually stored there and the family head acts as a guardian during that process.


    "Is it finally time for the young master?" Gilda asked with a smile as she turned towards me.


    I shrugged. "It was only a matter of time".


    My father chuckled when we got to the hallway of the ground floor.


    We hardly ever come here unless a celebration is going on.


    He pulled on the lamp and the sounds of machines clicking could be clearly heard. After a minute, a loud tumble sound echoed followed by the wall next to it shifting inwards and moving to the left.


    "He shall undergo intense training so I want you to get things prepared for him while he trains" my father said as we walked down a series of steps.


    He stepped on a particular foothold and the door began to close forcing the light that had sipped in to slowly fade away.


    "Raph, could you summon a flame"


    "...." I sighed. ''Did he forget to bring a torch ?''.


    I thought as I flicked my fingers forming a tongue of flame at the tip of my right index finger.


    I increased the size, illuminating the dark closed space and the candle lamps that stood at either side of the wall.


    I walked up to it and turned it on. It followed a systematic pattern, turning the rest of the candles on.


    "Hmm....magic is useful in many ways". My father chuckled as we followed after him.


    We walked down a series of what seemed to be a 100 stairs and got to the end opposite a concrete wall. My father lowered his body down and held a metal hinge nailed to a wooden fracture of the ground.


    He held it and raised it up forcing a crack sound to echo followed by the creaking of wood.


    The structure of the underground training room was built so the entrance was found on the ceiling which was our current position. The door my father had just opened was actually the Dungeon door.


    He carefully went through the door and signaled for us to follow after him just before landing on a white plain room.


    I followed after him while Gilda followed after me.


    ''Honestly ... .I always found it stressful to go through this process'' I sighed, observing my surroundings.


    The room was large and spacious and the white walls illuminated brilliantly.


    The room was magically enchanted to prevent suffocation and enhance vision. ''It''s a well built underground training field....though the process of going in and coming out was stressful and as such, it wasn''t used unless it was necessary''. I thought when a particular board in the middle of the room caught my attention.


    My father and I walked up to it at the same time and I could make out the written words and artistically drawn figures.


    "The 13 chapters of the Jun Swordsmanship" I muttered.


    "Indeed....the first 6 are easily learnt by 6th stars and below, the next 4 by 7th to 9th stars and the last 3 by 10th stars to great grand masters".


    "...."


    The process was stifling but the method at which I learn this skills will greatly affect my future


    ''I have to become a Master as soon as possible''


    The stage of a Master begins from the 7th star and I am on the verge of becoming stronger.


    "Raph. I shall drill in you the skills and concept of being a Swordsman. Not just any Swordsman but a member of the Jun household. Everything you know about the sword is pointless and everything you shall know about the Sword shall become your foundation. Prepare your mind and body".


    This is it. The beginning of my new chapter.

 Chapter 31- The 12 great families

    5 years later.


    Rachael''s POV.


    The loud screams of help and torture rang through my head as I sat silently on top of my white horse with my eyes closed.


    I can''t count the number of times we went into the battlefield and returned without having as much as five repercussions. Their deaths may seem meaningless when compared to this large army behind me though.


    "Lady Rachael. We will soon arrive at the border of the Kingdom of Lumbrica".


    I slowly opened my eyes on hearing the mellow voice of my lieutenant.


    Jenny Leon. A basal household to my uncle the king as well as my cousin.


    "Is that so....we can finally return home huh..." I said with a sad tone.


    The King had sent us on an expedition to check the diplomatic status of the neighboring Kingdom of Tiz, east of the Kingdom of Lumbrica and just as he had feared they had ignored all warnings from our truce and had been secretly attacking the smaller kingdoms that are loyal to ours.


    "I can see why uncle was so displeased when he sent us out on this mission..." Jenny said, patting me on my back as she rode her horse further away from me towards the front.


    "....honestly...why go through all the trouble of disobeying an order just for some land..." I thought but I had a premonition that something else was amiss here.


    The Kingdom of Tiz is a nation with little to no rules. They serve the strongest individual as their leader and it''s a system with five right arms and five left arms that guard their Supreme Strongest as they call it.


    Lately the new Supreme Strongest, Van Dutch Gregory has set his eyes on our Kingdom. Well that is understandable since compared to the Native Northerners and the Holy Empire, the Kingdom of Lumbrica seems like an easier opponent to deal with.


    "I wonder what gave them this much courage to stand against our Kingdom" I muttered as I rode my horse to walk next to hers.


    "Of course, it is all due to the System...". Her expression grew dark and her eyebrows furrowed into a displeasing expression. "Mother of Casualties or the goddess Mayura...whatever her plan was...for balancing the power scale..that was for naught".


    I pondered on her words when a knight that goes by the name Ray rushed up to us.


    "Captain ! The knight''s at the rear noticed some movements behind us ! Permission to investigate !"


    "Movements ?" Jenny muttered as she glanced at me. "You don''t think they sent pursuers ?"


    "....it''s Not something we can ignore..." I said with a sigh. "I will go investigate myself, lead the others safely back to the Kingdom"


    "On your own ?" She asked with a panicked tone. "I can not accept that, it is best you take some knight''s with you....in case they really are pursuers.."


    "...." I turned my gaze from her to Ray. "Have you confirmed their numbers ?"


    "...we have estimated at least a thousand.."


    "A thousand ! That''s even more than our numbers !" Jenny cried out, her gaze still fixed on me.


    "Do not worry....I am here...." I said to her trying to calm her down. "You must be calm on the Battlefield. Didn''t your father teach you that..."


    Her expression slowly softened and I could see a hint of regret from her earlier behavior. "I apologize, My lady"


    I nodded at her.


    "I''ll take half of our knight''s here. We are plenty enough to deal with those vagabonds".


    I turned my horse around and signaled for Ray to come with me. I walked up to our army that had waited for our reply.


    "Company 1 to 4 come with me ! Company 5 to 7 keep marching forward!"


    "Oh dear Kira....it seems you''re still upset at how old you look"


    "Huh ? Are you courting death ?!" Kira replied pointing her index finger at her.


    "...ladies really shouldn''t fight" Isaac Tesla, the youngest out of all the Leaders with dark hair and sharp intimidating eyes. He was wearing a mechanized suit with two drones floating over his head.


    "How dare a kid talk in the presence of grown ups?" Tonrook La Teur, the head of the Assassin''s family as well as the oldest. He looked well aged in his appearance with a long white beard and long eyebrows.


    He was about to retaliate when he froze on the spot. Their attention was now fixed on Chun Kang Lin as a feeling of intimidation seeped through their bones.


    "Are you done ?" He asked with a chilling voice.


    Isaac clicked his tongue and turned his face away.


    "It is a shame for the 12 great families to gather and chatter like this as if we were little children" he said, with authority in his voice.


    The atmosphere had turned chilling with pressure when a chuckle softened their mood.


    "Give them a break Chun, it''s only right we argue like this...we were once friends at the Academy you know". Michaelo Jun said with a smile on his face as he stared at Chun Kang Lin.


    The other heads felt perplexed at his mood.


    "...." Chun Kang Lin sighed. ''It seems he''s gone far beyond our reach...'' he thought as he adjusted himself on his chair.


    "Alright...let''s get down to business.."


    "We were discussing the rankings weren''t we ?" Michaelo asked with a raised brow. "I still feel it''s better we leave it for the next generation".


    "You only say that because your son is proficient with the sword" Tonrook said with a dissatisfied expression. "It is best we ! The family heads fight and decide for ourselves...just as Chun Kang Lin had suggested"


    "....honestly..I feel it''s best we leave it for the next generation as well" Mirabel said.


    "Oh....hope you''re not saying this because Michaelo married a relative of yours" Kira said with a frown on her face.


    "....what a foolish thing to say Kira, of course this is simply my judgment"


    "...." Kira clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned her face away.


    "I still insist that we, the family heads, should battle for the ranking" Chun Kang Lin said, folding his hands.


    "..."


    Silence filled the room as they pondered on their response to his statement. Most of them had not made up their mind. Leaving it for the younger generation may seem like a waste of time since fighting prowess changes with time.


    So the rankings may not hold up during the next few years.


    ".....this isn''t a matter of contest...we leave it for the next generation"


    Their attention was now fixed on Michaelo Jun as he stared at Chun Kang Lin.


    It was only right to leave it to them was what he thought.


    "And your reason ?" Chun asked and in the process the ground began to rumble and the table began to rise in the air. His aura had suddenly turned dark causing fear to seep into those that stood in his presence. "You better have a good reason"


    Michaelo sighed and placed his index finger on the table and immediately, the room turned calm and the table landed on the ground with a loud thud.


    He released his aura as well causing a suffocating effect on the assistants that stood next to them and a domineering pressure on the other heads as he stated coldly. "Not everything is a contest of strength"

 Chapter 32- the younger generations

    Meanwhile in a separate part of the Colosseum, the younger generations of the 12 great families were presently gathered in an open room opposite the arena and the large audience that had been cheering.


    Most were covered in cloaks while others saw nothing to hide. One of which, Rhett Son Goku and Brett Son Goku. Twins with amicable similar appearance that could only be differentiated with their difference in dressing style.


    While one looked reserved and cool-headed with well combed brown hair and white glasses, the other looked rough and scatter brained, with messy brown hair and shiny golden teeth. A similar structure would be their monkey tails.


    The others were all wrapped up in cloaks and hoodies that it seemed nearly impossible to distinguish them from their respective families.


    "Hey Brett....hmm..from the numbers I''m seeing here. Why do I feel like we''re missing a person ?" Rhett, the rough looking one, sat at the end of the window while his brother stood next to him.


    "It''s as you said, elder brother. It seems someone may be too scared to take this competition with us" Brett said both with similar accents as their Father.


    They chuckled. "Well...not as scared as these freaks that refuse to show their faces..." Rhett sighed, turning around to watch the matches that had been going on.


    There were a total of 22 in the room, all standing or seated at different positions away from each other.


    "...should we at least introduce ourselves..."


    A young male voice said, gaining the attention of the others.


    "....we''re not here to make friends you know and especially not to you shady bunch" Rhett said with disdain in his tone.


    "Come on..." the boy slowly dropped his white hoodie.


    "Master Jane !" A female standing next to him in a similar coloured cloak cried out in protest.


    "Relax Frieda" The boy smiled. He had golden lush hair and pale golden eyes. He looked very much like a girl.


    "Oh.....the son and illegitimate child of the Divine family, Lucia". Another male voice said.


    A boy slowly dropped his hoodie as well revealing his elf ears and silver hair. "It''s alright...you guys can drop yours as well" he said with a sigh and two girls standing behind him dropped their hoodie revealing their elf-ears.


    "I see you did your homework....Elven family heir...Darrell Silvan" Jane said with an obviously annoyed expression.


    "Isn''t it only right you learn about your enemies before entering the Battlefield" Darrell, the male elf asked. He had a very similar appearance to his father though his hair was longer reaching down his back.


    "Haven''t you heard of the saying? Your father''s enemies are not your enemies ?" Jane said with a sigh.


    "Oh....that saying..." Another male voice spoke up and slowly the whole room began to reveal their appearances.


    All except two that stood at each end of the room.


    "You better not forget those words when we meet our Family heads". The boy added. He was tall and lanky with messy hair tied to a bun. He had a Chinese character of art tattooed below his right eye and standing next to him was a girl with messy long black hair and sharp beautiful eyes.


    "Raymond and Rebecca Vinci !" A young boy with blue hair in a black overall with white earpads around his neck screamed out as he rushed up to the duo.


    "I''m such a big fan of yours !" He cried out with admiration in his eyes.


    "This kid" A boy with the same color of hair said, face palming himself.


    "Is...is that so..." Raymond, the boy with the tattoo said with a weird smile on his face.


    "Don''t get excited you dummy !" The girl behind him sighed in disappointment.


    "How old is this kid...he looks like my younger brother" A girl said. She had aqua blue hair and eyes. A young boy standing next to her with a similar height as the boy in overall glared at her.


    "Elder sister ! I am not a kid !"


    "...." the one at the right chuckled. "I don''t have time to deal with such an insignificant set of people". He said with a male voice.


    "What ?!" Rhett cried out in annoyance. He picked out a needle from his hair and it elongated into a silver staff.


    "How dare you ?!"


    The room that had seemed merry a minute ago had suddenly turned cold with everyone''s annoyed expression fixed on the boy when suddenly they heard a loud chatter behind the door as it suddenly burst open.


    They turned towards their left as two guards peeked into the room.


    "What is the meaning of this ?!" Jane cried out in annoyance. He seemed more aggravated with the guards than the boy that stood at the end of the room


    "I apologize, Master Jane!" One of the guards said.


    They were both wearing silver plated armor. An indication of their rank as knight''s.


    Bronze plated knight''s are ranked Rookies, Silver plated are ranked Intermediate, Golden armor are ranked Masters and Diamond armor are ranked Grand Masters.


    "A maid and a blind boy keep insisting on letting them in" the second one cried out.


    "A blind boy ?" All those in the room were taken aback by his comment. They were all aware of the child that could be mistaken for a blind boy.


    "Are you crazy ?! Let him in !" Darrell cried out, taking the knight''s by surprise. They looked at each other before attempting to walk away when they stopped in their tracks.


    "No need..."


    The cold and chill voice crept into the room causing them to shake in astonishment.


    Their expressions slowly turned dark and confused as the footsteps on the wooden floor became louder and clearer.


    "Please be sure to remember that the other heads of the family are gathered here" A grown up female voice said.


    "Hey ! Who let them in ?" One of the knight''s asked as he walked up to them in the hallway. "We still need to verify..."


    The maid glared at them and their bodies froze in shock stopping them from altering another word. "If the Master heard of this incident...he will surely get upset".


    The boy chuckled. "Then you better clear up this incident before my father hears of this".


    The footsteps finally ended at the door of the room revealing a white haired boy with pale white eyes.


    ''I see...then the boy that spoke before must be Jang Kang Lin'' Jane said as his gaze focused on the male figure still wrapped in his cloak. ''While the other one must be from the 12th family....'' His gaze then focused on the female figure still wrapped in her cloak.


    "Oh....A bunch of weaklings in a tight room ey.."


    His voice sent a chilling aura into the room.


    "What ?!" Rhett screamed out in annoyance.


    Jane slowly focused his gaze on the boy before him.


    ''Just as mother said....he''s handsome'' He thought as he forced a smile on his face. "Now that''s no way to talk to people you''re meeting for the first time"


    The boy raised a brow as he stared at him. "...oh.....Jane ?"


    "...you know of me..?" Jane asked in surprise. ''But he shouldn''t have made any contact with the outside world for 5 years...''


    "Hmm...that''s right...we were introducing ourselves that time too weren''t we...." The boy''s gaze roamed around the room until it focused on Mariam and his lips grew into a small smile.


    "...I am Raffaelo Jun ! The sole son of the Jun household and the whole lot of you..". He raised his hand up in the air forming a thumbs up. " Are going down.." and He turned his thumbs up upside down.

 Chapter 33- The 12th family

    "Young master Raph ! You had no reason to instigate them like that" Gilda said, sighing in frustration.


    "Oh..I wasn''t instigating them though....just you know, encouraging them" Raph said waving his hand at her.


    "Young Master Jun...what you said right now....do you think you can possibly face the whole of us in this room ?"


    Jane asked, getting his attention.


    "....you were always the main character weren''t you...." Raph said while chuckling.


    "Why do you keep talking like you''ve met them before, young master ?" Gilda asked with a raised brow.


    "..are you still here ?! The guards are in disarray because of our arrival ! Go take care of it already"


    He glared at her and she shrugged. Walking away some few seconds later.


    Raph slowly tilted his body on the door staring at each of them before fixing his gaze at Jane.


    "Well, excluding Jang over there and the Tett Twins.....hmm....I guess it''s overkill saying I can face the whole lot of you here..." he muttered with his hand on his chin. "...well that isn''t what matters..."


    "And how does it not ?!".The figure that had refused to take off his cloak spoke up in an urge of fury and his cloak flew off his body. He couldn''t hide the bloodlust from his eyes as it emitted a pressure that grew fear into the hearts of those that couldn''t handle it.


    ''Oh shit ! He''s no joke at all'' Rhett thought with excitement in his eyes as their gaze was now fixed on Jang Kang Lin. The last son of the Heavenly Sky King, Chun kang Lin.


    ''So that''s how he looks....'' Jane thought with a feeling of uneasiness swelling up in his chest. ''This isn''t going to be an easy battle...'' . His fists curled into a fist when he suddenly felt the uneasiness turn into something completely different.


    "Oi...you call that blood lust ?" Raph took a step into the room and more than half of them grasped their neck tightly and fell to their knees.


    Those that remained standing felt an overwhelming feeling of Fear.


    ''This....this pressure....how can a mere child ?'' Jang thought, his eyes bulging in shock.


    "This is bloodlust" Raph said with an eerie voice.


    A dark red aura had enveloped the room making it difficult for most of them to breathe.


    Amongst those that were still standing were Jane, The Son Goku twins, Adam Teras, Darell silvan, Ciara, Louis La Teuer and lastly Mariam. She seemed to be unaffected by it in general.


    Something only she could have noticed. ''He''s on a totally different ball game....but why is he alienating me from the rest....since that time...'' She thought remembering how he smiled when their eyes locked on each other for only a moment.


    "Raph !"


    The red aura stopped in an instant as if it was never there as he heard a familiar voice call out his name.


    He peeked out the door with a worried expression on recognizing the voice.


    "....fa..father....it''s good to see you again" he said awkwardly as his father walked up to him from the other end of the hallway.


    "You refuse to come with me and when you eventually come ! You decide to cause trouble! What would your mother say if she were here ?!" His father asked in annoyance as he pulled his right ear. "Come with me you stubborn child".


    The arrangement was determined by our ranks with our father seated closest to the King and the 12th family or should I say the forsaken family seated to the other end of the King.


    "What was it like ? That kid''s bloodlust".


    His gaze was fixed on the sole son of the Jun who seemed to have a chatty time with his father.


    ''How dare someone like that...'' I thought but honestly I felt excited that there could be someone other than my elder brothers that would make me feel this way.


    I always wanted to trample on those that think they are strong. That has always been my calling and I shall start with him. "He is nothing to fear father. I shall rip his head off his body and deliver it to you in a golden platter"


    My father gave me a piercing stare as if staring into my very soul. "Foolish child. Don''t make decisions based on your emotions...it''s no wonder you''re the weakest out of your siblings". He looked away leaving me with an awful feeling of dejection.


    Mother always told us stories about my Father. I am someone who wished to live by my father''s story so I can become as great as he is but yet he looks down on how I act even though it is the same way he did when he was my age. It infuriated me at the thought alone.


    "Avoid killing anyone. We wouldn''t want to cause trouble at this point"


    ''What ?!'' My expressions clearly revealed my shocked expression.


    He stared at me and turned away. It felt like he was trying to avoid something this whole time And my gaze tried to follow his movement but it only led to the Jun''s.


    ''Just what happened at the meeting ?!'' He thought in annoyance.


    NORMAL POV


    "Father...doesn''t it seem like you''ve gotten alot of attention ?" Raph asked as his dad finally let go of his ear while seating down.


    "It could not be helped. Sometimes violence are necessarily to get adults to listen to you"


    Gilda slowly walked behind him.


    "You''re finally here, My assistant"


    "I only act as a proxy Master, your mistress shall be back very soon" Gilda said with a smile.


    "..hmm....I truly hope so"


    "Everyone seems to be prepared..." Raph said, gaining their attention.


    They searched through the arena noticing they were all seated now.


    "I guess it''s finally time huh...." Michaelo said with a sigh.


    "Hm ?" They all turned their heads towards the 13th podium that was meant to be vacant on hearing the horn of the King.


    They stood up in an instant with surprised expression because never has the King ever come for a Rankings battle.


    The King and the second Prince slowly came out of the hallway that led to the podium with four guards around them. He took his seat in an instant with his son standing next to him on his right.


    ''....what...the fuck is the King doing here ?!''

 Chapter 34- 1st stage

    The King rested his head on his right arm as he looked around the Arena.


    The sight of his citizens, the commoners and the aristocrats that sat vividly apart in the audience section made him chuckle.


    "These fries...they don''t seem to know when to shut it" the 2nd Prince, Jullian said with a haughty tone in his voice.


    "That is not why we are here my son..." the King ignored the masses, focusing his attention on the sole son of the Jun household.


    "We are here to see just how much the son of the Jun household is worth to us"


    "...that is true...Father..." Jullian said with a sigh. "I would prefer they start their tournament with the two leading figures of the next generation..."


    "No...they always save the best for later but I have no idea what they are planning this time"


    "...." Jullian listened keenly to his father''s words. He liked the ideology his father lived by and he did his utmost best to work towards his father''s goals.


    The Main reason his Father chose him over his first son for the seat of the throne was for this very reason.


    He would prefer someone as shrewd as him to lead the kingdom in his absence. Jullian was the splitting image of what he wanted.


    ****


    Raph squinted his eyes in annoyance as he tried to ignore their stubborn gazes.


    ''He doesn''t even intend on hiding his ambitions..'' He thought when his father tapped him.


    "Do you know how this battle would commence ?" He asked.


    "..." Raph had a very distinct memory of how the Rankings battle went on in his previous life but mentioning it to his father would only cause suspicion.


    "Of course you don''t....we don''t mention it to our kids until it is time for them to get down on the stage"


    "..then ? What did you have in mind, father ?"


    "For starters...this Battle is going to have 3 stages.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    The first stage of course is the knockout stage. Having too many of you on the arena will only sleep problem for us"


    ''That''s just....the way I remember it'' Raph thought when his father began to explain the 2nd stage.


    "The 2nd stage begins in earnest. We distribute the names that survive through the 1st stage and put each of them against two others. In order to reach the 3rd stage, you are required to defeat the 2 opponents given to you in order"


    ''....that too...'' He thought nodding his head as his father started to explain the last stage.


    "The last stage will be an all out battle royale where death of your opponents are allowed. In this open Arena, the Family heads shall be the judge and whoever arises victorious shall be Ranked 1.


    The rest of the Rankings will be distributed according to their prowess in their battles"


    Raph nodded again. "I understand father..."


    "Of course you do...I made sure to make it as simple as I could" he chuckled when Chun Kang Lin suddenly floated into the air gaining their attention.


    My lips curled into a smile. "I shall test you"


    I increased the force of my intent and more fell to their knees leaving only 12. That was more than enough for the next stage but I wanted to force him to at least bulge.


    He remained fixed as if he were in a daze the whole time. It seemed like he was getting bored out of his mind but for a 15 year old to be this strong against my murderous intent...just how much mental strength does he have ?


    He has only lived for 15 years and his five years of isolation training shouldn''t matter at all.


    It''s absurd. The thought of it was absurd and it only gave me a headache the more I thought about it.


    "Chun !"


    As if to add oil to the flames, I heard his mocking voice.


    I turned towards Michaelo''s direction only to find the same expression I despised the most.


    Realization shook me and I ceased my murderous intent.


    ''He always looked arrogant whenever he gave me that look....it was like he was exercising his powers over me....and I hated it because I couldn''t do a thing about it''


    I sighed as I shut my eyes. ''It was a good decision to leave the matter to the next generation as he said....at least this time. Raffaelo will be put against my son.....there should be no way my son will lose''.


    I opened my eyes to observe the conditions of the participants that were still standing.


    They looked tired. Well most of them did, only one remained unphased. "Warriors who have passed the first stage. Introduce yourself to the masses".


    A total of 10 participants remained standing. Most of them were bleeding with weary expressions from their eyes but I could tell the amount of determination in them.


    A golden haired kid stood straight first and began. "I am Jane Lucia !" He panted heavily and tiredly but except for that He looked fine and filled with determination.


    I nodded my head. "It seems that woman has raised a decent son this time" I said with a chuckle.


    "Ara Ara...he''s saying nonsense now" Mirabel Lucia muttered from her podium.


    "Be careful of your words my lady !" A female wearing similar clothing as her but not as important said with a scared tone in her voice.


    "It''s just a joke Dearie" She chuckled and the lady standing behind her known as Daisy Lucia, her younger sister as well as her Assistant sighed.


    I ignored her statement as they continued introducing themselves to me. They were now children I have to take notice of as well for them to have withstood my intense murderous intent.


    ****


    NORMAL POV.


    Aside from Jane, Jang and Raph the others that passed through the 1st stage without any issues were Rhett, Albert, Darrell, Mariam, Louis, Adam and Ciara.


    They introduced themselves to the crowd and each time the crowd cheered for them.


    ''They survived 8 minutes and 2 minutes was when I nearly got serious'' Chun thought with a sigh.


    "You have passed the 1st stage. Take your rest and prepare your minds for the 2nd stage shall begin in earnest tomorrow"

 Chapter 35- 2nd stage (Jane Lucia vs Albert Techna)

    Raffaelo POV.


    The 1st stage ended without an inch of a problem or at least that''s what I thought. I didn''t realize he had increased his murderous intent so much to the point it was supposedly unbearable.


    I didn''t need to think too hard to realize why I had such mental strength since compared to the 7 Generals of Hades, his murderous intent was child''s play. Of course this is something only I am aware of.


    When the 1st stage had ended, 12 large doors linking to the 12 podiums suddenly fell open with two guards standing close to each of them. Chun had quickly floated away while we were left to walk back to our quarters.


    I turned around to leave when some pestering buffoons'' decided to bother me.


    "Hey you !" I could make out the loud, rash voice instantly. I haven''t forgotten a single one of them after all.


    I went through hell because of how strong they were compared to me in my past life.


    It''s too bad they won''t get the chance in this lifetime because I''ll show them what through torture....or at least that''s what I thought but these days....since after mastering my trait till the fullest. The thought of revenge has simply just been an immature phase in my life.


    ".....are you talking to me ?" I asked, staring him over.


    "....how...How are you still fine ?" Brett Son Goku asked while the others went their way leaving us to ourselves.


    Of course I noticed Jane''s worried expression but he quickly turned his face away when our eyes met.


    "....that''s just how much difference there is..."


    "Difference ?" He repeated as I turned around to leave.


    "...the Difference in our abilities. You are so far from reaching where I am".


    What I said as a simple statement that day to him just turned out to change a lot of my future plans but it was also the building factor of my future goal.


    After a few minutes of walking up the narrow stairs leading to the different podiums of each family, I met my father and Gilda who seemed to already be on their way to get me.


    "..huh ? Why are you down here father ?"


    "...why Do you ask ? I simply want to check my son''s health". "...I''m fine as you can see..." I sighed as a small smile formed from my lips. I always thought it would be impossible to escape the love and attention my parents gave me no matter how strong I become in the future.


    "The 2nd stage will begin tomorrow....shouldn''t you be with the other Family heads to select the battles that should take place ?" Gilda asked my Father.


    I nodded in agreement. ''Nice one Gilda !''


    My father chuckled. "Then take him straight to his quarters...I don''t want him causing any more problems...I shall take my leave then" he waved at us as he walked towards another entrance of the Colosseum towards their meeting room.


    I sighed. "Cause trouble huh..."


    "Yes...it''s just as he said. Now come with me" Gilda indicated for me to come with and I nodded.


    ''In my past life....this event changed the rest of my life....but in this lifetime...I think I know where my destiny is headed at least''. I chuckled quietly but it seems it was for naught since Gilda still turned around with a questioning expression on her face.


    I shrugged.


    NORMAL POV.


    At the other side of the Arena, Mariam walked up wearily assisting her younger brother as their Grand father who is also their Head of the Aquarius family, Paulson Aquarius walked down towards them.


    "Mariam dear ! Are you alright ?!" He cried out on meeting them.


    Albert smiled at Jane while Jane sighed.


    ''Even though mother said I should be most careful about the Techa family...I don''t really get what there is about them I need to be careful of''


    "The rules are simple. Eliminate your opponent either by knocking them out or pushing them to the walls of the Arena. Elimination of your opponent by death is not Looked upon and the participant shall receive immediate execution.


    You are given a time limit of 30 minutes and if you fail to win your battle in that time span then both of you shall forfeit the battle and your results will be calculated from your battle prowess". He announced as he raised his hand in the air.


    The crowd went silent in an instant and a refreshing feeling of excitement filled their eyes. Their hearts seemed to have stopped in a single beat in anticipation of what was about to unfold.


    It wasn''t only them that felt it. The general public. The guards, the Family heads and even the king with anticipation to see the battle of the 12 great families.


    An event where 12 abilities of different concepts are showcased in an elite manner.


    It wasn''t some simple board game or a tournament match. The ecstacy felt here was on a whole different level. Why wouldn''t it be ? After all It was now time for the RANKINGS FAMILY BATTLE.


    Michaelo dropped his hand and the crowd roared in excitement.


    He disappeared from his position in an instant as the two participants charged towards each other.


    "I apologize Albert ! But I will have to win this one !" Jane said with a stern expression.


    "Make me fly ! HERMES !"


    His eyes suddenly flashed with a golden light and a golden stream of light surged out from each of the corners of his body.


    The ground suddenly compressed due to the sudden force and with it came a loud supersonic explosion and a crater was formed almost in a second.


    He propelled himself forward in an instant with his right hand held forward as he grabbed Albert by his neck and slammed him to the ground with greater force causing another crater much larger and deeper than the previous.


    He dragged him across the ground like dirt and pulled him out when he had almost reached the ending of the Arena and with one swell swoop flung him down to the middle of the Arena causing a much larger crater with a loud supersonic explosion.


    He panted lightly as the beams of light began to fade away.


    "I have my own reasons...please forgive me" he muttered under his breath as the crowd cheered wildly.


    "....what ? Is it over already ?!" Jullian yelled out with an annoyed face. " Come on ! Couldn''t the little one put up much more effort ?!" He yelled, slamming his leg on the ground.


    "....calm yourself my son..." his father said and snapped his finger and Jullian quickly comported himself.


    ''.....the only problem he has.....would be his quick temper...'' The King thought with a sigh.


    He focused his attention on the battle at hand and his right brow raised in confusion together with the surprised tone of the Audience.


    The dust began to clear up soon enough and Jane was amazed by the sight before him.


    ''As I thought....just the god Hermes won''t be enough for this one'' He thought as a chuckle escaped his lips. ''This isn''t gonna be an easy battle after all''.


    "Ow.....hey elder brother, that hurt a lot you know". The childish voice of Albert projected in the stadium gaining their attention as most of them had an absurdly surprised expression written on their face.


    Before the dust had begun to clear up, they had noticed five shiny beams of blue light coming from different angles but on the dust clearing, they had noticed one beam coming from his right eye and four others from his right arm that now looked robotic with four holes shiny brightly and five more holes closed up.


    "I''m glad we''re both fighting with the intent to win...cause how else would I be able to win if you don''t fight seriously ?" Albert said with a chill tone in his voice sending a shiver down Jane''s spine.


    "Hope you''re ready for round 2....cause it won''t be the same as round 1"

 Chapter 36- Jane Lucia vs Albert Techna 2

    Lucia or the Divine family is a family you could say is close to the gods.


    it was once said their ancestors gave a gift offering to the gods and as a result the gods took a liking to them.


    Each Family has a story behind them before their involvement with the goddess of casualties.


    The Divine family, Lucia have the unique ability of offering a prayer request to a specific god and be granted their unique ability by the god.


    They can stack up on the number of prayers up to five times depending on their level of divine energy and be granted 5 attributes from different gods. Each time they acquire a god''s ability a stigma of that specific god appears on one part of their body chosen by the gods themselves.


    Their divine energy and level of understanding of the god in question also affects how much power they can get from that god. Meaning, a member of the Lucia clan that has strong understanding and a vast amount of divine energy can be able to obtain 2 attributes from the first god he/she prays to.


    And lastly. There is a time limit depending on their level of divine energy. Those with larger amounts can stay up to an hour to 24 hours and those with a minuscule amount can last up to 5 to 10 minutes.


    The Techa family, Techna on the other hand are a futuristic set of people.


    It was once believed their ancestors arrived from the future, bringing with them a lot of unknown knowledge that had been worked upon by others of this world to produce better results.


    Their unique ability is the physical manifestation of their technology or the ability to summon such technology.


    Their ability comes in all sorts of manifestations and their unique ideas are highly treasured in their kingdom.


    The rule to how much they can manifest was simply based on one''s imaginations and implementing the right rules regarding physical laws.


    NOTE CHANGES TO SURNAMES: Techa- Techna.


    ****


    "...honestly Elder brother...you''re so mean...you couldn''t even give me an opportunity to fight back". Albert said, pouting his lips.


    "....." Jane, on the other hand, had other thoughts besides the kids'' persistent use of "elder brother" when he was referring to him. ''..so...this must be his ability ?'' he thought, staring at the futuristic robotic right arm of Albert.


    "...it''s cool isn''t it ?!" Albert sparked up with excitement as he held his right hand forward. "apparently...even amongst my Family, I''m special...I don''t get the whole gist of it but...."


    He slowly dropped his hand down. "...that''s not what we''re here for right ?"


    Albert inhaled lightly and exhaled deeply as if calming his nerves for what was to come.


    It felt like both of them had met a wall blocking them from their victory. Of course, it was only natural to expect this much...there is no such thing as a weak Family amongst the 12 great families. Each have their pros and cons and what they focus more on.


    The crowd remained excited at the fight that had yet to begin with their loud cheers and provocations at them for stopping instead of fighting.


    Jane fixed his gaze on Albert. He was no longer sure of his own victory any more but showing his trump card now...could only spell trouble for him later when he has to face off against Ciara Merlin.


    "Aren''t-" He was cut off mid sentence as his pupils dilated in surprise noticing Albert sudden appearance next to him with his robotic right leg aiming a kick at his face.


    The attack was blocked but not the force that came with the attack. It pushed him down into the ground causing a crater and the water that surrounded him dispersed to the ground. it felt like his insides were churning at each other as blood spurted out from his mouth.


    "Now rest" Albert said clenching his left arm as it turned into a robotic arm, the same colour as the rest.


    Three holes were opened and fumes propelled out of it like the exhaust of a Jet fuel.


    He thrust his fist forward with great speed towards his abdomen and punched it with great force.


    Jane''s expression twisted into a fit of annoyance and pain.


    "seriously..." he thought as the force of the punch pushed him back but not far enough to reach the wall of the Arena.


    "...." Albert took a few seconds to breath in and breath out again as he propelled himself foward yet again intending on finishing what he had started.


    "this kid..." Jane muttered clenching his abdomen in pain. He stretched his right hand forward forming a fist and the water streamed towards his rescue forming a fist as large as a school bus.


    He slammed it in front of him just before Albert could get close to him forcing him to retreat some few steps back.


    5 more began to form in the sky and each fell one after the other further increasing the distance between them.


    "tsk....do you think this can stop me ?!" Albert cried out as he punched one of the fist of water turning it into a gas.


    ''Damn it ! it seems I''m gonna have to use everything to defeat this brat !'' Jane thought cursing under his breath as his wounds began to heal up.


    ''isn''t there a way to win this without relying on my whole abilities ?''. His brain kept cooking up all sorts of ideas and questions on a way to bypass having to use all of his abilities, completely distracting him from reality.


    "Where do you think you''re looking ?!" the loud childish voice of Albert projected in his ears snapping him from his line of thoughts. The fists of water had all been turned to gas as Albert propelled himself forward towards him.


    The number of open holes on his arms had increased to 8 as he thrusted his fist at Jane.


    ''the same attack again ?!'' He thought as he tilted his head to the right, his gaze following the movement of his right arm when he heard a swift movement coming from the bottom.


    His pupils quickly moved to the source of the sound and he quickly tilted his head further back to the left dodging another blow.


    He bit his lip in pain trying to ignore the supersonic explosion caused by the force of his punch.


    "I''m not done !" Albert cried out, increasing the speed and the force behind his punches and with each thrust, Jane would barely manage to avoid getting hit.


    This continued for what seemed like 30 seconds but the number of punches he would likely have to avoid kept on increasing and his godly eyesight and reflexes was beginning to lose count of which fist was coming next.


    "Tch !" He cursed when he suddenly felt a heavy blow on the left side of his cheek followed by a sudden rush of information to his brain.


    He groaned in pain when the punches only increased from there.


    "you brought this upon yourself..." Albert said with a mellow tone in his voice as the 9th hole opened, exuding blue fumes in the process.


    "Lock 9....open"

 Chapter 37- A victor at last.

    JANE''S POV.


    ''Hah shit.....''. What was it...? Pain ?. One of the few sensations that is hated by humans in general. An uncomfortable sensation that makes the brain cry out stop each time information reaches it.


    Words wouldn''t be enough to describe how much pain I was in as his fists continued to violently assault my face, My most valued feature.


    But that was the least of my worries. I kept on wondering whether or not I would remain conscious when he finally decided to stop his barrage of attacks. It was annoying that I couldn''t do anything else other than thinking and I tend to think back in the past to wonder where it all went wrong.


    It''s a simple question that attracts a simple response which is ''I didn''t take him Seriously. Even after my mother warned me''. I felt perplexed by the mix of emotions and pain that rushed all sorts of information to my brain and I continued to grasp on the little consciousness I had left.


    ''Should have just used my whole abilities from the very beginning''. I was more worried about the families higher than us in the Rankings rather than the battle at hand.


    I made up my mind right there and then. That if I grasp even a little bit of consciousness. I''ll surely trample on this guy.


    As if in response to my request. Albert suddenly ceased his reign of attacks and clenched his right arm as a blue light suddenly shone from one of his holes.


    ''..those holes...the more he opened...the faster he became....I should take note of that just in case''


    "It''s over.....Lock 9...open !". He cried out as he slammed his fist on my abdomen.


    The mix of emotions and pain curled into a tight knot in my brain as blood spurted out my mouth. It felt like my intestines were churning at each other as the force sent me to the ground and further away from him but...I was still CONSCIOUS.


    The crowd began to scream in excitement as if Albert had already won the battle. I mean that is what it should have seemed like but sadly for you all.


    ''Poseidon...'' water wrapped around me tightly, preventing me from hitting the wall of the Arena.


    It was a common thought most of us in the battle would have chosen. Eliminate your opponent by throwing them against the walls of the Arena so even if they were still conscious, they would be out of the battle.


    The crowd seemed to have gone silent since I could no longer hear their deafening voices though I did hear one voice.


    "It''s about time my son".


    Mothers encouraging voice. I may not seem like it but I''m a sucker for my mother. I''m what you would call a mothers child so that was more than enough reason for me to flip the switch.


    "You still won''t give up Elder brother" Albert whined. He seemed fixated on the thought of victory.


    How ? How dare he ?.


    My body laid lightly on the wall of water that formed blocking me from hitting the wall as my wounds began to self heal.


    "It''s too bad Albert....you could have done your best to make me unconscious"


    "Hm ?" He muttered though he seemed to get the gist of what was about to take place. "What...What are you trying to say..."


    "I have only one request, Albert..." My voice came off calm and rasp as I looked up at him through my bloodied face. ".....don''t die".


    "Beseech upon me your mighty trident !" I cried out and in response a bright blue light shone from the sky and a trident fell down to a path in front of me.


    I rushed towards it and grabbed it, spinning it at the same time as I forced my body to turn towards his direction.


    I clenched my grip and flung it at him with force in hope it would take him down but he only propelled himself away from my trajectory to dodge the attack.


    I clicked my tongue in annoyance as the trident struck the Audience section. They were teleported away as soon as possible as well.


    I charged at him, stomping my foot on the ground as I rose up into the sky.


    He noticed me and aimed his right palm at me again.


    "....Guess I have no choice..." I muttered as the stigma of Asclepius disappeared on my right hand and another one began to form.


    The beam shot out before I should have retaliated but I had more than enough time to appear at the other end of the Arena dodging his attack in a swift motion.


    Albert slowly turned his head towards me and a childishly annoyed expression etched on his face.


    I felt a chuckle escape my lips as I looked at my right arm. ''Just in time...'' I thought.


    Normal POV.


    Albert seemed at a loss for words on seeing Jane at the other end of the Arena. His little brain contemplated so many reasons why his attack didn''t strike him down and he came up with two reasons ''either he teleported....or he ran....did he already change one of the gods ?''


    Though he might be a little young compared to the others, his field of thinking and his superior abilities made him stand out even amongst them giving him enough face to battle against them heads on. He was a prodigy of his generation though it seemed he couldn''t come up with a solution this time.


    He was about to attack again when Jane appeared above him. ''Speed ! It''s definitely speed !'' He thought when Jane swung his leg down from, slamming him back into the ground.


    Jane landed on the ground safely as Albert forced his way out yet again. He panted heavily as his eyes focused on his right hand ''symbol....there''s just two'' He thought.


    "Oh...you must be wondering what I did right ?" Jane asked, his voice sounding rasp and loud. "You might want to beat the answer out of me !" He cried out as he appeared beside him yet again.


    ''How ?! How ?! How ?!'' Albert thought over and over again. This speed was not in human terminology. He couldn''t grasp when he left his position and he didn''t feel his presence until he appeared again.


    It seemed like he was teleporting but it was speed. Godly speed. This was an obvious abuse of abilities !


    Jane threw his right fist at his face, blowing him into the ground.


    Albert groaned in pain as he felt a sudden rush of screaming information to his brain. He couldn''t grasp why his metal plates failed to block the hit.


    His metal armor was supposed to be as hard as gold but even the strength of gold can''t handle the strength of a god ?!


    The force blew him away and in the blink of an eye, he struck the wall of the Arena causing a large depression into the hardened cement.


    It seemed victory was now safely in his palm.


    Note to self : The Arena is as large as a football field

 Chapter 38- Ciara Merlin vs Jane Lucia

    CIARA MERLIN''S POV.


    I couldn''t seem to make sense of the battle that had just ended or that was what I thought at first.


    Since the beginning of the battle, my mother and I had placed a good amount of our attention on the last son of the divine family and we were affirmative that he should have lost that battle.


    An unexpected occurrence....a variable had occurred. What our family stands against the most. I could tell from my mother''s apparent disgusted expression on her face that she wasn''t satisfied with the end result.


    "my daughter..."


    She called out with her stern voice and I had no choice but to kneel on one foot. It''s a sign of respect all mages bestow upon her when she uses that tone on us.


    We are aware of what next she would say.


    "Do not disappoint".


    "....yes mother..." I said in agreement but I already had no intentions of losing to someone who only depends on unexpected circumstances to win a battle.


    Everything in life is set on a mathematical level or a scientific basis where things follow a distinct order.


    Our grand magic is based on that order.


    The ability to create magic from a distinctive orderly nothingness or the form known as mana and with this basis we have been able to attain high positions in the magic world.


    The rule of the Battle, though it wasn''t mentioned at first, was something that had been passed down through families.


    The winner of the previous battle faces off against the 3rd opponent while the 3rd opponent faces the loser as the last and 3rd battle and with this we''re able to face two opponents one after the order.


    Michaelo Jun, the solitary king of the sword in his own field or what I''ve heard directly from my mother....and his son, Raffaelo Jun. Memories of how he introduced himself in the waiting room flowed through my brain and what was left was a hefty feeling of hate.


    "...calm down my child...you shall get him soon".


    I nodded in agreement. ''The sword shall always be inferior to magic''. I thought as Michaelo Jun announced the winner.


    The crowd screamed in excitement but I could tell most of them were disappointed. After all, they make a living from betting on us. ''Fucking swines..''


    A group of people putting on a yellow robe suddenly floated into the Arena. They positioned each of themselves properly and started a restoration spell on the Arena that had been damaged almost beyond recognition.


    "It''s almost your turn, Sister...are you nervous ?" My younger brother asked as he climbed up the podium.


    ''this little piece of shit''


    "You wouldn''t have had to depend on your sister if you had remained standing, right ?" As if she read through my line of thoughts, my mother spoke up as I turned towards my brother.


    His expression tends to give off his feelings and I could tell just how much he hated our mother. ''Men....such fucking swines...'' I thought as I turned my gaze from him while he stumped back down without leaving a reply to our mother.


    ''How rude...if I were my mum...I would have used that childish behavior of his as a reason to banish him from the family....in fact all males should be banished. How dare they exist....filthy things''.


    A new stigma began to appear as a red fiery glow emitted from his eyes and a vast amount of divine energy began to emit out of his body. The stigma took the form of a bright sun with a face on it.


    "The flames shall never forget your greatness ! Helios !". His body emitted a surge of flames completely wrapping his body as he held the ball of flames from moving any further.


    The massive force pushed him back a little as he forced it to the ground causing a large crater.


    "ARGHHHH !!!" He cried out as he absorbed the massive mass in an instant.


    His fiery appearance began to tone down as he panted heavily.


    "I knew you would use him !".


    The provocative voice of Ciara projected in his ears as he quickly turned to his back.


    "it''s too late..." she said as drops of water bullets shot out from the stream of water at him.


    He increased the amount of flames that surrounded him in an instant when he noticed the flames suddenly dimming.


    ''My time is running out ..'' He thought. He could only maintain the full extent of the gods abilities he could savage for a total of 30 minutes in every 3 hours.


    It seemed he had spent far too long in his current mode.


    The water bullets turned into steam before they could even reach his body and this continued in a seemingly infinite amount as the steam blocked his field of vision as well as others abilities to note his position.


    Ciara smirked at herself. She seemed to be fixated on the idea of victory. It was on the scop of her plan in winning this battle.


    ''with this...he should be exhausted...'' She began to prepare for another spell.


    ''With this third one it is truly done'' She thought when a chill feeling crawled up her skin.


    "it seems you fail to pay attention to your surroundings".


    Her eyes bulged open in shock as she quickly turned around in an attempt to shield herself.


    "you shouldn''t underestimate others....." Jane said, his eyes a husky black colour and his skin as white as a ghost. His veins exposed itself to the surface as a black colour as he aimed a punch on her. It didn''t seem like Jane at all but it looked and sounded just like him.


    Ciara was lost in her thoughts as she attempted to figure out what had just occurred.


    She quickly took a glance at his right arm but not a single Stigma was printed on it.


    That was when it dawned on her and with that was a reassuring feeling of the result of her speculation.


    Her pupils slowly moved to her left above her and another Jane with actual human flesh was vividly facing her with his right leg swinging down from above towards her.


    ''....two Janes... and one is an Undead....'' She thought as her expression curled into an ugly disgust as she cursed out loudly.


    "Fucking variables !".

 Chapter 39- Ciara Merlin !

    Her mana swirled up from the inside of her body like a hurricane as the strong wind caused by the sudden outburst of mana blew the two Jane''s away before they could even touch her.


    He crashed to the ground with a loud noise and tumbled for a while as his clone disappeared after it slammed against the walls of the Arena.


    He quickly stopped himself from moving back any further as he was now extremely close to the walls of the Arena.


    ''Fuck ! The undead didn''t work...and I''m at my limit...I couldn''t take anymore than I already did from Hades'' He thought remembering how he switched stigmas using the steam that was formed as a smoke screen.


    "No....not yet....I still have to hang on for a little longer !" He muttered as the strength of the wind only increased stronger and more intense.


    The walls began to crumble due to the wind and the number of people that had been returned back to their seats after the end of the previous battle were now being moved away yet again.


    It was a repercussion spell. Something that had been cast on the Audience section after the fourth previous Rankings Battle due to the Bloody Masses incident.


    People are teleported away from their seats to outside the Arena when signs of danger are imminent.


    The head of the Four Towers of Magic, Kira Merlin was in charge of this grand duty because of her large mana.


    She was currently frowning at her daughter''s performance. ''To think you would be forced to use this ability...it seems you''re still far from becoming strong my dear'' She thought with a disapproving look on her face.


    She heard her name being whispered and turning towards the direction, the prying eyes of Mirabel met hers.


    Mirabel snickered at her and Kira could feel her veins bulge up to the scalp of her head.


    "You fucking bitch !"


    Meanwhile Ciara began to float in the air with her eyes glowing white. In the Land of Mana, there have always been four groups of Elements. The FLAMES that spark life. The ocean WATER that cools down our taste. The mother EARTH that guides humans on the path of righteousness and the AIR that begins all life.


    All other attributes arrise from this four as the basic medium.


    Though at times non-elements that seem like elements exist.The source of scourge and pain, DARKNESS and the healer and helper, LIGHT are two examples.


    Ciara floated in the air with a bright light shining around her. It seemed nearly blinding, the audience had to look away from her glorious sight but there were others that thought it was too beautiful to be looked away from.


    Jane remained, lying on the ground in a daze as he stared blankly at her magnificent form.


    Her hair had turned white and her eyes shone a glorious brightness. She raised her right arm lightly into the air and the Four basic elements formed on top.


    "You shall regret making me show this side of me" she said with a stern tone in her voice.


    Jane seemed to have lost all motivation to fight back. He only had one goal from that moment then on.


    "8th tier high magic...."


    The four elements swirled around her palm and combined forming a black coloured ball. It floated into the air.


    "....Elemental Implosion".


    Her voice sounded calm and calculative as the black ball began to vibrate vigorously while white bright light pierced out of it.


    The Patriarchs of each of the Family had a panicked expression for just a short while. Surprised at the level of Magic she was about to use in that small sized Arena.


    The bright light broadened blinding all those who had dared to stare at its might as the largest explosion known to man was about to occur.


    Michaelo clicked his tongue as he was about to take out his sword when the bright light suddenly froze.


    Their eyes bulged out in shock but all were surprised for different reasons. Her mother, Kira for example was amazed at her feat. Her daughter had just fooled the whole Patriarchs of the 12 great families. Her surprised expression twisted into a devilish grin. ''The Jun''s are no match for us !''


    She chuckled as they turned back to walk away.


    "Daisy ? Do you think we should stay for the rest of the battles ? Results can easily be sent to our households you know..."


    "..th...that is true, My lady" she replied still startled from their previous yelling at her.


    "Ara Ara.....were you scared back then Dearie ?" She asked, chuckling.


    "...O...Of course not !" She cried out in retaliation, her cheeks turning bright red.


    "....I want to stay...."


    They turned towards Jane who was still in his mothers embrace. "These are people I may have to face off against in the future right ? I already underestimated one....I can''t do the rest for the others....I need to know what I''m facing". His gaze slowly turned towards the 3rd household. The Jun podium.


    "You have a point....guess I''ll stick around till I watch that cute kids battle".


    ''Cute ?!''. He turned towards his mother with a sulky expression causing her to chuckle at his reaction.


    "Stop being such a baby~" She said, her laughter increasing as his sulky expression only increased.


    **


    "More and more people are turning their heads in this direction. It''s becoming annoying" Raph said with a sigh escaping his lips at the end of his statement.


    "You can as well just leave here since it''s making me Embarrassed as well". Gilda said with a tired tone in her voice.


    Raph chuckled. "Don''t worry about it...you already have a suitor you know....no one here is interested in courting you"


    "....Young master Raph....you seem to have gotten better at dissing people" the pitch in her tone had gradually increased each time she uttered a different word.


    "Hmm....spending a lot of time down there got me thinking you know". He sighed again. ''In my past life there was no such fight like Jane Lucia vs Ciara Merlin...not to mention, I''m sure I saw that boy gawking at one point.


    Did the motherfucker fall in love with the heiress to his future Family''s enemies ?'' He thought as his gaze turned towards the Merlin household noticing the Head of the family patting her daughters head.


    "..seems Your Father extended the Resting period after this battle"


    "..It''s nothing like that Gilda. The kick that sent Albert flying away broke off most of his metallic armour around his abdomen region. If anything, there''s not enough time to fix him up".


    They noticed how the Head of the Techa family walked into the Arena and whispered something into Michaelo''s ear upon meeting him in the middle of the Arena.


    Michaelo stretched his hands up in the air forming an x letter with it. A sign meaning the next battle would be cancelled.


    "...Oh...It''s just as you said, young master...." Gilda muttered, amazed at his insight.


    "It was bound to happen....I think I would do the same to my opponents so I can face off against that Merlin girl"


    "...you...want to face off against her ?" Gilda asked with a raised brow turning to face him directly.


    "Oh yes...it''s just that...her mentality.....I freaky hate it". He replied. ''And it''s going to be the cause of many great disasters in the future. I need to beat some sense into that bitch....sorry Jane''. He sighed.


    Ciara Merlin has now been officially promoted to the 3rd stage after winning her first battle while being lucky enough to win her second battle by default.


    Participants also have the right to forfeit their battle if a severe injury or an issue arises.


    After a maximum of 15 minutes, the next two participants were called to the Arena starring the two top dogs of the Rankings.


    Rhett Son Goku vs Raffaelo Jun !

 Chapter 40- Rhett Son Goku vs Raffaelo Jun

    The Son Goku Family.


    I don''t need to tell you much for you to figure out their lineage. Their forefather being The one and only Son Goku, the Monkey King.


    Well, having kids was never really on his mind and starting a family seemed to be a waste of time for him since he was going about the heavens causing one sort of havoc after the other until meeting the Priestess during her journey to the west.


    The Monkey King was someone who was destined to be alone because of his laid back character and his strong antisocial skills towards the Ladies. This wasn''t a case for him this time though since it was completely led by the Priestess herself, they went through heaven and hell with their pals, the Fish King and the boar King and just somehow ended up victorious at one point.


    Settling in, they had kids and their lineage started from there leading down to the current generations.


    His powers never diminished but only grew stronger and broader with each generation because of the holy powers blessed from the Priestess.


    The Son Goku Family are a family of god-like monkeys in their own special field.


    The Jun household as well as the Family of the main character.


    Not much needs to be said about them since we''ve heard alot about it.


    Their secret technique of course, the 13 Chapters of the Jun Swordsmanship. A series of surges that entails destroying the heavens.


    *****


    Rhett Son Goku vs Raffaelo Jun.


    The battle spelt trouble because these two powerhouses were known for their combat strength and abilities.


    The crowd were probably cheering because it seemed like a normal battle to them but for the important figures on the set.


    The King, the Family heads and the other participants were all tense though some were just excited.


    Finally getting the opportunity to gauge out the strength of the only son of the Jun household.


    Expectations were high.


    "It''s finally our turn, ey" Rhett said with a grin on his face as he plucked out a needle from his hair. He threw it up and it turned into a silver staff crashing on the ground with a solid loud metallic sound.


    Raph whistled. "Now that''s a fine metal pole"


    "....you motherf*cker....I''m gonna teach you just how hard this ''metal pole'' is when I hit it on your head". Rhett gritted his teeth in annoyance as he grabbed his staff.


    "Are you two done ?"


    The two boys slowly turned to their side and their expressions had to soften on seeing Michaelo''s disappointed expression.


    "The match hasn''t even started yet....do you want to be eliminated ?" He asked.


    They turned their heads away in unison. "...we..apologize".


    Michaelo nodded as he raised his hand in the air and with that, the Crowd began to cry out the count down.


    "READY !!!!"


    "FIGHT !!!!"


    In an instant, Rhett disappeared and reappeared behind him swinging his staff towards his head in one fell swoop.


    "....oh..." Raph chuckled as he bent his body forward dodging the attack.


    "..idiot~" Rhett chuckled, swinging the staff down towards him in an attempt to slam him to the ground.


    Raph disappeared from his position dodging the hit by a hairline as the staff slammed to the ground with a loud thud causing a crater that dug deep into the ground.


    "You little shit..." Raph chuckled as Rhett jumped up into the air, swinging his staff down towards him.


    He clenched his teeth charging forward instead and tilting his body away from the reach of Rhett''s staff


    He aimed a strike at his neck as a blue massive dragon head formed from the edge of his blade.


    "Do well to dodge..." he said.


    "But ?!" Rhett took a step back in an attempt to dodge his attack when his surprised expression changed into a smirk.


    The lightning surged around the sky, gathering at one point as it struck down towards Raph.


    "You as well ! Do well to dodge this!".


    Raph clicked his tongue, rotating his body 360 as he swung his blade across the sky in the blink of an eye.


    The force of his attack struck the lightning before it could reach him and a loud explosion occurred, completely clearing the thunder skies.


    ''Was that his aim from the beginning ?!'' Rhett thought. "Tsk !" He thrust his staff forward with a massive force when Raph had appeared at his side.


    ''....when....?'' His gaze tried its utmost best to follow his movements as quickly as possible but Raph was just too fast for his eyes to follow.


    The force of his thrust caused a solid straight crack on the ground reaching the wall and causing a larger crater.


    "Chapter 4 !" He swung his blade down to his neck. "Sonic Surge !".


    His sword seemed to have vibrated compressing the air with refined skills as a loud super sonic sound screeched from the tip and edges of his blade.


    Rhett shivered and took a step back dodging a fatal attack by just a hairline. The strike passed by his ear, slicing him across his chest from the top left to the bottom right.


    His mouth clenched closed, holding in the painful scream he was so tempted to cry out. His pupil constricted, revealing a mix of emotions and pain as blood gushed out from his mouth.


    Raph swung his blade around, stabbing it to the ground as he twirled into the air, swinging his right leg across at the same time, slamming Rhett on his cheek.


    The force caused a crack to his cranium with his pupils dilated in shock. His body shuddered under the strength as he was sent flying towards the Wall of the Arena all in a second.


    Rhett struggled to get his balance as he tumbled fiercely on the ground. He gripped and grabbed any thing that felt holdable to avoid hitting the wall and luckily for him, a small pebble anchored to the ground stopped him in time.


    He coughed out blood, panting heavily soon after.


    ''....what ?! He didn''t even call out the name of the 7th chapter ? What''s up with that ? Did he call it out in his mind or does he not need to call it at all ?!''. His brain tried its desperate best to figure out what Raph had just done when he felt a similar presence as well as the feet of his very opponent on his head.


    He cursed under his breath.


    "Come on Monkey ! You ain''t going super saiyan on me ?". The sound of his voice sent a chilling feeling crawling up his skin and his blood boiled due to the unhinged anger he felt whenever he came in contact with him.


    "How....how...how dare you ?!". Rhett''s eyes sparked a golden texture as a golden aura blasted out of his body.


    Raph had quickly retreated, dodging the surge of unknown energy that enclosed Rhett completely.


    "....you...You !! Hah ! Hah ! Hah ! This kid is losing to a brat like you ?!" An unfamiliar voice projected around the Arena.


    A voice that got their hair standing on edge though Bryne Son Goku seemed to be excited instead of surprised. "Oh ! He managed to switch with him huh ?!" He said with a hint of excitement in his voice.


    "What are you talking about Bryne ?!" Derek Silvan asked in confusion.


    "That kid is finished. There''s just no way of stopping him once his arrogant self is called upon the world !" Bryne chuckled.


    All this while Michaelo had his eyes set on them during their short conversation. ''I see....it must be that man....maybe this match would be a little....'' He thought.


    The energy dissipated revealing a man much taller than Rhett. His appearance was much more monkey-like and his tail stood out even more.


    With golden lush hair and a distinctive smile, he swung his staff around in excitement. Slamming it to the ground as he sat on top of it.


    "It is I ! The MONKEY KING !"

 Chapter 41- RAFFAELO JUN

    The Monkey King, Son Goku sat calmly on the top of his staff as his lips curled into a grin while he stared at Raph.


    "What is this ?! You don''t seem to be surprised at all ?!"


    ''..why would I be...'' Raph thought with a sigh. In his past life, a situation like this had occurred as well. The Lineage of Son Goku have the special ability of summoning their forefather once every fifteen years.


    ''It was such a pain in the a*s last time so I''m a little excited that I get to battle him now that things are different''.


    He took his stance and a short deep breath in.


    For a single second, it had seemed like time had come to a stop as the force of his charge blew the solid ground open forming a crater while the debris flew into the air.


    He appeared in front of Son Goku in the blink of an eye, swinging his sword towards him.


    Son Goku smirked, using his tail to pull himself down while backflipping and throwing his staff into the air.


    He caught it as soon as Raph was in front of him and they clashed weapons all in an instant.


    The force of their pre-emptive strike caused an explosion of air blowing the ground apart only by a little.


    Raph increased the strength and speed of his swing as he pulled his sword up and struck down again.


    Of course, Son Goku did the same, striking his staff nonchalantly at the same time.


    The force caused an even wider and stronger burst of air and the speed increased drastically, impossible to be seen with the naked eyes.


    "Oh ! You''re pretty good kiddo !....but".


    The staff suddenly increased in length as he aimed a thrust at Raph pushing him by his left shoulder away from him.


    Raph held onto it and forced his feet back to the ground, stopping himself as the length of the staff stopped pushing him towards the wall of the Arena.


    "It''s not going to be that easy" He muttered, gritting his teeth due to the pain of the staff forcefully clinging to his collarbone as he looked up only to find him gone from his former position.


    ''Shit !'' He thought when he felt a chill creep up his spine.


    It seemed like the air had wisp as Son Goku appeared below him, standing on all four with a smirk on his face.


    He suddenly twirled, pushing his right leg up and slamming it on Raph''s chin with great force.


    "..." Raph choked out blood as his body was forced motionless into the air.


    Son Goku twirled around in the air horizontally as he kicked him away into the ground.


    Raph''s body tumbled on the ground for a short while as his body slammed against a rock debris stopping him from reaching the wall by a hairline.


    The heads of each family except Michaelo seemed to have reached a desirable conclusion and the masses were now praising the strength shown by the Monkey King.


    It was an excitingly one sided battle now and the so-called only son of the Jun wasn''t much to look upon...or so they thought.


    Raph had slowly risen to his feet as he sighed.


    Raph smirked as he jumped up, dodging a staff that slammed the ground with great force causing a large crater and a small tremor to the audience section.


    He landed on the side of it as the remaining 9 crushed the ground with its mighty weight. He ran upwards when ten more Son Goku''s suddenly jumped down towards him swinging their staff''s or aiming a kick or a punch at him at the same time.


    He flipped over dodging one of them as he curled his body back grabbing the one that passed him by his tail.


    He pulled him up and slammed him on three more that rushed towards him. He quickly jumped into the air flipping forward as he dodged the sixth one, then landed safely on the side of the giant staff as he slammed the next two away with the clone that was still held firmly by its tail.


    He slammed the one he had been holding all this while to the ground and stabbed him to the staff. The clone shrieked in pain as he regressed back to a hairline.


    "You prick !".


    The ninth screamed out as he aimed his staff at him. He deflected it to his side with his sword and aimed a punch when the tenth aimed his staff at him.


    He twirled his blade behind him deflecting the tenth''s sudden attack.


    The ninth twirled his staff aiming a thrust at him when Raph deflected it to his foot, stepping on it and stopping him from moving any further. The tenth clicked his tongue as he swung his staff towards Raph''s head.


    Raph bent his back dodging the attack and grabbed the staff before the clone could retrieve it as he took a deep breath.


    ".....Code...Zero". A chilling cold sensation spread towards the staff turning it into cold ice.


    It continued to spread to the monkeys turning them into perfect ice statues.


    Surprised by the sudden attack, Son Goku glared at him as he sent all his clones at him at once.


    Raph smiled as he flung his sword to the ground and widened his palms as a chilling blue aura like snow emitted out of them.


    He rushed towards the numbers dodging them skillfully and touching them at the same time as he descended down the staff.


    They turned to ice each time he touched them and the ice spread each time they touched someone or something else.


    ''The true ability of code zero....spreading ice...not only do I turn them into statues of ice, I also spread the ice to surrounding areas through them..this way. I can make this whole Arena a land of ice''.


    Raph thought as he punched the last one that clouded his path away. He descended with his hands gripping the staff as he spread his ice around each and every one in contact with that staff.


    He was about done freezing them when one suddenly jumped out from the side towards him with his staff aimed for his head.


    Raph suddenly glared at him as a white shimmer appeared on his eyes.


    The clone suddenly froze in the air and soon after began to scream and cry out as if he was in pain while scratching his body profusely.


    Raph landed safely as he completely turned the 10 statues and about a thousand clones into a beautiful sculpture of ice frozen in air.


    He slowly walked towards his sword that was stuck to the ground when the last one crashed to the ground still screaming in pain and scratching his body profusely.


    He slowly turned his gaze towards Son Goku causing him to take a step back.


    ''Did....I just get scared ?'' Son Goku thought as he stared at Raph with shaky eyes. It was a feeling that was very familiar to him once but he didn''t expect to get this feeling from a human.


    Humans were always beings with the possibility of growth and their limits were only set when they think anymore would be impossible. At times it is impossible but a human that''s able to make that "impossible" possible is no longer a human but a god.

 Chapter 42- RAFFAELO JUN 2

    Ciara Merlin POV


    ''....What ? What ? What ??''.


    My emotions were in disarray each time I tried to make sense of the Battle that had just occurred.


    I couldn''t fathom it. The amount of uncertainty that occurred in just a few minutes.


    It was impossible to expect this kind of result.


    I wasn''t the only one surprised by his fighting prowess. My mother seemed to be in a similar state to mine. Her expression was dark and I could make sight of her lips moving as if she were churning her teeth.


    ".....am I supposed to fight someone like this....?" I muttered even without realizing it when I heard a loud eerie sound followed by a long and sharp stinging pain.


    My right hand slowly touched my left cheek that was now glowing red as I slowly looked towards my mother who still had her hand stretched out forward with teary eyes.


    ''It''s been a while since mother hit me like that.....I see...i must have been doubting my abilities''


    "Isn''t that a little too much Morganna dear~".


    A familiar tone rang through our ears as we turned towards the Lucia household.


    Their family head had a smug expression on her face and a dark tone in her aura. It was obvious she felt pleased at the result.


    "It seems the Merlin household might not turn up this time". She chuckled with her hand on her mouth. "Are you scared Morggy~".


    I could see the assistant standing next to her fussing over her statements and her son simply sighed.


    It seemed like they were used to this sort of behavior she exposed to us.


    "Stay out of this you bitch !".


    My mother snapped back at her and turned back to me sharply. "I will not tolerate weakness".


    Her simple statement shook me to the core as she adjusted herself back on her seat.


    ''Hah....it seems I forgot where I came from....''


    I sighed. ''Magic shall always be superior to the Sword and I shall prove it.....by defeating you. RAFFAELO JUN !''.


    NORMAL POV.


    The King sat quietly lost in thoughts as he watched Raph walk up to Son Goku slowly.


    His gaze was serious and stern and his son couldn''t make an inkling of an idea of what his father seemed to be pondering about.


    He turned around to focus on something else instead.


    ''....that bastard.....is pretty strong''.


    His gaze slowly roamed through the arena and he observed the emotions and expressions of the other families.


    They weren''t the only ones perplexed by the situation.


    Well, all except one.


    It seemed Michaelo Jun couldn''t hide his excitement since he seemed to be smiling from ear to ear as he watched the battle.


    ''The Jun household.....what more could you be hiding''.


    "Brother lost..." Brett muttered with a disappointed tone in his voice.


    "...what did you expect...he was facing that man''s son, a Jun". His father responded with a chuckle.


    "How can you be lenient about this father ?! He defeated our great father even if it was only a quarter of his abilities".


    "Silly child....I''m well aware of the gravity of the situation...."


    He slowly turned towards Michaelo. "To think he would groom such a monster...there''s no telling how the battle between the Jun household and the Kang Lin household would turn out".


    Brett sighed as he glanced at his unconscious brother and then at Raph.


    "I will have to train much harder than I have if I want to catch up with him.....Raffaelo Jun..."


    ".....that''s the right mindset to have Brett....but as of your brother...."


    "....I only hope he doesn''t seek revenge once he''s woken up" Brett said, turning around to walk away. "I will go join the medics to take care of him....his injuries are severe...he may not be able to make it for his 2nd battle"


    "....you can never tell"


    "...." Brett stopped walking, turning his gaze towards his father. "I know my brother much more than you know your son".


    He turned away and quickly exited the area leaving Bryne Son Goku to his thoughts.


    "Your son always had a way with words..."


    Bryne chuckled. "You talk like he''s not your son as well"


    He slowly looked up towards his wife, Lady Aria Son Goku. A native of the northern continent.


    "He takes after your sharp words" he continued as she slowly stretched her arms around him.


    She had golden lush hair and large pointy fox ears standing at the top corners of her head.


    A bushy golden tail, protruded out from her back and her silver glasses gave her a dignified royal look.


    She giggled at his statement.


    "That child...is much more than what meets the eye" she whispered into his ears.


    "....does your precognition tell you something ?"


    "...for now...it would be best for our sons to watch him closely...it''s possible he could achieve great things"


    "....we''ll leave this discussion for another time Aria. Let''s just focus on the next battle"


    "Adam Teras"


    "...their ability to control the wild. It''s an absurd ability"


    "Though Raffaelo Jun as proven himself quite profoundly"


    ".....you could say that.."


    The stage had finally heated up and the next series of battles were ones that couldn''t be missed. No one could tell the outcome in the end and no one really cared. It was a battle used in disguise to enable the family heads to observe the changes in their techniques and a source of entertainment to the normal folks.


    However, It meant something else entirely to the king.


    He sat quietly as the next battle was about to begin. RAFFAELO JUN vs ADAM TERAS.

 Chapter 43- RAFFAELO JUN vs ADAM TERAS

    Adam Teras stood idly with his shoulders slumped down and his gaze fixed to the ground. He seemed to be in his own line of thought when Raph walked down the arena facing him in an opposite direction. The crowd was tense. Well, they weren''t the only ones tense.


    The Teras family has had quite the history. Their ability to control animals goes as far as the control of demi humans and all creatures including divine and demon beast. They were extremely helpful during the war against the demon beasts and demi humans that had sided with the demons.


    "Do you intend on going easy on me....you see, I would rather avoid facing off against someone like you" adam said with a sigh as he scratched the back of his head.


    ''Adam teras....'' raph thought to himself, staring at him. He never really had any issues with him even in his past life. He was someone that could read the room and act accordingly but years later he was accused of siding with the demon faction and sentenced to death by devouring by his own tamed beasts.


    ''He endured a cruel fate just as he did and a feeling of sympathy washed over him. He sighed as well and a small smile exuded from his lips.


    "Fight with your life on the line...because i intend on giving it my all in this battle"


    Adam stared at him blankly as michaelo walked towards the middle of the arena, raising his right hand in the air as the audience section stayed silent.


    "The next battle will begin now. RAFFAELO JUN vs ADAM TERAS !". He swung his hand down and disappeared immediately.


    Adam took a stance almost immediately as purple portals began to appear behind him. Six in number. Two on the ground and four in the sky.


    "As you wish !" he muttered when an elephant with three huge tusks. One from its head charged out towards raph with a loud cry.


    "Surely this is not all you have right ?" raph said, raising his hand in the air as he waited for the beast to close the gap between them. "COME TO ME ! COLD STEEL". He pulled out the sword from the ground and swung it up in a single straight line.


    An aura emitted from his action and sliced it into two as the dead body slide passed him. He pointed the sword at Adam or where he thought he should have been when he felt a strong wind over him.


    His gaze quickly turned up when he found a pterodactyl flown over the arena with Adam standing on top of it.


    ''Another feature of the Teras family...they have the ability to summon prehistoric creatures using their remains as a base''. His lips curled into a tight smile. "Interesting !


    show me more !" he screamed out jumping into the air and closing the gap between them in an instant when a hollowed cry followed by a loud tremor shook the entire stadium as a large worm-like creature sprung out of the ground with its mouth of 10 rows of sharp canine teeth wide open.


    Raph could feel his presence being swallowed up as his sight was slowly getting darker and darker with the closing of the worm''s mouth.


    He finally had control over his body and he used his sword to slice off the leg of the bird and grab the fur using it to propel himself downwards together with it.


    He was back in the arena within five seconds and the sight was one to behold by the audience and whoever had their gaze on it. It crashed into the ground with a loud explosion and raised dust into the air.


    Adam felt perplexed. He might have woken up the sleeping dragon for all he knew but he wasn''t ready to pick up a fight against him. ''Should I attack ? now that he''s probably injured from that great fall.....he was really high up'' he thought to himself as two more portals began to open up in the sky. Red in colour this time.


    "Rise my champions !" he said with a hushed tone as two magnificent beasts of hybrid origin flew out of it.


    They radiated an energy of unfathomable power. One was a humanoid with two eagle-like wings and it held a trident. It was reddish in colour and his fingers were sharp and short claws.


    The other one summoned was like a fat humanoid blob. Green in colour and transparent. It shapeshifted into a wolf and snarled.


    "What does our master wish for us to do?" the eagle humanoid spoke up first as it flapped its magnificent large wings.


    The audience were mesmerised by the creatures. Who wouldn''t ? The teras family have a total of five summon portals. Each its own grade of beasts it contained. A purple was intermediate. The second level.


    A blue, the first level or primary. Red, the 3rd level, tertiary and extraordinary beast with the ability of vocals exist. Next would be silver and last would be golden.


    "Not now Grixon...we must wait and find out first.." Adam replied as he keenly focused on the dust that finally dissipated.


    "Where ?" he muttered to himself, noticing Raph was gone. He heard a slice sound and felt one of his beasts died and he quickly turned to the source of the sound.


    The chameleon wolf beast was sliced into two without even getting the chance to howl to its death but he still couldn''t find him and yet he felt another one of his beasts die and what felt like a chilling breeze crept up behind him almost in an instant.


    His eyes dilated in shock when Grixon, the eagle humanoid screamed "master!" as it quickly used its trident to block the sword attack from Raph that had appeared in the sky seemingly out of nowhere.


    "..move" he said with a cold tone in his voice as he struck it away into the ground. It fell fast and almost without resistance.


    ''Even a level 3 ?'' Adam thought to himself in grave shock as Raph drew out his blade "chapter 4 of the jun swordsmanship !"


    ''Shit ! Chapter 4 ? what was that again ?'' he thought to himself feeling a tingling sensation of great danger yet he couldn''t move. It felt like he had finally reached the end of the rope. Is this where he finally loses ?

 Chapter 44- ADAM TERAS VS RAFFAELO JUN. PART 2

    Adam thought it was finally over. He gave out one last sigh as an acceptance to his defeat when his second 3rd rated summon, blob spread open and consumed Raph in its gooey insides.


    Raph was forced to stop his actions as Adam quickly used that opportunity to find a way to escape.


    Luckily for him, his pterodactyl was still living and flying. He could make sense of what had just happened in a single sentence. ''I gave up''. He thought to himself. Though you could say giving up is simply the best option for those that find themselves facing a perilous task and in this case, his perilous task was facing Raph.


    Raph had just frozen the blob, sliced his way through and landed safely on the ground.


    "You are truly a formidable enemy! Raffaelo Jun. it is no wonder your family has been feared as great sword masters". Adam raised his hands in the air. "If it is my strongest you wish to face! Then it is my strongest you shall face".


    A silver portal formed and the sight of it made the other families gasp and chatter to each other.


    The teras family weren''t exactly pleased. What would happen to their reputation if Raph was able to defeat even their silver summons as well. It could as well just pummel to the ground with the defeated silver beast but yet again it would be fantastic if he were to lose here.


    Green lightning shot out from the portal as a large clawed arm forced its way through the small portal.


    "Who is it?" The loud cry of the beast shook the arena to its foundation with its mighty voice. "Who dares to push my master to this extent?!". Its voice was filled with anger and malicious intent as it forced the portal to open up wilder with its single hand stretched out.


    The audience were shaken with fear but some were thrilled. The king seemed especially thrilled. It could be said that he''s been giving a front row seat to a show of the trump cards of the great families. How could he not be thrilled?


    His gaze was fixated on the masterly green beast that had majestically walked out of the portal. It has green lightning sparks emitting from its body and two large wings the size of its body. Its body alone was as large as a statue, not just any statue but a large one.


    A mythical beast thought to be lost to time. "Its a fucking dragon!" the king muttered with a wild grin on his face.


    His son, bewildered by his fathers expression, stared at him in shock. This was the first time, in all his 16 years, that he had seen his father smile. ''A dragon? Are they that powerful for my father to give such an expression?'' he thought to himself as his gaze slowly shifted to another figure. His bewildered expression only grew broader as he stared at Raffaelo Jun.


    "Is he smiling?" he asked himself in shock. His father overheard and turned towards his direction as well.


    "Son, don''t take your eyes off this match for even a second! Understood?" his father asked, his tone sounding a lot more relaxed now.


    "As you wish, father".


    "CHAPTER 6!" He cried out, swinging his sword black down as the force of gravity pushed everything to the earth causing a depression. "UNPARALLELED SURGE!!!!". His loud voice sent waves of intimidating aura in the whole arena. Those who were less powerful than him could feel it. The ghastly murderous intent with his innocent tone to it. He was a dangerous individual.


    "Hah !'''' Adam cried out in pain as the cracks appearing on his armor began to increase continuously and speedily while his body was forced deeper and deeper into the ground. "Master ?!". Balaq screamed out in anger as he landed forcefully to the ground. He opened its mouth wide as electric sparks ran down his body from its tail to its head.


    "DIE HUMAN !" its voice echoed as streams of lightning bolts shot out from its mouth towards Raph.


    The lightning ran at the speed of light striking Raph and Adam at the same time though it only affected Raph. The abilities of the green suited armor enabled him to endure the whole brunt of the attack but for Raph. It was a different case. The lightning produced from a dragon is no laughing matter and its properties showed distinctly as it paralyzed Raph in a single position.


    Adam had used that opportunity to back off, landing next to Balaq as he did.


    "Would that stop him?" he asked as he relaxed a bit.


    "Of course! My lightning isn''t something mere humans can resist"


    Adam nodded but he was well aware that what Balaq mentioned was meant for other people other than the jun household. Their unparalleled sword skills made them unpredictable. It made them confident and it made them superior.


    "...I hope you''re right".


    He wasn''t the only one that hoped for Raphs downfall. It seemed like most of the family heads wanted the match to be over at this moment. If he were to come out of this unscratched, it would become a real problem to them.


    It wasn''t long before it dawned on them. The lightning did in fact strike him but he wasn''t screaming. If anything, there was no reaction, just the sound of crackling noises as lightning roamed through his body. The green lightning had completely surrounded his body to a point where it was impossible to find a living thing in its midst and this persisted for a while.


    For almost a minute before it began to rescind but yet, what they heard was silence.


    Adam continued to stare at it hoping not to see a single hair from his body. He hoped for Raph''s death. He is too much of a singularity and his strength is too impressive for his age.


    But in a single moment, it felt like his hope was crushed by a cold chill voice.


    His pupils dilated in shock as he slowly but yet quickly turned his head around.


    "CHAPTER 8...."

 Chapter 45- ADAM TERAS VS RAFFAELO JUN. FINALE

    ADAM POV


    What was the saying again? "If you know yourself and know thy enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. If you know yourself but not your enemy, for every victory gained there is a defeat to be suffered. But if you know neither yourself nor your enemy, YOU WILL SUCCUMB IN EVERY BATTLE." I''m sure the gods made this statement the minute I stepped into this situation, because why else?


    Why else would I need to face such an absurd situation?


    It felt like the world had stopped in these few seconds as I stared in awe at this monster in human clothing. How else could I describe it? It felt like he deflected everything I threw at him. Was I no match for him? Was a dragon no match for him?


    His sword began to descend as a dragon head shot out from it, in one of the most comical ways ever. It felt like it was over. Was I finally losing? I thought to myself countless times. ''Forget it. It''s over, why should I care?


    It''s just a dumb family match our adult parents play with each other to determine ranks.'' I thought to myself. I was never interested in this battle in the first place. I had accepted it. If I were to lose here, I wouldn''t give a damn. That''s how I''ve lived my life so far, and how I''ll continue to live it.


    "Adam!" The voice rang sweetly in my head. It was familiar, with a comforting aura. "Adam!" the voice said again, louder and clearer. I could instantly tell who the voice belonged to. ''Mother...'' I thought to myself, as a familiar scene from my childhood played in my head.


    "What is it, mother?" the young me, about 10 years old, replied back then. It''s not a scene I recall often, but it certainly isn''t one I would think about. All memories before her death were wiped away. It was my last attempt at making peace with myself. Now that I think about it, our family was a crazy bunch.


    I know this isn''t something I should be thinking at this moment, but I would rather not have a flashback that reminds me of the goals I had already promised myself and to my mum. I don''t need a flimsy memory for that. I am fully aware that I ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT GIVE UP!


    I raised my arm seconds before he could land a direct hit on me. "BALAQ! Help me!" I screamed out as the dragon quickly twirled its tail at him in an attempt to slam him away, but before it could, Raph had turned his trajectory from me to Balaq, the dragon, within a second. ''He wasn''t aiming for me?'' I thought to myself as I forced my body forward, stretching out my hand in an attempt to grab him.


    My face twisted with mixed emotions as I cursed under my breath. "Why are you so much trouble!" I screamed out without even realizing it, but I wasn''t able to make it. Raph''s attack had sliced off Balaq''s tail, and the force of the attack had caused a large opening in the ground. He took a step forward, causing an outburst of aura. The force pushed me away before I could reach him.


    It seemed like he was fixated on Balaq now, and I didn''t want him to cause any more damage than he already had.


    Balaq was frozen to the ground. He attempted to move, but I could clearly make out the ice that held his leg to the ground, and the effect of the previous attack most likely prevented him from trying to force his way up. "Balaq! FLY!!!!" I cried out with all my strength. I couldn''t afford to let him die here! This was my dragon!


    The air continued to freeze, and the temperature kept dropping. By now, Balaq''s wings were frozen, and he lay helplessly on the ground due to the force of Raph''s sword.


    "Raffaelo Jun!" Adam screamed out again. Breathing became difficult, feeling like he inhaled frozen blocks lodged in his throat. His insides were losing warmth; it felt like he was going to die, but his plea fell on deaf ears.


    "Arrogant Surge! Cold Zero." With a single swing of his blade, everything went silent.


    MICHAELO POV


    The Arrogant Surge. It may seem like every surge follows the next in the Jun Swordsmanship chapters, but in actuality, they do not. Each chapter has its beginning and its end, its own story to teach. Each move has its peculiarity, arranged not by rhythmicity, but by power.


    But the Arrogant Surge was something else. I always felt like it was misplaced in the series because the effect of its abilities is just as the name suggests: arrogant. It warps reality and gravity in a single swing, putting matter to a halt and then, almost like a commander in the army, commands every bit of matter to its will, in any direction of the caster.


    I should be surprised he was even able to get it this far. My son is truly a monster.


    "But this Cold Zero... is truly astonishing," I didn''t realize when my lips curved into a smile as I stared at the beauty of my son''s creation. Snowflakes began to fall from the sky as the clouds obscured the sun''s face. Some of the children in the adult section were amazed by the sight, but they all shivered from the cold. I suspected the temperature had dropped to about -20 to -40 degrees Celsius.


    It was an unbelievable sight. The arena was covered in ice, and the dragon had turned into an ice sculpture frozen to the ground. No, It was frozen to what was left of the ground.


    His sword had split the ground into two, stopping right in front of the Audience section. It was a very deep and broad crack. Almost as wide as a crater much deeper but certainly longer.


    The Teras boy was shivering from the cold and seemed very upset as he glared at my son. He was on the right side. The blast must have pushed him there while the mature audience was left in astounding shock


    I turned around to take a look at the other patriarchs, and their complex expressions did nothing to quell the excitement that grew in me. Then, finally, I took a peek at the king out of the corner of my eye, and my smile only grew wilder.


    ''This is it, son. This is the power we grasp as the Jun Household''.

 Chapter 46- THE LAST LAP BEGINS

    NORMAL POV.


    Adam fell unresponsive to time. His expression could only give a pygmy of the emotions he felt swell up in his chest. The anguish and anger mixed clearly in an ugly cascade on his face as beads of tears began to flow down his eyes, only to be frozen before it could touch the ground.


    His gaze was fixed on Balaq. He had become a sculpture. A magnificent work of art. The mighty figure that protected him seemed to have disappeared in a span of half an hour.


    "Do you resent me?" Raph asked as he walked towards him. His body made chilly, crispy sounds as frozen gas exuded from it. "Balaq can still be saved, though finding a cure for him will take time."


    Adam stared at him, utterly flabbergasted by his words. His expression quickly changed to disgust. "What? With what audacity?! I begged you! Time and time again.


    I begged! So why?"


    Raph stared at him, his icy expression exuding a brilliance. "On the battlefield. You will learn to lose and lose again until you become strong enough to protect what you must."


    Adam''s expression only intensified. He glared at him in hateful resentment, an expression he had never thought he was capable of exuding. "This... this isn''t a real battle! This is just a farce played by the patriarchs! You''re a smart kid, so why?"


    "The battlefield is the battlefield. If you had taken this fight with the intention of winning, then I would have had to resort to my trump card... though. I am impressed you pushed me to this extent." A smile exuded from his charming face when he felt a bright, burning yet subtle sensation in his eyes. He stretched out his hand to block the light as he turned towards the direction of the source.


    The dark clouds had begun to collapse, giving way for the bright rays of the sun to shine its brilliance and the arena began to warm up once again. Raph felt the rays. He dropped his hands down and stared at it with a smile. "I won''t ask you to forgive me. Instead, use the anger you feel for me to get stronger. There is a way for Balaq to be free from my ice.


    Though you will have to work the hardest to find it."


    Adam couldn''t keep up with his emotions. Raph''s calm responses conflicted with his rational anger towards him. He sighed and slowly slumped to the ground. His gaze slowly went towards Balaq. "I don''t know what it is you wish to achieve by doing this..." he slowly got up and walked towards his family post. "But I hope it is all worth it, Raffaelo Jun."


    Raph watched as he walked away. Adam''s clothes were mostly ripped apart due to the fight, and his clothes weren''t in any better condition. He chuckled. ''Now... the only obstacle that could stand in my way would be...''. His gaze shifted quickly to the Kang Lin Household.


    ''Jang Kang Lin.'' A smile exuded from the corner of his lips as Jang stared right back at him. A contest of strength. It was no false news when people said the highlight of the day would be these two young beasts.


    Michaelo finally got to the middle of the Arena at the same time as the clean-up Mages.


    "Winner! Raffaelo Jun!" He cried out, and what followed next was the thunderous standing ovation from the audience section, the patriarchs, and the King. This was only his first step to being the Sword King. He had many more steps to climb, but his battle against the Teras showed his remarkable prowess towards being the Sword King.


    Ciara felt perplexed as she sluggishly clapped her hands while staring at Raph with a mix of shallow emotions. Her thoughts must have been on the fight. Not only was she surprised by Adam''s summoning prowess but Raph''s powerful ice technique. ''Is there an ice magic as strong as that...?'' she thought as her gaze slowly locked on her mum''s.


    She hurriedly looked away. "You want me to defeat that?" she asked.


    Her mum, Kira, stared at her daughter. The disappointment in her expression couldn''t be any more visible. "What kind of mage gives up without even trying?"


    Tacha adjusted her glasses and took a quick look at the arena. Her expression curled into disgust as a result and without realizing it, her eyes had darkened. She could only feel hate for the rest of the family that had isolated theirs for hundreds of years.


    Though she felt a ridiculous amount of hatred, it was evident that she couldn''t release it. At least not right now.


    With a solemn expression, she turned around and walked through the portal and it disappeared as soon as she did.


    *****


    The arena had begun to quiet down now. Their refreshed expressions as they conversed on the battles that had occurred and the battles that had yet to begin only left them with excitement.


    The clean-up mages were nearly done and the patriarchs had begun to settle down.


    The next series of battles was about to begin. The tension had definitely risen to a remarkable level.


    It was no surprise. The expectations from the king and the audience must have risen after seeing that fight but yet the best was yet to come.


    "Father, how do you feel?'''' The second prince asked as they watched the scene unfold from their podium.


    "...I showed an ugly side of me today."


    "...no father....it is Raffaelo who must apologize for making the temperature drop by so much."


    The king chuckled. "It was truly remarkable. I hope to see more of what I did. It is important to gauge the strength of those around us."


    The prince nodded as they watched the patriarch of the Jun Household walk up to the Arena.


    The fight between Adam Teras and Rhett Son Goku was canceled, and Adam Teras won by default. It seemed Son Goku was yet to recover from his wounds and he had certainly strained his techniques in the battle. It would have been difficult for him to go on any longer.


    It was finally time for the final lap of the battle, consisting of Jang Kang Lin, Darell Silvan, Louis La Teur, and Mariam Aquarius.


    "The finale shall now begin!" Michaelo announced, gaining the attention of the audience. "The next battle shall be between Darell Silvan and Jang Kang Lin."


    It was time. It was finally time to take a look at the martial arts technique that had begun to gain popularity. Jang had quickly jumped into the arena, boiling for excitement and the taste for blood.


    His opponent, however, wasn''t.


    "I surrender!"

 Chapter 47- LOUIS LA TEUR VS MARIAM AQUARIUS

    "Did he just surrender?"


    "Is that even allowed by the rules?"


    "Can they do that even before the battle?"


    In the midst of the Brilliant Colosseum, the crowd chattered away as they watched the next event unfold with bewilderment. An even more peculiar individual seemed to have emerged.


    "....Mr. Silvan. Do you realize the implications of what you just said?" Michaelo asked with a raised brow and a questioning expression.


    "I do, Patriarch Jun," Darell replied, bowing slightly. "I may be young, but I am not foolish."


    He glanced at the other households. "I am well aware of whom I can challenge and whom I would lose bitterly to." He stole a glance at Jang and quickly averted his gaze as he headed straight for his family podium.


    Jang exuded a visible red aura with a malevolent glint in his eyes. "...and you call yourself a knight?" he muttered, his voice harsh and husky.


    Darell halted in his tracks, looking back a little, locking eyes with Jang.


    "I am indeed a knight, but a cautious one," he responded.


    He left the arena without further words, returning to his podium and taking his seat next to his father, who appeared unfazed by the situation.


    Michaelo watched quietly and sighed. This wasn''t the first time such a situation had occurred, but surrenders usually happened either in the middle or at the end of a battle.


    Perhaps it was for the best that Darell knew his limits. Some people today fail to recognize the wisdom in not always challenging a wall when they are merely a pebble.


    The audience section also seemed displeased, with constant grumbling and complaints, but their opinions mattered little.


    Michaelo sighed. "May as well proceed to the next battle," he thought to himself. "Jang, return to your seat. The next battle doesn''t involve you."


    Jang''s jaw muscles clenched so tightly they seemed ready to snap, and a murderous glint filled his eyes as he glared at Raffaelo Jun. He had wanted to make a spectacle of Darell to demonstrate the power disparity between them.


    He had no interest in the other family members; all he felt was an intense anger towards the sole son of the Jun household.


    Raph noticed Jang''s hostile gaze, and a wild smile played on his lips as he waved back.


    With a click of his tongue, he walked away.


    Michaelo chuckled quietly as he announced the next battle. "Mariam Aquarius vs Louis La Teur!"


    The crowd muttered in disbelief and disappointment at the previous event, rather than paying attention to the upcoming battle.


    It was no surprise; martial arts had always been a spectacle for the common people.


    "Where did he go?" Mariam wondered aloud as she scanned the area, searching for his whereabouts.


    The La Teures were skilled assassins, and losing sight of them during a confrontation spelled trouble for their opponents. Mariam was aware of this, yet for almost three seconds, she couldn''t locate him¡ªa second too long when facing such adversaries.


    Turning her back for the fifth time, Mariam sensed a chilling, eerie aura enveloping her. She nearly stumbled as an arm grabbed her from behind, its whispered words sending shivers down her spine. "I am here, Princess of the Sea."


    It was over. Mariam knew it was over. Why? Because in the real world, she would have been dead. This fight had an advantage¡ªthe La Teurs refrained from using their full potential to avoid lethality. Louis stood on a thin thread, connecting the arena wall to the bottom beneath the water.


    The light in Mariam''s eyes dimmed, and the strength in her expression waned. ''And I thought I could...'' she lamented silently. Defeated without even trying, embarrassment engulfed her, suffocating her will to fight.


    "ELDER SISTER!! DON''T YOU DARE GIVE UP!!!" Her younger brother''s words rang in her ears like a judgment bell, snapping her out of her despair. "DON''T YOU DARE!!!" he cried again before their grandfather intervened, silencing the boy with a light tap on the head.


    Their grandfather, patriarch of the Aquarius family, sighed as he regarded Mariam with a solemn expression. "Do your best, my daughter," he encouraged, loud enough for the other patriarchs and his daughter to hear.


    "Hmmm..." Prince Julian observed the scene with intrigue, stroking his hairless chin. "How amusing."


    "Family bonds are nothing but a weakness... you should learn, Julian," the king remarked with a sigh as they continued to watch the fight unfold.


    "What a bunch of useless people... what good do they think their words would be?" Louis muttered to himself, eyeing Mariam''s family, unaware that she had heard him.


    "What? How dare you..." Loud tremors emanated from the water as a tentacle shot out, pushing Louis away from Mariam. "Oh..." he muttered as he felt a splash of water behind his neck. Turning slowly, he saw multiple slender arms pulling him towards the arena walls.


    His expression remained indifferent as he manipulated his fingers, summoning multiple thin threads that sliced through the water, freeing him from its grasp and pulling him back to the thread near the arena walls.


    "How troublesome."


    He said aloud, noticing how the water began to swirl around her protectively in response to her command. The tentacles numbered greatly, twirling continuously around her forming a formidable barrier as her eyes glowed bright blue while she stared at him with murderous intent. "This time... it will be different."


    She waved her hands rhythmically, almost like a ballet dance causing the water tentacles to surge around her and strike out towards Louis in a hurried frenzy. He groaned as he dodged one after the other. Each tentacle caused a large tremor, and large portions of the concrete wall were cut off.


    Manipulating his fingers deftly, he caused the threads to slice off those that came too close for comfort as he moved around the arena, desperately looking for an opening with his agility when the water suddenly rose up above him. His eyes bulged open in shock. "What?


    Did you think I couldn''t control this large mass of water?" she cried out as the water completely engulfed him, crashing back down to the ground.


    Her senses refused to believe that he was gone from just that simple attack. She must have learned from before, and she would not let the same thing happen again. Some seconds passed, and he was still nowhere to be seen. Her expression became complicated. "Hmm..." she muttered, lowering her shoulders, and the feeling that engulfed her once before quickly returned.


    It pierced through her defense and crept on her skin, making her hairs stand on end. Danger was very close by, and it proved to be true as Louis appeared seemingly out of nowhere above her, a dagger in his hands and a murderous glint in his eyes.


    He swung his blade down in an attempt to cut off a limb when the water suddenly opened up below her, causing her to fall within it and making Louis miss badly.


    His eyes bulged open in shock when he noticed Mariam''s smirk as she fell into the large amount of water with her arms raised as if holding a gun.


    "Bang!"

 Chapter 48- The Mermaid Princess.

    NORMAL POV.


    A small ball of water began to form at the tip of her finger as she shaped it like a gun.


    Louis'' eyes bulged open, staring at the smirk that spread across her lips. He smiled.


    "BANG!" The ball of water shot out like a projectile at the speed of sound, piercing through Louis'' shoulder. He groaned in pain, yet did not cease to move forward.


    He pointed the tip of his dagger forward with more intent. The lines on his face began to grow more visible as the nonchalant expression slowly disappeared.


    "I''ll take you seriously now, my lady. So do not disappoint," he muttered, suddenly disappearing into a red mist.


    Mariam raised a brow as she waved her hands up, causing the water to swirl above her and form a dome for protection.


    "Where could he have gone now?" she muttered to herself, feeling immense pressure from behind and hearing a loud pop as the water dome blew up. She quickly manipulated the water to pull her down further, dodging an attack by a hair''s breadth.


    ''You''re kidding me...'' she thought, noticing Louis'' sadistic smile and red bloodshot eyes. "Is that all you can do?!" he cried out, charging forward at a speed she couldn''t have expected.


    "Shit!" she cursed under her breath, retreating further into the water and causing it to flow upstream, forming a larger water dome.


    "You should have realized this doesn''t work on me!" he shouted, stabbing his dagger into the water and imbuing it with his bloodlust. It quickly popped open, exposing her to his attacks once again.


    She bit her lip in annoyance. "First transformation!" she muttered as her ears and arms suddenly glowed white, while the water around her grew larger with more water flowing from the ground.


    "Catch me if you can!" she cried out, retreating into the water and swimming away from his grasp. He clicked his tongue and quickly retreated, manipulating his threads as they pulled him away from the rising water.


    "Isn''t this dangerous?!" Mario cried out, turning to his grandfather.


    "Not to worry, my child. The Patriarchs have this under control," his grandfather replied as he stood up from his seat. He took a quick glance around the arena and locked eyes with Michaelo. After what seemed to be a very long time, Paulson Aquarius nodded his head and floated into the air, gaining the attention of the congregation.


    "What?! What''s that?!" The congregation were left to their thoughts as they observed the flying individual in the air.


    He sighed as he placed his hands together and raised his index and middle finger up. His eyes began to glow a bright blue, and blue water whiskers grew from under his nose and chin.


    "Rise, Ocean," he said as he separated his hands and raised them in the air slowly. In response, the mass of water that had begun to reach the audience section rumbled as it swirled up into the air in a large mass, leaving the arena ground as dry as it was before the water had gushed out.


    Louis slowly walked back to the arena, maneuvering over the rocks and debris from the damaged ground.


    "...." he stared at it, downcast by the mere destruction, and slowly he raised his gaze up in the air.


    "Why is the Patriarch intervening?" he asked out loud, implying that he wasn''t talking to anyone in particular.


    The La Teuer, like the Jun, had their family lineage learn their family techniques, and for the La Teuer household, it was a series of ten assassination techniques that brought the death of their opponents regardless of their strength.


    Out of the ten, the 7th technique, Hollow Shadow.


    "You are well-versed too," Louis said as he cackled when a scythe pulled out from the red mist and struck down towards Mariam.


    She waved her right arm, and the dragon head cried out.


    A loud siren noise, like the echo of the whales and dolphins in the ocean, cried out, blasting the scythe to a halt.


    The loud siren noise continued, stronger and firmer with each adding scythe.


    "I won''t lose to you, Louis," she said with a hushed tone as she raised her left hand up.


    "Ocean''s blow."


    The large half of the water left in the air suddenly twirled around, forming a pot as a large blue beam, its diameter half of the arena, shot out down to the red dust and the scythe with a loud explosion.


    The siren ceased at once as the blue gust of smoke formed from the explosion dissipated, revealing an empty space.


    "....Where could you be hiding now...." she said as the dragon heads began to twirl up towards her, floating and swimming around her in an endless maze.


    "...You might want to show yourself...". she continued speaking regardless of whether or not he was paying attention.


    The crowd was hesitant. Everyone left on edge on what was going to occur next.


    They felt expectant, and their hearts were heavy.


    They probably hoped for the goddess to win as they too were seeking for the Assassin to warn her beforehand but alas amidst the loud cheers from the crowds.


    And the patriarch''s very eyes. An evil red aura emerged from the air. Seemingly out of nothingness and what occurred next froze the Colosseum in a shock never seen before.


    "Your attacks are truly beautiful." His voice sent a chill down her spine as her eyes widened. She felt a cold iron sticking on her back and the presence of an otherworldly being behind her.


    His voice sounded sweet, yet it hid a danger that could not be mistaken for something else.


    He had yet again found himself behind her. His dagger aimed at her back and his right hand behind her neck.


    He held a sadistic smile while in this position and an evil glint hid behind his eyes. A glint that hid a meaning other than murder.


    "What will you do now, mermaid princess?"

 Chapter 49- The next stage has been set.

    The Aquarius family, over the years, has gathered various nicknames, such as the Sea People, the Mermaids, the Creatures of the Deep Blue Sea, and the Masters of the Ocean, among others. They are the royal family of the Atlantic Kingdom of the Sea and have been granted ranks among the land people.


    There was a time when they had nearly gone extinct due to human greed. They were beautiful creatures and rumors of their flesh granting immortality only brought more attention and misery to their kind. They are masters of the sea and anything related to water, and their power has only grown with time.


    Now they stand side by side with the greatest powerhouses of humanity, and their kind are no longer sought after, at least not lawfully. They have the ability to flood a whole nation with their strength.


    On the other hand, the La Teure household is one of the most notorious in both land and sea. Their impeccable methods of killing and torture have built them a reputation that no one could fathom. They have a family technique passed down from generation to generation, with each younger member surpassing the older in cruelty.


    It was only a matter of time before they would stand among the powerhouses of the Kingdom.


    ******


    The crowd was left bewildered by the scene before them. The patriarchs felt a ghastly feeling that should not have been there, especially Michaelo, who was amazed. No one had seen it coming, no one had seen his next move. It seemed like Mariam wasn''t the only one watching for his next appearance.


    And if he was good enough to fool even the patriarchs, then who was she? But the feeling of giving up was far from the mixed emotions that bombarded her as she figured out what to do next.


    "Ho...How?" she muttered.


    "Your defense isn''t as strong as you think. You should work on that," he said with a smile, slowly putting down the knife as he seemingly crashed down to the ground from the air.


    He landed with a loud thud, gaining their attention. As the smoke cleared, he lay on the rocks with his right hand holding a white flag and a big grin on his face. "I give up!" he cried out, chuckling and cackling at the same time.


    "...."


    For almost ten seconds, everyone was left stupefied.


    Tonrook La Teure sighed as he patted his forehead. "It''s exactly because of this attitude of his that I decided not to let him in the battle," he muttered with a shaky voice. A dark shadow loomed over his forehead as he sighed. "Louis La Teure....until when will you stop torturing me," he muttered with a bitter taste in his voice.


    The young assassin named Dark could only watch his Patriarch in silence. ''Brother Louis is as strong as always,'' he thought to himself, observing the scene of the battle. "The arena has never gotten this bad," he said to himself while staring at Mariam. ''...would I have survived through all that?'' he thought when Michaelo finally walked towards the arena.


    The clean-up mages were waiting behind him.


    He turned towards her once again. ''She always had a dislike for mages... and it only became stronger because Fiona is a mage.''


    "Well... the next battle should begin any minute now..." Raph shrugged off her reply. ''I already know how the battle ends anyways... Louis La Teure. If not for his disappearance, I would have lost Mariam to him... though this time. I will stop it, I may as well get her on my own terms this time,'' he thought as he watched the next contestant walk down to the Arena.


    "It''s finally your turn, huh... Jang Kang Lin," he said with a smile.


    Gilda stared at his peculiar reaction from her spot, and a thought dropped in her mind. "Certainly, you are not into men, right?" she spoke out, causing Raph to choke on more than just his laughter in that instant.


    "No!!!!!"


    ******


    Michaelo was in the middle of the arena as the next two participants locked gazes. One was locked in a gaze with the other, while the other simply drifted into space, and the one with the locked gaze looked like he was seeing red.


    ''This... insignificant...'' Jang thought.


    It felt like he was being ignored, and he didn''t like how he had been feeling that since he came to the tournament.


    Well, this was an opportunity to bring their heads below his knees. He was finally going to fight after all.


    "Are... Are you ready?" Michaelo awkwardly smiled as he stared at Louis, only to be ignored. "...Louis?"


    "Uhh... Um... Yeah?" He replied, snapping back to reality.


    ''Like a repeat of before...'' Michaelo thought to himself as he raised his hand in the air.


    "The next battle shall now commence. JANG KANG LIN VS LOUIS LA TEURE."


    A battle between martial arts and assassination techniques?


    "Oh, this... is going to be fun."

 Chapter 50- The Martial Kang Lin

    He disappeared instantly as the crowd screamed in excitement.


    It was finally time for some martial arts !.


    Jang charged in almost immediately with his palms stretched forward.


    ''A palm technique....'' Louis thought as he skillfully dodged his incoming barrage of attacks one after the other.


    Jang stretched his right hand forward in an attempt to hit his face while Louis took a step back and tilted his head dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    Jang suddenly squeezed his right arm into a fist and the air compressed causing a force that slammed Louis on his face and blew him some few meters away.


    "....." Louis stared at Jang. The light slowly fading away from his eyes. "...you must be seeking death". he said with a hushed tone.


    "...death ? and you think you are worthy enough to give me death ?" Jang asked, his tone sounding as haughty as the expression he made.


    "I won''t be like you. I won''t give my win to the weak".


    He charged forward with a considerable large force blasting the air in the process as he aimed a punch at him.


    ''fist techniques now ?''. Louis thought barely dodging an attack when another came almost immediately.


    " A stream of flowing River !" Jang cried out as he swirled while throwing his fists at a rhythmic movement aimed at Louis at his joints.


    "Tigers fury".


    The attacks were precise and momentous as each attack led to an increase in the strength of the other.


    They clashed fists together, Louis simply trying to channel the force of the attack away from him and he was doing quite nicely since each time he deflected a punch, an air force would be emitted causing part of the ground to compress due to the force.


    "Is this all you have ?!" Louis muttered with a strained groan as an attack breezed his face causing a cut and an explosion of compressed air.


    The explosion slammed his face to the side. an attack that should have cut his head off.


    "What ?! done talking ?!" Jang asked, his expression growing more confident as he swirled around, ready to kick him


    His attack missed Louis completely, only passing through a red mist.


    "Tsk". he cursed under his breath as he slammed his hands together.


    He watched the previous battle and he was well aware of how dangerous it was to have Louis out of your sight. He didn''t need a second more to cut you down and maybe another second if he wasn''t planning on cutting you down.


    Jang turned at the same time, holding out his fists. "4th step of the Raging Dragon Fists! Bloody dragon fists". His ki turned into a bloody red mist as it formed the solid image of a dragon that danced around his arms to his fists.


    It caused a Sonic explosion when it came in contact with the scythe and followed by a loud explosion of air as the red dragons smashed the scythe and blew Louis away.


    He coughed out blood as he dragged his fists in the ground in a desperate attempt to stop himself from moving further towards the walls.


    " 4th step of the Mythic Swan Diamond Feet ! Hollow Swan". Jang''s voice sounded like a warning siren in his ears as he struggled to maintain his balance after stopping himself.


    "Did you think I would let you go ?!" Jang muttered, his voice coarse and cracked as he appeared in front of Louis in the blink of an eye.


    Louis could only furrow his brow and bite his lip as a heavy blow wrapped in white ki smashed across his face.


    He groaned as a loud whine sound echoed in his right ear followed by a stinging pain.


    He felt the force of the punch push his body away but he was stopped before his feet could even lift up from the ground.


    He heard another loud whine sound like a TV that had been quickly turned off echo in his ears and followed by the stinging pain as his face was forced in the opposite direction with a wrinkled expression and bloody filled eyes.


    He felt another blow to his chin and the tinnitus only increased as he felt his soul float above his body. The white color of his eyes began to show more evidently as the last punch blew him towards the walls of the Arena.


    The congregation must have thought the fight was over after witnessing the sound of the blow he had inflicted on Louis but even at that, Louis refused to give in.


    His body dissipated into a red mist leaving just the propulsion of the wind to cause a deep crater in the wall.


    Jang clicked his tongue as he resumed his initial stance. His fists curled tightly as his hair stood on end.


    it felt like he could feel it all. The moisture in the air, the strength of the wind, the warm embrace of the sun as the screams and cheers from the audience began to dim spontaneously as he focused on that feeling and once again the air began to pulsate around him as his White ki emitted from every corner of his body.


    "Didn''t I tell you already, you rat...". He muttered under his breath as his gaze shifted continuously in an attempt to search for him.


    "...and didnt I tell you as well".


    The sound of Louis'' voice sent a shiver down his spine as he turned around. ''How ?!''.


    His eyes bulged open and his brows furrowed as he watched Louis slowly aim a dagger at him. He had appeared from his blind spot once again, unnoticed...like a ghost.


    "This is it Jang". Louis muttered under his breath, his murderous intensity glowing bright and red.


    "...you don''t get to decide that, Louis".


    Jang replied with an even sharper gaze.


    Time was ticking and the intensity of the fight grew sharply like a fire set in a dry forest. Was this truly the end of the Martial Arts Jang ?.

 Chapter 51- Jang Kang Lin vs Louis La Teure. FINALE.

    The prowess of the Assassins family was truly astonishing but....it played useless in the midst of absolute strength.


    "9th step of the Raging Dragon Fists ! Breaking Point".


    His ki surged like a tsunami as a massive force struck the ground causing a propulsion of wind around him and a depression of the ground he stood on.


    He swung his fist forward with great force and precision as it clashed with Louis'' dagger causing a sonic explosion and the force of the wind blew Louis away.


    He groaned in pain as blood splurged out of his mouth due to the force. His body smashed into the ground, rolled for a while, hit a rock, forced into the air and slammed into the ground again before he was able to stop himself from barely hitting the wall.


    He groaned again, deeper and huskier as his four sense organs began to bleed slowly. He panted deeply and huskily, attempting to take a step forward noticing nearly immediately that he couldn''t.


    Each time he did, a stinging pain was sent to assault his nervous system. He was screaming in every inch of his body but Jang wasn''t going to pay attention to any of it.


    "Why won''t you quit!". The sound of a raging Jang shook his senses into high alert when his gaze quickly went up to meet the fiery gaze of his opponent that had already closed up their gap.


    ".....YOUUUUU FUUUUCCKKKKERRRR !".


    His voice shook the Arena and the audience section were sent to a state of panic as they clasped their ears with their hands.


    It was a hollow scream, almost like a shriek of a ghost. Louis was in pain but his sharp gaze wasn''t. He was ready to bite back hard.


    He spread his hands up into the air.


    "10th ASSASSIN''S TECHNIQUE !.


    Jang bit his lip as he struggled to hit him. He felt like he was being pulled back...or maybe slowed down by something that he couldn''t see. He was stuck in his current position when a black cloak surged out behind Louis.


    The cloak quickly spread like cancer and ate up the light that surrounded them, growing larger and darker with each moment until it completely swallowed them up.


    Your next chapter is on empire


    "Tenebrous Crimson Night".


    JANG''S POV.


    It felt cold, gloomy and dark.


    It felt like my senses were enveloped in nothingness.


    It felt like I was losing myself in the deep unknown and I was hollow inside.


    In that malevolent darkness, was a crimson Moon. It was ominous and I could see deep details of blood dripping down from it.


    "so...this is the 10th technique only heard of by Legends...". I said to myself as I tried to look around. It was useless.


    My brows furrowed. I was lost. In this pitch darkness that had nothing.


    "How long has passed ?". I asked myself as I turned around. "there has to be something... some way..."


    "give it up".


    I paused my movement in an instant.


    I remembered how much I had dreaded his disappearance and reappearance act but my current situation only got worse with that voice. My hairs stood on end and my senses grew sharper, slowly.


    I could get a grasp of my environment again but....I still couldn''t tell where he was.


    He coughed out loudly and wheezed out blood but this asshole refused to give in.


    "Dagger Dance".


    He muttered when multiple wires began to stretch out from the ground and the sky.


    One shot down towards my hand and I quickly backed off dodging the imminent danger while letting him go.


    "...your control of the wire is impressive". I muttered as I got ready for the second step.


    "...If that didn''t work..." I muttered as I took a second step and punched my fist in the air.


    "2nd step! Glorious Awakening".


    My ki rampaged around my body while a loud scream echoed in my ears as an invisible force blew the air around me.


    It was like a propulsion of wind only that it was done on an anatomical level.


    The 15 steps of the Imperial Mystic Kang Arts is a powerful martial art that has been passed on for generations to the direct lineage of the Kang Household.


    Its power is determined by the amount of ki one possesses.


    Each step causes a breakdown of the environment furthering its demise.


    It is meant for absolute destruction.


    The force struck him loudly but his wires dragged him away before it could deal any damage causing it to strike the darkness that hovered over me .


    "The Kang household lives up to its name". He said.


    "of course..." I replied as I took a step forward. I was done with his games and getting rid of this domain should be my priority. ''...and this should do just the job''.


    "3rd step". My ki grew wild as flames blasted out from my body causing my yang energy residing deep within to resonate with it.


    "You were a good match Louis. I shall never forget this battle".


    "Flames O''Kneel".


    The ground rumbled as flames thrust out of it in numerous folds and numbers until it completely wiped away the darkness that blinded me and showed me the glorious light that had been deprived from me.


    "....". The battle was over.


    The loud cheers from the audience section echoed in the Arena as I stood proud in the middle of the destruction.


    "....my attack must have been channeled here..." I thought to myself.


    I stood in the middle of the Arena that was free from the destruction but the rest of it till the walls was broken and destroyed beyond recognition and Louis La Teur was unconscious on the platform close to me.


    ''He wasn''t my match...but he did entertain me...Now..." I thought to myself as my gaze slowly went to the only thing I considered an obstacle.


    "Raffaelo Jun".


    I raised my right hand up and pointed at him.


    The intensity in my eyes could tell him this much.


    "you''re next".

 Chapter 52- The Last Lap

    RAFFAELO POV.


    I sat down, my eyes focused on the winner of the battle while the side of my lips curled up.


    "How cute". I muttered while Gilda stared at me with her right brow raised.


    I simply ignored it. The last thing I needed to do was give her more reasons to doubt my interests.


    "The last battle will soon begin".


    I heard the sound of My Father as he flew up from the Arena after announcing the winner.


    The Cleanup mages had begun to do their tasks too.


    "...I wonder how bad the Arena will become after your battle with Jang". He added as he sat next to me.


    I chuckled.


    It was obvious that the battle most people anticipated was the fight between The Kang Lin household and The Jun.


    "Louis did well. He''ll have to recuperate for a while though". I said with a sigh.


    The 15 steps of the Imperial Mystic Kang Arts.


    Just the name alone sent a shiver down our enemies spine. It was that powerful.


    There was once a debate in the past about which was more powerful.


    ''but....only experience can tell''. I thought to myself as I glanced over to the Elven family.


    "Silvan..." I muttered. Memories of my past vividly flashing through my mind.


    "....".


    His battle with Mariam was one of the most sadistic. My father had to intervene in the past.


    "The polite ones are always the demon-like bastards". I said out loud when Gilda and my Father stared at me with a raised brow and questioning eyes.


    ''I''ve been getting that expression a lot lately''. I thought to myself.


    "oh well...".


    The last battle between Darell Silvan and Mariam Aquarius was to take place soon.


    The audience were in a frenzy about the results of the previous battles while the Families patiently waited for the next battle to unfold while having small conversations with each other.


    It was a serene site.


    Something I never got the chance to enjoy in my past life.


    I never did question it, why I was brought back and how I was brought back.


    I could as well assume that it is as a result of one of our ancestors but I wouldn''t even be able to confirm that.


    Though one thing''s for sure. ''This...is only the beginning''.


    *****


    NORMAL POV.


    Meanwhile, away from the Kingdom of Lumbrica.


    A small army led their way back to the kingdom, led by Rachael Jun.


    A white bandage soaked in blood was tied on her forehead and the head of a human man was placed on a spike that was tied to the side of her horse. Her eyes seemed gloomy and her lips cracked.


    Her left arm had been amputated, living a white bandage soaked in blood to tie it up.


    "My Lady, we are nearly home". A man rode his horse towards hers and announced with a chilly tone.


    He was the man that had warned them about the army a long time ago.


    He stared at her reaction with a sigh.


    ''We lost a lot of warriors...some died to protect her....she must be tired''


    "...I dont think a coward has a right to say a thing in it". Mariam replied with a higher and firmer tone.


    "....." He stared at her murderously as Michaelo waved his hand in the air with a puzzled expression as he stared at Darell.


    "....you may begi-BOOM!.


    Before he could complete the statement, a loud explosion had occurred followed by a loud feminine cry.


    ''....impatient kids''. Michaelo thought, leaving the Arena.


    Mariam groaned in pain as she clasped her stomach while spurting out blood from her mouth.


    She was on her knees close to the Arena wall while Darell walked calmly towards her.


    "This bitch. Who gave you the right to run your mouth like that?". He cried out, spinning his silver spear around and slamming it to the ground.


    "You are nothing before the Elf Prince".


    He charged again, as fast as light as he aimed the blunt side of his spear towards her. "Go to sleep ! bitch".


    He slammed it across, in an attempt to slam her head when it passed through.


    His gaze hardened as her body turned into a pool of water.


    "The Elf prince ? Hah ! Don''t make me laugh !" She cried out in annoyance behind him.


    He turned towards the source of her voice slowly when he felt water below his feet.


    "....this shit again ?" He muttered.


    A rising pool of water appeared before him, flowing towards the sky until Mariam sprung out from it in her majestic mermaid form.


    "I am The Mermaid Princess! Asshole ! You bow to me !".


    The crowd were in a frenzy due to her form. It seemed different from before.


    Her body had been completely turned into a mermaid and her aqua blue eyes and hair hair turned ocean blue.


    "...two royalties facing off ? How invigorating".


    He slammed his spear into the ground and drew out a sword from its scabbard tied to his waist.


    "I am the Stronger Royal between the both of us! So you bow to me !"


    He charged forward and upwards towards her, swinging his sword forward as a silver aura shot out towards her.


    The water pulled her away, dodging the attack and flowed around the Arena.


    She turned towards him as blobs of water formed around her.


    "Rapid shot".


    She shot them out at him in haste and he quickly maneuvered his body from the air to the ground and quickly dodged them, running around the Arena in a zigzag manner.


    "your aim is as poor as your blue blood".


    "blue blood ?!" Mariam cried out, her tone high and mighty as her hair began to float in the air. This man was again and again instigating her into a frenzy and she was being led by him at an easy pace.


    She clapped her hands together and water gushed out from the ground in numerous amounts.


    It began to fill up the Arena once again at a quick pace.


    "Summon. The wind spirit". Darell said as a large hummingbird with fairy wings appeared in the sky above him as he grabbed onto its legs while it flew up to the sky.


    "Hmm.." Darell pondered as he stared at Mariam.


    She had made the Arena into her domain as she swam in it majestically.


    "you prove yourself to be a good fish".


    "Oh. I can be more than just a Fish".


    Mariam replied with venom in her voice as she began to form tornadoes of water from the pool of water that had covered the Arena.


    "Get ready. Your demise is near".

 Chapter 53- Mariam Aquarius Vs Darell Silvan

    Royalty vs. Royalty


    The Elven family surnamed Silvan.


    A household blessed by the goddess of nature and the elemental spirits.


    Their existence is said to have begun long before humans had started civilization, but they only revealed themselves during the first demon catastrophe years ago.


    Their race was once hunted for slavery by the humans because of their looks and longevity, but over time, both races accepted each other and their rankings, led by their royal family, Silvan, were accepted in society.


    They became a member of the Leading Families, which is now referred to as the 12 Great Families.


    The Aquarius family was in a very similar situation when they revealed themselves to the human world.


    Humans tend to greed for things that don''t belong to them, and their superiority complex grows much deeper than one could imagine.


    Most wars began with humans, and most hatred brewed due to the greediness of humankind.


    But after many centuries, they finally accepted each other in public, though what is done behind the scenes still exists.


    *****


    Darell looked down from the sky at the multiple pillars of water that had grown tall and spun rigorously, impatiently waiting for orders, and his lips curled up.


    "Yeah. I was beginning to get thirsty. Nice of you to quench my thirst," he said with a grin as he maneuvered himself to the top of his spirit bird.


    "This bastard..." Mariam cursed as she swung her hands forward, causing the tower of water to shoot out towards him.


    His spirit bird flew and maneuvered itself around the attack before it could cause a solid hit.


    The towers of water collided with each other, exploding each time it dodged, causing an eruption of water in the arena.


    Darell cursed as he positioned his hands in a bow and arrow manner.


    "Superior Elven Magic: The Three Golden Mirrors."


    A golden light sparked between his hands, followed by a bright golden light and the crackling of thunder.


    Three golden torsos with his head formed from his back, each holding its own weapon.


    The one on his right held a spear, the one on his left held a sword, and the one in the middle held a bow and arrow.


    The Three Golden Weapons¡ªa specialized mode created by the Elven King a long time ago. It has been passed down from family head to future family heads.


    "Shoot her down."


    The one in the middle pulled its invisible string as a golden light emerged from the tip of its finger, growing into a large, arm-sized lightning arrow.


    "Golden Arrow," he muttered, and the arrow was shot down towards Mariam.


    She cursed under her breath as the water pillars submerged while she quickly swam away from her position, dodging in the nick of time.


    The arrow caused an explosion as it submerged into the water, causing loud hissing sounds and the boiling of water. Lightning spread through it, chasing after Mariam.


    "Did you think this could stop me?!" she cried out, causing the water with the lightning sparks to emerge from the rest.


    She formed a dragon head and instead used the conduction of lightning to her favor.


    Her eyes bulged open as the stinging pain ran towards her brain while her lips quivered and her pupils dilated. ".....what....?".


    The sound echoed loudly within the arena and the audience section were left in awe at his action.


    "...." The Head of the Aquarius Household stood still, his fingers dug into his palms. He seemed bent on intervening but that would only prove his daughter''s weakness.


    They were still in the middle of battle and no one had admitted defeat yet. It was necessary for him to abide by the rules.


    ''There is only one way out of this now....'' He thought to himself. ''....and I am sure she knows what that is''.


    The anti-climax grew steadily. The expectations weren''t high in the first place but the difference only made them disappointed.


    The family heads had long since lost interest in the battle except for a few while the King and the prince simply waited for the inevitable.


    "no one...really expects her to win". Raph said as he watched quietly next to Gilda.


    "...indeed. She did her best..."


    ''Well...she could use that''.


    Raph thought as he sighed.


    In his past life, the battle had also ended this way but years later people found out about the secret arts of the Aquarius Household.


    Their place in the rankings was therefore decided as mismatched and another battle of the 12 families took place.


    In this life as well, he expected everything to stay the same but every action taken has an opposite and equal reaction.


    This is a law that follows time travel as well.


    Regression does not necessarily involve too much time travel but the rules still apply.


    Everything you change in the past affects the future. This is a well known rule and this rule was carried out in this very Arena.


    Darell raised his hand to hit her once again when an arm made of water suddenly formed from the pool of water beside them.


    It grabbed his hand. "This bitch". He muttered, clicking his tongue as the one on his left, swung his sword and cut it off.


    "hmmm.." He smirked when another grabbed his leg.


    His left brow raised as he cut it off once again.


    He felt another, and then another and then another.


    Multiple hands made of water sprung out grabbing him and pulling him away from her.


    He cursed as he cut them with his spear and sword. One after the other but the number kept rising.


    He was forced to let go of her hair as the one on his left swung his blade down causing a golden aura to shoot out and blast them away.


    It became quiet but soon he began to hear a loud rumbling sound like water flowing down a waterfall.


    He turned around hurriedly, his pupils contracting and the side of his lips curling upwards.


    He slowly took a step back and then another as the water from the ground began to flow in one direction.


    "....I see....have I angered the gods of the sea ?".

 Chapter 54- The princess of the Sea Vs The prince of the Forest

    The audience section was glowing with excitement at the sight before them. The loud cheers filled the Arena within seconds.


    The Patriarchs began to gain interest once again and Paulson Aquarius had a bright smile on his face.


    "...oh...she chose to use that..." Raph muttered. He placed his right hand on his chin and raised a brow with a wrinkled expression.


    ''...did my actions affect her ?'' He thought to himself ''....is this a good thing ?''. Your journey continues on empire


    "it seems the ocean has come back to bite me". Darell said with a smile. "No matter. the outcome shall be the same".


    "....surely....you jest".


    A bright blue light glowed from the Arena, as a female leg slowly placed itself on the ground.


    "you are facing the warrior of the Ocean".


    A low rumbling sound like the flow of water projected in the Arena as she took another step forward.


    "We are the Ocean Warriors. Descendants of the Mighty Aurthur".


    Mariam''s voice sounded imposing. Her confidence had grown with her transformation and rightly so.


    She was in her Mermaid form, only with legs.


    Fins appeared on her calves and a white plain dress clothed her.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    A crown of water floated above her head and a continuous flow of water formed the yin and yang sign behind her.


    She held a blue Triton, seven feet tall and adorned with diamond shells.


    "Aquarius Secret Art. Ocean Warrior".


    This technique that brings out the inner warrior within the Mermaids of the Sea.


    Their long hidden lineage with the god of the ocean, Poseidon and their strongest King, Aurthur is shown with this transformation and their strength is not to be underestimated.


    "....The outcome will be the same...with or without a tai-.


    Time had frozen ?.


    No. it seemed like time had frozen.


    Darell, who was just in the middle of talking, could see a feminine figure swing her arm towards his face but his body was too slow to even react.


    He could see the blow coming, but he couldn''t make sense of what was about to happen.


    He could only hear the sound of flowing water but it felt like it was purposely made that way so he could tell exactly what struck him.


    "BOOM".


    A blow so heavy, it made the ground crack and dig in due to the force.


    A blow so fast, it almost made his head fly off his body.


    And a blow so strong, it felt like he was seeing stars while drowning.


    His body was sent flying, smashing into the ground, continuously rolling on the dirt until the three torsos dug their weapons into the ground, forcing a stop.


    "This Bit-.


    "Ignis !".


    They continued clashing, increasing their intensity as the tsunami of water and the red flames of the spirit dragon ferociously moved towards each other until they collided causing a loud explosion followed by the loud hissing of gas.


    The exhilaration from the battle spread through out the Arena.


    even the Partriatchs were overwhelmed of their abilities.


    "Ignis ? They could summon that ?" The Partriatch of the Merlin Household cried out in utter disbelief as she stared in astonishment.


    "She just caused a tsunami in the Arena right?" The patriarch of the Lucia family cried out in amazement.


    "Did the elves and mermaids always have this much battle prowess?" The Patriarch of the Kang Lin household muttered under his breath as he watched with a glint of light in his eyes. His lips curled as he turned towards his son. "You... have good competitors," he said.


    Jang stared at his father for a short while before turning his attention to the Jun household. "Raffaelo Jun... what do you think?" he muttered to himself as he turned his attention back to the battle. ''You must also think that they are weak.''


    "How are they so fucking strong!" Raph cried out in excitement. He was currently standing while holding his chair. "What the fucking hell is this?" he cried out again.


    "Young master! Your tone!" Gilda cried out as she hid her face behind her palm while their Patriarch chuckled.


    "This is much more than we anticipated," he said to his son as he chuckled again.


    He was right. This is something that never occurred in his past life. The elves and mermaids were considered a demi-human race, but their lineage was far nobler than that. They were the emperors of the forest and the sea. They had the closest thing to harmony when it came to their communication.


    It was nearly impossible to see them fight against each other, so seeing how both are bringing out their best to face off was truly astonishing.


    The steam had begun to dissipate, but clear sparks could be seen within. Each spark was followed by a loud explosion and another spark followed immediately. Their loud grunts and cries could be heard with the loud clanging of metal hitting metal. A loud blow was heard as the steam dissipated into the air that same instant.


    "...," Mariam groaned as she stood back up with her triton in hand. "Why are you so proficient in lightning and fire when you''re supposed to be protectors of the forest?" she asked as she spun her triton around once again. Small cuts marred her body, and her white one-piece dress was stained at random with blood. Though, not all of it was hers.


    "...You should be aware of how power is distributed within elves."


    Darell walked gracefully towards her as a sword appeared in his left hand. "The powers of the forest: Destruction and Creation."


    The elven clan is blessed with destruction and creation abilities. Those born with destruction abilities usually make use of fire and lightning, while those with creation use water and earth. The wind is said to be both a destruction and creation ability. They are called the protectors of the forest because they are the closest to the god of nature.


    "Where there is life, there is death... and where there is death..." Darell stretched forth his sword, and a green flame sparked from the tip. "There is life. The Elven roots go much deeper than the humans, and our abilities are as such."


    "But yet... you could not face the martial artist..."


    "...The martial artist? The Kang Lin household are gods! Their abilities are not from mother nature, yet their destruction is far above creation." Darell stated like it was a matter of fact. "Ki... is a phenomenon not understood even by Gaia."


    Ki was a manifestation of physical strength. Mind, body, and soul as one. It was something that had nothing to do with mana or aura. It''s no surprise that the Elves had respect for the Kang Lin household.


    "Is that so... and yet... monsters like the Jun exist," Mariam said as she took a step forward.


    "...They are gods of their own." Darell rushed towards her in a frenzy, and Mariam followed suit, swinging her triton from behind to the front.


    It clashed with his weapons, causing a sonic explosion. They each grunted as the speed and intensity of their attack increased, swinging and countering each other so fast, the eyes couldn''t make sense of it.


    Raph and Michaelo Jun chuckled from their podium. "They really talked about us like we weren''t even there..." Raph muttered.


    "...It happens... It''s only right they question our abilities. After all, we are a powerhouse with just the sword."


    The Jun household were a family of sword experts. Their lineage goes far as well, and the mode of their abilities and talents have never really been understood by the normal folks, not even by them.


    "Shall we end this, Princess of the Sea?"


    "...I was just thinking the same! Prince of the Forest!".

 Chapter 55- Mariam vs Darell FINALE

    The bright smiles from the audience and the cries of excitement completely filled the arena in a euphoric atmosphere as the loud clanging of metal against metal echoed.


    The sun had begun to descend while dark clouds hid its brilliant rays from the people. Time was ticking, and with it, the battle was concluding.


    A loud clunk echoed as the two demi-humans retreated a safe distance away from each other.


    "...This is getting boring..." Darell muttered as he panted lightly.


    Time was running quickly, but it seemed they had not yet reached a conclusion in their battle. Two of the torsos were halved, and three of his weapons were destroyed.


    "....." Mariam stared at him in silence. Her aura had changed. She had transformed from a naive girl to a warrior princess, which was evident as she held her trident with grace.


    "....I haven''t seen you use the harp yet," she said, noticing how the torso that held the harp had remained unarmed during their continuous encounter.


    "..." He scoffed as his lips curled into a grin. "Nice of you to notice..."


    The torso suddenly moved in a bizarre manner as it played a single tune from the harp.


    A bright green light emitted from his body, and his wounds began to heal at a rapid rate.


    "..." Mariam stared in disbelief. It may have seemed that they were equal in abilities at first, but upon closer observation, it was clear where Darell lacked compared to her. He seemed more exhausted than she was, and she seemed full of life compared to him, but this... this completely tipped the scales to Darell''s side.


    ''Not just his mana, but the torsos too that I destroyed are regenerating.''


    She scoffed as a bitter smile crossed her lips. "Tell me. What sort of technique have the elves been hiding from us?" she asked with a raised brow. The elves were known for their connection to spirits and nature, but never for their bizarre techniques.


    "...It was you people that assumed.... We elves like to achieve greatness through our abilities as well," he said with a smirk as he took a step forward, invigorated by new energy. "Years ago, a prince of the past king of the elves with destruction attributes decided that he needed something more to stand out from the others. Elves are naturally gifted at something, regardless of what it is."


    "...True..." Mariam replied, swinging her trident around as she took deep breaths at the same time. The inevitable was anticipated, and she didn''t wish to be a second too late.


    "Then? What do you think he did?" he muttered, with a haughty tone. "Prince Krimson was his name. He wanted to make use of the five heavenly weapons granted to us by the goddess of nature: the sword that brings down evil, the spear that stabs the darkness, the arrows that shoot through the shadows of life, the harp that brings life and the mage''s staff that commands the power of the goddess."


    "...I see... and this monstrosity was created..." Mariam said as her gaze followed every movement of Darell as he closed the distance between them.


    "Yes. The 5 Golden Weapon Body... each with its own essence."


    His presence suddenly disappeared from her radar, sending high alerts to her brain as she suddenly pulled her trident up, blocking an incoming sword attack from Darell above.


    ''...When did he?!'' she thought to herself when he suddenly disappeared again. Her eyes began to rotate vertically as she searched for his next appearance, locating


    it almost in an instant.


    She grabbed her trident and struck the series of incoming arrows when she heard a loud seething noise like a rushing volcano.


    The water had begun to rotate with her trident, and the power that swelled up began to increase steadily, causing sonic explosions and creating a deep crater below her.


    "Twirl Strike."


    She swung her trident with speed and might, causing an eruption of explosions that would have blown a duplex off its foundation within seconds.


    It projected towards Darell before he could make sense of what to do next, and a loud explosion occurred as it collided with his dome.


    BOOM!


    It struck, twirling ferociously as it attempted to permeate through the dome to get to him.


    "This bitch till the very end!" he cried out in annoyance as more domes protected him within the dome he had once created.


    It struck each of them one after the other, with almighty force and an unrepelled urge to go further.


    Darell could tell that this was going to be the end if he did not attempt something else.


    ''Why?! Why did the mermaids not show this power all this time?'' he thought to himself as he stretched his arms forward, and all five torsos followed after him.


    "...Well... every clan has something to hide. To protect themselves when necessary."


    And ironically enough, so did the elves.


    "Spirit Elf Magic, Chapter 8."


    A grimoire suddenly appeared, and all five weapons floated above his head.


    "...Wind Superposition."


    The grimoire made a noise. An evident noise. Like a loud screech or the echo of the wind or the tremors of thunder.


    No one was sure what it was, but it took control over the arena in a single sweep.


    A wind so strong that it completely blew the ground roots of the arena immediately upon being called upon.


    The lights dimmed and disappeared, and a wild green wind shook the arena with might. The water had been blown away, causing deep cracks in the walls of the arena.


    The audience section had taken cover, and the dome protecting them was fortified.


    The wind continued to blow its might, crying out ferociously in the setting sun.


    Time was ticking, and a winner was soon to be acknowledged.

 Chapter 56-THE MERMAID WARROIR

    A fiery glow in shades of red illuminated the skies as the wind howled ferociously against the walls of the Arena.


    The Audience were kept safe from the force with the aide of the dome and the 12 great families and the imperial family had their own way of protecting themselves from the might.


    A pale expression exuded from most of the Family Matriarchs while some looked ahead in bewilderment.


    "It seems the families have grown" Michaelo muttered under his breath while a dome of Aura protected them from the blast.


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    "...it''s expected. Each generation raises one or two geniuses". Raph replied. Their gazes fixed on Darell.


    "hm.....you have a point". The blue haired man retorted as he sighed, folding his hands. "what more do the families have to show now".


    The Ranking Battles was a farce that the matriarchs of each family had played over the years.


    They were aware of how unnecessary it was to rank the great families. Each had their strengths and each had their weaknesses. They ought to use their strength together while covering up their weaknesses but with time that concept changed.


    Instead of covering up their weaknesses, they began to exploit it and instead of banding their strength together, they began to battle each other to find the mightiest.


    It was out of that misguided feeling that the Rankings Battle was created to find a safer and more acceptable way of testing their strengths against each other with the hidden motive of checking each other in place as well as unraveling their secret techniques.


    Every great family had one after all.


    The sky had mostly lost its crimson shade by now and the ferocious cry of the wind had grown stale.


    Darell floated in the air. A golden aura was emitting from his body as he stared down on the Arena.


    It was difficult not to mistake this particular Elf for not being Royalty. Everything he had done so far exuded grace and might with a hint of cunning.


    The wind had finally died down and the destruction that resulted was finally laid bare for the eyes of the people to see.


    The Arena seemed to have been toppled over twice. The solid smooth floor had turned into hills of debris and rocks with craters filled with water at random spots of the once pristine floor. It had undergone major renovation, that was for sure.


    "...." Darell looked around the Arena silently until his gaze fixed on a blob of water that seemed to be stuck on the wall of the Arena. He raised a brow when the water suddenly burst open revealing Mariam.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    She panted heavily as her form dissolved into specks of light and Her body slid down from the body shaped crater in the wall to the ground with a light thump.


    Darell slowly floated towards her and landed on a boulder next to her.


    "You seem...fine.." Darell said with a hint of confusion in his voice.


    Hearing his voice, Mariam looked up and stared at him, a blank expression on her face and her eyes glowing an aqua blue. She scoffed. "You win".


    Her voice sounded listless and frail but yet brimming with power.


    Darell stared at her for a moment. His thoughts conflicted. ''How did she...'' He thought to himself when they felt a presence in front of them. Michaelo appeared announcing the results of the Battle filling the Stand of the Arena with unsatisfied cries.


    "He cheated !"


    "The warrior princess didn''t lose !"


    Their podium faced directly opposite each other and her gaze seemed fixated on him.


    "...." He stared at her for a short while then a smile formed on his face "indeed". He chuckled.


    "Oh please. don''t try to give this wretch face, Paulson". Another familiar voice perked up his ears and he simply turned to his left. Next to him, The Lucia household''s podium stood tall.


    "What did you say bitch ?!" Kira cried out from her position as she glared at the golden haired beauty.


    "Did I stutter ?" Mirabel chuckled with a raised tone in her voice as she glanced at Paulson. "don''t mind her. Your daughter did beautifully...though now"


    She slowly turned towards the rest of the households. "Now she has to face off against some really hefty gentlemen".


    Kira coughed out loud.


    ".. and lady" Mirabel said with a chuckle as she glanced at the young mage. Ciara Merlin.


    Paulson watched them carefully when he felt something grab him deeply. He sighed.


    His grand daughter had achieved alot yes but he couldn''t deny the presence the rest of the household had when it came to the battlefield.


    Just one of those participants had sent his two opponents into intensive care.


    He seemed lost in thoughts when a knight slowly walked up behind him and whispered something in his ears.


    He flinched but then relaxed back to his former posture and turned around.


    He wasn''t the only one that seemed to have gotten a message either.


    The rest of the Patriarchs seemed eager to leave their spot right after a knight came over to their podium.


    The last battle of the day finally came to its conclusion with a decisive winner and an indecisive winner. The crowd of people had begun to descend from the stands with merry and sober hearts.


    Some had even begun to leave the premises of the Stadium to prepare for another long day.


    While others decided to take a look at the Arena as they were being reshaped by the Mages.


    In all, the atmosphere remained peaceful and the crimson red that shone on the clouds had disappeared leaving a luminous white hovering over the dark skies.


    The moon had risen up in all its splendor.


    Raphaelo Jun remained fixed on his position with Gilda standing next to him.


    Most of the podiums were empty by now but he seemed hesitant to leave the premises.


    "Young master ?" Gilda muttered with a raised tone noticing his somber expression.


    "....Doesn''t it seem.....peaceful ?" He said with a wistful tone.


    Gilda stared at him for a short while. Her face devoid of any expression if it were to give off one.


    "....yes. Yes it does".


    Raph raised his gaze towards the moon as a chuckle exuded from his lips. "I wonder where my mum is...".

 Chapter 57- And so the Next stage begins.

    An utter silence and darkness encroached the tightly spaced hallway as steps could be heard eerily walking up a flight of stairs.


    A figure in the darkness, with a red hoodie slowly looked up as the noise resided.


    "....you arrived late..."


    "..Well, it''s not my fault we decided on an impromptu meeting".


    "....what business do we have that we have to be summoned now?"


    A feminine figure stepped into the hallway, exuding a fragrance too imperative to be ignored.


    She cat-walked herself towards the masculine figure and rested her back on the wall next to him.


    "Have the others shown up ?"


    "..no..not at all. They don''t show signs of showing up either".


    "..it''s only right. Two apostles are more than necessary for the ceremony".


    " A ceremony ?". The masculine figure asked with a raised tone.


    "..an higher demon should be more than enough to cause a certain level of catastrophe".


    "...A higher demon ? Why are we summoning such a presence to the world of the Mortals ?" The male asked as he turned towards the feminine figure.


    He raised his hand and slowly drew down her red hoodie. His nails slowly stretched out from his fingers, long slender, hard and sharp as he traced her sharp jawline. Enjoy new chapters from empire


    The feminine figure, Lucy leisurely opened her eyes as she stared at him, deep into him.


    It felt like she could see every fiber of his every being as her yellow cat eyes glowed sharply in contrast with the darkness.


    Her lips curled up, revealing her dashing canine teeth.


    "Are you not aware ? A royal devil saw a premonition".


    "A prominsion ?" He asked.


    "Yes...a premonition....he refused to tell us anymore than he already had".


    She slowly pushed his hands away and took a few steps away from him. " All he instructed was to summon it at the ending of the tournament when the winner has been decided"


    She winked at him, slowly turning her back as she headed for the door.


    "Let us begin the ceremony.


    We''ll have to absorb a lot of life force...remember".


    The man grunted as loud and excited cheers pierced through the quiet hallways.


    His expression seemed to darken as he looked up.


    "Are you worried, young master ?" Gilda asked, noticing his gaze.


    His attention remained fixed on the young lady and her family as a sigh exuded from his lips.


    "yes. Kang isn''t someone that shows mercy to women".


    Gilda stared at him, a questionable look on her expression.


    "then...do you intend on showing mercy to the Merlin girl ?"


    "Huh ?! no ! when did I ?" Raph scoffed looking away as he glared at Gilda.


    Michaelo simply chuckled beside him.


    "focus on your task my son, I''m sure Miss Mariam would know what to do when the time comes".


    He slowly stood up from his seat and placed his hand on the ceramic railing that surrounded the podiums.


    "It is time and you are first, son....."


    Michaelo stopped in his movement, noticing a piercing gaze. He slowly turned towards his right when his smile only grew wider.


    "...show these haughty magicians what defeat means".


    With that he disappeared, reappearing on the Arena in an instant.


    "Good day People of Lumbrica !" He cried out gaining the attention of the people as they quickly scurried to their seats, taking last minute bets and snacks.


    "It is time for the 2nd stage of the 3rd Round of the Rankings Battle !!"


    They screamed in excitement, feeling the Arena with a euphoric glow. The sun showed its brilliance upon the multitude of people while Michaelo smiled as he waved at them.


    "Alright. We shall begin in earnest.


    Participants !".


    His tone sounded chill as Raffaelo Jun and Ciara Merlin walked up to the Arena from the gate leading to their podiums.


    The people chanted their names in excitement, trying in their own way to encourage the participants.


    Of course, it was another self indulged way of hoping their bet wins.


    After what seemed like a minute, Raph stood directly at Ciara. A plain smile on his face as his father carefully studied the two.


    "are you ready participants ?!" He asked with a playful raised tone.


    "Can we just get this over with? Unlike brutes with the sword, We mages actually have things to do". Ciara said with a raised tone as she stretched out her hand while her wand formed.


    "...Of course". Michaelo chuckled as he raised his hand up in the air.


    "Ready !!!!!" The crowd screamed out in perfect synchrony.


    He suddenly swung his hand down and disappeared at the same time filling the Stadium with a single word "FIGHT !!!".

 Chapter 58- CIARA MERLIN VS RAFFAELO JUN

    The excitement that filled the Stands as the battle began seemed nearly insignificant to the two participants that faced each other on the Arena.


    One was a girl, with black raven hair and bright emerald green eyes. She held a silver wand on her hand and an aura of mystery and magic exuded from her very being.


    The other was a boy, white hair and beautiful white pale eyes. He exuded strength and sharpness in contrast with the innocent facade his eyes gave off.


    The battle had begun just as Michaelo disappeared and Ciara quickly twirled her wand in the air while she jumped a long distance away from Raph.


    "6th tier magic ! fiery Implosion".


    Five balls of fire, the size of a school bus formed around her.


    They collided with each other, causing it to compress and collapse on itself and a crater formed due to the mass as She waved her wand again and projected the ball of fire towards Raph.


    "this again ?" . Raph muttered as he stretched out his hand horizontally in the air as the hilt of his sword formed from the gathered cold wind.


    He quickly grabbed it, swinging it down in one swift motion and slicing the ball of fire into two parts.


    Each missing him by a long shot and colliding with the walls of the Arena.


    Ciara''s brows furrowed as the crowd screamed in excitement.


    ''....did he...just cut my magic ?'' She thought to herself when she felt a swift breeze and a sudden appearance in front of her.


    "don''t get lost in your thoughts, Ciara".


    His voice sent a cold chill down her spine as she bit her lips and pulled her wand up, blocking a strike from Raph''s sword. Discover more content at empire


    The force of the attack sent a terrible vibration down her bones as the ground compressed further into the soil.


    She yelped.


    ''What ? These brutes and their insane speed and strength !'' She thought, causing a thrust of air to form at the tip of her wand blowing herself away from Raph to her side.


    She forced her wand into the ground to reduce her momentum as mana swirled up in her body.


    "7th tier magic ! Rock Drill !".


    The ground vibrated as bits of rock formed, colliding with each other as seven large rotating drills formed from rocks.


    Of course, it didn''t form instantly, she had to maneuver her body with the wind, blocking and dodging some of Raph''s intense attacks until it finally formed, hovering over her.


    "Die !" She cried out in annoyance as one shot down towards Raph.


    He quickly back flipped, dodging it in an instant and landed on the ground. He inhaled deeply as the wind swirled up while he ran across the side of the Arena dodging each of the drills as it collided with the ground causing splints of rock to explode into the air.


    This occurred for about 15 seconds until he suddenly stopped when the last drill was sent towards him.


    He pulled his sword up and in an instant made numerous motions with his sword and disappeared from his position as the rock drill turned into bits of rock in an instant and exploded.


    Ciara scoffed when the igloo suddenly cracked and broke down revealing Raph.


    Some parts of his body, especially his left hand had been burnt from the brunt of her lightning but other than that. He seemed fine.


    No. He seemed, too fine.


    The young boy sighed as he shrugged off the pieces of ice that were still on his body. He slowly turned his gaze towards Ciara. A bright smile appeared on his face.


    "Ciara, You''re annoying. Do you know that ?". He said with a raised tone that seemed contrasting to his smile.


    "Annoying ? Me ?! It''s you filthy men that are annoying !". she cried out in annoyance. Her peerless beautiful face wrinkled in annoyance.


    She swirled her wand again sending the walls of rock surrounding her into the air and projected it towards Raph in an instant.


    He scoffed, swinging his sword in a swift numerous motion and disappeared from his position, sliding on the ground as he charged towards Ciara.


    The four walls of rocks broke down into tiny debris, falling on the ground like rain as Raph swung his blade down towards Ciara.


    "Ah!" She muttered, startled by his sudden appearance and caused the wind to propel her backwards dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    ''What''s wrong with him ?! why is he so fast !''. She cried out in her mind as Raph suddenly charged towards her again.


    She controlled the wind, pushing herself further and faster but Raph only needed to increase his speed to catch up.


    "7th tier magic ! Tsunami !" She cried out as a wave of water formed between the two stopping Raph from going after her.


    He clicked his tongue, swinging his sword when the wall of water suddenly grew larger towards the sky, completely sealing one half of the Arena.


    He stabbed his sword on the ground as the water descended down on him.


    "Cold Zero".


    A chilling sound echoed in the Arena as ice spread from his sword to the large stream of water that had descended, turning it into a beautiful sculpture in the span of a minute before it could fall on him.


    He sighed, a chilling breeze exuding out of his mouth as he pulled his sword out of the ground and jumped over the wall of ice.


    Ciara stood behind it, panting lightly as she felt a presence above her.


    "....you''ve used a lot of 7th tier magic. Your mana reserves must be running low".


    Raph said as he slid down from the top to the bottom.


    "...what''s it to you ?" She asked, propelling herself further back, away from Raph as he landed on the ground.


    "...why won''t you use it ? you can''t defeat me otherwise". Raph said with a calm tone while Ciara glared at him.


    She was well aware after facing him for what seemed like five minutes. He''s strong and she probably wouldn''t be able to tire him out or win unless she went all out but still She couldn''t bring herself to do it, afterall.


    ''He is a man. He doesn''t deserve my best''.

 Chapter 59- CIARA MERLIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 2

    Raph remained on his spot awaiting a response from the young girl, his sword resting neatly on his shoulder.


    Ciara is a lovely mage. Her strength and prowess in magic was a huge boost to their abilities during the war against the demons but her personality was difficult to deal with.


    At the time, Raph was merely a man trying to keep himself safe. He had not realized the true extent of his abilities and he found out about them years too late.


    He was in no position to talk back at a powerhouse like Ciara Merlin at the time and there was nothing he could do other than endure.


    This life though was different and he intended on doing something about that attitude.


    "You know...your bias towards men is extremely unjustified".


    He spoke up after a few moments of silence between them.


    Her gaze only intensified while she scowled.


    "What...did you just say ?"


    She asked with a raised tone, her mana had begun to surge in her body, causing the air around her to shudder.


    Ciara''s personality was mostly because of her mother, Kira Merlin and her father.


    She was someone that had been pampered all her life but yet was taught what it meant to taste blood when she encountered failure and that personality was extremely unnecessary.


    Though, he wasn''t about to just go and change someone. After all, one of the hardest things in life is trying to change a person and quite frankly that wasn''t his job.


    ''...but...her arrogance''. He thought to him self as he took a step forward, swinging his sword around.


    Her arrogance had caused him so much pain in his past life and many others as well.


    He just needed to show this young lady what power meant.


    He needed her to know what it meant to lose.


    "Do you think you will win this battle ?" Raph asked with a raised tone, curisoisity in his eyes.


    Ciara chuckled loudly as her hands swung in the air while her hair began to turn white. "Who''s going to stop me ?!" She cried out when a powerful wind shook the Arena to it''s very foundation.


    "this again ?". Raph muttered as the wind blew him back with great force.


    He slammed into the wall of ice causing cracks to spread their way through it until it crumbled like dust to the ground.


    "You will have to keep up ! RAFFAELO JUN !" It felt like a thousand and one voice echoed in her place.


    ''I''m sorry mother, but I can not let this man annoy me without paying for it''.


    A boulder forced its way out of the ground as a stream of water formed from the fallen ice.


    A nearly blinding pain filled his body as the bullet struggled to penetrate through his skin.


    The force pulled his body with the wind, like it was a piece of paper and suddenly exploded, further increasing the pain.


    "No ! Not yet ! Don''t lose just yet !". Ciara cackled out loud as she twirled her wand again.


    This time, the ground shook as a large piece of rock protruded out, a stream of fire and water formed in the air as well, wrapping the rock as it began to form into a humanoid shape.


    "7th tier high magic : Rocky Golem".


    The large humanoid took shape of an ogre and a large executioner sword made out of rock protruded out of it''s right hand.


    "I thought you wanted me dead ?" Raph chuckled, hiding the hint of pain behind his smile as he charged at her yet again.


    The golem moved in an instant, swinging his blade up as it brought it down with a mighty force just before Raph could get to her.


    The force of its strike slammed down on Raph''s sword causing an implosion of air as the ground vibrated and opened up into a crater.


    Raph grunted as he retreated his sword and swung back down in another direction while the golem did the same.


    The strength and speed of each strike increased with each movement as they continued with the assault within seconds making multiple movements that would be impossible for the normal human eyes to see.


    Raph suddenly side-stepped, dodging an incoming attack and swung his sword in multiple directions in an instant.


    The golems sword shattered into pieces of stone, causing it to tilt forward loosing its balance as a result. Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    "Chapter 1- Endless Surge".


    He swung his blade down in a swift motion and appeared behind the rock golem while streams of invisible sword slices ran through the body of the golem, cutting it into stone debris.


    Ciara clicked her tongue as she floated backwards dodging the incoming attacks from Raph.


    She spun her wand and two balls of water began to form beside her, elongating towards her wand as they shot out towards Raph taking the form of a small dragon.


    He maneuvered his body out of the way to dodge the first one but it simply turned around, towards his direction.


    ''Marking spell....she caught up soon enough''


    He thought to himself, turning around as he swung his sword down in a swift motion, slicing off the water dragon behind him and quickly jumped out of the way, dodging the other from landing on him.


    It maneuvered itself, ready to pounce on him but was quickly turned into ice, bursting into tiny pieces. He charged at her, a smile slowly finding it''s way to his face.


    Lighting sparks grew from the side of Ciara''s right shoulder instantaneously as the two balls were shot out from her wand.


    Slowly crawling its way through her body to her wand and shot out, taking the shape of a bird as it projected towards Raph.


    "7th tier magic ! Lightning Sparrow".


    The battle had commenced and escalated quickly into an interestingly anticipated match but yet. Which victor will arise ?.

 Chapter 60- The incident

    The Sky dazzled with an ethereal radiance as shades of cerulean, amethyst, turquoise and coral sparked vibrant hues into the horizon.


    It danced around the sky like a kaleidoscope anchored by the sun''s radiant beam as it pulsated, breathing life into the atmosphere.


    This diaphanous view radiated splendidly upon a white majestic castle with tall smooth marbled towers and turrets.


    The towers and turrets were adorned with mystical patterns and statues of ferocious dragons, radiant turtles, otherworldly sylphs and a noble Phoenix.


    The White castle stood majestically in the air, soft whispers of silky threads of water plunging down from the outer statues while ferocious roars of mythical beasts could be heard obscuring the virtue of the Castle from below the castle.


    It was surrounded by a dark forest that exuded a contrast to the aura of the Sky and the Castle.


    The sight alone sent a sense of awe to all those that set their eyes on it.


    It was truly heavenly.


    In the Castle, a girl with black raven hair and emerald green eyes sat quietly in a grand hall on a chair, a desk in front of her.


    The grand hall was white with a few windows anchored on the walls.


    The melody of a chirping bird resonated within the walls of the Arena as the girl hummed quietly while turning a page from a large dusty ol book.


    She wore a simple one-piece and her eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity, tracing her finger down the book.


    "My Lady".


    A female voice vibrated in the room as a door was swung open revealing a young vibrant maid with dark golden hair and distinctive blue eyes that hid a wee bit of mischief.


    She walked into the room as the young girl slowly jumped down from the tall chair, climbing over the littered books on the floor and walked towards her with a bright smile.


    "Has Father returned ?" She asked.


    Her voice filled with a pure-hearted melody.


    The woman shook her head quietly, walked past her and picked up the book on the table and then, the rest of the large books spilled all over the floor.


    "Young lady, these texts are too advanced for you. Why would you pick this up ?"


    She asked with a soft tone, knitting her eyebrow as she walked closer to her.


    "Mother gave them to me. She says she''ll let me play with the baby once I studied them all". She said with a wild smile on her cutely dimpled face.


    The maid stared at her for a short while then her eyes drooped, her lips parted and a slow heavy sigh was released.


    She held the large number of books on one hand and stretched out the other towards the girl.


    "Come with me, your father will return soon. Your mother wants nothing but the best from you".


    She said with a smile as Ciara held her hand firmly and followed her, skipping along till they walked out of the hall.


    "Alright Lora".


    The maid, Lora slowly looked away from her, her gaze lingering on the long thin scars on the girl''s laps, hidden behind her one-piece dress as she handed the books over to a footman that stood at the entrance to the grand hall.


    "Did you have classes with the Duchess again ?" She asked as they walked out of the hall into a hallway.


    The hallway was painted white with stunning windows adorned on the walls.


    Its beauty was enhanced by an exquisite ceramic surround and delicate tiles in a sky blue hue framed the glass accented by ornate details.


    It had a magnificent crystal clear glass that sparkled like diamonds as sunlight penetrated its way through it to brighten up the walls of the Hallway.


    Maids and footmen walked about the halls, slowing down to bow to the young girl before continuing with their tasks.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "must be wonderful". The last maid retorted when their lady glanced at them.


    "Lora is getting married ?" She asked, her gaze intense and inquiring.


    The maids remained silent, startled by her question.


    "....that is true, my lady. did she not tell you which gentleman it was ?" one of the maids asked, slowly walking towards her.


    "Ladies !". Raven, the dull green haired girl snapped at them, sending a jolt through their spines.


    "Leave...immediately".


    The four maids stared at each other quietly, then one after the other, lead themselves to the door, dropping whatever activity they were in charge of.


    "Who does she think she is ?"


    "don''t pay attention to her, Fallen nobles are scary you know".


    "oh dear, I hope we don''t get reprimanded for leaving the lady unattended".


    The maids whispered to themselves, yet again failing to realize that their voices were not as inconspicuous as they thought.


    Either that, or they purposely wanted her to hear them talking about her.


    Raven scoffed, turning towards the lady that had an inquisitive spark in her eyes as she stared blatantly at her.


    "my lady...it is rude to look at people like that".


    Ciara flinched once again, turning away shyly.


    "...I just thought you looked familiar and I was right".


    Raven remained silent for a while, her hands laid tiredly on her lap.


    "...what are they talking about ? Lora is my best friend. I would know if my best friend is getting married right ?"


    Her voice was low but the insecurity that permeated its way through it was clear.


    "...Of course my lady". Raven smiled and nodded in agreement but behind that smile was an obvious fabricated intent and Ciara was too smart to let that go unnoticed.


    They remained silent as Raven continued to prepare her for an event she had not known about until now and the thought bugged her terribly the wrong way but she remained silent until the last minute.


    ******


    A few hours later, a young girl with dark raven hair and emerald glass eyes walked about the hallway with a particular destination on her mind.


    She tightly held the helm of her white and red flowing dress.


    Her gown, a masterpiece made out of silk and satin with layers of delicate lace and intricate embroidery. The fiery red pattern of her full skirt dazzled with the illuminated hallways and her white bodice was adorned in red diamonds in the shape of bowties.


    Her hair was embellished with red bowties along the whole length of her pig tails and a green emerald served as the collar clip.


    She walked gracefully and cutely along the hall way until she got to a door.


    She stopped, quickly glanced to her sides and after waiting for a short while, sighed deeply as she opened the doors with her small hands.


    Her eyes widened with a stunned expression on looking into the room, her lips quivering as a familiar voice rang in her ears.


    "My Lady, Pleade don''t look !"


    ONE CHAPTER TODAY.


    THREE TOMORROW

 Chapter 61- The result of the Incident

    Ambre ray''s diffused into the room from the windows while dark intricate curtains hung down from it leaving a shadowy imprint of two figures in an awkward position.


    Ciara''s little body jerked noticeably as she took a few steps back, her eyes dilated while her face froze in a mask of horror and her jaw dropped slightly.


    ''...what...what are they doing ?''.


    She asked herself as she slowly walked back, her little head trying to solve the throbbing question.


    Though without an answer, she could tell that what they were doing in that room, whatever it could be was wrong.


    Backing away carefully, she stumbled into a familiar figure, startled by the impact.


    Her head tilted up, her eyes fixed on the gaze from a stern familiar face.


    "Mo...Mother ?".


    The woman stared at her quietly, her eyes filled with apathy and a hint of grief hid beneath it. She walked past her daughter and walked into the room.


    "Mo...Mother wa"-CRASH


    A sudden, piercing crash reverberated through the space, startling her as a result.


    She tripped her own feet and plopped down on her backside.


    "What do you think you are doing ?!" The familiar voice of her Father rang in her ears as she heard a familiar voice screaming and a loud crisp sound that followed suite.


    The sound of sobbing filled the room as her mother walked out, her hand pulling on a familiar looking Maid''s hair.


    "Mo...Mother ! what are you doing to Lora ?" She asked, her voice shaking with fear and disbelief as she stared at the maid, hearing the sound of her soft whimpers.


    "What do you think you are doing, Kira !". Her father walked out of the room, grabbing Ciara''s mother by her arm.


    Her father, a tall man with porcelain-like skin and piercing green eyes.


    His dark raven hair, nestled messily on his head with a hint of sweat in the locks and his striped luxurious suit was disheveled, his face flushed with exertion.


    Kira, Ciara''s mother glanced at his hand and then at him, her gaze staring intently into his.


    "A maid ? did you think I will not catch you Cedric ?" She asked, her words laced in a frosty demeanor while her expression remained unreadable, her face a mask of calm.


    Cedric, Ciara''s father, glared at her, his face twitching in anger.


    "Why should I care about that ? Let her go this very instant !". He cried out, his voice growing higher with each timbre.


    Kira remained silent for a short while then suddenly tugged on Lora''s hair, her sudden action caused Lora to Yelp in pain "....are you raising your voice on me ? Over this maid !". Kira asked, her words sharp, cutting through the air like a knife.


    "she''s....she''s just not any Maid, Kira...please...I love her....let her go". His gaze slowly softened revealing the warmth beneath his eyes and his lips quivered, he held Kira''s hand firmly hoping that she would not just disappear with Lora.


    Kira''s brow furrowed and her lips pursed in displeasure. She stared at his hand that firmly touched held hers and her expression only deepened.


    She ran, moving her little body as fast as she could, blood dripping on the floor from beneath her gown, staining the pristine floors with a sorrowful hue. She was not sure what she did wrong but she knew she had to get away from him.


    Her father was not his is right mind, her father would never hit her, there was something boggling her father to the point where he had to hit her but she couldn''t figure out why.


    Her body shook. Her eyes were red and puffy while tears brimmed over.


    Confusion swirled in her mind, with questions racing through her thought.


    ''what did I do to deserve this ?!'' She asked herself, her heart pounding in her chest.


    ''why does he not love mother but lora ?''


    ''why should I not defend my best friend ?''


    ''why was lora with father in a closed room ?''


    ''....an enchantment....I noticed it....why was there an enchantment in that room ?''


    She could not find answers to the throbbing questions in her head. It was too much for her at the moment, her emotions swirled deeply in her chest, making it hard to breath, making it hard to run but she had to. She needed to get away from her father as fast as she could and she kept on running.


    The staff exchanged worried glances to the little girl that ran past them, rushed to a turn, reached for her room and slammed her door behind her.


    She locked it, pulled out the key and flung it away to God knows where and quickly climbed up her bed.


    She covered her body with the sheath, clasping her legs with her arms as she shivered.


    Her tears and her soft sobs filled the room, a haunting silence nestled in and wrapping her heart with sorrow.


    *****


    The little girl remained still, within her sheaths, the number of hours that had passed or the number of knocks she had heard by the door were lost to her and she decided to remain in her own little world.


    It was safer, no one did confusing things, no one hit her and no one certainly made her cry.


    Her thoughts continued to reel in her mind but confusion persisted, making it difficult for her to think straight.


    The only thing she could do was wait. Wait patiently and hope for the a better tomorrow. Whatever the results were, she hoped to find everything the same as the past but she was gravely mistaken.


    Time seemed to pass by slowly or did it ? She couldn''t tell, she felt too safe to care about how much time had passed and too tired to think about it.


    The tension had grown tiresome and her body had grown exhausted from the activities of the day. Her eyes slowly closed, drifting into sleep when a chill shriek shook the walls of her room.


    Her body jerked in shock, recognizing the sound of the voice instantly and


    her heart pumped in overdrive, the screams increasing with each passing second.


    She was overwhelmed with dread, trying hard to cover her ears to block the sound to no avail.


    The scream only increased, hints of sadness and pain, betrayal and mercy, resent and anguish lingering in her voice painfully clear and it caused her to shiver.


    She held her sheath tighter, cascades of tears flowing down, her lips quivering and her eyes pulsating, praying that her nightmare may end.

 Chapter 62- Torturous Lessons

    Warm ambre rays suffused through the tall majestic windows of a room, radiating a golden glow on the eccentric patterns of the four corners of the white marbled walls.


    The mellow light infused the decors of the room with vitality, illuminating the prestige arts of the golden wood furniture and intricate designs of the delicate lace green curtains and plush carpet.


    The four-poster bed stood magnificently in the middle, its olive curtains tied back with red ribbons. The dresser and vanity of oak wood was adorned with eccentric mystical carvings and shone with a soft luster


    Similar mystical patterns of embroidered celestial beasts danced across the vermillion bedspread as a small figure slowly sat up.


    Ciara stared blankly at the walls of her room, her hair tangled from sleep and her thoughts were shrouded in a haze of tiredness.


    She blinked once and turned her head towards the window, soaking up the sunlight that dissolved on her porcelain-like skin when a knock echoed in her room, making her body slightly jerk.


    She turned towards the door, silence filling the room once again after it was knocked a few more times.


    For a short moment, she basked in the silence but then a loud thud shook the walls of her room and the door was suddenly blown open by a powerful force.


    tendrils of orange-red dancing flame lingered on the edges of her door and crisp sounds slowly filled the once silent room.


    She stared at the door, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she slowly looked up.


    " ...Good morning, Mother" She muttered, her voice raspy and breathy.


    Her mother, Kira Merlin stepped inside her room while a few maids walked in from behind her to begin their task. Raven was one of such maids.


    An otherworldly glow enveloped her Mother like a cloak. It suffused every direction she walked and every room she entered.


    Her dress was a tight, deep, fiery red that clung desperately on her curves accentuating her feminine form. Ornamental patterns of an arcane dragon were woven in tiny bits into its very fabric. The texture, rough to the touch, like scales of a mythical beast.


    Her hair danced in the breeze from an open window, a gentle dreamlike movement.


    She was adorned in jewelries and her fair white skin, glowed with a soft, ethereal light in contrast with her sharp ruby eyes that would pierce daggers in the heart of any man who dared to meet her gaze.


    Kira''s shoulders slumped lightly, basking in the glorious view of her mother until the memories she had tried to bury resurfaced like a fountain.


    Her eyes slooped and her lips quivered.


    "What have you been doing here ? and I heard you didn''t have your supper last night ?" Her mother asked, her voice laced with cold and detachment.


    "I...I wasn''t hungry" She struggled to say, ignoring the harshness of her voice.


    Her mother stared at her quietly, an unreadable expression etched on her well sculpted face.


    "...well, make sure you eat your breakfast at least...and we resume classes in an hour''s time so be prepared".


    She was about to turn around when her daughter found the courage to ask.


    "where--where is....Lo¨Cshe ?". Her brows furrowed, afraid that she might have called upon her mother''s wrath.


    Luckily for her, she was mistaken. "Dead". Her mother replied, her tone sounding the least bit remorseful.


    White marble walls on the four corners and multiple numbers of large golden oak shelves lined themselves up symmetrically on both sides.


    In front of her was her Mother, seated calmly on a vintage chair made from a deep, reddish--brown mahogany.


    The table was just as regal as the Chair.


    At the side of her desk and chair is a floating cage with a noble phoenix staring down at her.


    "You have arrived". Her mother said, her gaze still fixed on her book.


    "Yes mother". She replied with a somber tone in her voice but beneath that was an unyielding energy to learn.


    Her mood had gotten better at one point after she woke up.


    "good. Did you read all 77 texts I handed to you the previous day ?". Kira asked with an authoritative tone in her voice. Her presence was always decisive but it seemed devoid of emotions this time and she was too smart not to take notice of that but she simply shrugged it off.


    "...yes mother". Ciara replied with her gaze fixed on the floor.


    "...then. Let us begin". Kira flipped the book closed and looked up at her daughter, a mix of complicated emotions swirling in her thoughts. Her gaze lingered for a moment before she suddenly turned away, clicking her tongue and sayung abruptly. "you look so much like him".


    Ciara had heard her clearly. Surprise and curiosity sparkled in her eyes.


    This was the first time her mother had let her thoughts complicate her speech and Ciara''s mind raced with possible reasons.


    "...did...did you say something, Mother ?" She asked, her brow furrowed in concentration.


    She flinched at her Mother''s sudden reaction and wondered, What did she mean by that ?


    Ciara studied her mother''s expression but as usual, she couldn''t decipher what Kira was thinking. Her mother''s face was a mask of calmness, a cold and strict expression that refused to yield to other emotions.


    "..That is none of your concern, Child". She retorted, her tone whipping out like venom. Her full lips, outlined into a wicked grin. She slowly stood up from her chair, her fingers tapping on the table and her gaze fixed on her daughter, her eyes searching for something but then she bit her lips and shook her head.


    "let us begin".


    Ciara nodded slowly. She''s repeated this process more than enough times to be aware of what she must do and how perilous her mother''s lessons were but what she didn''t know was what her Mother had planned for her.


    It was a simple task of reciting the magic codex and an ancient tome that had its origins from generations of past powerful mages.


    Each codex was enough to grant even the most minuscule of mages, power that is well beyond their limitations but yet, Kira insisted on her 6 year old daughter to study 77 of them in a single day.


    Each time she recited the wrong chant or made a small mistake, she was whipped badly by an invisible cane so she always steeled her resolve at the beginning of every lesson.


    At least until now. She had not made any mistake yet but she had hesitated before remembering the next paragraph and that was enough reason for her mother to whip her mercilessly on her laps.


    The little girl yelped in pain of course, but she quickly composed herself and continued but that didn''t seem to please her mother.


    A single mistake, a simple pause, a little distraction and she was whipped again and again miserably.


    An hour had almost passed from the torturous lessons and Ciara felt like something was gravely amiss but what could it be ?

 Chapter 63- Men....

    "...Mo...Mother did I perhaps do something wrong ?" She asked, stopping midway in her recitation.


    Each recitation was made from ancient languages that had been created for the purpose to best use the ability of creating something from nothing.


    Each text had its own topic, Healing, Elements, Illusions, Divine magic and even Dark magic.


    They had it all. The Merlin household were a mystical bunch after all that have developed their magic over the years.


    Her mother''s gaze was emotionless. She whipped Ciara once again.


    Ciara yelped louder and fell to her knees, Blood dripping down from her legs and tears forcing its way down her cheeks.


    She sobbed softly, the resolve she had built seemed to have crumbled by now.


    She was a little child after all, there was a limit to how much she could actually endure.


    "...Get out. You''re useless right now".


    Kira retorted sharply. She walked back to her seat, her gaze fixed on the book she picked up and opened.


    Ignoring the soft whimpers that slowly excused herself out of her study.


    Her thoughts reeled in her mind as she stepped out of her mum''s study.


    Raven stood at the window side, her gaze laced with worry as she glanced at Ciara.


    Ciara slowly looked up at her, her eyes red and teary but a subtle hope had found it''s way to her thoughts.


    She hoped that this was just an anomaly. She desperately wished that her Mother would regret her actions.


    She was a child, a fact that her mother seemed to ignore quite a lot.


    All she knew was study and magic but she was just a 6 year old.


    Raven slowly walked over to her mistress and wiped away the tears on her eyes. "My Lady, You must be strong". She said, a sharp glint of resolve sparkled in her eyes.


    She led the little girl back to her room, silence softly encompassing them.


    Ciara had asked herself, what does she mean ? Why did she have to be strong ? This was a simple mistake after all.


    She was sure her mother would not do such a thing to her again.


    The hope slowly crept it''s way in her heart and a small sigh escaped her lips.


    Her mind made up, she could only look forward to peace once again.


    *****


    She was gravely mistaken.


    How many days have passed now ? How many weeks ? Was it a year already ?


    Ciara did not know.


    Every class was the same as the last, brutal.


    Her thoughts had always struggled to find a reason why her mother had changed so much.


    Every day was the same, filled with pain.


    It didn''t matter if she got the recitation right or not. Her mother simply whipped her harshly when she got tired of staring at her face.


    This continued to happen until her mother unconsciously spoke out loud in one of her lessons.


    "only if you didn''t look like him".


    Her eyes dilated when she heard her mother''s words and her thoughts were filled with bitter resentment.


    ''What ? Because of Father ?''.


    A force, an unimaginable mighty force fell down from the roof unto Ciara and slammed her into the ground.


    She cried out in pain. Her face writhed in pain as she struggled to resist to no avail.


    The force pinned her down like a tiny ball.


    Slowly and gradually, her mana settled.


    The force of the swirl of mana reduced and her hair turned back to Raven black. Her body remained still. The force gradually dissipated but her daughter was unconcipis by then.


    Her gaze lingered on the unconscious body of her daughter, a mix of emotions on her once, emotionless face.


    A soft sigh escaped her lips and she palmed herself harshly.


    ****


    After that day, the torturous lecture ended.


    Ciara was placed under house arrest while she recovered from her wounds.


    Her mother, Kira remained in her study unwilling to eat or receive any visitors until her daughter awakened from her long slumber.


    A week had passed but the young girl was unwilling to show any signs of waking up.


    Kira was trapped in a world of guilt the whole time.


    No one knew what went through her mind but the maids were sure she appeared every night to check her daughter.


    Was it remorse ? Was it guilt ? she wasn''t sure.


    Though she is aware. Aware of the fact that her daughter would no longer be her daughter when she wakes up.


    The thought of it stormed her mind each passing day and she seemed fixated on finding solutions.


    Solutions that were far from her reach.


    Two more weeks passed and the young girl finally woke up.


    It was on a bright sunny day as usual.


    The seasons never changed in this mystical environment, thanks to the Majestic sky.


    The ambre Ray''s had diffused into her room. An ethereal scene resulted from the brilliant light.


    Ciara''s small figure slowly sat up from her bed, her eyes constricting to the blinging view.


    She looked around carefully, her thoughts scrambled and searching for answers.


    ''...I don''t remember''. She thought to herself when the sound of glass shattering rang in her ears.


    Raven jerked, her stare filled with pure-intent and worry.


    Tears brimming down her eyes, she quickly left the room.


    In a few seconds, she rushed back in with familiar people.


    Ciara''s gaze traced their expressions slowly.


    Her mother, with a hint of worry on her emotionless face.


    Her father with intense gaze fixed on her and lastly, Raven.


    Her lips curled into a tight smile but her tears did not stop streaming downwards.


    Ciara stared at them blankly for a brief moment but her thoughts arranged themselves orderly.


    Her eyes grew intense, a hint of resentment hiding behind them. Read new chapters at empire


    Vivid images rushed in her mind and a single thought appeared.


    ''Fucking Men''.

 Chapter 64- CIARA MERLIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 3

    Raph steered his body to the left, dodging the lightning sparrow and quickly turned around.


    He stretched out his left hand towards his chest as cold air escaped his lips.


    "Snow Igloo".


    A cold chill surrounded him, and a thick fog formed an impenetrable igloo. It was the size of his body and it formed just before the bird of lightning, turned around and struck him.


    Marking Spells, as the name suggests, are used to mark targets for projectile magic. Once one has been marked by it, they are surely to get hit. This was something he had noticed a long while ago and he didn''t need a second reminder to know her attacks will always hit.


    The force of the attack blew the igloo open and pushed him away. He quickly maintained his composure and stopped the momentum of his movement with his sword.


    Looking up into the sky, his brows furrowed deeply and a scowl crossed his face.


    Ciara floated in the air, an aura of splendor surrounded her, like a magnet and her gaze was stern, filled with arrogance.


    She stretched her hands forward.


    "7th tier high magic : Call of the Lightning".


    Her fingers splayed out as if attached to strings as green lightning sparked at their very tips.


    Raph grunted, his gaze filled with determination. He swiftly dodged to his left as lightning struck the spot were he had just been.


    It caused a deep crater within the Arena ground and small lightning sparks emitted from the crater as an aftermath.


    Ciara tilted her body to his new position and shot out Lightning again but he simply and quickly disappeared and reappeared in a safer location.


    Annoyance flickered accross her face as she bit her lips. Her eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing and intense.


    She continued with her assault. Sending waves after waves of lightning at him but he was a second quicker than her lightning attacks or she was a second slower than his movements.


    A scenario that didn''t make sense to her. Her attacks may not be as fast as light but they were surely faster than sound.


    After all, it was a mere 343 m/s, although it is probably subject to change under different conditions.


    And still it seemed like Raph was quicker than her attacks. He dodged at the last fraction of a second, causing her attacks to miss him completely. Instead, it struck the ground with great force.


    It wasn''t a projectile magic either. The lightning simply continued to flow down from her fingers without stopping.


    It was like a continuous stream of powerful magic which she had difficulty in controlling to strike her target.


    After realizing that it was fruitless to continue this sort of assault, she decided to try something else.


    Looking down to the ground, she muttered under her breath. "7th tier high magic : Rising tide".


    In response, the ground shook as large fountains of water protruded out of it.


    Raph had quickly noticed the strange occurrence when he landed on a puddle of water. He had just dodged an incoming blast of lightning.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    He looked up at Ciara. His lips curled into a wicked grin as he thought ''Well, This is going to sting''.


    He sighed deeply, a cold breath exuding from his lips. It turned his lower lip bright cerulean.


    The puddle of water had grown through out the Arena by now and rose until it reached his shin.


    Ciara didn''t waste a second; she shot her lightning down towards him. She did not expect him to move away this time.


    All he needed was his might and power. The power to shake the world from its very foundation.


    That was the power he desperately seeked. He wasn''t going to let a mere magical sword defeat his sharp blade.


    Not today, not ever.


    "Chapter 6 : Unparalleled Surge !!!".


    His Aura swirled mightily as the head of a dragon surged out of his blade.


    He breathed out again and a cold mist escaped his lips.


    "Eternal frost".


    The cold mist wrapped around the tip of the blade and spread like cancer to the rest of its body.


    Large spikes of ice grew with each second as it consumed the sword steadily and quickly, reducing its impact in the process.


    Ciara had noticed the abnormally and her expression had contorted deeply into annoyance.


    ''Why ? Why won''t he lose ?! How does he keep struggling ?!'' She asked herself and quickly floated away as a spike of ice grew towards her.


    It grew suddenly and quickly, piercing through her skin and leaving a cold burn on it. Though, she escaped successfully.


    Raph swung his sword as it cut through the tip of the Large blade like butter.


    The head of the dragon roared bitterly as it rushed out of his blade unto the large sword in a second.


    And in another second, a large explosion occurred.


    It blew Raph backwards, but he quickly coated himself with snow as he crashed into the glacier.


    The tip of the large blade turned into shards of ice, as the explosion spread gradually to the top of the sword.


    It fell to the ground ungracefully, a different feeling creeping into the skins of those that watched the scene unfold.


    Was it perhaps surprise ? Or Awe ? Or maybe Fascination ? No one was sure of what they felt.


    All they could do was watch the large sword crumble into tiny shards of ice as it fell down to the ground.


    Ciara stared in shock. Her mouth was left slightly agape when she felt a presence charge towards her.


    She wasn''t even given a moment to process what had occured.


    She turned towards the presence, noticing Raph''s blade had already reached her. She quickly dropped her body down, dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    But Raph refused to let her go unscathed. He turned his gaze downwards, staring deeply into the eyes of Ciara as she glared at him.


    His eyes sparkled. A hint of malevolent intention surged in them.


    Ciara felt her body tremble and jerk as she continued to stare in his eyes. It felt like she could not look away. Almost like she was tranced into staring at them. The beauty was nearly obsessive and yet, yet she felt dread.


    It was affecting her in a terrible way.


    A way that she could not understand.


    Her lips quivered and her eyes dilated. Cold sweat formed on her forehead and a feeling of dread grasped her heart. ''....what...what is he doing to me ?''.

 Chapter 65- CIARA MERLIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 4

    Her body froze in the air but her thoughts were alive and running wild.


    ''What, I can''t¨CI can''t control my body ?''


    It was only 2 seconds until she finally grasped her body back but that was enough time for Raph to propel his body towards her in the air.


    He charged at her, his sword ready to strike down when she quickly floated further away from him.


    His sword swung down on her previous position and a small curse escaped his lips.


    The I SEE YOU trait that he obtained after reaching 5th star was dealing repercussions on his mental prowess.


    He groaned quietly. His expression turned into a scowl as he landed on the ground.


    During his 5 years of training, Raph had quickly learned the first 6 Chapters of the Jun Swordsmanship within 2 years.


    It was the second time he mastered it and it was far easier this time with his past memories.


    However the last 3 years were more gruesome.


    He had learnt to control aura and mana simultaneously and it was nearly impossible for him to do so.


    But he found a way. He could convert mana to aura and aura to mana within seconds now.


    And he could use his traits to the best of his abilities now.


    The I SEE YOU TRAIT granted him special techniques each time he learned to improve the use of his eyes during battle.


    The first was the ability to see through. He could see it all, mana pathways and mana circles. Aura stars and aura pathways.


    Even ki. The energy formed in the dantian.


    He could see it all with his eyes.


    The second was the ability to intimidate and form illusions. His gaze sent an intimidating aura to those that are weaker than him. And it made those that are stronger than him feel uncomfortable.


    He could also form illusions within the target''s eyes. Forcing them to see ghastly things. Whatever he desired, he would twist it into terribly, horrible Illusions for the targets.


    The third was the ability to freeze. Though it relied on how strong he is and how strong his opponent are. It''s the ability to freeze his targets for a specific period of time depending on how strong they were.


    It worked perfectly well and for about 3 hours for those that are at least two circles or stars below him.


    It worked for at least 30 minutes for those that are at least a circle or star below him.


    And it worked for at least 3 seconds for those that are at the same level as him. Even lesser, if they are slightly higher.


    It doesn''t work for targets with a higher circle or star.


    So it was an ability meant for subduing the weak.


    He had accomplished all this within 3 years of constant practice and training.


    Though he was far from mastering them all. He had at least found a way to use them in the best possible situation. There is a fourth technique that he obtained but the amount of mental strain it caused was equivalent to all of his mental fortitude.


    There was a subtle darkness that hid behind the golems but it was gone.


    Instead a fiery red light illuminated the darkness. The golems quickly separated when the fire suddenly blew out ferociously.


    It caused a sonic explosion as it burnt down the swords with its fiery might and spread throughout the Arena.


    It reached Raph within seconds and he was forced to form another igloo. Continuously fortifying it with snow as it melted rapidly.


    The water swirled around Ciara, taking the shape of beasts as they shot out towards the igloo.


    Slamming into it with great force.


    He was forced under the terrible heat time and time again and the water made things worse by causing holes in its defense.


    Some parts of his body were burnt but he remained straight. Fixing the holes that had formed on his igloo. And fortifying it when there was none.


    This continued for a few more seconds when he suddenly heard the sounds of howling and rumbling.


    It was the wind. It pushed the igloo and him with it towards the walls of the Arena. The force, strong enough to cause a building to capsize. He grunted in pain, blood spilling out of his every pores but he refused to go down.


    "Everything is ice !". A cold mist surrounded him. The igloo had been destroyed and the wind had nearly sent him to the walls of the Arena. "Arctic Frost !".


    BOOM.


    The Arena was immediately filled with tall glaciers and protruding icebergs.


    It grew up into the sky and filled the walls of the Arena with a cold delight.


    A cold chilling sensation crept up the spines of the Audience and a cracking noise assaulted their ears.


    The glaciers were breaking.


    Some fell towards the Stands but it was stopped thanks to the protective barriers.


    While some just toppled over.


    The floor of the Arena had been consumed by tall glaciers and ice spikes protruded out of many.


    Ciara was hovering over the scene.


    An expression of awe engraved on her face.


    Some few feets below her, Raph''s hands protruded out of the Ice and he forced the rest of the body out, heaving terribly.


    He sat down for a while, his gaze fixed on Ciara as a smirk grew on his lips.


    Ciara''s body shook terribly. Her expression grew cold. Her brows furrowed deeply and her lips curled into a bitter grin. An exasperated and annoyed expression grew on her weary face.


    ''Fucking Unprecedented Scenarios''.


    She glared at him furiously. Her best did not work on him, so what now ?.


    Of course, she needed to use her last resort.

 Chapter 66- CIARA MERLIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 5

    Raph had gotten back up, brimming with energy.


    While Ciara glared at him, her body still floating in the air.


    "You have to try harder than that, Ciara". Raph said, his lips curled into a smirk as he walked forward.


    Swinging his sword around and adjusting his arms, his gaze fixed on her.


    "That can''t be all, Surely ?".


    He sighed deeply as he charged at her with great speed. He jumped into the air, leaving a crater on the glacial and swung his sword from his side, ready to strike her.


    Ciara had other plans. Though she was aware that this would greatly reduce her mana, she had no other choice.


    She wanted to win. No, she needed to win, not for her mother but for herself. If not, it would feel like she lost to his words. She wasn''t being biased about her hatred for men.


    It was their fault they took her best friend away. It was their fault, her mother had whipped her so many times in the past. Her mother had lost composure completely for the first time and it was because of a man.


    She was sure of it. All men are the same, no matter how much they try to be different. No matter what colors they take. Nor the families they grew up in or the kind of friends they had. They were truly the same.


    They were self centered, greedy and had lascivious intentions towards women.


    What more did she need to hate them ?


    She raised her hand in the sky, her face devoid of any emotion.


    "9th tier magic : Gravity pull".


    The sky turned heavy in an instant and it pushed Raph onto the surface of the glacial.


    He groaned in pain, blood erupted out of his mouth and his body was forced deeper into the glacial.


    This was her last resort. To use magic that was above her mana circles.


    She is a 7th circle mage but that doesn''t stop her from using higher tier magic.


    It all depends on their mana pool. The larger or more vast the better.


    It enabled them to use higher tier magic one after the other in order to defeat their enemies.


    But of course, it sucked their mana greatly. It is a high tier magic after all and it was not meant for lower circles.


    So her mana, though large, was greatly reduced by that one magic but that was enough.


    She was planning on ending it all with her next attack anyways.


    Withholding the cackle that nearly escaped her lips, she pushed him further, cracking the glacial in the process and forcing his body further into the ground.


    "Try and escape this !" She cried out, her lips twisting into a wicked smile. A soft laugh escaped her lips then it grew more intense and slowly transformed into a bitter cackle.


    Raph gasped deeply as he felt his body plummet to the ground.


    It slammed with great force nearly sending him unconscious and yet he remained unphased.


    ''This bitch...she''s fucking cheating you know''.


    His aura swirled deeply within him and his mana circles began to rotate around each other at great speed.


    He had raised his hand up, grinding his teeth to the pain of gravity breaking through his bones. He couldn''t tell how many had been damaged but he did know that it was in a terrible state.


    "Chapter 9..."


    His 7 Stars rattled greatly within his body and unbeknownst to him, an Eight had formed. Rattling with great force.


    A new sensation had taken over him. It felt like his skin was crawling with sensations. The words he couldn''t hear became distinctively clearer. The things he couldn''t see became visible. The things he couldn''t smell became defined and the things he couldn''t feel became perceptible.


    His blue aura had surged out and surrounded him like a second skin. It glowed with his sword. His body became lighter and within that short time frame, he swung his blade down.


    "..Arrogant Surge !".


    Time seemed to have stopped. His sensations were still as clear as day but he could hardly hear anything.


    Looking down on his clothes, a sense of awe shook him. He had not noticed it but they were in tatters.


    He was sure Ciara was in a similar state if not different . He wasn''t someone that paid attention to the little things during fights.


    And speaking of fights, he thought to himself, I could have handled this battle much better.


    He was aware of that. There could have been a way to push her to her brim without needing to push himself to his and yet he couldn''t think of any.


    Why ? Well it was simple. Ciara was strong. Stronger than he had expected her to be for a 7th tier mage but was that reason enough to stop him ? No. It wasn''t.


    The use of a higher Chapter of the Jun swordsmanship would consume a lot of aura if not all of it but he was different.


    The more he formed aura from his mana, the more he replenished the lost mana from his surroundings.


    He had done so from the very beginning and in his past battles as well. He had planned for the unexpected and it may have saved him this time. After all, none of the 12 great families were weak.


    Within that fraction of a second when the Azure dragon had descended down and was about to strike Raph, an Anti-gravitational force pulled it away.


    It pulled the rocks, snow and ice glaciers from the Arena as well. All of it.


    They rushed towards the sunny skies, gathering around the Azure dragon that bent and turned in a frenzy and cried out bitterly.


    It began to compress the dragon as it surrounded him at all sides. Slowly, the numerous large chunks of ice and snow began to shrink and the dragon with it too.


    The dragon still struggled to set free but it was too late. It was stuck in an endless prison of ice rocks and snow glaciers that shrunk together with its size and might.


    It continued, startling the Audience and even the Patriarchs. This is probably the first time they had seen a Jun use the 9th Chapter and it was a sight to behold, surely.


    It continued to compress, shrinking its size until the last snowy glacier attached to it.


    Then suddenly and almost automatically, it began to quake.


    Shaking terribly, the force spreading throughout the Arena and the Stadium as a whole. It quaked, rattled, shook, trembled and then it began to shine.


    A bright ethereal light pierced out of it and a cracking noise echoed, it flew higher in the sky as more light pierced through and more cracks spread.


    And in the next second. It exploded, causing a loud sonic detonation and a force that spread down on the Stadium, forcing those without protection to their knees.


    And shattering the protection of some others.


    The force only grew larger with time but then it slowly reduced. Pulsating in the air with a malevolent hue.


    White sparks descended down after the explosion, shining with grace and elegance as it fell down on the Stadium, lighting the hearts of those that saw it with surging emotions. Emotions that they were not sure about.


    Surely this time, a winner will be decided.

 Chapter 67- And so, She crashed.

    The warm-toned light of the Sun cascaded down the towering walls of the Colosseum, illuminating the weathered, dirty brown stones.


    It stood majestically tall, crimson hues on the Arena walls, representing the forgotten tales of battles of champions. The Age of Gladiators they called it.


    The Arena nestled in the heart of the Colosseum, was surrounded by stands that could hold up to a million spectators.


    The golden glow of the sun cast a warm, oppressive heat that swept over the Spectators. Though, in the midst of that heat was a chilling, settling cold.


    The Audience''s gazes fixed on the White haired boy that stood in the midst of falling snow. A chilling wind encircled him, defiling the sun''s ambience.


    The Battle had slowly and painstakingly ended, but the crowd''s murmurs and tense postures betrayed their captivation.


    Raph breathed in short, gentle gasps. He walked towards Ciara, his footsteps echoing in the Arena and leaving imprints on the snowy¨Cfilled floor.


    Snow covered her raven black hair and her emerald-glass eyes seemed dull.


    She lay exhausted, her chest rising with shallow breaths.


    As Raph drew near, her gaze fixed on him, too tired to move. Her mind was muddy with a lethargic hue, unable to think. She sighed and struggled to at least seat up.


    Raph had finally closed the gap between them. They were in the middle of the Arena, both tired from exhaustion but one was still brimming with energy.


    "So what now ?" She whispered, her voice barely audible. "we have a minute left till it ends...and I''m definitely not giving you the win". Ciara said, her tone lethargic and yet filled with strength. The dim light in her eyes rekindled and a faint, forced smile crossed her lips.


    Raph''s eyes locked onto hers as he shook his head. His eyes stared deeply into her as a malevolent hue hid beneath its innocent spectrum.


    "I don''t need you to admit your defeat".


    He said simply, yet unsettling.


    Ciara''s left brow arched, confusion etched on her face. Her thoughts were too tired to understand what he meant.


    However, before she could respond a creepy and bitter sensation invaded her body.It spread through her limbs and then her torso like a dark, icy tide.


    Her thoughts reeled, unable to comprehend what was happening and suddenly and instantaneously, her control slipped away. Leaving her a puppet to some unseen forces.


    Her body sat limply, the light in her eyes turning dim.


    "Get up". Raph ordered, seating casually on the floor as the body of Ciara stood up, entirely out of control of the original possessor of that body.


    "now be a good girl and run over to the wall quickly. Lay down on it and make sure to touch it. Okay". He said casually, a devious smile appearing on his lips.


    Ciara''s body suddenly sprinted, ignoring the pent¨Cup fatigue, mental exhaustion, injuries and especially mana depletion.


    She ran up until she reached the walls of the Arena and crashed into it terribly, a cracking sound echoing through the Spectators section.


    The eerie sight sent a shiver down their spines.


    The girl collapsed on her knees and the light returned to her eyes as she coughed out.


    People couldn''t help but be drawn to her warmth, light, and captivating presence.


    "Who else would it be, My husband".


    Michaelo, stood up, walked over to her and embraced her deeply. A soft sighing escaping his lips as he glanced at his daughters.


    "Oh...H¨CHey Dad" Fiona muttered as they turned their gazes away from him awkwardly.


    Michaelo slowly let go off his wife and faced his daughters. "I sent you letters. Did you not read them ?" He asked sternly.


    They all looked away, puzzled by his questions. It seemed their failure of responding gave away their response.


    "Wel¨CWell, Raphy was going to win anyway". Morganna stuttered, awkwardly staring at her father.


    "Ye¨CYe¨CYeah". Thalia muttered quietly, refusing to look at her father''s furious expression.


    "Th¨CThat''s right, as expected of our little bro" Thalia muttered, her gaze shaking so much as she attempted to turn towards her father.


    "O¨COf course, We trained so much". Rebecca said with an obvious awkward tone in her voice, her face staring down on the floor.


    While Gloria, diligently avoided her father''s gaze the whole time.


    Michaelo sighed and turned towards the Arena. "Let''s postpone that for now, the battle is about to end".


    Rachael chuckled as she took Michaelo''s seat. She slowly turned towards Gilda, who had been standing there all this time.


    Both had an interestingly similar intrigued expression. "You must be Gilda" Rachael said, casually. She never got the opportunity of meeting the new head of Staffs since she left for the frontlines after their visit to the Capital.


    Gilda bowed deeply. "Yes I am, Lady Rachael". A feeling of reverence suffused her as she stole quick glances at her.


    "Raph seems to be in a bit of a pickle, no ?" Gloria said out loud, their attention fixed on their younger brother now.


    "Right ? I wonder why he won''t use his Aura Field of Vision". Rebecca spoke up after her.


    They walked over to the edge of the podium, ignoring the gazes the other families threw at them.


    "He should be fine. He''s probably preparing for the last battle with Jang tomorrow". Morganna said, standing next to Rebecca.


    "we''ll just have to watch and see". Thalia said, resting on the ceramic railings.


    ****


    PRESENT TIME.


    "What did he just do ?!" Rebecca cried out, her face pale in shock.


    Her sisters were in a similar situation and so were their parents.


    It seemed like, not even his parents were aware of this strange ability he possessed. It was a rather comical sight.

 Chapter 68- The battle continues

    The 4th ability of his trait was manipulation. Of course it depended greatly on the target. Depending on their strength, it would either work perfectly or fail miserably.


    He could use it perfectly for at least an hour and thirty minutes on targets with three stars or circles below him, an hour for targets with two stars or circles below him, thirty minutes for a star or circle below him and even less for those with the same number of circles or stars as him.


    It would work effectively if the target with the same level had run out of mana or aura and it would be absolutely useless against targets with a higher circle.


    It was meant for subduing the weak and he had checked beforehand to ensure she had run out of mana.


    It was completely empty but he was still filled with growing energy.


    The battle had finally ended, with silent whispers and muted expressions etched on the Audience expressions as Michaelo prepared to go down to conclude the battle.


    Ciara''s gaze remained fixed on Raph, her eyes wide with disorientation. A few mages had approached her from the sky when Michaelo appeared in between the two tired contestants.


    His gaze lingered on Ciara, as the mages wrapped her shivering body with a blanket and whisked her away while another set of Mages appeared. Their task of patching up the Arena began in earnest.


    Michaelo slowly turned his gaze to his son, a soft chuckle escaped his lips, noticing the genuine smile that grew on Raph''s face.


    "Winner ! Raffaelo Jun !" He announced tuning out the Audience''s murmurs.


    The crowd''s soft cries and whispered conversations created a bittersweet atmosphere, a mix of negative emotions that lingered like an aftertaste.


    He walked over to his son, two more mages breaking away from the others that were patching up the Arena, flying over towards Raph.


    "You look exhausted" Michaelo said, hovering over his son as the Mages attended to his physical wounds.


    Raph stared blankly at him for a short while and smiled brightly.


    "What can I say, It was a tough battle".


    The mages helped him up and led him away from the Arena as His father watched silently from his spot. "Your mother and sisters have arrived" He said.


    Raph jerked, nearly tripping down on his foot but the mages held him firmly.


    "Wha¨CWhat seriously ? I didn''t even feel their presence..." He turned towards his father and froze for a moment. "Oh. There it is". His smile widened as his gaze locked onto the podiums, noticing the familiar figures that waved at him.


    He waved back in response, their startled expression still etched on their faces.


    It wasn''t difficult to locate his family by their auras after imprinting them in his heart for so long.


    "Beautiful women aren''t they". He said, turning towards the Male mage that supported him at his left.


    "I¨CI wouldn''t know" The mage replied, startled. They continued walking towards a gate between the stands.


    It led upwards towards the Royal podium but another stairway was located to the left and right, leading further down to the resting rooms of the Great Families.


    Raph shook his head and turned to the female mage by his right.


    Jane looked up at him, silence settling in their conversation then a cold chill crept up their spines at the same time.


    "Wa¨CWait, Its possible for Lady Mariam to win".


    Their gazes locked on each other and yet another short moment of silence passed. They chuckled lightly.


    "No...Forgive me, even I find that impossible" Jane said, stifling his laugh.


    Darell nodded lightly and then another moment of silence settled in.


    "So....you will let me win right ? After all the Looser technically wins...having not to face two monsters at the same time". Darell said, an awkward smile on his face.


    Jane stared at him for a while, pondering on something he wasn''t sure of. "No, You should let me win, you wouldn''t want to face two monsters yourself now. Would you ?"


    Another moment of silence settled in. A long one this time. Michaelo, who has been observing from the sidelines felt a cold sweat form on his forehead when he finally noticed the mages leaving.


    ''Finally. Now I can leave this place''. He thought to himself, trying desperately to keep his smile up.


    He raised his hand in the air and the Spectators hurriedly cried out, tired of the prolonged break.


    "READY !!!!"


    The two participants in question, readied themselves in a stance.


    "May the best looser, win" Darell said, a smirk on his face.


    Jane nodded and said. "May the best looser, win".


    Michaelo sighed softly. ''What are these kids saying ?''. He dropped his hand down and disappeared, the loud voice of Spectators, echoed loudly in the Stadium.


    "FIGHT !!!".


    Darell charged forward, a silver spear materializing in his palm as he slid accross the ground with incredible speed and precision towards Jane.


    He thrust it forward, unleashing a powerful strike that created a deep depression in the ground.


    Jane''s eyes ignited with a golden hue as he stretched out as his right fist, meeting the tip of the spear with great forceful punch.


    A defeaning sonic explosion occured and the ground between them turned into a deep crater. The force blew Darell away, pushing him backwards, with his spear as he struggled to gain balance in the air.


    ''What was that ?'' Darell thought, blood spurting out of his mouth as he slammed his spear into the ground, stopping the momentum.


    He quickly looked up to find Jane floating in the air, his right hand still outstretched.


    "I didn''t want to use this until the end...but...after watching Master Raph''s battle. I''ve changed my mind". Jane said, a smirk appearing on his face and new found confidence laced in his voice as a mysteriois stigma of a crescent moon with an eye in the middle formed on his forehead.


    He raised his palms, clasping them together as he invoked.


    "Bless me with your gifts, O''great Shiva".

 Chapter 69- Family reunion, I guess ?

    His gaze drifted to the ceiling of his quiet bedroom as the Mages bowed and took their leave.


    About ten minutes had passed since he was brought back to his chambers.


    The walls, a replica of the Colosseum, was weathered, dirty brown in color. Vintage furniture, arranged with precision, created a sense of order amidst the chaos in his thoughts. The ancient mahogany round table, accompanied by two chairs, stood sentinel in the center of the room while a double¨Csized bed, where he lay anchored the space.


    As he turned towards the left, the open window¨Cwall came into view, framing the vibrant scene beyond. The cheers and excited voices of the Spectators swirled in, carrying the whispers of his own curiosity. ''It must be Jane and Darell. I wonder who''s leading''. He mused, a soft glint sparkling in his eyes.


    The warm sunlight suffused through the window, bathing the room in a gentle radiance. It served as the only source of natural light while lamps were hung on the walls, filled with mystical light.


    Suddenly, the door swung open, and familiar auras entered with loud steps.


    He sat up, turning towards the door.


    "You girls sure know how to make an entrance" He said, his tone laced with exhaustion. His chest and limbs were wrapped in bandages.


    Morganna chuckled, jumping onto his bed and advancing to his right. "Raphy !! It''s so nice to see you again !" She said, embracing him tightly causing his left brow to arch in confusion.


    "didn''t dad send you letters ?" He asked, noticing the awkward expression on his sister''s face as she released him.


    "Hah...." She retorted, awkwardly looking away while his sisters surrounding his bed, wore similar awkward expressions.


    "Wha¨CWhat could we do, we have other things to do now you know" Fiona spoke up first, her voice laced with a hint of defensiveness. The others nodded in agreement and Raph chuckled softly. Explore new worlds at empire


    "We know that," he said. "It would have been nice if you had replied to dad''s messages at least. He seemed heartbroken when none of you responded".


    His sisters exchanged glances, and Gloria sighed deeply.


    "Well, we''ll do that next time. How are you feeling ?".


    "well..." He looked down at his body, assessing his condition. "I''m alright. I think I underestimated her a little". He replied. ''not to mention, I never had the opportunity to gauge her abilities at this age in my past life''.


    "Enhhh....Did you think the sword is greater than magic or something ?" Fiona''s voice took on a provocation tone as she folded her hands and seated at the edge on the bed.


    Gloria, Rebecca and Raph quickly glared at her and she jerked, turning away from their heated gazes.


    "don''t mind her, you did well. The Merlin''s were always a family to be reckoned with" Thalia intervened, adjusting her glasses and seating beside Raph.


    She caressed his hair softly as they continued their conversation.


    "Not to mention, you failed to use Aura Field of Vision" Gloria pointed out.


    ".....or that". Rebecca had taken off her armor a while ago, revealing a black long¨Csleeve shirt and white skirt. However, her armor boots were still on, contrasting with the mundane clothes.


    She folded up her right sleeve and revealed a white bandage.


    "That ? I thought you said you got caught up in an ambush ?" Gloria''s brow furrowed in confusion as she folded her hands.


    Her sisters also seemed perplexed by the white bandage as well.


    Rebecca clarified. "It actually occurred about a year ago when I returned from the Academy and Raph asked for a sparring partner".


    Raph chuckled awkwardly. "...We¨CWe promised not to tell anyone, remember, Um, Rebecca".


    Her eyes met his, and she rolled them. "Oh. True".


    Fiona simply smiled smugly. "You did good, getting this far".


    "Yeah but now, it''ll be a slow journey to the path of a grandmaster but knowing you...it shouldn''t take long". Gloria said, a whimsical tone in her voice.


    She had reached grandmaster not too long herself, which is the 10th star.


    Rebecca wasn''t far off either, she was a 9th star Swordsman after all.


    Raph looked away from Gloria when an object caught his attention on Fiona''s fingers.


    "Oh, by the way...Fiona. What''s that on your finger ?" His gaze had lingered on it for a while when she walked in but he finally got the chance to ask about it.


    His other sisters rolled their eyes, ignoring her sudden smugged expression.


    She raised her shoulders and puffed her chest out.


    "Well you see, brother of mine. This sister of yours is getting married". A brief moment of silence suffused the room, an amused expression on their faces as they watched their brother''s dumbfounded reaction.


    "Wha¨CAre¨CAren''t you too young for that ?" He finally managed to say, Morganna giggling beside him.


    "Huh, What do you mean by that Little bro ?" Fiona''s brow furrowed and she clenched her fist. "how old do you think I am ?"


    Raph counted the years that had passed and the time he had spent with them, memories of his past life playing out in his mind.


    ''This...This never happened in my past life. How strange....Then Gloria ?''.


    His gaze shifted slightly towards Gloria who noticed and glared at him.


    She clicked her tongue, saying. "don''t even".


    He turned away, clearing his throat stiffly and said. "I¨CI guess you are already at that age huh" .


    "Um¨Cgirls, wasn''t that kind of anti-climatic ?" Morganna asked, her gaze turning towards them, referring to his reaction.


    "I know right ? He acts so mature sometimes...." Thalia caressed his hair, her gaze wandering .


    "I mean, I''m pretty surprised myself. Didn''t think Fiona would get married before Gloria though". His casual statement was like fanning the flames.


    His sisters had stifled a laugh but he was busy retracing his words when he noticed a murderous aura floating before his eyes.


    "Um...Um, Sister Gloria. What are you doing ?" He asked, a hint of fear hidden beneath the depths of his eyes.


    "Can''t you guess ? You seem pretty good at saying whatever is on your mind already, no?" She asked, walking across the bed towards him steadily.


    "Wait¨Cwait, I only meant it as a...in fact. I didn''t mean it as anything at all". Was it too late ? He tried to pacify his outraged Eldest sister but it didn''t seem to be working.


    She stopped at his bedside, her intense gaze fixed on him causing Raph to gulp when the door suddenly swung open.


    The murderous aura cleared as they turned towards the source of the interruption.


    ''Saved'' Raph said, sighing deeply. ''Oh...I never got to ask for the identity of the man, maybe I''ve met him in my past life''.


    Their attention was now fixed on the lithe, older¨Cfaced woman that stepped into his room.


    "Oh, Mother ?".

 Chapter 70- DARELL SILVAN VS JANE LUCIA

    Rachael Jun''s gaze swept across the room, her eyes landing on her children as she hummed a soft, soothing melody. Her lips curled into a warm, gentle smile as she approached them. "So, this is where you all came to hide," she said, her voice filling the room with a vibrant, loving energy.


    Her son''s face lit up with a smile at the sound of her voice, but his expression quickly turned thoughtful. ''How long has it been since I saw her?'' he wondered. His gaze drifted to her missing left arm, now replaced with a beautifully crafted wooden one made of oak. The engraved arm seemed delicate, yet strong.


    Rachael noticed their intense gaze and raised her wooden arm, shaking it from side to side with a playful nonchalance. "Oh, this old thing," she said, downplaying the significance of her prosthetic limb.


    "Did Aunt Mirable help with that?" Gloria asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Rachael nodded, a hint of a smile on her face. The Lucia family''s divine abilities included healing and replacement of lost body parts, but such gifts came with a price - unless you were family, of course.


    Fiona muttered under her breath, still fixated on the new arm, "It''s funny how you''re step-sisters." Rachael shrugged, waving her hand dismissively. "Now, leave. I want to speak with my son."


    Gloria nodded, standing up. "This is goodbye for now, Raph." She walked out of the room, followed by her sisters one by one. Each said their farewells before leaving, with Rebecca and Morganna being the last two to exit.


    "Rest well, Raphy," Morganna said, her lips curling into a warm, gentle smile. Rebecca, on the other hand, lingered in the room, her gaze fixed intently on Raph, her eyes flashing with a mix of emotions before she quietly exited. The door closed behind her, leaving Raph alone with his Mother.


    She sat beside him on the bed, her fingers gently tracing the contours of his face. A warm, motherly smile spread across her face, enveloping him in a sense of comfort and love. "How much I''ve missed you, child," she whispered, her voice overflowing with warmth and affection.


    Raph was helpless against her tender charm, his heart melting under her gentle touch and soothing words.


    "The battle didn''t go so well did it ?" Raph asked, his gaze intense and inquiring. His mother sighed in response. "No. It didn''t and things are getting difficult in the north as well".


    Raph paused for a moment then said. "The demon gates ?"


    Rachael nodded in response, resting on the backrest. "your sisters are in charge of the towns that have experienced the most frequent appearance".


    Raph held his chin. "Are there others stationed with them ? Demon gates will only increase in number with time".


    "with time they will, but that''s not why I came here now is it ?" Rachael chuckled. "you somehow made me talk much more than I needed to".


    Raph turned away, coughing awakwardly.


    "..I..I was just curious".


    "Of course". His mother nodded. "it''s natural to be curious but, Raffaelo, you need to tell me what has been going on for the past 5 years since I haven''t seen you".


    Raph remained silent, in deep contemplation. Alot of time had passed since he had last seen his mother, well five years and that can be a lot. There were alot of things that had happened since she left.


    The final renovation of their mansion after the battle against the assassin from La Teur and Uncle Philip.


    The beginning of his intense trainning on mastering the first six chapters on book.


    "No ! You were the one that suggested the idea so you should loose naturally !". Darell said, his lips curled into a devious grin and his eyes fixed on Jane, charging forward.


    "Shoot him down !".


    The torso with the bow twisted erratically as it aimed at Jane and drew the string, releasing thousands of golden arrows that shot out at great speed.


    Jane caused the ground to erupt, sending massive debris flying into the air and blocking the path of the arrows. He swiftly retrieved his hand and launched himself into a leap, soaring over the rubble and landing with precision on the opposite side of the arena. Darell''s eyes widened in surprise as he made a sharp, forceful U-turn, his movements a result of Jane''s unexpected maneuver.


    He glared at the golden haired boy and charged yet again. "I will defeat you !". He cried out, his voice laced with aggression.


    "you will have to do a lot more than that to do so". Jane retorted with a smirk, he stretched his hands apart as a yellow light ignited in each palm.


    He charged forward, clashing with Darell''s weapons and causing a sonic explosion.


    The force caused a crater directly below them and loud tremors spread through the Arena.


    They fell deeper into the crater, darkness encroaching them but their gazes remained focused and their movements remained precise.


    They charged at each other in that darkness, engaging in a deadly melee. The force of their attacks caused a sonic wave that either forced them deeper into the crater or formed additional pits on the sides.


    The intense battle was a testament to their exceptional skill and unwavering determination, as they fought to outdo their opponents.


    They were driven by a burning desire to secure the top ranking for their families and pushed themselves to the limit.


    Witnessing the unrelenting efforts of their peers only reignited their own passion, if it had begun to wane. This competition was their unique way of identifying the strongest among them - a potential future leader or a formidable foe in the wars to come.


    With the coveted number one spot seemingly out of reach, they set their sights on the next best position, determined to make the most of their effort.


    Jane''s hands had suddenly turned crimson and a searing steam emitted from it as a blazing fire ignited from his palm.


    He swung his hand, causing the wave of fire to blast Darell upwards and out of the basin. Then he jumped out, searching for Darell when the sun''s rays blessed him with light.


    He found Darell aiming his bow at him and


    shooting out multiple arrows.


    He cursed softly, flying in the air and maneuvering his body in order to dodge them safely.


    "Sol Flair!" Jane declared, as a blazing aura of golden-red flames erupted around him. The inferno raged with unbridled intensity and purity, fueled by his unyielding spirit. With a bitter smile, he charged towards Darell, the flames scorching the arrows that dared to stand in his way.


    Their eyes burned with fierce determination, their teeth clenched in unrelenting focus, as they resumed their intense melee.

 Chapter 71- DARELL SILVAN VS JANE LUCIA 2

    Amongst the various chambers provided for the great family, there was one that was currently occupied by none other than Ciara of the Merlin Household.


    She was wrapped carefully in bandages and her head rested on a pillow, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames on the earthen brown walls.


    It was dimly lit, a curtain blocking the sun''s gentle light but it still suffused through, illuminating the dark shades of the red curtains, causing a shadowy cadence on the walls of the room.


    Mystical floating lamps hung at each corner of the room, radiating warmth that banished the cold that had permeated through the window.


    The medieval furniture was of the same quality and material as the other guestrooms. But each had an accumulation of different tales over the years etched on their surfaces.


    It was configured in a standard arrangement, similar to the other rooms.


    A knock resonated through the walls of the room, snapping her from the complicated thoughts that went through her mind and she quickly sat up.


    The door opened, revealing a woman with raven black hair and crimson red eyes. She exuded an aura of control and power and her face was laced with apathy.


    She held a white ceramic tray, with a pristine ceramic teapot and two teacups, she closed the door behind her and walked towards a chair, placing the tray on the table.


    "How are you feeling ?" She asked, her gaze lingered on the tray while her mother watched her silently.


    "I-I''m sorry, Mother...I lost". Ciara replied, her voice somber. She fiddled with the hem of her blanket and lowered her gaze from Kira.


    A gentle silence filled the room as Kira''s eyes swept over her daughter, her lips downturned and a deep sigh escaped her lips. "He was much stronger than anticipated and there were a lot of unprecedented scenarios".


    Ciara nodded in agreement. In fact, the number of miscalculations she suffered during the battle was disadvantageous to her calculative mind.


    Well, most of his abilities were explained to her on paper but the real, practical experience was something else entirely.


    "Still, I put up a fight. I was....satisfied with the outcome....though in the end...". Memories of the sinister, icy feeling she felt as she lost control over her body haunted her thoughts and she shuddered softly.


    "He must have wanted me to expand my mana so he could do that in the end". She said softly, confusion etched on her face.


    A moment of silence ensued and Kira turned towards the table. She poured some tea into the cups and gave one to Ciara.


    "The Jun household has always been a family of mysteries, especially the attributes of their traits. It''s one of the reasons why they stand amongst the top three of the great family".


    She sat down next to her daughter, her gaze serene, her eyes glinting with intensity as she stared vaguely at the wall.


    Ciara looked up to her mother. "We couldn''t prove that magic was superior to the sword".


    "it''s just one battle, Ciara. There will be countless battles that will exist in the future and many opportunities to prove magic is superior to the sword" Her expression turned stern, her brows creased into a deep furrow and dark shadows caused by the magical lamps accentuated the contours of her face.


    "However, failure is not an option...and it should never be an option....so let this be your last". Her sharp gaze turned towards Ciara, causing a shiver to climb up her spine.


    She gulped, turning away from her mother, her lips curling slightly upwards and her gaze losing focus. "Yes, Mother". She took a sip from her tea, the sweet fragrance filling the air as she enjoyed the feeling of warmth spreading through her body, a soft sigh escaping her lips.


    "I''ve always wondered !" He quickly said, causing Jane to pause his actions.


    Jane stared at him puzzled, his left eyebrow arched, intrigued by what he was about to say next.


    "What is it with your stigmas ? you make it seem like there are multiple gods when there''s just one, the mother Gaia".


    Jane''s gaze flickered, his lips curling into a smile. "stalling I see ?" he asked, amusement in his voice.


    Darell snorted. "Why would I need to stall ? I have all the time in the world to put you down". He stood up straight, gripping his spear tightly.


    Jane''s gaze lingered on him for a moment but then looked away. "well, the gods we serve are only the ones that we are aware of". He said when he looked up at the sun. ''well, a little rest wouldn''t hurt''. He thought to himself.


    "Well, The Lucia Household has a long history. We were once pilgrims you see, and we traveled to different towns, villages, kingdoms, learning their traditions, worshiping their gods and along that line, We acquired divine power". Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    "..." Darell''s mind wondered. Knowledge on the histories of the twelve great families was always a secretive matter between the families so learning of this was a rather, surprisingly interesting situation. ''Pilgrims ? that would explain a few things''. He thought when he heard loud footsteps.


    He sighed, snapping back to reality.


    "Well, that''s enough of that" Jane rolled his aching hands as he stepped forward, a spark of resilience in his eyes as dust swirled around his feet- a comical sight of a duel about to take place.


    "Then ?" He charged without warning, appearing beside Darell within a second.


    Darell clicked his tongue, disappointed by the turn of events. He couldn''t stall long enough and now he had to dance to the tune that Jane had set.


    He quickly turned, forming a golden dome that protected him from the incoming blow.


    It was only meant to cushion the impact as he stretched out his hand.


    "Spirit Elf Magic....!".


    A golden light shone within the dome as Jane''s fist smashed into it, causing the wind to propel and blow Darell backwards.


    He grunted in pain but he was fine, appearing on his hand was a brown grimoire, crafted from ancient wood. The kind of wood you wouldn''t find in a mundane forest. It held within it mysteries of the earth''s foundation.


    A golden spear manifested on his other arm as he plunged it into the ground, stopping his momentum. He yelped in pain as blood spurted out of his mouth from the impact.


    He looked up and found Jane charging yet again.


    His fists glowing red and a blaze of fire blasting out from within.


    He couldn''t keep on fighting Jane the way he did at the moment, he had to retaliate, holding back meant defeat and thus he summoned it.


    The mysteries of the Elven clan, The Grimoire of Gaia.


    He glared at Jane, a frenzied glint behind his eyes as he called out in a hushed tone."...Chapter 8¨C Wind Superposition".

 Chapter 72- The Call of Lightning

    It felt like the Sun''s ambient rays had been cut off from the Arena, resulting in a cold, somber darkness. A wind so strong had shaken the Arena to its very foundations, spreading throughout, accompanied by a mournful wail that echoed in an eerie hue.


    The darkness consumed Jane and the wind brushed him like a twig but yet he stood firm, resolute and steadfast in his determination.


    His stigmas only shone within that darkness as golden iridescent tongues of aura exuded him like flames.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    His eyes shone golden within that darkness as he caught sight of his target.


    He charged forward, the wind whistling in his ears, pushing him back like the pull of gravity but that wasn''t enough to stop the powers of the gods though. Well, 40% of it at least.


    He clapped his hands together, a red glow erupting from the air, turning into a tongue of fire.


    He drew his hands apart, causing that fire to grow and glow, blazing with furious might. It caused the ground around him to melt like butter and the strength of the wind was not enough to quench those flames.


    These were the flames of the Sun god after all. He widened his palms,fire spreading wildly and glowing brightly, like an artificial sun within that thick wind. The heat had suffused through the atmosphere, causing untold pressure within everything in sight.


    Including living things, Darell especially.


    He would be a fool to have not noticed the intensity of the flames. The heat had already begun to make a mess of his skin and the wind he had called upon to protect him was not functioning as it should.


    He clicked his tongue, summoned Ignis and took to the skies while the fire continued to grow.


    Jane''s gaze was like a creature sent from light to banish the darkness. It was stern and warm, a golden timbre hiding beneath it.


    The blazing fire had grown to a satisfactory size. It was at least the size of a bungalow, glowing with intense radiance and blazing with intense might.


    "Solar Fury".


    The flames suddenly shook and then erupted, causing a mighty explosion of flames that melted the ground and dispersed the wind.


    It quickly spread due the wind and collapsed onto the walls of the Arena.


    The Spectators had retreated backwards just in time, horror etched on their faces as the stands melted before their eyes.


    The wind disappeared and the sun''s rays found its way to Jane, illuminating his hair as he looked upwards from a deep charred crater that encompassed the whole Arena.


    It was now a twisted, molten surface, brimming with a terrifying warmth.


    "you ran ?" He asked, chuckling a little.


    Darell stared at him from above, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation.


    "You...are a monster yourself". His sigh was deep, as he rested on the surface of his flying wyvern, thoughts racing through his mind.


    It was time, time to decide the winner once and for all.


    He burned through it and dropped down when he noticed a blur by his side.


    "Spirit Elf Magic: Chapter 60¨C Sound Asunder".


    The air shattered as a deafening, hollow screech ripped through the atmosphere in a maddening, sickening murderous cry. It grew louder and more intense within a second causing the Patriarch''s hair to stand on end and the Spectators to cover their ears in agony.


    Then what of Jane ? The sound had occured right before his eyes and it caused a deep disorientation within his very being. He cried out in pain, furrowing out his brow and clenching his teeth.


    "Spirit Elf Magic, Chapter 17 : War Hammer".


    A blinding light suddenly took his sight within a second and in the next, a gate opened in the sky above him.


    Two massive hands with six fingers, large enough to block the sun''s rays and cast a shadow on the surface of half the Arena emerged, a massive silver hammer held firmly between their hands.


    It swung it across the air, causing a distortion to the atmosphere as it slammed Jane into the ground.


    A loud sonic explosion occurred on impact and a furious groan and snapping of bone echoed within the Arena as Jane''s body formed a crater within the crater.


    Darell, floating in the air, possessed silver wings that kept him in flight. His hands placed gently on the opened Grimoire.


    He heaved terribly, his chest raising and falling wildly as he stared at the spot Jane had crashed into, a glimmer of false hope brewing in his heart.


    The grimoire was taking a toll on his mana, and he had used far more spells than he had intended to. ''At this rate...I''ll exhaust myself to death''. He chuckled at the thought when he noticed a sharp golden aura through the dust that swirled in the air.


    "How annoying". He cried out in annoyance when the figure flew out of the crater, charging with great speed towards Darell.


    He cursed, flapped his wings and dodged the incoming seemingly, mindless attack, turning around slowly.


    Jane spun his body in the air, floating upside down, his frenzied gaze fixed on Darell as he punched the air.


    The air suddenly rippled with distortion and a thrust of wind was projected towards Darell simultaneously.


    Darell''s gaze flickered and he raised a brow in confusion when he felt a sudden tremendous pain to the left side of his abdomen and a blast of forceful air, blowing his armor into shards of metal


    His eyes widened due to the shock of the pain and the attack and he quickly maneuvered his body, ignoring it as he dodged the multiple incoming more to come.


    "How the fuck are you punching the air at me ?!" He cried out in frustration, clutching his side as blood streamed from the gash.


    The thrust of warped air continued to assault him, causing devastating damages to the ground and the walls of the Arena as he dodged them all.


    He was smart enough to know what kind of power those little thrust of air packed and he wasn''t about to experience it again.


    "Spirit Elf Magic: Chapter 11¨C The Call Of Lightning".


    Minute Dark clouds appeared out of thin air, their tendrils stretching like ghostly fingers to devour the air. It sucked in the light of the sun like an abyss as it grew into enormous proportions, filling the Arena with a melancholic hue.


    As it casted dark shades throughout the Arena, rumbling thunder shook within it Lightning streaming through it like a fearsome dragon.

 Chapter 73- Turn of Events

    The sight of the large ominous dark clouds sent a shiver down the spines of the Spectators as millions of lightning bolts streamed through it like a ball of worms.


    It crackled fiercely throughout the Colosseum, an aura of destruction dyeing its presence in a pitch-black hue.


    "This is the end Jane !" Darell cried out but his voice was swept away by the crackling of millions of lightning as he guided himself in the air, flying away from Jane.


    Jane''s gaze had remained unfazed as he faced the clouds, his body still floating in mid-air.


    The lightning bolts surged forward, streaming directly towards the top of Jane as it began to twirl around each other, descending at the same time towards the golden haired boy.


    It was a sight to behold. Millions of lightning bolts stream downwards, overlapping on itself and increasing in size as a result. The atmosphere around it crackled due to its pressure with sparks of lightning appearing at its side.


    It descended towards Jane with a mighty fury and yet the golden haired boy remained composed.


    Jane clenched his right fist tightly, his left hand stretched forward as he anticipated the falling lightning bolts and when it had reached half its destination, he punched his fist into the air.


    "destruct ascent !". He declared as a mighty blow occurred , distorting the atmosphere and causing a strong invisible force to take shape into a gigantic fist.


    It slammed into the large lightning made up of lightning bolts and caused a sonic explosion on impact.


    The blast pulsating in the air, spreading throughout the Colosseum as an invisible energy.


    The two attacks were locked in a fierce statement, neither able to gain the upper hand.


    The intense struggle for superiority caused havoc in the skies.


    The lightning crackled and bolts slammed into the ground, ravaging the already disfigured Arena. A ferocious wind vortex erupted around the impact, unleashing a deafening wail as iridescent lightning sparks shot out from the sides.


    A sharp glint of hysteria sparked in Jane''s eyes and a mischievous smile plastered on his face as he clenched his right fist tightly. "Again then ! Destruct Ascent !".


    He punched the air again causing the same effect as the previous.


    It shot up, colliding with the invincible force of fist and blowing through the millions of lighting bolts into the dark clouds.


    A deafening noise echoed due to the collision and a blinding explosion occurred, parting the dark clouds into tiny bits.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    As the clouds diffused, golden beams of the sun poured in, banishing the dark shades of the Arena once again.


    Jane basked in the sunlight, stretching his hands forward with great delight. A sigh escaped from his lips, his gaze shaking slightly as he stared at his hand. His thoughts reeling in.


    ''....I''ve used too much power of the gods....my time has shortened greatly''.


    His stigmas had begun to wane indicating the time he had left.


    He turned around, searching for Darell and found him soon enough.


    He stood at one end of the Arena, heaving as he supported himself with his spear and opened grimoire on his other hand.


    In response, the ground within the Crater began to rise upwards seemingly without noise, forming a platform. It filled half of the Crater shut and continued to rise until it didn''t, stopping a few feet away from the upper surface of the wall of the Arena.


    The black mist had risen with it, dissipating in little bits but enough of it had cleared for Jane to find Darell.


    He charged forward immediately, the air distorting due to the sudden force causing a crater within the newly formed platform but he had not noticed it. He was focused on crushing Darell as soon as possible after all.


    He appeared within the next quarter of a second in front of Darell, his fist stretched out for another punch as he aimed it for his head this time.


    If he was going to win then he needed to at least put him unconscious before he had momentum to retaliate.


    His fist had nearly landed, a few millimeters to Darell''s right cheek when Darell suddenly pulled his body to the left leaving Darell to fall forward due to his momentum.


    His gaze followed Darell''s movement, an expression of surprise and confusion etched on his face when the dark mist that had suffused behind Darell cleared.


    His gaze slowly shifted towards the black dust that dissipated, his eyes widening in shock. He strained his body, attempting to at least slow down his momentum when he felt a pat on his back.


    The little pat was all it took for reality to dawn on him. ''I''m going to lose''.


    He glared back at the devious smile of Darell, his thoughts swirling in mad frenzy.


    ''He tricked me ! When did the walls become so close to us ? Weren''t we in the crater a few seconds ago ?'' His mind was bombarded with questions that he couldn''t resolve immediately.


    He could try to fly away, but not without crashing into the wall while at it. Maybe jump ? Or use another gods stigma to teleport out of here but that would take seconds. Seconds were too precious at the moment.


    He needed something that would work now, something that would defile time even for a little bit but he had none. He couldn''t think of a way, he couldn''t blast it either. It would affect the spectators behind the stands.


    A bitter smile appeared on his face, resigning himself to his fate as his fist smashed into the walls of the Arena with a deafening cry.


    It shuddered as it broke down, bits of earthen rocks protruding out of it. The sight was ghastly but yet it held a significant importance.


    He had touched the wall.


    Jane froze on the spot, his stigmas fading and the light in his eyes with it as silence filled the Colosseum.


    It seemed like he had won the battle of power but not the battle of wits.


    He was outsmarted.


    Darell smiled sheepishly behind him, a sigh escaping his lips as he fell to the ground. "Oh dear ! I really didn''t think that would work. Who knew that your enthusiasm in ending this battle quickly would lead to your loss ?". The torsos disappeared and the armor with it.


    He closed the grimoire as it floated in the air and dissipated into bits of bright light.


    "Well, I did....". His smile deepened, his gaze fixed on Jane as he tilted his face up.


    Jane sighed in defeat, his shoulders falling. His gaze swept around the Arena, when he noticed the raised platform.


    ''I see. A spell that doesn''t make a sound when activated....interesting''.

 Chapter 74- A moment of respite

    The fierce battle between the Divine son and the Elven prince had ended with the Elven prince emerging victorious.


    Although Jane had led the battle for most of the confrontation, the outcome was what truly mattered.


    The Patriarchs were rather impressed by his actions and a fight of that caliber could have been stirred from the beginning but it most likely wasn''t.


    Afterall, most of the devastation done to the Arena had been unforeseen.


    The Patriarch of the Kang Lin household, one of the esteemed Spectators, was impressed by the battle, not because of Darell but Jane.


    ''The powers of the gods ? what kind of life had those gods lived ?'' He thought to himself, his gaze slowly shifting towards the Lucia Household podium.


    ''So many mysteries within the twelve great families, who are supposed to be united....How hypocritical''. He thought and looked away stiffly.


    At the Lucia Household podium, Mirable Lucia yawned, it seemed like her son''s loss did not affect her in any way.


    In fact, she was worried that it might unnecessarily affect her son''s progress. However she had ways to ensure that didn''t happen.


    As she watched Michaelo descend to Arena or what was left of it, she turned towards her Assistant and the young girl beside her.


    "see to it that he''s fine. I can''t have my son depressed now, can I ?". She said, not expecting a response to her question.


    They nodded in unison and quickly left through the door to attend to Jane.


    ''Now then....a battle left for today I guess''.


    She turned towards the Aquarius Household, her gaze fixed on Mariam.


    ''I hope the gods save this poor thing''. She giggled lightly, her lips curling up. "Ara, Ara, things are just getting interesting, aren''t they ?".


    Darell and Jane were swiftly escorted to their respective family podiums, a mage attending to each of them as they left.


    They weren''t as physically hurt as they were mentally. It was a fierce battle, one that maybe deserved its own tale.


    The spectators that had left to attend to other tasks might have missed a remarkable battle after all and then again maybe not.


    Nevertheless, there were a lot if not a few valuable lessons to be gleaned from this battle and one of those would be superior abilities can be outsmarted, even if only slightly.


    To succeed, one had to painstakingly find an opening, study their opponent and pick the best terrain that is most advantageous.


    It''s also necessary to know what kind of abilities your opponents possess, so finding a loophole to his personality or whatnot can be located and used as a means of planning a retaliation.


    If there was one thing that seemed unexplainable would be Darell''s last minute dodge. That sort of attack was bound to hit but it missed terribly and it seemed like he had led the fight there, edging towards the walls of the Arena.


    It wasn''t impossible but it meant he had been timing and analyzing it in his own way.


    Though, that kind of notion isn''t attached to absolute power. Absolute power, once held, can never be overturned.


    There is a reason why it is called absolute after all but none of these participants had achieved that yet.


    After all, Jane was a mere 40% but even that could deal that much damage...so what about the Patriarch ? Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine.


    She looked away and clicked her tongue. "it was a friendly joke, I thought you were good at those". She slowly stood up. It seemed like coming outside to get some fresh air had gone back to bite her.


    Mirabel chuckled, watching Kira return through the door and out of her sight, her smile reappearing once again as she hummed melodiously. "Haaaah" she sighed, turning around. "I wonder where Rachael is, I am just so bored".


    She stood up as well, walking away from the podium.


    ****


    Meanwhile, Raph had finished resting and was bored from simply sitting on his bed. He decided to take a walk to find one of his sisters.


    Luckily he did. On opening the door to his room, Morganna stood in front of him.


    Her hand stretched towards the doorknob.


    Raph raised a brow. "You wanted to find me ?" He asked, a curious tone in his voice.


    Morganna nodded. "Yes, in fact. We needed to talk". She said, opening a path for her brother.


    "Is it about adventuring or something ? You were the one that insisted on not going to the Academy". Raph sighed, closing his door behind him as they walked down the hallway.


    "Well, it''s mostly about my traits". She said with a sigh. Raph glanced at her with an intrigued spark in his eyes.


    That was when he noticed their height difference. Morganna must have been seventeen by now but he seemed to be taller than her.


    She noticed his observation and pursed her lips. "What do you think you''re doing, little brother !" She hissed when they stopped at the edge of the hallway.


    In front of them was a window that displayed the town that surrounded the Colosseum and farther down, was a port.


    Raph chuckled. "it''s nothing, I was just wondering when I became so tall". He was about five¨Cseven and that should be tall for most fifteen¨Cyear¨Cold.


    His sister was five¨Cfive,not that she needed height for any reason in particular.


    His tallest sister would be Gloria after all, staggering at five¨Celeven.


    That was definitely tall for a girl.


    "you took Dad''s genes and I took mum''s, leave it at that".


    They watched the scene of the buzzing town for a moment with a smile.


    "My traits, do you remember them ?" Morganna asked, looking up at him.


    He slowly turned to her. "....I do remember how I had to practically coax you into it though".


    She pouted. "I thought we''d been past this". Raph laughed out loud, turning towards the window.


    "I do remember. It was THE EYES OF THE GODS and THE MASTER OF SOULS wasn''t it ?"

 Chapter 75- THE EYE OF THE GODS

    The Town of Highbur, a fishing town northwest of the Kingdom of Lumbrica was a small town that enjoyed the protection of the royal kingdom thanks to its high number of non-combat professionals.


    Most people utilized the System created by the goddess of casualties, Mayura. It was a level-up based system where experience points were obtained throigh various means for non-combatants. While non-combatants could earn points from killing, it was a more challenging task, leading to alternative leveling-up methods.


    As a result, it was common to see a Level 70 Baker,a Level 50 Musician, or even a Level 90 Fisherman. It varied.


    Highbur Town significantly contributed to the number of non-combatants specialists each year, performing tasks such as blacksmithing, cooking, alchemy, research and more.


    They contribute to society in ways that combatants never could, thus maintaining an equilibrium.


    The town of Highbur was a large, unremarkable town, consisting of three districts surrounding the central Colosseum.


    Long pillars reaching the sky stood tall at different intervals indicating the districts.


    South of the Colosseum, lay the high-tier district. Here, most households had at least three individuals that had an average Level of seventy.


    It included both non-combatants and combatants. Though the former were more.


    The buildings were mostly bright oak wood, with marbled streets and well spaced houses. Trees stood tall at distinctive intervals and the expressions of its occupants were buzzing with life.


    Some of the occupants here held low noble status but that didn''t mean they weren''t of nobility.


    Southwest and west districts formed the mid-tier district. Here, at least five individuals from each household had an average level of fifty. This also included combatants and non-combatants, the latter being more.


    The buildings were similar to those in the South but smaller. While it''s streets were marbled, they weren''t as well¨Cmaintained with minor damages noticable at different intervals.


    The occupants were not of nobility, except for those demoted from the high-tier district. Nevertheless, it was a safe and bustling environment.


    Lastly, North and East of the Colosseum lay the Low-tier district, otherwise known as the slums. It was mostly occupied by low level fishermen and other non-combatant classes.


    The buildings were poorly maintained and the streets were disoriented, making it impossible for Carriages to pass through.


    It was a dangerous environment where criminals gathered, and a lot of underground activities were rampart. Some unknown even to the Kingdom.


    Towards the Northeast was the vast sea, the main site of the fishermen and a port that traveled throughout the continent.


    She stared at him for a short moment, her thoughts lingering. "Because out of the visions I''ve seen, yours are the most peculiar....for some reason, fate seems to be...bending ? Yes. let''s say bending. It''s bending towards you....almost like you''re the one changing it...".


    Raph gulped, but his expressions renained stoic. He had never once thought of exposing himself as a regressor to his family and he wasn''t about to be cornered into it. And even if he did decide to let them know, it would be when it felt right.


    Nothing good could come out of his secret getting out. Him knowing the future is already a boost, there''s no saying what the other families would do either.


    "Let''s say I really am the one...then what, Morganna ?"


    She flinched, her eyes slightly widened but then turned away, pursing her lips. "Oh please, don''t say things like that. It would be better if you weren''t. The future is changing anyways and when it does completely, it will be out of anyone''s control".


    Raph pondered her words, his eyes sloping. She was right; the future had changed a couple of times already. The number of participants, for example, had been reduced, and a few battles that had never taken place occured. He won, unlike his previous life, and he was going to keep on winning. His actions will to continue alter the future, even if it meant affecting fate.


    But even that...ought to have consequences ? Would there even be consequences for a regressor ? He pondered these things for a moment but shrugged it off eventually. Now was not the time for such.


    He had to admit, he wasn''t going to let things go according to his previous life, and if it meant changing everything in order to do so, then he would.


    "Can...Can you keep this to ourselves ?" He asked, a sigh escaping his lips when he noticed some bizarre movements going on in the Northern district.


    His sister remained quiet for a moment, then sighed as well. "I intend on doing so". She responded, her gaze fixed on the erratic movements as well, her eyebrow arching in the process. "is...is that an Elf ?" She asked, her tone puzzled at the sight before them.


    "Yes...and those men seem to be dragging her out of a box of some sort ?" Raph muttered, loud enough for her to hear his response as he placed his hand on his chin. "Holy shit ?! Are they kidnapping her ? What''s an elf doing here even ?" He cried out in realization.


    He attempted to climb through the Window when Morganna stopped him. " Where do you think you''re going ? We should let Father or Gloria know" She said, a hushed tone in her voice.


    Raph stared at her, his brow arching and then turned towards the movement again. It seemed like they were bringing out another Elf from the box and then a therianthrope.


    "Erm....sister, you do realize they may be gone by the time we call and assemble them ?" He asked, his gaze fixed on the rather disturbing sight.


    His sister sighed, knowing there was nothing stopping him at this point. She slowly let him go but then held him again.


    "I''m coming with you though"


    Raph nodded, swiftly climbed down the window and picked up his sister in a bridal style. She let out a startled yelp, but before she could protest further, he leaped out of the window, carrying her with him.


    A figure stood behind the whole scene, a surprised expression etched on her face, but then it curled upwards into a tight smile. "Ara, Ara. How interesting".

 Chapter 76- JANG KANG LIN VS MARIAM AQUARIUS

    Ambered sunbeams descended upon the Colosseum, infusing it with a new energy that revitalized the aura surrounding it. The Spectators began to settle down in their positions as the finale was about to begin and most people decided to stay until the very end.


    Although the crowd had diminished, those remaining were most likely driven by sportsmanship after all¨C a finale of the Martial Son and the Mermaid Warrior wouldn''t exactly be peak if they could guess the victor.


    Speaking of which, the participants had already gathered on the Arena which once again stood pristine, illuminated by the sun''s rays. The mages had done a splendid job at patching up the damages, restoring it to its former glory.


    In the middle of the Arena, the participants faced each other within a safe distance and their referee, Michaelo Jun stood in their presence.


    One was an elegant aqua blue haired beauty, her tresses cascading like a river of crystal blue. Her aquamarine eyes shone with a brilliance that commanded attention , their sparkle hinting at a strength that lay beneath.


    Her delicate yet curvaceous figure exuded an aura of reverence, as if the very sunlight dancing across her ivory skin was drawn to her radiance. The sailors outfit she wore seemed tailor¨Cmade for her petite frame, accentuating her charm with a perfect blend of sweetness.


    The other was a young man, a striking contrast to the girl. His dark onyx hair fell across his forehead, framing fearsome crimson eyes that seemed to burn with intensity. His gaze was heavy and intimidating, inspiring a mix of awe and reverence in those who dared meet his eyes.


    An aura of diligent strength and unyielding resolve swirled around him, as if forged from his very being as he folded his hands.


    He wore a sleek black jeogori, its fitted designs accentuating his muscular physique, paired with loose-fitted black baji pants. A golden belt clenched his waist, adorned in silver embroidery.


    His black murim uniform exuded an aura that complimented the young man nicely.


    His gaze was currently locked on Mariam, a scowl on his face as they anticipated the start of the match.


    "You wish to fight me ? You who have come this far through luck ?" He asked, his tone laced with rational arrogance.


    Mariam''s gaze remained steadfast in her own way. She clenched her fist tightly and pondered on the few seconds she had left to think.


    She never had a problem with the Kang Lin household but it seemed she wanted to fight to win this battle. It was getting rather annoying how people expected her to lose simply because his household is much stronger.


    ''Well sure, he''s a powerful opponent...but I can tire him out right ? Ciara did a wonderful job on her part''. Memories of the battle that had undergone between Ciara and Raph flashed through her mind but it wasn''t enough to placate the unease that grew within her heart.


    "I...I simply don''t want a lesson to pass me by". She replied, newfound courage slowly building up. It didn''t matter if she won or lost; all she needed to do was give her best and even someone like Jang would have to think twice before charging straight in.


    She would take this match as a practice match; if there was no way to win then she would struggle until her last strength. That was a promise she made to herself. There was no way she would win in the finals if she were to somehow make it through anyways.


    After seeing Raph emerge victorious even after being pulled around and beaten to an extent by Ciara, it made her realize a few things about that boy.


    One was that he was far scarier to face than Jang Kang Lin. At least one couldn''t control people with their eyes. The thought of it sent a shiver down her spine.


    Some residents had caught wind of the noise, after all the slums were still bustling with people even if the mood was rather dull.


    Raph ignored their panicked gazes and rushed forward, his sister yelping loudly.


    "Ra¨CRaph ! What do you think you''re doing ?!" She asked loudly, attempting to fight her way back to the ground.


    "Don''t be embarrassed Morganna, we won''t catch up with your speed so I need to get there with mine". Raph answered, running on a cloth line and jumping onto the roof of another building.


    A resident screaming in protest of what he had done.


    Morganna remained still for a moment then sighed. "this stays between the both of us" She said sternly, folding her hands and resigning herself to her fate.


    "That what ? your handsome brother picked you up like a princess ?" He asked, an amused tone in his voice as he smirked at her.


    Her pupils constricted and her cheeks grew red. "you better not you, brat !".


    Raph laughed out loud, jumping onto another building where he spotted some children attacking a dog.


    His gaze softened and a sigh escaped his lips. ''The slums....It''s a terrible place to be born in...''. He thought but he couldn''t let these thoughts distract him at the moment, after all he might have discovered something that may further alter the future as it is.


    ''The Red Auction House''. He thought, old memories running through his mind, causing an expression of disgust to etch on his face.


    "Sister, you saw what I saw right ? Those people were going to sell them. The Demi-humans".


    Morganna hesitated for a moment, then turned towards the sky. "I did. We will stop it while we can, and get back up as soon as possible". She said with a determined tone in her voice, her gaze shifting slightly.


    "not to worry about that, I felt a third presence behind us before we left. They should have notified Dad by now, and the others will be aware". Raph said, noticing her sudden change in mood but withholding himself from answering further questions.


    Morganna''s eyes widened softly. "Oh...I didn''t know that".


    Raph''s smile widened. "what can I say, I have really good intuition".


    He jumped onto another building and spotted the giant box a few more kilometers away.


    It seemed they were about pulling the last demi-human out of the box and forcing her into a line. A scowl grew on his face and his brows furrowed. ''All women ? I do not like this''. He thought to himself, a deepend resolve growing in his chest as he increased his pace.


    "We have to save them. No matter what".

 Chapter 77- Gonzalo

    Gonzalo Jean, a bulky man in his late twenties had brown hair, a brown goatee and a vertical scar on the left side of his well proportioned masculine face.


    The scar contrasted to his otherwise sorted facial features, brightening his appearance.


    His most prominent features would be the golden piercings on his lips, nose and ears, and the heavy golden chains, wrapped around his neck. His fingers were adorned with at least a golden ring. He was an eccentric that liked flaunting out his riches in the most peculiar way.


    He saw himself as a righteous man in a corrupt society. Society tugged and pushed him like a broken doll and he retaliated by punching it back with equal force.


    He resented being forced to bow to the superiors that this so-called Society had imposed on them.


    That included the so called King of Lumbrica. He always told himself that if the goddess mayura thought it a good idea to put those immature buffoon, then she as well must have been a buffoon as well.


    Nothing they did ever made sense in his head, honestly.


    He pulled out his cigarette, and checked the time on a golden analogue watch. It was the latest model he had GENUINELY obtained from a branch of the Green magic tower.


    When one of his goons snapped him back to reality.


    "Hey boss, we just offloaded the last merchandise". A man with lacking features walked up to him and said.


    Gonzalo looked up at him, his gaze lingering for a while before it shifted to the twenty demi-humans lined up by their race.


    As an UPRIGHT man, he was the head of a branch of an underground society known as the Red Peacemakers.


    They performed various tasks that ranged from repossessing of valuable magic tech (stealing). Safe relocation of precious assets to a secure environment, where they strive under strict expert care (kidnapping). Running of honest businesses that harpoon money into the society (scammers) and many more.


    It was a really ''honest'' business whenever he thought of it and the gains were truly impressive.


    Just these twenty demi-humans already made him a billionaire, it was no wonder he liked showcasing his wealth.


    Though, the location was far from ideal.


    He hated the thought of being a subordinate, and the head of a ''branch'' of an honest business never sat well with him. He was a Level 80 berserker after all, someone like him belonged further up the chain of command.


    Not to talk of the location, the slums ? Of all places, the slums was where he had been posted to carry out his duties.


    What sort of shitty situation was that ? It was an annoying feeling that haunted his pride whenever he thought of it so he did as much as he could to avoid thinking about it.


    Currently, they were in front of a stone bastion with authentic doors and structured foundation. It was the one place he sought refuge in this god forsaken filth of a city.


    Surrounding that bastion were tall walls with ceramic roof plates and further down, was a gate. The muddy ground left a deep boot imprint on the muddy boots of the five men surrounding twenty demi-humans, who were left barefooted.


    Gonzalo clicked his tongue, tapping the butt of his cigarette as he scanned through the demi-humans consisting of four elves, five werewolves, nine werecats and a reptilia.


    They had hit the jackpot this time.


    Each of the girls had remarkable young features that were hidden in the midst of dust and mud. Their wrists and ankles were bound to manacles, and thick shackles wrapped tightly around their neck.


    Each shackle was linked to a chain, which a man at the front of the line held, pulling the demi-humans when he moved.


    The girl glanced at the men that had surrounded her while her fellow captives stole quick glances at her, scared they might infuriate the humans that bound them.


    "you will face death soon, I can smell it". The girl snickered bitterly and a harsh sound echoed as one of the men''s palms struck her face with a loud smack. At least it was just a slap.


    The girl groaned lightly, her head jerking to the side due to the force.


    The men remained silent for a while, perhaps in deep contemplation when they heard their boss quickly approaching them.


    "Gordon ! Go call out the men now !" He cried out in a frenzy.


    His men glanced at each other, etched with confusion when the man that slapped the werewolf nodded and quickly walked towards the bastion.


    Gonzalo bit his lips, instructing his men to fortify their defense at once.


    He walked towards the chain and pulled it himself, quickly leading the girls to their pens. "You lot, be quiet and follow me !" His voice sent his men in a state of urgency as they rushed around in order to get his tasks done.


    ''What is this, What is this feeling ?'' He thought to himself. He was surrounded by fifty men in the late sixties level and yet his heart was beating terribly fast in a state of panic.


    ''The twelve families ? But they''ve never paid attention to the slums ! Ever !'' His mind raced with thoughts as he walked into the bastion, pulling harder on the chain.


    Four men pulled two ballistas past them, and that sight alone began to spark an unknown sensation within the twenty captives.


    What was it ? Hope perhaps ? They didn''t know and quite frankly, being hopeful was merely a privilege at this point.


    But one of them, the werewolf with silver hair and fierce silver eyes. Two pointy beast ears protruding out of her messy muddied hair. She thought differently. As a member of the Werewolf clan compared to her peers, she always had a keen sense of smell and what she smelt now was evident.


    The scent of death. Her fangs could not help but protrude out of her mouth as her lips curled up into a devious smile. She lowered her head from her enemy''s gaze.


    Gonzalo had gotten past his men and opened a door that led further down a row of dark stairs into a basement.


    He quickly rushed down, pulling the captives with his brutal force and forcefully making them quicken their paces.


    Some had fallen and were pulled until they got back up while some quickly resisted and walked faster, a new sensation burning in their chest.


    He was about to turn towards another junction when a large sharp blue spike pierced through the wall and forced him to a halt.


    He held his breath as a cold mist emanated from the ice spike. Horror was etched on his face.


    ''What, I knew it...Have I ? Have I been marked ?'' He thought to himself when loud screams of horror shook the walls of the Bastion.


    His men were crying helplessly and he didn''t know who or what was causing it.


    What he did know was the feeling of dread that coursed through his body when he turned towards the direction of the Colosseum.


    He hesitated, then threw aside the chains and pushed the demi-humans away as he sprinted back up. He wasn''t going to let whatever creature tear down his domain !.


    This was the slums! Every single resident knew to fear him so how dare someone come to his door and cause a mess on his door steps.


    No ! He won''t let that slide. Pushing aside his earlier hesitation, he ran up in a frenzied anger, his countenance turning grim with darkness.

 Chapter 78- Battle at Bastion Begins

    A FEW MINUTES AGO.


    On a roof, almost seven kilometers away from the Bastion, stood a white haired boy with white translucent eyes that held much depth to it.


    He folded his hands quietly, his eyes deeply fixed on the bastion while a blue haired girl sat on the edge of the rooftop next to him. A brilliance of innocence and gentle beauty swirling around her.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What do you see with those eyes ?" She asked, curiosity laced in her tone as she turned to her younger brother.


    The boy smiled enigmatically. "I see them, fifty one of them....". Then he thought to himself ''and just as I thought....notorious bad boy, Gonzalo Jean is also there''.


    The girl''s gaze lingered on him for a while. "so, what now ?" She asked, her brow raised in an arch.


    He shrugged. "We''re going in....they might be more captives within the tower so it''s best we act quickly".


    His sister turned away and remained silent for a short moment. "a bastion". She said with a hint of amusement.


    Raph looked puzzled when she repeated herself as she stood up. "that''s a bastion, silly younger brother"


    He chuckled, walking towards her. "Oh, Alright".


    "but who would have thought slave merchants operated in the slums". Morganna said, her arms folded as she sighed.


    They glanced at the residents that stole quick glances at them. Some curious kids had blatantly stared at them when an adult would quickly grab them away.


    It seemed like they avoided them like a plague, not that they cared.


    "Well, that answers my question". She looked away, her gaze fixed on the bastion now.


    The residents of the Lower district were mostly vagabonds and very few of them actually perform descent jobs in order to earn money. It''s no wonder, atrocities such as demi-human slave trade were occurring in this part of the town.


    "It''s sad..." She muttered to herself, loud enough for her brother to hear.


    He tapped her lightly and leaped towards another building.


    "I''ve marked them with my eyes. They are currently a single master and the remaining fifty seem to be either in the early stages of the 7th star or late stages of the 6th star".


    This was part of his see through abilities. Once he records a particular aura, it stays like a magnet in his mind and he can locate them as long as they are in his view regardless of obstructions.


    Aura, mana, ki, murderous intent. All forms of energy had a way of leaking out and his eyes detected it all.


    "Gonzalo". He whispered to himself, leaping onto another roof and running forward while his sister followed quickly behind him.


    She may not seem much but she was a 6th circle magician and a good one at that. She would have surely surpassed her sisters if she had decided to learn magic much earlier but in all, she was strong.


    Together with her trait, she was more than a match for most of the 7th circles or stars.


    Raph''s thoughts drifted to his past life as he landed on top of another ceramic roof plate.


    ''Gonzalo Jean, a notorious bad boy that rose within the Peacemakers in just three years'' He thought to himself, his brows furrowing deeply.


    "Um, Dear brother...perhaps they are preparing to fight an army ?"


    His sister asked with a puzzled tone as the wind began to recede in speed when their destination arrived upon them.


    Raph chuckled, jumping out of the wind''s embrace into the air as he declared. "No, we are much more than an army".


    The ballistas fired rapidly in quick progression towards the flying human, but the human didn''t flinch. Read exclusive adventures at empire


    He stretched his hands forward.


    "6th tier magic : Raging Inferno".


    A blast of deep crimson fire incinerated the arrows to a crisp as a cold chill exuded from lips.


    "Everything is ice". He clenched his right hand tightly as he crashed into the ground with great force, mud splattering around. "glacier spire !".


    A blue foggy mist exuded from his body around and tall chunks of snow and ice protruded out of the mist in a rapid manner, spreading throughout the complex unto the ballistas, freezing them on the spot and climbing up to the bastion.


    It made the earth shudder and a sickening cold emanated from its spires.


    The fifty men armed to the teeth, with different professions of the system, were gathered in front of the bastion.


    Some further behind while a few more further ahead towards the gate.


    They had surrounded the human completely while shivering slightly due to the cold.


    One of the prominent goons out of the fifty walked forward. "do you not know which establishment this is ?" The man asked, his tone laced with annoyance while the fog cleared revealing the white haired, young boy.


    The man twitched but then a smile crossed his face. "what ? I thought you were a member of the twelve great families or something....but you''re just a blind boy".


    The man said, easing the tension within the hearts of the rest.


    "Oh ? Did you get lost, kid ?" Another cried out. Then slowly, they grew lighthearted on seeing the boy but Raph, the young boy in question decided not to reply.


    He simply smiled, fighting off the temptation of laughter.


    The man approached Raph, towering over him easily. Although Raph was tall for his age, he had to admit that he looked rather small compared to this man.


    He must be one of the soldiers in charge of Bastion, was what Raph thought.


    "Now, kid...I will have to take you under custody". The man said with authority in his tone, tapping the shoulder of the boy when his body froze and a blue foggy chill spread throughout his body.


    The man gasped for air and grunted in pain, feeling a cold sensation quickly spreading its way through his body like cancer until he was no longer able to make any more movements.


    He froze. Turning into a sculpture of ice within five seconds.


    Raph turned towards the gate, his lips curling into a smile, as a powerful wind blasted the gates open, sending half of the guards flying, their cries dying with the wind.


    His immaculate sister stepped into the compound, a smile on her face.


    "Shall we sort this out then".

 Chapter 79- Martial Son

    "he did what ?!"


    in the well¨Clit illuminated room of the highbur colosseum guest room four figures bathed in the ethereal glow from the bright sunlight streaming through the open window.


    the guest room was much larger compared to the rest. well, that reason would simply be because it was the room owned by the patriarch of the jun household.


    it was more spacious and the furniture were rather antique, showcasing sophisticated wood work, crafted with precision and diligence by a skilled carpenter.


    a four poster master bedroom with dark blue curtains tied with a white ribbon alongside an antique clock.


    a red silky carpet covered the center of the room where a desk and three chairs occupied.


    notably, it was actually one of the few rooms which had a clock, and that would be because michaelo was a man of punctuality. he always kept a time piece with him.


    in that well lit room, the patriarch of the jun household had just stepped in to find his wife and first daughter, gloria engaged in a conversation with the patriarch of the lucia family.


    she had welcomed him with a smile before dropping a bombshell.


    "it seems your kids like to adventure, fu fu fu" mirabel giggled lightly, placing her hand on her lips as she said so.


    michaelo sighed, leaning the wall as his thoughts reeled.


    "so, what you''re saying is..my son and daughter, morganna, went out to take care of some slave merchants ?" he asked, as if doubting his own thoughts.


    they all nodded in unison. funnily enough, none seemed to be in a state of panic. instead, they felt something different. was it perhaps surprise ? that something like that was going on behind their backs all this time.


    though, mirabel lucia thought differently. she couldn''t fathom her son acting without consulting her first and found their calm reactions rather odd.


    "should we inform the king ? this is part of his kingdom ?" gloria asked, her tone laced with concern for her younger siblings.


    well, they had to at least worry. after all, morganna and raph, together with thalia were the weakest trio within the family.


    it was only right for her to worry as their big sister.


    "no, including the king in this matter will only cause the people to worry". rachael replied, her gaze fixed on her husband. "we should get some guards¨Cbryne son goku and silvan as well. as patriarchs, they are in charge of beastkins and elf''s after all".


    enjoy new tales from empire


    michaelo remained still for awhile. "it''s good raph was able to spot them as he did, we might not have even known about the matter if they hadn''t walked up to that window". he lingered for a moment before turning towards his wife. "getting two patriarchs will also raise concern. let''s take silvan with you, and then byrne''s assistant as well".


    his wife and daughter nodded in unison while a confused expression grew on mirabels face. "...we¨Cwell, all that is good but what about your son and daughter''s punishment ?" she asked, curiosity etched in her voice.


    the three juns turned towards her in unison, holding different expressions.


    the light in her eyes flickered, dancing with the depth of her breath. her gaze was fixed up on the floating human, jang kang lin.


    ''he...he''s too strong''. she thought to herself.


    her ocean call, where she summoned a tide of water on any landscape to create a territory of her own, had been hindered embarrassingly easily.


    a deep hole was left in the middle of the arena, serving as a drainage hole, and she wasn''t sure how deep it was, but she had summoned ocean call thrice and they all drained into the seemingly endless deep hole.


    and then he was floating, she didn''t know much about martial arts but what she knew was the ranking system they used.


    there were nine of them, each encompassing a certain level of mystery and aura.


    the first was ki foundation, where martial artists grasped the feeling of ki for the first time and slowly established the foundation for further growth. this stage was called novice.


    the second was ki assimilation, where they learned how to assimilate their ki into their physical attributes and exhibit superhuman qualities for the first time.


    this level was similar to the 1st and 2nd star or circles of swordsmen and magicians. this stage was called practitioners.


    the third was the first awakening and the core formation, where they formed their first dantians. they perform basic martial arts and their superhuman qualities were further enhanced. this was similar to 4th stars and circles, and this level of mastery was called warrior.


    the fourth was core expansion where their dantian grew further still. this was a crucial level for all martial artists because depending on how much ki they store within their dantian, the level of proficiency of their martials arts will differ greatly.


    it was a level that could be easily skipped after storing a basic amount of ki or prolonged for years to strengthen the foundation of their future martial arts. they were called expert warriors.


    the fifth was soul foundation, where the second dantian was formed, strengthening not just the body but the soul as well. advanced martial arts were practiced at this level, and it is equivalent to 7th stars or circles practitioners. they were called adept warriors.


    the sixth was the second awakening and the body tempering, where the soul and body were linked and thus, a martial physique was formed according to foundation and amount of ki gathered. thus it varies greatly.


    martial artists were able to perform specific supernatural abilities related to their arts, and expert martial arts can be practiced while furthering their advanced martial arts.


    supernatural abilities such as pyrokinesis, flight, teleportation, foresight and so on were all exhibited during this stage. this was equivalent to an 8th and 9th star master or 8th and 9th star mage depending on their levels. they were called masters.


    the seventh was the psyche harmony and the formation of their third dantian which is the one of the mind. here, the mind was involved, and their mastery of martial arts was further improved.


    the amount of ki made a drastic difference as those with deep, vaster ki centers were awarded with immaculate strength and proficiency. further supernatural abilities were exhibited, and their five senses were enhanced. they were equivalent to 9th to 11th stars or circles, depending on the amount of ki. they were called grandmasters.


    the eighth and ninth were unknown to her, as their mastery was on an entirely different level. they said the third awakening was the awakening of a demigod and the beginning stages of ascension, but even the patriarch had not reached that level, stopping merely at the eighth rank, and they were called transcendents.


    all ranks were broken into three stages: the early stage, the mid stage and the late stage, and jang kang lin seemed to be in the mid stage of the sixth rank. in other words, he was a master.


    she sighed deeply, seemingly accepting her fate as she lowered her head. her body straightened as she stood up amidst the protest against it.


    with crimson blood dribbling down her body and soaking her battle attire in a scarlet hue, she looked up. resilience burning brightly within her eyes.

 Chapter 80- And So there were Three

    as the sun''s rays cast a luminous glow on the arena, a mermaid warrior stood with resilience, her hidden strength glowing within her eyes.


    she had called forth all her mana, and all the power that had been bestowed upon her by the sea.


    she was a warrior of the mermaids and their princess. a power far nobler and stronger than most. yet, she was merely at the beginning, and it wasn''t enough to face the martial son. amidst this wall, she found courage and strength to try and prevail in any way she could.


    her resolve suffused the air as blue mana surged out of her body, growing rapidly. the six circles within swirled around like the dance of the waves.


    though the royal family made use of circles, theirs was a rather specific type.


    crafted from water and an ethereal glow that shone when they danced in harmony. it was a spectacular sight.


    the crowds stared in awe and reverence, hoping that their princess may emerge victorious. perhaps this was blind fate ? they didn''t know, but they felt driven to support her, at all cost, with all their hearts.


    this was known as the power to move hearts and not just the sea¨Cthe ocean call.


    "oh, i presume you are going all out then ?" jang kang lin''s voice echoed in the arena, his steady gaze fixed on her, glowing with an otherworldly hue. "then, do your best, princess, and maybe you shall get the reward you deserve".


    his voice echoed with self-confidence as he folded his hands.


    mariam charged forward with impeccable strength, the ground depressing as a crater formed and water swirled out like a fountain.


    it surged around her triton as she jumped into the air, swinging her triton down with amicable strength.


    her muscles contracted, and a flowing stream of water surged around the tip of her spear, rotating at an incredible speed.


    "1st primordial ocean technique : twirl strike"


    she thrust her triton towards jang, a burning intensity glinting in her eyes.


    this was the only technique she could master so far, but after fighting and seeing many strong opponents, and how easily they used their family techniques, she decided to let this be the last time she lost.


    jang thrust his fist towards the tip of her triton as a burning flame grew from within. his yang energy surged forward, brimming with a red-yellow intensity as a sparkling red flame ignited in his scarlet eyes.


    "3rd step of the imperial mystic kang arts : flames o''kneel".


    the flames surged through his body to the tip of his fist as it collided with the triton, a pulsating feeling of energy surging through his body as a mighty forceful blast occurred.no?v(el)b\\jnn


    the sky shone blinding white as a luminous glow ignited from the clash of attacks.


    the force of the flame blew the triton and the young warrior with it, flinging her body weakly towards the arena walls and crashing into it with great force.


    a loud explosion occurred, and a pulsating force blasted throughout the arena as flames surged out from the ground, swirling towards mariam before halting abruptly and dispersing into ash.


    jang kang lin floated in the midst of soot and ash, staring coldly at the unconscious body of the mermaid warrior stuck to the walls of the arena.


    raph shrugged. "remember i said i saw an 8th star ?"


    her eyes widened slightly and she looked around wearily. "that''s true".


    raph turned towards the bastion and approached it, his sister followed quietly, her arms on her wand, ready to strike at any moment''s notice.


    "oh, and regarding your question, only specific professions can acquire high skills....you should know this as an adventurer" experience tales at empire


    morganna chuckled. "well, i only recently joined a guild, so i haven''t been in touch with...my other guild members". she said awkwardly as they walked into the bastion, looking around.


    the space was empty, with a silence¨Ca haunting silence, and it resembled a warehouse. they looked around, noticing distinctive features like chains and padlocks.


    "they kept the ballistas here ?" raph asked, his eyebrow raised into an arch.


    "seems so" his sister replied, a tone of curiosity etched in her voice. they lingered for a while before continuing forward, their senses on high alert.


    it was possible for them to get ambushed but with raph''s eyes and morganna searching magic, it was possible for them to fight off against any weaker attack.


    after a while, they arrived at a hallway with three doors: two on the sides and one in front.


    they glanced at each other, nodded and separated. raph entered the left room and she took the right.


    upon entering the left, the smell of boiling meat flooded his nose, a rather invigorating scent at that.


    he looked around carefully, thinking to himself, ''a kitchen''.


    there was a wooden cabinet on the walls and a large table in the center.


    on the table were unwashed and washed ceramic plates and pots left in disarray.


    a large basin with running water from a pump sat opposite the table, next to a coal oven burning brightly.


    a coal stove and a fan was placed on the other side of the basin with a wooden stool next to it.


    a large iron pot was placed on the stove, the pot erupting in a furious boil while the content churned and spluttered wildly.


    a chopboard was placed on the table and a knife next to it. his brows furrowed slightly as he felt a second, smaller and insignificant presence. it should be one of the residents then, was what he thought.


    he walked in slowly, taking notes of the cast-iron pots and pans hanging from the walls when he stopped by a portrait.


    it was a weird drawing of the royal family which caught his attention, but a clatter echoed in the kitchen.


    a sigh exuded his lips as a kitchen knife was pressed against the front of his neck.


    "if you so much as move a muscle, then i''ll kill you".

 Chapter 81- Rina

    dim lights from the window frame pierced through the kitchen, casting a gloomy glow around raph.


    it wasn''t like he had not heard her coming, of course he did. but she wouldn''t reveal herself if she knew he was aware of her presence already and he didn''t want to spend unnecessary energy to force her out. so, this outcome was convenient.


    raph remained still for a moment, then hesitated as he attempted to turn around. she grasped the back of his shirt tightly and pressed the knife further, freckles of blood dribbling down as she said hoarsely.


    "don''t move".


    well now that he coaxed her out of hiding, planning what to do next was delicate. whoever this girl''s identity was, pointed clearly to being their chef and the tone of her voice was laced with a hidden fear. a fear she tried desperately to hide by being tough but he could easily point it out.


    "relax, i''m not one of gonzalo''s men" he whispered quietly, trying to placate the girl. her grip on the knife shifted, but then held firm.


    "what was that noise outside ? did you come here with an army to take his place ? what part or the red peacemakers are you from ?"


    her questions echoed softly in his head. "so you know about the red peacemakers then ? are you a staff ?" he asked, curiosity laced in his tone.


    the girl hesitated, her breath shaky as she asked. "wha¨Cwhat do you mean ? aren''t you one of them ?". her grip became slightly loose while it shook.


    raph sighed. "if i was, i should have killed you long ago. don''t they have ways of detecting people''s presence ?" he asked.


    the girl shook her head and then slowly lowered the knife.


    "...how...how can i trust you ?" she asked, a mix of emotions etched in her voice.


    raph slowly turned around, pushing her knife away, and stared deeply into the hazel eyes of a young dirty¨Cbrown haired girl that seemed to be in her late teens.


    soot and dirt covered her face, and her hair was tied in a messy bun. her maid''s attire was covered with dirt from hiding and soot from the coal stove.


    "i am raffaelo of the jun household. you can trust me". he said sternly, staring deeply into her eyes as she took a few steps back, her gaze locked with his.


    a moment of silence passed, the girl staring at him with a raised brow, as if contemplating deeply. her face turned into a scowl when she grabbed a pan and threw it at him.


    raph dodged, and she picked up the knife to attack him.


    he swiftly dodged her attack and grabbed her hands, locking them tightly behind her.


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    "what do you think you''re doing ?" raph asked, with a raised tone.


    the girl cackled loudly. "you think¨Cyou think you can fool me ? a member of the twelve great families is never blind !" she cried out, whipping and lashing her body in a desperate attempt to escape his grasp but it was futile.


    his hold on her was firm but she seemed adamant on escaping.


    "i only look blind ! i can see fine !".


    "then, you came to save them ? the beast folks ?"


    they both nodded in unison. "though, we decided to check separately". morganna said, turning towards her brother. "the door i took led to an armory. it should be the last door".


    raph nodded as they walked out of the kitchen and towards the last door, rina following behind them.


    "you know the way, right ? you seem to be the chef". raph asked, giving way for rina to take the lead.


    rina nodded, opening the door that led to a large hall with tables and benches.


    the hall was suffused with dim sunlight penetrating through the opaque windows and a podium stood farther away from the benches, a table and chair placed there for a single person, most likely the leader.


    some wooden plates had been set while the benches were left in disarray.


    "they seemed alarmed a while ago, was it because of you two ?" she asked, curiosity in her tone as they walked through the hall towards another door by their left.


    raph observed the hall, the humid sensation creeping up his skin. "yes, and now we can''t find the leader and the captives".


    rina stole a glance or two from them and they noticed her frantic behavior quickly, when they got to the door.


    "what is it ?" raph asked, his eyebrows raised into an arch.


    she flinched as she opened the door leading down to a basement. "why didn''t the great families come all this time? the number of beast folks that have been sold...and abused...i can''t even begin to fathom". her breath was shaky as they walked down the stairs. "we needed help, they needed help.


    i didn''t mind what they did to me but the beast folks were another issue, they did terrible...horrendous things to them ! and ! and ! and all this while the king and twelve families have been seating nicely, enjoying their counterfeit peace while worms like us were suffering".


    her breath was shaky, taking a stop and leaning on the walls of the stairs as tears swelled up in her eyes.


    raph and morganna watched her silently, knowing words of affirmation would not suffice. it was true that business of the slums wasnt of concern to the higher¨Cups and that was why it was difficult to capture gonzalo jean at the time in his past life.


    though things may have strayed a little from his past life, the fear and pain that those men had imbued in these women were very much in the present.


    morganna walked down the stairs and tapped her gently.


    " ..although, an apology may not be helpful right now but what i can give to you is a word of advice". her voice grew stern, and her eyes pierced through rina''s eyes sharply.


    "be it in the slums or the royal palace, a single rule conquers all and that rule is, power.


    power to protect oneself, to protect our loved ones, to protect our self interests, our goals and our ambitions. only the strong strive.


    why do you think those vagabonds of humans haven''t attempted to kidnap royalties or the king of elves himself or the mermaid king ? because they are powerful and they have powerful forces around them.


    they would need an army, they would need to wage war in order to bring them to their knees and they are frankly incapable of that, and that is because they are weak.


    in this wicked world where anything goes on, you must be strong, you must be in that percentage of society that has it. you must have power".

 Chapter 82- Neko beast

    quite frankly, power, in itself, is sort of an overrated concept. people in society strive and train in order to gain wealth and strength, whether through connection or hard work, those in power control those below them.


    a system like that is bound to crumble but yet it persists. why, you ask ? because power is dynamic.


    it changes with time and those in power will continue to be replaced by stronger and wealthier individuals. it simply means that it is possible to grasp this sort of power for ourselves.


    it''s not an easy thing though, people strive to obtain it but merely crumble to dust under the pressure. however, a small percentage of society with determination and a little helping hand at times, can obtain that power.


    in the kingdom of lumbrica where danger lurks in the most unprecedented corners and dangerous individuals fill the streets on a daily basis. power was a necessity to at least be strong enough to protect ourselves and our loved ones. but even that fails at times.


    raph''s gaze was fixed on his sister, a calm hue in his eyes. a smile made its way on his lips as he recalled his past conversation he had with morganna.


    ''becoming an adventurer might have opened her eyes to other things''. he thought and he was glad it was.


    facing trials and overcoming them is one of the blessings of humanity because it strengthens them and makes them adapt to that strength.


    though failure is always an option and sometimes a constant result, but yet, success will always have its own way of surprising us.


    as he pondered, he noticed a slight movement ahead. his eyes shifted and he hastily walked past them alerting them to the movement.


    they glanced at each other and quickly walked after him when they noticed his sudden change in expression.


    "morganna ! a healing spell ! fast!".


    she nodded, walking past him and gasping at the sight before her.


    her eyes bulged, and she shook but she quickly composed her expression and summoned her wand.


    in front of them were nine, seemingly lifeless bodies, battered and bruised, blood dripping down the stairways with a drooping sound from open wounds.


    tears had dried from their eyes but their eyes were red and swollen, the light in them fading.


    their mouths were left agape as if shocked from the state they were in.


    they were alive but just barely. rina gasped at the sight, her hands covering her lips as she staggered to her knees, clenching her abdomen and turning away, emptying the content of her stomach.


    raph glanced around, a bitter sensation growing his chest. ''they were ten of them ? where did he take the last one to ?''. he thought, his gaze fixing on the golden collars.


    he bent down towards the first girl and gripped the collar tightly, freezing it until it turned to cold stone and pulling it out from her neck in one swift motion.


    these were demi-humans and they possess extraordinary self healing properties. even if they seemed on the brink of death, they should still have some mana or aura to patch themselves up.


    the golden haired elf stared at the female human that had saved them, a bright hue glowing in her eyes.


    she wasn''t sure how to feel about the situation, in fact none of them were. it was annoying enough that humans captured them for their own selfish desires but now they were saved by those same humans.


    it''s not good to judge a book by its cover but humans make it difficult not to judge.


    they were silently recuperating when morganna slowly opened her eyes and turned to the hazel eyes of the other human girl that stood above her, a sharp glint in rina''s gaze that failed to hide her intentions and she noticed it instantly.


    they remained silent for a moment but then morganna asked, a sly smile growing on her lips. "what are you thinking right now ?". her tone sounded curious but hid something much deeper.


    "i was just thinking....what kind of reward will i get for the head of a jun''s daughter ?". her voice contorted deeply, hiding a darkness behind it.


    morganna chuckled "that''s weird. i didnt know you could sell our heads".


    rina suddenly launched forward, her fingers extending as a hissing sound escaped her lips but morganna dodged, maneuvering higher up the staircase.


    rina stopped herself from falling further and turned towards her.


    "do you know how much damage you have caused ?" her voice had transformed into something else. something entirely different from what she had heard all this time.


    her figure transformed as well, two cat-like ears protruding out of her hair and two pairs of whiskers growing below her nose. find adventures on empire


    her fingers grew sharper and firmer and a brown tail extended from below her gown.


    the sight sent a shiver to the captives present, they were too tired to participate in any incoming battle but some still prepared something in mind if their savior where to get harmed.


    "a neko beast huh...that explains your transformation...but you are really good at acting". morganna said, her gaze hiding an annoyed feeling. she had not suspected anything until the last moment, why did she decide to strike now ? perhaps, she thinks i''m out of mana ?.


    she thought when rina launched forward with a fiery energy, her speed was testament to her race.


    she hissed, closing the distance between them in a blink of an eye but morganna was quicker. thinking of countermeasures and spinning her wand, she caused a rock spike protruded out of the wall and slammed into her or what she thought was her.


    rina''s body had turned to vapor, distorting the atmosphere as she floated upwards, and solidified as she got closer, a stream of light growing from her fist.


    "i will have to kill you, jun". she said with a confident tone as the stream bursted out into a bright greenish hue. "storm burst"


    she thrust her fist forward, the burst of greenish energy projecting at the speed of sound.


    morganna clicked her tongue.


    "are you fucking underestimating me right now ?"

 Chapter 83- Shadow Berserker

    "out of the way !".


    the haggard breathing of a man with a scar on the left side of his face projected through the air as he pushed a female resident and her child away from his path.


    blinding light suffused his sight as he struggled to maintain momentum. he was running down a stony set of stairs within an alley, bending into a corner at every junction, and then another after running straight for a while.


    most of the residents who crossed his path were either pushed away or jumped out of his way, recognizing his fearsome persona. and yet, this fearsome individual was running madly, clinging to the body of a female werewolf on his shoulders.


    he only had one destination in mind, and it wasn''t as far as it was when he bolted out of the bastion. why wouldn''t he run ? he was ready to attack them, yes, but after witnessing the scene, he had to admit that even he was surprised.


    they seemed like teenagers and yet they were that powerful ? it was either their level was higher, or they were from the great families and he greatly suspected the latter.


    it wasn''t like he couldn''t attempt to fend them off, but he feared what would happen if they were to purposefully prolong the battle. wouldn''t that mean he would have to face the monsters of the twelve great families ?


    no, he wouldn''t dare; he wasn''t that mad. he was strong at level 80, and most of his peers at his level could hardly compete with him, thanks to his exclusive rare profession as a shadow berserker. but better safe than sorry.


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    he would or may attempt facing them again when he reaches the level cap of 100 or if he''s able to go through his fifth transformation to surpass that level cap.


    though, it was close to zero for him to get to that level.


    ignoring the frightened stares of the residents, he turned to a corner between two collapsing buildings, jumped over the wall and sprinted forward.


    ''this is insane ! why did they decide to act now ?'' he thought to himself, his thoughts muddled from overexertion when he heard a cackle.


    he bit his lip, knowing who it was that dared to laugh at him. "do you know who you''re laughing at ?" he asked, his voice hoarse, deep and authoritative despite his predicament.


    the werewolf on his shoulder cackled louder. "you think you can escape ? after what you did ?" she asked, looking upwards, her nose twitching.


    gonzalo''s brows furrowed. he had decided to take this particular demi-human for two reasons.


    one was that she seemed different. even after the torturous experience from when she got captured, she had been resilient. proud even, he needed to figure out her identity and find out whether or not she was worth something.


    he beat the rest to death, hopefully, they were dead by now.


    the second was her nose. the ability to smell death was a rather ominous skill, but he needed her for that.


    he needed to know if death would come his way today and find a way to escape its grasp, but few actually escape it.


    ''i''m almost at the port ! just some more !''.


    he thought, looking forward towards the rows of ships that had been anchored to the harbour.


    he could see some of them already taking off, and he wanted to reach it soon, unbeknownst to him that the lady beastkin on his shoulder had other plans.


    the werewolf cackled again, her eyes set on the individual that had caught up with them a few kilometers away, jumping from one building to another in a frenzied effort to reach them.


    a giant gladiator formed from his shadows, two great swords attached to his back as he folded his hands, his eyes brimming with crimson danger.


    gonzalo jumped into the air with a roar as their swords clashed again, a greater force pulsating through the air.


    the clash had left gonzalo lost for words yet again. ''how ?! how can this mere brat ?!''.


    the shadow gladiator suddenly swung its arms and pulled out its great swords with ease as it swung it down at raph, but he noticed it.


    he had noticed the strange armored shadow that followed gonzalo like a parasite.


    he twisted his sword, pulling forward, and slammed his forehead on gonzalo''s, causing a gruesome headache to form in gonzalo''s head. a startled yelp escaped his lips, but he remained steadfastly fixed in his position, the gladiator''s sword falling down with great speed.


    raph did it again, and then again and the fourth time and on the fifth and last, he held his breath as cracking noises projected in their ears.


    raph headbutt him once more and sent a chilling sensation down to gonzalo''s very bones. gonzalo screamed in pain, blood gushing out from his mouth and forehead as his body plunged downwards, narrowly avoiding the gladiator''s sword.


    he crashed into a building while raph landed on another building, rushing towards the werewolf, his head throbbing as the stump of ice shard on his forehead crumbled into bits of ice particles.


    he landed next to her, pulling her up and breaking the collar that bound her neck, then moved to the shackles and manacles.


    the female werewolf watched in silence, her gaze fixed on the white haired boy, as an intense light flickered behind her eyes.


    "who are you ?" she asked, curiosity etched in her voice as raph helped her up.


    her injuries began to self heal, faster than the others. raph glanced at her for a moment and replied "raffaelo jun, now let''s get you back for further treatment".


    he turned to walk away when she suddenly flinched, her ears perking up, and pushed raph away, screaming at the same time. "watch out !".


    an inconspicuous red ball landed between them, shining bright with white light piercing through its surface, as a large explosion occurred.


    raph crashed into a building due to the blast, but his body remained unscathed. this wasn''t nearly enough to seriously damage the jun physique after all, but he worried about something else as heavy footsteps approached him.


    the red smoke began to dissipate, his vision slowly returning, but even without that, he could see gonzalo''s energy approaching.


    it had grown wild and red, a bizarre transformation. both seemed to have been on equal footing at one point but this made it seem like gonzalo had the upper hand now.


    after all, his appearance was testament to the change in his energy.


    the shadow gladiator had suffused him like a second skin, with two giant armored plated hands protruding from his back, armed with greatswords and a black claymore suffused with red aura on his right hand.


    "you sought death the moment you decided to pursue me, and now you shall pay the consequences".


    raph chuckled as he rose up from the debris. if this was his abilities when he was merely level 80 then he wondered how strong he was during his prime in his past life.


    his sword glowed in a bright white hue like the luminous moon as he took a stance.


    things may have taken a strange turn but his goal remained the same: kill gonzalo jean.

 Chapter 84- Gonzalo Vs Raph

    as the sun''s rays illuminated the slums in an ethereal glow, two figures stood in a fighting stance, each on edge for different reasons.


    one was thinking about survival and escaping the wrath of the great families if they were to discover the dead body of one of their own. while the other was thinking of how to use as little of his abilities as he could to ensure he wouldn''t be affected for the battle the next day.


    though raph knew he couldn''t keep to himself as much as he did with ciara, it would only lead to his defeat if he did.


    he may have underestimated her abilities but with that in mind, he decided not to get injured or prolong the battle.


    "guess there''s no helping it !" his muscles gripped tightly as he charged at gonzalo with great speed.


    the ground shuddered and a crater erupted from the force.


    he swung his blade from below, aiming a slice at the shadow berserker, but gonzalo wouldn''t take it idly.


    he thrust his greatswords towards the boy, and their swords clashed in a furious push for domination.


    a grunt escaped gonzalo''s lips, feeling his strength slipping away¨Cno, it wasn''t his strength slipping away but rather raph''s strength increasing.


    "a mere blind brat ?" he cried out, swinging his claymore into the mix, causing a startling sonic boom that sent houses flying off its foundation.


    luckily, most of the residents had escaped by then; otherwise, it would have been manslaughter.


    gonzalo grunted, pouring out his berserker strength as he struggled to get the upper hand, but the boy seemed relentlessly unphased.


    the boy suddenly twirled his sword down, causing gonzalo to lose his footing, and pulling him forward towards the ground. his eyes bulged as raph swung his blade across his armor, forcing a loud clunk noise to echo as it pushed gonzalo away into a building.


    raph panted lightly, swinging his sword as he charged forward yet again, refusing to give gonzalo the opportunity to recuperate.


    he rushed through the risen dust, clearing it from all particles and slammed into gonzalo, who was still stuck on a wall.


    a stifled cry exuded from gonzalo''s mouth, but the rugged frenzy returned to his eyes.


    one of his shadow armored hands sliced its greatswords through the air, and raph jumped backwards dodging the strike. gonzalo quickly stood up, his eyes fixed intently on raph.


    "you know, i''m not really blind. i see just fine" raph said, a sarcastic tone laced in his voice as aura surged throughout his body and exuded out in thin lines. "keep up, gonzalo !". he rushed forward in the blink of an eye, swinging his sword down as they engaged in a series of swift and eerie clashes.


    their movements were fluid, their weapons blurring together. their eyes remained unyielding as their continued clash caused destruction around them.


    the ground split and crashed downwards while stone fences and worn¨Cout buildings deteriorated, falling like snow.


    the werewolf girl watched from a safe distance, moving to avoid falling debris and rocks while keeping an eye on the battle. the hidden spark in her eyes shone brighter, and her lips had curled into a tight grin.


    "raffaelo jun ! raffaelo jun !" she cried out excitedly like a little girl, dodging a fallen roof top and landing on another building''s roof, her tail wagging behind her.


    ''berserkers always had absurd strength... but this is even more absurd''. he thought, as gonzalo''s footsteps echoed in the air through the risen debris.


    raph''s eyebrow arched as the dust cleared, revealing gonzalo holding another large wall.


    his breath was quick and shaky, and blood dribbled down his lips as he grunted in pain but other than that, he seemed fine...at least physically.


    "you''re not just a mere brat after all" gonzalo said, an annoyed tone in his voice as he looked up. time was ticking and going rather quickly, and he needed to leave as soon as possible...with or without the werewolf.


    he was sure he wouldn''t be able to escape with her even if he tried hard, so he had to at least escape now.


    ''at least that demi-human beast tamer is holding them off at the bastion''.


    a sigh exuded his lips, as memories from a while ago reeled through his thoughts.


    he had unexpectedly received help from the outer executives of the red peacemakers.


    one of them, tasha the beast maker appeared. she was a level 96 beast tamer with ninety six beasts under her control.


    he was sure she would at least survive and escape if the patriarchs were to arrive but he could have been gravely mistaken.


    "oi ! are you losing focus right now ?" raph''s voice sent a chill down his spine as he turned towards him, an expression of anger contorted in his face.


    "if it weren''t for your meddling! i would be happily making my way into the executives". he cried out, flinging the wall at raph but raph simply swung his blade at numerous angles in the span of a second, slicing and dicing the wall into bits of rocks.


    "huh ? you would have died anyway. your ''honest'' business will fall too, do you think people like you will be left unchecked forever ?" raph asked, taking his fighting stance. "don''t make me laugh". he added, when something strange began to occur within his body.


    gonzalo flinched but then regained his composure almost immediately. it was obvious now that he needed to use everything at his disposal if he wanted to escape from him.


    system users are granted a skill related to their profession on their first level up, twentieth level and every twentieth level thereafter. though, special skills are granted to rare professions such as the shadow berserker.


    this skill has a mastery level, beginning from crude, advanced, expert, master and transcendent and with time, they increase the level of mastery over their skills.


    gonzalo at level 80 had four berserker class skills and a few other sub skills he had gotten from a kill or a skill book.


    it was time to use them all in order to escape. he had used two already, which were his berserker gladiator and shadow gladiator form.


    the first was when the shadow berserker had appeared from his shadow and the former was when they fused.


    he held his weapons forward, red aura exuding his body as his hair began to float in the air.


    his body enlarged in size and might, his armor increasing with it. this was his third berserker class skill, gigantify.


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    "fine, shall we continue"

 Chapter 85- Devils Calling

    the ground shook in momentous intervals, as buildings collapsed around two figures fighting in the chaos, battling for domination.


    gonzalo, now enlarged and with it, his power had increased two-fold.


    his strength and speed increased profusely as he swung and slashed in a rugged frenzy.


    raph on the other hand, fought quite differently. there was skill and precision with his strike.


    a strike from his sword, with the professionalism of an eight star swordsman illuminated brightly with his movements.


    it was a continuous flow, slicing, blocking and counter attacking in successive intervals, each forming a wall for their opponent to break through to get to him.


    gonzalo was a shadow berserker with immense strength and skills but as a swordsman, he lacked greatly compared to raph.


    raph sliced through the air yet again as their swords clashed, a thundering sonic boom exploding around them.


    "how long has it been ?" he asked, his gaze fixed on the frenzied giant.


    gonzalo tightened his jaw, as he tried to push the boy away. ''he''s not budging even a little bit''.


    the force of their collision was causing a crater below them, when raph''s aura surged out of his body, and with it a new profound strength.


    a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes and a grin crossed his face when he pushed gonzalo backwards, flinging him towards a rubble.


    raph slowly walked out of the crater towards gonzalo as he pulled himself out of the debris.


    gonzalo''s eyes fixed on raph as he approached, while his thoughts raced through his mind.


    ''a way...is there a way for me to win ? even with two times the power ?''. he thought to himself, a bitter expression grew on his face as he began to seriously doubt his claim of wanting to kill the boy.


    ''this is the thing about the twelve great families, all of their direct lineage are monsters...from an early age''.


    a sigh escaped his lips.


    he was someone that refused to bow down to others, including battles and yet he was someone that would never give up his life for chivalrous or foolish reasons.


    once he gouged out the enemy''s strength, he planned how to act to either find a way to escape or win.


    though, it seemed he was thinking of the former this time. at least he could tell what kind of opponent raph was.


    the boy had not used most of his jun swords art simply because he didn''t need to.


    he also seemed to be mindful of how much we destroyed in the battle and most especially, he had not used any sort of skill.


    even if the great families don''t possess the system, they at least have their specific abilities or something, but the kid had not used it.


    with all this in mind, he would need to escape instead of dragging it on, or he might just end up being the one that dies.


    "not going to charge at me again ?". raph''s voice rang in his ears like a waking bell. he looked up from the ground he had been staring at to lock eyes with the boy.


    ''a white haired blind boy....''. he thought to himself as the shadow arms dropped the great swords on the ground.


    "i shall remember you". something changed deep within gonzalo, almost like he had received a calling. perhaps an awakening.


    a pair of halberds appeared in the palm of the shadow hands while his body exuded with red aura.


    the scene caused gonzalo to take a step back, but that wouldn''t save him. he needed to dodge and run, and so he did.


    dodging an incoming lance that caused an explosion behind him, he twirled and sliced off another that flew too close but the explosion was not cuttable.


    the force blew him backwards but he regained his posture, and dodged the rest of incoming lance''s, one after the other.


    he dodged and turned, when he felt a presence beside him.


    his body tensed, turning towards the side when a sudden intrusion of pain grew from his side as a punch shattered his bone and flung him towards a pile of rubble.


    in the end, raph may not need to spend as much energy as he thought. it seemed gonzalo was getting weaker with time, or was his transformation taking something from him in return ?


    he wasn''t sure, but he could tell that something was lacking.


    as he approached the debris, a halberd spun towards him, its blade suffused with a red aura but he easily dodged it, causing it to crash into the ground.


    gonzalo stood up again, his crimson eyes fading as he heaved greatly.


    after all, berserkers boasted a powerful boost in strength but it came with a backlash. gonzalo was aware of this, and prolonging the battle seemed futile.


    his gaze hazy with tiredness as he felt his stamina depleting at a quick rate, fell on raph, a murderous glint sparkling in his eyes.


    if none of his usual skills worked, then he would proceed to use one of the forbidden skills that was granted to him by the red peacemakers.


    every head of a branch was given at least one, and it was a master class skill.


    if nothing he had done so far would work, at least that would, but the problem was the backlash.


    the words of the executives as they handed the skill book still remained in his head, constantly reminding him of the danger that would befall him but he needed to escape, and he was sure he could bypass the backlash when he really needed to.


    raph''s footsteps echoed in his ears, muddling his thoughts. there was no point in thinking about it anymore.


    he wanted to escape or....at least die by his own hands.


    raph took another step when an ominous aura assaulted his senses causing a throbbing sensation to sweep over his body while life returned to gonzalo''s gaze in an instant. ''it''s now or never'' he thought to himself, activating the skill, causing a black viscous energy like a deep void to surge out within him, consuming the sparks of red aura that burnt brightly once.


    raph stumbled grunting in pain as he took a step back. the sudden sensation sent a shiver down his spine as a memory flashed before his eyes.


    this was similar to what had happened once before in his past life.


    the skill that caused so much destruction in his past life, summoning hundreds of greater devils at the same time.


    the master skill, devil''s calling.


    a skill that destroys the body of the caster but, in return, summons a red portal for greater devils. a terribly wicked skill.


    a sudden change occurred in raph''s body as he charged forward with might and grabbed gonzalo, slamming him into the ground.


    "you can not !" he cried out, a state of panic evident in his voice, and a frightening glint in his eyes.


    gonzalo had not failed to pick it up and a terribly ugly grin appeared on his face.


    "ohhh !! do you know of this skill ? then prepare to die !". a twisted, hideous laughter escaped his lips, his eyes shaking from the fear of losing himself to the unknown.


    with no way forward, summoning the devils was his next best choice.no?v(el)b\\jnn

 Chapter 86- Resonance

    resonance.


    a state of complete bliss and harmony that exists between two completely different yet similar things.


    it could be said the same about mana and aura, like yin and yang.


    one forming the other and the other forming one. it was a method he had thought off to replenish his energy but with time as he practiced, he discovered something else.


    something entirely domineering¨C resonance. his mana and aura resonated with each other, their strong affinity attracting each other yet repelling each other, forcing the best out of each other at the same time.


    in this manner, a single star gives him two fold the strength; then what about all eight ?


    a single circle gives him two fold sensitivity to replenishing his mana and therefore aura; then what of all six ?


    bringing them all to harmony, he could raise his power by up to four times, maybe six times the amount but of course, it was merely in theory and he had yet to mastered it, so it came with a severe backlash.


    using it when he had to or using as little of it when he needed to, was how he had utilized it all this time, though now would be the first time he would use it fully.


    his profound strength and agility in catching up with the strength of a berserker were not just for show; a specific number of his stars and mana had been constantly vibrating and rotating in harmony, trying to synchronize with each other to bring out the best of themselves.


    this was the third way of using dual energy that he had discovered by chance and this sort of method was easier when dealing with melee combatants such as swordsmen as the likes.


    now, he caused three stars and two circles to vibrate greatly as he pressed gonzalo to the ground, his right hand slamming into his face with force.


    the might caused a crater below the man''s head, and blood gushed out of every pore in his human head.


    but he remained unrelenting, his gaze fixed on raph, refusing to fall unconscious until the skill fully activated.


    if that explosion were to occur, it would definitely take the lives of many people within the slums.


    its area of destruction was large, and the only way to stop it from being activated is by stopping the caster.


    and that is why he continuously punched into the man''s face, attempting to force him unconscious, but the man simply refused. his crimson eyes were dyed with blood, as it stared darkly into raph''s eyes.


    "ha ! ha ! haha ha ! look at you now, scared to die, are we ?!" he cried out in a frenzy, cackling when a cold mist suddenly exuded out of raph''s lips.


    ''if this doesn''t work, then i can as well use that''. he raised his right hand in the air as a cold chill wrapped around it, turning his hand into transparent aqua blue ice.


    a cold wind exuded around it, turning the air into ice, and falling downwards like dust.


    gonzalo raised a brow in surprise, when raph suddenly pierced through his chest with his ice hand, a crippling cold burn seeped deeply into gonzalo''s heart.


    he felt his aura, the black energy and , every fiber of his being freezing. it was getting cold and it was searing in pain like a hot laceration.


    the contradicting properties only made the pain worse, nearly driving him to the brink of madness.


    the man''s eyes bulged open as a loud cry of terror shook the air around them, feeling the sensation caused him agony and pain as he grabbed raph''s hand in a weak attempt to get it off.


    tears swelled up in his eyes due to the pressure and a contorted expression grew on his face as he glared at raph but raph was glaring right back at him.


    she didn''t seem to have any ill intentions, so he didnt back off immediately, though what came next was totally unexpected.


    she pulled his face closer to hers, stretching her legs and wagging her tail, as she took a whiff of his scent, then suddenly clasped her lips on his.


    ''the fuck ?!''


    he slowly pulled her away, confusion and surprise etched on his face as the lingering taste of her lips remained.


    "wha¨Cwhat was that ?" he asked, unable to keep his composure but soon regained it.


    the girl smiled, walking backwards. "we''ll meet again....very soon, raffaelo jun".


    a wisp of the wind suddenly spun around her, enveloping her body, and disappeared after a few seconds.


    raph was left stupefied by the situation but couldn''t remain surprised, his thought spinning.


    ''are all werewolves like her ? what did she do just now ?''. the little information he knew on demi-humans was limited to the great families, he needed to learn more.


    ''well, i will eventually, at the academy''.


    he sighed, turning back and rushing towards the bastion. he had spent enough time here so it was time to return and aid his sister, if she was still in danger that is. he brushed off all other distractions and faced forward, and pushed the questions aside for now.


    with a confused expression, he jumped over some debris and disappeared from sight.


    just then, next to the frozen body of gonzalo, a shadow warped into reality and two crimson eyes shone brightly from beneath, glaring furiously at the sky. "raffaelo jun, i shall never forget this defeat".


    ****


    back at the bastion, morganna walked out of the tower, her body ridden with lacerations, but she began to heal them soon enough.


    besides her were gloria and her mother, exhaustion evident in their eyes.


    "she escaped ?" morganna asked, her tone raised. she formed a rock next to a frozen statue and sat down on it, attending to her injuries.


    gloria sighed. "a beast tamer at the ninth circle, it''s surprising how well she hid it from you". she scratched the back of her head, memories replaying.


    they had arrived just in time, when their battle had gotten intense and rina had begun to reveal more of her abilities.


    the one that scared her the most would be the summoning of beasts....almost like a teras, but she was not of their household.


    "a beast tamer..." her brows furrowed deeply as she bit her lower lip. "she split us up so she could take care of at least one of us for ruining their plans"


    "the red peacemakers, it seems the king will have to he notified of this incident"


    gloria sighed when they noticed their mothers intense gaze on the demi-humans that were escorted out of the bastion.


    she was silent, her gaze flickering with emotions.


    her daughters glanced at each other, understanding the emotions that could have swelled up in her.


    morganna sighed as a result. after rina had managed to escape from their hands...in whatever way she was able to, they finally got into the basement, and what they saw was the testament to human cruelty.

 Chapter 87- The living Vs The Souls

    some few minutes ago.


    a loud explosion shuddered the walls of the bastion, and female screams echoed through its hollow walls.


    a blue haired girl with an innocent and gentle beauty burst out of a door into a grand hall.


    the hall was furnished with benches and tables, with copper spoons and plates arranged on them, indicating its purpose.


    she slid across the cement floor, her leg halting her momentum as blood gushed out of her mouth, and her gaze fixed on the figure that stepped out of the basement door.


    "you''re quite strong, huh" morganna muttered, one edge of her lip curling up as rina growled, her tail swaying with her movements.


    "and you''re rather sturdy, i didn''t expect you to survive that attack". she replied with a feline accent, an amused tone in her voice. "you might as well give up".


    she took a step forward, stretching her fingers and nails as she grinned at morganna.


    the situation didn''t look good at the moment. morganna was getting pushed back, and it was understandable since she was at the 7th circle while rina was at the 9th at least.


    rina seemed to have bestial strength and abilities, as well as reflexes.


    it was like fighting a cat with the strength of a blue whale or the weight of it ?


    morganna wasn''t sure how her abilities worked, but they couldn''t be superior to the teras.


    if anything, they should be inferior.


    morganna followed her movements with her eyes, her brain running in overdrive as ideas reeled in one by one, finding the best way to stall.


    she believed in what her brother had told her¨C reinforcements were only a matter of time.


    "well, since you seem eager to die...". rina stomped her feet to the ground and a vibration spread through the hall as she charged forward. "...let me help you".


    her voice, a hushed whisper, sent a chill down morganna''s spine when her figure turned into a blur.


    morganna''s eyes widened in shock when she felt goosebumps on her skin.


    the peculiar part wasn''t that she felt it allover her skin but in one side of it.


    ''to my left ?!'' her body sprang into action to defend her left with a defensive barrier, her actions filled with uncertainty and hesitation, but to her surprise, she was right.


    rina appeared to her left in a blur, a thrust of air blowing some tables away with her appearance.


    rina''s gaze hid hints of surprise in her expression as she spun in the air and swung her left leg down to strike morganna down.


    morganna ducked, forming a propulsion of wind to blow her backwards away from the falling guillotine of rina''s leg.


    these creatures differed greatly, ascending up the hierarchy from the non-intelligent lesser beasts to the higher life forms, known as mythical beasts, with mystical abilities.


    ten beastial arms, with four fingers and talons, protruded out of the white floor, solidifying into the world of the living as they pulled themselves out of the cold embrace of the afterlife.


    their screams and roars shook the walls of the hall, as they stood tall, eight feet in the air, with four long limbs and bestial tiger legs. their wolf-shaped faces hid rows of canine teeth, and a snake-like tongue slithered out of their mouth, as they sent chilling cries through the air.


    their tails swayed with their massive size as they surrounded morganna, their master, pulling on the panther raptors in hysteria.


    "5th tier greater beasts :


    it was a gruesome sight, watching beasts fight against beasts.


    flesh, tendons and blood spluttered onto the floor as they tore into the flying beasts, filling the halls with their cries.


    rina''s eyes sparkled with amazement, her grin widening at the cruel sight in her presence.


    "a fight between the living and the dead ? how interesting !". her gaze focused on the sight was blind to the distortion of space that occured at one point on the floor, followed by the appearance of morganna.


    morganna had used that moment of madness to slip out of the protection of her beasts, running over the white floor stained with dead bodies and blood as ghosts began to float out of it in numerous numbers.


    they formed a dome of protection around her as she jumped into the air, her physical prowess boosted by the numerous ghosts absorbed into her body. "3rd chapter of the jun mage arts".


    her mana surged within her body as a red-yellow light glowed brightly in her palms. it began to violently jerk and shook before erupting into a massive fire, taking the shape of a ferocious dragon''s head.


    rina felt a hot sizzling heat sweep over her as the red intensity of the flames bathed the hall in a bright radiance.


    her body jerked, and her eyes widened in shock when she noticed morganna''s sudden appearance.


    it seemed like the ghosts hid her presence until the sudden appearance of flames in her palm. ''what a frightening ability''.


    her eyes glinted with madness as a wild grin crossed her lips.


    "expert skill....." her body shook visibly as she raised her head, stretching her clenched fist as her mouth protruded, a beam slowly forming at the tip.


    morganna furrowed her brow as blue flames sparked within the red-yellow glow of the head of the dragon, growing into a protective covering over the crimson glow, and dancing with the might and wave of the flames.


    "ravage burst !".


    she projected it forward when rina jerked her head forward, the beam of red and white energy shooting out at the same time as it clashed with the fiery dragon head.


    "beastial roar !"


    a sonic screech shook their ears as the beam shot out, clashing directly with the crimson dragon flames, twirling around with it, and causing a massive explosion.


    ''boom''.


    a sonic implosion occured, followed by a fiery and blinding eruption, and a forceful blast that pushed everything in its path away, causing a mushroom of blazing flames to protrude through the ceilings and out of the bastion, shaking it to its very foundation.

 Chapter 88- Reinforcements Arrive

    bits of stone and glass fell from the destroyed rooftop onto the smoke¨Cfilled hall, as blinding light pierced through it and searing heat persisted in the air, testament to the explosion.


    within the commotion, a blue haired girl pulled herself out of the pristine white floor, her once ghostly white hair transforming into its beautiful blue as she lay on the ground, coughing out within the foggy atmosphere.


    she panted slightly, turning around to observe the situation in the hall as the white light dissipated.


    her eyes widened slightly, noticing the sunbeams piercing through the large hole and the burnt reminder of flames on the walls of the bastion. it was surprising how they could still hold after that explosion.


    the benches and tables had been charred into ash, with nothing left in sight.


    "who would have thought.." she muttered. it was the first time she had used the newly tested and confirmed 3rd jun mage art. the results were quite impressive.


    as she looked around in search of her opponent, a figure appeared behind her, stealthily and creepily like a snake, and attempted to grab her by her hair.


    goosebumps appeared once again, and she caused wind to propel her forward, dodging it by a hair''s breadth.


    rina''s gaze shifted from her stretched out hand to morganna, who was currently preparing another magic attack for contingencies.


    a moment of silence and stillness fell upon them, each observing the other''s movements.


    "what ? not gonna attack ?" rina asked, a raised tone in her voice.


    morganna stared at her blankly, her thoughts reeling in, when a smile grew on her face as she said. "...i would love to, but i''m not quite a match for you".


    two familiar presences had stepped into the compound of the bastion, and she wasn''t the only one that felt their aura.


    rina was trying to pinpoint the location of these...''alien'' auras when she felt a strong vibration sweep through her body, causing her head to grow light and her eyes to turn backwards.


    she gasped for air, blood gushing out of her mouth, when she suddenly bit her lips and stumped her foot into the ground, causing a sonic boom as a crater formed.


    she heaved greatly, her breathing rugged from that short moment. ''what was that ? a soul attack ?'' she thought to herself, when the vibration began to seep into her, forcing her to jump backwards, away from morganna.


    she gasped, glaring at morganna as the alien prescience she felt entering the compound began to grow closer and closer.


    morganna had a grin on her face, a cute contradiction to her innocence.


    "never had a soul attack once ?" she asked with a raised tone and amused tone.


    of course, an ability like this would come at a cost. her mental fortitude...similar to raph, was depleting with time.


    something they could both control once they reached the great grand master level.


    she must have decided to go head on since reinforcements had finally arrived.


    though, she wasn''t sure what rina would have in mind after getting assaulted twice without resistance.


    rina''s breathing steadied and her eyes contorted with a crimson murderous glint sparkling within them.


    she didn''t need to be told for her to realize these two identities. unlike raph and morganna, these two seemed to be in a league of their own, since she was unable to detect their power level.


    she would be damned if she decided to face them head on.


    her thoughts reeled in as a complicated mix of annoyance and anger etched on her face.


    she glared at morganna, waving her hands up and ordering her beasts forward.


    they cried out ferociously, stomping the halls and destroying what little aesthetic was left after the explosion.


    rina quickly turned around towards the door, ordering her royal beast to accompany her on the way.


    morganna clicked her tongue, attempting to build up mana to attack, when a loud thud echoed beside her, followed by the cries of dying beasts and the spurting of blood into the air.


    gloria stood up straight, turning towards her sister as she flicked her sword in a quick, elegant motion, casting off the blood and gore that clung to it.


    "you have a lot of explaining to do morganna". she said with a stern tone as she sliced a 5th tier greater beast into two with her sword.


    morganna nodded, a small smile exuding from her lips when she felt her mother''s presence land next to her.


    "mo...mother, i¨C" she muttered in an attempt to explain herself but her mother cut her off.


    "we''ll talk about that once raph returns. let''s handle things here and quickly support the patriarch".


    "the patriarch is here ? which one ?" morganna nodded to her mother''s statement while asking, a raised tone in her voice but most of her attention was fixed on gloria soon.


    she was slicing and dicing the monsters in an expert flow, unrelenting in her swordsmanship and brutally gruesome with their extermination.


    "silvan, he''s with the guards. let them take care of the beast tamers" rachael replied, chanting her phrase as her sword appeared. "let''s aid gloria and find the captives...this bastion is owned by slave merchants, right ? i heard this from mirabel".


    morganna nodded her head, her gaze shifting to the door to the basement a few meters away.


    "we haven''t gone down to the dungeons yet...so they''re a lot more captives than the few we saved".


    rachael sliced her sword through the air, her gaze flickering as it focused on the frenzied beasts.


    each possessed strength that could destroy an army, and yet they were no match for any of her first three daughters....the rest of her kids still had a lot of growing up to do.


    "alright then ! shall we take care of this quickly ?"


    she stomped her feet in the ground as she charged forward in a swift motion, causing a crater to blast open and bits of rocks to fly into the air as she joined the chaos.


    slicing monsters into lifeless beings with the aid of her sword skills and strength.


    morganna remained stationary in her position, reluctant to join the fray. they seemed to have it all covered, and she wasn''t strong enough to continue.


    it was time for her to rest a little and let her family take the lead instead.


    her gaze fixed on the gruesome sight, as the cries and beastial roars began to fill the hall with a sad hue, she closed her eyes, replenishing her mana while the chaos continued. only the pained¨Cfilled cries of the beast reached her ears as their numbers dwindled drastically in the bastion hall.

 Chapter 89- Goldin

    after a few minutes, the sound of the beasts had died down to a significant degree as morganna opened her eyes.


    she breathed rhythmically and slowly, taking in mana in short breaths that gradually filled up her circles.


    "we''re done here" gloria''s voice echoed in her ears and she stopped her breathing, reversing it back to normal.


    gloria raised a brow, a curious expression on her face.


    "is that the mana breathing style fiona has been working on ?" she asked, a raised tone in her voice as they gathered together.


    morganna nodded, her smile growing wild. "she''s a genius right ?" she said, as their mother looked around the hall with an intrigued expression on her face.


    "too much of a genius" gloria replied, sighing "i''m curious to see how far she will go". she dissipated her sword to whence it came from, and rachael did the same, shifting her gaze towards morganna. "you must have had quite the battle, did you end up using your trait ?" she asked, raising her brow.


    morganna''s gaze swept through the hall, as she led them to the basement door. "it was intense. she''s a ninth star after all. it would have been difficult even with my traits".


    as they walked through the door and down the stairs, a sigh escaped her lips.


    "...i can''t use it as well as you guys yet".


    gloria and rachael exchanged a sly smile. "you shouldn''t be worried about that" gloria replied, tracing her fingers on the wall, while noticing the damaged stairs. "you''re in the golden antlers guild right now. gain experience along the way".,


    some of the stairs had been broken off completely, while others seemed to be on the verge of breaking. the walls too had craters and indentations pierced through them, with lines of cracks.


    gloria whistled in amazement. "you must be stronger than you look, this kind of battle would be too much for a 6th circle".


    morganna shrugged her shoulders as they continued down the stairs in silence until they reached a bunch of girls, huddled in front of a door that had not been opened.


    a golden¨Chaired elf girl with emerald eyes seemed to be attempting to break through the contraption with little to no luck, while the rest encouraged her as she did.


    "you all seemed to have recovered".


    morganna said, her voice sending a chill down their spines as they snapped around in defense.


    they eased up only after recognizing their savior.


    morganna flinched as well. their reaction was rather sudden and an awkward smile etched on her face. "so¨Csorry about that". she waved her hand at them.


    "you''ve returned. does that mean you won ?" the golden elf girl asked, her eyes invigorated with life once again as it shifted between rachael and gloria.


    her condition seemed to have improved even much better compared to the other demi-humans.


    "hah...yes, we had some back-up. these two behind me are gloria jun and rachael jun, my elder sister and mother.


    we''re all here to help". she composed her expression as they walked further down the stairs, towards the door.


    the beastkins gave way for them, and the golden elf girl stood in the middle, unable to let them through.


    "and you are ?" she asked with a raised brow.


    she never got the opportunity to ask for their names, the boy and girl who had come to save them.


    morganna giggled realizing her mistake as well. "i''m morganna jun, and the boy who was with me is raffaelo jun".


    there were twelve intricately patterned golden magic circles, locked and rotating at equal intervals.


    she began to control these circles, imbuing her mana and will into them as they spun backwards, starting from the bottom, unlocking one after the other.


    on the surface, it just seemed like morganna was meditating while placing her hand on the door.


    most of the beastkins had even begun to doubt the competence of their savior.


    tiara, especially had an aloof expression as she attempted to suggest something when morganna''s eyes sparked open as she said


    "done".


    her words echoed in the stairway as a drift of wind pushed through the door, forcing it to slide open.


    "all this security....to capture demi-humans". tiara said, a hidden glint of sadness and confusion in her eyes. "how selfish can humans be".


    her hands were clenched tightly, and her words had rung in the ears of those present, but none could refute what she had said.


    humans were the cause of human problems, and as such, it''s not new to see them do something they weren''t supposed to do behind their back.


    everyone has their own justification for the things they do, regardless of moral principles.


    so, perhaps annoyed by the statement, they remained silent, only observing and thinking for now.


    the door finally opened, and rows of light from floating lamps began to spark brilliance and illuminance into the dark room.


    gloria stepped in first, then her mother, and morganna and tiara. the rest of the demi-humans walked quietly behind them, some even deciding to ascend the stairs and wait for them there.


    those who remained were the curious lots.


    the room was finally filled with light and what they saw was a testament to the cruel nature in the human hearts.


    some of the beastkins burst into tears, clasping their hands as an expression of shock and pain sparked in their eyes.


    they muttered softly, some running away while others knelt, unable to look anymore.


    tiara''s fingers clawed into her palm, her eyes contorted with anger as she fought off the tears that built up behind her sparkling emerald eyes.


    her mouth clenched, and her body trembling in shock.


    the jun''s were not much different. morganna seemed dismayed by the sight, unable to process the whole thing in her head as her eyes flickered, contorted with shock.


    gloria and rachael seemed composed outwardly but what built up within them was an outraged anger.


    this wasn''t the anger and shock of imprisoning and torturing beastkins, no. this was far worse.


    it was the anger and shock of seeing the mistreated and assaulted conditions of their fellow females.


    "ho¨Chow could they do this ?".


    morganna muttered under her breath, her voice low and shaky as a confused anger brewed within her with no source of release.


    they had finally reached the dungeons but what the red peacemakers had in mind was far worse than what they had expected.

 Chapter 90- Crying Orcs

    would it be called the cruelty of humans or the cruelty of man ? well, one would have to decide for themselves.


    in their presence was a dimly lit room, with three rows of cages, chained to the walls, lined next to an open area.


    each cage was made of thick anti-magic bars that constantly sucked in the mana from the beastkins, leaving them barely alive, and leaving a constant reminder of their stark predicament.


    the cages cranked and rattled with the weight of the captives and the still wind that blew past it. the rusted chains and bars, represented the years they had been forged.


    the light within the beastkins eyes had long been lost and their bodies were shriveled down to their bones. dried up blood ran down their legs and arms, and ugly lacerations persisted, unable to heal properly and yet, it did not cause their death.


    perhaps this was a curse rather than a blessing. they wanted to die, no. they needed to die. their eyes, once bright, had long lost their luster, as fragmented expressions of despair and resignation etched on their lifeless countenance. a macabre hue, like a shroud, enveloped their static features, extinguishing any specter of life.


    there was no obvious reaction to the group of ladies'' intrusion, in fact none of them seemed to be aware.


    their gazes flickered with anguish and despair as it fixed on the open area, where weak cries and sobs drowned the dungeon in shades of foreboding.


    their gazes proclaimed terror and anxiety, dreading the day one of those creatures would walk up to their cages and pull them to a fate worse than death.


    seven large butcher tables were arranged neatly in that open area, and on each, two demi-humans were sprawled weakly on it, chained to its edges.


    their cries and tears of anguish flowing like an endless stream of sadness as disgust and pain contorted itself in their expressions and voices.


    their bodies were banged continuously on the rough surface of the wood, as vicious snarls mingled with their cries, causing disgusting shades of sinful pleasure to diffuse through the air.


    eight more had been chained to the walls, their legs sprawled, as blood dribbled down, while vicious thrust caused their legs to stagger and fall, and their bodies to collide with the walls. their dried up tears on their ashen faces and their hollow eyes remained stiff as their cadaverous body was constantly broken by the assault of the creatures.


    their thoughts were clouded with disbelief and screams that never seemed to fade away assaulted their minds. it was tormented by contorted pain and assaulted with anguish and the creatures did not care.


    these creatures were quite infamous. their kind were constantly slaughtered because of their mode of reproduction and their persistent existence. the 7th tier great demons, crying orcs.


    their bodies were black and slimy, their mouths hiding rows of sharp fangs, as their tongue slithered out like a vicious serpent.


    their eyes were glued shut and black tears constantly cascaded down their grostique, onyx-like features. lumps of flesh protruding out from their cheeks and jaws as vicious snarls echoed within the dungeon.


    their fingers, fortified with exoskeleton and fangs gripped the waist of the beastkins, persisting with their assault, and filling their minds drunk with ghastly ecstacy.


    the failure of these creatures in recognizing the intrusion only proved the amount of concentration that was focused in completing their twisted task.


    gloria, rachael and the others couldn''t watch more of this....repulsive scene any longer.


    in fact, they have had enough of it.


    it didn''t take a second for them to realize the dungeon''s purpose and it didn''t take a second more for a clear goal to form.


    "raze it to the ground !" rachael screamed, her eyes blazing with fury as a tone of power and authority exuded in her voice, and a shockwave of energy shook the dungeon.


    though beastkins were far different from beasts, they had something quite different when compared to them. and that was their beauty. the female beastkins were blessed with beastial otherworldly beauty, a few though differed but nonetheless, they were delectable mating partners for demons such as themselves.


    though, how and why such a thing had been occurring in the confinement of the highbur was baffling.


    gloria tore off the metal chains that bind them, and helped them up, one after the other and carefully.


    their minds had been shattered and their movements were weary. it was evident that they had gone through a traumatic experience.


    many of the girls that stood up, were gazed blankly into space, perhaps unwilling to accept reality for what it was.


    it wasn''t a surprise when one of the elves attempted to choke herself with her chain when rachael quickly intervened.


    their lives were precious, though their dignity....precious as well, was gone and with it, perhaps the will to go on.


    nevertheless, the jun''s were determined to rescue every last one.


    tiara arrived promptly to assist them, together with morganna and three other beastkins.


    by now, it seemed like most of the captives had been led out to safety.


    hopefully, they would plan what to do next, and this matter would have to be brought to the king.


    it was his subject after all. not to mention, bryne son goku. he would have lost his nerve if he had witnessed what occured in this strange place.


    soon, they started leading some of the girls towards the door. their feet tapping the cold floor as blankets were wrapped around them tightly.


    morganna manifested them out of thin air, helping her mother and gloria with the rest of the captives.


    the dungeon was large, and spacious, with the chained cages on the roof and the open area with tables, it looked much bigger than the circumference of the bastion.


    its floors were made of stone and it felt cold to the bare feet, draining any sense of warmth that could seem as a sort of semblance for the captives.


    there were no signs of food or sustenance....so how were they fed ?


    and more importantly, if this was just a ''branch'' of the red peacemakers then what was the main building like ? and how many more beastkins were constantly kidnapped for the sole purpose of breeding demons ?.


    all these questions reeled in morganna''s head, a throbbing headache growing in as they released the final girl chained to the wall.


    it was a black haired elf, her eyes vacant and haunted as she staggered to her feet, claw imprint on her pristine skin and the lacerations on her thigh. they quickly covered her up, when she looked up at them, the three women that...seemed strong ?


    "the.....eere..." she stuttered, her voice cracked and sore from screaming and her lips dry from tears. tears brimmed in her eyes as she pointed further down the dungeon, where the magic lantern''s brightness failed to illuminate.


    gloria''s gaze followed the elf''s trembling finger, her eyes narrowing as she channeled mana to enhance her vision. her expression darkened, a scowl spreading across her face like a shadow.


    ".....there''s another door ?".

 Chapter 91- The fox Lady

    "another door ?" rachael repeated, taking a look as well. silence filled the void between them intermittently, her thoughts in motion as a sigh escaped her lips.


    "morganna and i will take these girls up...i will need to have a conversation with byrne''s assistant".


    she said, her tone contemplative, when they heard loud, rhythmic footsteps echo within the dungeon.


    a deep earthy fragrance assaulted their senses, and their heads began to grow faint.


    well, some of them¨C rachael and her daughters seemed immune to it.


    rachael slowly turned back, along with her daughters, her discerning gaze meeting the gaze of a female golden-haired fox lady.


    "i''m right here, lady jun". the woman said, her tone a melodic timbre that soothed the seas.


    she had an aura of prestige and beauty that cascaded with her golden, lush hair and pointy, golden fox ears, exuding ethereal beauty.


    her cleavage protruded from her red and golden kimono, adorned with intricate patterns of mountains, seas and birds.


    a geta adorned her feet, and a golden, lush tail protruded from her backside, lifting the rear end of her kimono, revealing the silky, bronze skin of her legs as she strolled into the dungeon.


    her violet¨Cpink eyes, with black cat pupils, constricted as they screened through the dungeon.


    after a few seconds, she finally turned back to rachael, a playful smile creeping onto her face


    "....have you captured her ?" rachael asked, ignoring her smile.


    aria son goku was always a mystery.


    unlike most of the patriarchs and their partners, she never attended the prestigious academy, so they never got the chance to get acquainted.


    not to mention, she was from the northern empire, which was north of the jun town, a town governed by the jun''s.


    "sadly, she escaped; it was rather comical really...none of us expected it". she replied, her tone sounding like a harmonious harp, played to soothe the hearts of the troubled.


    her gaze flickered between the beastkins, their troubled hearts and assaulted bodies lay bare for her to see.


    her lips curled downwards. "what happened to them ?" her tone was sharp and fierce like her eyes, piercing daggers at rachael.


    rachael sighed, turning away from her, her gaze fixed on the door. ".....crying orcs". she responded, a bitter tone in her voice.


    aria''s eyes slowly contorted deeply on realization, her otherworldly beauty turning into a fierce, shroud of beastial anger. ".....how...how dare they ?". her fingers bore into her palms as memories of the battle against the cat beastkin flashed through her mind.


    she used another royal beast to create a fog to find a means of escape, and she could have easily stopped it, but out of compassion for her race....she didn''t....now..she wished otherwise.


    aria could have at least crippled the girl so she could have gotten answers from her, but now, all that had been swept away by her compassion.


    aria noticed it instantly. "oh scary~, i was only joking around, dear gloria".


    a playful smile grew from her lips, her thoughts coming into play. ''hah, their kinship is even stronger than that of the beastkins...hah~, how much i envy that''.


    she thought, walking past gloria, and heading towards the door.


    "chop~, chop~, we dont have all day, dear". her playful tone sent chills through the air, making it difficult to discern her true intentions.


    perhaps having her as an enemy would be troublesome.


    ''though, killing her would be a walk in the park''. according to their estimates, she was at least 9th circle, nothing compared to a grandmaster of the 10th star, such as gloria and rachael, or the 11th circle cuch as fiona, and then there was their father, michaelo.


    their family currently had four powerhouses when compared to the world''s power system. they weren''t a simple family to be messed with.


    ''is probably what they''re thinking''. aria thought to herself, her smile expanding into a wild grin. gloria walked after her slowly, letting her take the lead, and so she had no reason to hide her expressions.


    ''they have no idea how badly the royal family wants them dragged down...they''re too powerful, but once the king takes raffaelo under his command, it will be the start of their downfall''. she was sure of that.


    though, the twelve great families maintained independence from one another and refrained from messing with each other because of the equality in their military prowess.


    but with time, the jun household had been growing stronger...producing a twelfth star that had only been heard in history and three grandmasters...they were too much of an uncertainty to the king and some of the great families thought it wise to drag them to the ground.


    they had thought that it was mayura''s grace that had given them a single son this time. their plan would be carried out soon enough, no matter how strong the boy was; there was no going back once he was under control of the king.


    her thoughts reeled with images and conversations from the past few years. her eyes sparking with intensity and her grin increased, her sharp fangs glinting within the depth of her silhouette.


    it was only a matter of time, but for now, all these thoughts must be suppressed.


    she raised her head, turning towards gloria, her expression once filled with bloodlust and dark intent was now playfully exhibiting an innocence too artificial to believe.


    gloria''s gaze locked onto hers when aria said. "we''re almost there, hope you''ve prepared yourself".


    they were nearly at the door, and most of the beastkins had been safely evacuated by morganna and rachael, who stayed behind for this very purpose.


    gloria shrugged. "nothing scares me". she said, her tone stiff and void of emotions.


    aria chuckled, turning around and increasing her pace, while gloria followed suit.


    "what an amusing child". she said, her tone laced with playfulness as she laughed out loud, but it seemed like she failed to hide her true intentions from gloria.


    gloria stared at her from the corners of her eyes, a mask of annoyance hovering over her face. ''did she think i wouldn''t feel that bloodlust ?...'' .


    she turned away, ignoring the woman and preparing her mind for the task at hand. there was no telling what hid behind those doors but that woman was just.....


    ''disgusting''.

 Chapter 92- Devils ?

    a few minutes later, two female figures stood in front of a brown, bronze-casted door.


    it had a cold surface to the touch and a chilling atmosphere around it, which concealed its presence in the vast dungeons.


    gloria was the first to step forward, placing her hand on the surface as she scanned it.


    ''it seems to be the same contraption as the former''. she thought, recalling the mana door that morganna had little difficulty in opening.


    "well, i can''t do anything about this". she muttered, turning towards aria.


    aria, standing calmly behind gloria, locked gaze with her as gloria turned back, a small smile playing on her lips.


    "it''s mana locked right? then leave it to your aunty". she said, a wistful tone in her voice, as she stepped forward, placing her palm on the door and making gloria cringe, as she stepped back.


    everyone had been evacuated by now, leaving the duo to the last door that seemed to have seemingly appeared out of thin air.


    what lay behind these doors? what monsters awaited them? and more importantly, what atrocities occurred here?


    their bodies were tense, though not obviously, but the subtle signs were enough to tell.


    gloria unconsciously clenched a fist, and her brows had been furrowed deeply. it felt like she was standing on ice, as a warm sensation she felt when in danger had spread throughout her body, and her heart thumped speedily.


    she felt choked. ''whatever comes my way....no matter how hideous...i shall resolve myself....for these girls that have gone through this humiliation''.


    she resolved herself, consciously paying attention to aria.


    aria had quickly located the locked mana circles, equal in number to the previous but with a stark difference ¨C quality. this one seemed of a higher quality.


    she poured out her mana, letting it seep through her body as she imbued it into the door, unlocking them, lock by lock and circle by circle.


    her gaze had been flickering since she got close to the door, unknowingly to her, her body had grown tense after seeing the state of the captives.


    they were used for breeding, a traumatizing experience for them, as well as a dangerous situation that could spell trouble in the future.


    the beastkins were enemies of the demons. they harbored great hatred towards the demons, and this simple interest that aligned with the humans assisted in bringing the two races together.


    soon enough, the last circle had been unlocked, and a click sound echoed in their ears as the door slightly jarred open.


    a moment of silence descended, as aria turned towards gloria, her smile replaced with a straight line.


    "are you ready ?" she asked, her tone filled with authority and vengeance.


    it seemed like she could finally sense what was inside after opening the doors, and she didn''t plan on letting a single one of them live.


    "no matter what you see, if they are demons, then we must kill them all". she added, opening the door gradually, leaving gloria to her thoughts.


    she had a vague idea of what could be transpiring behind those doors, but with aria''s warning, her suspicion had turned into conviction. explore hidden tales at empire


    on opening the door, warm air crept onto their skin as illuminated magic lamps hung in the air, while stifling cries and cooing of sleeping babies suffused the atmosphere with a soft hue.


    they whipped their gaze towards the rest of the younglings, the chilling sensation building up into an uncomfortable, needle¨Clike effect on their skins.


    the younglings all seemed to tilt their heads towards their direction, their eyes sewed up, hiding a malevolence too pure to be ignored. when one of them from the far back sprang up, its blanket falling and revealing its infant nakedness...nearly humanoid.


    its head began to twist upside down, cracking and breaking of bones echoing through the air. "wh....wh...why ?".


    its voice was a strangled, high pitched gurgle, dripping with a sickly, aquatic undertone, like a dying fish gasping for air.


    "wh...wh...why....did.....you..."


    the cracking noise accelerated as its body twisted and contorted, snapping and rebuilding, elongating and enlarging, crumbling and reconstructing,dying and resurrecteing, crying and laughing, smiling and frowning, in a twisted, malicious cycle.


    the other younglings sprang up, one after the other, undergoing some sort of grotesque reconstruction, expanding in size, and filling the warm room with a crimson bloodlust and cold hue.


    the ghastly sight forced the two ladies to step back, their eyes wide with shock. "these aren''t demons !" aria exclaimed, her surprise palpable, and her resolve slowly building up from within.


    "they''re devils". gloria completed her statement, stabbing her sword into the ground, unleashing a large chunk of aura to suffuse her body.


    "we can''t let them complete their transformation !" aria''s mana swirlied from deep within, her eyes shimmering with a pink afterglow.


    her fangs elongated, and the number of her tails increased to five.


    "aura field of vision !".


    "fifth spirit fox form !".


    boom.


    a loud explosion followed as their movements became a blur, phasing through the air as large vines bursted through the walls, floor, and ceiling.


    it impaled some of the creatures dead before they could fully transform into whatever they had in mind.


    gloria''s mind was in a state of frenzy, trying to make sense of all the series of events that had occurred so far in her mind. it was rather unsettling to find a bunch of devil younglings, and it was confusing how they came to be.


    weren''t they demons? demons and devils are not the same thing....how? how did demons procreate devils?


    though her mind-boggling questions reeled in as she frantically rushed in order to eliminate these creatures, her actions were sharp and purposeful, with not a single action wasted.


    she continuously swirled around, eliminating the creatures with her sword and vines.


    her one with nature trait acted like a second limb, sprouting out of unexpected places to cause the maximum amount of damage.


    while aria used her claws and inhuman strength to cause destruction within that small room, her actions quick and precise, with the maximum amount of force released in each strike.


    none of her extendable limbs were left unused, each causing damage with flexible and accurate movements, like a well trained martial artist....though, she was actually more trained than them.


    her tails would whip out at some, slamming their heads off, while they were still in the progress of their transformation.


    as the numbers dwindled, the devil younglings'' transformation hastened, and soon enough, some of them began to retaliate, cackles exuding their fang-filled mouth, their eyes dimming a crimson hue.

 Chapter 93- Grand Devils ?

    on the surface of the bastion, the sun shone brightly at noon, its radiant rays bathing the atmosphere in a euphoric sense of comfort, heat and light.


    amidst this bright day, a few people went about their activities with urgency etched on their expressions.


    of course, these few people consisted of the gathered members of the twelve great families, the guards and the captives were herded together as a few carriages appeared within sight.


    it seemed they had called for some reinforcement, which was necessary given the circumstances.


    ensuring the beastkins returned to their clans was of utmost importance.


    rachael and gloria were currently standing with derick silvan, who was engaged in what seemed like an intense staring contest with tiara.


    his gaze was quite meticulous in hiding his emotions, a departure from his usual demeanor. his recognition of tiara among the beastkins had caused a significant change to his behavior, especially given her royal lineage.


    it was difficult not to tell her apart from the other elves.


    rachael found this rather uncomfortable but remained stoic in her expression and her willingness to intervene only dwindled.


    if anything, she pretended not to notice their complicated locked gazes, and turned to her daughter, morganna.


    "they''ve been in there for how long now ?" she asked, a raised brow on her face.


    morganna turned to her mother, snapping her gaze away from the two elves.


    "it should have been five minutes now....i only hope it won''t be too traumatic..." her tone was laced with worry, reducing with each sentence.


    rachael nodded, looking up.


    she stood behind the two elves, with morganna beside her, slightly behind.


    they were currently surrounded by soldiers that tended to the beaskins, including healers


    though morganna did a splendid job, it was also possible for some to be hidden.


    the girls that had been assaulted previously were one of such. it seemed like they had more than just physical scars now, making it difficult to tell how well they would reintegrate back in society.


    derick broke the silence, a bright glint appearing within his eyes as he turned away from tiara.


    "so, that was how you were captured".


    the girl nodded in affirmation, while morganna blinked a couple of times in confusion. ''weren''t they quiet for a while ?'' she thought to herself, turning to her mother as if asking her for answers.


    "cognitive conversation ?" rachael asked, turning her gaze from her daughter to derick.


    the elf patriarch smiled, nodding his head to her question. "you know we can''t let people hear of such...experiences".


    rachael''s gaze landed on tiara. "so, what''s going to happen to her now ?" she asked, her curiosity palpable.


    "of course, she''s royalty--though, a distant relative....." derick replied, his hand on his chin as if in deep contemplation.


    tiara blinked a few times but rachael picked up what he said quickly.


    "that''s incest". she replied sternly, causing tiara to back away while morganna choked on her words.


    her pupils flickered as she turned towards the entrance to the bastion.


    ''please be safe, mother''


    *****


    within the dull, dark room, illuminated by magic lamps that floated in the air, two female figures stood with their guards up, their complexion pale, their breathing slow and filled with vigor. a sharp glint ignited in their eyes as they awaited their prey, ready to strike from any angle.


    they were surrounded by a thick, red aura, known as miasma, murky and opulent, blocking their vision from any sort of escape route.


    it seemed like their haste in eliminating the devils was the right call, but they were not quick enough to prevent the transformation from completing.


    a total of sixty younglings existed, but now, they weren''t sure how many had transformed.


    "how many did you kill ?" aria asked, her gaze igniting with a pink hue. her counter, though pale, couldn''t hide the vigor and strength she had suppressed for a while.


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    she had not expected things to escalate to this extent. if anything, she would have had her husband come in her stead.


    ''this situation is rather annoying''. she thought to herself.


    demon younglings'' evolutions into devils weren''t uncommon, but it wasn''t common either.


    it was unfortunate that such a situation had occurred, and it would make sense.


    after all, those demons, crying orcs had all the time to mate...it was no wonder they could find a means of evolving.


    "about 25, you ?" gloria replied, her gaze flickering within the room. she couldn''t see through the miasma, but from the thickness and opulence, she could tell they were facing off against a high ranking devil.


    ''probably a grand devil..'' she thought to herself and then the same mind boggling question reeled in her thoughts.


    ''all this was happening....while we knew nothing ?''.


    aria nodded. "25....so it all comes down to ten, huh ?" she muttered, standing back-to-back with gloria, watching or observing their environment in any way they could, ready to prevent the atmosphere from consuming them in any moment''s notice.


    "it should be a grand devil..." gloria said after a few seconds of silence.


    this wouldn''t be her first rodeo, but they were up against ten devils...there''s no telling what they could expect.


    as if reading their minds, something projected out from the miasma with great speed, a black cloud following its wake as it reached for gloria in an instant.


    her body moved instantly, vines protruding out of the ground and forming a shield around them, blocking the black limb of miasma from reaching her.


    it struck the thick bark of the large vine, rebounding with force, and retreated as soon as it appeared.


    a moment of silence descended upon them, their gazes locked on each other, their minds racing with questions and solutions to their current predicament.


    it was an estimate, but they were most likely facing off against grand devils, who seemed to be gauging their strength? they weren''t sure, but one thing was clear....they had no intention of letting them both live, well not like they would let these devils live either.


    gloria felt vibrations beneath her feet, and her gaze slowly drifted to its source. she listened in closely, causing thin vines to grow through the ground as she tried to locate the source of the vibration.


    and then she saw it¨C the devils were underground.

 Chapter 94- Gusion Apes

    a twist of confusion and annoyance etched on gloria''s face as she observed their movement. she had the ability of using her vines as a seventh sense organ, her intuition being her sixth and this let her see with them, hear with them and as much as smell and thirst with them if she so much as wanted it.


    lickily, these devils were rather known on the battlefield and that was especially because of their wicked cunning nature...and their weak constitution.


    "they''re underground". she said after a moment of contemplation.


    she had tried counting the numbers and it definitely didn''t add up.


    "all of them ?" aria asked with a raised tone, her ears perking up to her statement.


    gloria shook her head. "no, about five of them....we''ll have to hold out until my mother and patriarch derick arrive".


    a playful smile found its way on aria''s gorgeous face as she turned away. "easier said than done my dear".


    an iridescent purple-pink energy began to exude out of her body, as a small gray subspace appeared next to her.


    she reached her hand into it and grabbed something, pulling her hands out when the energy around her had dispersed.


    her tails swayed with momentum, as she pulled out an onyx long hand fan, a meter in length.


    "alright, you''ll handle the ones below ? i''ll find the devils trying to ambush us". she was about to charge into the miasma when gloria stopped her abruptly.


    "these devils...they''re called gusion apes. they''re manipulative and use illusions. they aren''t necessarily strong. but they are grand devils, so their strength equals ours".


    the rankings of devils and demons in relation to humans was similar to those of the beasts.


    lesser and greater devils proved to be more cunning than the demons, relying on more than just their inhuman strength but their minds as well, when faced off against enemies.


    this shrewdness has proven difficult to put them on the same ranking as demons.


    but in all, lesser devils were equivalent to 3rd stars/circles to 6th stars/circles.


    greater devils were equivalent to 7th stars/circles to 9th stars/circles.


    grand devils were equivalent to 7th stars/circles to 11th stars/circles.


    monarch devils were equivalent to 10 stars/circles and beyond and finally, primordial devils were beyond equivalence to the humans for now, but they were at least of the 15th stars/circles.


    aria winked, her smile never leaving her ethereal face, as she turned away from her, and charged forward through the miasma, leaving gloria to face the devils below.


    ''these creatures....gusion apes were cunning, but they were weak. their main abilities would be burrowing...thank goodness it wasn''t anything worse...''. she thought to herself, vivid ideas reeling through her mind.


    she slowly looked up at the ceiling, or where the ceiling ought to be. the miasma had completely sealed their eyesight, making it nearly impossible for ocular vision.


    she raised her hand slightly, causing some vines to stretch out from the walls and the ceilings of the room.


    her vines were her second limb, serving as a seventh sense and a funnel that served as a means of conduit....the importance of which will be explained later.


    some vines had shrunk dry from the miasma''s effect, but many more were firmly attached to the walls, and liveliness was basically pulsating with their length.


    ''i have to get rid of the miasma....''. her gaze was fixed on the ceiling as she clenched her grip on the hilt of her great sword, swinging it to her right.


    its length glistened with the luminescent glow of the blade.


    they were tall, slender and ridiculously slim, with ape-like fur on their skin.


    "idiot ! you meant soft !"


    one devil rebuked the statement of the former, and the former cackled in retaliation.


    "that''s true ! wouldn''t want them to die like those demi-humans".


    "hah ! hah ! i heard the sound of their cries ! so sweet ! so terribly joyous ! hah !


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    how much i want that ! how much we want that !"


    another exclaimed, its voice was a fit of hysteria puzzled with a nefarious glint in its red goat pupil eyes.


    "hah ! ha ! don''t say that ! if we do, then they''ll get scared and run away !".


    their laughter palpable in the air, accompanied by the sound of falling rocks and colliding stones.


    "huh~ like they aren''t scared already, dumb humans".


    one devil sneered, its voice low and raspy, its malevolence permeated through his words, sending a shiver down the spines of the two ladies.


    its eyes glowed with an evil too grotesque, too sinister, too nefarious, diabolical even, its facial features contorting deeply, and its eyes narrowed into a mischievous line, as they chased after the ladies.


    gloria was aware, she was aware that they were trying to spite her, and it worked. it was more than enough to make her blood boil, and her logic was downplayed by the mix of emotions that assaulted her thoughts but even she wouldn''t be able to survive five devils....and what of the remaining five?


    as if responding to her thoughts, something stretched out from the abyss below, amidst the colliding rocks, and the falling stones, the floor had completely descended, parting an open and deep abyss, leading further down to nothingness.


    how deep was it? what did it lead to? gloria wasn''t sure when she decided they were better off without the ground and ceiling but what she did know were the dangers that lurked within.


    they looked up quickly, recognizing the black ape like limbs stretched out towards them, as they quickly changed location, jumping onto another rock.


    the ape limbs slammed onto their precious location, smashing it into bits, as more limbs stretched out, accompanied by a mad cackle echoing within the darkness.


    most magical lamps were destroyed, and the cradles were gone, plunging them into eeries darkness.


    the limbs were a constant assault, one pair after another, no...more like a pair after the other.


    they ascended and descended, five pairs, descending like a guillotine, destroying the rocks and reducing their means of escape.


    one had somehow made its way behind gloria through the falling rocks as she landed on another stone platform, its sharp talons stretched out as it nearly grazed her.


    gloria was startled, taking a step backwards, and losing her footing for just a second, but that second was more than enough for these grand devils.


    its speed increased on noticing this weakness, nearly thirsting the sweet sensation of blood, when a thin line phased through it, followed by successive thin lines that flowed seamlessly through its length, slicing it into tofu-shaped bits of meat.


    a thud reached gloria''s ears, and her eyes followed the source of the sound as she regained her footing.


    a spark ignited within the depths of her eyes, and a wild smile appeared on her lips.


    "just in time, mother".

 Chapter 95- Welp, Lets run

    rachael landed on falling debris, while derick landed a few feet away, their eyes searching through the...descending mass of rubble?


    "gloria, what''s going on?" her mother asked, her tone even and her gaze fixed on gloria.


    "....i''ll have to explain later, mother". she replied, turning towards the devils that had gone wary and cautious.


    "i see, gusion apes.." derick said as he jumped over to the standing platform where rachael was, aria catching up soon enough.


    "how do we go about handling things ? from my inspection, we should be plummeting at least 70 meters below the dungeons".


    gloria''s eyes lit up, her gaze snapping towards derick, and her eyes widened in shock.


    "wa...that deep ?" she asked, her voice a rushed hush. it seemed she had not expected that sort of damage from her attack, and yet reality proved quite differently.


    "then, we''ll have to find a platform of some sort..." rachael''s gaze scanned the seemingly bottomless pit, an idea sparking in her mind as she turned to derick.


    he was already in action, snapping his finger as mana surged throughout his body.


    "high elven magic : rocky path".


    the hole formed by gloria''s attack was deep but narrow.


    its diameter was a little bigger but equivalent to the size of the room that served as a daycare, and as such the bastion still stood.


    the hole had walls at each side and by the command of derick silvan, rocks protruded from those walls, elongating, and slamming into the adjacent wall, forming rows of stone platforms that descended downwards into the nothingness.


    rachael hummed in satisfaction as they landed on one of such platforms, their senses easily picking up the devils that had begun to ascend towards them.


    "it''s dark as well, these creatures are practically fighting us in their domain". derick interjected, his eyes searching for the devils. it wasn''t like they didn''t have means of sensing the devils even within the darkness, but it was necessary to further increase their advantages and increase their disadvantages...that way, a sweeping victory is achieved.


    "let me handle that". aria''s tails whipped around as a pink fiery glow ignited at the tip of each, expanding and taking shape of chakrams, causing a dull illumination in the darkness that grew sharper by the second.


    pink flames ignited within the depths of her eyes, and five large pink fireballs erupted above her head, foxes forming from each that spread throughout the darkness, floating on air.


    soon enough, that darkness was relatively gone, and all ten gusion apes became visible, especially the ones that dwelt further down. there was no escaping her fiery pink light.


    "it''s not dark anymore" aria said, her gaze fixed on the creatures, and an aura of superiority exuding from her.


    rachael smirked in satisfaction. at least they all had one thing in common¨C the destruction of devils and demons, which served as a source of unity.


    "gloria, handle three of them, aria handle three as well, while derick and i will handle the rest".


    they all exclaimed in confirmation, charging at the devils that had been dumbfounded by the light.


    derick easily adjusted his role of a patriarch to a subordinate, his eyes glowing an otherworldly hue as he charged forward at the incoming devils, aria following beside him.


    it was about to retreat when gloria jumped into the air, grabbing its face and smashing it into the ground, landing on the other side of the rock platform.


    her eyes scanned the abyss, searching for the remaining devil before it could cause further trouble.


    ''there it is !''. she looked up, noticing the creature''s hasty ascent towards the dungeons. it seemed to be finding its own means of escape.


    gloria quickly stretched forth her hand, her sword swinging to her will, as it flew to her hand.


    she grabbed it, jumping into the air and landing on top of the devil she had forced to crash on the ground.


    it yelped in pain, malice etched in its face as it glared at her.


    "how ! how dare you ! stupid hum¨C".


    sadly, it was cut short, as the sound of water gurgling at the depth of a human''s throat echoed as she stabbed her sword through its mouth to the back of its head.


    the devil jerked its body in an attempt to break free, but she stomped her foot on its chest, the sound of flesh and bone mincing like meat echoed as its chest cavity compressed to the ground.


    her gaze quickly shifted to the gusion ape that had nearly found its way to the surface, and her aura erupted out of her body, coating her with an ethereal hue.


    "the miasma should have settled in the dungeon..." she jumped into the air, vines protruding out of the ground, supporting her quick ascent.


    she easily scaled ten meters into the air, sometimes jumping further than that, until she reached the devil before it could slip away from her gasp.


    the devil felt threatened, its hairs standing on edge as it looked down to find gloria charging at it.


    its expressions contorted deeply, fear etched on its face.


    without the presence of miasma, their energy plummeted, and regenerative abilities were sealed up, all of which had been cleared, ascending upwards while they plummeted.


    its eyes landed on the walls as it forced its ape limbs into it. ''might as well burrow though'' it thought, digging its way through in a frantic effort.


    but that effort was futile; maybe if they had found a means of getting away, a long time ago, before reinforcements came but now, things were different.


    devils were practically stronger when surrounded by miasma, but it wasn''t an energy easily stored like aura, mana or even ki, unless done by higher ranked devils.


    gloria''s decision to get rid of the miasma was a splendid tactic, and her strength served its purpose against their weak constitution.


    attempting to use illuminations on the people present seemed like a waste of the little miasma they had left.


    their tiers were too low to face off against such strong opponents, and as a result, it was their loss.


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    with all this information bundled in its head, it didn''t think twice about abandoning its comrades to escape....but even that did not go its way.

 Chapter 96- Reuniting once again

    [bonus chapter- gt]


    present time.


    things had easily been rounded up after rachael and derick arrived.


    the gusion apes were quickly subdued, leaving no leeway or means to escape. their deaths were swift and precise. it was evident that they were lacking compared to other grand devils.


    morganna had decided to take a last look at the bastion and got careless at one point.


    the outward appearance of the bastion was fine, even standing supreme, but the inward appearance was a mess to say the least.


    morganna and gloria often stole glances at aria, their thoughts reeling in.


    gloria had witnessed her abilities firsthand, while morganna heard of it from her mother''s and sister''s descriptions.


    it seemed...they might have underestimated this fox lady.


    the sky was suffused in a golden afterglow as the sun began to hide its brilliant rays behind the clouds.


    a brilliant darkness soon began to encroach on the crimson hue of the skies, suffusing the atmosphere with a gentle sensation as a cool breeze swept through the environment.


    the bastion stood tall, basking in the dullness, as droplets of rain began to descend.


    most of the beastkins had been evacuated now, and the patriarch of the son goku family had arrived, handling matters of the beastkins with great concern.


    it was no surprise that his fury was palpable; in fact, it may have been a better choice to choose bryne over derick, since the cat lady wouldn''t have found a means of escape.


    the heavy descent of rain began to increase, forcing the guards to hasten their approach.


    the rest of the individuals present simply made use of their aura or mana to form a thin line of dome around themselves, shielding them from the rain.


    it was a technique easily mastered once one had full control over their energy source.


    "rina..." morganna muttered, a wave of emotions and fatigue settling in the depths of her eyes.


    about an hour had passed since the devils were taken care of, and their brother, raph had yet to return.


    rachael had been observing the rest of the events unfold, though her expression failed to hide her worry.


    the guards helped bryne and aria as they gathered the beastkins and boarded them on the empty carriages. their numbers totaled a hundred and eight. and all of this had been occuring, technically in their backyard.


    while all this was going on, the three jun ladies simply watched, biding time, tension rising as they waited for raffaelo''s return.


    "he wouldn''t be....doing something else, would he? perhaps he''s gone back to the colosseum even..." morganna muttered under her breath, her worry etched on her face.


    gloria laughed out loud. "if anything, he should be fine....he''s probably forgotten how much time has passed, but he will be here soon enough".


    rachael stood further ahead of them, but overheard their conversation nonetheless.


    ''this son of mine''. she thought, when she noticed bryne approaching her.


    she was barely taller than him by one or two inches.


    "you have a lot of explanation to do, young man".


    he chuckled lightly, morganna and gloria walking towards them quickly.


    "you''re late !" morganna cried out, pulling him for a tight hug. her actions contradicted her earlier statement, causing gloria to chuckle at her reaction.


    "sorry about that, gonzalo was much harder to deal with than expected" he replied, lightly tapping her back, when gloria and rachael exchanged glances. their gaze flickered.


    "did you say gonzalo?" gloria turned to her brother, her gaze intense and curiosity etched on her face. raph nodded, still locked in the embrace of his sister. "yes, gonzalo jean...i took care of him to the best of my ability...though, i don''t know if he found a means to escape..."


    rachael shook her head. "you coming back alive like this just proves to me how strong you''ve become...nevermind whether or not he escaped".


    raph nodded.


    gonzalo jean was a notorious and infamous man.he had not yet made a name for himself in the underground society, but his activities were slowly being made known to the upper echelons.


    he was ranked at least an a+ threat by the adventure guild.


    it was no wonder they had this reaction.


    "we should quickly get back to the colosseum, your father is worried sick at the moment".


    rachael said, ruffling his head as she walked away, calling one of the guards.


    ''seems we''ll be boarding a carriage then''. raph thought, his gaze lingering on the droplets of rain that made pores on the mushy soil.


    ''rain...''. he was using the same aura dome around him, and memories of his past life flashed through his thoughts.


    it was on a rainy day like this when the war had begun... was this what it felt to be nostalgic?


    well, he couldn''t dwell too much on the past.


    the trio heard footsteps approaching them, and they turned to the direction, gloria''s eyes narrowing on recognizing the source.


    "is there something you need, lady aria?" she asked, her tone even and stern, much like her mother.


    morganna had finally released raph from her grasp, as they both turned towards the woman.


    aria''s gaze lingered on gloria, her playful smile growing from her lips.


    "why so defensive, dear? i only want to see young raph". she said, her melodious voice sending waves within the rain.


    raph''s eyes narrowed. he recognized that voice, and something about it egged him the wrong way.


    their gaze were locked on each other, and his transparent, white eyes were met with pink, ethereal ones. aria''s smile never left her face, a pink afterglow exuding from her eyes, stretching forth towards raph without his sisters knowing.


    it crept into the boy''s head like fingers, diffusing into it in an attempt to suffuse its colors through and through.


    her gaze never left raph, intensifying the sensation, ready to swallow him up in an instant, but at that moment, her head went blank.

 Chapter 97- Moon Orbs

    Aria Son Goku had decided to follow Rachael''s summon for reinforcements for two reasons. One was due to her husband''s nudge, and the other was Raffaelo Jun. Honestly, the thought of listening to that woman, Rachael Jun, only caused a boiling warmth to grow within her abdomen ¨C a seething rage....and an unprecedented jealousy.


    Rachael Jun was a beauty even at her age, and it didn''t take much guesswork to realize how many admirers she must have had in her youth.


    Sadly for both of them, Bryne Son Goku was one of them. It was ironic how Rachael''s beauty was admired when she was one herself, even better if you thought about it. Her youth lasted much longer than humans, and as a beastkin of the Ancestral Fox clan it was no wonder her beauty was unparalleled.


    She was often compared to Rachael in their early marital days, but soon enough, she was able to woo Byrne''s stubborn heart, though not purely.


    When has pure methods ever gotten you the exact results you wanted? And even if they did, how much effort and time must one invest? She never had the time to waste on such, and stole his heart and mind within a year.


    Her hatred towards Rachael was deep and long lasting, eventually stretching towards the Jun household. And that anger only grew after her kids began to raise names for themselves at such a young age. It was like the world had been programmed so Rachael would take the spotlight. Not only was she lucky with love, but her luck had granted her a strong household and talented kids.


    Wouldn''t it be nice if something didn''t go her way for once? And for a while, it seemed like that. Rachael had birthed powerful kids, yes, but they were girls. It wasn''t like girls couldn''t take the reins in a family ¨C after all power was what mattered within the twelve great families.


    As long as they had power, they could take the reins, but the necessity of a son amongst the twelve great families was necessary, even if in just name.


    It was a joy to have a son, and she had two, so for once, she thought it was her victory. At least it was so until Raffaelo Jun was born, sending waves amongst the twelve great families. It was a cause for concern, as ''only sons'' of major families had raised storms during their time.


    And it was about five or so years later that she had received the first invitation.


    The source was unknown, but the content of the letter left her lusting for air.


    It was then that the decision to bring down the Jun household was set in motion, and to bring its destruction or at least destroy its foundation, their only son, Raffaelo Jun, would have to be under their control.


    And that''s why when he appeared, her shock had been quickly subdued. It was no more surprise to her at this point ¨C the Jun household would never reveal their true abilities. Even if the imprint of his energy was much vaster and deeper than what he had portrayed on the Arena, she wouldn''t give a damn, ignoring the reason he had decided to do such in the first place.


    ''Sorry, Blue Rose, I''ll handle this one''. She walked towards Raph, her gaze fixed on his actions as Rachael walked away.


    Her husband, Byrne, followed her movements with his eyes, but ignored it altogether, trusting his wife''s judgment without fault, and entered the carriage.


    The sound of the rain was muted, and everything else was locked away from her senses. Aria had a single thought in mind: subdue his mind...make him yours, steal him from her.


    With that thought, she approached the trio, her steps echoing on the mushy soil, but that too was isolated from her senses.


    She faced him, her gaze flickering for a moment, but then returned to its former intensity.


    With a curt nod, she turned and walked away, leaving them more puzzled than they had been when she approached them. The trio watched as she entered her carriage, the footman closing it, and the coachman stirring the horses forward with a light whip.


    Gloria and Morganna exchanged glances, then turned to their brother, his gaze still stuck on the carriage.


    "Raph, What was that?" Gloria broke their silence, her hand resting on his palm before quickly retreating. She clicked her tongue, a hissing sound echoing as she spread aura to her hand to break off the ice that had begun to spread rapidly.


    Morganna''s eyes narrowed, but then, was this reaction new?


    "Did she try something?" She asked, her tone laced with curiosity, as Gloria walked around her brother to face him.


    Her reaction was unexpected, as she flinched, taking a step back. His eyes seemed to be glowing¨Cnot the ethereal, magical kind but a malevolent, luminescent glow, as if something otherworldly dwelled in their depths....something she didn''t want to tap into.


    "Raph" She called out, spreading aura to her right hand as she raised it and pulled it down, jolting him out of his daze.


    Raph exclaimed, snapping out of whatever trance he seemed to be in."Sister?" He protested, his gaze returning to normal.


    "You good?" Gloria asked, rubbing his head lightly. It was surprising how he was still standing even after receiving a blow like that from her.


    Raph nodded, sighing deeply.


    "She tried to take over my mind, don''t worry about it. My eyes are more than enough to prevent something like that from happening".


    He waved his hand, trying to belittle the matter, but his sisters wouldn''t let it slip them. "She did what?!". Morganna''s voice raised higher than she had anticipated, and she quickly clasped her mouth shut, ignoring the questioning looks from the guards. She repeated the question a second time with a hushed tone this time. "She did what?"


    The left side of Raph''s lips curled upwards, and a cold sweat began to form on his head as he scratched the back of his head. "Don''t make a big deal out of it....I took care of it, so there''s no need to worry".


    His sisters stared at him, seemingly lost in thoughts. This wouldn''t be the first time their brother took something serious like this for granted...or maybe they took it a little too seriously?


    He was their only brother, and it was second nature to be overprotective.


    They sighed, noticing their mother approaching them, and turned towards her in unison. May as well let their mother in on it and decide what to do about it, though there wasn''t much they could actually do.


    Raph watched the scene unfold, a smile plastered on his face, and an amused chuckle escaping his lips. It seemed he was able to perfectly hide the cold bloodlust that dwelled in the depths of his soul, creeping and pulsating within as he subdued it.


    ''Those eyes.....she''s the one''.

 Chapter 98- ...Nothing...

    Raffaelo POV


    Time had passed rather quickly, and the chain of events had been rounded up.


    I only got to hear a summary, but it seemed like ten devils appeared....from an evolution of demons. What were those demons even doing down there? They mentioned something about infants, demi-humans and Crying Orcs, so I pieced it all together to get a vivid image of what had occured....the result made my blood boil.


    It was funny how people did this to other people, having no morality was one thing, but having no pride was another. Were the Red Peacemakers serving devils, or were demons serving the Red Peacemakers?


    Now, this was a mind boggling question, but I couldn''t dwell on that too much. I had to explain my side of the battle as well. Oh, and the fact that Rina was with them...I did expect that, though I didn''t think she would be a beast tamer...that must have been tough on Morganna.


    All these thoughts bundled together in my head as I peeked through the curtain of the Carriage while Morganna slept lightly on my shoulder.


    ''She tends to do this a lot''. I thought, sighing inwardly, as the Colosseum came into view.


    ''Finally arrived huh''.


    The mere sight of the Colosseum settled all my concerns and thoughts, and instead, a new thought came up.


    ''Jang Kang Lin''.


    The finale was only a few hours away, and his final opponents were Derick and Jang, but considering all things, it was most likely that Derick would forfeit willingly. It was already a surprising factor that he had made it so far, but his talents didn''t lie just in his ability; he had a particularly clever mind, making the most troublesome and difficult tactics to evade on the battlefield.


    He was definitely one of the generals during the war at the time; it was a shame I wasn''t sure, since I wasn''t high-up in the echelons at the time.


    Though, that would change drastically this time.


    ''speaking of Elves.....Tiara Goldin? Damn....I did not see that coming''. I remembered the golden haired Elf, but nothing about her struck me as royalty..at least not until I heard her surname.


    An elven clan that had been supposedly wiped off, somehow had a lasting member? Now, that was some mystery.


    "Raph".


    I turned around, snapping away from my thoughts, my gaze fixed on Gloria.


    The carriage came to a halt, and my mother walked out first, Gloria waiting for me and Morganna.


    I nodded, smiling wholeheartedly.


    "I''m on my way". I chuckled.


    Seeing my family all grown up like this, was rather nostalgic. Well soon enough, all my siblings will be about equal in abilities...if maybe different only by a little.


    I shook Morganna lightly, the young girl blinking slowly as she sat up. Her hair was a mess, and she seemed disoriented from her short nap, but other than that...her otherworldly beauty was evident.


    ''Hmm....and they just happened to be my sisters''.


    I shook the thought, descending from the carriage, Morganna following suit, and Gloria soon after.


    "Raffaelo?"


    The familiar voice took him by surprise, but nonetheless, he had expected her to be the figure.


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    "Ciara?" He said out loud, standing up from the chair, walking towards the edge of the platform and jumping into the air, landing on the Merlin''s platform, with a light thud.


    "Ar¨CAre you crazy?!" Her startled tone...was nearly cute to say the least.


    Raph chuckled, finally getting a view of her.


    He did have perfect ocular vision, even within the darkness, but its color wasn''t as bright as he hoped; it was more like the color that shown when the moon illuminated the skies, a dull gray.


    "What brings you here?" Raph asked, his tone laced with curiosity. He had decided to come for a walk, but never in a million years did he think he would meet her here.


    Ciara stared at him blankly, looking away as Raph rested on the ceramic railings.


    "It''s nothing a Jun should concern himself with" Her reply was quick and sharp¨Ctongue, almost like she intended to hurt him, but of course...she didn''t. Which kind of made it worse.


    Raph sighed, turning his gaze from the girl and to the Arena, further away. A smile played on his lips.


    "You''re strong..." He said, matter-of-factly. An unknown light sparked in the depths of his eyes. Ciara turned towards him, seemingly taken aback by his words. Her ears and cheeks were flushed, and it seemed like she would lash out anytime soon.


    "Fl¨CFlattery won''t do you any good". She turned away again with a puff of her cheeks. "...and you were stronger...". She said, after a stifling silence had suffused in the air, her expression calm and even.


    The cold chill hit hed like a blast of frosty air, but she had arrived with a thick blanket to hide her nightgown.....


    ''Nightgown?!'' Her thoughts screamed at her, her gaze scanning her choice of clothing and she further wrapped the blanket around her, hiding every bit of skin that may have shown off.


    "Are you upset ?" Raph spoke up, unaware of her actions...and not bothered about her clothing.....it was difficult to tell if he even noticed.


    Ciara raised a brow. "At what?" Her voice was laced with curiosity.


    "What I did to you, don''t you have a bias towards men? I controlled you..." Raph''s voice seemed forced, his brows furrowing deeply. It was obvious he would rather avoid the topic.


    Ciara remained silent for a while, her gaze fixed on him. It seemed like a long lasting ten seconds had passed before she decided to speak up. "...I get it was part of your skill....and you really had no other choice of winning anyways....it was a smart move. I would have done the same".


    She took a short breath. "but, that doesn''t change anything...I may have to acknowledge men on the battlefield....but from a moral standpoint, I would say otherwise".


    Raph sighed deeply, his thoughts reeling in. It was difficult enough that she was such a stoic person, but her hatred towards men would be a stumbling block for her progress. He had to do something about it....he couldn''t beat it out of her...perhaps talking to her might walk?


    "....what can I do...to placate your hatred towards men?". Ciara was taken aback once again. Her eyes widened slightly, and her gaze was fixed on Raph''s, a swell of emotions growing within, as if searching for something deeper.


    It was a simple question, really, something that had never crossed her mind once, but it seemed he was adamant on changing her mind. Why?


    "....Nothing..."

 Chapter 99- And so the Finale begins

    Raph was left stumped, his gaze flickering with intensity as he looked away. He wasn''t the type to try to talk someone out of their innate characteristics, but he didn''t mind if it helped in the future. And some may wonder, how did this bias affect her progress? Well, for starters, she became difficult to partner with during the war.


    She showed so much hostility towards men that the number of male footmen who died during the war was astoundingly high. It was hard to imagine someone as rational as her having such a cold side when it came to people''s lives. Having a bias is one thing, but letting it cloud your judgment is another.


    She was a powerful mage at the time, reaching the 10th circle and becoming a Grand Mage, but her progress became stagnant. Surpassing the 10th stage of aura and mana involves a form of ascension known as energy perception, the ability to form an imprint on the world. And to do so, you must be in control of all parts of yourself.


    Well, there are other conditions that must be met, but a ''bias'' that has brewed something much deeper and darker within you is not one of them. ''And she shows so much promise. I won''t let her limit herself.'' These were his thoughts at the moment.


    At one point in his past life, Ciara lost the initiative in becoming the Family head, or rather, it took a while before she became one. In fact, from what he was aware of in his past life, she had not become one until his death. ''Which also means the executive of the Merlin household at the time of my execution was probably not Ciara...''. Well, he always hoped that it wasn''t.


    He had a goal set once he started his academy life, and Ciara was included in it. He sighed deeply, turning towards Ciara, her gaze still fixed on him. "...do you have something to say?" He asked, his eyebrow forming an arch when he noticed how condescending her stare was. She shook her head. "How do you expect to win this battle?


    I remember how much you boasted at the beginning, but with time...I could tell you''re not as cut out as you think you are". Her tone was laced with curiosity rather than any form of negativity.


    He could at least say he was making progress; Ciara from his past life would have walked away the moment she noticed a man in her personal space. Though her question... "Well, it''s all a matter of circumstance, you see...." He replied, the image of the King appearing in his mind.


    "Not to mention, fooling the Patriarchs...it would be nice to continue like that, but as you said, I won''t win if I showed that level of prowess". Ciara stared at him with a blank expression. She never could read through him, unlike most men she knew...or boys her age.


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    She was curious, though, how was he going to win? "Do you have a plan or something?" She asked, folding her arms beneath the blanket. Raph stared into space for a while, a short silence suffusing the air. "Not yet...though it may be nice if the King didn''t show up".


    "How could I not?! That...demonic energy? How?" She snapped at him, standing to her feet and summoning her wand. It was but a fleeting moment, but they felt it so clear, so vivid, enough to leave an imprint on their souls. "....let''s return to our quarters?" Raph asked, unable to find anything of noticeable change. She nodded, her expressions betraying her action.


    ''Is he trying to make me do something I don''t want to? Stupid boy.'' Her thoughts screamed in her mind, but then again...better safe than sorry. They both retreated, Ciara walking through the door while Raph jumped all the way back and returned to his chambers through the door.


    It was a cold night, and the hollow winds only made it worse by settling that coldness around, increasing in intensity with time as the Moon''s luminescence dyed the atmosphere in an ethereal milky white. It was in that darkness, at the top corner of the Colosseum, where a female figure appeared. Her body features seemed to be straining against her clothing, and her eyes glowed with a malevolent hue.


    "Oh, how cute~, they felt that".


    ****


    The sun''s rays were like a magnificent beam of radiant brilliance that illuminated the skies in an iridescent red and yellow as it stood mightily in the sky in all its splendor. The beams slid off the walls of the Colosseum, as the cries and cheers of the audience sparked life within its very walls.


    The noise was so great that it inevitably filled the empty streets, while people fought for a chance to get a front-row seat to the finale of the Rankings Battle.


    Who would have thought that a battle so mighty would actually have its end? Well, not necessarily mighty....but more like, interesting and unique? Something like that.


    The Arena had an otherworldly glow that only radiated with the brilliant beams, igniting the hearts of many as they watched the four people who stood on that very ground. One was, of course, their commentator, as well as the Patriarch of the Jun household.


    One would wonder why such an exalted figure would commentate, but it was something that had been done since time immemorial. Or since when the Rankings Battle began. It was normal for a Patriarch to be chosen as a commentator, and he happened to be the one this year.


    The other three were the participants for the finale. Darell Silvan, Jang Kang Lin, and Raffaelo Jun. Their names sent waves of excitement within the stands, and the Patriarch seats were not left empty...though one seemed particularly empty at the time. It was time for the finale, and for the ending of this prolonged battle that had been carried out for about a week.


    "Are you ready?"

 Chapter 100- The Kings absence

    Raph''s gaze had been fixed on something else since he came down to the Arena floor with the rest of the participants. In fact, he found his heart beating rapidly, something he wasn''t even aware of. His attention had been so fixed that he didn''t realize the situation occurring before him.


    "Are you thinking of running again?" Jang asked, his words full of spite and annoyance, while Darell chuckled awkwardly at his remark.


    His injuries, sadly, had not healed as much as he needed them to be in perfect condition, and even if they were, there was no way he would face off against such monsters.


    ''You think I want to have a death wish?'' He thought in his head as Michaelo excused him with a wave of his hand. It wasn''t unexpected, but Darell chose to forfeit once again. A smart move, to be honest, as the final bout was going to be one against two. Something like a three-way battle? Okay, let''s not call it that. A battle of three people.


    Michaelo glanced at Jang and then at his son, a small smile playing on his lips. He may have had something to do with this current situation, but it wasn''t like he was going to let the chance slip when it presented itself. And he decided not to let his son know either; let''s just say it was going to be a pleasant surprise.


    ''My deepest condolences, Jang Kang Lin''. He thought, raising his hand in the air. Tension hung in the air in an instant as everyone came to a halt, a chilling silence suffusing the Arena. ''Oh...amusing''. Michaelo thought with a chuckle. It wasn''t just the audience that seemed quiet, but the Patriarch stands as well.


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    Everyone seemed eager to find out how this last bout would end. They all stayed till the last day, every family, their Patriarchs, as well as their kids. It was a good opportunity to observe just how powerful they were.


    "Ready!!!" His voice echoed within the Arena, loud and mighty, like the battle cry of a veteran general, scattering the air with its might. The tension only raised, most of the audience itching to say the final word before the match began, waiting in earnest for Michaelo to bring down his hand. And finally, after what seemed like three seconds, he did.


    "FIGHT!!!".


    He vanished in an instant, leaving the two participants to their fate.


    Jang folded his hands, his gaze fixed on Raph. Well, when had it not been?


    "What do you think you''re doing, Raffaelo Jun?" He asked, his condescending tone palpable. Raph snapped out of his thoughts, a vague smirk playing on his lips as he asked.


    "Hey Jang, is it just me, or is the king pretty late?" Jang raised an eyebrow.


    "Jang Kang Lin! I hope you''re ready!" His voice sent a powerful aura around the Arena, causing the ground to vibrate as craters sprang up due to the force. He took a step, and his body blasted forward without a hint of warning, leaving a trail of aura in its wake.


    Though he was expending himself, he knew how much pain he would be in for a couple of days after this...but it was a sure way of obtaining instant victory, and it was a rational reason why he didn''t use such a technique from the beginning.


    Of course, the backlash reduced with each star he formed, but for now, it was strong enough to leave him bedridden for a few days...or at least that''s what he thought. He had five years to train after all; he had the time to master all sorts of things from his previous and present life. There was no amount of resources he couldn''t obtain as well; how could he not be this strong?


    Jang was taken aback when his dome of ki was shattered as Raph appeared before his very eyes, his right fist swinging down for a punch.


    "Shit". He muttered, forcing his ki to spread throughout his body as he maneuvered backwards, before the punch could hit. A wave of aura shot out due to the impact in the air, and the blow pushed him even more, slamming against a crater before he stopped himself from moving any further.


    "Hah?! Have you been deceiving us? Raffaelo Jun!" Jang''s voice was a mix of annoyance and rage as he walked out of the debris, seemingly untouched. This was nice. Yes. It was really nice.


    "Now, I can go all out!". His body vibrated with his ki as it shot out, stamping his foot on the ground in an attempt to charge.


    But Raph had not even given him time, appearing as his sword sliced through the air, a crippling sound echoing in the air, as ice formed in its wake. Jang curved his body backwards, bending over, and his back muscles snapped tenaciously at him, as the sword sliced past him in the air.


    SCREEE.....


    An aura of ice shot out from his blade and sliced everything in its path up until the walls and cracked the dome that protected the Stands, and everything it touched was corroded by crawling ice.


    At that moment, another dome formed, stronger and sturdier than the last. A cold breath exuded from Raph''s mouth, his lips turning blue ever so slightly. "Everything is ice". Jang found himself in a complicated situation, as he walked past the sword, stood up properly, and jumped in the air, swinging his fist at Raph.


    "Imperial Mystic Kang Arts! Flames O''Kneel". His yang energy surged within as a fiery dragon awakened around his fist, suffusing it with a boiling aura, and his eyes ignited with crimson fury.


    Raph rotated his body instantly, swinging his sword across the air, spreading a shroud of frost. "Snow Seracs". Fist collided with blade, and the air pulsated with the life of fire and ice, colliding in a symphony before exploding with a sonic boom.


    This was just the beginning.

 Chapter 101- JANG KANG LIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 1

    The pulsation of energy blew the two participants to the sides, sending their bodies down a world of pain as they collided with the craters that rose in the air. Jang had the worst of it.


    His body was unable to withstand the cold, and ice had begun to creep up his body, starting from the fist that collided with the sword.


    Raph, on the other hand, was quite fine; he stopped himself after crashing through a crater, stomping his foot on the ground to stop the momentum. A cold chill exuded out of his lips as he swung his blade to the side.


    "Jang! That was merely the introduction! Be ready!"


    Jang''s expression was a comical revelation of what went through his mind. It was a mix of confusion, embarrassment, and especially anger.


    He didn''t see why he would struggle so much against someone who had been clearly weaker than him. Had he been hiding it all this while? And what, because of the King? His pride wouldn''t let him accept that Raph had fought through so many matches while struggling...but if there was one thing he did notice.


    ''He never exhibited his skills at once....it was like stages...as if he was showcasing them one at a time''. It was only now that he realized how Raph had only used a skill when necessary or when called for.


    "Tch!" He cursed under his breath, raising his arms to the air, his thoughts swirling like a wave. "Why should I care?!" His voice sent a chill in the air as his ki swirled from deep within, absorbing energy from his three diatian.


    "4th step of the Imperial Mystic Kang Arts!" The ground shook beneath them as his ki spread deep into the hard soil, a fiery ambiance following its call.


    "Imperial Ascent!"


    The ground shook and trembled as craters of rocks and stone rose into the air as if gravity was suddenly cut off around the Arena.


    Its area of effect was widespread, reaching the walls and pulling up every hard bit of stone into the air, crumbling due to the force as they floated.


    Raph wasn''t exempted from this sudden anti gravitational pull as he was suddenly yanked from the ground with the large chunks of snow and ice that had formed, crumbling further as it rose into the air due to the might of the force.


    A large crater, the diameter of the Arena, was pulled off completely, suctioned into the air like a vacuum, causing a vast depression and a deep gorge.


    Their gazes were sharp, and the level of their mastery was astounding. There was no one that wasn''t left agape; in fact, Jang and Raph were left surprised. ''This excitement, Oh! How long it has been''. Raph''s thoughts began to fade ever so slowly, as he no longer needed his thoughts to think of what next to do, or how fast to act, or how much strength he needed to pour.


    No, he already forged his body and mind to the hardest of his stage, and though he may have become an 8th star as of recently in this past life, the sensation had never left him once since it was his second time.


    His body could instinctively use what felt best and how well it would act. This match was definitely his win. Raph suddenly increased his speed instantaneously as they clashed, gradually like the acceleration of a race car, he began to strike faster, more precise, stronger, and firmer.


    Each strike leaving a dent on his opponent, as Jang, for the first time in his life, felt what it meant to be pushed back.


    "Me? Jang Kang Lin! Impossible!" But words without action were....mostly futile and hard to believe as Raph suddenly flung him away with so much force that the air had compressed and the ground had literally depressed and shattered, causing bits of dust to fall down.


    Jang grunted in pain as he was smashed into the ground, but he had quickly gained footing, stopping his momentum before his body could get to the other side of the Arena. He stomped his foot on the ground and aimed his fist forward.


    "9th step of the Raging Dragon Fist! Breaking Point!"


    His fist collided with the air, his ki surging like a tsunami as the air was compressed into giant fists filled with wind, propelling itself towards Raph. He did it again and again, increasing the pace and speed of his punches in the air until at least a hundred had been sent in quick succession, overlapping with some and increasing the pressure.


    The 9th step of the Raging Dragon Fists was initially an area-of-effect attack, but with higher understanding of Martial Arts, one realizes different ways of applying them to increase their strength. What Jang did now was one of such examples.


    Raph drew his sword through the air while his left first and middle finger drew a line across the blade of his two-bladed katana. "Everything is Ice, Cold Stone." His blade suddenly surged with the hissing sound of ice as it coated it firmly, while he spread his aura through it. Find exclusive content at empire


    "Aura Blade." Of course, with the 8th star as a Master, it was only natural that the famous Aura Blade was one of the techniques under his belt, though it was something he had gained only recently; he was familiar with the sensation of opening up his aura way and forming such mastery of the blade.


    He swung his sword down, slicing through the air, while ice steam followed in its wake as it collided with one of the fists, freezing the bundle of air in an instant and shattering it into bits of ice shards.


    Of course, this occurred in that instant his sword collided with the fist, and after destroying one, his body began to move like a well-oiled machine. Slicing and smashing into the fists of wind as it crashed into the ground, the hissing and cracking of ice following his movements, while ice steam trailed the curve of his sword path.


    His eyes were a peerless milky white, like two orbs in the shape of the moon, relentless and unphased, with a single goal in mind: CRUSH

 Chapter 102- JANG KANG LIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 2

    While the intensity of the battle between Raph and Jang began to soar to new heights, the great families were busy dealing with something else. At one point, Kira Merlin had to create a silence dome so no audience could hear their conversation.


    "Magic?!" She repeated for the...thirteenth? Twelfth? Well, her expression was etched with confusion and shock when she noticed the flying fireballs, but what impressed her was how well the fireballs were made. She wasn''t the only shocked one, though; literally everyone except the Jun household was stunned.


    "How is he using magic? Explain this, Michaelo!" It was the Patriarch of the Kang Lin house''s turn to speak now. His expression wasn''t contorted with confusion, but it hid further intentions. Who knows...he may as well use this opportunity to pull a leg down.


    "I see absolutely nothing wrong here! There is no rule that states a mage cannot learn swordsmanship or a swordsman cannot learn magic!" Michaelo made his statement boldly and calmly, his wife beside him and his daughters behind him with Gilda. It seemed he would have to contain his anger for a while.


    "..." Kira Merlin was left in utter disbelief. He was right, but...How could she accept this? Finding a Magic Swordsman had always been one of her lifelong projects. After all, defeat after defeat by the hands of Michaelo Jun opened up her eyes to the very thought.


    How perfect would it be if the Merlin household where to find a Magic Swordsman who had perfect control over magic and swordsmanship? Oh, the thought was intoxicating, and it was something she wanted so badly. And here was one....a test subject? Something ignited within her eyes, her gaze following the match with utmost attention, but she was snapped back to reality by a rather sharp statement.


    "I will pluck out those eyes if you have even a slight ill intent towards my son." Rachael''s gaze flickered between the Arena and Kira, a stern hue exuding out of her composed expression. Kira''s gaze snapped at her, but she held herself from commenting.


    She wouldn''t want to say anything more that could possibly reveal her intentions, but at that moment when Raph used magic, he had already become her target. She clicked her tongue and sat up straight, while Ciara, her daughter, fixed her gaze on Raph. Her expression was visibly calm, but her mind was bundled with millions of questions.


    ''Forget the magic! Are these people blind?! He''s practically overpowering Jang with the wave of his hand! Why didn''t he go all out when he faced me?!''. And then it hit like a boulder. ''...I wasn''t strong enough?'' She tightened her grip and bit the lower part of her lips.


    ''....How dare he''. Discover exclusive tales on empire


    ****


    The battle at the Arena continued to send shockwaves around the whole part, their strength palpable with each strike. Raph had finally smashed the last bit of fist into the ground, and he finally had a second of a moment to comport himself.


    He was surrounded by shards of ice that had completely covered the ground around him. He had finally decided to charge once again but stopped when he noticed Jang seemed to have been fixed in a daze.


    "Should I come to you?" Raph''s voice echoed, his arm muscles clenching as he tightened the grip of his sword. Swordsmen were naturally known for their strong and inhumane build. They had the ability to jump into the air like they could fly or run like a speeding race car, but the Jun''s were more abnormal than the normal.


    Let''s say an average swordsman can jump 15m into the air, while a Jun can jump twice as much and even more, the further their stars increase. Factors such as mastery have to be brought into play, but you get the gist. It''s no wonder he had such inhumane physical traits.


    "7th tier Water magic," Raph said, lowering his blade, as water began to flow from the ground into the air above him, forming a ball that began to expand with the addition of more water.


    Jang cursed under his breath, suppressing his doubts, and charged forward. He didn''t want to doubt himself or his strength, but he would have to do much more than what he was doing now if he wanted to attain victory in any form.


    Within a split second, he had crashed into the ground beside Raph, his fist suffused with ki thrust towards Raph within the next moment, and Raph raised his sword to block when a kick wrapped in ki collided with his chest and blew him away.


    Raph coughed out blood due to the impact, his mind reeling in as the water forming on his head continued to enlarge.


    That was not nearly enough to startle the magic process. He wiped off the blood from the edge of his lips when Jang appeared in his presence once again, fury etched on his expressions.


    "Who could have thought....?!" He muttered, widening his fist into a palm and blasting a load of ki at Raph. Raph''s blade crackled and hissed to the intensity of the building ice as it smashed through the ki, splitting it into two, which collided with either side of the Arena. The water ball had finally enlarged enough, taking a size that nearly swept a shadow over half the Arena.


    The ball suddenly warped and took the shape of a mermaid with a wide chest and a short tail. This was probably one of the hardest magic he could have mastered, but it was popularly used during the war in his past life...so he could gain the basics after watching them over and over. The rest was up to the level of his mana circles. And as for now, he had seven.


    "Neptune''s arrow." A large arrow of water formed on the Mermaid''s left hand, as he drew an invincible bowstring forming a massive arrow. It was the size of a metal pole, and as it formed, the floating humanoid made of water reduced in size. The arrow shot out like a jet pistol, streaming through the air and slamming into the ground as Jang retreated.


    His body tensed as ki streamed down his body, and in the next moment, all hell broke loose. His body jumped and dodged out of the way of the incoming water arrows. The projection and force of the arrows were much stronger and faster than the normal, almost like water bullets. They fired like rockets at the expense of the size of the floating humanoid made of water.


    While Jang maneuvered himself around the Arena, dodging them flawlessly, his gaze was fixed on Raph, and his thoughts were swirling in his mind, thinking of contingencies and a way to fight back. He needed to end things quickly, in fear of what Raph would expose next.


    And as if reading his mind, with his gaze stern and devoid of emotions, and a chilling smile exuding from his sword, he said.


    "Aura Field Of Vision."

 Chapter 103 Chaoter 103- JANG KANG LIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 3

    "Aura Field Of Vision." His voice was like a halo of ambient snow and ice. His gaze exuded a cold semblance, and his sword exuded a cold chill in the form of smoke. Jang had heard this statement, and his heart began to thump in overdrive.


    ''What now? How can he use this already?'' Questions reeled in, and yet they could not be replied to.


    At least he wasn''t the only one surprised; his father had quite a complicated expression on his face. His teeth were clenched hard, and his brows furrowed deeply. Everyone knew about the Jun''s Aura Field of Vision¡ªthe exhibition of their trait in the strongest form¡ªbut in order to reach this stage, one must become a Master.


    Raph became a Master only a few days ago; how could he possibly exhibit something like this now? This was beyond his expectations, and he couldn''t help but wonder what more this child had hidden under his sleeves.


    ''Michealo, that bastard, has raised yet another prodigy...but this one seems like the cream of the top...''.


    His gaze never left the Arena for even a second, even when his assistant, the head of the lesser clan, gripped the stone chair so hard that it shattered. "What nonsense is this!" The man cried out in a stifled yell. He was known as Ran Mon Lin, a vassal of the Kang Lin household and head of the Lesser Clans.


    He also served as the assistant and head of all Financial Services within the Kang Lin household.


    "Ease your anger, Ran; we must never show weakness". His statement was a stern warning, and the black and gray-haired elderly man with a bushy mustache and well-kept beard nodded in response. He was in a similar attire as Jang, a clothing of the Murim world.


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    All they could do was watch. In the household of the Jun family, though, they seemed to have their own complicated worries. "Has he even trained that yet?" Gloria spoke up, her body tensed with worry.


    The Aura Field of Vision was an area-of-effect ability that depended mostly on your mental resilience and imagery. It takes time to imagine how you want your perfect vision to be, so how could he possibly use it now?


    "Raph has always done things like this...he''ll be fine" Morganna said with a sigh, waving her hand at her elder sister. And they all had to admit it, it was true.


    "...That boy really" Rachael sighed, their attention fixed on Raph as his Aura Field of Vision came into play.


    BOOM.


    The Arena was clouded in a smoke of cold ice as glacial spires and snow pillars emerged from the ground in a swift motion. Their sharp edges extended throughout the Arena, reaching the walls and cornering Jang before he could even retaliate.


    "Tch!" Jang cursed, a cold breath exuding from his lips as a cold chill crept into his body. ''Never!''. His body charged with yang ki and shot out, his blood boiling, and a fiery wave of energy exuded out of it.


    "5th step of the Imperial Mystic Kang Arts! Reversal Law!". Fire and Energy combined in so much harmony that a wave of it erupted from his body and melted the ice that attempted to corner him. He stretched out his hands, and the tall pillars and sharp glaciers began to break out of the ground into the air. Here''s the text with corrections and suggestions for improvement:


    Then, he pulled his hands down when they had not even floated an inch into the air, causing the whole diameter of the Arena to sink. Ice broke, and snow fell as it crashed into the ground in a single motion. ''I shall not let him get the better of me''. He thought, coursing out the magnitude of his ki throughout his body. It began to emit from his orifices and fists like a steam of white energy.


    Then there was Resonance that depended on meditation and understanding the relation between aura and mana and how best to use it at the same time without causing him too much pain.


    He was in the process of mastering it to say the least, but he wasn''t there yet.


    He would probably have to rely on his circles to absorb mana if he expends his star and mana reserves...but hopefully, he doesn''t.


    Jang seemed to have gone unconcious from an Audience perspective but it was quite different from that.


    Raph could tell and all other Partriatchs could tell as well, in fact, this boy was actually meditating in that awkward position.


    ''Martial Artists are crazy I tell you''. Raph thought, watching the scene unfold quietly.


    He may as well just end it now, but honestly, it would be a little bit disappointing to end it this way.


    Though, if Jang were to go through a breakthrough, now that would be a problem.


    He had made up his mind to charge when the air around Jang intensified.


    ''Well damn''. Raph thought, taking a step back. ''I hope I didn''t fuck up too much''.


    There was always one thing that bothered him in his past life, and it was Jang. His feet in the battle was well known but the tendencies of him finding a fortuitous encounter.


    For example at this moment, this guy might actually make a breakthrough, not that Raph was worried though.


    The air around Jang began to pulsate like the beating of a heart, and his muscles gripped and clenched, forcing out the shards that had penetrated his body.


    The holes exuded a steam of white ki that closed it up immediately, and his body ascended into the air.


    Jang''s body erupted with a white ki and his eyes darted open with white steam, as he fixed his gaze on Raph.


    His hair began to float in the air, as he raised his hand in the air.


    "Shall we begin round two?".


    Raph raised a brow at the sight. and a wild grin crept on his face.


    "No we shall not".

 Chapter 104- JANG KANG LIN VS RAFFAELO JUN 4

    Jang raised a brow in confusion, but nonetheless, he charged forward, his body appearing to warp into space and reappear as it collided with Raph''s blade. A sonic wave exuded out of their little confrontation, and the force pushed the snow around them. Ice began to creep up Jang''s fist, but his expression remained unphased.


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    He gripped his fist hard, and yang energy surged through, a fiery light igniting around his fists.


    "Be proud, Raffaelo Jun, this is the third time I use a Kang Lin technique on you," Jang said, his voice exuding a mix of strength and arrogance with the newfound power.


    "Huh?" Raph muttered, his thoughts mumbling to him. ''Didn''t you use just one?''. That''s right; with the use of his abilities, he had not even seen the need to use his Family''s techniques until now.


    "6th step of the Imperial Mystic Kang Arts! Descending Rule." This time, instead of an anti-gravitational pull, something entirely opposite occurred - a gravitational push.


    BOOM.


    The force shattered the tall snow pillars and glacier spires into smithereens, descending like a sledgehammer on anyone unfortunate enough to be in its way.


    But even at that, Raph had his own way of fighting back against this sort of force. In fact, powerful Jun''s like Gloria and Michealo could easily tank this sort of gravitational force, but Raph was far away from their level. A master at the 8th star and a grandmaster at the 10th star are worlds apart.


    The force finally descended on him, and his body screamed within that force. Had he not experienced something similar once? He did; Ciara had used gravitational magic as well, but this...this was at least three times as powerful.


    Jang was a Martial Artist with incredible martial prowess and had attained the Mid-stage of the Body Tempering Rank at an early stage. But even then, he couldn''t catch up with Raph at the beginning, but when he broke through into the Late stage, he could finally get a breather. His foundation was still shaky, to say the least, but it was much more powerful than he was previously.


    His gravity was bound to be more powerful than the Merlin''s girl, and Raph could feel the brunt of it. His body felt like it was under a mountain, and yet he still stood, fending off the constant attacks from Jang as he tried frantically to find an opening to land a killer blow.


    Raph refused to let this happen; his mind and will were unshaken as he swung his sword in beautiful arcs while the chilling smoke followed its wake, clashing and fending off the fiery fist of Jang Kang Lin.


    Both seemed to be confused. One was trying to find an opening and was confused at how Raph still had the strength to stand, and Raph was confused at how he was still able to stand. Maybe he had underestimated Resonance much more than he realized.


    Jang''s body was a mix of dirt and crimson, as blood dribbled down his body. His head ached bitterly as he tried to stand up, staggering only to regain his posture once again. His eyes were lethargic, half-open, and the fire within them had burnt out. ''Was the 7th too strong for me after all?'' He wondered, but what could he have done? He would have been defeated by that attack if he had let it through.


    His body was in a world of pain, and his vast ki had trickled down to a small palmful. He used his family''s technique, one after the other, starting from the 3rd and reaching the 7th. His body could hardly exude more ki now.


    "Hah....I hope he''s unconscious now," he muttered under his breath, but to his utter dismay, he was not.


    Raph stood at least 500 meters away from Jang, but he wasn''t far enough for his eyes to note how perfectly fine he seemed to be.


    ''How? How was he able to survive that?'' It wasn''t the attack that had caused him so much pain, but the aftermath. The shockwave was too quick and powerful for him to set up any perfect form of defense, and he had no choice but to use the environment as a shield...so how.


    "You''re curious?" Raph asked with a raised brow, his voice penetrating the dust that raised in the air. Jang remained silent, his pupils flickering as they were fixed on Raph. Raph chuckled when he didn''t respond after waiting for it.


    "What kind of idiot doesn''t know that the aftermath of a powerful attack is worse off than the attack itself?"


    Jang''s eyes widened in shock, and his body stiffened.


    ''Are you telling me...he anticipated it already and found a method of protecting himself?''. The fire that had died down suddenly blazed, burning through his ki as it erupted from his body. It was just as he thought; Raph didn''t need his past memories to know what would happen if their attacks were to collide.


    The Family techniques were powerful enough to cause changes to the weather and even destroy mountains...how would the aftermath be? Terrible, to say the least. The air was still congested with dust, and a literal vortex of blue and red was sending tremendous vibrations through the air above their heads. This was a literal example.


    "This...This son of a bitch..." His ki had run out at one point, but his anger was relentless, finding something else to burn through, and it did. The fire erupted even greater than before, burning through his clothes and his life force as well.


    "I won''t stand for this, Raffaelo Jun."


    The ground melted under those flames, and the atmosphere around him began to burn. He was thinking about what to do next to turn this shitty show around, and he already knew what to do.


    He would use the 9th step.

 Chapter 105- FINALE....?

    The fire crackled and danced in a crimson hue as he clenched his fists into a tight ball. His mind was made up a long time ago, and all he had to do now was strengthen his resolve. "8th step of the¨C"


    His voice wavered when Raph suddenly appeared in front of him like a ghost. He didn''t even hear him disappear or feel his energy fluctuate... it was like he just appeared? Was that speed? He thought, but his mind was busy comprehending something else.


    He felt a chill that crept up his body, and it was a terribly cold chill that the fire couldn''t burn away. It felt like he was naked and thrown into a snowstorm, only to find a match that burnt relentlessly in that storm as his only source of light. The cause of such coldness was peerless white eyes.


    It was like staring at two moons that exuded a malevolent hue, a color so invisible that one would most likely miss it. It was ethereal and magnificent, leaving an imprint on his heart.


    Raph''s eyes were so white that Jang could see his reflection clearly, but the deeper he stared, the colder he became, and the more an unknown darkness crept into his heart.


    That darkness seized control of everything, forcing him to a standstill. He could not move, he could not blink; in fact, his senses became meaningless at this point, but only his ears remained unphased. As if it was done purposely so he could hear the next statement.


    "Everything is Ice." Raph stretched forth his hand, through the burning flames, and tapped the boy''s shoulders, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "Cold Zero."


    A cold chill swept the Arena as everything was covered in the beauty of snow and ice. The ground of the Arena had been turned into a crystalline structure of ice, starting with Jang, who was frozen in place. The flames had been put off by the cold, and his body had been reduced to a dormant state as snowflakes descended from the skies.


    Raph stood up straight, his lips quivering slightly as his hand remained fixed on the boy, absorbing the ice that covered his body. The rules of the Battle were not to kill your opponents, but nobody said anything about putting them in a dormant state. He needed to at least get rid of the Ice, just in case the Patriarchs decided to be petty about the results.


    The ice had been absorbed fully, leaving a half-naked Jang to the brunt of the cold. His orifice was dark blue, and his skin had a hint of light blue. He was breathing slowly, but it seemed like it would take a while for him to awaken from that slumber.


    "He should be fine... the Martial Artists have ways of treating such... situations." Raph muttered under his breath as he laid the boy''s unconscious body on the ground. ''Better.''


    With that, the Rankings Battle had come to its end. Whether the Audience or Patriarchs were satisfied with the results, though, was entirely their problem.


    The Stand was filled with silence until one individual clapped his hands loudly, and this caused a chain effect throughout the Stadium. Their gazes were a mix of emotions, and some even had pent-up frustration.


    This caught the others'' attention, and some began to approach out of curiosity. One in particular bent down to try and shake the man who fell back to his feet.


    "Hey, bro, just because you lost your life savings doesn''t mean you get to put on a show here." The gruffy-bearded man said with a hint of worry in his tone.


    "Just leave him there; next time, he wouldn''t doubt the strength of the Juns." The men around him laughed out loud, and the gruffy-bearded man couldn''t help but join in. He had warned his best friend not to vote for Jang, but he protested, saying things like


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    "Never underestimate the strength of martial arts" and whatnot. But the end result just happened to not be in his favor, and he was a gambling addict.


    The gruffy-bearded man decided to leave his friend to his fate when he noticed a crimson color on the palm of his hands. He stared at it in confusion, his brows raising into an arch. His gaze then shifted to his friend''s body, and that was when he noticed it. Amber blood oozed out of the man''s body like a tap, and it was then it dawned on him.


    "Aaargh! Blood! Blood!" His voice sent a chill of panic through the others'' hearts as he backed away frantically in a world of horror.


    His eyes widened in shock when a female scream echoed within the Arena. "Kyaaaa!!" Tears streamed down her eyes as her dead daughter lay limply in her arms, blood oozing down to the seat of the Colosseum. Then another scream, followed by another, and then another, continuously, as more and more people''s bodies began to drop dead, their blood oozing out from a wide cut.


    Panic became evident in the hearts of the people as their cries echoed in the Arena. This wasn''t a cry of excitement but horror and chaos. They began to rush towards the exit, slamming on the invisible dome that caged them like rats.


    And still, more people dropped dead, blood oozing out and flowing down the Colosseum in large amounts. This didn''t stop them in the least; instead, it urged them to find a way to save themselves from whatever it was that killed the others. Their fear was evident, and the chaos had escalated so quickly that the patriarchs had not gotten the chance to realize what was going on.


    Michaelo was in a state of summoning his weapon when something took his attention away from the screaming audience. It was a murky, malevolent aura, thick and vicious, and it erupted out of the middle of the Arena, opposite of Raph.


    His body tensed on recognizing the aura. "Miasma?!" His voice was etched with confusion, and his next move had been made up before he could even act.


    But just then, something shook the Colosseum to its foundations, erupting from the miasma, a vicious jackal face smashed through, its teeth an ebony black, and its eyes a crimson red. It shook the Arena as two massive hands protruded out of the ground, and a massive, teeth-clenching roar echoed through the Stadium.


    "ROOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!"

 Chapter 106- 7th tier Great Jackal

    There was a deep tremble to the ground as the demon forced its way out of it in a frantic rage. Its arm and torso pulled out, but its legs were still stuck as it struggled to set free. Its cries sent a shiver down the spines of those who stood to watch the sight. The people only panicked more at the sight, but that was the least of their worries.


    Tiny demon creatures with bat wings, pig''s bodies, and lion''s heads surged out from the hole, their chirps of madness vibrating within the Arena as they flew into the Audience section, terrorizing the lives of the people who were left alive while feeding on the dead human bodies.


    Their numbers were so large that they cast a dark shadow over the Arena, blocking the ambient rays of the sun from reaching the Colosseum, as crimson blood stained the walls. Their cries had diffused into the air and had spread throughout the Harbour Town, instilling fear within their hearts.


    Michaelo''s sword appeared, and he swung it across the air, causing a clean arch to follow. A radiant dark and blue glow was projected into the air, and sliced through it, causing a crack that spread vividly throughout the Patriarchs'' stands.


    "Take care of the Devo babies," he instructed his family as the crack spread wide and smashed into the fabric of space and time, destroying whatever bound them to their spots. "Yes, sir," they chorused as they charged towards the Audience section, their weapons ready, as they attacked the 1st-tier great demons known as the Devo Babies.


    The rest of the Families did not hesitate to act the moment the invincible dome was broken by Michaelo, charging into the fray to annul the actions of the demons. Michaelo had diverted his attention to something else - the demon that contained nearly half of the Arena, the 7th-tier demon, Great Jackal.


    He sighed, ready to slice through space yet again to get to his son, but something peculiar caught the corner of his eyes. His gaze locked on Raph, who was staring straight at him, unbothered by the situation in front of him.


    Michaelo found this amusing, as much as he wanted to worry for his son, he almost made it seem like there was absolutely no need for such. Raph smiled.


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    "You know there is someone responsible for this, father; take care of that with the other Patriarchs." He said with an even tone, devoid of any emotions. Michaelo could tell that his son, for starters, was not being controlled to say that at the moment. Michaelo was already aware, and he was sure the other Patriarchs would try and locate the villains, but he had prioritized his son first.


    A 7th-tier demon was the strongest amongst their peers and rivaled devils of the 2nd and 3rd tier. This one, especially, the Great Jackal, was a beast that terrorized even Masters. How could his son be so confident? But nonetheless, he decided to trust his decision. With a nod, he turned away and headed towards the Stands, killing the Devo Babies that came his way.


    Raph watched this event play out, an aura of coldness wrapped around his gaze. "This never occurred in my past life... was something like this even possible?" He muttered under his breath, confused with the rest of them at the situation that had occurred.


    Its tail suddenly whipped through the air and smashed into the ground as Raph jumped out of the way. Demons were the same, no matter how strong they were. They were always dumb and followed their instincts.


    He backflipped in the air and landed at the other side of the Jackal, sliding underneath the shadow of the Demon as soon as he landed.


    The Great Jackal turned its head to find him but nothing was in its sight. It''s eyes burned red in rage as it raised its claw, smashing it through the ground. It cried again, its roars sending a vibration through the walls of the Arena, but it still couldn''t find the human.


    A slice sound echoed, and the jackal suddenly fell forward to its left, confusion etched on its body as it attempted to get back up only to fail. His eyes marked a movement that occurred below him, noticing a human who slid through the ground and sliced through the tendon of its right hind leg.


    The jackal cried out, falling over its own weight, and its head smashed into the ground. Raph slid out from underneath just before it crashed and jumped over to the top of the demon. His sword glowed brightly, using the demon''s body to propel itself into the air.


    The rays of the sun bathed his image in the sight of the Jackal as Raph''s sword was coated in an aura that increased in size and length, half the size of the Jackal. ''...the head''. His body spun in the air as he swung his blade along with it, causing a crescent arc to follow in its wake.


    "Chapter 3 of the Jun Swordsmanship: Fierce Surge". The aura erupted like an exhaust pump as it slammed against the demon''s neck, causing Raph to halt in the air.


    The Jackal cried out, attempting to stand once again, but its legs had been cut off, rendering it imbalanced. Raph bit the tip of his lip as he gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. "Absolute Zero". A cold aura emanated through the blade aura, and a light blue smoke emitted out, followed by the crackling of building ice.


    The ice spread through the side of the Jackal''s neck and froze it into crystalline ice. The Jackal yelped and gasped, attempting to suck in air, but its neck was long gone by now.


    All that was left would be...


    Raph, with a grunt, sliced through the ice with ease and cut off the neck of the Great Jackal in a single motion, causing ice and blood to spill out like a fountain.


    "Demons are nothing to me".

 Chapter 107- Demonic Human?

    The body of the Great Jackal fell with a loud thud on the ground, and a pool of blood quickly formed below it''s lifeless form. Its head rolled to the side of the Arena, and the malevolent light within its eyes dimmed into oblivion.


    Raph landed on the ground with ease, the aura dissipating into the air, as his gaze drifted to his handiwork.


    "Hmm..nothing better than a dead Jackal..". He said with a sigh, turning away to scan the stands.


    He noticed the changes that had occurred, and not to his surprise, everything had played out as he expected.


    Despite the large number of Devo babies, their strength was a far cry from strong when singled out.


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    And the twelve great families had made quick work of them, and that included the dome that blocked the people.


    Kira Merlin had brought it down before the carnage escalated.


    Another sigh escaped his lips.


    Just as things had escalated into carnage, the Great Families had worked together and quickly reversed the situation.


    A day like this would be remembered for certain events, including the joint defense of the Colosseum of the Great Families.


    It wasn''t often you got to witness this....well, that''s if you survived to witness it.


    He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his thoughts racing. "Demonic Humans huh? I wonder where they are hiding". A cold chill exuded from his lips, and a shade of darkness welled within his eyes.


    They were a problem in his past life as well, but they never showed themselves until after his first year at the Academy.


    His brows furrowed as a past memory played in his mind. "The twelfth". He muttered under his breath.


    The twelfth family had a lot to do with the Demonic humans and their excommunication was as a result of their plot.


    But their plans had caused so much death in the past..future?. Well...especially in the Academy.


    If the twelfth had something to do with this incident, then shouldn''t one of them have shown themself by now?


    His thoughts were a mess, with too much information leading to a chain effect, causing him to recall other events and incidents that will play out this way.


    It seemed like something would still occur, regardless of whether he changed the current past.


    In a world crawling with the unknown, where your next stop could be your last, had just a single rule: the strong survive, and the weak...well, they mostly die.


    "Hmm~, I see." The man said, as he turned away from Raph, which actually eased a lot of the pressure Raph felt. The man''s expression had been the same since he appeared, devoid of all emotions. He wasn''t about to let a human ''kid'' get the best of him.


    "Then."


    He raised his right hand in the air, stretching out the long, slender, hard claws of his fingers, and in the next fraction of a millisecond, a sword sliced through his hand, causing a gust of wind to blow as blood splashed into the air like a fountain. At the same time, a subtle force pushed Raph away from the man, and the man turned his body in a frenzy as he swung his left fist forward.


    BOOM!


    His fist collided with a glowing longsword, and a gust of energy created a deep depression across the entire diameter of the Arena.


    "Ohh~, How dare you, bastard!" The man''s voice trembled with rage, a stark contrast to his previous tone.


    His brows arched, and his expression contorted in disgust. His right hand regenerated instantly, and he swung it down in an attempt to blow Michaelo away.


    "Hm" With a slight grunt, Michaelo pushed the man backward, a gust of wind blowing behind him due to the force, followed by a pressure that pulled him deeper into the ground.


    "How dare you!" The man''s voice contorted, his eyes pulsating with rage, as a familiar emotion swept over his expression. What was it, though?


    The man bit down hard, pulling his body forward in an outburst of energy, and swung his hands forward with glowing, thick miasma coating his arms. Michaelo''s gaze remained unshaken, his stoic expression etched on his face, as he sidestepped and sliced the man''s two arms.


    Blood oozed out like a fountain, but within the next fraction of a second, he regenerated once again, swinging his elbow toward Michaelo. Michaelo dodged the attack, and as the man''s right leg lifted off the ground, aiming at Michaelo, he pulled his sword to his chest and blocked the kick. The collision caused an explosion of energy and a sonic boom.


    "Who are you?" Michaelo asked, his tone even and cold, with a calculative glint in his eyes.


    "Who are you for me to reply?" The man cried out in protest as he spun laterally in the air and swung the heel of his foot down toward Michaelo. Michaelo skillfully maneuvered himself backward, using his right leg as a pivot in front and his left leg as a pivot behind, charging forward as the man''s leg missed him by a long shot.


    He raised his sword in the air and sliced it down, cutting off the man''s leg. The man grunted in pain, cursing under his breath, when another presence appeared in front of him - a fist flying forward at the same time.


    "Did you not hear him? Who are you?" Chun Kang Lin asked as his fist collided with the man''s face, causing a gut-wrenching sound to echo, as tooth, blood, and flesh erupted into the air.


    The man was blown away due to the force but was stopped by a dome that caused an electrocuting force, stunning him into a world of pain.


    "Aaaargghhh!!"


    He screamed out as Kira Merlin floated in the sky.


    "How dare you cause trouble in the presence of the Twelve Great Patriarchs?"

 Chapter 108- The Greater Sins?

    The man fell limply to the ground, pain streaming down his body as he glared at the three individuals approaching him at an even pace. A cackle escaped his lips. "Me? Who am I? Why would the All-So-Great Patriarchs be concerned about that?" His voice sent a shiver down the spines of those below him, but it had no effect on the Patriarchs.


    Years of experience had forged them into powerful fighters, and this man was nothing compared to the countless hurdles they faced to reach this point. "Besides...One''s missing."


    Michaelo''s brow raised into an arch, his eyes narrowing at the man''s words. ''This is private information, though''. The 12th family was not like the rest; they were often called the Shadow of the Great families due to their closed nature. Their abilities lay in the occult and supernatural, most of which had been branded as taboo by the Divine Kingdom.


    Michaelo decided to be more cautious than he had intended, as this man had proven to be more than just a ''disturbance''.


    "Be careful, he''s most likely an 11th star like me," Michaelo spoke up, as they approached. Kira huffed.


    "And who do you think you are? I am a 13th circle. There is absolutely nothing he could do against us." Chun nodded in agreement.


    "Needless to say, we need to get information out of this bastard...for this catastrophe."


    The cries of the audience had died down, but the screeching of the dying Devo Babies filled the Colosseum with a dark shadow and a constant reminder of the carnage.


    "How dare you perform such antics in our midst?" Chun grabbed the man''s neck, squeezing it tightly as he poked certain parts of the man''s body. "Oh, is this the pressure point blockage I''ve only ever read about?" The man chuckled, his voice hoarse from the pressure, as he spat blood at Chun''s face.


    Chun sighed deeply, ki circulating through his hands as the force on the man''s neck increased, but just enough not to let him die. Though, they weren''t sure if he would die anyway. The man groaned in pain, gripping at Chun''s large arms in an attempt to set himself free, but to no avail. The man seemed relentless in being stubborn.


    "Superbia, the Greater Sin of Pride." The familiar voice caught the Patriarchs by surprise as their gazes snapped back to Raph, who was walking towards them.


    A puzzled expression was etched on their faces, but that expression slowly changed when Chun noticed the man''s sudden lack of resistance. Chun eased the pressure on the man''s neck, raising a brow and asking, "Is this true?" The man''s gaze was locked on Chun, but the emotion behind them was the same unwillingness.


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    "It''s true. The Demonic Humans from the legend still exist...he introduced himself when he thought he could silence me with ease." Raph explained, his gaze fixed on the man, and just then, the man turned towards him in a single motion.


    He looked like he had questions to ask, but for some reason, he remained fixed, preventing himself from speaking anymore.


    "The Demonic Humans?" Michaelo spoke up, a strong desire burning within him. "Are you sure, Raph?" He asked, his tone laced with disbelief. Demonic Humans weren''t known until after the incident at the Academy, but the Greater Sins had appeared years after that. He was only able to recognize him from the wanted posters from his past life.


    "Yes, Father." Raph nodded.


    "Hah! Hah!" The man chuckled lightly, his gaze never leaving Raph for even a second.


    "You believe a child? Even if he is yours, isn''t that dumb?" He spoke up, his tone laced with ridicule. Chun clicked his tongue, knocking the man on the head to silence him.


    "What...how..." He grunted in pain, observing Raph''s legs upside down.


    "You said you came with another Greater Sin...since you don''t have the ability to control demons." Raph spoke up again, and this time Michaelo joined in with Chun and Kira, their curiosity palpable in their gaze as it landed on Raph.


    "This...this liar!" The man cried out in annoyance, and for some reason, his arms and legs began to work nearly instantly, an inbuilt Miasma growing within him.


    Chun snapped at the man, holding him down with brute strength that could have crushed a whale with a single snap of his finger, and yet this man fought back like it was a mere chain binding him.


    Chun grunted, but the man''s strength only increased, and in the next moment, just before Michaelo could think of protecting his son, a burst of murky black miasma blew out from his body as he charged at the boy.


    "I must kill you!" The man thought, his fingers wide open as he closed the distance between them before a fraction of a second. Michaelo was a step too late, and the other Patriarchs seemed evident in letting whatever happened play out. Would it be really bad if this kid died now?


    was probably what passed through their heads, but at that moment, when the man could already feel the skin of Raph''s neck, a crippling cold assaulted the man''s senses.


    His eyes widened, and the ice spread throughout his hand, freezing it into hard crystalline ice.


    "This is for making me feel weak." Raph said, taking a step back in a pretense to dodge, a wild grin plastered on his face and a malevolent hue hiding behind his eyes, a color so thin that it nearly appeared invincible.


    "How dare you!" The man''s face contorted, and another burst of miasma blew Raph meters away. He attempted to charge at Raph again, when an otherworldly presence suffused his very skin, causing goosebumps to ride through his body.


    "Not on my watch." Michaelo''s voice was like a death scythe as he swung his blade and shattered the ice around his arms, pulling his left hand towards him to grab him when his body suddenly disappeared. Michaelo stumbled forward but regained composure as he looked up.


    "Would you look at that."


    The Patriarchs were left lost for words by the amount of miasma that exuded out of the individual who floated above them in the sky.


    "You seem pretty battered up, sugar." The female voice was like a symphony of music, a music meant to allure the ignorant and the fools, and yet the powerful and the vengeful. This was the epitome of seduction, her words enough to allure the strongest of hearts and nut the hardest of men.


    "And who are you?" Kira spoke up, her mana swirling, preparing to cast a spell at any given moment. Her decision to simply walk away from this was quickly thwarted by Raph''s words.


    A woman with cat eyes, ears, and a long slender black tail that reached at least two meters, floated in the air, and next to her was the man who had appeared once before. She exuded an aura of charm, and her expression made her intent palpable. She had yellow golden eyes that could captivate even the blind, and her lips were peach pink.


    Her body radiated allure and seductiveness, with a slender waist and curvaceous hips that commanded attention. Her ample bosom was accentuated by her form-fitting tank top, while her unbuttoned shorts hinted at the beauty beneath.


    As she gazed downward, her long, dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, exuding a sensual aura that captivated all who laid eyes on her. With a small giggle, she said playfully,


    "Well, wouldn''t you like to know."

 Chapter 110- A New Ranking

    ONE WEEK LATER.


    Raph''s POV.


    The Rankings Battle had ended with a lot of memories, to say the least. Firstly, the number of People that had come to watch the battle had been halved, with a lot of families lost that day, and thus it was given the name, The Day of the Bloody Colosseum. It was no surprise there, after all, in order to summon a 7th tier Great Demon, you needed the blood of at least ten to twenty Masters.


    Their burials took place after two days, just after the cleaning and rebuilding of the Colosseum had taken place.


    Secondly, the King had declared a State of Growth. Now, everyone is going to be focused on quickly building their strength for the upcoming confrontation against the Demonic Realm. It was surprising enough that he would declare such, but after losing so much in his absence, he must have found it only right to do so. Well, I guess it was a good thing he left before the whole incident occurred.


    It would have been trouble if the King had passed away during the whole incident. Much worse than a Patriarch dying in fact.


    Thirdly, the Great Families accounted no loss after the whole ordeal...well except one and the Rankings had been adjusted four days later. We had to remain in the Capital City for a while as a result. Now the Rankings were as such. The First- Jun. The Second- Kang Lin. The Third- Merlin.


    The Fourth- Silvan. The Fifth- Lucia. The Sixth- Teras. The Seventh- Son Goku. The Eighth- Aquarius. The Ninth- La Teur.


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    The Tenth- Techa. The Eleventh- Vinci. The Twelfth- Arcanus. Well, not just the win, but the battle prowess was taken into account, as well as their demeanor. Since Louis, who should have clearly won against Mariam, was put below her. It must mean they took his demeanor as unacceptable, probably.


    The Rankings were the last of my worries.


    Fourthly, The Greater Sins escaped. They used the explosion as a means to cast a long distance teleportation spell and escaped from Kira Merlin''s grasp...and there was a good chance that both could have been captured. After all, My father had dealt a heavy blow to them.


    Some were interesting stories I once read as a child in my past life, while others were about sword kills, sword arts, and sword movements. Although the Exclusive Jun Sword Arts weren''t available here, there should be some interesting ones that my father had collected over the years.


    The shelves were arranged on either side of the room, two on one side and three on the opposite side, leaving the middle for two long tables and chairs. The tables and chairs were made from bright oakwood, with intricate designs rivaling those of the Royal Library, evident to the craftsmanship.


    Seated across from the door, on one of the cushioned chairs, was Gloria, her gaze fixed on some texts before lifting up towards her brother, a small smile escaping her tired face.


    ''Well, she is our acting Duchess'', I thought to myself with a sigh as I approached her.


    After my father''s absence, my mother had quickly taken position as the Family''s Patriarch, but sadly, she wasn''t as strong as my father, so her presence was hardly recognized. My sister, on the other hand, who had the most potential of becoming an eleventh and even above that, was here, taking the position as Assistant in name but performing the tasks in my mother''s stead.


    ''It wasn''t that Mother left it to her, more like she''s too saddened by the loss to perform her tasks properly...of course, unless it was urgent.'' I walked over to one of the shelves, scanning through and picked up two interesting books. One was "The History of the Jun" and the other was titled "Abbreviated Version of the Dark Age".


    The Dark Age was similar to the current crisis, with demons and devils contacting humans and a time of plague and suffering descending upon them, until the appearance of the goddess Mayura. I sat down on a chair next to Gloria, picking up one of the cut pieces of apple and ate it. "You seem busy," I said, meeting her gaze with a narrow smile.


    She shrugged in response. "One of us has to be busy."


    I stared at her for a while, then turned to look away. My sisters were all grown up now. Fiona, 23, had her own thing going on and had to return to her Tower soon, after all the Jun Tower was still in its developing stages. She couldn''t leave it for too long.


    Thalia, 18, still had two years left in the Academy. Rebecca, 20, was in her last year. Both had to return three days after the end of the Rankings Battle. I would be joining them in a month''s time as well. Morganna, 17, was currently staying in my mother''s mansion, likely trying to appease her. And Gloria, 24, was in charge of our army and handling state matters.


    ''Life is tough once you''re a grownup, huh,'' I thought with a sigh.


    "Never mind that, what are you reading?" Gloria asked, her gaze on the two dark books on the table.


    "Oh, this? Just thought I might look into some history now," I replied with a shrug of my own.

 Chapter 111- NEW BEGINNING

    NORMAL POV


    "Hmmm," Gloria muttered, turning her attention towards the book about the History of Jun. "You never learned about our history?" she asked.


    "I''ve never been interested in those sorts of things, you know."


    "But... You''re a Jun; this is something that we naturally become curious about." Gloria picked up the book, turning through the pages.


    "Then you probably don''t know about the side families." A pin-drop silence suffused the air, Raph''s thoughts still contemplating her words. "What?!" he cried out, standing to his feet.


    "We have side families?!" His voice could have woken the dead, if they weren''t so... dead. Gloria chuckled at his reaction.


    "Of course, do you think each generation just had one kid, and that kid became the sole Patriarch?" she asked, her amused tone evident. "It''s a good thing you decided to come." Raph sighed, taking his seat and adjusting himself.


    ''Well, of course, there are branch families; the Jun likes to reproduce, don''t they?'' He thought. Interestingly, the Jun''s were known for their peculiar nature of bearing at least four children in each generation. It raised questions of whether they liked children or just loved engaging in the act. Raph always thought it was the latter.


    "I know what you''re thinking," Gloria said, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked up at her with a smug expression. "Do you really?" She shrugged. "Our desire for strength makes us domineering; the feeling can be said on the bed as well." Her reply caused a shiver down his spine. ''Ma¨CMa¨CMaso¨C''


    "It''s not as bad as you think it to be," she cut off his thoughts, easily swaying them away with a chuckle.


    "I''m simply saying that we tend to over-engage in such acts because of how effective it feels... well, you''ll understand when you''re older." She explained, nodding in satisfaction to her own explanation.


    Raph clicked his tongue, turning away. ''What''s this virgin talking about?'' He thought when a resentful aura caused a chill up his spine. He turned to face his sister, her face a contorted mix of annoyance and anger.


    "I know what you just thought," she said, her tone bitter. Raph pushed himself away from her.


    "A¨CA joke, sister, I didn''t mean it at all," he muttered, scared of an impending world of pain, but then his sister stopped halfway.


    "Pff- ha ha ha..." She laughed lightly, tears forming in her eyes. "What was that about, Raph?" She giggled, slumping her shoulders and easing her posture.


    Gloria''s gaze flickered to his statement, a solemn smile taking its place on her face. "The original text would be in the Jun Catacombs, north of here. If anything, this is merely the abbreviated version of the summarized one that our aunts are in charge of." Raph''s eyes widened due to her statement.


    There were so many things he had not even known in his past life, since he chose a life of negligence, but now that he wished to know more about his heritage, he began to realize how little he knew in general.


    "Such... Catacombs? We have such?" His words were shaky, failing to believe his sister''s statement. Her smile widened. "Where do you think the Patriarchs are buried? Everything you need to know about the Jun is located there...


    and albeit a little about the Dark Age as well."


    "Why... Why didn''t anyone tell us? Do the others know of this?" His eyes flickered to the intensity of the crimson light that permeated through the open windows of intricate designs and ornate patterns that hung on the wall behind them.


    "Why? Of course, this matter is only known to the firstborn, as well as the first son, and to all those who are interested in it... we don''t force such things on those who want nothing to do with it or those who choose to live a life of ignorance. Our bond as a family is our strength, but it is also a fatal weakness, as we fear to hurt our own or direct their paths.


    A Jun must choose his way and settle with the end result." Raph sighed deeply, contemplating her words and satisfied with his decision to know more. Information like this was privy to those who didn''t want it, but now that he knew about it, his life would take a drastic turn from now on.


    "Then, is there a way I can contact the branch families? I need to learn much more than I have now." Gloria''s gaze flicked for a moment, and her tired eyes landed on Raph once again, her smile deepening.


    "Well, I''ve always wanted one of us to check out the catacombs, but sadly, now is not the time for that. Though, there was a text that Father had refrained from showing even me. A text used by the First Patriarch, Mario Jun, a power that allowed him to truly transcend human limits in becoming the first 15th Star."


    Raph''s gaze widened once again. News after news left him lost for words. The legendary 15th star was heard of only by mouth, and even in his past life, it was hard to believe. But if that was true, then maybe... even he?


    "Father couldn''t comprehend it fully, and I''ve attempted comprehending it after going through some of his stuff..." She looked away guiltily after saying that. Well, it was expected. Who would go through their dead or missing father''s things, after what? A week? Raph chuckled at her reaction.


    "But, you must become a tenth star before you even get a glimpse of it." She said sternly, turning towards him, her gaze locked with his, and her smile widening. "Get to the Academy, and become a fine Swordsman. Then I shall think of letting you in on it."


    A swell of hope built within him. If there was truly a way of attaining the power he so much sought, then he would grasp it with welcome hands. With a smile and new profound determination, he said,


    "Well then, all roads lead to The Academy."


    END OF VOLUME 1 - THE JUN.

 Chapter 112- The Blue Rose

    Darkness crept, with a stillness that settled in comfortably, like the rays of light that came with the rise of the sun. The room was constructed in a circle, its diameter the size of two classrooms joined together.


    Within that room, darkness and silence were intertwined; seven figures were seated around a round table of dark oakwood and mahogany, its texture smooth to the skin, and its intricate designs of dignified stock and floral patterns palpable.


    The silence was soon replaced by the sound of blazing flames as six magical lamps turned on automatically around the circular room, illuminating the prestige of the seven individuals locked in a staring contest on their maple-crafted chairs, adorned with ornaments of jewels. Once the room was lit, the buried brilliance of the room radiated in a magnificent hue.


    With its golden walls and a roof ordained in smooth, marbled stones, radiating a bright blue color that took the shape of a rose.


    It radiated down on the round table, illuminating a cerulean brilliance on the white marbled tiles of the floor and the onyx-brown round tables, adorned with pastries and teas, which would probably go to waste. The seven figures wore black cloaks that hid their identities and thoughts, protecting themselves from one another, but one of them easily pulled off the hoodie that hid his identity.


    A goldish-brown-haired man with sharp crimson eyes and a golden-brown goatee sat on one of these chairs. His gaze scanned the room, with a crafty smile plastered on his face. "Ladies and gentlemen, are we still not comfortable enough to converse?" The King asked the individuals who had preferred to keep their identities to themselves, unperturbed by their decision.


    His question was met with a stifling silence that caused an uncomfortable shudder to creep up his spine slowly.


    Cold sweat dropped from his forehead as he struggled to maintain his smile. "How amusing. Your king asks you to uncover yourselves," The King spoke once again, his tone condescending, but no one yielded. "My King, do you intend to use the Blue Rose as a form to practice your royal rule?" one of the figures asked, his voice distorted in an unnatural manner.


    The King''s gaze snapped to the figure at his far left, the fourth from him, unable to guess who could have spoken before him. ''I would have asked for your heads, bastards,'' he thought, easing the urge to kill them all once again. This wasn''t the first, nor the second or third time that the Blue Rose had called forth a meeting.


    Though most of their meetings were merely formalities and simple plans, it was evident in their timing for another meeting that changes would occur.


    With a sigh, he ignored their refusal to his command and began the topic of the day. "Shall we commence the meeting?" "Of course, my King," another figure said, their back rested on the chair, with their hand placed under their chin within their cloak, the sixth from the King.


    "It''s not just any of their daughters. Three of the Juns'' daughters have deviated from the path of the Sword. Even if she is in the eleventh circle, how can a Grand Mage lead a family of swords?" The first included, their conversation reverberating with the dark blue marbled walls.


    "That is true. We will do just that. In that case, we will let them have an ''acting'' Patriarch while they receive direct rules from us. The Imperial family will be in charge of their affairs going forward." The King said, resting his shoulders on the obsidian chairs, a satisfied smirk on his face. ''Good riddance, huh, Michaelo Jun''.


    "Then, how about we seize their assets while at it?" The King asked, his fingers placed under his chin, his thoughts reeling in. The Patriarchs had noble titles of Dukes and Duchess, with the twelfth family serving one level behind as a Countess.


    The Jun family had over thirty villages in the north, including a total of twelve towns under their rule. That was basically all the villages and towns present north of the Imperial Kingdom. They served as a border Duchy to the Northern Mountains and Highlands. It was cold most times of the year, and summer would only come for two or three months.


    The Northern mountains were home to monsters and demons, with the weakening of the plane between the Mortal Realm and Demonic Realm decreasing further. However, with time, the number of portals that spawned began to increase, and with it, the level of difficulty. If anything, the Juns did the Kingdom a great service by remaining in the North to prevent demons from reaching the rest of the Kingdom.


    And in return, the King allowed them to keep the carcasses. Though it might not sound like much, the demon and monster pelts, cores, and other valuable materials obtained from their kills were something that had been under the Juns'' full control and were their major source of income and funds, aside from the taxes paid by the villages and towns.


    They also owned mana stone mines and some valuable resources, none of which were available to the King. So now that the Patriarch was gone ¨C not just any Patriarch, but Michaelo Jun, whom they had to be careful with ¨C he could finally get his hands on everything he ever wanted. After all, he was the King, and everything in his Kingdom belonged to him.


    "Seizing their assets will limit them further, but finding a logical means of doing so should be the first priority." The first from the King replied. "Of course. I have something in mind already.


    The Bloody Colosseum...is what they call it now." As his fingers tapped the hard surface of the smooth obsidian table, his gaze flickered, a sinister hue hidden within, as he focused on nothing but the future he would grasp in his hands.


    Everything must play out as he wanted it, and everyone must move to his will. He was the King, and everyone, including the stubborn families such as the Juns, would be put under his feet. ''I will use your family as my scapegoat, watch and suffer in the afterlife, Michaelo Jun''. A smile crept up his face, and his gaze relaxed, as if everything else would fall right into its place.


    "Well then, let''s move on to the next topic." The figures present were fully aware of the topic their King would bring up next. After all, it was the main purpose for him targeting the Jun family for so long.


    "How do I make Raffaelo Jun mine?"

 Chapter 113- Cressida Arcanus

    The floor cast a sapphire blue hue upon the figures as a brief silence descended upon them once again. This was a meeting of brainstorming, exploring different ways of acquiring what they wanted, which, at the moment, was the complete downfall of the Jun family.


    The King smiled at his subjects, whom he could at least identify as his. After all, he was the one who sent the invitation. So, he was aware of who they were, but they weren''t aware of each other''s true identities, and he couldn''t tell them apart. It was a rather unpleasant surprise when he first called for a meeting and they showed up in this manner.


    "Well?" He broke the silence with his authoritative voice, causing their gaze to shift towards their King. "Mind control? Just as you once did with Philip Jun." The second spoke up next, his voice distorted and contemplative.


    After all, it wasn''t like they weren''t aware that Philip was under the King''s control... though how he did it was unknown, even to Michaelo Jun. "Of course, that would be an easy task, but ensuring he gets a private audience with me is the problem." He said with a sigh, as if he had just listened to a monotonous message.


    "Mind control won''t work." Their heads shifted towards the third to the King, a figure who had remained silent until now. With an intrigued look in his eyes and his brow arched, he asked, "How so?"


    "....I had tasked a master of mental illusions and hypnosis once, but they failed miserably, receiving a backlash instead." The third explained. "Hah, indeed. He seemed to be able to control the Merlin girl at the end of their battle.


    A rather unsettling thing....if he could do such, then it wouldn''t be surprising if he had mental protection as well." The sixth from the King interjected, his arms resting on the obsidian marbled table.


    "We shouldn''t forget the fact that he had used magic as well. I heard he has mana circles around his heart....and mana stars in his dantian. That is not supposed to be humanly possible." The fifth from the King spoke up next, another figure who had yet to talk until now.


    "Yes. I heard his last battle with Kang Lin''s son was a surprise. He intended on keeping his powers a secret from me until the very end....clever boy," The King mused, his head resting on the chair as he looked up at the sapphire blue marbled rose on the ceiling, his thoughts reeling in.


    "If mind attacks don''t work, then a soul bind would work just as well. Though, how I go about it is entirely up to me." The King had always had his own method of subduing the mind and body of a Jun, even without a mental bind. It was something that worked for Philip, whose trait had to do with darkness, and it would inevitably work on Raffaelo Jun as well.


    "Of course, Your Majesty," the second from the King said.


    A brief silence descended once again, until the King glanced at the figures present and sighed. "The Jun boy has shown great promise. It would be to the benefit of the Kingdom if he were to come and serve me and my son."


    The figures present probably thought the same thing at the same time: ''Which one?'' It would still take a long time before the King forfeited the throne, and until then, he would continue to rule while observing his three sons, the first of whom had not been seen for a long time.


    The King and his first son had always had conflicting ideologies on how to rule the Kingdom, even from a young age. He had disowned him and named his second son the first, but the original First Prince would inevitably be a legitimate ruler if the King were to step down.


    With another sigh, he stood up from his chair, exuding an aura of status as the remaining figures stood afterwards. "This meeting shall be adjourned for now. I will call upon you all when next I need you."


    The woman chuckled, her smile staying in place. "Oh dear, when did I say we wouldn''t? The King is one thing, but the rest of the members are important figures. We will have to do things as we''ve always done. Slowly."


    Tacha remained silent, uncomfortable with the same thing she had heard for the past ten years since they began their plans for upturning the 12 Great families and the Imperial family. What they had in mind, though, was entirely up to them.


    "Yes, Matriarch" The maid bowed with a sigh.


    "So, were you able to figure out their identities?" She asked as she looked up.


    The woman''s face remained still, but that smile never left its place. A smile so bright and lively that it could illuminate the room of sleeping bodies, but within that smile, was a sinister plot that brewed deeply.


    "Of course. After five meetings, I finally know who is which." There was a reason for the seating positions in the Blue Rose. It revealed the time they first arrived. She was the first to arrive on their first meeting, and since then, she''s chosen to be the first to arrive and the last to leave in order to gauge their identities.


    "I''m almost 90% sure." She said with a sigh, meeting her Maid''s gaze with one of her own, a playful hue hidden within.


    "90%?" Tacha asked in confusion. Her madam was someone that always ensured her task was 100% achievable before she played it out, so why did she seem happy about a 90%?


    "Well, now isn''t the time for me to tell you all of that. Can you get Sophia for me? We need to plan our next phase of the plan." The woman said with a swipe of her arm, snapping the Maid out of her thoughts.


    Tacha sighed, the right side of her lips hung in an awkward smile. She was used to this, her Master''s constant suspense. It''s mostly what has kept her going in this place.


    "Yes, Matriarch." She bowed again, walking out of the room, and leaving the woman to her thoughts, once again.


    The woman laid her eyes on a flag that was kept neatly next to her shelves on the right side of her study.


    A dark emblem of skulls and skeletons, entwined in a thorny rose.


    It seemed like it was time to hang that flag once again. It was finally time for the Arcanus to bite their prey after stalking for so long.


    Cressida Arcanus, the Matriarch of the twelfth family, sat in all her splendor, her smile replaced with a calm and stoic line, and her gaze a fierce red of crimson red.


    ''It''s time for revenge''

 Chapter 114- Sophia Arcanus

    The moon''s luminescence cast an ethereal glow upon the rusticated black basalt castle, perched atop a towering mountain.


    Dark, foreboding clouds hung in the air, shrouding the Gothic Castle in a gloomy hue.


    Ancient gargoyle statues stood sentinel on the turrets, while weathered, square bartizans anchored the corners of the Castle walls.


    The Castle''s timeless, rugged beauty spoke to its enduring strength, capable of withstanding the strongest thunderstorms and hurricanes, testament to its longevity.


    An iron gate, static and overgrown with vines and moss barred the entrance of the Castle, frozen in place without serving its purpose for centuries. With the once majestic pathway, now overgrown with weeds that led up till the Castle door.


    Time had forgotten this place, leaving behind a hauntingly beautiful relic, Its long-lived features and ancient characteristics stood testament to a bygone era, and its purpose long forgotten.


    It was within that grand castle that Tacha walked out of her Master''s Study, her gaze lingering on the wide windows, as dull light pierced through.


    She adjusted her glasses and sighed deeply as she walked down the hallway.


    An eerie silence enveloped her, yet she remained unperturbed by the familiar sensation of emptiness. It had been a long time since the Arcanus household had employed other maids.


    She was, in fact, one of the last and youngest Maids that served the Twelfth family.


    It was something she had great pride in as well, as the twelfth family were her everything, and she had sought to give back to them what they had given to her.


    As she walked down the hallways, she looked around the tall marbled walls, recognizing each of the portraits that had been hung there since before she even knew about the Arcanus family.


    Her glasses glistened with the luminescence of the sun, until she stopped at one particular portrait, her lips curling up into a smile.


    On the wall hung a portrait of a girl, no more than five years old, seated on a cushioned chair, dressed in a purple Victorian gown, and black ribbons adorned on her bright violet hair.


    The girl in the picture had eyes that glowed in a mystical lilac, with dark circles underneath her eyes.


    Her small face scrunched into a cute pout, as she glared through the picture frame.


    A shiver ran down Tacha''s spine as she smiled.


    "The young miss is the same as always". She said with a sigh, turning and walking away from the picture frame.


    She turned left into another hallway, and knocked on a black maple door on her right after passing three other rooms.


    Silence followed, with no response. She sighed yet again, opening the door slightly, causing a gust of strong wind to seep through the open door, blowing her backwards slightly.


    She pushed through, opening, and closing the door, as she walked into a snowy mountain.


    Strong winds buffeted her face, and she felt a natural shiver creep up her body due to the cold.


    The moon radiated its brilliance upon the tall pine trees that surrounded her, as muffled screams of demons echoed in the air.


    She picked up the sound, slightly warming up her body with her arms, then walking forwards, her legs stumping into the snowy field that reached her ankles.


    "Lady Sophia!" She cried out, her voice reverberating with the strong winds and hollow sounds that echoed like a whistle due to the pressure.


    She had bright violet hair that was darkened at the moment, and charming lilac eyes that were currently painted red, causing a shimmering red-violet mix as black mana oozed out from both.


    A ruffled, knee-length gown in black, adorned with silver chains on its hem, and a delicate net pantyhose hugged her slender figure.


    A choker bearing a tiny cross adorned her fair neck, while high boots protected her feet.


    Dried blood coated her from head to toe, a gruesome contrast to her elegant, gothic attire.


    She walked by Tacha without acknowledgement, her attention solely on the demon.


    "It came from the trees, young miss". Tacha replied, used to her behavior of ignoring her when she invaded her ''private'' time.


    "Oh, that would explain it. What a smart demon". The girl muttered, walking up to the dead demon, and pulling out a meter¨Clong mace with 7¨C inches spikes out of the pool of flesh and blood.


    "What do you want, Tacha? I''m busy". She asked, bringing out a dagger from the side of her full leg fishnet stockings.


    She stabbed through the beast stomach, ignoring the outpouring blood and intestines, and dug her bloodied arm into the beast, in search of something.


    "....Obviously..." Tacha muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes away from the sight.


    "Did you say something, Tacha?" Sophia asked, disregarding her remark, while Tacha shook her head in response.


    "Nothing at all, My lady. The Matriarch wishes to see you"


    "Mother? For whatever purpose. I thought she was busy scheming again?" She asked, pulling in further, and causing more blood to gush out from the cut.


    "She isn''t scheming this time. I think she might admit you into the Academy". Tacha replied, her eyes darting nervously as her mind raced.


    "Huh? With those weaklings? Why would she?" She muttered, asking questions that she would most likely be able to reply to, as she finally grasped what she had been searching for.


    With a light thud, she pulled out her arm, forcing more blood to spurt out, blemishing her body more.


    "Alright, let''s get this over with. I need to have a word with Mother as well".


    She inspected the large red orb with roughened edges on her hand. Its size, nearly twice her head.


    She placed it in a pocket plain, turning to the demon and tapped it slightly.


    "Get up and become my Soldier".


    With a single word, a vast dark mana seeped out of her body like smoke and diffused into the demon''s body, slowly creeping into it, filling it''s missing parts with black energy and burning out the skin, flesh and bone, rebuilding it afterwards until it turned into black copy of its previous state.


    Its crimson scars persisted and its dead body arose from the ground, a loud snarl exuding from its mouth, adorned with black sharp canine teeth.


    Sophia petted the lowered head of the beast, a smile playing on her perfectly pink and soft lips. "There, there. Sorry about that. Now, get in".


    She opened a larger pocket plain and the demon, now turned into a Dark Undead, walked into it, leaving a silhouette and pool of blood of unknown origins.


    With a satisfied smile, she turned towards Tacha.


    "Shall we?"

 Chapter 115鈥怢ike Mother, Like Daughter

    The wind whistled, as snow danced in the rising wind, while the moon''s luminescence glowed in an ethereal hue as two pairs of footsteps echoed, walking through the rising snow field, their thoughts in order.


    Sophia held out her mace as she walked forward, pulling the 2¨Cmeter¨Clong chain protruding from the butt of the hilt with a slight thug, dismistressing the weapon into a pocket plain.


    She followed Tacha towards the door that stood in the middle of the snow field, its edges blanketed with white soft snow. As Tacha opened it, the sound of crunched snow echoed underneath the force of her feet, while she pushed it into the hallway allowing snow to swirl into the Castle, as Sophia slipped past her into the warm embrace of the hallway.


    She stood still by the entrance, her gaze flickering as she watched Tacha walk into the hallway, and push the door back closed, dragging it through the snow until it shut out the chilling wind and biting cold.


    As warmth returned, Sophia turned around with a sigh, towards her young mistress. ''Thank goodness about that door''s quality''.


    She thought, a smile playing on her lips as she led Sophia towards her Matriarch''s study.


    The magic door, as she called it, had the quality of opening towards the side you''re attempting to walk into. Something that comes in handy since you don''t require pulling it at any given instant.


    "So you''ve increased the number of your undeads?" Tacha asked, turning behind, with her gaze lowering to meet the glaring eyes of her young mistress.


    The women of the Arcanus household were ethereal beauties with a distinctive purple, violet and lilac hair and eye colors. They had soft, well¨Cshaped bodies that would leave men drooling and even the charisma that suffused them was ephemeral.


    Well, all that was good, but one quality had become quite an issue for them, and it seemed like it wasn''t going anytime soon¨C That would be their height. These ladies were sometimes ridiculously short or other times just short.


    The Matriarch was 165cm and her daughter was merely 147cm. They resembled midgets sometimes, and it was something that Tacha, a 175cm tall blonde made fun of, quite a lot.


    A sarcastic smile found its way on her lips on noticing Sophia''s expression.


    "Wanna die?" Sophia asked, the tone in her voice low and serious.


    Tacha chuckled and turned away. "From down there?" She muttered under her breath, with a playful tone.


    "Huh?". A vein bulged on the top of Sophia''s forehead as she took a step forward and kicked the tall woman on the back of her knee.


    "Tsk" She clicked her tongue, ignoring the startled Yelp that escaped from Tacha''s mouth as she walked away.


    "Yes, I did. You should know by now".


    She replied to her initial question, finding her way to her Mother''s study and knocking it before walking in.


    Tacha sighed, standing up straight, ignoring the throbbing pain from the back of her left leg.


    ''This is what I get again...'' She sighed, walking towards the door, opening it and walking in as well.


    She closed it to meet the intense violet gazes from the mother and daughter of the Arcanus household, the last two pure members of the family.


    "You''re late" Cressida commented, her tone etched with impatience as she placed the file she held on the shelf behind her.


    "I apologize Mother, I held her back for a while since I was collecting corpses". Sophia said, bowing down slightly in reverence to her mother.


    Cressida stared at her daughter, then her gaze shifted to Tahca, lingering on the maid for a while before she sighed. After a brief silence, Cressida asked. "So, how many do you have now?"


    "About a hundred and sixty now".


    Cressida chuckled. "You seem excited when every other person there is weak, Hm, Sophia"


    The young girl turned away from her mother, her cheeks flushing bright red.


    ''How cute'' Tacha thought, watching the event unfold from behind the two.


    "No¨CNot all of them" She muttered, fiddling with her fingers.


    Cressida raised a brow, perplexed by her daughter''s reaction.


    ''Well, that''s new'' She thought to herself, clearing her throat to get her attention.


    "The Homeric Academy of Gifted Children starts in a week, and you will be admitted as a student. However, I have another task for you; our target is Raffaelo Jun, get close to him, and bring him to our side".


    The instructions sounded like a beautiful piece of a musical piece in her head, and it caused an excitement she wasn''t even aware of.


    "Why? He''s a Jun. The Jun''s don''t have a reason to betray the Great Families" She asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    "Well, their present situation is precarious. At a moment like this where they''ve lost their family head, and must move to fill in the space that he left behind, there will be holes.


    The King insists on exploiting those holes to get what he wants". Cressida explained, and her daughter grasped the intent immediately.


    "He wants to bewitch Raffaelo Jun, as he once did with Phillip Jun". She concluded, piecing two and two together, the vibrant lilac turning dark, casting shades of black on her expression.


    Cressida nodded in response.


    "We will serve as a means of hope and get them to owe us. Swordsmen, especially one''s like the Jun''s must have a creed that makes them repay their depths.


    She placed her fingers on the desk, tapping it gently.


    "And we must be the ones they owe. Serving the King is one thing, but serving the Arcanus..."


    Her lips curled into a devilish grin as she placed her right hand over her face, hiding the ill intent that vividly etched on her face. "Just the thought of using them to destroy the other families brings great joy to me".


    Sophia sighed, once again, accustomed to her mother''s behavior.


    They had already formulated their plans, and they were one step closer in grasping it. But even their plans had to be one step at a time.


    Though she agreed to partake in her Mother''s plans, Sophia had other ideas for the Academy. She was finally going to see him, after contemplating how long it would actually take for her to see him.


    The pompous, arrogant sole son of the Jun family.


    Her lips curled into a sly smile at the thought, and her eyes sparkled with a mad glint, her hands hiding the expression on her face.


    ''We''ll meet soon, Raffaelo Jun''.


    All the while, Tacha observed all this unfold, and she shook her head.


    ''Like mother, like daughter''.

 Chapter 116- D.E.C.

    RAFFAELO POV.


    DING! DING!! DING!!! With a sudden thrust of my body, I leapt out of my bed, summoning my weapon, and crashed onto the ground, causing a slight and sudden quake that shuddered through the walls.


    "Raph! Damn it!"


    "Quit it already!"


    "It''s the fucking 7th day already, Asshole!"


    "You''re doing this shit purposely, Aren''t you!"


    The loud protests of my neighbors echoed through the walls of my room, and it snapped me back to reality.


    ''Hah, shit, this sensation again''. I thought with a sigh. I had long since left the battlefield, but for some reason, the loud bells that reverberated through the whole Hostel always sent me on edge.


    ''PTSD?'' I thought, with a sigh, dismissing my sword and sitting back on the small-sized single bed, as the magical lamps turned on by themselves.


    "Sorry about that!" I cried out with a chuckle.


    It''s been a week since I got admitted into the Homeric Academy of Gifted Children, or simply H.A.G., and except for the wake-up bells at every 7 a.m., everything else has been peachy.


    For starters, the first week for Freshers was the Orientation.


    Homeric Academy was a large educational facility built on its own plain, after all. It had all kinds of facilities, ranging from Hostels, Laundry, Kitchen, Dining Hall, Lecture theaters, and other such facilities. It was necessary for the Orientation to last that long.


    The Hostels were grouped into five structural and integral buildings, constructed behind the Educational facilities of the Academy.


    They were built next to each other, using an invisible dome to separate each building from one another, serving its purpose of shielding students from each other.


    It wouldn''t be a surprise if upperclassmen had their ways of getting in, but the dome at least acted in name and presence, so they didn''t attempt much.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    The first Hostel belonged to Freshers, and the rest belonged to upperclassmen in ascending order.


    While the Hostels were large enough to fit 150 students, with magnificent and intricate architecture that let it stand out and maintain itself even after years of use, it was also separated within.


    Two separate sides: seventy five rooms on one side and another seventy five on the other, with a courtyard in the middle.


    It enabled each room on both sides, on each floor, to have a window that let in cool wind and warm sunlight. With a total of five floors, with thirty rooms on each floor ¨C fifteen on the boys'' side and fifteen on the girls'' side.


    The Hostels were built such that the magic bell in front and middle of the Hostels served its purpose for all students.


    Which I find unnecessary, as it did more than just fulfill its purpose ¨C it acted much like a warning bell instead.


    With a sigh, I got off my bed to begin my daily activities.


    Starting with warm-up exercises to get me fully awake, then a trip to my bathroom to brush my teeth and clean my body, and finally put on my uniform.


    The Academy''s rooms were spacious enough to fit a small-sized bed, wardrobe, table, chair, and any other appliance that fit your requirements.


    They also had an inbuilt bathroom and washroom, making late-coming a difficult thing to do.


    I looked up at the time on the clock above my standing mirror and, with a sigh, turned around to walk over to my door. It was nearly time for our first class.


    I opened it, smiling wholeheartedly at the figures before me.


    "Long time, Jane, Darell," I greeted, walking out of my room and closing it.


    They automatically lock themselves, and the key would be one''s aura or mana.


    "You seem chipper today?" Darell spoke up first with a sigh, his voice palpable with discomfort, as we turned and walked through the hallways.


    The hallways were lined with magical lamps that illuminated the way, like sunlight.


    It seemed so natural that it would have been difficult to believe they were artificial.


    The floor was pristine with white marble, covered by a silky red carpet, flawless from any wear or tear, quite contradictory to the years it had spent.


    Ornaments, vases, and artistic portraits were placed at careful intervals on each floor, adding to its elegance.


    The students with high scores were allowed to choose their rooms, and I picked one on the ground floor.


    It would have been a pain to walk all the way from the upper series.


    I chuckled, knowing full well the reason for Darell''s reaction.


    The entrance examination was usually followed by the announcement and then admission, all in one day.


    During that period, I rounded up Darell and Jane and convinced them to handle a matter for me, after consistent persuasion.


    I was sure Darell joined in because it sounded fun, and building connections with me could benefit him, regardless of who led my family....Jane, on the other hand, came easily.


    After snooping around for three days before returning to my room and lazing around for the remaining four days of orientation, I discovered this kid had feelings for Ciara, and so I exploited that.


    "Why wouldn''t I be? Today''s the day, of course," I said, humming a soft melody as I greeted other students emerging from their rooms, recognizing the voices of some who screamed at me every morning.


    Jane sighed. "You still insist on that? This period is usually for recruitment of freshers, not the other way round, Raph."


    Their comments sounded like mere complaints to me, but I could understand their point of view.


    I would have never thought of something like this in my past life, after all; the process of creating your own club was long and annoyingly complicated.


    "I believe we''ll find a way. The members I intend to recruit would be a boost in helping us create our club."


    The two boys walked quietly behind me, their nervousness palpable from their expressions.


    "Don''t worry too much; I might have a way."


    "Do you even have a club name yet?" Darell asked.


    My lips curled into a smile as I turned toward Darell, startling him.


    "A name? Of course, I do. The Demon Extermination Club."

 Chapter 117- Found you!

    Time had suddenly frozen for the Jun''s household after the death of their Patriarch, an occurrence that came like a meteor to their peace and tranquility. A month had passed since then, and at one point in the past month, Raph had begun to deeply contemplate the actions he had done and those he had failed to do.


    He could compare his current state with his previous one, but that would lead to little to no result. He had to admit, his past life was one of negligence and narrow-mindedness.


    He led a life with no goal in mind, thinking his sisters would take care of everything as they always did since he was little.


    He had become a spoiled brat who lost everything in the span of twenty-one years. But he was given a second chance to remedy all the mistakes he had once made.


    One of which would be the matter of the King.


    In his past life, he couldn''t find out the mastermind behind all the sabotages his family experienced over the years until it was too late.


    After finding out, the royal prince at the


    time, Prince Julian, made a royal decree casting him aside as a demonic human, and he became a fugitive in his own lands.


    Something similar could occur in this life if he didn''t handle it properly. It could have been an easy decision to run away from it from the beginning, but leaving everything that you have built just because of a greedy King was not the Jun''s way.


    Even now, after Gloria revealed the presence of his long-lost relatives, the idea of retreating was never on his mind.


    They could only move forward. If his father had died, then he had died for a reason.


    He could at least find a moment of solace in that. His father''s death wasn''t as a result of the King''s plots but instead an unexpected cause ¨C demonic humans or fate trying to claim what Raph had taken from it.


    The current King was a greedy man; he would definitely find the next family to become his underling if they were to escape from his grasp, and that would only prolong the disease.


    They needed to cut it off from the root, but killing the King? Oh, that was much, much, more difficult than he realized.


    At the moment, he decided to start small, until an opportunity presented itself, and that included forming a unit or group of like-minded individuals, a cohort you could say.


    Life is difficult on it''s own, and walking a difficult path by yourself is riddled with uncertainties and disasters that you would have to face alone. Well, there is a time when a man must walk alone, but Raph hadn''t reached that point yet.


    He needed friends ¨C trustworthy allies that are strong enough for him to leave his back to while he faced the front.


    Who else but the people who would become big shots in the future?


    He would need everyone''s help, so the guise of a ''club'' would bind them together and it would help reduce the number of betrayals in the near future.


    Perhaps the club could bring them much closer than he expected.


    He decided on choosing the name as Demon Extermination Club, in reminiscence of his past life.


    His eyes slowly bulged open, and he placed his right fingers on his lips, his cheeks flushing red.


    ''Shit! I totally forgot!''. He screamed in his head, his heart thumping quicker than usual.


    Darell and Jane noticed his halt in movement again, and puzzled expressions etched on their faces.


    "Um, Raffaelo, do you perhaps know her?" Darell asked, his tone laced with curiosity.


    ''Wa¨C Wait! Calm down! There''s no way she''ll remember right?! No! Certainly not! Wait, Didn''t she smell me that day?!


    Does she recognize my scent now?!'' His head was riddled with questions, and he was quick to come to the conclusion that he would rather not find out.


    "Let''s hurry to class" He said with a startled, nervous tone, catching the two boys off guard as Raph increased his pace.


    The two boys glanced at each other, confusion etched in their expressions, as their brow formed an arch on their face.


    With a shrug, they both walked forward, when they heard some startling noises behind them.


    "Hey! Watch it mutt!"


    "Be careful Elsie!"


    They were currently walking down a pavement, leading to a larger one where every student used, to go to their Lecture theaters.


    Boys and Girls alike had come out from the hostels, and the air was filled with their idle chatters.


    It was slightly rowdy, but the pavement was wide enough to let them walk through without hindrance to their movements, though not large enough for energized movements like running. And yet, one female figure ignored all that and made way for herself after getting a sniff of the boy she had been searching for a week.


    The startled voices from boys and girls, spooked Darell and Jane as they both turned behind to find a black blur pushing them aside and rushing forward, causing a small gust of wind to settle.


    Darell and Jane were left in a daze, as they recognized the figure that rushed towards Raph.


    "HUSBAND!!"


    Her loud, and melodious voice echoed in the air, dissipating a feeling of happiness and excitement as the girl jumped into the air and landed on Raph''s back, wrapping her foot around his waist, and her arms around his neck.


    She took a long sniff from the corner of his neck, and laughed out loud, her excitement palpable, after recognizing the scent.


    A playful and carefree tone exuded from her voice reverberating with her next statement, as she bobbed and giggled on Raph''s back while he struggled to maintain balance.


    "Found you!".

 Chapter 118- Elsie wants in

    The sun''s rays cast upon a Large infrastructure comprising intricate buildings equipped with state-of-the art learning facilities and a comfortable environment conducive to education.


    The Infrastructure was nestled in the center of a flying island, with an invisible dome that encased its grandeur existence.


    The Island itself was twice the size of the Academy, with a nearby town, situated at the edge.


    The Homeric Academy was an esteemed educational institution where magic, swordsmanship, political, social etiquette, and connection¨Cbuilding were taught and learnt amongst the students.


    It had every necessary facility that could be required for functional learning, and studying, as well as the means of constructing facilities that the Academy students, precisely the Student Body Council, find necessary and valuable for their growth.


    Freshers, or newcomers, were usually granted a one week orientation to learn about the facilities, and constructs, as well as the rules, pass recommendations, study tips for mages, practice tips for Swordsmen, special lectures for rarity professions for system users...and the likes.


    They were also encouraged to learn about their seniors, as well as the Major Prefects and members of the Student Body Council.


    In general, Homeric Academy for the Gifted Children had typical school rules, but it was in fact meant for the gifted and promising students. After all, 99% of students that graduated usually make it above average in life, that is if they weren''t capable of aiming higher.


    Today was the first day of lecture, when Raph and his two....friends? No, Acquaintances, decided to walk together, well, one-sidedly.


    But, at the moment, Raph had begun to realize that he was not going to have a normal school life, at least in this life.


    "Umm.....Miss Elsie, was it?" Raph asked, his tone laced with fatigue, while Darell and Jane walked besides him, maintaing a puzzled expression on their faces.


    "Elsie! Call me Elsie, husband". She hummed melodiously, bobbing on his back, her tail wagging behind her.


    She clung onto his body tightly, causing a pleasant discomfort to swell in Ralph''s mind.


    ''Wha¨CWhat are you thinking?!'' He screamed at himself, sighing at his lack of control. "Um, yes. Then call me Raph". He said, attempting to glance at the girl, when he noticed the surrounding stares.


    With a sigh, he turned around and continued walking. It wasn''t exactly his fault he was in such a predicament, what could he do about all the hate glares from the boys?


    ''Freshmen, Sophomores and Upperclassmen alike, these guys are crazy''. He thought, annoyed by their gazes.


    ''Why would a guy want to be in my position? This is too much of a predicament! She''s a Chieftain''s daughter damn it! And her father doesn''t even know she''s here!''. His mind tried to make sense of their involuntary responses to him.


    They now walked down the general pavement, a well kept cemented road, adorned with magic stones at equal intervals.


    They served purposes during times of crisis, such as a fire, or enemy breaches.


    The boys from his class, and upperclassmen cast disapproving glances at him, some snickering behind his back.


    It was an amusing sight to see a fresher couple at the beginning of the semester.


    The girls, especially the freshers, seemed more apprehensive. At least, some of them that had been with Elsie while she had been waiting at the Hostel Entrance.


    ''Who could have thought''. It seems he has altered another aspect of the future.


    ''That''s one thing to note about''. He thought, putting his thoughts in order.


    "Tsk. Lucky bastard". He clicked his tongue, unconsciously saying the next line without realizing it.


    It was only after he noticed their gazes that he realized he had said it outloud.


    His eyes flickered in embarrassment, as he turned away.


    "....don''t worry. Ciara will see you through". Raph said, breaking the silence. He turned away, barely missing the annoyed expression on Jane''s gorgeous face.


    A soft chuckle escaping his lips at the same time.


    The large building, with numerous windows, and arched roofing reminiscent of an opera house, came into view as they approached it in droves.


    Raph''s gaze began to scan through the crowd of students, trying to spot any more of his potential group members.


    Jane, noticing his gaze, sighed, as he asked. "Who else do you want to string into your ploy?"


    Raph flinched, turning towards him.


    "What ploy?" He asked with a raised brow.


    Jane shrugged in response. "Will you at least tell us who you want to be in your club?"


    Raph''s gaze lingered before he turned away after a moment.


    "We need to gather at least seven students, who are willing to form a club, then submit a form with the group of us together at the Student''s Council Office".


    Darell''s ear perked up, a puzzled expression on his face, as he pointed at himself. "We?"


    "Huuuh? Would I do it on my own?" Raph asked, raising his voice as he glared at the Elf, who flinched and looked away. "We have four now, including me, so we need three more, and I''ll handle the rest".


    Jane stared blankly into the air, contemplating. There were only a limited number of people willing to abandon the popular clubs for their own, formed by Freshers.


    "So, who else do you have in mind?" He asked...again.


    "Mariam Aquarius, and Louis La Teur, and I think I have a way of convincing them".


    "What about the seventh person?"


    "Still contemplating. I already have a few System users in mind who would be useful to our club".


    "Oh? You''ve been snooping around, haven''t you?" Jane asked, his brow raised in an arch.


    "Snooping or not, I got the information I wanted" Raph ignored his statement, when Elsie pulled his hair.


    "Ow, Elsie?" He muttered, looking up at the girl''s pouting face. "Wh¨C What is it?"


    "I want in too! Why don''t you invite me to your club?!"


    Raph raised a brow at her response. "Oh?".

 Chapter 119- Elsie got in

    Elsie, a werewolf kin of the Darkpelt tribe, of the wind and darkness attributes.


    It sounded good on paper, and it would be a nice addition to the cohort he was planning on creating in the guise of a club, but it had other complications.


    One would have to face her father if they were to get involved with her and he intends on fostering a bond between his cohort.


    It wasn''t like he could avoid encountering her father at this point; after all, she insisted that he was her mate.


    ''Might as well make use of her now that she''s offering herself to us'' He thought to himself, a small smile growing from his lips.


    The werewolves were amongst the top three strongest within the twelve demi-human races.


    Having one of the strongest races chieftain''s daughter would be a boost to their strength.


    "Guess we don''t need a system user then" Raph said, concluding his thoughts.


    They had reached a series of stairs that led to a forecourt, right in front of the cafeteria building.


    Tall colonnades and columns stood in front of the building, supporting the arched roofing with splendor.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    It had been built into an ethereal peristyle, with its white and red paintings, and intricate designs that would cause most architects to wonder in awe.


    On one of the columns closest to the doors, a familiar figure stood, her hands folded behind her back, and her eyes filled with earnest longing as it scanned through the number of students approaching.


    Raph and the others recognized her instantly, well, except for Elsie of course.


    "Isn''t that Mariam?" Darell stated. His tone was more of a matter-of-factly than it was of curiosity.


    "Yes. It looks like it, but I suppose she wouldn''t have known about our ploy¨C I mean¨Cclub already and wants to join in?"


    Raph chuckled at Jane''s statement, his gaze fixed on Mariam.


    He never got the opportunity to talk to her during the Rankings battle. Instead, he met up with Ciara more times than he would have wished for, but at least he got his first member before school even started.


    Mariam on the other hand, at this point, doesn''t know him and certainly didn''t have romantic feelings for him in this current life.....at least not yet.


    ''but it certainly looks like she''s waiting for someone, isn''t she?'' he thought, an unknown feeling swelling up within him. A part of him wished that he would be the one she was waiting for, after all, old feelings don''t die that fast. If they do though, they die hard. He could tell that he wasn''t the one, much more, he had an inkling of an idea who that person could be.


    As they approached the door, they took a detour towards the aqua blue-haired girl, her gaze shifting towards them at the same time.


    Her eyebrow arched when her gaze met Raph''s, and a wry smile grew on his face.


    ''Elsie is gonna cause issues'' He thought, slowly staring up at the girl, who was smiling ear to ear, ignorant of the situation.


    She hummed softly as she looked down at Raph, her smile widening as she suddenly clung to him tighter.


    He flinched at the sensation but remained aloof in his appearance.


    "Um, Mariam, you seem to be waiting for someone?"


    "Huh? I have sisters that have been here. Is that so weird?"


    Their eyes returned to normalcy.


    "Oh, that''s true". She said, a pang of guilt hitting her slightly. "If there are other clubs, then I would just join them. I have nothing to gain from joining your club, especially since I don''t trust you". Her curt and sharp reply was rather expected.


    Raph could tell what kind of person she was since he once loved her. She was someone that trusts deeply so once she does trust you, there''s no going back from that.


    It would have been a weakness if she wasn''t so difficult to please, though deciding whether or not he wanted to please her was entirely up to him.


    However, something seemed different this time.


    "Is it because Darell is in our club?" He asked, causing the young elf to look away awkwardly, his hand behind his back as memories of their battle were still freshly plated in his mind.


    She shook her head in reply with a chuckle. "That was a match, though; what he did was very discourteous; I won''t hold it to him since he helped me realize my weaknesses." Her eyes narrowed when they met gazes and the Elven prince sighed, turning away at the same time.


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    "I don''t need to explain myself, but it''s good you realized what you were lacking". He said though he seemed to be avoiding her gaze.


    Jane and Raph couldn''t help but smile wryly at his reaction, while Elsie was too busy admiring the tall columns and colonnades.


    Mariam''s displeasure in his statement was palpable as a forced smile was plastered on her expression, she was about done with these boys.


    "Then why?" Raph snapped her back towards him, and another form of displeasure began to swell in her.


    "That thing you did to Ciara was unforgivable. Controlling a woman like that is more than discourteous and it makes me question your morality as a man".


    Raph''s gaze widened slightly, but controlling his emotions was more than something he could do now. "I see, circumstances could have called for something else, I guess, but I shouldn''t be a reason to stop you from growing.


    Joining my club will make you grow stronger, I can assure you of that".


    She clicked her tongue in response. "And what makes you so sure? Have you ever heard of the saying, the prideful live a life of destruction?"


    Raph felt a bit awkward after that statement with the conflicting emotions. One wanted him to respond in kind but the other wanted to please and placate her to earn her love once again.


    Of course, he made his decision in the next second.


    "Sadly for you, Mariam, you are the last person in this world who has the right to insult my pride. Yes, I admit I am prideful, but I have the strength and will continue to improve that strength as the base of that pride. You, on the other hand, are so weak that you need a man to win for you, and there is no base for weakness".


    Her body flinched as a fit of insurmountable anger began to brew within her deeply. Her aqua-blue eyes filled with anger as she glared at him.


    "You, how dare you?".


    She was about to say more when a familiar figure walked up to them, like a ghost, his footsteps seemingly soundless to one''s ears. His presence came with a frighteningly controlled bloodlust, but it wasn''t intentional. One could tell that it came with his presence, like a second skin.


    He stood next to Mariam, his gaze lingering on her as her aqua-blue eyes met his fiery red eyes.


    "I was looking for you, Mariam".

 Chapter 120- Heartbreak or not?

    The boys quickly turned to the black-haired boy with fiery red eyes that hid darkness so deep, while Elsie had unconsciously turned on her self-defense mood, her fangs baring at the boy.


    Darell''s eyes slowly bulged open in shock. ''When did he?''. He thought, turning beside him to find a similar expression on Jane, though Raph seemed to have put on a different kind of emotion. Though, what was it?


    "Lo¨CLouis, I¨CI told you to meet me here! Did you forget?" She asked, her anger completely washed away by the sight of the boy.


    Louis slowly stroked the side of her face, a small smile finding its way on his once aloof face.


    "You look pretty today as well," He said, his smile widening a little.


    Mariam''s cheeks blushed red as she struggled to pull his hand away, but finding it difficult to do so. She enjoyed his touch that much. "No¨CNot in public!". She was about to pull it back when Raph spoke up.


    "Louis La Teur?" He asked, trying to confirm the gloomy person he saw in the Arena was the same as this sparkling, handsome individual right now.


    The boy turned to them, realizing their presence for the first time.


    "Raffaelo Jun, Jane Lucia, Darell...." His body tensed on recognizing the Elven prince as memories of the battle that had taken place in the Arena resurfaced.


    A cold bloodlust exuded from his body, and before he even realized it, it had moved. His body tensed, turning towards Darell, as he swung his hand towards the boy''s throat when an onyx mirrored short sword, with a gem on its hilt appeared.


    Darell could see him coming, but his body didn''t have the speed necessary to react to the sudden attack; in fact, none of them did, well, all except one.


    As the knife neared his throat, Raph took a step forward towards his side, his hands swinging faster than the blade as he grabbed Louis''s hand before it could get any closer.


    "That''s enough". He stated, his gaze locked on the boy''s murderous, intense crimson eyes.


    Louis clicked his tongue, his eyes widening in shock, but he quickly regained his composure, ready to maneuver his way past Raph and attack the assailant in his presence.


    His body warped like a shadow, his arm slipping out of Raph''s hands, as he twirled his body behind the boys before a blink of an eye, his gaze locked on Darell, and his sword aimed for the back of his neck.


    Raph suddenly did the same, twirling behind the two boys at a speed at least 5 milliseconds faster than Louis, shocking the boy as he grabbed Louis''s hand, pulling him upwards from the ground, away from Darell, into the air.


    He swung his hand to the other side, and pulled him downwards, crashing into the ground.


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    A loud thud echoed and some students stopped in their tracks at the sight.


    Darell especially took a few steps back, his hand holding his neck firmly, in awe of what could have transpired.


    Raph and Louis were locked in a staring contest, as Mariam walked forward with a sigh, folding her hands and puffing her cheeks in disapprovement.


    "Louie," She grumbled, as the boys turned to her at the same time.


    Louis smiled wryly, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as Raph pulled him up.


    "I''m sorry about that; I should have controlled myself better." He said, giving Darell a curt nod.


    "It-it''s okay; nothing came of it anyways." Darell stammered, still shocked by what had taken place a moment ago. His gaze slowly shifted to Raph, a feeling of appreciation swelling in his chest, when he realized something.


    ''.....If Louis dies...''


    In his past life, he had gotten together with her in his 5th year in school, two years after the death of Louis La Teur on a prodigy mission.


    ''So, practically, the future of their relationship...'' He held out his hand, staring at his palm. ''is in my hands''.


    "Are you still thinking about her husband? I hate to admit it, but you''re making me jealous". Elsie snapped him back to reality, and he dug his hands on her lap, grabbing her tightly.


    She flinched to his touch, surprise and embarrassment etched on her face, as her ears turned bright red.


    Raph smirked at her reaction. "See, don''t tease me if you know you can''t handle it either". He pulled her upwards and easily dropped her down on her feet since she loosened her grip after his touch.


    "I¨CI wasn''t expecting that! We''re in public and all". She stammered, walking behind him as they headed towards the door.


    "I''m sure you weren''t" Raph replied, dismissing her comment with a wave of his hand.


    He sighed, a rather insistent scene replaying in his mind.


    ''The way she smiled when she saw him....it wasn''t nearly as good as the way she did to me in my past life.....was I her.....rebound?''. A question he would never know in this life or another, something that he could only keep to himself and no other; it would have hurt if he didn''t expect something like this to happen.


    Though, expecting it and seeing it don''t always yield the same reaction from you.


    "You know, I don''t mind if you desire other women".


    His eyes bulged on that statement, and he whipped his gaze to his back where Elsie stood, smiling at him.


    "It''s natural for strong people to desire more than just one mate; it''s a custom in my village."


    It wasn''t like polygamy was a sin, but it was something that was hardly practiced because they never ended well, but that wasn''t what bothered him at the moment.


    ''What''s with this girl? Why does she make it seem like I have no choice in the matter?''


    "What would you do if I didn''t want you as my mate?"


    He asked, stopping by the door, when he noticed the number of students that were outside had dwindled to just two, including themselves.


    Elsie froze on the spot, her eyes flickering with intensity. A dark cascade formed under her eyes as a small frown exuded from her lips.


    "...if they end up not loving each other, they can just as easily separate".


    She replied, her frown turning into a small smile.


    Raph remained fixed on his spot, his thoughts reeling in. For some reason, he had a deep gut feeling she was lying, but he unconsciously brushed it off.


    "Alright then, shall we?" He asked, walking into the building.


    Elsie stared at his back, her smile turning back to a frown, and her gaze flickering for just a moment.


    "...We''ll see..." She muttered under her breath, a new resolve settling in.

 Chapter 121- ....just take me

    ELSIE POV.


    I could still remember the first day I picked up his scent.


    It was from a mile away, and I was bound by my feet and hand and led to a cage to be sold like an animal to a slaughterhouse.


    I felt useless before then, being captured by humans that I considered much lesser than beastkins.


    I always hated them; they were full of greed, pride, and lust, and all they ever wanted to do was take.


    They would plunge into lesser villages and capture our kinds, sell and use them as they pleased, and after one particular incident, I decided to act but foolishly got captured.


    During that period when I felt like nothing, and I had decided to fall just like every other beastkin that was captured, where I lost all light and was dragged like an animal with no hope of ever returning, was when I picked up his scent, a scent so captivating, nearly suffocating, the scent of my Mate.


    It''s not just gut feeling, but an actual aroma that turns beastkin into a state of reinvigoration.


    I was so happy when I perceived it, thinking that a beastkin or group of beastkin were nearby to rescue us.


    I got the courage to move on as well since I picked up another scent that came with him or them, the scent of death.


    I could tell that whoever was coming was going to be strong enough to cause such a trigger, and that caused an excitement that I could have never explained within me.


    After all, it was the joy of every female beastkin to mate with a powerful Male, but that came crashing down when he came to rescue me from that fiendish human they called Gonzalo.


    I could smell it from him, and it was extremely weird, after all, he was a human.


    There have been cases where beastkins had gone through their entire life without finding a mate, and I always thought that their mates could have died already or were yet to be born, but my case was the first of many, but could it be that their partners could or should have been humans.


    With those thoughts in mind, I stuck around during their fight, even when I had the chance to escape, and the fight only invigorated me more, causing a burning desire I couldn''t explain.


    I followed the battle with my eyes, until the very end when he froze him. That sight continued to live rent-free in my mind, and time and time again, when I recalled it after returning to my village, I would get so caught up in the moment, unable to move, breathe, or think.


    It was ethereal! Like magic, ice had frozen the man''s body until he had become dust. How could something be so terrifying and yet so beautiful?


    It was at that moment that I decided there and then, that I would make him mine. Someone like him was bound to grow stronger, enough to reach the skies, enough to plunder mountains, and split seas.


    So, I decided to mark him first so I would never forget it, and left back to the village to get permission, but of course, no one would let me do that to myself.


    ''I''m practically eloping at this point'' I thought with a sigh. I didn''t even let anyone know where I was going. I just went up and left one day. ''Father must be so furious...luckily I didn''t tell him the name of the boy''.


    If Raph was strong enough for me, a Chieftain''s daughter to get mesmerized over, then it would be hard to imagine what sort of things he could accomplish in the near future, and I wanted to be part of that future.


    I turned towards Raph, and he slowly glanced at me, noticing my sudden change in expression.


    He raised a brow in confusion, until his gaze snapped in realization, and a small chuckle escaped his lips.


    "I''m sorry, we just had a late-night conversation as all, nothing much about it."


    The girl glanced at the both of us from the opposite end of the table, a sign of displeasure in her gaze. "She''s the Chieftain''s daughter isn''t she? When I heard a beastkin got admitted into this academy, I had really made up my mind to give up on predictability".


    Raph chuckled at her statement. He was fiddling with his sandwich, his thoughts probably somewhere else as he took a while before he took a bite from it.


    "What is there in predictability anyways? Variables are much better when they''re in your favor".


    The girl''s raised a brow. "True, But that just makes things unfair; variables are a sign of weakness. They shouldn''t exist, since a predetermined future has been set.


    Things like the weak defeating the strong or a poor man outsmarting a rich man doesn''t make sense".


    My ears perked up after that statement.


    Since I found Raph, I had decided to ignore the other humans around him. After all, I don''t trust them one bit. And I only trust Raph now because he''s my mate, but what this girl said at the moment, really, really pissed me off.


    "Are you saying the weak should continue to feel oppressed? Aren''t variables needed to fight back against the strong?"


    The girl looked up at me, her ruby eyes meeting my deep shade of crimson blood red eyes.


    "It''s their fault for being weak".


    It was almost like something snapped within me, as I attempted to stand up from the chair.


    ''People like her would only listen to the strong anyways! No one would get hurt if I sliced her up a little. Or so I thought, but Raph held me back, making an unexpected, startling move on me at the same time, as I felt my cheeks reddened.


    "Ra¨CRaph, your hand," I muttered, sitting back down while he glanced at me with an innocent gaze.


    ''This bastard keeps teasing me when I least expect it''.


    He slowly withdrew his hands from my waist, turning towards the girl, leaving me to my thoughts.


    "Ciara dear, this is exactly why I can''t let you alone in this Academy". His tone had turned deep, much deeper than he had ever spoken before, and I could feel my legs fold to that voice.


    The girl, Ciara, looked up at him, a raised brow on her face. "Huh?". She seemed just as confused as me.


    "It''s a good thing I got you to join my club; you will learn a thing or two before you graduate." His statement sounded much more commending than how he wanted to make it sound. I was sure of that, and the intensity in his gaze flickered like wildfire.


    ''Hah...'' My body tensed, and a heat began to grow below my belly as I looked down, breathing slowly, while squeezing the helm of my dress. ''.....just take me already''

 Chapter 122- Headmaster Dreau

    NORMAL POV


    ''Ciara Merlin, she''s going to be a difficult one'' Raph thought, taking the last bite of his sandwich, when they noticed the sounds of students chattering, dying down.


    Their attention was drawn to the front of the Cafeteria, a wide opening with a raised platform, where a group of seven adults approached from a door by the sides of the Platform.


    ''Guess it is that time again,'' Raph thought, drinking his tea for the final time and turning his attention to the seven adults.


    Ciara also dropped her book to pay attention to the adults, while Elsie continued her meal, unperturbed by their presence.


    "Is that the Headmaster?" Ciara asked, her tone laced with curiosity at the middle-aged man who stood in the middle of the seven adults.


    He had a fiery appearance, with a scar that lined across his forehead, and a puffy beard around his chin.


    He exuded an aura of foundational power and an upbringing that would leave people curious to know more.


    He had sharp emerald eyes, and his dark black hair cascaded down his back, until his waist, tied to a low ponytail.


    He was in an exquisite dull green suit, with a black coat that exuded a noble of high status, and the monocle on his left eye imprinted a scholarly aura around him.


    ''Rickson Dreau''. Raph thought, scanning through the other adults that caught the attention of the students present.


    The Dreau household was the third vassal family of the Imperial family, and their Patriarch was the Headmaster of the Homeric Academy.


    The vassal families were seven in number, and they were all equal in nobility, as a marquess or marchioness.


    They were called vassal families because they once had an ancestor who was royalty. Meaning that they practically had blue blood in them, if only just a little.


    The seventh family, Flione, was particularly different from the rest, as they had not just royal blood mixed in them but divine blood as well.


    Rachael Jun was a member of this household, being related to both the Imperial family and the Divine family, and then she got married to Michaelo Jun, another member of the great families, and had his kids.


    So practically, Raph was royalty in a sense, a minuscule, tiny fragment of a sense.


    The Imperial, Flione, and Divine families acted friendly towards each other, referring to one another as cousins and encouraging intermarriage between each other now and then, and thus a somewhat friendly relationship remained between the King and the Jun''s, at least up till the point he lost Phillip.


    Standing at the sides of the Headmaster were two women and four men.


    Each possesses a charisma of their own that would attract a crowd without many problems.


    He was the professor in charge of Combat and Physical fitness, and it was a major course that carried a lot of Course Points.


    Course points were similar to Credits in major universities and it is the result of their hard work at the end of every semester.


    From the other side, the right, a woman, with messy auburn hair intertwined and bound into a bun, with large round glasses covering her gorgeously tinted yellow eyes, and her showy form of clothing, with her blouse button undone, revealing her exploding bosoms, and her skimpy skirt which exuded such an allure.


    Most of the Male freshers already had their eyes set on her from the moment she appeared.


    She was Professor Rona Wittkins, the Professor of Alchemy and Potion Making. Her upbringing had been a delicate thing, as she is the only daughter of an Earl; though they tried, they failed terribly, unable to get her into society as a high-bred noble for marriage.


    You could tell she was a rebel, and only did what was of her benefit, and apparently, becoming a woman who would be used for political reasons was not to her benefit.


    She is a level 90 Great Alchemist.


    Next to her were two more men, one with black hair and bright blue eyes and the other with a mix of black and velvet and piercing black eyes.


    Directly next to her was the one with blue eyes. He was more built than Professor James Cockwell, and the professor that stood next to him, but he couldn''t hold a candle to Professor Kazim Nakhr.


    He was a noble as well, not from a vassal family, but a well-bred son of a noble, a viscount to be precise, Professor Roland Sunrise


    He was a scholar from an early age, vast in skills that came with magic and he quickly began to level up after attending the academy in his first year.


    A genius Level 93 Magic Swordsman, a rare profession, and he is the professor of Advanced and Complex Circles Theology. A course meant for mages from the third year.


    The last of the six, with his black and velvet hairs forming locks down his shoulder, sparkling black eyes as they had never seen suffering, and a small black goatee on his chin, Professor Cadwin Junior stood in elegance.


    He is the youngest amongst the professors, and a handsome one to booth, so finding female admirers from the students was within his scope. Just like the other men present, with their breeches and tucked buttoned shirts, he fit in perfectly, with his mix of black and dark velvet fabric colors.


    His background was unknown, and it still was till now, but he had the respect of the Headmaster, so no one questioned his integrity.


    He was a professor of Demonology and Beast History.


    With that, every student halted in their activities, paying attention to the presence of the Headmaster and the fellow heads of each Lecturing department.


    Tensions were rising, and young gazes were sparkling with intensity and vigor.


    ''The sight of youth is a blissful thing'' Headmaster Dreau thought, a smile appearing on his face as he began.


    "Good day, Students".

 Chapter 123- The Headmasters Speech

    The Headmaster''s discerning eyes, warmed by genuine interest, scanned through the Large halls of the Cafeteria, taking note of certain individuals as he did so.


    It was a habit of checking the students, new and old, of their progress and his monocle assisted him in doing so.


    "Good day Students". He greeted, after getting a firm grasp of the situation. ''The twelve great families are at it again. They''ve produced even more terrible monsters''


    His thoughts lingered for a moment, but he shoved them away as they did.


    "We at the Prestigious Homeric Academy of Gifted Children welcome you all, with an abundant heart.


    Both the old, and new students.


    I can still remember the days of the past, when demons ran rampant, and the Twelve great families struggled to get a hold of the situation, but a student of our Academy arose and took charge.


    We are people of Great Foundational Power, and we are of vast knowledge.


    I want to encourage you all to grasp everything you can within these five years of your Academy life, so that when you go back into the world. You will rise to your ranks, and improve the world in ways that could have never been imagined".


    He took a brief moment of silence, taking in their fixed attention, and excited gazes.


    These children were the future, times will come when the adults die, and the children become the adults. It is a never-ending cycle of teaching and being taught, a cycle that, once broken, would cause a catastrophe never seen or heard by man.


    Richard Dreau was a man of principle and intellect. He was aware of his shortcomings more than anyone, and as a 10th-circle mage, he was aware of his duty to contribute to society as much as he could.


    With his family line taking the position as the Headmaster for many generations, it had become a habit of them to look forward to seeing these children truly become adults, and nurturing them was his duty.


    "With me are the heads of each faculty. The faculty of Melee Combat and Projectiles, Professor James Crockwell, The faculty of Magic, Professor Katherin Starblaze, The faculty of Physical Education, Professor Kazim Nakhr, The faculty of Alchemy, Professor Rona Wittkins, The faculty of Advanced Sorcery and Mage Arts, Professor Roland Sunrise and the faculty of Demonology, Professor Cadwin Junior.


    I want to urge you, at this moment, to take each of these courses with the utmost diligence, as every course grooms you into the powerful mage or warrior you wish to become.


    But do not fret; there is time, and we are here to help you; enjoy your time in this Academy, have fun, and make friends; hard times are upon us, and our friendships will be tested to the limits. But we will prevail!".


    His voice sent a chilling shudder through the air, sparkling unknown currents within the heart of the Students, then he continued.


    "I pray that you continue your journey with us with a light heart, and you live twice as big as you came in.


    We are here to assist. We are here to help, and we are here to groom you all.


    The power that you seek, is right here, in our very grasp".


    With a sigh, he ended his speech, his gaze causing swarms of emotions to well up from the students.


    Raph felt it clearly, growing from deep within, like an extra push he required whenever he fell.


    It felt nostalgic, and he couldn''t help but let a small smile find its way across his lips, his thoughts finding their way to his past life.


    ''I still remember that speech like it was yesterday''. He thought to himself. Headmaster Dreau was one of the few honest nobles he had ever known, and his time with him in his past life was nothing short of a wonderful experience.


    "She doesn''t look like someone you would fall for". She commented after swallowing it.


    Raph remained silent for a while, then turned towards Elsie. "Never in a million years". He replied, getting up with his tray of empty plates and cups.


    "Are you coming?" He asked, walking away without getting a reply.


    Elsie grumbled, hurriedly stuffing her face with her food, and chugged her cup of tea thereafter.


    Within the next few seconds, she had stood up and quickly gotten next to Raph, slowing down as she got next to him.


    "You couldn''t even wait for a little longer?" She puffed her cheeks, turning towards him, as they walked towards one of the counters.


    Raph''s eyes flickered, and shifted to her direction, then shifted back to the front, as he raised his shoulders in a shrug. "We need to hurry and gather with the rest of the freshers. It won''t be good on paper if we''re late to our first class".


    Elsie stayed silent after that, following his actions as he returned his tray to the open arms of the cooks, greeting some of them at the same time as he turned around to walk away.


    Classes usually begin at 8 am, while the Morning Bell wakes up the students by 7.


    It was expected that they finished preparing themselves and had their breakfast before getting to class before or by 8.


    And at the moment, time was ticking.


    Raph continued to walk forward, his eyes scanning through the students as they exited from their seating positions to return their plates.


    There were a lot of familiar faces, but at the same time, there were some new faces. Perhaps some students joined the higher classes with a High Recommendation.


    While his thoughts were lost in the middle of his mind, Elise walked quietly beside him.


    It seemed evident that she would stay by his side for as long as her eyes and nose were set on him.


    At least this was much better than going about the Academy on his own as he did in his past life. He had a friend or acquaintance on the first lecture day.


    "Are there people worth noticing?" She asked, glancing at Raph from the corner of her eyes and turning away as soon as he turned towards her.


    "Of course there are. This is a prestigious academy, after all; it''s expected you would find some growing younglings".


    "....true, but so far, all I''ve seen are 1 star and 2 stars amongst the freshers, it''s disappointing. They''re all weak".


    They reached one of the large doors and walked out, their destination southwest to their current location and the location of the First-year Lecture Theatre.


    Raph sighed. "We''re a lot different from them. We see the NEED to get stronger".


    A crimson light sparkled in the depths of Elsie''s eyes as she met his gaze, and a small smile began to form.


    "That''s true, The need for power varies in human culture". She was glad, the reply to her statement had harmonized deeply with her past.


    ''The need for power. He understands well. She looked away, their attention now fixed forward as they headed towards the next destination.


    ''Hm. I found a good husband''.

 Chapter 124- Her man

    About three minutes was left and counting for the new students, as they headed towards the First year LT.


    Another structural work of art, built with such delicacy and structure that its brilliance was a sight to behold.


    The LTs were five in number, and their locations varied depending on the year of the students.


    The First years usually get the LT closest to the Staff faculty, visiting lounge, training area, and a hit zone.


    They had more theory classes than practical classes, but that didn''t mean they didn''t have enough practical classes.


    It was 40% of their total grade at the end of each semester.


    The other Lecture Theatres were in this manner, with the necessary or most important infrastructure located close by.


    A pavement, similar to the ones leading from the Hostels, also led to their LT, as well as the Second years that had theirs, not so far away.


    It was times like this that Raph would punch himself in the face for feeling nostalgic for his past life again. He could remember how he was bullied at times, and he was too soft-spoken to fight back.


    They say a child can grow up and they can change.


    Growing up means maturing your characteristics, the way you think and act, and, most importantly, the way you relate to yourself and the world.


    Changing, on the other hand, entails completely remodeling and remaking oneself in an image that truly fits them or an image that would be better suited for society.


    Characteristics aren''t improved but changed into something else, and you could say one''s principles and ideologies are completely swapped into something new.


    Both required hard work and focus, and these were things he lacked in his past life while growing up as a kid until he did too late.


    Nothing hurts, or disappoints you more than growing up or opening your eyes to certain things when it is already too late.


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    And he paid the price dearly with his death.


    With a sigh, he remodeled his thoughts in a different direction. ''No point digging up past mistakes''. He thought, turning towards the rubied eye Werewolf beside him.


    It was almost hard for him to forget that she was currently the only Beastkin accepted into the Academy, mostly because the Beastkins found the Academy a hindrance.


    Though they had their methods of training their youngsters, Raph was sure that Elsie was someone who had rigorously gone through it all.


    ''If anything, all this is probably just a vacation for her''. He thought. ''Though, not that it isn''t for the twelve great families as well''.


    The Academy was always a good way to debut in society as an official knight or mage or a commoner planning on upgrading their status to the level of a noble. All was possible.


    So the Academy, which could be known as a walk in the park for the twelve great families, was also their haven and their short time in gathering future connections before being thrown into the harsh reality of life.


    From his past life memories, she was an ambiguous girl, though, she knew when to draw the line, and the great families were that line....well, all except one in his past life.


    She treated him worse off than most students, even though he was stronger than her.


    He sighed deeply, turning around and facepalming himself loudly, catching the girl off guard and startling Elsie a little.


    Some of the students even paid attention to the noise, and turned towards it, though they slowly returned to their conversations after he stayed in that position.


    "May I ask, what sort of description would that be?" He asked, his hands still over his face, and his voice a lot more huskier than usual. Something Elsie picked up.


    "We¨CWell, I heard the girls call you a doll because of your eyes". She stammered, trying to regain her composure.


    Raph finally turned to her, his eyes cold and alluring.


    "Is that all? I thought you would mention something cliche like I look blind". He retorted coldly.


    The girl flinched, taking a step backward, a cold sweat forming on her forehead. "Yea¨CYeah, you really shouldn''t pay attention to rumors, tsk, tsk." She turned towards Elsie, a little composure returning. "See you around, Elsie; I have more advice if you ever need them''. Her smile widened a little before she turned away and walked towards a bunch of her friends.


    Raph''s discerning gaze scanned through them.


    In his past life, they had not approached him because he was a sort of "failed product" and news of his loss in the Rankings Battle only caused his reputation to plummet further.


    ''This time would be different. These students are children; they act on self-interest and run away the minute it becomes disadvantageous...''


    A sense of revenge may have overcome him once, and he may have found a way to nullify it, but now of all times, when he''s surrounded by past life memories and a nostalgia that makes him want to hurl, you could say it might just go down the drain. However, there is a big emphasis on might.


    With a sigh, he turned and continued to walk up the stairs, reaching the last which was on the 10th stairs, and taking a seat at the corner.


    Elsie followed closely, entering inside and taking a seat beside him, her stare fixed with intensity on Raph.


    "Was that uncomfortable? Should I get rid of her?"


    Her question came like a bullet, and he snapped out of his thoughts as soon as he was lost in it.


    "Wha¨CWhat did you say?" He asked, confusion etched on his face.


    She shrugged. "You look troubled. I will get rid of whatever makes you troubled if you cannot do it yourself". Her eyes were fixed with such fiery intensity, and her words held meaning far more powerful than he would expect.


    Raph''s brow raised upwards, confused by her words. ''Why would she do that?'' He thought, turning away from her gaze. "Isn''t she a friend of yours?" He asked, a puff of dry air exuding from his lips.


    "Maybe. But you''re my man".


    Raph felt something snap within him, and crumble like a glass cup, but he was unable to pinpoint the cause as his gaze snapped back at her.


    "What did you call me?"

 Chapter 125- Choosing a Class Monitor

    "...you''re my man"


    A red blush formed on his cheeks as he turned away from her intensified gaze again. He just couldn''t with her at the moment.


    ''What is she thinking, saying things like that? Her man? The fuck does that mean?''.


    His thoughts had been muddled by her statement, and now he was forced to think of something else.


    However, there wasn''t enough time as the freshers began to hurry to find a seat as a man walked in, heading towards the podium in front of the Lecture Hall.


    ''It''s that time again, I guess. Is this how it feels to see old classmates again?'' He thought, lost in the bittersweet feeling.


    He couldn''t help it. He was in this Academy for a different reason, and he wasn''t the same softie as he was in the past.


    ''Let''s just do the things that need to be done. There''s no point in seeking revenge on innocent children.


    Indeed. They had not yet bullied or treated him badly in this life. At least, he wouldn''t seek revenge without a valid reason, and for now, none existed.


    Professor James Crockwell stood on the podium, placing a book on a table, and walking behind towards a large whiteboard that spread nearly throughout the cemented wall.


    "Good day, Freshers! I am Professor Crockwell, and I will be your Homeroom teacher for the first session". Discover stories with empire


    He announced, and a bit of chatter from the students caused a wave of noise that subsided as it began.


    Most were wondering why the Head of a Department would act as their homeroom teacher when they were just freshers.


    Others already had a vague reason why, and very few could already come up with a conclusion for the reason.


    Raph was, of course, one of these few.


    Looking around the LT, he began to pinpoint the reasons.


    ''Seven students of the great families, five from the Imperial vassal family, one from the Imperial family and one more, a daughter of a Chieftain, and practically two Elven royalties''.


    He thought to himself, his gaze narrowing as his thoughts reeled in.


    ''This is very different from my past life''.


    In his past life, only five members of the great families attended, including a single Elven royalty; the Imperial vassal families were the same, and so was the Imperial family.


    ''It''s already enough that I have to deal with Elsie, but the purple-haired girl, what was her name again? Sop¨CSora? Sophai? Sophia? Sophia!''. He concluded in his mind, his gaze fixed on a petite-looking girl with velvet hair and lilac eyes, her attention fixed on the board, and her current location would be the other end of the LT, at the back.


    He had no idea of how strong she was at the moment, not to mention her skills, but for some reason, she gave off the feeling of sorcery and the incomprehensible magic that he had only heard of. It was odd as those were the abilities of the Arcanus household.


    How they went about choosing them was still unknown to him, after all, he had a habit of avoiding prefectship as a plague in his past life.


    ''Maybe I''ll try being a Hostel Monitor in this life though.'' He thought. Unlike the rest of the Prefects, the Hall Monitors had more freedom, giving them the authority to enter any Hostels as it is their job.


    Other than the Hostel Monitors, there were Socials Monitors, Club Monitors, Hall Monitors, and then the Student Body Council.


    The Student Body Council acted more than just a body for specific student positions of prefects; its purpose served on a much grander scheme.


    Its authority could suspend, expel, and disband groups. They could penalize students on their conduct, recommend facilities that were almost always built, as well as penalize Lecturers.


    Their authority was something Raph was baffled by even in his past life, as how would the Headmaster willingly give such authority to the students?


    It was currently made of the Student Body President, Vice president, Secretary, Treasurer, and Historian, with minor positions held for different circumstances and events within the Academy.


    The current Vice president would be his sister, Rebecca Jun, and the president, surprisingly, was a familiar figure, Phestus Greenhorn.


    The treasurer was also his sister, Thalia Jun, a 3rd year, while the other two, the secretary and Historian, Tiffany Kane, a level 70 Water Warlock and Romeo Gutz, a level 73 Knight, respectively, were both 4th years.


    ''Speaking of Greenhorn''. Raph thought, ignoring the chatter occurring in the class and searching for one more individual.


    ''I remembered he had a brother, though it was unknown to some people,'' He thought when he felt a soft breeze behind his left ear.


    Flinching, he snapped towards his left, his gaze flickering with intensity as a light red covered his cheeks to find Elsie leaning in, her cheeks puffed and her body leaning in, causing her soft parts to linger on the side of his body.


    "I saw you staring at the princess. Do you like princesses more than Chieftain''s daughters?" She asked, her tone laced with curiosity and another emotion that her puffy cheeks couldn''t hide¨C Jealousy.


    He shook his in confusion.


    "No-No, I do not! Now sit up".


    Pushing her a little, he finally found some breathing room. ''Hah geez, she''s too much''. He thought turning his attention away from her when he noticed the students emerging from their seats to the podium.


    ''Oh?''


    Right there, next to a white-haired boy with black eyes, was a brown-haired boy with a pair of hazelnut eyes. He exuded a cool and calculated aura around him, and his expression was a firm smile, something that hid the darkness within his heart.


    He looked like a replica of his elder brother, and the only difference would be their demeanor and, most especially, the freckles on his face.


    "Oh?" He muttered, baffled by what his eyes showed him.


    It was quite different, something that shocked him, and so, though he was an expert at maintaining his expression.


    What his eyes showed him was a darkness, a darkness deep and ancient, something that grew within and flowed through him like a third circular system, and took the place of mana.


    ''Dark mana''.

 Chapter 126- Raph becomes a Candidate

    A baffled sigh exuded Raph''s lips when the boy he had been staring at suddenly flinched, his head shifting upwards as their eyes met.


    A startling silence suffused between them, their eyes scanning through each other, trying to decipher one another, trying to uncover the truth that they hid from the others.


    It was fruitless for one, but fruitful for the other.


    The boy''s hazelnut eyes sparkled with intensity, as his smile widened, and his eyes narrowed, causing Raph to flinch a little, but nothing much came off his expression.


    ''The fuck is up with that guy?'' He thought when a familiar voice echoed in the Lecture Hall.


    While Dark mana wasn''t as common as normal mana or Divine mana, it was still well-known in his past life.


    The origins of Dark mana, though, stirred from the Arcanus household, so seeing a boy that was most likely related to the Greenhorns possessing such mana meant there was much more to them than what meets the eye.


    ''And to think I trusted them..'' He thought. He would never forget their assistance when he was much younger when he searched for a means of hiding his mana circle, though now that he had become a Master, he didn''t need such. ''What a pain, honestly. No one is as they seem''.


    He thought, but then an image blurred that thought, and he glanced at Elsie, whose attention was fixed on the current situation at hand.


    ''....I wonder...'' He thought, lost in his mind when a voice startled him.


    "I recommend the princess!".


    A girl with dark brown hair, and black eyes stood up, her palms hitting the desk at the same time, gaining the attention of the students and teachers.


    She was none other than Rana Lana.


    ''Hah...she was always that sort''. Raph thought.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rana Lana was an honest girl, too honest in fact. It''s not difficult to understand that people with stoic beliefs tend to be unadaptable, and unbendable.


    It''s all good on paper, but it becomes difficult to cooperate with people like that. You could also say that their personality makes it difficult to like or dislike them.


    Rana Lana was one of such people, as a strong supporter of the Princess even in his past life and the principles that she led throughout her life.


    ''At least her loyalty is unquestionable. After all, she killed herself right after the death of Princess Meadow''.


    Raph thought as the students began to support her claim.


    "Yes! How can there be anyone more fit than the Imperial Princess herself?"


    Timothy Pheran, the son of the 5th vassal Imperial family, became the ringleader while the other members of the vassal families chirped in to assist.


    It was an ironic situation since, at this point, the princess''s future death was most likely concocted by the Vassal families.


    ''Most Nobles don''t like her, for some...unknown reason....but...if she could read minds''. The speculation in his thoughts caused a curiosity from within, and he became a little bit concerned for the princess, though he would have to shove that feeling for now; after all, his family was at stake and under the Imperial family at that.


    "Lana, what are you doing?" The princess spoke up; her cascading golden hair and beautiful pair of crimson eyes that matched her father''s perfectly pierced through black eyes of Lana, and a cold shiver was sent through her skin.


    With a subtle Yelp, the girl sat down quietly, leaving Meadow to the attention of the staring glances.


    ''Technically, there is no need for me to become a Class Monitor. In my past life, Javier and Canary were the Class Monitors and Assistants''.


    A distinctive memory of Javier''s image appeared in his head as he locked his gaze with the white-haired boy.


    He was a lot taller than his peers, but Javier Wright, the only level 30 Fresher, was a force to be reckoned with.


    His innocent facade only lasted till he became the Student Body President, and with a profession as a Dark Knight, he became a troublesome individual to deal with.


    ''Now that I think about it....isn''t one of the qualifications of becoming the President to hold at least one perfect position each year?'' He thought, his brows in deep contemplation.


    "Well, will you, Raffaelo Jun? Time is ticking, and we will need to choose a Class Monitor soon". Professor Crockwell urged as Raph concluded his mind.


    ''Well, I can always drop it in the next semester, but for now, I can as well just give it a try''.


    The qualifications of becoming a president weren''t easily exposed as it became a sacred position, but if he were to take hold of their office in his final year.


    ''....now that would be a lot of fun''.


    Continue reading stories on empire


    With a sigh, he stood up and headed towards the Podium.


    "On my way Professor".


    The students began to chatter after his response, a little bit surprised at his decision. There was nothing much to gain from becoming the Class Monitor other than work, and unnecessary meetings, so why would a member of a Great Family decide to carry such work?


    ''It can''t be helped, once the qualifications were known, people like Ciara and Darell were busy looking for means of earning five prefectships to make up for the loss.'' He thought. ''The work is a hassle, but with a good Assistant, everything can be handled without necessarily raising a finger''.


    His gaze lingered on the four students on the podium.


    ''In my past life, Javier had chosen Canary over Alicia simply because he couldn''t trust Alicia, and it was the right call. There was no telling what an Imperial Vassal family would do to a system user, but Alicia Berry would be the best candidate''.


    The Berry vassal household was in charge of businesses and financial flow within the kingdom, though they paid a heavy tax in return.


    ''It wasn''t something they couldn''t afford though''


    Standing next to Jonny Greenhorn, he resolved himself.


    ''Well, being a class monitor would also be a boost for my application of a club...even if I had other methods, this one will come in handy''.


    Though all these thoughts were ''what ifs'' as they chose their Class Monitor by voting, it was hard to imagine someone else winning that vote when a member of the Great Family, recommended by the Princess herself, stood among them.


    With a final confirmation, Professor Crockwell ended the recommending phase and moved on to the voting phase.


    The students were assigned a paper and instructed to write their candidate, and then the papers would disappear after they confirmed their decisions from the Professor.


    The paper reappears in front of the Professor immediately, folded neatly and arranged in five places, stacking on top of one another, representing their candidates.


    In under five minutes, the voting phase was done, and the winner was about to be announced.

 Chapter 127- The New Class Monitor

    The five contestants for the position of Class Monitors stood on the podium with their Homeroom teacher, Professor Crockwell, standing in front of them.


    He backed away from them, and five stacks of paper floated in front of him as the students held on in anticipation.


    From the stacks of paper, one was particularly higher than the rest, while one seemed to be more than just lesser than the rest.


    Curiosity and suspense were etched on their figures, as they looked on with intense stares.


    ''Oh, this is the thing with kids. They get excited over flimsy things like this....'' Raph thought, his smirk never leaving his face. He was staring at the ambient rays of the sun that perfused through the glass windows, causing a warm yet cool semblance upon the Lecture theater.


    It was an ethereal yet grounded sight, as the expressions from the students reminded him of how human this lecture theater was.


    ''Well, the professor should say the results already; things may get dicey if he doesn''t.'' He thought when he felt a thug on his sleeve.


    His eyes flickered as he tilted his head downwards towards the slightly averagely tall boy, Jonny Greenhorn, at least for a 15-year-old.


    "You must be Raffaelo Jun," The boy said with a smile, his freckles doing wonders to his expression.


    ''Oh, that''s cute...'' Raph thought. "Yeah. And I suppose you are a Greenhorn? You look a lot like Phestus".


    Jonny nodded. "I get that a lot. I''m his younger brother, Jonny Greenhorn".


    They shook hands, and Raph could feel and see a subtle amount of dark mana trying to permeate through. His gaze darkened but his expression remained neutral.


    "It''s nice to meet you, Jonny; I hope we both have fun this first semester."


    Jonny chuckled, retreating his hands as they both focused on their Professor.


    ''Did he not feel that?'' Jonny thought, glancing at the Raph. ''Forget it; there''s no way he could have.'' His smile widened a little and a subtle darkness within his gaze flickered for just a moment.


    "Alright then, your votes have come in, and I will now announce the result".


    With his voice sending waves through the air, their bodies tensed unconsciously and beads of sweat began to form on some of their heads.


    It was hilarious; they weren''t even contestants, but the fear of your vote not counting would make you sulk.


    "Coming out fifth is Jonny Greenhorn, with a total of three votes.....".


    There was a bit of murmur but nothing more, no one understood why he even recommended himself, but the result was inevitable.


    Jonny sighed, but his smile never left his place as he said. "well, maybe next time".


    ''There won''t be a next time, though,'' Raph thought in response, his smirk widening a little.


    ing out fourth is Canary Yellowstone, with four votes...".


    The murmur this time was practically from three girls, of which all were system users and also close friends of hers.


    ''What? Did they really think she would win?'' Raph thought with a sigh, as the whole class ignored their complaints.


    Canary had a wry smile on her face, but nonetheless, she remained composed.


    ing out third is Alicia Berry, with five votes....".


    There wasn''t much of a response, but the number of her votes was impressive nonetheless.


    Now, the moment of truth.


    ing out second is...." Professor Crockwell stopped, taking a look through his class and then turning behind to glance at the contestants as if purposely trying to prolong it.


    "Alicia Berry, would you like to be my deputy?" He asked, his tone reminiscent of a soldier.


    The girl flinched, her eyes flickering with uncertainty and confusion. She gulped slowly, nodding in response. "If you wouldn''t mind my company, then I would love to, Young Master Raffaelo".


    Raph waved his hand in the air. "None of that. Call me Raph. We''ll be working together from now on, after all".


    A slight blush hinted on the girl''s cheek as her eyes flickered, turning away from his gorgeous features.


    "Um, hm" She nodded in response, playing with the helm of her skirt.


    With a satisfied smile, Raph turned his attention towards Professor Crockwell.


    "Well, I''ve chosen as you''ve seen". He said.


    Professor Crockwell was left with a blank expression on his face. His dark eyes shimmered ever so slightly, as a sigh exuded his lips. ''It seems I can''t read him''. The man thought. Professor Crockwell was always an observant man, and he could pick out certain characteristics from people by their actions, but at this moment, what he could read from Raph, was what Raph exposed himself.


    There was nothing hidden, and his intentions seemed solely based on his logic.


    ''What a terrifying kid'' he thought, as he raised his hand in the air to dismiss them


    "To your seats then".


    The five students retreated to their seats, their thoughts swirling in their minds on the event that had just taken place.


    "Alright then. With the end of the voting phase, we will now begin your lecture.


    Class Monitor and Deputy, ensure you meet with the School Council after classes to register your names and get your badge.


    Your next lecturer shall come in as soon as I leave. I''m sure you know this already, but we''ve wasted more time than we were supposed to.


    The Silver and Bronze classes must have started a while ago".


    He arranged the textbooks that he had brought in and picked them up from the table.


    "I must remind you of one thing.


    Good conduct and good grades are what you need to remain in the Gold class.


    If you act irrationally, and let your class get to your head, then you will be demoted to the next class". He took a brief pause as he scanned the expressions of the thirty students he was in charge of. "Did I make myself clear?"


    "Yes sir!". The students chorused in unison as Professor Crockwell stepped out, while another lecturer walked in as soon as he left.


    A man of tall stature, and broad shoulders.


    He was in a black t-shirt that clung to his muscular features, and knickerbockers, with a greatsword hung over his back.


    "Good day, students; I will be starting your lecture on Physical Ed. My name is Crown Bishop, and I hope you do well to remember me". He said with a smile as he climbed up the podium and scanned through the classroom.


    A small chatter began as they acknowledged his presence with their subtle responses.


    "Fine then! First hurdle of the day...."


    "Huh? Hurdle?" One of the students, Sonia Locks, a friend of Canary asked in a confused tone while the Lecturer smiled at her.


    "400-meter race Warm up! Everyone to the fields!"


    A pin-drop silence descended on the Class as they stared at the man in utmost dismay.


    "Whaaaaatttt???"

 Chapter 128- 400 meter run

    The sunbeams suffused the air in a harmonious display of iridescent red, its intensity and hue changing ever so slightly as the clouds floated past its ambient glory in a careful display of nature''s beauty.


    The light gave meaning to the earth, causing flowers to bloom, and animals to find a source of meal, while others lazed around on the green carpet grass of the fields to enjoy a sunbathe.


    During this harmonious event, the classes of year 1 Silver and Bronze could be seen peeking through their windows as they heard a burst of loud laughter, followed by cries of protest to the hardship they endured, coming from the large field next to the Lecture Theater.


    Their gazes sparkled with curiosity but that curiosity was soon warped into pity, as they were forced to focus on their tasks at hand.


    It wasn''t their problem anyway.


    The sight they had tried to look away from was what seemed like a marathon race of Thirty students from the gold class, led by their lecturer, Crown Bishop.


    They had been running around their track field for what seemed to be like the, the what? 7th? 8th? Oh no, it was, in fact, just their 4th, but the tiredness that was portrayed from their empty gazes was palpable from their expressions. Well, not all of them.


    Leading the students were Elsie, Raph, Darell, Royce, and most of the students with the knight professions.


    Most mages were left behind, but surprisingly, students like Ciara and some other mages weren''t that far off.


    In fact, they were only a few feet away from the knight professions.


    Ciara was especially keeping up; her gaze wasn''t as lifeless as the other surrounding her; why? Because she was someone that paid attention to her physical well-being.


    Morning stretching exercises and subtle muscle exercises helped her to keep a lean athletic body.


    She would have been a lot faster if it weren''t for one of her major headaches...her breasts.


    ''These shitty things'' She thought to herself, trying to maintain an even pace to prevent her bosoms from getting in the way too much.


    ''Their bouncing as it is, any more would be too embarrassing''


    All she could do was endure while trying to keep up. At least she was doing much better than most of the students.


    There were girls like Ciara that actually cared about her appearance while she ran, and she hoped to control it so it didn''t attract unwanted attention....then there was a specific girl that could not give a damn, and she was none other than Elsie.


    She ran with the wind, her hair blowing behind her while she bared her fangs in annoyance.


    Her glare was fixed on the Instructor, and her mind was reeling with provocative thoughts.


    ''How is he so fast for a human?!'' She thought, attempting to increase her pace, but at that moment the Lecturer turned back to look at her.


    "That''s funny. I thought you wouldn''t care?" He chuckled, noticing the expression on Raph''s face.


    Raph raised a brow in confusion. "What are you talking about? Don''t you have other people you can stare at?" He asked, turning his head away, as his brows furrowed deeply.


    "Hmm....I wish I could, but Tiara is in the Silver class".


    ''Huh? Did he just admit that he would have liked to see her running?'' Raph thought, his gaze snapping towards him again.


    Darell chuckled. "Don''t you see these girls in their sports shorts? What do you think about it?".


    Their sports included a white T-shirt and red shorts. Of course, the male shorts were knee length, and the females were shorter than knee length.


    ''Huh? Was he always like this?'' Raph thought when another figure managed to catch up.


    "Stop bothering Master Raph with your lewd thoughts" Jane struggled to say, panting deeply as he managed to maintain their pace.


    "Hah shit! Why the heck do we have to do this on our first day?!" He cried out in annoyance, veins popping out in front of his head.


    "Heh, you''re doing well, Divine son" Darell joked, laughing out loud at the same time.


    "Tch. What did you call me?! Elven Bastard" Jane asked with a raised tone. "You''re so lucky I''m not allowed to use divine mana right now! I wouldn''t even be here with you!"


    Jane was a divine son after all, easily summoning a god of speed to assist him would be an easy thing. However, he couldn''t.


    "You should work on your muscles more, Jane; look at Ciara, for example," Raph pointed out as they turned behind to find Ciara staring at them.


    "Oh?" He muttered as a hint of red color flushed her cheeks, causing her to turn away.


    "Who do you think she''s looking at?" He turned towards Jane, who looked away as well, a hint of red on his cheeks.


    "I¨C I don''t know," He struggled to say and remained silent after that, reducing his pace to let the two boys move ahead of him.


    Darell and Raph glanced at each other, and a smirk grew on their lips as they turned to Jane and then themselves again, nodding at the same time.


    "You thinking what I''m thinking, Raffaelo?" Darell asked.


    "Hah, no, no, you must be the one thinking what I''m thinking, Darell," He replied as they continued their pace.


    They had finally reached 300 meters, one more was left before they completed their seventh, then three more would be left.


    The hard task of running the field was finally almost over.

 Chapter 129- The Princess Secret

    With the sun''s ambient rays descending on the field of grass with a gentle hue, thirty students and a lecturer were running across its greenery, their fatigue palpable from the beads of sweat that trailed down their foreheads and their weary panting diffusing in the air.


    Many had lackluster expressions, but some were still filled with vigor, unperturbed by their circumstances.


    These students were found in the front of their group, conversing with one another as they continued running down the field.


    At least, it was almost over.


    "Isn''t ten a little too overbearing? I''m surprised how some students are even catching up" Darell spoke up after a bit of silence, while Raph glanced behind them.


    "Well, there are others that don''t seem to be bothered by it. Mr. Bishop probably has his reasons for doing this on his first day".


    "Really? I feel like he was just bored, though," Darell said with a sigh; looking up towards their Lecture Theater, he could spot a specific golden-haired elf staring down at them from the Silver class.


    "Hah....Raffaelo, do you believe in love at first sight?" Darell asked, his thoughts wondering for the first time in a while.


    Raph''s gaze flickered as a certain unpleasant memory appeared. He quickly shoved it away before it blossomed into something more.


    "Love...can be a really dangerous thing, don''t you think?" He asked after keeping silent for a while.


    Darell was left in contemplation after that. "Maybe?"


    "What we need to do for now, Darell is to grow to our limits, and when we reach that limit, break it and continue.


    Our goals are important, but I won''t deny that having someone you can lean on at any time in your life isn''t important.


    If you think you''ve found someone like that, then I would advise you to find a way to make it blossom. As for me," Raph''s eyes lingered on Elsie as she turned another meter ahead of them in an attempt to catch up with their Lecturer.


    A small smile appeared on his face.


    "...As for me. I shall reach the zenith first, but if my emotions for a girl turn into something else, then I wouldn''t mind taking her to the zenith with me".


    Darell was left in deep contemplation after that. Perhaps it was difficult to believe they were of the same age, but that was something he didn''t expect to hear from someone who seemed ''power obsessed''.


    "So, you want to start by building your club?"


    "Of course! Only the elites shall be accepted. And I want you six to be my executives.


    Though I wasn''t expecting Elsie to join in" He replied with a chuckle.


    "A club with six first years and a single second year....I''m curious to see whether or not it will work". Darell looked away from the Lecture Theater as they turned around another corner.


    "Perhaps it will, perhaps it won''t. I''m your Class Monitor remember, it might work if I do it right". Raph said, a smile forming on his lips as a series of thoughts clouded his mind.


    He looked up to the sky, enjoying the ambient sunshine that failed to increase his body temperature to the point where sweat would drop.


    As the Princess of a Kingdom led by a greedy King and over-ambitious siblings, she had been exposed to a lot of unnecessary thoughts and deeds from the tender age of one.


    She had quickly developed her ability to speak, talk, and hear thanks to these constant voices, but the ability to walk and perform various tasks on her own occurred naturally.


    She became smarter than most of her peers, learning things faster than others, understanding how concepts worked, and knowing when a particular concocted plan would take place.


    Though her abilities had a limit, similar to Jun''s traits, how it is applied depends on her abilities.


    As a member of the Royal family who had been cursed from the system, she was left with the option of forming a circle or a star, and she easily chose the circle over the star.


    At the moment, she was a 6th circle Magician, and she could hear the thoughts of those with a lesser circle or aura than her or those from level 59 below.


    As for those that are at the same level as her or higher than her, she can only use it limitedly. Perhaps once or twice a day or within ten to five seconds, all of this had been long calculated by her and she knew the full extent of her abilities.


    And that was why she had decided to join the race. Her thoughts reeled in recalling how a specific student she had been paying close attention to thought about how weak she was physically, and she had resolved herself to prove him wrong.


    ''Though he isn''t even looking this way'' She thought, turning towards the left where the other students had reached.


    She was over two hundred meters behind and had a lot to cover up in total.


    ''Raffaelo Jun'' Her lips curled up into a smile as she increased her pace. Ever since the banquet five years ago, the name Raffaelo Jun has become one of her favorite words.


    He thought differently from other kids, and he was funny. She would still laugh each time she remembered how he insulted the King in his face, even though it was in his thoughts.


    She found that amusing and wished to know more about him, though, as a princess, she was limited to just acting outside his bubble.


    ''We''ll connect eventually. It''s inevitable''.


    Her thoughts formed an image of a golden browned haired man with a crown.


    Her father, the King, and her smile turned upside down into a scowl.


    ''I won''t let him do as he pleases''.


    Her father was someone who had decided not to wield the sword or learn magic as he was chosen from the start to become the King.


    His greedy nature grew as he grew, and he became a vicious King who seized what he wanted behind the scenes.


    And at that moment, he had his eyes set on Raph.


    ''I would rather he served me, than that useless brother of mine''. Just the thought of her elder brother, Julian forced her vibrant features to turn cold, causing Rana next to her to shiver and flinch.


    All her father''s plans were in her head, everything that her father knew, and everything he planned out for the future, every password he used, every spy he made use of, every family he had killed, every woman he had seized.


    Her father''s whole being was in her head, especially the Blue Rose.

 Chapter 130- Javier Wright

    Ten more minutes had gone by within a flash and the thirty students were finally done with their harsh run.


    Some lay sprawled on the ground while others were gulping in the water that had been served by the Lecturer.


    Lecturer Crown Bishop was in the middle, inspecting his students as well as giving them recommendations on improving their physical and stamina.


    "You must be Lady Ciara; you are quite formidable; what kind of exercise do you do?" He lingered more as he stared at the red-eyed beauty, his eyes scanning what it shouldn''t be looking at.


    Ciara was sensitive to these things, but her fatigue clouded her judgment at this moment, as she gulped in water from the bottle he handed over to her.


    "Exercises? Stretches, Cardio, the normal". She replied nonchalantly, ignoring the water drops that stuck to her shirt, causing it to cling to her precious assets, together with the sweat.


    Some of the boys in her class could not take their eyes off this moment, and Lecturer Crown Bishop found himself appreciating such a meal of a sight.


    But then a particular golden-haired walked up to the Lecturer and tapped him. "Attend the other students, please." He said with a scowl, causing Crown to flinch as he nodded awkwardly.


    Jane sighed watching him walk away, before turning towards Ciara.


    "I didn''t need your help," She said firmly, a radiant crimson intensity flickering in her eyes as she locked her gaze with Jane.


    Jane remained silent without replying. He glanced around to find the other boys staring, and he clicked his tongue.


    "The fuck you looking at?" He snapped at them, causing them to turn around and focus on their own business.


    "I don''t need your help," Ciara stated again, ready to walk away from Jane, but he held her still.


    "...you, you shouldn''t let others look at you like that". He managed to say, his cheeks hinting a bit of red.


    Ciara froze, turning her head behind to find Jane''s hands on hers.


    Her body tensed and an unknown sensation began to creep in, but with a thug, she pulled her hand away.


    "Don''t touch me". She said, her tone firm and low but her eyes and cheeks exposed the emotions she tried to hide away. "Aren''t you one of them? You''re staring at me like that as well".


    She said, the red on her cheeks disappearing as quickly as it came and the intensity in her eyes, dying out.


    "I...I...." Jane was an honest person, and though his feelings towards her were pure, he couldn''t deny that he didn''t have other thoughts after seeing that scene. Continue your saga on empire


    ''What could I have done? You''re so...so...what''s that word again?'' He thought in his mind, but with a sigh, he turned around.


    "I''m sorry". Then he walked away.


    His goal was to become Class Monitor and slowly work his way into becoming the President so he could select his elite members, but if Raph were to form a club and invite all of the Great families in their class nonetheless...then his goal would become meaningless.


    He cursed under his breath. "Tsk. Why do the Great families remain ambitious? Have you not taken enough from us?"


    Raph raised a brow in confusion. "When did we take from you?". He asked with a puzzled tone in his voice.


    "Don''t deny it! We system users have to find our way in this wicked world into the top spots when you guys are born into it!


    And now you want more?"


    Javier had to stop it. He had to stop Raph''s goals. He needed to nip it in the bud; if not, his goals wouldn''t be accomplished, and what''s worse? His classmates take sides with him.


    ''What will happen to my grand plans? I want to take over this stupid Academy and teach these non-system users that they are the freaks!"


    He had always hated the restrictions from childhood. Learning more about the great families in the form of childhood stories only increased his hatred for them rather than his amazement or respect.


    ''Why wouldn''t the goddess Mayura curse them? They are far inferior to us system users''. He thought, but he couldn''t do anything about it. He wasn''t the Class Monitor, so he couldn''t control the class as he wanted to, or cause the drift slowly.


    "Oh, I see now...." Raph''s voice echoed in the air, and a cold chuckle exuded from his lips as he looked up. "...we only do so because of one reason...". Raph raised his finger, his cold gaze locked on Javier''s as he said.


    "....You''re weak".


    A bolt of energy surged through Javier in response as he felt his face flush in anger and veins pop up in his head. It felt like a thousand needles were pricked on him, begging him to explode, to stop this facade he kept on playing by.


    "...Oh really...." His voice turned cold and husky. "...if we''re the weak ones, then how did your father die? Hah! I know, he must have been pathetically weaker than us, that''s how he died".


    An amused chuckle escaped his lips, as his anger reduced with the response he came up. ''What now, Raffaelo Jun?'' He thought, but his thoughts were assaulted by a chill so deep, so firm, so strong...and so cold that he froze in place.


    His mind began to shiver, and his eyes began to flicker as tears streamed down his eyes and turned to ice before they landed on the ground. He couldn''t think. It felt like his mind was frozen in place, and nothing but a terrible chill had begun to assault him in ways he didn''t think possible.


    Looking up at the sky, he got confused, as the sun was still up and warm.


    "Look at me".


    Raph''s voice caused the chill to turn colder, and his body visibly began to shiver.


    As he looked forward and his gaze locked on Raph''s, the cold sensation grew and numbed his senses, and the only thing that remained in his mind were two ethereal white moons that shone with a malevolent hue.


    At that moment, his mind flowed again. ''Hah, beautiful''.


    And then everything went black

 Chapter 131- The f*** is a hero??!

    The intensity within his eyes never wavered even after Javier''s body dropped to the ground like a freshly cut down tree, and the panic that spread to his friend''s expressions grew palpable as they moved in to assist Javier.


    The rest of the Class grew wary, unable to rationalize what had just occurred while Lecturer Bishop approached the two students.


    "Raffaelo Jun! Attacking a student is prohibited during classes". He stated firmly, but his smirk couldn''t hide what he was truly thinking.


    Raph closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them as he looked up at the tall and muscular figure of their Lecturer.


    "Sorry, How could I have possibly attacked him?" Raph asked with an innocent smile plastered on his face.


    Perhaps Crown Bishop had forgotten who he was dealing with, but this case wasn''t that difficult to understand.


    Other than the great families and some of the Spectators during the Ranking Battles, no one was aware of his ocular abilities, and Raph prided himself on that. It was a trump card against fools who crossed the line.


    Crown Bishop was left startled by the statement as he turned towards the unconscious body of Javier, carried by Yon Duke.


    "Take him to the infirmary," He said with a sigh.


    ''How is he unconscious?'' He thought, unable to phantom what had just occurred. He could have blamed it on Raph''s use of spells or aura, but he would have noticed if Raph had used aura and the Jun household didn''t use spells or magic, except for some certain figures.


    He turned towards Raph, his gaze lingering on the eyes of Raph, which took the shape of two white moons with a ghostly hue. Something about those eyes gave him goosebumps, but that could be rationalized as his eyes just being particularly weird.


    ''How can someone be born with eyes so white?''.


    He chuckled at a thought that crossed his mind. "Come with me after the classes, Raffaelo Jun. I still need to question you"


    Crown Bishop walked away from Raph, leaving him enthralled in his thoughts as he began to hasten the students in returning to their theater for the theory class.


    "Alright, Ladies and Gents, to your Theater! We need to begin the basics of physical ed. Some of you don''t even know where your gastrocnemius muscle is located".


    A slight grumble swept through the group of students, but they slowly began to get up and retreat to their theaters.


    Raph watched all this happen, his expression unwavering from the coldness that couldn''t dissipate.


    ''Insulting my dead father? Now that''s something''. He thought when he felt a familiar presence tap him on his shoulder.


    "You''re something, Young Master Raffaelo"


    Darell said with a sigh as memories of the Rankings battle played out in his mind, and one particular one remained fresh as he turned towards Ciara, who was walking away from the field. "She doesn''t seem hunted".


    Raph glanced at the girl, then at Darell. "She''s stronger than she looks, and I was somewhat able to resolve the misunderstanding.....I think".


    "I see....Well, I''ll be going then" He was about to walk away when Raph held his shoulder.


    "Lest I forget, It''s Raph, not Young Master anything; let Jane know as well."


    Darell''s eyes widened a little in surprise as he nodded in affirmation.


    Raph let him go, and the boy walked away, searching through the students until he located Jane and ran up to him.


    ''Hmm...when did they become that close?'' Raph thought though he had expected them to get closer sooner or later.


    ''She shouldn''t even be here but it was expected''. As he watched them from the corner of his eyes, Crown began their conversation.


    "What did you do to Javier?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity, but a sternness and seriousness that could only belong to a teacher was etched on his expression.


    Raph turned to him, then looked away, and with a sigh he replied. "What do you mean, Mr. Crown? Did you see me raise an arm against the boy?"


    Crown sighed as well. For some reason, he didn''t seem to want to take that response just like that.


    There was silence for a while but then Crown Bishop started.


    "Javier is different from you lot that calls yourself powerful."


    ''Hm? Huh? Where is this coming from?'' Raph thought, a raised brow on his face.


    "...How so?" He asked.


    For a moment, it felt like crown was recollecting a memory, a memory that would most likely explain his next statement.


    "Javier is Mayura chosen". He turned around to meet Raph''s gaze. "He''s someone that has the protection and blessing of our goddess. Our hero. He''s not someone you can touch without getting punished".


    ''Hero? The fuck is that?''. Raph found this rather amusing.


    His past life had no such ''hero''. The only heroes that existed were the people who joined in and died during the Demonic War, so how the heck was he supposed to take this?


    "So, you want to punish me, but you have no evidence, so you''re trying to persuade me into giving myself in?" Raph said, ignoring Crown''s stare, and focusing on the Princess and Rana. They seemed to be on their last lap.


    ''Hang in there Princess!''.


    "I don''t think we have such ''things'' called heroes in our age," He said after a bit of contemplation. "I don''t believe heroes are people chosen from gods, but rather people that prove their worth on the battlefield, to defend their nation and humanity to the last drop of their blood."


    An amused chuckle escaped Crown''s lips and in the next second, he burst into a fit of laughter, holding his stomach as he did so.


    "Ha...Young Master Raph, you''re something, you know that.


    Your journey continues on empire


    You act like you''re all that, even when your family is on the verge of being absorbed by the King".


    Raph snapped his gaze at him, an unpleasant expression etched on his face as he furrowed his brow.


    "You''re something as well, Mr. Crown.


    Do you not realize who is speaking, or do you think the Jun household is dead already just because my father passed away".


    A cold and icy aura emitted from his eyes.


    "No. I hope not, because if you do., I will have to convince myself that they are a lot more fools than I thought in this school".


    Raph''s tone was as cold as his ice and the aura that emitted in small amounts was just as cold. Crown could have felt that coldness if Raph wasn''t controlling so it only remained visible to him, but Crown could have guessed that he may have crossed the line. But who the fuck cares?


    "Pfft. Say that after you''re actually free from the King''s grasps. Foolish Great families". He turned away from the boy''s gaze, disregarding his statement on the surface, but he knew something about what Raph said hit a nerve. "Get back to class, and when classes are over, and you''re done with your Monitor matters, go to the Disciplinary Committee to receive your punishment.


    Now leave".

 Chapter 132- Magic Circles

    Raph remained fixed on the spot for a short moment, but with a sigh, he turned around to walk away.


    "Heroes shouldn''t be chosen by gods. They should be chosen by the people, and their contributions to society must show their dedication to the cause.


    Good Luck with your ''hero'', Mr. Crown".


    The sun''s light began to grow in intensity, hinting at the time well spent, as Students continued with their lectures.


    That sunlight caressed Raph with its gentle hue, and a small breeze blew past him, causing his hair to cascade in the wind as he walked.


    With his two moon pearls of an eye, his porcelain-like skin, and his cascading white hair, his handsomeness remained forever palpable, but within that delicate beauty was a cry for power, a cry to conquer, and a cry to plunder.


    Everything has its time, and everything has its purpose. Life doesn''t let powerful people go through pain without experiencing bliss. That goes without a doubt for nobles as well. Influencers with tons of money, and people whose standing in society is a tall dream for others.


    If this was Raph''s hardship, then he would face it head-on: The King, the system users, the Academy, heck! Even Mayura. He would grow until there was nothing left to grow, and then conquer to his heart''s satisfaction.


    He looked up to the sky, and a smile formed on his pale lips, which amplified that beauty.


    ''Just you wait! Power will be in my hands''.


    Unknowingly to Raph, his current features and position were etched into the faces of every Year 1 student who looked through the window to get a glimpse of his ghostly beauty. Hah, even men can be beautiful, right?


    Crown Bishop had just finished his conversation with Raph when the princess and Rana finally completed their laps.


    Princess Meadow currently lay sprawled on the floor while Rana sat next to her with the bottle in hand.


    "You''ve done well, Princess" Rana complimented with a smile. Never in her fifteen years did she think the Princess would ever run like that.


    It was a sight that would remain rent-free in her head forever.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Don''t patronize me. I wasted too much time. Look, the others are all gone". Princess Meadow handed the bottle to her, and slowly sat up, her chest rising and falling.


    This was the first hard task she had ever completed, and for some reason, she couldn''t deny she felt great.


    ''Is this why knights like jogging in the morning? I mean, except for my sore muscles, I feel...invigorated maybe?'' She thought when she heard a footstep approach them.


    With a scowl on her face, she turned towards her Lecturer.


    ''Fucking Pedo'' She thought to herself, as the man stretched out his hand with a smile towards them.


    "Well Princess, I must say, that was wonderful. I didn''t think you could pull off something like this"


    Meadow stared at his hand, then with a grunt, stood up herself and walked past him.


    "Rana, let''s get to class," She said.


    "Ye¨CYes Princess". Rana was startled by her action but quickly stood up to follow her. She doesn''t question Meadow''s actions as she is someone who always does things for a reason.


    "Hah, It seems I''m not in the Princess''s good books; I apologize if I had caused some sort of misunderstanding?" Crown said with a sigh as he walked after them.


    Raphs gaze shifted to her, and a smile formed on his lips.


    "That''s alright, go ahead. I actually have to take this class as well".


    Elsie raised a brow in confusion, but Raph didn''t seem like he wanted to explain further.


    With a sigh, she adjusted herself on her seat, folding her hands and resting her back.


    "Never mind me then. I''ll just stay and watch" Your journey continues at empire


    Raph chuckled at her response. ''Why does she act childish sometimes''. He wondered, turning his attention to the class that had begun.


    "Alright, I see we still have quite a lot of people here". Sasha said. "Then we shall begin".


    Walking towards the table, she opened up a large scroll that contained a detailed, drawn circle, with inscriptions and patterns that added to its complexity and intricately well-drawn lines.


    "Shall we begin from the basics? What do we understand by Magic circles?" She asked, her gaze scanning through the Theater until she noted the only girl who seemed to have her hand up.


    "Well then, Miss. Ciara, if you would," She said, with a gorgeously pleasant smile on her face.


    Ciara stood up after dropping her hand as she said.


    "Magic circles are fixed algorithms that connect physical mana with the environment mana.


    When it does so, a supernatural phenomenon occurs, which could be the summoning of flames or water.


    Every element has distinctive magic circles, and casting spells based on those elements involves using their major circles as a base while tweaking some of the intricate algorithms". She explained.


    Sasha smiled at her explanation.


    She had explained what was necessary and left out the long parts, most likely for the Lecturer to explain.


    "As expected of the daughter of a Magic family".


    Ciara sat back down, inwardly satisfied with her response as well.


    "Yes. Just as Miss. Ciara had said, Magic circles let us connect with the environment mana" She held out a red stone as she explained. "For example, you see this fire elemental magic stone here?" She asked and her students nodded in response.


    "Each elemental magic stone serves as a medium for collecting environmental mana, which is found everywhere.


    They are called environmental mana for a purpose, and that is because they are found in the environment.


    In the air that we breathe, the soil we till and step on, the trees in the forest, the sky, the wind, rainstorms, and hurricanes. These Environmental mana are everywhere, and this magic stone here is specialized for gathering fire elemental mana".


    She held the magic stone firmly and poured in some of her mana. In response, it began to glow as she slowly stretched her hand towards the top of the scroll.


    "Using this stone as a medium, and the circle as a transmute, I will now cast the 1st circle spell, Fireball".


    She placed her other hand on the scroll and poured in mana. In response, the intricate patterns of the circle began to glow white, and as she brought the stone closer, the color changed to red, and within three seconds, a fireball erupted at the top of the magic stone she held.


    "This is one of the three rules in magic casting"

 Chapter 133- Affinities

    "Ohh..." Raph found himself intrigued by the phenomenon, as this was the first time he had seen a practical example of how magic worked.


    Great families like the Merlin were naturally gifted and had a high affinity towards magic.


    It enabled them to cast spells without the need for circles or incantations.


    "That''s not all, Let''s say I want to summon the 3rd tier spell, Fire bullet".


    Sasha began again, cutting him off from his thoughts.


    "I''m sure most of you here should have mastered at least that before enrolling. The incantation is not a difficult one to learn".


    They nodded in response, and she smiled at them in satisfaction.


    "Well then, how can one explain the relation of incantation to spell casting?"


    A quiz for the class it seemed, and this time, a lot more hands were raised.


    Sasha scanned through, when her gaze met a particular student she had not expected to find in her class, but it drifted away towards a girl that caught her attention.


    "Yes, Introduce yourself first, then answer".


    Canary stood up from her chair, a smile plastered on her face as she said. "I am Canary Yellowstone".


    Then, taking a glance at the fireball, she began to explain. "At times, the intricate patterns on a magic circle are not enough for a spell to fully activate.


    That is why we have incantations, to help foster it".


    Sasha nodded as the girl returned to her seat, but her gaze wasn''t satisfied with that response. How could It? When there could be something better out there, just waiting.


    She locked gazes with the daughter of the Merlin household, and her intuition cried out.


    "Ciara, is there something you would like to add?"


    Clara remained still as the rest of the class turned to her in unison. Did she have a better explanation? Maybe, but one couldn''t deny the prodigies of the Merlin household.


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    As she looked up towards the table, her body stood up.


    "I will add a few pointers. Incantations are the intricate patterns that form a magic circle. Reciting them doesn t just help us cast it, but connects it.


    Incantations work hand in hand with imagery, and with the help of a circle, a mage can create a proper spell".


    Her statement was as expected. Explained in such refinement, that understanding each word opened up a new world of possibilities. It was an extraordinary feeling, and Sasha was very pleased by it.


    She nodded, as the girl took her seat while she turned towards the class.


    "Of course, magic circles and incantations are important to a mage, but there is one thing that forms the fundamental of it all". She dropped the magic stone and brought out an orb from a pouch that was tied to her slim waist.


    Bits of rocks attached over her hand until it formed a large spike, the shape of a baby''s head.


    "so, therefore, I have an affinity to Earth"


    Raph furrowed his brow, as his thoughts began to reel in. Something seems amiss with her explanation. Did all have a derivative? He wondered, unable to come up with a solid conclusion.


    ''Well, it''s not something I need to be bothered about. I''m not a system user after all''.


    The system seemed like a blessing to most, but for powerful figures like the 12 Great Families, it could have only become their burden.


    It seemed to limit them, even if they were granted much reward for using it, there should have been a corresponding price to pay.


    ''Well, that is up to them and their goddess''.


    With a sigh, he changed his line of thoughts as Sasha continued with her explanation.


    "An affinity doesn''t mean you will be able to use the magic immediately after birth.


    It only guides you in a predetermined destiny to the path that best suits you".


    She held the ball in her hand while the rock spike disappeared into nothing.


    The ability to summon magic from nothing was an advanced mastery and most of the new years up till their third year had yet to master it, though it was an easy occurrence for the great families.


    Yet, another thing to envy about the great families.


    "Well then, before I end this class in the next twenty or so minutes, I hope we all have at least an inkling of an idea of what I''ve said so far. Let''s have a pop quiz shall we?"


    A pin-drop silence descended upon the classroom as their eyes slowly bulged open in shock. Once again, It seemed like another lecturer was out to get them.


    "Enhhhhh?" They cried out in protest while Sasha chuckled.


    Raph''s eyes bulged open in surprise as their protest began to increase in volume.


    A pop quiz? On their first day? How absurd was that?


    Some of them who stayed weren''t even part of the class, and it seemed like they could be implicated in this predicament.


    "A pop quiz on our first day?!" A particular girl was insistent in her protest.


    Flora Kite, another mage friend of Canary, but unlike the other two, she had not found her specialized element yet.


    She was a girl with ginger hair and black eyes, with a slightly bigger build than most, and her plump cheeks were red in exasperation as she protested.


    "Mages are people that are expected to predict the unpredictable. If a simple test can throw you off guard, then how would you react on the battlefield?" Sasha asked, dismissing the girl''s remark while she gathered some papers from her pouch.


    ''She''s....serious'' Raph thought when he felt someone tap him. He turned to his right to find Elsie standing up.


    "Um, you¨Cyou see, I have somewhere to be....I''ll¨CI''ll find you later".


    ''Oh, even the vicious Elsie is scared of tests?'' Raph thought as a smug appeared on his face. ''How amusing''.

 Chapter 134- The Swordsman who uses a tiny bit of Magic

    Raph watched Elsie stealthily and quickly walk down the steps to the door beside the Classroom and exit without Sasha realizing it.


    His eyes flickered in realization as he glanced at the Lecturer and then at the door once again.


    ''Oh....that was good'' He thought, an amused smug plastered on his face as Sasha continued to resist the complaints of her students.


    "I have heard enough of your complaints. This is necessary for me to group you for your practical classes. So every one of you must take this necessary!" She instructed, a wand appearing on her hand as she made the pile of papers float in the air.


    She scanned through the number of students and her gaze locked on a particular individual.


    "Raffaelo Jun, you seem to be in the wrong class," She said, an amused tone palpable in her voice.


    The class turned in his direction in unison, causing a deep restlessness in his chest.


    ''What is she talking about?'' Raph thought with a raised brow. His gaze flickered as he scanned the other students only to find their amused or surprised expressions.


    ''Don''t they know?'' He thought to himself.


    It was one thing if they didn''t know about his ocular abilities, but if they didn''t know about his mana circle, then this left a thoughtful impression on him.


    His gaze shifted downwards and it locked with those of Ciara, as she turned away just as they met.


    A smile formed on his lips. ''I see; the Merlin household must have kept it a secret....then the other household as well, huh''. Well, there was more than one highlight of the day at the time, so most people must have forgotten about his double abilities.


    "Raffaelo?" Sasha called out, snapping him out of his thoughts.


    "I apologize, Miss. Sasha, but I''ll be taking the tests" He responded, a respectful tone in his voice, but for some reason, Sasha found this aggravating as her expression turned dark.


    ''What does he mean? Is he mocking me?'' She thought, unapproving of his character. She had experienced four of the Jun''s children, and only two of them were Mages.


    This was her fifth, and Raph was most certainly a swordsman.


    So, what business did he have here?


    ''I was going to ignore him until he left on his own, but this is getting annoying''. She thought as images of how to fix this situation to her liking began to play in her head.


    "Hmmm," She muttered when a light bulb shone brightly on the tip of her head.....quite literally. "Fine then, this test has something to do with our elemental affinities. So Mr. Raffaelo, if you insist on staying in this class, then you must prove your worth".


    Raph could guess where she was going with this. Every member of the class was a mage, and it was obvious just from their looks. So if he was going to stay in class, he would have to prove he was a mage...or at least able to act as one.


    "Perform a magic spell. Any of your choice, or affinity". She instructed.


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    ''As expected'' Raph thought. ''Now, it all comes down to me''.


    He had two options. Keep his mana circle a secret, and become a nuisance of the class, or expose it and become a talk of the school.


    It would only take a day for news to spread of a Non-system user having both stars and circles. They weren''t given classes or professions like System users so something like this was rather rare.


    Lecturer Sasha Tani had piled up the papers and retreated to the Teacher''s Lounge while the other students returned to their seats.


    Elsie was one of those students, her cheeks pouting and her gaze lowered as she approached Raph while fiddling with her fingers.


    Raph''s eyes scanned through her figure, noticing her tail and ear lowered.


    ''Does she feel guilty?'' He thought when she sat next to him.


    "...Is there something wrong?" He asked, his concern palpable.


    Elsie looked up at him and then turned away, a small sigh exuding from her lips and her cheeks puffed out. "I¨CI didn''t mean to abandon you, you know? It was just that....I don''t really like tests...and I wasn''t expecting it so I couldn''t prepare beforehand...well, I know I could have stayed....even after I promised myself, I''ll always stay". She muttered.


    Raph''s eyes bulged open in surprise as a soft chuckle exuded from his lips. "You''re an amusing girl, Elsie. Never mind it, I''m not upset".


    Her eyes sparkled in return, and her ears perched up as she turned towards him. "You''re really not?" She asked.


    Raph stared at her, the smile widening a little. "No, not really, but next time, be prepared. There are some tests you can''t run away from". He flicked her forehead, causing a small word of protest to exude from her lips as she held her forehead.


    Her tail began to wag once again, as she nodded. "Hmmm! Definitely". Her lips curled into a smile, her fangs revealing themselves in their peerless white form.


    Raph chuckled as he looked away, his attention elsewhere.


    A student had walked into the class a few minutes ago, a young girl with pale, golden, lush hair and silver eyes.


    ''I think her name was....Caramel Lucia''. He thought. ''....a third year, and a half-sister of Jane''.


    What was a third-year student doing in their class? He wondered, unable to find a meaning to her appearance now.


    He wasn''t the only one intrigued of course, as Alicia had already gone down to find out the cause of her appearance.


    ''She''s quite diligent'' He thought, satisfied with his choice when he noticed their gaze.


    ''Hm?'' He thought, confusion dawning on him.


    They both turned towards his direction in unison, and Caramel had given a light nod to Alicia before exiting the Lecture hall, while the latter began to approach him.


    ''Oh? This is....weird...to say the least''.


    He wasn''t expecting her to come to his Hall, even more, to find him.


    It wasn''t an occurrence in his past life, and he never really related himself with other Lucia members, because Jane was the most promising out of his half brothers and sisters.


    ''Now I think about it...his mother is really something...''


    Alicia stood next to him and Elsie, her gaze fixed on Raph''s curious ones.


    "Your sisters are waiting for you in the Visiting Hall". She said, and then something clicked within Raph, causing a great wave of worry to wash over him as his heartbeat began to hasten.


    His eyes bulged open at the same time as he thought.


    ''Has the King summoned us already?''.

 Chapter 135- An aligned Fate?

    Raph nodded, snapping himself back to reality as Alicia turned to walk away.


    "Should I come with?".


    His gaze flickered as he looked down, locking gazes with Elsie.


    His worry seemed to have dissipated after staring at her. He found himself amused instead, at her reaction.


    Why did she seem more worried than him, when he was the one they called for?


    Elise''s brow furrowed, and her expression was a palpable sum of surprise. She seemed eager to follow him to wherever he was heading but it seemed like a situation where she would have no power over.


    ''This is just the first day....and she''s showing this much loyalty...I find it...'' He thought, a light sigh exuding from his lips as he curled it up into one of his best smiles.


    "Don''t worry about it, Elsie; I''ll be back before you know it".


    ''Well, I have to be. I still haven''t established the Club yet''.


    He patted her lightly, causing her tail to wag then walked down the steps towards the door. As he did, some students stared quietly, a knowing feeling gnawing at them.


    One of these students was the princess, her gaze lingering on the boy until he walked out of the classroom.


    "Lana" Meadow called as she stood up from her seat.


    The girl turned towards her Master''s direction, a raised brow as she asked. "Yes, my Lady".


    "Let''s go, I need you to get Raffaelo''s attention for me. There is much to discuss between the both of us".


    She said, as she hurriedly walked past them. "Royce, do what you''ve always done".


    She instructed, before rushing out of the class to the surprise of the class.


    Lana had to quickly catch up at one point while Royce was left alone again to his own devices. This wasn''t the first neither was it the second, but the Princess had never attempted to trust him, even after spending up to 6 years together.


    With a puff, he turned away from the door and picked up some notes as a Lecturer walked in to begin the next class.


    ***


    On a pathway leading to an Auditorium with sparkling royal blue glass windows and intricately sculptured columns and pillars, a large building with a delicate yet sophisticated and indomitable structure stood in place.


    It was known as the Visiting Hall, and it was located much closer to the first-year LT since they were most likely to gain visitors.


    A pavement with a see-through ceramic roofing was adorned along the path, and a building to his left was the Teacher''s lounge.


    It had similar colors to most of the facilities, which were white and blue.


    Along this roofed pavement walked a white-haired boy, his hands in his pocket and his mind reeling in on itself, as he came up with quick solutions to his predicament.


    ''This is most likely going to be an issue with the King...What sort of verdict would he administer?''. He thought, a sigh exuding his lips in the end.


    The King was greedy, and he required a puppet to use as a means of aligning those who threatened his authority.


    He probably wanted a powerful knight, and the Jun household just happened to be a family of talented ones.


    ''It''s annoying having to deal with this''.


    He thought, but all his thinking was not availed. He had an idea, something that could lengthen whatever decision the King intended.


    ''Well, that''s if the King is the reason for their visitation''. Though he doubted they would visit him for anything less.


    After all, he had warned them once.


    With another deep sigh, he shoved down those thoughts to welcome a new one.


    With a forced Yelp, she retreated. Taking a few steps back, then settling into her new position.


    But that chill had still not died down, and without needing to look at her Princess, she could tell Meadow wanted her to retreat further.


    And so she did until she was at least fifty meters away.


    Raph watched this event unfold with amused eyes and a curious smile. For some reason, he felt like he wanted to know more about their Princess¨CKnight relationship.


    "Now that that is out of the way, I shall get straight to the point". Meadow said, her tone even and concise as she lowered her gaze as if building courage within her.


    "...well?" Raph nudged, curiosity palpable in his voice.


    "...I can read Minds".


    A brief silence descended upon them, causing both to retreat to their lines of thoughts.


    ''...Huh? Why would she reveal something like that?'' Raph wondered, confusion replacing his curiosity.


    He had always thought she could read minds, but for some reason, he had not expected her to reveal it this easily.


    Why would she need to do so?


    Raph was concerned with the reason for revealing such a secret. Of course, he had his doubts, but this didn''t seem like a good time to pull a joke on him, and he had seen some signs causing him to come to that theory.


    But Meadow was concerned with something else.


    ".....as I thought, you don''t believe me" She muttered, unable to withhold her disappointment, as she turned around to leave.


    "Um, quite contrary princess, I do believe you". Raph said with a sigh, scratching the back of his head for a moment as Meadow halted in her actions.


    She turned around, her lips curling into a smile, and her eyes brightening up like stars.


    For a moment there, she felt ethereal and his heart nearly skipped a beat.


    "Oh, so why were you taking so long to reply? Oh you," She teased, punching his elbow playfully with her small fist.


    "Well, what can I say? This seems like something you don''t just go about saying to people you don''t know." Raph said with a light chuckle. "I found it difficult to understand why you revealed it".


    "...Oh" Meadow turned her gaze away, staring at the sky, her thoughts reeling in and her expression straightening. "There are times when we must face challenges alone, and there are times when we must pick up worthy allies to face those same challenges.


    Every challenge has a different level of difficulty, Raffaelo, but the most difficult bring the best rewards".


    Her tone dropped, sounding almost solace.


    It seemed like she may have not just revealed this on a whim.


    A calm silence descended as Raph stared at her, his thoughts contemplating her words. Explore stories at empire


    "It is time to face my challenge, and I need worthy allies, Raffaelo, and out of everyone I could think of, you seemed to be different; a call for attention, maybe? I don''t know what it is, but your fate shouldn''t be that different from mine.


    We''re aligned, don''t you think?"


    Raph had never found himself considering things like that. No, more like he didn''t need to.


    After all, Princess Meadow was someone who died at an early age in his past life. He never got the chance to even see, not to mention speak to her directly as he did, but now that he thought about it. Was there an alignment he couldn''t see?


    "So, Raffaelo. Would you join hands with this rebel, and turn this Kingdom inside out until it becomes worthy of my reign?" She asked her tone even, her eyes brightening and twinkling like little stars, and her golden hair shimmering in the afternoon light.


    It didn''t make sense, none of it did and for some reason, Raph found himself captivated.


    "No, let me put it differently¨CJoin hands with me, so we can put this King to judgment."


    And it happened. Raph''s cold heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 136- A plan is set

    In a quiet hall filled with well-arranged tables and chairs, five female figures were basking in their thoughts, their gazes aloof and their minds withdrawn.


    The hall had an indoor aura of a large church, with ceramic tiles, and a narrow glass roofing that allowed the sunlight to permeate through and cause the interior to warm up.


    While the five girls weren''t the only individuals present, as some Year 1 students had already begun to discuss with their parents, their goal of visiting was quite different.


    Thalia and Rebecca were in the Academy''s uniform, the pristine red lines glistening with the sunlight, while Morganna was in a casual adventure outfit. With a lace black dress and long black stockings.


    Gloria was in her armor, and Fiona was in her Mages outfit. A black and purple gown that accentuated her curves perfectly, and a purple robe of thick material, with the hoodie down.


    Their attention lay elsewhere until a figure finally stepped in, his footsteps echoing on the pristine ceramic floors and gaining the attention of the people around.


    "Finally decided to grace us with your presence?" Fiona teased with her lips curved up as he approached them, an awkward smile on his expression.


    "Not funny, Sister Fiona" Raph replied, bowing curtly before taking a seat next to Morganna. "I apologize for my late coming, something...quite peculiar held me back".


    His sisters stared at him for a brief moment, before life returned to their gazes as they laughed lightly.


    "It had to be something REALLY peculiar for you to arrive this late". Gloria said, folding her hands while her sisters nodded in agreement.


    Raph chuckled again, unable to keep the awkwardness he felt at the moment. It had almost been an hour before he arrived, and he was damn sure that he couldn''t have waited if he was in his shoes.


    ''So lucky to have nice sisters'' He thought, nodding in satisfaction as he relaxed a little


    "So, I think I can guess why we''re all here, but what''s with the mood?" Raph asked, his tone returning to what it once was.


    He had noticed the tense atmosphere the moment he stepped in, and he did not like it, to say the least.


    ''The king should not be a reason to stop us....or frighten us, though I am worried''.


    His thoughts began to drift, but after remembering a few words from the Princess during their long conversation, he snapped back to reality.


    ''There is much to do''.


    "We were just having a conversation on how to deal with our current predicament," Gloria explained. "for some reason, my sisters refuse to side with me".


    "You said you wanted to lead a rebellion!" Fiona snapped at her, her cheeks flushed in exasperation. "How can you even say that?! If I hadn''t put up a canceling barrier, then we could have been in more trouble!"


    ''Oh,'' Raph thought, beginning to understand what had transpired. "Let me see....Fiona wants us to listen to the King''s demands, but she''s the kind of person who would give herself up first before anyone else.


    Gloria wants a revolt.


    Rebecca insists we ignore the King''s plea and find allies within the King''s court then stage a revolt.


    Morganna insists we retreat and fight another day, and Thalia is neutral in her stance".


    His sisters turned to him in unison, and just like that, all hell broke loose.


    "It''s exactly that! Can you imagine these two sword-muscle brains? Trying to fix everything with just strength won''t solve the problem!" Fiona struck her palm on the table in annoyance.


    "...Is this not something similar to the Arcanus household?" Fiona asked, her tone laced with curiosity.


    "It was the Lucia family that headed their destruction, remember. They could not accept their ideals since they dealt with the occult". Morganna explained.


    "though it is similar. They want to wipe us off, though he won''t act directly and only let things fall in place after isolating us". Thalia said, her gaze on Raph. "And then he plans to take Raph as a puppet, cutting off our bloodline".


    Their gazes widened in realization when Thalia was done with her statement.


    Raph was a male, the only male of the direct lineage, and it would be a disaster if he became a puppet to the king and was prevented from bearing children.


    This matter had just turned more complex than it needed to.


    "....hmm..." Raph watched his sisters, his gaze lingering on their hardened expression, their thoughts else well and an unsettling silence descending.


    He sighed, tapping the table. "Ladies, we are Jun''s. Since when have we ever faltered?"


    As they turned towards their brother, and digested his words, something began to swirl in them.


    "As you have said, the King wants me, he wants our Source of revenue....though we have others....he wants to prevent another Patriarch to make things easier in conquering us, but He is missing one thing in accomplishing all this"


    His sisters were left in contemplation, until Thalia''s eyes sparkled.


    "He may be greedy, but he has proven to not act with force, and so he can not force us.


    What''s more, he lacks validity, and although the twelve great families are United, they all have separate ideals.


    Not everyone would agree to his decision". She said, adjusting her glasses as she did so.


    "Of course, then what we must do is stand strong and not falter. We can bargain our things back from him" Gloria said, holding her chin as a smirk grew on her lips.


    "Not just that alone, we will lose a few things, but we must keep what belongs to us.


    Raph can not be used as a bargaining chip; we will use the Laws to our advantage in that regard; if he insists on seizing property, then we will invoke the freedom from arbitrary seizure," Thalia said.


    "Why do that? Why not just change the name of the owner of the properties. He wants to claim our Father''s ownership and control of Demon resources; why not change the name to someone he wouldn''t expect?" Raph asked, and his sisters snapped at him, their eyes widened in delight, and a smile growing wild. Stay updated via empire


    "We could do that! I will make the necessary procedures before we leave in an hour''s time". Thalia stood up, while Ralph flinched.


    "An hour?!" He cried out in shock.


    His sisters giggled in excitement but their movements were filled with energy.


    After assigning roles to her sisters, Gloria stood up as well, while Fiona began to work on a spell that creates a magic portal to hasten their movements.


    A goal had been set, a glimpse of hope had been found, and a means of accomplishing it was being set forth.


    Raph looked up to the ceiling, basking in the sunlight as he thought.


    ''Hah, what a nice day''.

 Chapter 137- And so the Trials begins!

    In the solid skies of the Kingdom of Lumbrica, and as the momentum shifts of the clouds hovered over the Houses and castles of the Kingdom, an ethereal radiant orb stood in the middle, exuding and pulsating an aura that breathed life into all.


    That orb was the sun, and its crimson hollow left a trail of warmth in its wake.


    As the skies livened with the Sun''s beams, a castle stood tall and mighty at the far corner of the Kingdom, a Castle so magnificent, and ethereal that its architecture left even the greatest of Architects in awe.


    It stood pristine, with white marble, and pristine ornament stones.


    Its torrents and towers stood at the edges, tall and pointy with red bricks that served as a roofing sheath. It possessed statues of ancient beasts, gargoyles, phoenixes, and dragons, and in front of the whole castle was one of a dignified stork.


    Its beak stretched towards the sky, and its wings as large as a double-decker bus spread out in the air.


    In front of the Castles were tall columns and pillars with intricate carvings that held the magnificent structure of the Castle in a vision of splendor.


    The concrete grounds were pristine white, and it was surrounded by a vast garden with tropical and exotic flowers, a testament to the luxury of the Royal family. Iridescent glass windows were placed structurally at different angles to reflect the might of the Sun''s rays.


    Within this magnificent structure sat the King on a regal throne crafted from deep crimson marble, its surface polished to a glossy sheen. A plush white cushion intricately adorned the pedestal base, armrests crafted in the shape of a stork, and its backrest, and above, the headrest curved inward, its edges rising like twin crescents, forming sharp, regal points.


    That throne stood on a tall podium of magnificent white marble in a throne room that exuded a grandiose ambiance suffused with the sunlight that permeated through the iridescent glass narrowed by pristine golden leaf ceilings that were held by tall columns of elaborate and delicate designs.


    An ornamental picture of a man in regal Kingly attire and a stork with a crown was imprinted in great detail on the glass ceilings, and the bright sunlight suffusing through illuminated the imposing throne room.


    Rows of pillars with detailed carvings of memorial stories were lined from the throne to the end of the room, where ten, Level 100 Knights guarded, and Magic lamps floated on the surface of each pillar, adding color to the background.


    In the grandiose presence of the King, two groups of people sat at each of his sides.


    The right side included his seven vassals and all nobles who were directly under his rule.


    This included the Head of State, Head of Finances, The Commanders of his army, dukes, Earls, and all other titles that served only to glorify the King.


    On his left were the twelve great families and their vassals. Nobles that were under them, their army, and some other important figures that served the Great families.


    At the moment, all of the Patriarchs were accounted for, including the twelfth, the Arcanus household, and in the absence of the first, the Jun household.


    Surrounding the King was his queen, standing next to him, his two sons standing at both ends, and his Chief Advisor, Dugu Jafar, a level 100 Dragon Knight.


    At the moment, all these important figures were present for a single purpose¨C to destroy the Jun household, and their gazes held significant opinions on the matter.


    The King, especially, seemed rather displeased; why, you ask? Well, that''s because the Jun household was late.


    "Jafar" The King called, his voice echoing against the pristine walls of the Throne room and gaining the attention of the people present.


    The King looked down with a condescending gaze, his mind reeling in displeasure, and curiosity sparked within the depths of his gaze.


    "You may rise".


    They stood in unison, their heads bowed.


    "I see your mother has failed to show herself before me," The King asked, resting his head on his hand as he crossed his legs in royal delight.


    "We apologize, My King. She is still bedridden at the moment" Gloria responded, her voice firm and commanding, with a dominant ambience.


    "I see," He said with a nonchalant tone in his voice. "We shall begin the procession then. I know you are aware of the crimes you have committed and the consequences of your actions".


    The King turned towards Dugu, and the man nodded, walking down the stairs as he pulled out a scroll from his ceremonial wear.


    "The household of the Jun''s are accused of the following crimes as of the date 7th August 1518 after the World Convergence.


    1. A total of 10,000,000 in Tax evasion over the past 15 years.


    2. Misuse of Demon resources in the north for military purposes against the King.


    3. Monopolization of trade routes and resource distribution in the North.


    4. Destruction and Death of the Participants during the 43rd Ranking Battles.


    5. Collaboration with Demonic Humans in the sacrifice of humans and summoning of a 7th tier Great Demon during the 43rd Rankings Battle.


    6. Misuse of authority during the meeting of the twelve Great Families and threatening of the households.


    7. Improper handling of affairs of the states of the North.


    8. Demi-human trafficking, and slavery. Continue your saga on empire


    9. Collaboration with Demi-humans slave Merchants and freeing of the Human trafficking Criminals, and


    10. Disobedience to the Authority of the Imperial Household!"


    After announcing each of the supposed accusations, he bowed to the King, taking a few steps back towards his position as the people gathered by his right began to talk amongst themselves once again, causing a stir in the humidity of the atmosphere.


    The King did not mind it. This time, he found it pleasant. His lips curled up into a devious smile and his eyes narrowed in malevolent delight as he said.


    "So, What do you say to those accusations, Children of the Jun household?"

 Chapter 138- Trial of the Jun household 1

    RAPH POV.


    ''Dugu Jafar'' I thought as I glanced at the man that had just finished pronouncing the supposed charges against us.


    ''I remember him quite well from my past life...and quite frankly, I don''t like him''.


    Dugu Jafar, otherwise known as the Pedo Knight, was a man after daughters of noble heritage.


    It didn''t matter what shape or size they came in, as long as they were thirty years younger than him, then he would unhesitatingly accept them as his concubines.


    ''At the moment, I think ten have been recorded, with seven of them being the daughter''s fathers reporting to the King on the matter, of which got either ignored or justified''.


    I sighed as the King''s words echoed in the Throne room, causing some of the nobles on our right to stir up some noise. I really couldn''t care less what he wanted to say, but I guess it was time for us to finally drop this farce and end his greed.


    After a short moment, I glanced at the left side, just out of curiosity as I wanted to see how many Patriarchs came in person.


    ''Just five, huh.''


    Well, it wasn''t like this was a serious matter. The King just needed a scapegoat, and the Jun family happened to be vulnerable at the same time.


    "Your Highness, we are innocent of those charges," Gloria spoke up first, her tone firm and leading. She always had an aura of a dominant female, who would happily lead an army into war.


    ''She''s a demon exterminating Veteran, to say the least; it''s the least you could expect from her.''


    "Oh, are you calling your King a liar?" The King asked, his tone condescending and a hint of annoyance hidden behind his voice.


    I looked up straight to get a glimpse of him only to meet the gaze of his son, Julian.


    The young prince smirked, a malevolent hue hiding behind his eyes.


    I ignored it and shifted my gaze to his first.....or supposed first son, Prince Thylan. ''He doesn''t seem to care at all''.


    "Of course not, My King".


    My sisters slowly raised their heads after her statement, a resilience dwelling in the depths of their gaze, and perhaps it was that resilience that caused the King''s smile to turn into a frown.


    ''After all, he doesn''t know that we''ve heard of the charges already....'' He thought. ''Including the possession of our property, Princess Meadow had told me the rest, including the Demonic humans, the false charge of destroying the Colosseum, the tax evasions, all of it''.


    Memories of how he had told them the rest of the charges after they regrouped played in his head.


    ''We couldn''t have been any prepared''. My lips curled into a smirk. ''It''s time to fight back....and if things still go south''.


    His smirk curved downwards, as he caught a glimpse of Dugu Jafar. ''....I''ll fix it''.


    Dugu Jafar seemed to be in his own world, evidently ogling my sisters as if they were some sort of entertainment. His expression made my blood boil, and my chest seethed in anger, but murder in the Throne room without justification, is simply murder.


    "That is true".


    "The King is truly just. He has saved my family time and time again from the hands of the vagabonds".


    "The 12 great families have not ruled over us with their great powers thanks to the King''s benevolence".


    Some nobles seemed displeased by the actions and words of their peers but the majority didn''t seem to get the King''s intentions.


    In fact, these people, nobles, and war officials were ignorant of their King''s true nature. They were not even aware of what actually took place in the Bloody Colosseum, and were fed the bare minimum simply for this day.


    ''It''s ironic really. The very nobles on his side will help us in their ignorance'' I thought when Dugu Jafar once again silenced them with his loud and firm voice.


    "You are right. I shall listen to your plea, for I am a benevolent King, but pray tell, where is this evidence?". The King spoke, relaxing himself on his throne while he fixed his gaze on us.


    ''It''s hard to tell what he''s thinking.....if Meadow was here though''. I thought when an image played in my mind, causing my cheeks to blush a little, but I quickly brushed it off as Fiona and Thalia turned back.


    "You may enter!" Fiona cried out, and just then, three figures walked in.


    "Approaching the throne room, Viscount Lamel of the Winston household, Baron Thumpfrey of the Logan household, and Count Micar of the Argona household!".


    A trail of gasps ran through the nobles on the right side of the King, and when I turned towards them, their expressions were vivid and palpable. ''As expected, corrupt nobles''.


    You see, one may come to ask themselves if the King is the ruler of the Kingdom, then is he also the law? Well, the answer is no.


    The King is, in fact, not the Law nor the rule, but simply a figurehead that rules the land based on a predetermined Law that had been set in place.


    Then who is the law? Well, the goddess Mayura decided to assign three people at the time as a form of casualty.


    She is the goddess of casualties after all.


    The first of the Law, the Logan household; the second of the Law, the Argona household; and the third of the Law, the Winston household.


    Over the years, these three households have built up the laws that govern our country to this day, from the tyranny of past Kings to the false accusations of innocent nobles.


    Though they represented the Laws in different ways, their action was quite limited. They could not disobey those laws they had set, and they could not find or manipulate their ways around them.


    They were bound to the laws they had implemented, and so therefore, they were just, and usable to the King.


    ''Though, getting an audience with them would have been such a pain if not for Thalia''s law school and Fiona''s persistence''


    We were able to gather the necessary evidence, after all, our connection is more than just the sword.


    As I looked up to the King to see his reaction, a pleasant smile formed on my lips.


    The King had to admit; we surprised him.

 Chapter 139- Trial of the Jun household 2

    NORMAL POV.


    ''The Household of the Law....weren''t these families supposed to isolate themselves from civil judgments?'' The King held his chin with his right hand, while his left tapped the armrest of the throne.


    A drop of sweat formed on his forehead, and he clicked his tongue quietly.


    ''These children are getting on my nerves.


    What do they wish to achieve? And why does it seem like they were aware....''


    His thoughts began to ponder greatly as he drilled in the necessary info to find a solution or an answer to his question.


    ''Is there a spy amongst my court? But the only people aware of this should be the Blue Rose''. His gaze darkened as a thought crossed his mind. ''Have I been betrayed?''


    It may have been far from that, but he could not deny the possibility. After all, people who refused to reveal themselves before him had much to hide other than their appearance.


    The thought of it disgusted him.


    "Your Highness!" Fiona cried out as the three men stood next to the Jun''s. "These are the Households of the Law. The Ancient Laws that we abide by. Can the throne refute their claims?"


    Her question caused a frenzy among the nobles as they ridiculed her for the tone and manner in which she spoke.


    Some had even begun to stand from their seats in protest.


    "How dare you, filthy daughter of the Jun!"


    "Your worthless existence shall not defy the King!"


    "Begone with them! Execute them!".


    Their words were harsh, but Fiona may have just insulted the King; why wouldn''t they react as such, but the King interpreted it differently.


    ''Is she challenging my authority over the Kingdom? Just because of some Lawyers? How dare she?!''. He thought in his head, amused and annoyed by her words.


    "Do tell, what claims are you here to foretell? You are people who have shunned yourselves for generations, so why come now?" The King asked, his gaze sharp and fierce as it landed on the three men.


    Each portrayed an aura of dignity and reverence. They were of different nobility, but their loyalty towards the Law had bonded these families for generations.


    "Children speak when they are told to". He said with an even tone.


    "And chief advisors are meant to act only when they are told so," Raph replied squarely, turning towards the King right after that. "Your Highness. This man is attempting to disobey the Law, and right in your presence. He is challenging your authority, please do not let this pass".


    He said with a bow, and this caused a stir among the nobles present.


    Who couldn''t have seen that the King hinted to Dugu Jafar to act? But Raph had just made it difficult for the King to do as he pleased.


    This displeased the King greatly, but he couldn''t reveal his annoyance at the boy, nor could he refute the claim.


    The King was weak before the Law, without actually being sovereign. Did he think he would act as he wished to forever?


    "Dugu Jafar, return to your position" He instructed with a sigh, and the man begrudgingly walked back, his gaze never leaving Raph until he got back to his position.


    Raph''s gaze didn''t waver; in fact, he felt tempted to use his ocular abilities right then on the man to hasten things further, but if he did.


    ''....I could get in trouble if I''m caught'' He thought to himself, when he felt a nudge on his elbow.


    Turning to his left, while looking down, he met the sparkling blue eyes of Morganna, and a smile grew on his lips.


    ''Let''s wait and see....I''ll surely get my chance''.


    The L.A.W. stared at Raph briefly, before resuming their actions. Stay tuned for updates on empire


    Micar released the ribbon that tied the scroll and opened it as he said.


    "Your Highness, this contains the list of the most wanted men in the Kingdom".


    ''Wanted? That''s a generalized term'' The King thought as the uneasy feeling began to die down, but in the next few sentences altered by the man, it began to pick up again, with his eyes widening in shock.


    "These are the Nobles that are actively partaking in Demon rituals and Demi-human Slavery".


    His words were like a death sentence as some nobles began to sweat on their seats.


    Some even proclaimed in protest at the audacity, but most were well aware of their actions, and the fear of being forced to face those actions had become palpably near.


    Fear grew in their hearts.

 Chapter 140- Trial of the Jun household 3

    (extra chapter)


    "That''s funny. I already caught one of them, and they are standing trial at the moment". King said, regaining his composure.


    "But, Your Highness, we have confirmed it ourselves," Lamel said, his tone curt and firm as he looked into the King''s gaze. "We can not lie before the Law. We have found evidence that these nobles are cahooting with the underground organization known as the Red Peacemakers.


    They have demi-human slaves that they use as Sex slaves and maids in their household.


    They have Elves that have been kept over years, and centuries, used as domestic workers".


    He turned towards the Left side of the King, where the great families sat unperturbed by the situation.


    Of all those that were present, only six had come in person; the rest sent figureheads to deal with the matter, and amongst those that came in person was the Staff family, Son Goku, and the Elven family, Derick Silvan.


    Their expressions were stoic, but Lamel, who was well vested in years even for a human, could tell that they were curious, and that curiosity would soon turn to blood lust.


    "What nonsense are you saying? Are you accusing my people?!" The King asked with a raised tone. "How dare you come to my roof to cause strife?!"


    He proclaimed.


    "Your Highness, these demonic Nobles are not just involved in those vices, but they have stolen from your vault, year after year, and their total tax evasion rate over the past twenty years has long exceeded 100,000,000 gold coins". Micar spoke up next, his tone raised as well as he brought out another scroll. "Your Highness, these nobles are a shame to society.


    They are the real heathens, not the Jun''s.


    The Jun''s have helped you capture these nobles, and earned themselves merit! Please look at their good deeds first before denouncing them".


    The King''s face wrinkled into a frown.


    "...Who are these nobles? I will first investigate before I denounce them. I also have a part to play in Law proceedings". He stretched out his right finger, pointing it at the scroll that Micar held.


    "Your Highness, you know this, and yet you failed to include us in your trail of the Jun household?" Thumpfrey said, collecting the scroll from Micar.


    "....it was a matter that required urgent administration. It was only right that I punish them".


    "So you admit you only wished to punish them and not judge them". Lamel said with a sigh, and this caused the King to choke on his words.


    He bit his lips hard as he cried out firmly.


    "I am the King!"


    "But you are not the Law!" Lamel''s voice, which was once low and old, had turned into a scream, rivaling that of the King. "The Jun household isn''t just any household, Your Highness! They are the Great families blessed by the goddess, Mayura! Denouncing them is denouncing the goddess!"


    King Marcello felt an urge. A deep relenting urge, as his eyes contorted deeply into anger.


    Seizure of all properties of the Jun name.


    Repossessing of the Demon resources trade route and any other form of trade route.


    Annulment of the Patriarch position from the Jun household from henceforth and


    Submission of the King''s knight, Raffaelo Jun".


    Raph sighed inwardly after hearing that. He looked up to the princes to find themselves composed once again.


    ''Well, I might end up using that after all''.


    "Your Highness! This is too much. Every Great family requires a Patriarch!" Gloria spoke up, her tone laced with displeasure.


    "It is my judgment, and it shall be done so". The King spoke, his tone relaxing. ''Now, let''s end this farce before any more unprecedented scenarios occur''.


    He turned towards Dugu, a familiar expression on his face and the Man understood right away.


    The atmosphere seemed to have reached an anti-climax and the girls could tell right away that their plan was about to fail.


    If they let the King end the trial as it is, they would be unable to resist him and his commands, but they couldn''t find a way to prolong the Trial. Even if it was just some more seconds, they needed more time.


    As the air began to rise in tension, and their expressions with it, one of them began to feel something different¨C a longing bloodlust.


    "We have concluded the Trial; we may now, Lea"¨C "We may not!"


    Raph spoke out, his voice vibrating with the walls and pillars of the Throne room.


    ''What now?!'' The King thought, but the boy''s next sentence caused his tension and worry to vanish.


    "I call upon the Rite of Challenge!" He said, drawing out his blade from thin air as a cold mist wrapped around his figure.


    His sisters looked at him in bewilderment, the Nobles widened their eyes in shock, and the Great families smiled in satisfaction.


    Was this what they wanted all along?


    "A Rite of Challenge? Interesting, Do you have the strength to back up those words, Young Jun?!" The King asked, his tone laced with grim satisfaction.


    Raph looked up to the King, stepping forward and swinging his sword to his side as a cool wind caused his hair to flutter.


    "I believe I do".


    ''If talking won''t work. Then fighting will''.

 Chapter 141- Trial of the Jun household 4

    The King''s delight was palpable as he slumped back on his throne.


    "You call for the Rite of Challenge, do you perhaps not know what you have just said, Young Jun?" He asked with an amused tone in his voice.


    Well, it was expected; after all, the Rite of Challenge wasn''t used much in society because of the unfairness of the odds.


    Raph knew this, and he still chose to do it for mostly one reason.


    ''I already have a challenger within the King''s throne room, and quite frankly, I can''t wait to sink my sword in his ugly face''. He thought when he glanced at Dugu Jafar, only to find the man glaring at him.


    To others, it might seem like Raph was just trying to prolong the inevitable, but for people like Dugu Jafar, who despised the uncertainties that may occur with time, it was rather annoying.


    Knowing this, Raph''s lips vividly curled into a smirk as he looked away, and this caused a fire-burning rage to grow in intensity within the heart of Dugu.


    Other than Dugu, his sisters were staring at him, and their worry was palpable, but he couldn''t mind it now; it was only right they worried.


    The Rite of Challenge was an old custom where a Knight, apprentice Knight, or a member of a Knight household called for, when they felt unjustly accused or justly accused but wanted to find a way out of it.


    It was rather simple, the King chooses his Champion, and a duel to the death begins. Whoever wins gets three of their wishes granted, and it is a rule that still stands to date.


    The King tapped his chin for a few seconds, his sons slowly turning up to him at the same time.


    "Your Highness, I ask that you leave this to me. I have a much spectacular Champion" Julian said, with a grin on his face.


    ''Like father like son,'' Raph thought, but Thylan spoke up next.


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    "I''m against it. That man has not become a knight yet. Let me use my champion, Father. A swift death shall be guaranteed". Thylan said, but alas, both failed to realize what their Father was troubled by.


    It wasn''t like he didn''t have his Champions. What mattered at the end of the day was that it was a duel to the death. Meaning if Raph were to lose, and he would most likely will, according to the King, then he would die regardless.


    Did he really want that? The same boy that he needed alive to serve him, and then his son?


    "Hah, you''ve made this particularly difficult, Young Jun," The King said, but his smirk never left his face. ''Better dead than against the throne'' He thought.


    "The princes shall not speak unless spoken to," He said, and his two sons flinched as they turned away from the King''s gaze.


    "We don''t have to do that Raph. You think we''ll let you walk into death or something?" Thalia asked, walking towards him and grabbing him by the ear. "Your sisters will take care of the rest; you must flee now."


    Raph found this rather amusing, as he slowly held her hand, and it was then that he felt it, the fear that they hid so perfectly well.


    ''Her arms are shaking''. He thought, his eyes widening even more.


    Even in his past life, his sisters loved him. They cherished him so much that they didn''t care how much they spoiled him, or how badly he ended up.


    They never blamed him for his wrong actions, or his weak nature, No. They genuinely loved him, and they continued to do so in any alternative life.


    "You girls" Raph laughed out loud, unable to hold his emotions from surfacing as a smile formed, and his moon orb eyes shimmered.


    "I''ll be fine. He''s just a level 100, there isn''t anything he can do to win against me".


    His sisters stared at him, their worry palpable.


    "Why didn''t you let us know you were going to call for it?" Fiona asked.


    "No, No, that''s not it. Why didn''t you entrust something like this to your sisters?!" Rebecca asked, her worry most palpable.


    "The King is trying to take over our family. Do you think he would let you win?" Morganna asked, her expression blank, but her gaze couldn''t hide the worry from within.


    "You can not continue to face challenges like this on your own, Raph. That is why we are here. We are your sisters. We are family. You let us know beforehand if you''re going to do something dangerous" Gloria said, her tone shaky from the series of events.


    "Sisters...." Raph sighed. "Can you imagine a mage stronger than Fiona, Rebecca, or Gloria? What about Morganna and Thalia? I''m sorry, girls, but if one of you had done so, then it''s either the King calls forth the Rite to Supremacy and annuls it, or he calls a champion strong enough to kill either of them".


    His sisters winced at his logic, but they could not deny it. Gloria, Rebecca, and Fiona were currently the strongest of the Jun household, and the King would never accept a challenge from people he thought he would lose to, while Rebecca and Thalia, their weakest, would most likely get killed in the most brutal way possible.


    Raph was right not to tell them, and call for it himself.


    He turned around towards the Courtyard.


    "Do not fear, sisters, I am a Jun. I may be a Master of the 8th star, but not even Grandmasters like Gloria and Fiona can touch my air without losing a hand or two".


    His gaze turned to his sisters as his smile widened.


    "I will win".

 Chapter 142- Raffaelo Jun Vs Dugu Jafar

    On a sunny afternoon, as the sun''s light blessed the lands with its ambiance hue, two figures stood on an open Sparring Ring.


    Their gazes filled with intent as they stared at each other, their minds filled with thoughts of their own.


    At the sides of the Ring were nobles and vassals of the King, as well as members of the Great Family, including the fourth, sixth, seventh, ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth.


    The rest were figureheads that had come in place of their Patriarchs. Their origin didn''t matter, and the reason for using figureheads wasn''t a concern, as the King didn''t care about their appearance.


    All he needed was their vote in revoking the next Patriarch of the Jun household.


    The King was currently seated on a much smaller throne than the previous, and by his sides were his sons, and surrounding them were twenty level 100 Knights.


    With his legs crossed, and his head resting on his right hand, he felt an excitement that was only palpable by him.


    ''Hah....a wonderful day it is''. The King thought while a familiar-looking man named Nexulus Bon, the King''s butler, walked up to the Ring, standing in between the two Knights.


    "Challenger Raffaelo Jun, do you, by the name of the King, swear to accept the results of the battle wholeheartedly, and with it the punishment of death?" The gray-haired middle-aged man said, his back straightened and his posture flawless.


    "Yes, I do" Raph replied, his gaze lingering on his sisters that stood together with the nobles, while Dugu Jafar''s stare fixed on him.


    "And do you, the Challenged Dugu Jafar, by the name of the King, swear to accept the results of the battle wholeheartedly and with the punishment of death?"


    Dugu Jafar flinched for a second, his gaze shifting from the boy to the butler, as his brows furrowed. ".....I do..." He replied.


    "Well then, by the power invested in me by the King...."


    The two Knights tensed as the Butler continued his statement, their gaze sharpening on the impending battle.


    "....Begin!".


    His voice resounded in the air as his body whisked away from the center, giving the two Knights free rein to set loose.


    Dugu Jafar charged in like a ramming bull, a vibrant flow of silver illuminating his body as armor began to take shape.


    "You will die today!" His voice was like a howl, a thundering roar that caused the nobles to shudder. With a thrust of his arm through the air, a great axe formed and he pulled it down like a guillotine.


    Raph remained unperturbed in his position as his double-edged katana formed as he whisked his hands horizontally through the air, and with a gust of wind and trembling ground, their weapons collided.


    Dugu didn''t falter in his attack, increasing his speed as his ax began to glow red.


    "Expert Class Skill: Fiery Ax Slash!"


    His ax ignited with fiery flames that formed the head of a dragon, two times as large as his battle axe, and within the next second, the weapon collided with a weapon.


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    BOOM.


    The wind pulsated as a sonic explosion occurred, causing Dugu Jafar to quiver due to the intensity of the strike.


    He was taken aback, and unconsciously took a step back, but that was a mistake, a terrible mistake that Raph was not going to let go unnoticed.


    With a grunt, he spun his sword backward, causing Dugu Jafar to trip forward and his ax with him. In the next second, he spun his sword through the air, causing a whizzing sound to echo as it sliced through the Ring ground and ascended upwards, beneath Dugu Jafar.


    The man''s eyes constricted as he pulled his ax downwards and jumped into the air to dodge and maneuver the attack, but the force was much more than his expectations.


    With a single puff of the air, Raph pulled his sword upwards, and Dugu Jafar with it, who was still stuck preventing the sword from ascending and slicing him into two, swinging him through the air, and banging him into the Ring''s concrete ground at his other side.


    BOOM.


    With a gust of wind, the ground split into two due to the collision as Dugu Jafar was left upside down in the embrace of the cold, hard ground of the Ring.


    A world of pain streamed through the man''s body, as his eyes widened in shock, and his mouth with it.


    His body twitched as Raph retreated at a safe distance, swinging his sword through the air at the same time with a satisfied expression.


    The Nobles were left in shock, and his sisters were in a similar state of surprise, as they all had the same thoughts running through their minds.


    ''Where is that strength coming from?''


    Well, it was an easy thing to respond to; after all, Raph was currently focusing on achieving such strength.


    Unbeknownst to those around him, his circles and stars were vibrating in harmony, causing a surge of power to stream through his body like a fourth circulatory system.


    This was a technique he had prepared for occasions like this¨CResonance.

 Chapter 143- Raffaelo Jun Vs Dugu Jafar 2

    The once palpable intensity began to dwindle into nothingness, Dugu Jafar pulled himself out of the rubble, as a trickling sound projected followed by the dropping of liquid.


    The Nobles were filled with surprise, while the King''s displeasure became ever so palpable, as they watched the pristine white Ring, stain red from the blood of Dugu Jafar.


    "Your Highness," Dugu Jafar said, his voice husky as he turned his gaze towards Raph, abundant intensity growing within his chest.


    "Permission to go all out"


    The King''s lips curled upwards in a malevolent delight. "Of course".


    Within the next second, energy filled the aura with intense pressure, causing a trembling sensation to spread through the body of Raph.


    The young boy grunted, holding his sword to keep his balance.


    "Hah, I see you haven''t given up, Dugu Jafar?" Raph asked, his tone laced with excitement, as his aura began to surge forth.


    Dugu Jafar remained silent, a burning intensity in his gaze, and a fiery mana suffusing out of his body.


    It should be well known by now that all system users use Mana. However, how they use it differs, and in this case, it was used in not just his Ax fighting style.


    Dugu Jafar spread his arms apart, as his muscles began to bulge out, causing a wave of energy to suffuse out of his skin as he clenched his hold on his ax.


    "...I will no longer underestimate you, Raffaelo Jun"


    "Hm, you shouldn''t have done that from the start" Raph replied, a smirk on his face as he took a stance, a cold breath exuding out of his lips.


    "Expert class skill; Dragon Sea!" Dugu Jafar cried out as a blast of energy surged out from his body into the skies, turning into multiple straight lines with a dragon head on each.


    A roar echoed in the sky as it descended in the next second, forming a beautiful arch of red energy as it collided with the ground, causing a trembling that permeated through the greenery fields, all the way to the nobles.


    A blast of energy and the breaking of rocks echoed as the multiple straight lines of energy descended uniformly, breaking all in its path.


    This left a lasting impression on all those who watched, but before they could come up with a clear winner, a shroud of ice erupted into the air as Raph phased through the energy, leaving a trail of ice in his wake.


    "Everything is Ice". He swung his sword through the air, and a whizzing sound projected out followed by a cold that easily suffused and diffused through the atmosphere like dust. "Glacier Spire!".


    Long shards of ice and snow projected out of the ground, covering half the diameter of the Ring as Raph jumped out of the arch, and charged towards Dugu Jafar.


    "You leave room to wonder!"


    A voice crept in his ears as he spun to his left, blocking an ax that descended like a guillotine as a sonic boom occurred as a result.


    Raph tilted his body to the left as the ax came down like a fallen log of wood and charged forward in the next second.


    "Room for what?" He asked when he halted in his actions and spun his sword behind to block Dugu Jafar''s ax from coming in behind.


    The middle-aged man grunted, pulling Raph forward with his ax and aiming a punch at the boy''s face.


    With a single swing of his ax, a wave of energy swept through the Ring towards Raph, and a blasting wave of wind struck through the Ring and a dome that had been erected around the Ring.


    ''Master class skill; Dragon''s claw''


    Raph''s gaze constricted as he shifted his body to the right, dodging an impending doom, for in the next second, the ground where he once stood was split, and with it, a terrible gust of energy blasted him to the sides.


    He grunted, twirling his body in the air as he regained his posture, his hands clasped on his sword when he felt a presence above him.


    "I''m impressed! You dodged even that?!". His ax came flying down with his beastly strength as mana suffused out of his body.


    "Hah, you''re quite fast". Raph pulled his sword upwards, an icy chill exuding from his breath. ''...Everything is ice..''


    "Cold Zero!".


    A gust of ice shards and a chill swept through his sword unto the ax, and spread forward at a rapid rate like an avalanche, leaving a trail of ice in its wake.


    It spread to Dugu Jafar''s arms and up to his shoulders before consuming him in a blanket of ice.


    "Do you think this can stop me?!" His cry, loud and ferocious, caused a tongue of fire to erupt from the side of his mouth.


    "Expert class skill; Dragon Flames!"


    Raph jumped out of the way as a laser of fire surged out from his mouth and dispersed the cold gust, causing an aura of warmth to surround him while it melted everything in its path.


    Raph landed a few meters away, his gaze filled with cold bloodlust as he pulled his sword forward.


    ''Shall I try that?!''.


    In one month, Raph had read through the books in the Library and figured out a way to increase his proficiency in his traits.


    It didn''t matter how you applied it, what mattered was how well it turned out.


    Meaning that their traits were malleable, and he could adjust them to as much as he needed to obtain what he wanted.


    ''This is just an underdeveloped version, but....'' He stabbed his sword into the ground. ''...Everything is ice''.


    "Ice Wake!"


    The pristine white ground of the Sparring Ring began to break and crackle as ice spread through it, from his sword to the whole length, causing a trail of ice to spread through anything or anyone that stood upon the ground.


    Of course, Dugu Jafar was one of such, but as a Dragon Knight, he easily pulled himself out of the ice that had spread to his legs.


    "What is this? And what do you think you could possibly do with this?"


    Raph''s gaze remained unperturbed, a cold aura permeating from his body like a forever cold deity.


    Dugu Jafar found this as an opportunity, noticing his unwillingness to move from his position, and with a calm mind, he readied himself to charge forward, but at that moment, something cold grabbed his legs, and a frosty chill permeated through his armor, spreading through his defenses like cancer and causing an icy sensation that would forever leave an imprint in his life.

 Chapter 144- Raffaelo Jun Vs Dugu Jafar 3

    What was it about the Jun''s traits that made it special when compared to other Family inherent abilities?


    Well, that would be its adaptability to its user''s form. How you use it depends on how much the user can visualize, and of course, the amount of aura or mana used greatly affects the result.


    Ice Wake, an ability he had visualized after reading a particular topic on necromancy. At the time he was quite surprised to find out it was a trait that was manifested by a former Patriarch.


    What made it interesting was the nature of the necromancy.


    Instead of using bones and materializing actual skeletons, the Patriarch made use of gemstones and crystals. He manipulated their actions with his mind, and by furthering his traits, he was able to create armies of them.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Patriarch was the 10th after the first, Gideon Jun, and his trait was the GEM MASTER, a trait that enabled him to control rare stones and precious minerals.


    ''So, what about ice? They have similar properties, right? And instead of controlling it with my mind, why not learn magic that can imbue your will in it? Better still, why not imbue your aura into them to give them an artificial life?'' Raph thought as he watched the scenery unfold before him.


    He was still in the process of advancing this particular ability, but for now, what Raph could do was a similar amateur version, but it was useful for slowing down unsuspecting enemies. Sadly, Dugu Jafar was one of such.


    The man was still in a state of shock when he felt his limbs go numb; looking down to find the cause, his eyes widened, and his pupils constricted in shock as a cold pain emanated through his legs.


    "...Khuk...argh.." He struggled to contain the scream that nearly shook his very being as he watched arms with claws made out of ice pull themselves out of the icy field into reality with the aid of his legs.


    Their touch caused a never-ending icy chill to spread through his body, and it slowly began to become detrimental to his well-being.


    He could feel his internal system freezing, ever so slowly, and ever so painfully.


    It had gotten to the extent that cold air began to exude out of his lips as he breathed.


    He had attempted to escape, but each time he did, the number of arms increased, and as they pulled themselves upwards, the rest of their bodies began to take shape.


    He could count at least ten skulls of ice protruding out of the ground, a rattling noise echoing as their jaws chattered in a diabolical delight.


    ''This is bad'' Dugu Jafar thought, feeling his energy nearly slipping out of his grasp, but at that moment, something else clicked in him. ''This kid is dangerous. I feel suppressed already, and he''s supposed to be an eight-star knight?!''


    He glared at the White-haired kid, noticing how he remained fixed in his position.


    ''...oh? he can''t move while he''s manifesting this technique''.


    The panic in his expression began to fade, and a smirk replaced it as an idea popped up in his head. ''Hey, kid! If you show this kind of weakness, then it''ll only bring more trouble!''


    It was far too early to end this battle, and he had decided something else deep within his heart without needing to confirm it.


    "Raffaelo Jun, It''s either you die or you serve the throne; which is it?"


    Raph flinched for a moment, puzzled by his question, but he soon relaxed his expression after a few seconds.


    As he looked around in search of the palace mage, Fiona stepped forward in the presence of the nobles, the great families, and the King, and with a wave of her burning, crackling, yellow thunder wand, a bright yellow dome appeared and surrounded the Sparring Ring in a fine layer.


    "8th class magic: Mother Dome of Protection".


    The yellow dome sparked with lightning current and intensity, and she was confident in its endurance.


    ''....Everything else depends on you, Raph, '' She thought, her gaze filled with a yearning. A yearning for her brother to survive the brunt of the skill.


    The skill had nearly reached Raph, and yet, not a single drop of sweat escaped his body.


    Instead, a permeating cold continued to exude from him, and in the next second, as he opened his eyes once again, an aura of frost pulsated out of his body like a surge of energy.


    He grabbed his sword, swinging it across the air.


    "Everything is Ice.....Chapter 9.."


    His muscles tensed, and the cold aura rushed up across the blade of his double-edged Katana.


    "Absolute Zero, Arrogant Surge!"


    The atmosphere literally warped as a snowstorm swept through the Sparring Ring, with strong winds that howled and blew like a tempest of cold energy, swirling up into the air, like an overdraft filled with cold intensity, and causing everything and everyone in its path to be corrupted by its icy ambiance.


    The dragon of fire was caught in the middle of it, like a matchstick in a snowstorm and it was quickly extinguished due to the impenetrable cold.


    There was no physics when it came to Absolute Cold as it made everything futile, turning energy itself into solid ice.


    Of course, he advanced his mastery, using it with the most suitable Chapter in the series, and its effects were divine.


    The energy would sweep up into a large snowstorm that would last for years but was meant for a single purpose and used in a single moment. It came like a harbinger of frosty evil, an eternal cold that would last for as long as the Caster wished it for, as well as his level of aura.


    The sight alone caused most to freeze in their expressions, and the dome was not strong enough to keep the cold from permeating.


    Some parts of the greenery field had begun to turn to ice, and some nobles with weak resistance had begun to tremble under the influence of the cold.


    His sisters were in a state of shock, but more than that, they were filled with intense joy.


    This was the son of the Jun household, their brother, and someone who would become a powerful existence in the future.


    If he could display this much prowess at just fifteen, then what of five years from now? That would be incredible to think of.


    As they were lost in their thoughts, the ethereal snowstorm ceased as if it was never there, and a blanket of snow began to descend as an aftermath.


    Everyone watched as Raph approached a man on his knees, his arms stretched out in a panic and pain evident in his cold, dead eyes.


    What they were witnessing was history being made, as Dugu Jafar had now become a statue of brisk ice.

 Chapter 145- The three requests

    The King''s expression grew complicated on watching the event unfold before him.


    He was rather powerless at the moment, at least in a Rite of Challenge, as he could not influence his authority to his will.


    He didn''t even think it would be necessary, but something wrong just occurred.


    ''Did....did I just lose my advisor?'' He thought as he watched Raph walk up to the man who was frozen still in the middle of the Sparring Ring.


    The white-haired boy simply tapped the Ice statue on the forehead, and it caused the statue to disintegrate into the air, turning into particles of white ice and snow.


    ''...What is the meaning of this?'' He pondered, his gaze unable to hide the discontent he felt.


    "Your Highness!"


    As if to add pepper to the wound, Raph called out, turning his attention towards the King as he bowed.


    "I have defeated the challenge. By the Rite of Challenge, I shall ask for my three requests".


    The tension that once hung in the air had dissipated with the wind, and cool energy had diffused in the atmosphere, lightening up the mood greatly.


    Some nobles found the sight surprisingly calming while a few others just found the situation ridiculous and interesting.


    This is an event that will go down in history.


    ''Are you telling me that a Level 100 isn''t enough to stop him?'' The King did not find this amusing, neither did he find it intriguing. It caused a deep seethed uneasiness that he never wanted to showcase.


    ''I need non-system users amongst my defenses,'' He thought, his thoughts still riddled with ways to avoid this situation, but there weren''t any.


    With a sigh, he said. "Speak".


    ''Well, if he asks for anything absurd, I can bypass it. They won''t have a Patriarch anytime soon with me in charge, what could he possibly request to ask for?''. Where his thoughts as the boy remained fixed on the Sparring Ring.


    The Rite of Challenge was absolute, and disobeying or manipulating its settings or rules would lead to death, but perhaps the King had something in mind as well.


    "The first request I ask is of you to let me come serve you after I graduate from the Academy".


    The King''s lips curled downwards, as he tapped the armrest of his throne.


    ''He''s willing to serve me, on his own? Is this something that has ever happened in history?''.


    He thought when he noticed the puzzled expressions of some of the Patriarchs and even those of his sisters.


    They seemed to not be in favor of the idea.


    ''...Well, having him come to me would be the better choice, but will he give me the absolute obedience I want? I''m afraid not...I will still do as I please.


    And what of his growth, can he not become someone strong enough to resist my authority? Why would I give him the chance to grow more without my supervision?''


    He stared at Raph for a moment, then sighed. "How can I be sure that you will come to serve me?"


    He asked, his tone laced with curiosity. ''It is still a request won by the Rite of Challenge, I can not refute it....Honestly, all this just for some child''.


    He had planned to announce it after the trial, but Raph had made things difficult.


    Including it in his requests had tipped things over in their favor.


    At this rate, the King would have to wait a long time to achieve his goal.


    "..ask for something else, I have no power over the Patriarchs, now or ever"


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    The King instructed, turning towards the side where the girls stood, only to find them indifferent.


    For some reason, he had a gut feeling that they were in on this as well. Perhaps they had planned on asking him from the get-go?


    ''...but wouldn''t that mean...there is a spy?''.


    He had not told anyone in the court, neither his family nor trusted soldiers about his goal of changing the rules, but for some reason, Raph asked this exact topic he had the power over, making it difficult for him not to accept.


    "The Rite of Challenge doesn''t allow challengers to ask for the impossible," The King insisted, tapping his finger on the armrest of the oak armrest.


    "Yes, Your Highness, but it has happened once with the 13th and 84th Patriarchs of the Jun household; all that is required is your blessing". Raph said with a sigh.


    ''It will be impossible to convince him''


    "....you are testing my patience, Raffaelo Jun, are you talking back to me?" The King''s displeasure had quickly turned to anger, but something else had brewed in him. He wasn''t going to let this kid best him and certainly wouldn''t let Raph go on as he pleased just because of a Rite.


    "...you do realize you''ve murdered my Advisor?" He asked, his tapping increasing with the loss of his patience.


    "....Well, yes, your Highness, but this was all under the Challenge. We swore a pledge". Raph replied, his expression slowly turning dark. ''He''s up to something''. He thought, his gaze flickering.


    The last thing he needed was an injured King fighting back, that would certainly spell trouble.


    "You say I should appoint Gloria Jun as the Patriarch?" His gaze shifted towards the girl in question. "Gloria Jun, do you request to become the Family Patriarch?" He asked, his tone laced with a malevolent hue.


    Gloria was smart enough to pick it, and so were many others around her.


    The King was not satisfied that they could tell, but what he had in mind, that they couldn''t tell.


    "Yes, Your Highness". She replied, calmly bowing.


    "I see; it seems Michaelo raised wonderful kids," The King said, turning towards Raph. "Your requests shall be fulfilled, and the newly appointed Patriarch will do her duties that come with the responsibility of the title".


    "I am forever grateful," Raph said, an uneasiness dwelling in him. ''What? What is he going to say?'' His thoughts were left in disarray.


    "However, since you have given me the power to choose her as your Patriarch, then you will let me choose her partner".


    ''Shit''. Raph thought, inwardly face-palming himself.


    "Thylan Swanstorm". The King called, and in response his older son flinched, turning towards his father with puzzled eyes, before replying.


    "Ye¨CYes, Your Highness".


    "To fulfill your maternal duties as a Matriarch and to prolong the lifeline of the Jun household. Gloria Jun, you are to wed my son, Thylan Swanstorm, in five days".

 Chapter 146- Count Bast

    The ambient rays of the sun descended upon the King''s courtyard as a condescending silence suffused the air.


    While the sunlight caused a warmth that enveloped the people gathered, a contrasting cold still lingered in the air, a testament to the duel that concluded.


    The greenery around the Sparring ring was dyed blue, and their frozen tips began to melt with the intensity of the sun.


    Its contrasting properties caused a warmth that was easily permeated by the cold, serving as a constant reminder of the winner of the duel.


    Amidst all this, a man at the age of 21, with blonde hair and sparkling golden eyes like his father, was caught in a situation that he dreaded without realizing it.


    "But, your Highness?!" Thylan said, startled by his father''s declaration. ''Why me?'' He thought, glancing at his younger brother, who seemed to be amused by the situation.


    "I do not think such is necessary," He said, turning towards the King, but something caused him to take a step back with a dark mask of fear cascading on his face.


    "Are you talking back to me too, Boy?" The king questioned, a hard, cold gaze piercing the eyes of his son.


    He had always searched for ways to tame the bastard since Thylan was the most like him in terms of his bad side.


    Thylan was susceptible to violence, and a violent King without brains can be easily overthrown.


    Thylan was not king material, and this seemed like a good opportunity to put two things he didn''t like together.


    He turned away from the boy towards Gloria Jun, her expression calm and devoid of any reaction.


    "Do you object, Gloria Jun?" He asked, his tone sounding like a stern warning.


    Gloria turned towards the King, genuflecting at the same time. "It would be my honor, Your Highness"


    The King, satisfied with her response, stood up from his throne, his gaze lingering on Raph.


    "You have gone beyond my expectations, Raffaelo Jun. I shall await your service in five years" He then turned and walked away while his sons quickly walked after him, their thoughts occupied.


    A moment of silence descended when Nexulus Bon sighed deeply and said. "The trial of the Jun household has ended. You are dismissed". And with that, the silence was broken. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire


    The nobles began to walk up to one another, conversing on the series of events or trying to form new connections perhaps.


    One of such was a popular noble known as Count Bast of the Tully Town.


    He was a handsome man with dark wavy hair and side beards that accentuated his muscular figure that bulged in his noble clothing.


    The man walked up towards the Jun siblings that had gathered next to Raph, their thoughts reeling.


    Raph was the first to notice, as he sat down on the Arena floor while his sisters surrounded him.


    "Congratulations, Patriarch Gloria Jun" Count Bast announced on getting to them, his gaze sharp and fiery as it landed on Gloria.


    "Count Bast, it has been a while" Gloria replied as they shook hands.


    Rebecca tapped the boy on his shoulder, worry etched on her expression, while Raph flinched, glancing at the people gathered.


    "Hah, I apologize for that moment. The battle should have ended sooner, and I''m thinking of ways I could have better achieved that" he said, scratching the back of his head while Count Bast laughed out loud.


    "You''re an interesting man, Young Master, Raph. You already made a record for defeating a level 100 in under five minutes, yet you say you could have done it better?" He laughed out some more, while Raph flinched at his words.


    He looked up to Morganna. "Five minutes? That fight was five minutes?!"


    It was his sister''s turn to laugh.


    "You didn''t know?" Thalia asked, adjusting her glasses.


    "Exactly 4 minutes and 30 seconds. The King probably didn''t realize it either; it doesn''t matter now". Fiona interjected.


    Count Bast laughed once again, as he said. "Your bonds are as deep as your abilities; I hope you foster them".


    "Of course, Count Bast" Gloria replied, as the man waved at them.


    "I will be going now, some of the Patriarchs will approach you, Lady Gloria. I hope you bring us glory as much as your father did". The man halted in his movements as he laughed out loud again. "It''s in the name! Glory is in the name, Gloria!"


    He screamed out, sounding like a kindergarten student who had just figured out a jigsaw puzzle while attracting the attention of other nobles, who seemed to be doing their best to avoid him.


    "...He''s a jovial man" Thalia commented with a sigh as he walked away, while they turned towards Raph at the same time.


    "So, what now? We let the King take Gloria?" She asked.


    "Well, there''s nothing that can be done at the moment. The King was already pissed he lost Dugu Jafar" Fiona said with a sigh. "Speaking of which! Was that necromancy, dear brother?!" A hint of curiosity sparkled in her eyes.


    Raph chuckled. "not necessarily. It''s related though but I''m missing a puzzle"


    "True, it did seem like you couldn''t move while you cast the ability. Does that mean you need to be stationary?" Morganna asked.


    "Well, yes, I''m imbuing mana into the ground to help craft the skeletons after all. It''s a long process, but it''ll be useful once I master it". Raph replied with a smile, while Morganna helped him up. "Well then, we should plan our leave"


    "We''ll have to wait for Gloria, though, since nobles and the other Patriarchs may approach us", Rebecca said with a sigh as they came down from the Ring.


    All this time, Raph had noticed Gloria''s sudden change in expression as she stared at him. He could tell she was curious about something, but she was someone who wouldn''t want to intrude with her questions.


    "Um....is there something wrong, Gloria?" Raph asked when she stopped walking further, and so did her sisters.


    ".....why were you really staring at Count Bast?" She asked, her firm tone laced with curiosity.


    Raph''s eyes slowly bulged, but then he chuckled as he looked away. "Do you think I lied?" He asked.


    His sisters remained silent while they watched, as a palpable tension began to brew.


    "....Count Bast, he''s a devil".

 Chapter 147- Thinking of a Revolt

    A brief silence suffused the air around them, as each retreated to their thoughts until Gloria broke that silence.


    "Hm. I always thought he was suspicious, but a devil in human form is hard to come by" She said. Their attention turned towards Gloria in unison.


    "....well, there are cases where it''s possible, but their class and rank have to be high to achieve that," Fiona explained, their expressions turning complicated.


    While his sisters contemplated what he had just said, his thoughts were occupied with something else entirely.


    He found it amusing and maybe weird that his sisters believed him instantly instead of questioning whether or not he was telling the truth. Was it that they trusted him enough or something else? He wasn''t sure.


    Of course, he wasn''t lying, but he expected a little bit of doubt.


    With those thoughts in mind, he decided to ask.


    "...you girls believe me?"


    They turned towards him in unison, their gazes laced with amusement and surprise.


    "Do you have a reason to lie about something that serious?" Gloria asked.


    "Raph, your eyes literally see through all, don''t they? You used it to control Ciara, I think I would be a fool if I underestimated the extent of your ocular abilities" Fiona said with a wry smile. "besides....we''ve had our suspicions"


    "...Yeah, I felt uncomfortable on the first day we met," Morganna interjected, a smile on her face as she patted her brother. "We trust you, and we trust in each other. We need that much trust if we''re going to go through this".


    ''....strong bonds, huh?'' Raph thought, a small smile growing from the corner of his lips. "Alright. We''ll have to discuss this another time, don''t you think?" He said, turning towards Gloria. "These eyes of mine have spotted a lot of nobles that are trying to approach us. Go attend to them, we''ll wait at the pavement leading to the Gate".


    Gloria turned away from them to find some nobles glancing at their side. It was obvious from their expressions that they wanted to form a connection with the new head of the Jun household.


    After what seemed like a few seconds of silence, she turned towards her siblings, gave them a curt nod, and then walked away towards the incoming Nobles.


    "....did she just take a moment of deliberation?" Raph asked in an amused tone laced in his voice as he glanced at them.


    They shrugged in unison, giggling as they headed towards the exit of the Courtyard.


    ''Guess there are some things that scare even Gloria, '' Raph thought, amused by her reaction. ''How cute''.


    ****


    Time continued to flow in its endless forward direction, as the Trail of the Jun household had finally come to an end.


    This day would be known for many things, but one would be the death and burial of the King''s Advisor, Dugu Jafar, and another would be the rise of the Jun knights.


    It left a lasting impression on the Nobles, and the Patriarchs had no other choice but to give them face. Of course, many were disappointed with the results and stormed out of the palace as soon as the trial had been adjourned, while a few others continued to remain neutral in the matter, but time continued to tick, indicating that this had passed.


    It was almost late afternoon, and the intensity of the sun began to increase steadily, causing an uncomfortable sensation of heat to wrap around the people going about their activities outdoors.


    While this was going on, the five Jun''s seated around a large fountain, consisting of the statue of a majestic swan on a white marbled pavement, surrounded by a beautiful garden.


    "Hey Fiona, there''s a dome blocking our conversation from reaching others, right?" He asked, his gaze slowly shifting upwards.


    Fiona raised a brow, nodding as she replied. "Of course, since the Court."


    "Alright, I have an announcement to make". He said, gaining their rapt attention.


    ''Should I?'' He thought, but this was something he already had an answer for. There was a bond he shared with his siblings, meaning his actions would affect them in ways he would never know, and unless he reached out to them, there would be things they would never know about him.


    He wouldn''t have had to be worried about implicating his sisters; in fact, this was something he had never thought of because he had never seen the reason until today.


    ''....the King is not a king, and his princes are even lesser....but they still have a saving grace....''


    Something that could be helpful for people and not detrimental or risky¨CThe ruler needed to be changed.


    "The second princess is planning a revolt, and I agreed to join in".


    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    His sister''s eyes widened in shock, as they glanced at each other before landing it back on Raph.


    "....Are you...serious?" Morganna asked, her tone shaky and low.


    "....We need a new ruler. What King Marcello is doing is wrong, and what his sons would do will be even worse.


    For the sake of the people¨Cno, not even the people, but my family. I will cut him down if I have to".


    "...Br...Brother, do you know what a revolt is? There will be war and strife, and people will die". Morganna said. She seemed insistent, slowly placing her hand on his shoulder.


    "...There is already war, strife, and death; just one more would mean nothing," Raph said, his voice sounding like a hot venom as he said those words, his brows furrowing at the same time as he bit down on his lips.


    His sisters remained silent, even stopping themselves from walking forward when Fiona smiled as she asked. "I had the same thought too you know, just didn''t dare to bring it up".


    "Huh? You told me not to wage war," Gloria said, her tone high-pitched and taken aback.


    "It''s different. You can''t take down a King with just ourselves. We would need allies, and we don''t have any of that at the moment".


    "....You have a fiance". Rebecca said with a raised brow, in fact, they all stared at their sister in unison, their brows raised at the same time.


    Fiona coughed awkwardly in response.


    "A¨Canyways, we aren''t strong enough either."


    This time, they all turned to Morganna in unison.


    She blushed, turning away. "Is¨CI''m not weak. You guys are just ridiculously strong!".


    They glanced at each other, then laughed out loud.

 Chapter 148- Back to Work

    "You''re only a 6th circle, Morganna; you really oughta pull some weight," Fiona said, folding her hands.


    "..tsk" Morganna clicked her tongue in annoyance. "I already know damn it!.... I was going to ask you to train me, Fiona" She said, scratching the back of her head at the same time. "But seriously! I''m not weak!"


    "....well, we''ll be the judge of that," Thalia said, adjusting her glasses.


    Raph stared at her with a confused expression. "...don''t you also need training, Thalia?".


    A brief silence descended, causing a shiver to run down his spine.


    "...di¨Cdid I ask something wrong?" He asked, confused by their reaction.


    Gloria stared at him, then at Thalia before a sigh exuded from her lips. "You haven''t told him?" She asked, and the young girl in glasses flinched in realization.


    "....told me what?" Raph asked, his curiosity slowly building up.


    "...We¨CWell, I have a trait that deals with hiding my presence, so I can hide my true strength"


    ''Oh, neat'' Raph thought, nodding his head in satisfaction. ''Thank goodness I convinced her this time''.


    "And?" Fiona interjected, and Thalia flinched again, causing Raph''s curiosity to deepen.


    "....I¨CI''m a 9th circle Mage, Raph".


    Raph''s eyes bulged open in shock as he screamed out. "WHAT?!"


    ''I mean I expected her to have as much talent as Fiona, but this....this is really big news to me''.


    "Hah...You know, Magic circles are easier to form once you understand the principles, and....I''m a Law student and all, understanding principles and laws that govern magic isn''t that difficult".She said awkwardly, while Raph''s expression remained in its state of surprise.


    He looked like he was about to ask something else when Gloria pitched in before he could begin.


    "We''ve wasted too much time as it is. Don''t we all have tasks to accomplish?" She said, and her siblings turned to her in unison.


    She was right; they all had things they needed to do at the moment, especially Gloria, who had just become the Patriarch.


    "True, I have to create my club soon"


    "Huh?" Thalia and Rebecca turned to him with a puzzled expression.


    "Create a club? Are freshers allowed to do that?" Rebecca asked.


    "With the right conditions, Oh, I trust you''ll help me get the President''s signature, of course," Raph said, his lips curled into a smile as he glanced at Rebecca.


    "We¨CWell, as long as there''s a supervisor and the necessary number of members, then I wouldn''t mind"


    "...Now that I think about it, there''s no law that states freshers can''t". Thalia said, holding up her chin.


    "Right," Fiona giggled. "You probably have a reason for doing this, Alright, who wants to go first? I''ll create a portal to our destinations".


    "In that case, I''ll have to excuse myself. There is much work to do at home, and mother is recently recovering. I''ll have to support her" Gloria walked up in front of Fiona, while Fiona tapped her lightly on her shoulders.


    "...Hey Raph, do you plan on coming to my Tower anytime soon?" She asked, her brows furrowed.


    Raph raised a brow. "Well, I will, definitely," He said when an image appeared in his head from his past life. "I heard you guys are good at creating artifacts; I might need armor on that level, so I''ll have to come".


    The light around them suddenly dimmed, and the two Jun''s were left in surprise until they heard Fiona laugh out loud. "Armour! Of course." She stretched her hand into a pocket plain beside her and brought out an onyx rock-like object in the shape of a diamond.


    She handed it over to Raph, and he stared at her with a questioning expression, but she didn''t seem to want to reply.


    "What''s this?" He asked, curiosity etched in his voice.


    "Oh, nothing, just a little gift from me." She held their shoulders again, and the light began to glow.


    "Use it when you''re in a desperate pinch, Okay?"


    Raph''s curiosity remained unresolved but before he could say something else, they disappeared.


    Morganna sighed as she walked up to her. "It''s now you''re giving it to him? I guess Thalia isn''t the only forgetful one in the family"


    "Well I gave him, didn''t I?" They held hands as the light began to glow around them.


    "...then why didn''t you just tell him it''s his armor?" The light had completely suffused around them and only a few seconds left before they would disappear.


    "Nahhhhh, it''s more fun when you figure it out yourself," She said with a beaming smile as the light disappeared, transporting the last of the two Jun''s in the King''s palace to their destination.


    And so, the trial had come to an end.


    ****


    A bright light streamed through the skies like flowing lightning, striking down on the luxurious building of a Lecture Theater.


    The light phased through the building, and a pitched sonorous sound echoed before it flickered and dimmed into nothingness.


    Within the LT, the golden class of the First years all looked up to a particular spot where a white-haired boy had appeared out of thin air, their gazes puzzled, and the room filled with silence.


    The boy shook his head and tapped his forehead, a feeling of nausea eating at him for a short moment.


    ''Oh, this is why I don''t like fast transportation. Fuck''. He thought though he wouldn''t be foolish to deny its usefulness. In fact, he would use it again if he had to.


    The boy slowly sighed, then looked up, noticing his classmates'' expressions as they stared at him.


    ''What''s with them, never seen a reappearing act before?''.


    He thought, when loud footsteps echoed in the class, breaking the silence, gaining the attention of the whole Class.


    Raph also seemed intrigued by the footsteps, only to recognize the figure that ran up to him from the door.


    His gaze flickered, and his body flinched, and for the first time in a while, his body screamed at him to find an escape route. But before he could react, two plush melons enveloped him in an unexpectedly soft cocoon. His thoughts dissolved into nothingness.


    Then a shrill voice pierced the air, snapping him back to reality.


    "Husband!!! Where''ve you been?!"

 Chapter 149- Club Recruitment Begins

    RAPH POV.


    About four hours had passed by the time I returned to class, and most of the Lectures had ended. It was around this time, where the students were conversing and chatting that I suddenly appeared out of thin air, and it seemed like my sudden appearance took them by surprise.


    Well, it''s understandable, not everyone reappears like that. Teleportation magic worked in different ways, and Fiona''s method was one of the quickest, though, it was also one of the rarest.


    Now that classes were over, it was time for the next step¨C Club Recruitment.


    Sophomores are usually in charge of this, introducing themselves in our classes, and giving us the benefits of joining their clubs.


    At the moment, five of these clubs were present on the podium in our classroom, acting as representatives.


    The five clubs that were present in the Academy are usually based on a sort of niche.


    For example, the Imperial Club was created by one of Lumbrica''s past kings and is usually hosted by royalties, nobles, and commoners interested in seeking higher positions in society. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    It''s a good club for building connections, especially in the Nobles sector. About 15% of the Students are members of the club; they have the least possible number of members since their entry requirements are usually absurd.


    Then another popular club would be the Media Club. Anyone can join in, and their requirements aren''t that difficult to meet, though they don''t accept many entries. About 5% of the students are members of this club, and they are involved with spreading information within the school.


    The president was actually Tiffany Kane, a member of the Student Council Body.


    Then next would be the Battle Combat Club. Of course, it is open to both mages and knights, and other professions, so they are the most populated, having nearly 50% of the Students as members.


    This includes both System users and Non-System users, though the numbers of the latter were quite few.


    Then there''s the Art of Craft Club. It''s for mages, alchemists, artists, and mage-related professions of all kinds. Well, mostly mages and alchemists, but you find artists there as well. For example, the vice president of the Arts of Craft Club is a popular artiste, Raymond Vinci and also the eldest son of the Vinci household.


    They have about 13% of the Students as members, and they are said to be quite eccentric.


    Lastly would be, of course, as expected, the System Club; basically, the only requirement is for you to possess a system.


    It was a club created a while back by commoners who thought the Great families were prude and arrogant.


    Though, as much as I believe it is an unnecessary club, I would have to admit that it serves its usefulness in other ways.


    For example, a lot of their members develop rare and legendary professions.


    I would say that it is necessary as it aids in our goal of fighting off the demons. The number of members would be 17% of the Students.


    ''Besides, no amount of ''hidden'' professions as they called it, can defeat me''. Raph thought, his gaze snapping from the set of individuals on the podium when someone tapped him on his side.


    Turning towards my right, I found Darell staring at me with a puzzled expression.


    Darell had been waiting for my arrival at my seating position, it seemed he had given himself to his fate of joining my club. ''Well, not that he''s the only one''.


    Turned towards him, blinking lightly.


    "Regress? What''s that?" Elsie asked, her ears perked up to our conversation.


    "Oh, Miss. Elsie, it''s nothing really. Just some jumble mumble Jane was telling me about" Darell said, laughing out loud.


    ''....Well, no shit''. I thought and looked away. ''...Anyways, now is not the time to get distracted, while these guys are still M 0here recruiting''.


    I slowly picked up Elsie in a bridal style, and she flinched in surprise but soon clung to me tighter while giggling.


    "Hey Elsie, I need to get the Club registration form, but you''re in the way"


    She looked up at me, her cheeks puffed.


    ''What''s with that reaction?'' I thought, confused for a moment, but she soon sighed and eased her grip on me.


    "You won''t be gone for long, right?" She asked as I dropped her on her seat.


    ''I don''t think I will, it shouldn''t take that long....right?''


    "I won''t". I replied as I got up. "Darell, gather the rest"


    "...We''re still missing two members though". He said while he looked up at me.


    "Don''t worry about that; I''ll get them to join," I replied as I came down the stairs. ''The members of my club right now are, Ciara Merlin, Jane Lucia, Darell Silvan, Elsie Darkpelt, and then me''


    A club is formed with at least seven members, and with Louis La Teur and Mariam Aquarius, that should solidify the numbers.


    ''Then, a newly formed club is expected to have an additional three members for the first four months to roughly make up twenty, so I''ll have to find more members eventually''.


    My mind was still lost in thoughts as I walked past the door, and for a moment, my gaze locked with Vinci''s though nothing came out of it.


    ''Probably just a recognition or something''. The Vinci household was amongst the first to leave during the Rabkings Battle, so only a few of their elites remained and defended the Colosseum during that attack. Was one of them.


    A few minutes later, I exited the LT building and headed in the opposite direction of the Visiting Lounge.


    My direction at the moment was the Year. 2 lecture theater.


    ''Mariam, at the moment, seems to be into Louis...'' Just the thought alone made me uncomfortable, but what could I do? It''s not like she was cheating on me. ''And Louis is someone that likes to kill....quite frankly, he''s someone that wouldn''t mind joining my club, especially with his quirky mindset.


    And if he joins, then it''ll be easier to convince Mariam''.


    I thought as the rays of the sun suffused me in a warm afterglow.


    "I wouldn''t even need to convince her".


    So with that in mind, I set off to the Year 2 Lecture theater.

 Chapter 150- Meeting Rhett and Brett once again

    RAFFAELO POV.


    Most classes had ended by now, and that included the second year. So it was expected I encountered some of them on my way to their LT, and on observing them, I could recognize a few.


    Most were system users, and popular ones in the far future....or past. It didn''t matter, but I seriously had to consider the system users I would convince to join my club.


    As it is, the great families have three kinds of reactions from the students, especially the system users. One would be the nonchalant reactions, students who literally didn''t care about our upbringings.


    Honestly, those were the kind of people I needed in my club.


    The second would be respectful reactions. They actually care, and they tend to show their respect, admiration, or fear when they''re dealing with us. They mostly avoid us in general.


    Third were the hateful reactions. Just the sight of us made them viciously upset, and it was obvious from their expressions or choice of words.


    They are not that difficult to deal with, but at the same time, they''re quite annoying to deal with.


    For example, if I decide to end an argument with them peacefully and apologize, these bastards may get ''entitled'' and expect an apology even if they were in the wrong.


    ''The best way to deal with them is just to knock some sense into them with overwhelming superiority....not that I have a superiority complex''.


    Because of this distinction, I have to be careful of who I select or ask to join my club, because as much as some could become a great deal of help to us, some could also become a great pain and weakness. And a sign of weakness on the battlefield will only lead to death.


    I sighed, shoving my thoughts aside, and focusing on the task at hand.


    ''Louis should still be in class if I''m correct. He''s probably waiting for Mariam so they could leave together.....what a hassle.


    There was nothing I could do about it, you can''t force love. A past life won''t always repeat itself, especially if you change events that had once occurred.


    ''If they were like this now, then they were most likely like this in my past life as well.....after all, It was not until Louis'' death before Mariam even recognized my existence as more than just friends''.


    A sigh escaped my lips as I got to my destination. I stopped, and slowly looked up, basking in the sunlight of the beaming sun while sophomores walked past me with intrigued glances.


    It''s not a crime for a junior to visit their seniors, and most would just prefer to mind their business, but most of the glances I received were from girls.


    ''What can I say, I''m beautiful''.


    I never really paid attention to it even in my past life, but I tend to attract unwanted attention with my features.


    ''well even I would be intrigued by a blind person walking about like he could see clearly....not that I''m blind or anything''


    After a brief moment, I cast away my thoughts yet again and walked into the LT. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    Firstly, I needed to find Louis in the Gold class.


    As I walked in, the coolness of the LT interior suffused me, contrasting with the warmth of the sun that I experienced a short moment ago. I could feel my system slowly get invigorated, and energy coursing through my veins.....well aura.


    It was something I observed in the North, but I tend to get stronger in colder environments, and this coolness wasn''t that far from it.


    "...why else? You''re strong. And I like fighting strong people"


    "....Huh...." I said, glancing at Brett. ''He''s the reasonable one right?''


    Brett, noticing my gaze, sighed. "Yes, my brother is quite interested in you, especially after your battle against each other.


    You defeated our primordial forefather, even if it is just a fracture of his actual abilities....but you''ve proven how strong you are from that battle"


    "I also heard how you defeated the Merlin girl and Jang Kang Lin! The way you deceived everyone was cool" Rhett said with a bright smile, showcasing his canine fangs.


    ''Oh wow...I thought they would hate me...but they''re actually impressed?''. This was surprising and contrasted a lot with their mother''s reactions.


    Their mother, the fox goddess, Aria Son Goku attempted to put me in her mind control, so I expected her kids to harbor some kind of evil intent towards me.


    It was like Brett understood my dumbfounded reaction, as he said. "Don''t get us wrong. We do not like you in any way...but strength is unparalleled in the world of the Beasts.


    Someone as strong as you should at least be respected".


    "Oh, well....thank you...but I can''t for now" I replied, scratching the back of my head at the same time. ''Well, this is new....and awkward''. I thought, but then again, time was of the essence. I needed to find my target soon.


    "...I.....I really have to go now"


    Rhett and Brett nodded simultaneously, restraining themselves from asking further questions, but as I walked past them, Rhett called my name.


    "Raffaelo Jun!"


    I stopped, turning back with a raised brow. ''Why is he shouting?'' I thought ignoring the blatant stares from my sophomores.


    "Let''s battle again. I won''t lose a second time"


    My eyes slowly bulged, and my lips curled up. "I would like nothing more".


    Battle partners. That''s what you call people whose bond is the urge to fight one another and strengthen themselves while doing so.


    It''s not friendship, as it holds more respect for one another than friendship does.


    ''It''s not bad....maybe getting close to them will help me know more about Aria Son Goku''.


    We slowly turned at the same time and walked away with a satisfied smile on my face.


    I walked into the room, and taking a look around, I spotted the figure I was searching for.


    His presence was something you could not feel unless you at least attempted to use aura or mana, but my eyes would suffice for things like that.


    It seemed like he felt my presence at the same time since he looked away from the window he had been staring at and turned towards my direction, facing downwards towards the door from the right edge of the Hall.


    A blank expression on his face, but just then from the corner of his lips, a smirk appeared.

 Chapter 151- Louis Officially Joins

    NORMAL POV.


    They stared at each other for a moment, and just like that Louis looked away with a sigh.


    ''Oh?'' Raph thought, amused by his reaction as he walked up the steps to get to him.


    Some of the 2nd years were present, but their nonchalant reactions were a testament to their disinterest in the situation occurring in their classroom.


    It wasn''t a difficult thing to imagine a 1st year going to a 2nd year class, especially if that person is a member of the Great Family.


    You might as well just give them face because of their reputation, and it''s just a year difference.


    "You want me in your club? Mariam told me how you asked her as well" Louis said when Raph got to him.


    However, Louis gazed elsewhere as if he were staring at something entirely off this world. He had an odd habit of staring into space mid-conversation, especially when he wasn''t interested.


    Despite his expression, Raph smiled, and took a seat next to him, observing Louis for a second only to conclude that he didn''t mind.


    "You guessed right. I need you to convince Mariam as well".


    Louis remained silent for a while; then he slowly glanced at Raph, a vibrant red hue igniting behind his murderous eyes.


    "Then, you must have guessed my conditions if you want me in your club".


    Raph''s smile widened. "Of course, but just to be clear, can you state those ''conditions''?". Most of what Louis wanted could be narrowed down to a few conditions, and Raph had more than just one of those conditions he had postulated in his head.


    Louis'' gaze remained unperturbed, devoid of emotions, and the warmth that he once showcased with Mariam was gone, replaced by a cold, calculative nature that exuded from his demeanor.


    "Fight me, if you win then I''ll join your club".


    ''Hah....typical'' Raph thought, but this was within expectations.


    ''Most people would just settle things with violence, but at the moment, I really don''t have that kind of time''.


    "Of course, but I won''t be able to fight you now, and can I ask, why do you want to fight with me?"


    Louis raised a brow, confusion etched on his handsome face. "Why? Because you''re strong....you defeated Jang Kang Lin. I want to know how by fighting you". He looked away. "And why can''t it be now?


    I''m free, and you seem to be free as well".


    "...Well technically, I''m not free. I still need to get the form today, fill it up, and officially create my club.


    It''s becoming a big deal with how much time I''m spending on it, but I would like to do this as fast as possible".


    Louis remained silent, his gaze staring into nothingness once again. It seemed like he was lost in thought, but one couldn''t really tell.


    It was like he was sleeping with his eyes open, or meditating, and he could do this in any sort of environment.


    "...Louis?" Raph called, and the boy flinched, turning towards Raph.


    "...Oh, well. I don''t think I would mind as long as you promise to fight me, but I don''t think I''m enough to convince Mariam".


    Louis''s eyes bulged open in shock, and his thoughts began to work in overdrive.


    ''How does he know about that? Impossible! That is a sacred ritual of the La Teur household, did he just guess it or say it with intent?''


    He could contemplate as long as he wanted to, but nothing would give him the conclusion he sought, so why bother to continue?


    "Fine...." Louis''s lips curled upwards, and a murderous intensity began to exude from his body unconsciously, causing most of the 2nd years present to shiver and move away from the area of effect.


    "...Raffaelo Jun, you''ve gone and done it. Yes, I shall join your club".


    A small chuckle exuded from his lips as he stood up, the murderous intensity absorbed as quickly as it appeared.


    "Do what you must to make this club possible. I will convince Mariam, and help Jane in gathering the rest....I wish you success." He walked down the steps, leaving Raph to his line of thought.


    Raph watched him walk away, and a smirk grew on his lips. ''It''s becoming a little bit more possible now, overthrowing the Kingdom...sounds like a fun idea indeed''.


    ****


    A few minutes later, Raph arrived at the Staff Quarters.


    A large building found between the Visiting Lounge and the 1st year L.T.


    It was just as magnificently built as the rest, and you could hardly notice any sign of human presence.


    Well, that was because it was a well-kept building, and the interior made it difficult for Lecturers to step outdoors.


    Looking up at the building, and strengthening his resolve, he walked up the series of stairs and opened the door that led in.


    On entering, he was immediately suffused in a temperature that nearly felt ethereal. And he began to unconsciously fade into a deep comfort.


    This was a result of the magical artifacts used here, and they were state-of-the-art magical tools that not only regulated the temperature but ensured the comfort of the people in the building.


    They were hard to come by and were directly manufactured by the Green Tower, the tower in charge of magical artifacts and engineering. Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    The interior of the room was basked in white light from magical ceiling lamps, rectangular in shape, similar to our Rectangular LED lamps, but these run on mana.


    The open-plan office was segmented by glass dividers, creating cozy nooks for focused work. The building walls were made of see-through glass that added light and depth to the buzz and bliss of the working environment provided for the Lecturers.


    They weren''t provided with individual offices, but these cubicles served that purpose perfectly well, and each provided the basic and required needs of their staff.


    With well-constructed tables, chairs, and other personal additions to their cubicles, it was made into a haven of productivity.


    Some of the cubicles were empty, but a lot more were occupied, while a few were locked.


    The Academy was well known for the best treatment of their staff after all, and this was a testament to the facilities of the Staff Quarters.


    Raph took a breath, basking in the comfort that suffused him like a haven. ''It''s nearly comparable to that....NEARLY....'' He thought as an image of Elsie''s chest appeared in his head, causing him to cough back to reality.


    ''Okay, Okay, enough distractions.


    Let''s get that club''.

 Chapter 152- Approved Or Not?

    Let''s begin with the process of actually creating a club. Firstly, not just anyone can create a club, if not, there would be over a hundred of them in the Academy.


    Secondly, the process is not time-consuming, and depending on whether or not it is approved, it usually doesn''t take that much time for the student to find out.


    To create a club, a student has to have achieved a certain level of merits, and this is why First years are ineligible to run one. The plus side, though, would be this merit doesn''t necessarily have to be from the Academy.No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Contributing to society in general, such as demon subjugations, community activists, environment members, and so on. It doesn''t matter as long as you contribute to society and Humanity in general.


    The process by which the academy confirms your merit outside the academy is through Word of mouth. This is simply because the Academy believes your achievements were worthy enough for people to talk about for a long or short time, and such information will get to them through their informants, including the staff members.


    You need at least this much standing for you to create a club that could serve the Academy in a positive light.


    What comes next after the Merit system would be the Club Proposal. After all, a club should have a goal and a purpose that sounds humanly possible.


    Each club had its purpose, whether it be for forming connections, training, or crafting artifacts and potions; every one of them had a goal.


    This was the second consideration, and depending on the goal, it could be refuted right there by the Lecturers before it reaches the principal for a final verdict.


    The last would be the members; every starting group required at least five more members other than the leader and an addition of three for the first four months to complete a set of twenty.


    This means the minimum number of members of a mature club would be twenty. However, it can be affected by the kind of club you intend to create.


    For example, the Media club''s purpose of distributing information did not require that many students so the conditions would differ a little bit.


    Lastly would be a Supervisor, a member of the Staff, a lecturer, a combat instructor, or an alchemist. It didn''t matter as long as they worked for the Academy and had the credentials for the Club''s goals in particular.


    With that in mind, Raph walked past the cubicles, greeting the Lecturers who turned his way with either amused or intrigued expressions written on their faces.


    He already fulfilled the merit part. His deeds in locating the Slave traders were one of the few, though it was a matter that only reached the ears of the nobles.


    There was also the subjugation of the 7th-tier demon, Great Jackal.


    So he had one of these conditions down; the second, though, depended on how well he could persuade them of its importance, though he was sure he would get it approved.


    After all, it was a club that could affect future Knights and Mages of the Academy.


    After a few minutes, he stopped at a particular cubicle, with a name tag on the glass window that read. ''Dean of Junior Students'' and below that was his name.


    ''Professor Cadwin Junior''.


    The black and velvet-haired man looked up from the files he had been scanning through to meet the white eyes of Raph, and his right brow raised, curiosity etched in his expression.


    "Raffaelo Jun? You are a far place from Class, is it over already?" The man asked, turning towards a clock of oakwood and silver hung by the side of the glass wall.


    "Hm...I see. Classes are over already..." He turned towards Raph while the boy slowly walked in.


    "....Professor, I''m sure you''re aware of this, but demon gates have been appearing more frequently than before, and with time, they will increase in not just numbers, but in power as well"


    "...True" Professor Cadwin nodded.


    "Yes, but what exactly is the Academy doing about it? Combat training? Magic training? I mean, they''re all necessary, but a lot of information on how to specifically kill demons and devils has been neglected by students for too long.


    When the time comes for us to fight against demons or devils that could be stronger than us, then their weaknesses would come into play".


    "...And that is why I teach Demonology" " the Professor said, with a matter-of-fact tone in his voice.


    "Yes, but wouldn''t Students participate more in clubs? We usually have Demonology practical in the 3rd semester, but a club to gather aspiring students that wish to kill demons and devils will bolster future morale on the battlefield against them".


    Professor Cadwin remained silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts. ''He''s right. Students these days think Demons and devils are weak beings that can be killed with ease.


    ...but that''s because the Academy only lets them face off against the lesser ones, and never the stronger demons''.


    He had been looking at the ceiling, but at that moment, he turned to meet Raph''s gaze.


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    ''...this boy has actually managed to kill a Great Jackal.


    It could seem a simple matter on paper, but level 70 and above are the only beings capable of facing off against that demon......and it only gets worse with the higher tier demons''.


    His eyes narrowed when an image played in his head. ''....let''s not even begin with Devils''.


    He sighed deeply. "I won''t deny that you don''t have a point.


    This Academy would need something like that to bolster their interest in knowing more about demons, and how to kill them.


    At the moment, I don''t think they could even face devils no matter how low they were".


    Raph nodded in agreement. "Devils are cunning, and they can easily manipulate the ignorant. A club that doesn''t just teach but goes on expeditions to real Dungeons to conquer devils would be helpful in this regard".


    Professor Cadwin sighed again. It didn''t even take that long for Raph to fully convince him of the importance of his club, and what''s worse, he was a demonologist, so if there was anyone who understood the threat and consequences of ignorance in the battle against those creatures, He was the one.


    "This is annoying. You make a valid point, Raffaelo Jun".


    He slowly pulled out a drawer from his desk, searching through the files until he located one in particular.


    "Fill it, and I''ll ensure the Principal signs it".


    Raph picked up the file from him with a beaming smile, and a magic pen next to him and began to fill it in, leaving Professor Cadwin to his thoughts, causing a chuckle to escape from his lips


    ''Did he call it Demon Extermination? What an arrogant name''.

 Chapter 153- Crown and Cadwin

    A moment of silence descended the cubicle until Raph lifted his head from the file he had been writing on to meet the prying eyes of Professor Cadwin.


    A tension ensued between them, and an unsettling feeling began to brew within Raph.


    "....is there something else you may want to say, Professor?"


    The Professor flinched as if he had been lost in thoughts and adjusted his seating position.


    "....It''s nothing''. The man coughed out, collecting the file from Raph with his cheeks flushed.


    ''Oi Oi...why is he blushing?'' Raph thought, a pang of worry brewing within him, and the discomfort only began to escalate.


    "So¨CSo, you will be submitting this to the Principal?" He asked, trying to clear the weird atmosphere.


    "Hah yes...." Professor Cadwin said but just then, he paused in his action, a thought popping in his head. "Who are the members? If you had come this far, then I suppose you should have gathered members by now".


    "Hah...yes. For now, Darell Silvan, Jane Lucia, Ciara Merlin, Mariam Aquarius, Elsis Darkpelt, and Louis La Teur".


    A dark cascade had begun to form over the Professor''s expression, and it only deepened each time Raph called out a name.


    Something was unsettling about this particular lineup.


    "Members of the Great Families and the only beastkin in the Academy? Do you realize that a club like that would be difficult to approve? How did you even gather people like that into a club?".


    Raph raised a brow. "There shouldn''t be a problem. There are clubs with more than five members of the Great Families as well".


    "Your club is new, and your first five members will be the foundation. A club with great family memebers as founders will make it seem like an alliance.


    And an alliance like that would be a threat to the Academy".


    "....The Academy seems to be more System-oriented than I thought," Raph said after a moment of silence, his fingers on his chin. "There''s no need to worry. I do not wish to cause trouble for the Academy. In fact, I simply want to help the Academy bolster its prestigious name by killing demons and devils. What is so difficult to approve?"


    The Professor sighed, and slowly stood up, the sound of his chair being pushed back echoing in the room. "I see the importance of this club, Raffaelo Jun, and because of that, you have my support."


    He walked towards the door and turned towards Raph.


    "However, the moment the Great families, any of them at all, cause a deter of trouble within the Academy, then all rights of the club will be transferred to a well-suited student".


    ".....You mean a system user?" Raph said, an amused smirk on his face as he stared at Professor Cadwin. "...you don''t have to worry. There are some system users I have my eyes set on.


    The next few additions will all be system users".


    Professor Cadwin remained still for a moment, his thoughts moving in overdrive while his gaze lingered with Raph''s.


    A mix of emotions was fighting within him, trying to make a decision that could be beneficial to the Academy or himself, but he couldn''t deny it: this Club could change future battles against the demons.


    A club that supports the idea of Demon subjugation, and carries out activities to fulfill that purpose.


    ''This may put the HeadMaster in a bind...'' He thought when a particular Lecturer walked up to him.


    "Hey, Cadwin"


    The familiar enthusiastic tone caused a shiver down his spine as he furrowed his brow, and quickened his steps.


    The last thing he needed was to get caught up with that guy at the moment.


    "Ca¨CCadwin?" The voice echoed, seemingly hastening his steps as well since another pair of footsteps echoed as loudly as his.


    ''...This will get annoying'' Professor Cadwin thought, sighing inwardly as he turned towards the familiar figure. "What do you want, Crown?"


    "Hah!" Crown Bishop was forced to stop abruptly and nearly bumped into Cadwin, but he was more than capable of avoiding that.


    "It''s nothing; I heard that boy....Raffaelo Jun, was it? He came over to your office, though we couldn''t hear what the conversation was about". He said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.


    "....Are you worried? You don''t need to. I''m not taking sides". Cadwin said, and his response caused tension in the air.


    "..Hmm.." Crown Bishop muttered, then laughed out loud right after. "...Hah, you really can''t tell the mood, can you?".


    Cadwin remained silent, unresolved to reply to his old friend. With a sigh, he turned around to walk away, when Crown Bishop spoke out.


    "I don''t need to tell you, but all non-system users are our enemies....regardless".


    ''....this is getting out of hand...'' Cadwin thought, as a wave of fatigue struck him. When did he start his plans? And when did Crown Bishop take over those plans that he had shoved aside?


    ''If these people were to cause trouble within the Kingdom.....'' He slowly turned back, facing Crown Bishop as he said.


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    "You don''t need to worry, don''t you know by now? It takes something really interesting to get my emotions to sway".


    "...That''s what I''m afraid of. Raffaelo Jun is prone to uncertainties, even the Trail''s result was an uncertainty".


    Cadwin stared at him for a moment, then turned around to walk away. "I''m not taking sides until the very end. My cause is different from yours, Crown. Stay on your end, and I will stay on mine".


    Without turning back, he walked away, leaving a condescending silence that suffused around him.


    ''Great, now I have more things to think about''.


    A few seconds later, he arrived in front of an open-spaced room twice the size of the cubicles for staff.


    Its interior was left blank, and only the sunlight through the glass walls provided a solace of light for the room.


    In the middle of it was a large magical circle, golden in color and endowed with mana crystals.


    He walked over the circle and stood on it, and in about five seconds it began to glow, shimmering a brilliance within the room until his figure warped from space and disappeared.

 Chapter 154- The System Uprisers

    Somewhere within or far away from the Academy, his figure appeared again on a copied magical circle as the former.


    Professor Cadwin slowly opened his eyes, shifting his gaze away from the bright light that nearly blinded him as he did so.


    After a moment, he opened them again, adjusting to the brightness from the Magical lamps that were hung high on the ceiling.


    He looked around, taking in the view of piles of books and ancient scrolls littered around the whole diameter of the circular-dome shaped room.


    They were lines of shelves, tall and sturdy, stacked onto each other, with books neatly kept in them. Looking upwards, you would immediately notice the domed ceiling adorned with vibrant ceramic tiles, which created a stunning visual centerpiece.


    Some wooden bridges were constructed above the room, towards the ceiling, and a large podium was located in the middle of it.


    On that podium was the principal, leisurely enjoying a cup of tea while he read through a newspaper.


    "Why are you, Professor Cadwin?" The Principal asked, dropping his cup of tea and looking downwards at the man directly below him when he noticed the file in his hand through his monocle.


    He zoomed in, and on seeing the name and purpose, his brows raised in surprise. "Oh?"


    Professor Cadwin''s gaze flickered in realization, and he hid the file behind his back in protest. "That''s cheating, Principal. You know how much I like to surprise you".


    Headmaster Dreau chuckled in response. "You''re interfering with my tea time; I just wanted to get that over with".


    He took a sip from his cup, relinquishing the taste that flowed through him as he swallowed it. "....A club huh? By a member of the Great families, no less. Has any other Lecturer seen this?" He asked. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Professor Cadwin sighed, scratching the back of his head, as he looked away. "Um, Headmaster, if it''s okay with you, then can you come down?.... it''s getting tiring having to look up at you from here."


    His tone was low, exuding respect in the best possible way it could.


    Headmaster Dreau laughed out loud in response, as the podium began to descend. "Well, I can''t say no if you ask nicely"


    "Then, I asked a question?"


    "Well, I don''t think I can. It''s a promising club, but some lecturers may fail to push their prejudice aside, and refute the club"


    "Indeed. The borderline that System users are creating for themselves because of their inferiority is only escalating.@@@@


    I simply hope they wouldn''t do anything rash in my Academy".


    Professor Cadwin sighed, his thoughts reeling in as an image of Crown appeared in his head.


    "I doubt that, and I will surely stop it if it were to get to that point.


    "So, what will it be, Professor Cadwin? Make your choice. Do you want the club or not, I am more than enough to prevent any backlash".


    A tense silence hung in the air, and Professor Cadwin was forced to take a step back, his head pulsating from his thoughts. ''The System Uprisers''.


    He had failed to bring up their names all this time, but these people were his friends, they were his staff members, and some were even his family.


    He had joined them in the beginning, to fight off the unjust actions of the non-system users, but gradually, it began to transform into something else, something sinister, something unnecessary¨CA cult.


    He froze in place, arranging his thoughts. It seemed Raph''s proposal for a club had set a lot of things in motion that he wasn''t even aware of, and Professor Cadwin was one of such.


    He made up his mind that a club of the Great Families may just be a good enough bait to bring an end to what he started.


    "Yes, Headmaster. Let''s give them the club".


    Headmaster Dreau smirked, a satisfied grin on his face as Professor Cadwin handed the file over to him.


    In a few motions of his arms, he stamped it and handed it over to him.


    "Now then, leave. I want to rest.


    Work begins soon you know".


    His podium began to float in the air, while Professor Cadwin returned to the magic circle. "Alright, HeadMaster Dreau".


    His body glowed brightly and flashed out of sight, leaving the HeadMaster to his thoughts.


    "Raffaelo Jun huh..." He said as memories of the trails flashed through his mind.


    Then the fight scene. Images of how Dugu Jafar was left dead in the middle of the Sparring ring and turned into ice dust were etched in his mind.


    ''.....I see why the King wants him, but he is not someone meant to be controlled''.


    He sipped his tea, and abruptly spat it out. ''...it''s cold,'' He thought, flickering his fingers, causing the teacup to burn into dust.


    He flicked his finger again, and the dust rebuilt into a new empty tea cup. He stretched his hands out and grabbed the tea kettle.


    He caused a flare to sip into it, causing the tea to boil, and then poured himself another round.


    Taking a sip, he sighed. "I will watch over your son, Michaelo Jun.


    Let''s see how well he does, shall we".


    Holding his cup of tea into the air, a black mast of energy formed above him on the ceiling, twisting and curling into a black pod, and within it was a masculine figure wrapped in white sheeting.

 Chapter 155- Katherin Starblaze

    Professor Cadwin reappeared in the Staff quarters, his gaze flickering from the intensity of the sun that struck him.


    He looked away, sighing before turning around and walking towards the door.


    In the next few seconds, he had walked through the passage, and gotten to his cubicle, his thoughts reeling in from the events that had played out so far when he felt a presence next to his.


    He looked up from his door, and his frown deepened.


    "What is it now, Katherin?"


    "Hey Dear, My lovely Caddy," a woman with fiery red hair and onyx black eyes squealed in excitement, stretching her arms open for a hug.


    Cadwin blinked, noticing the stares from his colleagues. He clicked his tongue and opened the door to his office.


    "Don''t call me that".


    Walking in, Raph jolted, his eyes snapping back to reality as two figures walked into the Cubicle.


    He turned around to find Professor Cadwin rushing over to his seat, and next to him was...


    "Go¨CGood day, Professor Katherin".


    He said awkwardly, trying his best to keep a smile on his face.


    "Oh?" Professor Katherin''s gaze narrowed as she glanced at the white-haired boy, and then at Cadwin. "you''re having an affair behind my back"


    ''The fuck?''


    Cadwin''s face palmed himself.


    "...Why would you even suspect that?" He said begrudgingly, clenching his teeth. "You should leave if you came here just to annoy me"


    "Ha ! Ha !" Professor Katherin laughed out in excitement, closing the door behind her and walking towards the table, her melons bouncing alluringly as she did so. "Oh come on, humor me, and no offense, Raffaelo Jun, you kinda look like a sissy"


    ''The fuck is a sissy?'' Raph felt a bulge of vein on his forehead. He stared at the woman for a moment, clicked his tongue, and turned towards Cadwin.


    "So, was it approved?"


    Professor Cadwin sighed as he gave him the file. "It was. You know the rules, follow it to a tee".


    Raph stood up from his chair, the sound of his chair dragging its feet on the ground echoing as he did so. "Not a problem then," Raph said with a bright smile on his face.


    "I''m your Club Advisor, so make sure you get in touch with me at least once a week"


    "Not a problem at all". Raph nodded, walking hurriedly to the door.


    "Oh? Leaving, Sissy?"


    ''Oh!! I don''t even know why I bother!'' She screamed out in her head, exasperated by his reaction. Though she was used to it.


    But just as she thought that Professor Cadwin looked up, startling her and causing her cheeks to flush even more.


    ''Yeah...that''s why...he''s so good looking''.


    "If you have nothing to say, then leave".


    She flinched, trying to arrange her thoughts in order until she finally remembered the purpose of her visit.


    "Hah, that''s right. What did you ask from the principal? You gave that boy a file just now, what was it?" She asked, her demeanor reverting to how it once was, and so did her voice.


    "Hm? How is that any of your business, Katherin?" Cadwin asked with a raised brow.


    "You should know by now that Crown and the others are simply worried. They think you''ve been ripped into their side".


    "I already told him I won''t be taking sides" He replied sharply. "Now, if you will, please excuse me". He pointed at his door.


    "Hmm..." Katherin pouted her lips and turned around to walk away. "You''ll continue to remain single if you continue being mean like this!".


    She swung the door open on her way out and smashed it closed before stomping her feet away from his cubicle.


    Professor Cadwin sighed, staring at his reflection on the wall. "You''re not my type".


    ****


    Raph soon walked out of the Staff Building, a file in his hand, and a frown on his face.


    Images of what had just occurred played out in his head, and the frown deepened.


    ''What the fuck? Was she always like that?'' He thought, walking down the stairs and to the walkway.


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    ''....though''. He took a glance at the file with his hand, and the frown slowly faded. ''I''ve gotten what I needed''.


    Now that he had gotten the Club approved, he could take the next step. Well, there were numerous steps ahead of him, but he was going to take them one at a time.


    Now that one thing had been accomplished, the next would be his breakthrough.


    The 9th star would be one of the most difficult to attain, but once he attains it, he would be vastly stronger than he is now.


    His goal, or rather his goals, remained the same, but only time would tell how well he accomplished it.


    Now, he needed to gather the others and find a club room.


    ''That would be the easiest part honestly''. He thought, but there were other things he may have forgotten at the moment, but soon enough it would become clear to him.


    With a sigh, he headed towards his destination, the First year Lecture Theater.

 Chapter 156- The future Golden Generation

    In the First Year Lecture Theatre, six figures were gathered, seated at different positions in the hall.


    The hall had just six students, two pairs and two lone figures, seated at certain positions.


    They were lost in thoughts, and their patience was growing thinner with time.


    One of them in particular, Mariam Aquaria, turned towards the glass window and observed the sun, her lips curled into a frown.


    She sighed, turning towards Louis who sat next to her, his right hand around her waist. A low mumble escaped her lips as she puffed out her cheeks, while Louis slowly turned towards her. They sat in the back row towards the glass window that showed the outdoor landscape.


    "What?" He asked with a raised brow.


    Mariam grumbled. "What do you mean "what?". Why are we waiting for him?! I don''t want to join! And there''s no way they''ll even let him form one!" She cried out, but Louis remained silent, his gaze flickering with intensity as it shifted towards her lips.


    She flinched, feeling a foreboding that nearly made her jump to her feet. "No! No! We''re in public! So you better don''t!" She pushed his face away, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.


    "Tsk! Fucking lover birds". Darell cursed under his breath, rolling his eyes at the same time when Jane, sitting next to him, landed a horrid blow on the back of his head.


    He was seated next to Jane in the front rows of the Class.


    "Don''t curse next to me" He said, while Darell cursed further, holding the back of his head with a teary look.


    "My head isn''t a ball, you idiot!" He exclaimed in protest, but Jane couldn''t pay attention to that.


    He slowly looked up behind them, his gaze shifting from the pair, then Elsie, and finally Ciara.


    An intensity brewed deep within, but then she suddenly flinched, and turned towards his direction, causing him to turn away in surprise.


    Darell watched all this occur, and a smirk formed on his lips. "Loverboy".


    Jane felt a bulge on his forehead, he turned towards Darell and landed a knock on the back of his head again, clicking his tongue and folding his hands in exasperation.


    Darell laughed out loud in protest, his hands gripping the back of his head.


    The mood in the Hall was somewhat comfortable, with some of them having their thoughts while the two pairs conversed with themselves.


    Ciara for example, had been counting the time since Louis asked them to gather up.


    She had decided to since Raph seemed to have been able to get Louis into the team, but now that nearly an hour had passed, she began to greatly regret her choice.


    Not to mention the ugly stares she had been getting from one of them.


    She turned to her left, and at the other end of the hall was Elsie, staring daggers at her, and revealing her fangs.


    ''....What a terrible lineup''.


    She thought, when Mariam suddenly spoke out, getting their attention.


    "Hey guys! Are we really just going to listen to him?!" She asked, her tone laced with impatience and annoyance.


    A tense silence descended upon them, as their thoughts were forced into overdrive. They had to admit, he was spot on.


    They may have their self-interest, but in the end, collectively, what made them stay was their curiosity.


    Darell sat back down, a heavy sigh exuding his lips. "Hah...but where is he?"


    Just then, they heard a loud clap and turning towards the direction, they found a familiar figure sitting on the table, his legs crossed and his hands jamming together with a smile on his face.


    Confusion and surprise are etched on their expressions upon recognizing the figure, and a diverse wave of emotions is showcased by them as a result.


    Elsie looked particularly happy to finally see him, as she immediately bolted towards him, but the others had more demanding....pestering questions.


    ''When did he get there?'' ''How long as he''s been there''.


    Their questions couldn''t be answered at the moment, but at least the person they had been waiting for had finally arrived.


    With a sigh, Jane stood up and said.


    "What took you so long, Raffaleo?"


    Raph looked up at them, while he tried to fight off Elsie''s embrace to no avail. His smile never left his face.


    "Well, getting a permit isn''t as easy as you would think," He replied.


    "Wait?! You got it?" Mariam asked, her tone laced with hesitation and surprise.


    "Of course I did; I believe I told you guys I had a plan; well, negotiations do not necessarily count as one, but it is still a plan."


    "...negotiating with a lecturer in your first year is already unheard of, you should be satisfied with this result". Ciara said with a sigh.


    "I am though," Raph retorted, turning downwards at Elsie clinging to his body. "I guess I should get somethings straight before we go find a club room"


    A brief silence followed after, their anticipation escalating at the same time.


    "Firstly. This club is only a guise. What matters is us, the six of us"


    They all glanced at each other, confusion laced in their expressions.


    "There is a far bigger goal that I have in mind, but for now, I want us to form a bond. I don''t know how well it could be in the future or how far all six of us will go in the long run, but I want to hope that at least three of us have formed a bond".


    His cold gaze was filled with warmth as he looked up at them.


    "We will not just be any group, but one filled with trust, and the strength to leave our backs for one another.


    Times are changing, and we must change with it. For us to survive in this wicked world, we will need trusting partners.


    No longer can we walk our paths alone, and our paths are connected.


    We will help each other when the time comes, and hold one another if we fall".


    Raph sighed, his past life memories playing in his head. ''....because the path ahead each of you is riddled with danger''.

 Chapter 157- Welcome to the D.E.C.

    A tense silence descended upon them as each retreated to their thoughts, and a warmth that could not be explained began to spread through their bodies.


    What were these words that sounded so deceivingly heartwarming?


    That silence persisted until a cackle broke it down.


    "Ha! Ha! Ha!" Jane laughed out loud, the intensity escalating with each breath, and his hands holding his chest as he nearly choked on his humor.


    Their attentions were snapped back to reality as they turned towards Jane, their thoughts reeling out and that warmth turning cold.


    This persisted for a good amount of time, and no one thought it necessary to stop him they found meaning to his gesture.


    ''That is a ridiculous plan,'' Darell thought, staring at Raph, whose expression remained the same. ''Help each other? Trust each other? Why the fuck would I trust them?'' He thought, confused by Raph''s words, but then he couldn''t shun down the glimmer of hope that began to flicker with intensity.


    He sighed, holding his chest still, as Jane''s laughter pierced through his ears, a subtle reminder of reality.


    Raph sighed, his smile staying in place as he waited for Jane to calm himself.


    The laughter persisted though, until someone finally intervened, slamming the desk with their fist.


    Jane calmed himself as he looked up to find Ciara glaring at him, but for some reason, he couldn''t deny what he felt at that moment.


    He looked away from her gaze and turned towards Raph.


    "Please, be realistic Raph. We are members of the Great families, and we have been at odds with each other for centuries.


    Do you possibly think a bunch of fifteen and sixteen-year-olds is going to fix that?" He asked, panting softly at the same time.


    Raph chuckled. "I''m sure you must be aware, after all, you said so yourself. But I chose you guys, didn''t I?"


    Jane raised a brow, confusion etched on his face, but at least, he didn''t seem to be the only one confused.


    "What do you mean?" Darell asked.


    "What? Have you forgotten that Jang Kang Lin comes to this Academy? Or the Son Goku twins? Or wait....the Vinci household...Hah, shit! Maybe the Teras household!" Raph said, his voice dripped with irony, while he made elaborate gestures with his arms. "Oh please, I chose you guys because we''re different."


    They stared at him, startled by his words but it seemed like he wasn''t even done.


    "We are the future Golden Generation. If we decide to put the odds we have against each other aside, there would be so much more we could accomplish".


    He stared straight at Jane, his smile turning into a smirk. "Don''t you see the potential we hold if we work together? And why do you have to mention our families? Does your family decide how you act? Are you not going to be the future head of your household? Can you not even decide your fate?!"


    Jane bit his lips, startled by his words, but Darell spoke up next.


    "Trust isn''t something that comes easily. You can''t just say it, and expect it to happen". He said, his tone laced with confusion.


    "I don''t expect us to trust each other from the get-go," Raph pointed at Louis and Mariam, startling them. "Look at those two! They''re dating, and their from insanely different backgrounds!"


    "Curious, I see?"


    "....well, we just passed by four, why did you decide to pick the last one?" Jane spoke up first, his voice laced with curiosity.


    Raph shrugged, stretching his hand forward towards the doorknob, and annoying the sensation of the smoothness of its texture.


    "This is one of the best, and does it matter?".


    He asked, slowly unfolding the file he had been holding. He held the doorknob with his right hand, and his left thumb on the stamp of the permit, and imbued aura into both.


    The sound of something clicking, spinning and rotating like a mechanical mechanism echoed, and in the next five seconds, the door clicked open.


    Raph smirked, pushing the door and revealing the interior for all to see, as a humid sensation assaulted their nasal senses.


    He stepped in first, followed by Elsie and then the others followed one after the other, their gazes slowly shifting from curiosity to surprise.


    Darell whistled, his gaze scanning the room until it landed on Raph.


    "...This is amazing! Is this like our base of operation or something?" He asked.


    "Its just a club, don''t start saying weird things like that, Darell" Jane replied his expression nonchalant, and his excitement well hidden.


    Raph chucked as they walked further inside, their gazes still scanning the room.


    It was a large room, with a neat red carpet, and four black cushions in the middle of it, arranged in a square with an empty space in the middle. Its walls were majestic, made from glass like the rest of the building, which enabled light from outdoors to permeate life into the room.


    By the left in the room was a raised area, where seven majestically crafted small round white tables and three chairs were placed. It was kept close to the glass walls, and it gave an allure to the room that made it seem calming.


    At the right were stairs that led to the mezzanine floor, where empty brown mahogany shelves were kept next to each other, by the end of the walls and six long dark brown tables and benches of the same material were kept in front of them.


    Silver railings were placed in front to prevent accidents from occuring, and finally opposite to the door, and the sofas was an office table and chair, brown in material with intricate designs and craftsmanship.


    The interior of the room was blessed with magic lamps that were currently turned off, and a majestic view of the outdoors.


    The sight alone caused the group to stare in awe, until Ciara spoke up first.


    "You decided to get a club to get one of this room didnt you?" She asked, curioisty etched in her voice.


    Raph smirked, as they walked to the middle of the room, taking a seat on the sofas. The room had not been used for a while, but magic was casted to make it self-preserved until an owner arrives, so everything at the moment was spotless and new, and the sensation of having something so comfortable was blinding.


    Raph walked past the sofas and got to the office table and chair. He placed his fingers on it as he walked behind to get to the chair, enjoying the sensation of its smooth texture to his skin.


    Taking a seat, he sighed as he turned towards his group, whose gazes were currently on him.


    "Well, yes the Clubroom is a bonus". He said with a smile on his face.


    "No kidding, it''s impressive. Even better than the dorms" Darell said, feeling the texture of the sofa.


    "Well, enough of that!" Raph rested his back on the chair, folding his hands at the same time as a smirk played on his face. "Welcome to the Demon Extermination Club"

 Chapter 158- One week later

    RAFFAELO POV


    *DONG! *DONG!! *DONG!!!


    My body shook as I jumped out of my bed, my sword summoned in my hand, and my body slammed to the ground with a light thud. I gripped the hilt of my sword, my eyes quaking with vitality, until reality struck me like the bell that woke me up.


    ''Hah, shit....still in the hostel''. I thought, a chuckle escaping my lips as I released the sword and stood up straight.@@@@


    About a week has passed since the creation of the Demon Extermination Club, and quite frankly, students and staff alike were not pleased.


    I can still remember the number of sophomores who attempted to bully us out of our Clubrooms.


    ''Idiots, did they think the school would take their side just because we''re members of the Great families.'' I thought, stretching my body from the fatigue of the night.


    By the time I was done, the bell had finally come to a stop. ''Honestly, that shit is unnecessary''.


    I walked up to my wardrobe, picked up my towel, and headed for the bathroom.


    It was time for another day, and another day called for a new set of activities.


    I already learned of the periods we had each day.


    Mondays like this were the most hectic, and Fridays were the most vacant.


    We had seven periods, including Phys Ed., Magic Theory, Introduction to Alchemy, Combat Theory, Combat Practical, Introduction to Demonology, and History of the Kingdom.


    I already missed most of the classes last week, so it would be best for a new student not to attend their first classes.


    So, I already had a vivid plan on how to spend the day.


    Ten minutes later, I was done with bathing, and an extra twenty minutes, I was done with dressing up. I looked at myself in the mirror as I always do every morning, and headed towards my door.


    ''Yeah, this is how life should be''.


    On opening my door, my gazes locked with Darell''s and Jane''s, and a small smile formed on my lips.


    "Ready for today I see".


    I said as I walked out, locking the door behind me. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "You spend a lot of hours getting ready for a guy," Darell said with a yawn while they followed behind me.


    "Huh? My beauty doesn''t just stay like that you know, it has to be maintained".


    Jane chuckled and Darell face-palmed himself.


    "You''re confident in your looks"


    "Of course I am, I''m beautiful. Anyone can tell that". I replied sternly, turning towards Jane. "So, how''s that coming along?"


    Jane sighed, turning away. "Asking me to contact the Club Presidents, what were you doing?"


    Elsie glanced at them again, then turned away instantly. "Don''t see it".


    Darell and Jane choked on their words in reaction, a tingling pain burning in their chest.


    I laughed out loud, unable to withhold it any longer, while Elsie wrapped her arms around mine, a big smile on her face as she leaned in. "My husband''s the strongest."


    "...Hah...I told you to call me Raph" I muttered, when I felt the familiar thrill from my hand she leaned on. ''No bad thoughts, no bad thoughts, no bad thoughts''.


    She''s been making this a habit, and I can''t deny that it isn''t doing things to me.


    I even recently began to question the age gap. I may seem 15, but I have the mind of an adult so does having a thing with girls my age make me...a menace to society?


    ''I mean...I don''t think so, I''m 15 now, and there''s no need to overthink it''.


    I took a glance at Elsie, noticing the brilliant smile and gaze that looked up at me. ''....She''s rubbing off on me....I don''t think I like that''.


    With a sigh, I looked away, and we continued our way to the Cafeteria, lost in thought.


    ****


    A few moments later, we arrived at the Cafeteria, took our meals, and sat together in our usual spot.


    It had become a habit since the day the club was created to sit together on occasions such as this. It may not mean much to them, but to me, it proved they were at least open to the idea of interacting with one another.


    Our reputation as members of the GREAT families also served as a backbone because a lot of students avoided our particular spot, which was the farthest from the entrance to the far left.


    It wasn''t every day you see this many of us and a beastkin sitting together while having a conversation that didn''t lead to a fight.


    It was ironic really.


    At the moment, we were busy eating our meals, or at least I was until Darell spoke out.


    "So, we''re gonna add more members, right?" He asked, turning towards Jane, who sat next to him.


    "Huh? Why''re you asking me?" He raised a brow, taking a bite of his cake.


    I learned a lot about my members by their choice of food. It seemed Jane liked sweet things, and he hardly ever ate meat, despite not being a vegetarian.


    "You''re the Vice President around you" Darell replied with a chuckle.


    "Huh, yes, Raph decided to make me a Vice president behind my back without my consent, and now you''re trying to force me into it?"


    I nearly choked on my tea, coughing out lightly while Elsie stroked my back.


    "What do you mean, "behind my back," you said you didn''t mind". I retorted, snapping towards the golden-haired boy.


    He shrugged his shoulders in response.


    "You shouldn''t be upset about it. He trusted you enough to give you that position, didn''t he?"


    Jane flinched on hearing her voice, slowly turning towards his right and looking at Ciara, who was sitting at the opposite side of the table. "Shit..." He muttered, and his cheeks flared up red.


    ''How cute''.

 Chapter 159- Sophia seems Sus.

    "Yeah, it''s not a bad position, really," Mariam giggled at his reaction.


    Darell suddenly turned towards her, a smirk on his face. "And who exactly brought you into the conversation, huh, Fish legs?"


    Mariam glared at him in response, but a loud thud echoed catching both of their attentions. They turned towards Louis, who sat next to Mariam, and the dagger that stabbed into the table had been vividly etched on Darell''s mind.


    He gulped, turning away, while Mariam giggled, kissing the boy on his cheeks.


    ''Why the fuck did I just narrate that?!''


    "You have a point, Miss Ciara," Jane replied, the tone in his voice calm and humble, unlike his usual haughty tone.


    ''Wow, the power of women''.


    "Why are you asking about that, Darell?" I asked with an intrigued tone in my voice.


    "Oh, you know, I just wanted to invite some people that would be interested".


    "Then do as you wish. The more members, the better, and I want to invite some others, though it''ll be their choice whether to join or not".


    Just then, goosebumps spread throughout my body, causing my hair to stand on end, and a vivid pang of danger coursed through my body.


    I didn''t know the cause, nor did I know what was going on in my head, but my senses screamed at me. I summoned my sword, instantaneously spinning around and swinging it through the air until it stopped next to the neck of a velvet-haired girl.


    My heart thumped increasingly as our gazes met, and for a moment, a smile formed from the corner of her lips.


    ''Wha¨CWhat? How did she get behind me?'' I thought, trying to bring my thoughts in order. I always exuded a bit of aura from myself to serve as my senses so I could know when someone was approaching, but at that moment, I didn''t feel her presence; no, it was more like I couldn''t.


    This was a first, and I quickly recognized the petite girl who stood in front of me, her tray of food in her hands and a puzzled expression on her face. But it looked too fake.


    "Husband?"


    I snapped back from my thoughts on hearing her voice, and I released my sword instantly.


    A sigh escaped my lips as I turned around to continue my meal. ''She''s a first-year like me, but I couldn''t feel her presence until the last moment.....'' This thought only led to my question. ''Is she stronger than me?''


    "Oh, He¨CHey, you must be Sophia, right?" Darell spoke out after an uncertain mood had been hung in the air due to my reaction.


    The girl walked over to the edge of the table, scooted inside, and sat next to me.


    "Yes, that''s me" She replied, her gaze lingering on me, which caused a crippling sensation to creep up my spine.


    ''This is weird''.


    "Oh wow, I didn''t think you interacted with us; you''re always so quiet in class." Darell continued his conversation, ignoring the others'' reactions.


    "Old on, Tree face, why exactly are we being hospitable with her?" Mariam spoke up, turning towards the petite girl with a scowl on her face.


    Sophia shrugged, her smile never leaving her face when a growl echoed in my ears.


    I raised a brow and turned to my left to find Elsie''s fangs baring out as she glared at Sophia.


    "That was rude of you, Sophia. We didn''t invite you to join us" Mariam said, ignoring her earlier reaction.


    The series of events began to unfold in a rather uncomfortable manner, and I was forced to turn towards the girl again.


    "Um, Sophia, why are you here?"


    ''Push your feelings aside for now''.


    I was more concerned with how she appeared behind me, but this most likely came first.


    Jane and Ciara seemed to be interested in books, and they had been filling our shelves with all sorts of books these days, and he was currently there, on the second floor.


    Darell was closer to the window, He was busy watching the Year One Silver Class taking a run down the field. I could hear Professor Crown''s laughter from up here.


    ''Crazy bastard, really''.


    Then Elsie was lounging on the sofa upside down, her legs placed on the top of the sofa, and her head upside down nearing the floor.


    She was currently staring at me while I was busy with other things.


    Class activities and club activities were my academy priorities, and I was fulfilling the first one, Class activities.


    Setting periods and lectures with professors, as well as Practicals.


    Thanks to this, I get first-hand information about the situation going on in the Classes.


    "Hey Raph?"


    I looked up from a booklet.


    The Class Monitor of Year three, Timothy Ronin gave this to me as an example material for me to get instructions from.


    "Yes?"


    "Should I go find her? I don''t think I''ll be satisfied until I at least beat her up".


    ''Oh, this again?'' I thought when a sigh escaped my lips.


    It was like she tried her best to please me in her way.


    Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    ''....I mean, it''s okay since it''s her choice in the end''.


    "No, Elsie, I don''t even think you are a match for her....none of you are," I retorted, and the two boys seemed to have picked interest in my reply.


    "Just because you got scared doesn''t mean we would too," Jane cried out from the second floor, his tone dripping in mockery.


    "Oh, guys, I don''t think you understand.


    Did you sense her presence when she appeared?"


    Silence descended the room for a short moment, and a small smile drew from my lips.


    "I at least sensed it, even if it was a little too late, but you guys couldn''t at all, so let that sink in".


    I took a glance at the room to observe their reactions, and it seemed they weren''t convinced.


    ''Well, it''s not like I need to, this girl probably has a reason for acting this way now.....even though I don''t get it, she''ll probably act again''.


    I looked up to the mezzanine floor, at the time from the clock. ''It''s time''


    "Anyways, I''ll be in class for the rest of the day, so handle any duels if they come".


    Elsie giggled while she punched her fist in the air and sat up, her eyes sparkling with expectations. "Then I can accept them, right?"


    I chuckled. "Sure, not like these two are going to do anything about it".


    Darell and Jane both groaned in retaliation, but other than that, they did nothing and continued with what they were doing.


    ''Yeah, this is one of the kinds of life I like''. I thought as I walked towards the door. ''The slow and quiet life''.

 Chapter 160- Dont flirt in Class

    It wasn''t long before I got to class, and took my seat in my usual seating position before the Lecturer of the next course arrived.


    Lecturer Heartfilia Ruby, a lecturer of the Alchemy department, will be lecturing us on the Introductory in Alchemy.


    I always considered a course that was unnecessary for me since I would better spend my time training than making potions, but the basics, such as identifying herbal and magical plants, would be useful on the battlefield.


    A pro that I failed to look into in my past life. Especially since I had to learn the basics to survive in forests and jungles during the war.


    "Good day, Students," She greeted, adjusting her glasses on her freckled, laced face. Her green hair was tied messily into a bun with a long iron hairpin holding it in place.


    I heard she had a particular demeanor in her first class, and I was curious to find out more about her.


    ''Maybe I shouldn''t have stayed away from Alchemy in my past life''.


    I silently watched as she brought out some utensils from a pocket plain when I felt movement within my aura zone.


    An aura zone is a specific diameter of space, where I imprint my aura and instantly identify individuals that have crossed into my zone. All masters could do this, though the level of mastery depends on how good you are at using aura.


    ''It''s one of the requirements in getting to the 9th star, resonance''.


    From the 9th star upwards, a Swordsman becomes able to imprint the physical plane with their aura. It makes use of every element learned from the 1st star and takes it up a notch until the 10th star, which is dominance.


    ''And ascending to the 9th star has proven difficulty at the moment''. I thought with a sigh when I turned towards the figure that walked up to me.


    "Princess?" I muttered, raising a brow at the same time when I felt an uncomfortable intensity.


    Turning towards the direction of the sources, my gaze locked with Lana.


    "Don''t mind her" Princess Meadow''s voice echoed in my ear as she sat next to me.


    I shook my head, turning away from the girl.


    "Why would I?"


    She giggled in response. "Right"


    Lecturer Heartfillia began her lecture on Alchemy, and soon the class was being pulled to her words.


    "I''m sure we remember where last we stopped; we were talking about how to find materials to create a simple healing potion."


    On the table were some familiar herbs, conical flasks, and some other laboratory utensils.


    She drew a small magic circle on the middle of the table and placed her finger on it. For a brief moment, the circle began to glow, before a tongue of flame erupted above the circle.


    She placed a tripod over the flame, and a glass flask containing a white liquid on top of the tripod.


    Then turning towards the classroom, she scanned the students present and pointed at a girl.


    "Yes, you, what was your name again?" She asked.


    A girl with black hair and black eyes stood up with a startled motion. She adjusted her glasses, as she replied.


    "It¨CIt''s Zara Leadia, Ma''am"


    My gaze slowly flickered, shifting downwards from her eyes to her lips, and even further down to her.....


    "Is there something going on there?".


    A loud female voice rang in my ear and snapped me back to reality, and I instantly shifted from Meadow.


    Turning toward the source of the voice, a wave of embarrassment struck me upon noticing the whole class''s gaze on me, including the Lecturer.


    ''Hah shit''. I thought when the Princess spoke.


    "I apologize for the discourtesy, Miss Heartfillia. Please, continue with the class".


    Lecturer Heartfillia stared at us for a moment longer, then turned towards the table where Zara stood with a bottle of a light green liquid.


    "You were flirting in my class, do you realize that?" She said, and the students began to jest and murmur about her statement.


    ''I mean, I would have to, but not when I''m the one they''re talking about''.


    A sigh escaped my lips.


    "We apologize if it seemed that way; we didn''t mean to disrupt your class," I said, as respectfully as I could.


    Lecturer Heartfillia took the round bottle from Zara, held it close to her eyes, and then shook it for a moment.


    She then took out a knife from her pocket plain, pulled up her lab coat, and cut a thin line on her arm.


    The class gasped in shock, widening their eyes and some even dropping their mouth agape in response to her action, but Miss. Heartfillia did not pay attention to them.


    Instead, she proceeded to pour the potion on the cut on her arm, just as soon as it began to bleed, dripping down to the floor.


    In five seconds, a green glow emitted from the wound and healed itself.


    Lecturer Heartfillia then raised her hand in the air and inspected it for a moment, then she turned towards Zara, who seemed the most shocked.


    "Not bad, Zara. It has a 70% recovery rate for your first trial. Did you say you had a profession in alchemy?"


    Zara, still taken aback, flinched, and quickly nodded. "Ye¨CYes". She stammered.


    "Alright then, meet me in the alchemy lab after school"


    "Yes, Ma''am," She replied, and Zara was instructed back to her seat.


    "Alright then." The intensity in her tone increased suddenly as Zara walked away, and her attention was, once again, fixed on us.


    She pointed at the both of us, her brows furrowed in annoyance.


    "You think flirting in my class is accepted just because I''m cool with you kids? Are you stupid? Come down here and repeat what Zara had just done".


    ''Oh damn....'' I bulged my eyes open in surprise as I took a peek at Meadow next to me.


    Her expression was blank, but her arms were shaking hard.


    ''...She just insulted the princess?''

 Chapter 161- Potion Making 1

    ''Insulting a royalty can get your head off''


    Or at least, that''s what they say on paper. Most nobles, especially the factions of the Prince and King, possess a particular dislike for PRINCESS Meadow, even more than they did for her elder sister.


    It would have been impossible for Heartfillia to call out any other child of the Imperial household, even if they decided to turn her class into their playground.


    ''But it doesn''t seem like she''s just doing it to embarrass the Princess''.


    The class was filled with tension and the humorlike conversations that the students were currently portraying.


    ''Kids these days would laugh at anything....it''s just a potion, a basic one was something I learned while I was in the war''.


    After a short moment of glaring at each other, I stood up with a sigh.


    "Alright, but the princess was not involved; let me be the one to concoct it."


    Heartfillia raised a brow, and a scowl crossed her face. "Who is the lecturer in this class again, Raffaelo Jun, or does your current position as Class Monitor give you the right to talk back to me?".


    ''Honestly, these lecturers... it''s obvious that she''s part of Crown''s group; just how many does he have under him? And is there some kind of group I don''t know about?''.


    These situations were getting more frequent.


    The other day, with the Club Duel, Ryan Sizzle also had something to do with them.


    "Miss. Heartfillia, you''re being unreasonable right now".


    I wouldn''t be able to take this lying down, and it''s a simple basic potion; why would anyone want to make a big deal out of it? Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lecturer Heartfillia stared at me, then turned away, ignoring my comment and focusing on Meadow. "I''m still waiting"


    ''Tch....there''s no avoiding this one''.


    I sighed and slowly walked out when Meadow held me from moving.


    A gasp of surprise filled the Lecture theater, and I won''t deny it, that surprised me too.


    Turning behind, I found her still seated, and her arm calmly placed on the table.


    "Miss. Heartfillia, can we make a bet?"


    Heartfillia raised a brow in confusion. "...and why would I want to make a bet with a student? Or is it that you just don''t know how to create a basic potion?"


    "No, it''s nothing like that. In fact, I can create an advanced potion with a 70% success rate". She replied calmly.


    "Huh? You expect me to believe that princess?"


    Some students blatantly stared at us, and a few of them were probably having the same thought as me.


    ''Since when could the princess concoct an advanced potion?''.


    Potions had their ratings as much as a lot of other things. Starting from basic potions, then advanced potions, and finally potions.


    Is it my fault for thinking I could have gotten some free time for myself? Each time I think things are going smoothly, something just pushes my peace.


    ''...but I do come out of it fine most times''.


    After a short moment, we were finally on the podium with the ingredients laid out for us.


    Lecturer Heartfillia had decided to stay at the other end of the table, away from the Podium to observe our actions.


    ''Well, what do we have here?''.


    Looking at the ingredients, I could tell at least one thing. ''These ingredients are for creating a basic potion at best''.


    I glanced at Meadow, and she seemed to have realized it as well.


    She looked up at me, her smile widening.


    "I look pretty don''t I?"


    ''Why the fuck is she asking me that?''


    She pointed at the ingredients, and turned towards the class.


    "I''ll start by identifying the ingredients like you instructed us last week". She said, pointing at the herbs.


    "Starting with this, we have the tail of a salamander, roots of a mana aloe vera, scales of an earth lizard, leaves of a water tumeria, earthen gingko clay, lavender, and garlic".


    ''Well, she at least knows their names'' I thought, as she continued.


    "Now, there''s one thing that I feel alchemists have been mistaking for a while now" She said as she held the red salamander tail. "What differentiates the class of a potion? Is it perhaps the ingredients used or the method used?"


    She dropped it, and picked up the roots next.


    "In fact, it is both".


    I raised a brow while I watched her begin the process. I wasnt exactly a prodigy in potion making, but I at least knew the basics.


    The ingredients so far were for a basic magic potion, and even the creation process had a 50% chance of succeeding when concocted by novices.


    ''...so what does she mean?''


    "I will now concocted an advanced potion using the present ingredients, and an alchemy process that has been long forgotten by the current Alchemist".


    She picked up another ingredient, lined it up, and picked up the knife next to it.


    Tilting her head in my direction, her lips curled upwards for a smile.


    "You''re going to have to assist me, Raph"


    ew


    I felt a pang of pain in my chest, a familiar sensation that brewed in me.


    ''....Hah shit....that smile is seriously messing with me.

 Chapter 162- Potion making 2

    NORMAL POV.


    Princess Meadow had begun the process of creating a potion.


    Alchemy generally has three rules that must be followed before the process begins.


    The process generally means the series of changes the ingredients undergo before forming the final product, which, in this case, is a Healing Potion.@@@@


    Firstly, the ingredients had to be specific to get the desired result and its conditions had to be in good shape to get any result. It would be impossible to brew a specific potion if its ingredients were damaged or inadequate in its numbers or amount.


    Second was the fire. Different intensities lead to different results, but usually, the hotter the flames, the better the potion.


    Thirdly was the alchemist or any form of practitioner of potion making.


    The sort of technique they use can differ, and it can produce different results depending on how it is used and in what manner it is used.


    Generally, there have been three alchemist methods that have been used over the years, but with time ancient alchemist methods during the Demonic Age had been lost, and its produce were said to be at least ten times as potent as compared to the potions of now.


    The alchemic method as they called it, got refined with time, but the better methods had been lost.


    Meadow Swanstrom was the princess of the Kingdom and also a book enthusiast since the day she started hearing others'' thoughts.


    The drive to understand what they said and what they meant served as a drive in her earlier days, and as a result, she learned a lot more things than she required and stumbled upon an ancient alchemic method.


    How well it worked depended on how efficient she was in using the method and how well she prepared the ingredients.


    A method of using low-grade ingredients meant for low-grade potions to produce or concert high-grade potions.


    This was something Raph wasn''t aware of, and he found himself in a position he hardly even found himself in, an assistant.


    With the instructions of the princess, he crushed and stirred the ingredients together when he needed to, adding preservatives in the amount she instructed and showcasing his results to her when he was done.


    It was like two scientists working in the lab for an experiment.


    The sight alone caused a sensation of awe in the class, as everyone was mesmerized by the sight.


    The Princess seemed efficient in her methods, transferring the boiled herbs and crushed animal ingredients into a conical flask, and placing it over the fire for it to get warm.


    She carefully handled the utensils and equipment and tasted the result with each step.


    "....You should know this, but how do we differentiate a good potion from a bad one?"


    "the intensity in its color. The darker it gets, the better the healing properties or, in general, the better the properties of the potion". Princess Meadow explained, picking up the conical flask from the table.


    "...Good, and yours is even lighter than the one Zara concocted, so, what do you think that means?" Lecturer Heartfillia pulled out her dagger and her sleeves.


    She was about to repeat the process of stabbing herself and healing when Princess Meadow stopped her.


    "Well then," She said, her gaze sparkling with a mischievous hue.


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    She held the conical flask over the fire, and in about five seconds, the potion caught ablaze.


    This startled Lecturer Heartfillia into taking a few steps back, and Raph just watched with great interest.


    This was something he had never witnessed before, in his two lives.


    A few seconds later, the fire died down, and the intensity of the green color darkened raptly.


    Lecturer Heartfillia bulged her eyes in shock and she took a step forward and grabbed the conical flask from her, withstanding the searing sensation of hot glass on her skin.


    She inspected it for a moment, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    "This method...Where did you get this?" She asked, confusion and surprise etched in her voice, as she pulled up her sleeves and cut her skin.


    She then proceeded to pour the liquid, and instantaneously, it healed before the blood could even dribble out.


    "Amazing! What method is this?!" She asked, her tone raised and filled with curiosity.


    ''This...this is extraordinary. It could change the whole dynamic of potion-making. It had two effects, and it can easily be switched to a better version...something like this could change the whole perspective of potion making ... .I need details''.


    "I apologize, Miss. Heartfillia, but the details can not be revealed yet, and the method is strictly forbidden under the initial rule; I''m afraid I won''t be able to share anything more with you." Princess Meadow replied with a satisfied smile on her face.


    She proceeded to clean her hands in a bowl that was placed there and whipped it off with a


    "So, Miss. Heartfillia, we''ve created a healing potion as you have instructed, I get that our bet is still in place?" Raph asked. ''Though I didn''t do much, this is all thanks to the Princess'' He slowly took a glance at the princess, and his gaze flickered. ''A princess that knows alchemy? What could be weirder?'' He thought when the princess turned towards him.


    Her lips stretched into a smile startling him into looking away.


    "...Yes, Yes, the bet...." Lecturer Heartfillia muttered, startled by his statement as if she had been snapped back to reality. ''Oh, that? Did they seriously think I would leave this school?''. She glanced at them, noticing their expectant expressions. ''Oh children, the world isn''t all that black and white''.

 Chapter 163- The Princess request

    Raph stared at Lecturer Heartfillia, the intensity within his eye flickering as he arranged his thoughts in order.


    ''She''s not going to do it''. He thought, glancing at the princess, who was standing beside him.


    ''And she knows it....but it would be a shame to let this matter slide just like this...''.


    A bet was usually a wager placed between people who have a concept that they are of equal standing. Those who think they are above the standing of the other usually fail to keep the end of their wager, and this ultimately leads to more chaos.


    It was obvious from their interaction that Lecturers thought themselves higher in the Academy, and Princess Meadow, an authority, would most likely be ignored.


    ''So what do we do in situations like that?''


    Of course, you fight standing with standing; if the Lecturer refuses to keep to their end of the bet, then there would be a need for someone of a higher standing in the Academy.


    With that in mind, Raph smiled as he asked. "Why don''t we bring this up to the Principal?".


    Princess Meadow and Lecturer Heartfillia turned towards him in unison, both with conflicting thoughts on his words.


    While one thought of it as a brilliant idea, the other was well aware of the complications that could come with it.


    With a complicated expression on her face, Lecturer Heartfillia walked up to the table, placing her hands on it and looking up at Raph. She had an average female height of five foot six and was unable to reach Raph''s current height.


    "What makes you think the HeadMaster would want to pay any attention to your little complaints?" She asked, her tone descending and harsh.


    Raph remained unperturbed by her words and stern expressions and instead leaned towards her. "The Principal is just, is he not? Unless, of course, you go ahead and cheat yourself into a victory".


    Lecturer Heartfillia remained fixed in her spot, her thoughts lined in order, and her gaze staring into Raph''s.


    For some reason, she began to find herself close to that gaze, not literally, but psychologically.


    Something about those eyes just drew her to him, and in an unfathomable manner, she nearly lost herself.


    "Lecturer Heartfillia?" Princess Meadow''s voice rang in her ears, snapping her back to reality and startling her into taking a few steps back.


    The Students in the class began to discuss quietly while observing the situation that just occurred, and Lecturer Heartfillia seemed distraught at the thoughts that riddled her mind a short moment ago.


    She clasped her head gently, her gaze shaking as she stared at Raph.


    He stared right back, his gaze remaining unperturbed and his lips curling into a smirk.


    "I have a proposal that will benefit us both". Princess Meadow said, causing both of them to shift their gazes towards her.


    "Oh, what would that be, princess?" Raph asked, curiosity etched in his voice.


    The princess turned towards him, then looked away, focusing her attention on Lecturer Heartfillia.


    "If it''s alright with you, can I come meet you at the Alchemist Lab with Zara?" She asked.


    "Ha...Raph, it was just a joke". She said, her tone laced with playfulness as she calmed herself.


    ''Was the princess always like this?'' He thought in confusion, his gaze shifting between the necklace on his hand and the Princess herself.


    A Regal Chain actually served as a form of proposal for some royalties. They usually gift it to their future spouses or people they have an interest in.


    One was crafted for each Royalty and how it was crafted differentiated according to their taste. It was also a definite method of proving a person is royalty, because of the blood link that binds the chain with the royalty.


    The necklace Raph held right now had a chunky, intricate-patterned silver chain that supported a large oval golden pendant imbued with a shimmering brilliance of golden light. It held a significant aura that exuded its brilliant craftsmanship, and Raph could feel the light within pulsate with his energy.


    It felt ethereal and beautiful, and its mere presence caused Raph to go into deep contemplation.


    ''Who owns this? This doesn''t look like it belongs to the princess.


    He turned his gaze away from the Regal chain towards the Princess, who was busy staring at him the whole time, a smile on her face.


    "Wondering who it belongs to?" She asked.


    "....what? Did you read my mind?"


    "Well, no, though I did read Miss. Heartfillia''s mind". She replied, with a smirk on her face.


    ''Oh, she''s bad''. Raph came up to that conclusion in a heartbeat.


    "Anyways, I need you to deliver this to someone who will be arriving from the East in a couple of days".


    Raph raised a brow. "Who am I delivering this to?" He asked.


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    Princess Meadow sighed. "I can''t tell you that. All you need to know is that you need to hand it over to a person called Rocky Banditts"


    ".....Is there a reason why I can''t be told? I am risking a lot here by going to the East at a time like this".


    The East and the West, with Lumbrica as its center, were currently locked in a stubborn stalemate that would break with any little effort. Though, both sides are avoiding being responsible for that effort, and thus, a stalemate occured.


    Aside from that, a trip to the east would be difficult, not to mention the process of needing to take permission from the Principal first.


    Something like this would be accomplished on a weekend, but they don''t exactly get the free reign to do whatever or go wherever they want just because it is a free day.


    "I know you are," She said with a sigh, her thoughts arranging in order.


    ''I can''t possibly tell you yet....it is not time''. She thought, as she attempted to convince yet again.


    "Look, I trusted you enough to bring this up to you when I knew you could have refused, so, can you trust me enough without asking for the details".


    A sigh escaped Raph''s lips as he stared at her, the intensity within his gaze intensifying with each moment. ''Well, I''ll figure it out with time...'' He thought. "Alright, tell me the details, what do you need me to do?".

 Chapter 164- Combat Training

    As the sun''s rays permeated through the glass building of the Lecture Theater, students, old and new, went about their activities, some with allure and vigor and others with a lackadaisical attitude.


    Of course, this went both ways for the students and the Lecturers of the Academy.


    It was a school day, and the first of many, and most academic members were busy with their activities.


    Out of the few less busy staff were a bunch of lecturers who were returning to their quarters, having a short discussion while they did so.


    "Oh, so something like that happened in Class 1 Gold". Crown said, his chirpy and energetic tone carrying the mode of the group of five.


    One was Lecturer Heartfillia, then the other four were Lecturer Wisdom, Professor Katherin, Lecturer Drew, and Lecturer Victon, all returning from the Lecture theaters.


    "Yes, Raffaelo Jun had the initiative of taking the matter to the Principal, but the Princess declined the idea and proposed she meet me after classes," Heartfillia explained while the others paid rapt attention to her words.


    "It would have been better if they brought it to the Principal; we could have found a way to get rid of him from this Academy for good". Lecturer Wisdom said, a dark-toned man with a heavy beard and coat-like clothing. He wore an eye vizor, and his black hair was tied into a ponytail. He was the Lecturer of the Combat Theory and Practical class.


    "You will be having them today, will you not, Wisdom?" Lecturer Victon asked, his blonde brow raised into an arch. He was fair in complexion and had blue eyes.


    He was a Lecturer of the Magic department.


    "Yes, I will, and hopefully, this time, I may get to see his prowess." Lecturer Wisdom replied with a nod of his head.


    "We are not here to play with these children, Wisdom; our initial goal is to find and strengthen the System heroes." Lecturer Crown said with a sigh as they got to the stairs.


    "Um, Crown, is it okay to discuss matters like this out in the open?" Heartfillia asked as they climbed up.


    "That is okay; I always cast a sound cancellation spell for times like that." Professor Katherin replied as they walked in. "Never mind that for now, Crown, we need to talk to him; giving them a club is one thing, but refusing the summon is another. Cadwin is straying off the path".


    Crown stopped in his tracks, while the others continued their way to their cubicles, leaving Professor Katherin and Lecturer Crown in front of the door.


    "I have tried talking to him, but he is not reasoning with us any longer, it is time we make do with what we have, and abandon those that have failed to come along"


    Professor Katherin felt a pang of pain in her chest, something that was easily describable. "So, you want the Court to move forward with our plans without one of its founding members? That''s not like you, Crown".


    A moment of silence suffused between them until someone stepped into the matter, alerting both of them at the same time.


    "Is there something wrong, Crown, Katherin?"


    They turned their gaze towards the front, to meet the descending gaze of Professor Kazim Nakhr. Head of Combat and Physical Fitness as well as the Head of the Staff department.


    "No, Not at all," Lecturer Crown replied, bowing curtly and walking away from the two.


    "Be quiet". He instructed, and the laughter died out. He then turned towards Ban Xen.


    "What did you learn from our last meeting?" He asked.


    Ban Xen, still in a confused state, slowly stood up. "We¨CWell, we talked about Duels and fighting stances, as well as techniques that can help us in a duel."


    "Yes, Yes, I did. We will be having a practical match today; list the techniques I mentioned; you would require at least one of these techniques to get a passing score". Lecturer Wisdom explained, and all this while, Raph sat quietly at the back with Elsie, his gaze flickering.


    ''Huh? Specific fighting techniques? I mean...that would be nice, but I haven''t exactly been in class yet...'' He thought, but then again, learning a new fighting technique from watching may serve as useful for his prowess into the 9th star.


    His current technique was one of the major Jun techniques he learned for five years, and he had already mastered it.


    He needed something more, something alien perhaps.


    "The techniques you mentioned were the Barbarian jabbing and shuffling technique, the Imperial Guard technique, and the Knight Dragon Footwork."


    "Yes, I am sure we all had the time to practice these moves; we will now be showcasing our talents on the Sparring ring." Lecturer Wisdom walked down the steps towards the podium, then turned around to face the class as they began to chatter about the event that was about to occur. "Get into your training gear, and get a practice weapon from the dojo.


    We will meet up in the next ten minutes in the Sparring Ring".


    The students rose to their feet nearly in unison as a wave of noise due to their excitement suffused the once-calm air.


    They walked out of the classroom to get the necessary equipment while some others stayed behind in fear of what may occur to them.


    Raph was one of these sets of people as he was still seated, though for an entirely different reason.


    ''This bastard....I didn''t get the opportunity to learn any of it.


    Well, this was one more reason to get annoyed with his past life self.


    If only he had learned more techniques in his past life, then he may not have found himself in this predicament.


    Elsie stood up next to him, stretching her figure as she yawned tirelessly.


    She glanced at Raph with a smile on her face.


    "Coming?" She asked cutely, her gaze imbued with innocence.


    Raph looked up at her, a silent sigh exuding from his lips as a thought crossed his mind. ''Oh well, might as well just learn from watching''.


    It was amongst the least of things he wanted to test, but right now, it seemed like he was going to bring those plans a little forward. ''Let''s see what I can see''.

 Chapter 165- Combat Training begins

    On a sunny afternoon, the brilliant rays of sunlight suffused the atmosphere of the Honeric Academy in a comfortable and warm hue.


    Its magnificence stretched to the classes, providing light and a comfortable environment for learning.


    It was in this comfort that a total of eighteen figures stood around a large Sparing Arena, its structure of concrete stones, and magnificent architecture.


    This was the Year One or Class One Sparring Ring. Its location is beside the Class One Dojo.


    The Dojo was meant for indoor form and combat training but the Sparring Ring was meant for duels, challenges


    Its texture was of smooth cement, and its structure exuded a foundation that would seem hard to break.


    It was left untouched by the students and basked in the overflow beams of the Sun.


    Surrounding the Sparring ring was a smooth green field.


    An extension of the track field they had used during their race.@@@@


    Lecturer Wisdom was currently standing in front of the Ring, while the students surrounded it.


    They were all in training gear other than Lecturer Wisdom and were armed with their weapons of choice.


    The training gear was a black body suit with a scale-like texture and applied buffs to help against severe damage.


    It had red patterns on the sleeves and legs, all the way to its boots with metallic soles.


    Raph stood at one end of the square-shaped Spareing Ring with Elsie.


    He was currently holding a longsword, its shape similar to that of his double-edged katana, while Elsie was putting on metallic gauntlets with three sharp and stout spikes protruding out of the knuckles.


    Raph had found her choice of weapon particular, but the fact that the weapon was made available seemed even more particular to him.


    ''I guess the Academy provides all.'' He thought when Lecturer Wisdom''s voice snapped him from his thoughts.


    "We shall take a total of four duels on each practical, and I will list out the names of those that will be participating each day". He said, gaining their attention as he tapped the silver ring on his left index finger, and inserted his hand in a subspace that appeared a few inches away from it.


    After a moment, he pulled out a scroll, opened it, and began to list their names.


    "These are the students that will be participating. They will come forward, while the rest will take this as a lesson match for when they are called".


    The students stood up straight in response, anticipation etched in their expressions, as they awaited the names to be called.


    His gaze locked with Raph''s, and a thought crossed his mind, causing a smile to form on his stern face. ''Oh, how wonderful would it be to show him his place''.


    Raph was not in his previous class, and he was well aware of the reason and the cause, but that didn''t matter to him.


    He couldn''t care less if the whole bobbles were to stage a war against themselves; no, what mattered were the commoners and the oppressed. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    ''He has been acting up lately, especially with the club....this should help humble him''. He thought, then shifted his gaze away from Raph. ''best to serve him last''.


    "Ban Xen Vs Lucy Zachary".


    The two students walked out, each portraying a different emotion.


    Ban Xen, the dark-toned boy with dreadlocks, felt tension grow within him, and it caused him to physically shiver in fright of what was to come.


    The other, Lucy Zachary, a level 22 Knight and a friend of Javier, felt remarkably calm and unperturbed by the situation.


    Her gaze had lingered on Raph for a brief moment before she walked forward, and a thought crossed her mind. ''What a shame, I thought I would get a chance to put him down''.


    It wasn''t just the Lecturer who was aware of his absence in his class, and whether the Lecturer knew about it didn''t matter to these students; no, they didn''t care either.


    They had their agenda as well, and that too, was to put Raph down.


    Raph, standing idly by in his position, calmly sighed, his gaze unperturbed the series of events about to unfold.


    ''Oh, so many unwanted enemies'' He thought as he closed his eyes.


    "Prepare your stance!" Lecturer Wisdom said as he walked backward, away from the two students.


    Ban Xen held out two short swords, his grip shaking as he stretched his right leg forward, and tightened the grip on the hilt of his daggers as he pulled his hands up in a boxing position.


    The dagger on his right hand had its blade facing forward, while the other had its blade facing backward.


    Lucy Zachary on the other, held out a Rapier, stretching her left hand forward, parallel to her rapier that was held proportional to her face. Her elbow was pulled backward and upwards so that her blade faced forward.


    Her left hand opened to form a palm, and her legs spread apart.


    "Let me remind you, the techniques you are to use are the Barbarian jabbing and shuffling technique, the Imperial Guard technique, and the Knight Dragon Footwork. If you understand, then Begin".


    With his command, Lucy charged forward with a groan and burst of energy, and while she did so, Raph opened his eyes, a malevolent hue shimmering behind its cold nature.


    ''Let''s see how it goes''.

 Chapter 166- Combat Training 1

    Lucy charged forward with a burst of energy, and wind, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat.


    She clenched her muscles in her right hand and left leg, then thrust her rapier forward.


    "Gahhh!!" Ban Xen yelped in surprise, taking a step back and turning his short swords towards his chest, blocking the incoming thrust at the same time.


    He staggered due to the force, taking a few steps back when Lucy clicked her tongue and charged forward.


    His body was sent on high alert as he yelped in surprise again, dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth and moving to the side.


    Lucy followed immediately, closing the gap between them as soon as he attempted to widen it.


    Each movement she made was like a flowing river, or more like a flying dragon, precise and quick, with easy steps.


    It looked like she was gliding while she moved, twirling her rapier as she did so to attack Ban.


    Ban, on the other hand, found himself in a constant attempt to widen the gap between them.


    His actions were clumsy at best, but for some reason, Lucy could not land a hit.


    She charged forward again, sliding down the concrete ground, and aimed her rapier for his knee.


    Ban yelped again, startled by her quick movements, and swung his short swords downwards, parrying her attack away.


    The force of the parry was greater than Ban could handle, and he lost his balance, walking backward to gain it back, but something caught his attention, and his gaze followed the sound of a sword slicing through the air.


    His eyes bulged open in shock as he pulled his right short sword forward, parrying the attack away, and losing further balance


    "Gargh!" He cried out in shock and surprise, while the pain in his strained muscle ran through his body in waves. Though he was unable to linger in pain, as in the next moment, Lucy''s left leg formed a serene arc through the air, smashing the face of Ban, causing a wave of pain that shook him to his very core.


    His eyes had nearly dilated shut, and the pain had nearly seemed unbearable if not for the follow-up.


    Lucy grabbed Ban by his neck and, with a grunt, smashed his body to the Sparring Ring.


    A moment of silence followed as the students watched in surprise and excitement at her abilities.


    She had made use of two techniques so far, the Knight Dragon Footwork, and the Barbarian Jabbing and Shuffling technique.


    Though all she did was grab him and slam him down, it was still a wonderful prowess.


    She panted lightly as she took some steps back from Ban, who was currently attempting to stand back to his feet.


    "You still want to fight?" Lucy asked, her deep feminine voice ringing in his ear.


    He stopped, and slowly looked up at her, blood slowly dripping down his lips.


    "Why bother? You seem too pu**y to fight back, so why bother? Stay down. You''re no knight". She said with a harsh tone, slicing her rapier through the air at the same time. "We came here to train, not babysit frightened boys".


    She turned towards Lecturer Wisdom, who seemed to have been watching the fight take place in his position.


    He thrusted his foot on Cricken''s back causing a resounding amount of shock to spread through Cricken''s body as he was pushed away by the force of Felic''s legs.


    His body swung through the air until he regained balance just before he had reached the end of the Sparring Ring.


    He groaned in pain as he managed to stand up straight, while he stretched his muscles.


    "Hah shit, that was intense," Felic said with a chuckle as he stood up. He groaned as well, adjusting his shoulder muscles as he took a few steps forward.


    "Shall we?".


    He charged, closing the gap between them in a heartbeat, while swinging his claymore through the air, a whooshing sound echoing, and his sword forming a thin line of white light in its wake.


    Cricken grunted as he stumped his feet to the ground, taking a guarding stance while he swung his battle ax in retaliation.


    Their weapons clashed, and it was followed up by a counterattack on both sides.


    Felic''s sword had been struck back, while Cricken''s battle ax had been struck to the side, but they quickly overcame the initial force, and pushed forward, striking again.


    "Ha! Ha! You''re fun! More fun than Jonny"


    Felic said with a cackle as he swung his sword forward in an attempt to break through his defense.


    Cricken used his battle ax to block it while drawing the battle ax downwards and sliding his feet to the left in a quick and flow-like manner.


    Felic was led to swing his sword downwards until it touched the floor, while Cricken simply rotated his battle axe with the rubber stretcher at its hilt, swinging it from beneath the sword to above it, and slammed Felic across his face.


    "Aargh!" Felic cried out in pain when a pinpoint pain that started from his abdomen spread throughout his body due to the force of the punch that landed on it.


    He cried out again, his face twitching due to the pain.


    He quickly took a few steps backward in an attempt to regain focus, but Cricken closed that option completely.


    His feet slid on the ground, dodging the frantic swings from Felic''s blade until he closed the distance between them.


    He grabbed Felic by his neck, and swung his battle ax downwards through the air, slamming the boy''s legs.


    The force sent a shockwave of pain through Felic''s body as he screamed out, biting his lip at the same time as he unconsciously began to shiver.


    He quickly lost balance due to the force, and his body began to fall face flat to the ground.


    Cricken increased the momentum, pushing him to the ground as a loud thud echoed in the air, followed by a muffled scream of pain.


    Silence suffused the air after a moment, as Cricken remained in his position for a moment.


    He slowly released the grip on the boy''s neck and stood up after confirming that Felic was unconscious.


    His gaze swept through the students, landing on Raph for only a brief moment.


    ''Damn...'' Raph thought, his eyes slightly widened in shock while Cricken walked down the Sparring Ring with a smirk on his face.

 Chapter 167- Combat Training 2

    ''I mean, I expected him to be strong...but that wasn''t just a matter of difference in strength, '' Raph thought, his gaze following Cricken Royce as he joined them back in line.


    None of the students thought it wise to clap or cheer, or more like they were too frightened to do so.


    His gaze flickered, returning to the Sparring Ring.


    ''It was the difference in experience....that much difference made him use the techniques adequately without wasting movements''.


    A memory of the first duel between Lucy Zachary and Ban Xen played in his head, and then the duel between Felic Manhartten and Cricken Royce played next.


    ''There was the obvious difference.''


    Ban showed no intention of fighting back, even though he had clearly mastered the guarding technique, so Lucy had the upper hand from the start.


    Felic and Cricken on the other hand, started from scratch, and the result was simply a testament to the difference in their skills.


    ''He is the princess''s Bodyguard, after all; a warrior or knight should, at least, be that strong.''


    A smirk grew on his lips as the next duelists walked up to the Sparring Ring while two of his classmates assisted Felic in getting down.


    The body suited had inbuilt automatic mana healers that functioned as a cushion to prevent severe injuries and a healer when they were unconscious and required healing.


    ''His leg would have been ripped the other way if it weren''t for the body suit.'' Raph thought with a sigh, while he observed his.


    ''Well, let''s just continue watching for now''.


    The next duel was about to begin. Marshall Lorientt Vs Tiffany Rudia. Marshall was from the 4th Vassal family, Lorientt, a household of Knights, though their techniques lacked greatly if compared to the Jun household. They were still considered prodigies in the Knight department nonetheless, and the other, Tiffany Rudia, was one of Canary''s friends.


    Both stood apart on the Sparring Ring, their gazes locked on one another as Lecturer Wisdom prepared to begin the duel.


    Marshall held a glaive, and Tiffany didn''t seem to physically hold a particular weapon, but there was a long shot it was well hidden somewhere. Another testament, to the long list of weapons the Academy provided to her students.


    "Ready?" Lecturer Wisdom asked, his tone low, and commanding. Both students nodded in unison, and at that moment, he began the duel. "Begin".


    In a swift, slicing motion, Marshall''s glaive sliced through the air with a sharp whoosh, its blade dancing in a fluid, curved motion as he sprinted forward with a forceful speed.


    His physique was large for his age, including his muscle mass and his height; he was nearly twice the height of petite Tiffany. His messy black hair flowed with the wind, and his fiery onyx eyes fixed on his target as he slammed his glaive onto the ground.


    BOOM.


    His glaive made a dent in the cement floor, but his target was nowhere to be found.


    "Come on, big guy, you could do better than that".


    Her body was slammed into the ground, and the sickening sound of bones crushing echoed as a muffled scream of pain escaped her lips.


    She lay on the ground, conscious as the body suit began to heal her from her injuries, but the pain remained, serving as a scar for the horrible defeat she just experienced.


    Marshall, on the other hand, panted deeply, blood dripping down his fingers as he stared at her, his gaze overwhelmed with satisfaction and confusion.


    ''She...She made me go all out?'' He thought in surprise. ''I don''t remember the last time I was forced to use my raw strength''


    Marshall Lorientt was blessed since the day he was born. He was the third son of his household, wasn''t riddled with responsibilities, and was given a fair opportunity to grow his strength. Born with an innate herculean-like strength, he had quickly grown himself to who he was now.


    "Tiffany Rudia, do you concede?" Lecturer Wisdom''s voice pierced the heavy atmosphere in the air as the students turned towards him for the first time since the beginning of the duel.


    Each student that came up to the stage showed something peculiar, and they had to admit, this was even better.


    Tiffany''s display of the string and kunai tactic in an environment that did not suit her showed her constant practice, but even hard work pales when it comes to natural talent. And the natural strength of Marshall proved so.


    Tiffany slowly sat up, her body aching from the collision. She looked up at Marshall, her pink hair dancing to the wind, and her pink gaze suffused with resentment.


    "I...I will get you back for this". She said in a bitter tone, her voice laced with pain, a testament to what she felt at that moment.


    "Alright then, that is the third duel; Winner, Marshall Lorientt".


    The students remained silent this time as well, perhaps mixed feelings assaulting them at the moment.


    This duel was not just a farce to embarrass Raph but a reminder, or perhaps a clue, to find out the people to watch out for in their Class.


    The Entrance examination didn''t prove any of that for them, but this method proved a lot.


    Marshall took some steps forward and stretched his hand towards Tiffany, a skeptical hue in his gaze.


    Tiffany looked up at him, her gaze growing narrow and her body shaking in rage.


    She slapped his hand away, and stood up, clicking her tongue as she walked away.


    Marshall watched her carefully, and with a sigh, he retreated from the Sparring Ring as well.


    ''So far, I''m more impressed with Tiffany....that was skillful...though, what she showcased wasn''t any of the techniques so far,'' Raph thought as the two students retreated from the Sparring Ring.


    He had witnessed all he could in that short moment.


    "Alright then, Raffaelo Jun Vs. Javier Wright." Professor Wisdom called, and the two students stepped forward in unison.


    Raph''s gaze lingered on Marshall as they walked past each other, and he instantly noticed the smirk that grew on Marshall''s face. ''No one really expects me to win? Well, time to see what I''ve learned''.

 Chapter 168- Combat Training 3

    Raph and Javier walked up the Sparring Ring from either side, using the stairway that led to it.


    In their presence was Lecturer Wisdom and surrounding them were the students, who looked on in anticipation.


    The clear skies exuded brilliance from the ambiance of the sun as it cascaded down the Sparring Ring in a warm hue.


    Temperatures were rising, and so was the anticipation.


    Everyone in that class knew that Raph had failed to attend the previous class, and all were aware of the rules of this duel.


    Make use of what you''ve learned. It was a method of imbuing all kinds of techniques in the students.


    It wasn''t a matter of forcing them to learn it, more like making them use the ones that suit them the most.


    In this way, they learn how to improve themselves and their skills.


    This was a test, a method to identify the strong members of the class, and perhaps a method to gauge the strength of their foe.


    Though they didn''t use any of their family techniques, this favored the System users, or so they thought until Marshall swept the floor with Tiffany.


    "Are you ready?" Lecturer Wisdom asked, his voice low and commanding, and a bit of humor laced in it, testament to his curiosity. He could not help but wonder. ''How are you going to win this too, Raffaelo Jun''.


    Both students nodded in unison, their gazes locked, one with a smirk written on his face, and the other with a deadlock focus.


    Raph''s eyes glimmered with the intensity he applied to them; he was going to see more than just their energy paths or their techniques; he wanted to see their very Core. The core of a technique is what builds their technique, and in seeing that, then unraveling the technique would come with ease.


    "Begin!".


    With his command, Javier struck first, his legs sliding across the cement floor with skillful ease as he closed the gap between them.


    ''Alright, let''s see what we got here'' Raph took a stance that seemed nearly replicable.


    He held his long sword upwards in a boxing stance as Javier swung his broadsword downwards with precision and force, a white line of light following its wake.


    Raph pulled his left leg backward and parried the attack as he once saw from Bam Xen. The only difference was Raph didn''t get pushed back.


    After observing Ban Xen''s guard stance, he realized the boy was too startled to perform the actual movements.


    So by implanting a little bit of movements where he didn''t, he would maintain composure.


    He followed up by tracing his steps behind Javier and aimed the back of his sword towards Javier''s side.


    Javier''s gaze flinched as he spun around to block the attack at the right moment, but the force pushed him back, causing a startling recoil.


    "Barbarian Jabbing Technique; Leg Jab".


    Raph raised his right leg and slammed his knee on Javier''s abdomen, causing a startling sensation of pain to sweep through Javier''s body.


    He coughed out blood, as the wind pressure prepared to send his body flying, but just then, Raph grabbed him by his neck.


    "Come on Javier, you can do better than that".


    He said, twirling across the floor with an erratic and precise motion, taking the random footsteps of the thousand feet and the flow-like movement of the Dragon Footwork into play.


    Javier''s body was pulled due to the inertia like an empty barrel, unable to fight back, or rather, the opportunity wasn''t gifted to him. He endured the pain and embarrassment until he felt his body being slipped into the air.


    His eyes widened when he recognized the sky, and at that moment, a transient sensation was gifted to him, until he was pulled downward and smashed into the ground.


    "Barbarian Shuffling Technique; Body Slam".


    One thing Raph had noticed from the Barbarian Jabbing and Shuffling Technique was its simplicity.


    It simply involved the use of simple movements to cause the most pain.


    Its simplicity enabled him to master that quickly after seeing it for just 15 minutes, and he could apply it in different forms.


    ''This is interesting; I should learn more techniques; the more refined, the better. That way, I can add all these concepts to my fighting style.


    Jun''s Swordsmanship was one of the best, but if he were to fight his sisters, the result would be based on experience and mastery.


    He didn''t need to master it as well as they did, even though he already did. All he needed to do was spice his own up and create a Swordsmanship fitting for him.


    The Class remained silent for a moment, their mouths agape and their eyes widened in shock. Or at least most of them.


    Darell, Mariam, and Jane were more or less startled, but at this point, there was nothing he could do that would surprise them. And Elsie felt elated, excited even, as her tail wagged while she watched.


    She only had one thought till the very end.


    ''Hah, I could not have chosen a better Husband.''

 Chapter 169- Combat Training 4

    Lecturer Wisdom found himself in a bind. Now, he had to grade the boy he wanted to embarrass, and quite frankly, things were looking peachy for the boy.


    Well, no, that wasn''t what bothered him at the moment, he was more concerned with something else while he watched.


    ''When? How? Impossible! He couldn''t have had the time to master any of this?! So, how is this possible?''


    It seemed Raph was becoming more than just a threat now, he was becoming an enemy, or perhaps a foe that needed to be cut down, not "wary of" as he thought.


    ''Did, did he possibly master all that by watching? Impossible! How does one even do that''.


    That kind of talent was unheard of, at least within the junior class.


    He was still lost in thoughts when he noticed Raph''s gaze on him.


    "Well, what are you waiting for, Mr. Wisdom, end thi,s" He said with a chill tone as he retreated his hand from Javier''s neck.


    He walked away from the unconscious body, ready to come down from the Sparring Ring when the Lecturer stopped him.


    "It has not ended yet". Lecturer Wisdom said, catching him off guard.


    He turned towards the man, with a raised brow on his face.


    "How?" He asked, walking back to the center of the Sparring Ring. "He''s unconscious".


    Lecturer Wisdom remained silent for a moment, unperturbed by his words.


    ''5.....4.....3.....2...1..''


    He turned towards Javier, who still seemed unconscious on the floor.


    "Javier, do you concede?" He asked.


    ''What is he talking about, Javier is obviously¨C''


    Raph was cut off by the danger signs that ran through his body, and it was entirely warranted, as at that moment, Javier was standing next to him, his broadsword forming a crescent arc through the air, and a pulsating energy brimming within him.


    ''What?'' Raph thought in confusion, but his reflex was not slower in any way. He slammed his longsword against Javier''s broadsword causing a loud metallic sound to echo within the air.


    The students cheered loudly, whispering soft praises for Javier.@@@@


    ''It''s like he''s the main character'' Raph thought in confusion as Javier suddenly spun around, appearing behind him in a blink of an eye.


    His broadsword was sent down from the sky like a guillotine, and the sound of metal slicing through the air reverberated with his movements.


    Swift and precise, he slammed unto Raph''s unyielding sword yet again.


    Javier''s grip began to loosen by a little, and his fiery gaze began to lose its spark.


    "...You need power in this world, you know. If you want to even challenge any of the Great Family, then that should be your goal. Do you think shaming me would end your suffering? No, it will only increase it".


    Raph said, his tone stern and his gaze icy. "If you want to get back at me, then make sure you''re at least strong enough to get to me".


    Javier felt a pain burn in his chest, an unquenchable anger that was only incited, but right now, at that moment, there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.


    Releasing his grip, he gave in to his fate.


    Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I...I surrender".


    A chilling silence suffused the air, and it was soon broken by the loud cheers from Elsie, as she jumped and clapped in joy.


    While she did this, the others glanced at her, mixed emotions sweeping through them, but they at least understood one thing.


    ''He''s not our opponent''.


    It was a solemn acceptance, that there wasn''t a single system user in their class that could stand up against him.


    Well, until they have combat training without restrictions, but that would end.....worse.


    Raph slowly stood up, his gaze shifting from Javier to Elsie, and a small chuckle escaped his lips as if curled upwards.


    ''She''s that excited about a win? Even when she''s the only one cheering....'' He thought, turning away after waving at her. ''She''s cute''.


    "Well, I win now, right?" He asked.


    Lecturer Wisdom sighed. "Yes, winner of this duel, Raffaelo Jun".


    Raph nodded in satisfaction, attempting to walk down the steps when Lecturer Wisdom stopped him with a question.


    "How did you do it?"


    He turned around with a startled expression. "Do what?"


    "How did you master it? Did you get the notes from a classmate, or were you training in secret?". Lecturer Wisdom was genuinely curious to find out. ''If what he did was truly mastering by just watching. Then this is an anomaly that we will have to watch out for''.


    "Oh that?" Raph muttered, turning towards the sky, and humming quietly for a moment. After a few seconds, he glanced at Lecturer Wisdom. "I learn fast".


    ''Well, what could possibly go wrong if I tell them one little secret''.


    With that he walked away, his smile widening in satisfaction. He had just confirmed it, but his eyes allowed him to imitate actions until it became his.


    ''Another trump card in the bag''.

 Chapter 170- Clubroom Life

    The ambiance of the sun glowed in a forever, ethereal, warm hue cascading upon the surface of the Academy and imbued energy into the lives that were suffused in its brilliance.


    It was late afternoon, and the intensity of its rays became a testament to the time that ticked.


    Though seasons and temperatures were regulated by the Academy, its effects remained the same.


    Amongst the students were those who decided to skip the rest of their classes, enjoying the comfort of their newfound club. Albeit, a little bit too much.


    Ciara and Morganna were present this time. Ciara was busy checking the books that Jane had recently placed on the upper floor while Morganna seemed to be enjoying a cup of tea and tray of biscuit with Louis at the corner of the Club room where the intricately, structured, round tables and chairs were placed.


    Their gazes currently on the glass walls, observing the students preparing for combat classes.


    "That''s the Bronze class?" Louis asked with an intrigued tone as he bit through a biscuit.


    Mariam nodded silently, turning towards him soon after. "Yeah, they are". She replied.


    Just then two more figures walked into the Clubroom, attracting the attention of the others.


    Raph cursed under breath as he walked towards the desk and table, while dreading the predicament he faced at the moment.


    "You can''t just come in here looking like that!" Darell cried out from the couch. His gaze is intense and fiery at the sight of Elsie on Raph''s back.@@@@


    "Like I wanted this". Raph said with a sigh, slowly tapping Elsie. "Um, Elsie, can you get off now? We''re dine with classes". He said with a skeptical tone in his voice.


    Elsie giggled while she wagged her tail, clinging unto him tightly. She placed her hands on his shoulders, raising a little above him and looking down at his gaze. A playful smile on her face. "No"


    Raph sighed deeply, turning his gaze away as a slight red formed on his cheeks. He sat down on the chair, taking a glance at the room at the same time.


    His expression grew thinner as he observed their gazes on him.


    "What?! It''s not like I wanted this!".


    "But you seem to be enjoying it".


    Ciara said from above, attracting their gazes.


    "Isn''t that right?! You see that! Even Ciara sees it" Darell clicked his tongue in annoyance, resuming his position on the couch. "Just fuck it, do whatever you want!"


    Jane chuckled on his seat. He was on the other side of the couch, and he was currently reading a book. "It can''t be helped. She''s excited about your win today, Raph".


    "Oh yeah" Darell muttered before turning towards Raph. "How did you do that? I don''t remember ever seeing you in the training halls".


    "Training Halls?" Raph repeated with a raised brow. ''Ohhhh....there was a training hall....would that suffice?'' He thought in realization. "It just came to me as I watched". Raph explained with a sigh when Elsie suddenly bobbed her head upwards.


    "What do you mean?! It''s because you''re strong, Husband". She said with a wide smile on her face.


    He quickly looked up to find Elsie smirking at him, her lips pursed together.


    His right hand slowly tapped his neck, as he raised a brow. ''Did she....Did she just....'' He thought in confusion, but he decided, why not just ask her directly?


    "Elsie did you"¨C "Shhhhh"


    He was cut off by Elsie as she placed her right index finger on his lips and her left on hers. Her lips stretched into a smile. "It''s a reward".


    ''The fuck do you mean by reward?!'' Raph''s cheeks glowed red as he looked away, attending to the papers he left before he went for classes.


    ''She''s gonna be the end of me!''


    The two Demi-humans stopped their argument in unison when they noticed something amiss and slowly turned towards Raph and Elsie.


    For some reason, all was not right at that moment, they both seemed preoccupied with their own things as if something had just happened.


    Darell raised a brow and turned towards Jane, while Mariam glanced at Louis.


    "..What happened? Why does the atmosphere seem different?" He asked.


    Jane shook his head, his cheeks light red as he struggled to regain focus on his book.


    Darell''s gaze intensified as he grabbed Jane by the collar. "What the fuck happened? Why are you acting weird?!" He asked in confusion, when he heard a yelp behind him.


    Turning towards the direction, he noticed Mariam holding her mouth in shock while Louis leaned away from her.


    He had just whispered something to her, and it seemed to have caused quite a shock in her.


    He turned towards Jane again, his gaze intensifying. "Bro, what happened?!" He asked, desperation laced in his tone.


    Jane groaned, taking a glance at Raph and then slowly upwards at Ciara.


    It seemed like she had resumed her task, but he was certain she saw it too.


    He slowly released Darell''s grip on his collar and leaned into his ears.


    For a moment, Darell''s body shook in anticipation, but after Jane whispered something to him, it felt like the world had flipped the other way round. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    A vein bulged out of his forehead as he attempted to charge at them, when Jane held him.


    "Let me at them! Let me at them, fuck! This is a clubroom, damn it!" He cried out in rage, but jealousy was laced in as well.


    "Calm down, you idiot" Jane pulled him back to the couch while the others resumed whatever it was they were up to at that moment.


    Raph sighed inwardly. ''Yeah, life ought to be like this...'' He looked up to find Elsie pleasantly fiddling with his hair. ''....Right?''

 Chapter 171- Prefect Meeting

    A few minutes later, Raph slowly stood up from the desk, arranging the papers in order.


    Jane and the others looked up from what they were doing towards him.


    "Monitor duties?" Jane asked, and Raph nodded in reply.


    He slowly turned back, only to widen his eyes in surprise. He had wanted to attempt asking Elsie to come off once again, but it seemed like there wasn''t going to be any need for that.


    Elsie calmly and quietly slept with her head on his shoulder, her shallow breath sending soft ripples to his skin.


    He sighed deeply, turning towards the guys on the sofa.


    "Can you guys...." He said, but they were both aware of his predicament and were already on their way out of it.


    Raph smiled in satisfaction. "Thank you".


    He slowly dropped the papers on his desk, walked up to the Couch, sat on it, and calmly released Elsie.


    For a short moment, he found himself in a dilemma of either waking her up or leaving her behind, but knowing where he had to be soon, it was best he left her quietly.


    She was finally on the sofa, sleeping calmly with soft breaths, and Raph ultimately found himself staring at her face and plain expression.


    ''....She''s pretty when she sleeps as well''. He thought as he slowly stood up from the couch.


    "Watch over her, I''ll be back to close the club room once I''m done with my task".


    Jane nodded while Darell clicked his tongue and looked away.


    Raph chuckled in reaction as he grabbed the papers and headed out.


    It was time for the meeting of the Prefects, where they share insights with one another and help the juniors in their time of need.


    Apparently, newly elected Monitors usually have this thing called a ''saving grace'' of about a month.


    Raph never heard of this in his past life, but he did notice how easily it was to change a Class Monitor.


    All you needed was a Duel, and the winner became the New Monitor.


    Well, it''s no surprise that the Academy would prefer the strongest in the class to lead it, so this law had been implemented. The challenger would have to go through a test to check if they can uphold the responsibilities that come with it.


    ''No matter, there''s none of those students that can beat me to take my position anyway''. He thought, but then something crossed his mind that caused a smirk to form on his face. ''Oh, maybe I should have left Javier as the Class Monitor''.


    He walked down the stairs that led to the Lecture Halls and finally stopped in front of a familiar looking girl.


    "Alicia, are you ready?" He asked with a friendly smile as he walked ahead.


    She seemed innocent, and even friendly, but he wasn''t blind, no in fact, he saw more than what others could, and he knew how she acted around the System users.


    A two faced bastard, is what they call them.


    ''....Every single one of them''.


    ****


    Time passed and they had already crossed two more buildings that had similar structures to the others, and had just arrived at the last one.


    The biggest amongst the others and third most intricately architectured building in the Academy, the Fifth years Lecturer Theatre was in sight.


    Expectantly, they weren''t the only ones in sight. Raph and Alicia came face to face with the Prefects of the other Classes of Year One.


    Year one Class Silver''s prefects were Monica Starborne and Ruth Balsey.


    Monica Starborne was a Level 30 Astral Mage and Ruth Balsey, her best friend, was a Level 29 Shield Knight. The former was a petite girl with bright blue hair and blue eyes, and the latter was taller and a lot bigger with well curved proportions. She had fiery red hair and red eyes, and both stood together in the forecourt.


    ''These two are on the same level as Javier and his cohort'' Raph thought as he welcomed their gazes with a friendly smile.


    "You''re late, Jun" Ruth, said with a harsh and sharp tone, displeasure laced in her voice as she glared at him.


    Raph raised his arms in defense, a chuckle expecting his lips.


    "I apologize, I got held up by work". He said as they joined them.


    "By work, you mean planning your tyranny over your class?" Ruth asked with a raised brow. Her tone was laced with displeasure and so were her words.


    Monica slowly looked up to her friend. "Ruth" She called, and the fierce looming girl clicked her tongue, folding her arms and looking away.


    Monica slowly turned towards Raph after after, a wry smile on her face. "Sorry about that," She said.


    Raph shrugged his shoulders, his smile remaining fixed on his face. "I do not mind at all".


    "Of course you don''t". Ruth said with a snarl, as she glanced at him. "Don''t expect us to go easy on you like Javier did".


    ''Oh...what a pain'' Raph thought, ignoring her comments and turning towards the two other figures that stood with them.


    "Mathias Shrew, Romeo Berto, It''s been a while".


    The Class Monitor and Deputy of Class Bronze. Mathias Shrew with dark wavy hair and bright blue eyes, he exuded a brilliance and intelligence from his expression, which was amplified by his round glasses. He was a level 20 Mage.


    The boy slowly nodded in response, while his Deputy, Romeo Berto, with silver flowing hair and black eyes that did not seem to focus on reality, simply ignored.


    He was a level 24 Warrior.


    Raph sighed inwardly, turning his attention towards the door that led to the 5th year Lecturer Theater as a thought crossed his mind. ''What a pain''.

 Chapter 172- A short Dispute

    "So?" Raph glanced at the students gathered while he pointed at the entrance. "Why hasn''t no one gone in yet?" He asked.


    "I think they were in a meeting". Monica replied with a sigh. "The sophomore Prefects are also attending the meeting; the goal of it, though, is unknown to us".


    "Ohh.." Raph muttered in contemplation when Alicia walked up closer to him.


    "It should be regarding the Academy Festival Week that will be taking place in a month." She said, her gaze fixed on Taph while the others listened in.


    "Huh? Is that an assumption, Berry? Why would they emit us from the conversation if it''s going to be about a festival". Ruth asked with a sarcastic tone in her voice. "You sure you''re not talking just for attention right now?" She said mockingly while Monica giggled next to her.


    Raph watched them quietly, but he couldn''t be bothered by childish tantrums at the moment.


    "That would make sense. The Festival Week is usually held right before the C.A.T". Mathias said while he adjusted his glasses. "First years usually don''t partake in conversations about Academy celebrations; we mostly just do our part". He added after a short moment.


    ''Oh, well, aren''t you just knowledgeable?'' Raph thought with a sarcastic tone, but he was right.


    Looking away from the students, memories of his previous life began to flood in.


    ''Indeed, it is that time of the year. The Festivities just before the C.A.T and then a month later will be time for our Examinations''


    The festivities were a way of welcoming the new year students. Featuring a range of sports and entertainment activities, as well as Classroom events and Social Festivities.


    It was a fun period of getting to know one another.


    ''In fact, it had another name, the Festivities of Love''.


    Raph chuckled at the thought, recalling how students professed their love in the heat of the festivities.


    ''Oh, who knows, maybe I can help Darell with this crush of his....whoever she is''. He thought when a piercing laughter snapped him from his thoughts.


    "A festival? Please don''t just go and conclude by what Berry said" She turned towards Mathias with a wicked snarl on her face. "Or what? You want to be their dog too?" She asked, her tone laced with venom.


    Mathias stared at her, and then glanced at Raph and Alicia before looking away. "Yeah, not worth the stress".


    Ruth nodded in satisfaction, turning towards Raph. "You know, if I was in the Gold class, then I would have shut you down the moment you attempted to bare your fangs". She said with a snarl while she glared at Raph. "Javier may have chickened out, but I certainly won''t".


    Raph stared at her for a moment, his thoughts lining in order. ''Should I?'' He wondered, but for some reason, he couldn''t find a good enough reason to latch out at her, so what did he decide to do? Well, nothing really.


    He looked away. "Monica, your Deputy is crossing a line. Don''t insult my class or my classmates". He said.


    The least he could do was alter a word of warning or advice.


    CLANG.


    A propulsion of air blasted downwards and dispersed into the atmosphere as the students present watched the scene with dumbfounded expressions and bulged eyes.


    ''Wha¨CWhat?'' Alicia thought in shock while she stood behind Raph, her gaze shaking from the sight.


    ''How....How could this be? Are you saying that he is that talented already? Isn''t he supposed to be in our age group?''


    Raph was currently still in his position, but his right hand was in the air, his finger stopping the attack of the trembling GreatSword that was still held in Ruth''s hands.


    "Im¨CImpossible" Ruth muttered in shock while she was stuck in the air, her arms trembling as she relentlessly attempted to pull the sword away from his grasp. Though, it proved difficult.


    "Hm, Hm" Someone''s voice cut through the air, snapping everyone back to reality as they quickly turned towards the entrance of the 5th-year Lecture Theater.


    Raph slowly dropped Ruth, while the others quickly organized themselves as they bowed to the two students in their present.


    "Go¨CGood day, President". They chorused while Raph remained fixed on his position while he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    After all, it would be weird to give respect to him after all this time.


    "Hah, Hah, Kids these days". The calm and collected voice was quite familiar, in fact, just a lot more mature than five years ago. Yes, that''s right, Phestus Greehorn and his assistant, Rebecca ,Jun stood in the presence of the Year One Class Prefects and their Deputies.


    "Isn''t that right, Vice President?" Phestus asked with a bright smile while Rebecca glanced at the students, assessing the situation.


    She was lost in thoughts and had not replied until he tapped her, and she quickly snapped back towards him. "Um, yeah, that''s right, President," She said with a slight blush.


    Phestus laughed out once more with a bright smile on his face as he turned towards the students.


    "At ease kids" He said with authority in his voice and they all stood straight in unison, well, all except the one student that decided not to bow.


    "I heard your dispute; The Gold Vice President and Bronze President were right though". He said with a chuckle.


    "Hah...we...we apologize, we had no idea, and just speculated tha"¨C "That''s alright, Ruth". Phesutus cut her off with a warm smile.


    ''Hahhhhh, the president knows my name!!!'' She cried out in her head as she looked away, towards the ground with her cheeks burning red.


    Phestus chuckled, recognizing this reaction while Rebecca glared at her while she stood behind him.


    "There was no need to start a fight over something that fickle, Ruth, and this is the 5th year Lecture Theater. Be reminded of where you are before you start a fight, understood?"


    "Yes sir!" They chorused, together with Raph who smiled in satisfaction. ''Hmm, they did a good job training him to what he is now'' He thought.

 Chapter 173- Introducing the Monitors and Deputies of Class Five, Four, Three, and Two.

    "Alright then, head inside; the other Class Prefects are waiting for you." President Phestus said with a laugh. "This year''s festivities are going to be really exciting so ensure you take notes and perform your roles, alright"


    He said as he turned away from their direction, and headed towards the pavement that led to the Hostels.


    "Yes Sir!" They chorused in unison, while Rebecca slowly observed them. She glanced at Raph, and then at Monica, and then at Raph again, and a sigh escaped her lips as she walked after Phestus.


    "Be careful, Raph" She said with a stern tone in her voice.


    Raph nodded in acknowledgment while the others stared at him in confusion. "Yes, sister"


    The others glanced at him for a moment and then at Rebecca, and then at him as if their head was spinning in trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle, and then it struck them like a lightning bolt.


    "The Vice President is your sister??!!!!"


    Raph laughed out loud while they headed to the entrance of the Lecture theater.


    ''Well, it''s no surprise they wouldn''t know''. He thought, a smile forming on his face.


    The Presidential Elections usually take place every Third semester, and they are currently just new students. They didn''t get the chance to know their names, and quite frankly, there wasn''t much opportunity to introduce them to the Student body.


    All they were aware of was how they looked, as well as their positions, but their actual names were never used in public.


    So, it was a real shock to the others when they thought about it, but they still weren''t even aware of their names.


    While the Year One Class Prefects and Deputies walked into the building, Alicia lost herself in her thoughts, and perhaps, so did all of them. Something bothered her greatly about the incident that just occurred, and not in the right way.


    She was currently walking next to Raph, while she bit her lips and lowered her head.


    ''The Vice President is a Jun? Or is this some sort of Non-blood related issue'' She thought in confusion, unable to piece anything together. ''What''s his relationship to the Vice President? And why is he so strong?'' She thought while she looked up at Raph, her gaze flickering with emotions.@@@@


    ''We might have to work on our plans''.


    The group of six finally found themselves in front of a door that led to the Gold Class Five class.


    The Lecture Theater was a little bigger than the previous, but other than that, it was all the same.


    It had the same number of seats, the same temperature regulation, and the same stairway that led to the Club rooms, all the same.


    However, it was currently pretty chilly in the Theater. Mostly because the seniors all had a skill that regulates temperature or some form of it.


    Raph and the others walked into the Gold hall to find familiar faces seated on one side of the room.


    Starting from the back, the 5th year Class Prefects. The Gold Class Monitor, Makinjen Jar, a Level 90 Dark Mage with a dark tone, long dreadlocks, and a goatee. He was currently seated with his hands folded and his stern blue eyes protected by round spectacles focused on the six figures that walked in. Next to him was his Deputy, Cynthia Flione, a female from the 7th Vassal house of Flione.


    Her appearance was similar to that of his mother, with white hair and blue eyes. She was a sophisticated beauty with unparalleled attention to detail, and a smirk formed on her face the moment she noticed Raph walk into the Hall.


    The Silver class was led by Monica Lorientt, sister to Marshall Lorientt, and a member of the 4th Vassal Family, Lorientt.


    She stayed in the silver class for the same reason as Mart Thrombone.


    She had the same color of hair and eyes as her brother, and her voluptuous figure was well hidden by her well-built muscles.


    Next to her was the assistant, Felicia Dreau, daughter of the Principal of the Academy.


    She had silver hair and eyes, and a calm demeanor permeated from her being. Her smile was captivating and so was her beauty.


    Next to them were the Class Three Bronze Class, mostly consisting of System users. The President was Timothy Ronin, a level 70 Ninja. It was said that he came from a family of known assassins, who had taken it upon themselves to choose the Assassin profession for generations.


    It was during his time that the first SubProfession was revealed, and he became the first ever Ninja Profession.


    His hair was wavy and black, and his facial features were blocked with a demon mask.


    The mask had four tusks, two at the top and two at the bottom.


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    Next to him was his Deputy, and fiance, Quinta Belwordt, a Level 65 Great Knight.


    She was known for her cute features and lively demeanor, as well as her cold-blooded nature in carrying out gruesome actions. She had red hair and dull bright red eyes.


    They were the most popular couple on campus and were nicknamed ''Match from Hell.''


    Lastly would be the Second year, starting with the Gold class. The Class Monitor would be Rita Vinci, how she got the position despite her shy nature was always a wonder to Raph.


    Her Deputy, on the other hand, was far from shy; in fact, one might say his boldness was too grand.


    He was Carl Dunham, a Level 65 Beast Warrior. He had a wild demeanor with his brown hair and bloodshot red eyes.


    Though he seemed rough, he was quite well-mannered when relating to his seniors and strong peers. A reason why he respects his Class Monitors despite their contradictory nature.


    Next would be the Class Monitor and Deputy of Class Two Silver. Forzlz Luke and Florjin Quirin. Luke was a Level 60 Knight, while Quirin was a Level 60 Lightning Mage.


    Luke had long ash hair and eyes, while Rokan had yellow hair and eyes.


    Lastly would be the Class Monitor and Deputy of Class Two Bronze. Amelia Locks, a level 60 Great Knight had light brown hair and firm brown eyes. She exuded diligence, and a will to lead from her being as she silently waited for the students to take their seats.


    Her Deputy, Mayo Flimenarian, was a level 50 Guardian. He had a round, masculine figure, a small face, and bushy black hair. His eyes seemed closed, but his sight was clearer than most.


    The twenty-four Students sat silently while the six Class One students took their seating position at the front row of the seat, where they faced two members of the Student Body Council.


    Thalia Jun, the treasurer, and Tiffany Kane, the secretary.


    Thalia sighed as she said. "Alright then, let us proceed with the meeting".

 Chapter 174- Prefect Meeting 2

    As the clouds hovered over the skies, blocking the ambience beams of sunlight from permeating through to the surface of the Academy, the Sun hovered slowly.


    It was late afternoon when the Class Prefects of each class had gathered to have their Meeting.


    The host of the meeting this time was the Student Body Council, unlike every other occasion that was usually led by the Class Five Gold Monitor and Deputy.


    Thalia and Tiffany stood in the presence of the Class Prefects as the atmosphere grew tense and cold.


    Partly from the absence of the Sun''s light and Mostly from the humidity and cold temperature of the Lecture Theatre interior.


    Thalia sighed, as she began


    "Shall we proceed with the meeting then?" She said, gaining their rapt attention.


    "Um! May I ask why the Student Council is getting involved this time!" A loud, boisterous, masculine voice echoed within the Hall as all attention shifted to him.


    Carl Dunham smiled wildly in response to the attention he got due to his question.


    "Well, we will get into that in just a minute, but I best tell you some rules before we start," Thalia said, adjusting her glasses as a scowl formed on her face.@@@@


    Carl shrugged his shoulders and leaned back, his smile remaining fixated while Rita Vinci uncomfortably shifted from him in embarrassment.


    "Firstly, if you want to speak, then please, endeavour to raise your hand. This is an academy for students, not animals. So, ensure you do, Mr Carl Dunham". She said with a stern tone in her voice, while the boy chuckled before nodding in reply.


    "Will do ma''am" He said.


    "Alright then, I''m sure you all know our names by now, but just because of the new students, I will begin by introducing ourselves," Thalia said, her gaze flickering over to Class One.


    "I am the Treasurer, Thalia Jun....and here with me is Tiffany Kane, the Secretary of the Student Body Council"


    Her words came like a lightning bolt to the First years, who glanced at Raph in bewilderment while he smiled from ear to ear at their reaction.


    ''What can I say? The Jun''s are well vested in leading the masses, '' He thought with a satisfied nod.


    He could recall his eldest sister Gloria going for the president position during her time and winning, while Fiona became her Vice.


    The following year, Fiona simply took over as president, and their tenures were always one of the best and most peaceful.


    ''Though Rebecca isn''t the type to take Political positions, I''m sure Phestus convinced her otherwise, and their tenure would be as smooth as the others''. He was well convinced of this.


    "Then, we should begin by stating our reports, has there been any issue with classes, perhaps the lecturers as well?" Thalia asked, grabbing the attention of the Class One Prefects, who had been staring at Raph in bewilderment.


    "Lecturer Katherin is at it again" Mart Thrombone spoke up next.


    ''At it again?'' Raph thought in confusion as they turned their attention towards the green-haired bulky man. ''....He''s huge....and he looks familiar''.


    Raph squinted his eyes while his brain worked in overdrive, trying to recall where he last saw his face, and then it slapped him right in the face.


    "Right? What right do a bunch of younglings know anyway?" Markinje said with a click of his tongue.


    "Hah, I wouldn''t say all of them are younglings". Cynthia giggled while she turned towards Markinje.


    "Yeah, I think Raph would be much of a fighter than you," Yaya said to Cristopher while the latter stared at a particular girl the whole time.


    "Take that back". He said, snapping to the present from her taunts.


    And in the next, what? 5 to 10 seconds later, the class became rowdy. Their loud voices and laughter were enough to drive any Lecturer in charge to the verge of madness.


    ''Yeesh. It''s noisier than last time'' Raph thought while his gaze remained on Thalia. ''Oh, they are biting much more than they can chew''.


    "Silence!" Thalia''s voice pierced through the wall, reverberating within the Hall and shutting off all voices.


    Their gazes flickered as they returned to their posture, calming the urge to retaliate.


    Thalia sighed after what seemed like ten seconds and then turned towards Ruth, who jerked in fear at the sight of the Treasurer''s stern gaze.


    "What is it, Ruth Balsey? And if you speak without raising your hand first. Then there will be a new Class One Silver Deputy".


    Raph could hear the girl gulp, and she didn''t seem to be the only one startled.


    Alicia had been seated next to him, and he had brought it upon himself to observe her reactions throughout the meeting.


    "It¨CIt''s regarding Raffaelo Jun''s tyranny over Class One" Ruth replied, withholding the urge to pee herself in fear of her gaze.


    A moment of silence descended upon the Classroom, followed by loud sighs and clicking of tongues.


    "If I ever got a gold coin for the number of Students that have complained about the Jun''s strength" Cynthia said with a loud giggle. "Remember when Mart wanted to challenge Rebecca?" She giggled further. "Damn, did he get his ass whooped.....literally".


    Mart sighed in designation while Bruno clicked his tongue. "Oh yeah, Markinje did the same, and he got his ass whooped twice as hard". He snapped in annoyance.


    "Well, yes, that was my mistake". Markinje said with a low tone while he hid his face in embarrassment.


    "Don''t worry about that; no one remembers it anyway" Cynthia said while she petted the boy.


    Ruth stared at her senior''s reactions in shock, her eyes flickering in disbelief, while Monica, sitting next to her, simply stayed in her position, her body tense with emotions.


    Thalia sighed as she looked over to Ruth.


    "If you have any issues with him, then ask for a duel. There''s nothing wrong with beating up tyrants right? It would be wonderful if you could beat him for me too.


    His haughtiness precedes him".


    Raph chuckled in his seat. ''Oh, come on, sister''.


    Ruth blinked furiously as she glanced between Thalia and the whole Class, her head making sense of it all. ''Enh?''.

 Chapter 175- Bonds Over Conflict

    "Now that we got that settled, can we start with the main goal of the day!" Thalia said, as they slowly regained their composure. "Alright, Tiffany"@@@@


    Tiffany nodded as she walked towards the board of the Classroom. She brought out a maker and began to write down on the top corner of it, and it read.


    "Homeric Academy 65th Festival!"


    Tiffany nodded in satisfaction at the artistry of her writing as she turned towards the class.


    "The first thing we need is a theme". She said, her voice calm and small, contrasting with her Amazonian appearance. She had dirty brown hair and sparkling golden eyes.


    "Well, if you ask me I think we don''t need a theme". Yaya said with her hand raised. "We never go through with it".


    "True, she has a point," Cynthia nodded in agreement. "but, sadly, a theme is necessary dear"


    Yaya glanced at Cynthia, her smile forming a smirk before turning towards Thalia. "Our last festival wasn''t the best".


    "That''s for sure, we''ve seen better," Felina nodded in agreement. "The theme wasn''t even followed through".


    "Last year was a failure because our president at the time...was a war fanatic".


    They all nodded in acknowledgement.


    "The one person I did not want to fight despite being a system user" Carl said in a fit of laughter.


    "Well, yes. This time will be different. The festival is the one event the Academy lets us choose. We should make it memorable as we always do" Thalia said with a side glance at Carl that caused the boy to flinch in embarrassment.


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    "Thaly as a point" Cynthia giggled while Yaya sighed.


    "So what are we choosing? We usually go by the mood of the Academy, I think we should do the same this time around". Yaya said.


    ''The mood of the Academy?'' Raph thought, his head spinning in overdrive at the thought. ''Is there....is there a way we can fish them out?'' He thought before raising his right hand in the air.


    They all turned towards him while Thalia raised a brow and nodded.


    "What exactly do you mean by following through with the theme?" He asked.


    Thalia furrowed her brow. "Every Academy festival, we have a theme, sometimes love, other times magic and swords, but what we celebrate and how we celebrate it is influenced" " she explained as Tiffany walked forward with a smile.


    "Let me give you an example," She said while they turned towards her. "Yes, so let''s say the theme is Love. Then what do we do? We celebrate it and encourage people to partake in it.


    We perform various activities as well, but the majority becomes this...do you understand?" Tiffany asked.


    Raph nodded. "Then, how about Bonds as a theme?" He asked with a raised brow.


    "With a theme and theme name, then what comes next is our roles, festivities as we know it takes a lot of preparations". She said, "And so, we will begin in earnest".


    "It''s the same as before No? Each Class would have something to present on the day of the festival?" Yaya asked.


    "Well, yes, there''s that. But we should also plan other activities that could foster comrade". Thalia said.


    Monica Lorientt raised her arm and Thalia nodded.


    "How about a Mixed Sword and Magic Combat Tournament?" She asked, and that gained the whole attention of the Class.


    She continued with a smirk on her face. "The festival goes on for a week, and we''re allowed to bring two guests. Wouldn''t they be bored with just the usual?" She asked though the question seemed rhetorical.


    Then she continued.


    "We should have a separate Magic and Sword Tournament for each day, and on the final day, we''ll have five teams of Magic and Sword battle it out for the win".


    "That sounds good, Monica, but what would motivate these kids to fight that long?" Joo asked with a raised brow.


    "Obviously, Resources" Felicia interjected. "Everyone wants a quick growth, and we can promise the first three teams just that".


    "Oh, now I''m interested as well," Cynthia said with a giggle.


    "Coming from the principal''s daughter, that is a bold statement. Will you be able to handle that?" Thalia asked.


    Felicia simply shook her head as she said. "Nonsense, why wouldn''t I be able to get something like that from Daddy? please do not underestimate my authority". She said with a prude tone in her voice while Monica sighed next to her.


    "You realize how proud you sound just now, right?" She asked her friend.


    "D¨CDid I? I apologize" Felicia said with a startled tone.


    Thalia smiled, glancing at Raph as she said. "Not to worry, I''ve seen worse".


    ''Okay....now that''s just mean'' Raph thought with a wry smile on his face. Though, he wasn''t hurt in any way.


    "Do we have any more interesting ideas that we would like to share?" Thalia asked, and a good number of hands began to rise in the air.


    ''Oh boy, this will take a while''. She thought with a sigh as she pointed at Adam Teras.


    So, the Meeting continued without a fracture of an issue, as they stated their ideas and plans, as well as the goals they set for their classes to make.


    All this time, Thalia listened to all of their ideas, while Tiffany wrote down the ones they approved.


    This continued for hours until the clouds were stained with a crimson hue while the sun descended into its slumber.


    "Alright then, we''re dismissed".


    The goals had been set, the tasks were shared, and it was finally time to dismiss the meeting.

 Chapter 176- Alicias Secret

    At the end of the meeting, the Class Prefects walked out of the building in groups. They had mutual conversations about their lives and topics of similar interest with each other as they did so, a testament to the friendship that existed between them.


    Well, while most left, some still lingered behind. Some of these students were Raph, Mart, Thalia, and Alicia.


    Alicia only remained behind because Raph had not yet left, but with the silence that began to settle in the room, she began to feel out of place.


    It was around this time, when the clock ticked noon that the Magic Lamps of the Lecture Theatres turned on when there was a student or were students still inside.


    So at the moment, the four figures remained in their positions, until Raph turned towards Alicia.


    "you can go with the rest; I still have something to talk about with my sister", he said.


    She glanced at the other two students and then at him, before nodding, standing and walking towards the door.


    While she did so, Raph stared at her for a moment, his thoughts lined up in order.


    ''Alicia.....I didn''t notice it all this time, but she''s suspicious''.


    He looked away with a sigh. ''but then again, there are a lot of unknown situations going on in the Academy''.


    Thalia glanced at the two males, before casting a silent spell. "I''ve put up a Noise cancellation dome," She said, staring at Raph. "Well then, I''m sure we stayed behind for a similar purpose....we need to bait this System Cult that has been going on within the Academy premises....I believe we stayed behind because we have an idea of how to handle the situation".


    Mart nodded. "Yes, I do".


    With a smirk, Thalia placed her hand on the desk in front of Raph as she said. "Well then, spill".


    ****


    Time continued as the sun''s rays diminished from the clouds, and instead, an ethereal white hue began to take its place.


    The moon''s luminance was a testament to its old beauty, while it lay its shadows upon the earth.


    A figure walked out of the Class Five Lecture Theatre, stretching her body in the moon''s afterglow.


    Her silver hair glistened with the luminance of the moon.


    She took a deep breath as she walked towards the pavement that led to the hostels, her thoughts lining in order.


    "What? You don''t want to talk? Sure, why not? It''ll be easy to get you expelled from the academy" Javier said with a smirk while she slowly eased her anger.


    ''Fuck! He''s the bastard that set me up!'' She thought, but she slowly gave in to her fate. "You...you want to know what we talked about?"


    "Um, yes, but not just that, obviously," Yon said, with a sarcastic tone. "What did you find out about Raph, have you seen any weakness? Has he messed up in any way?"


    Alicia shook her head. "He''s usually busy with either Club activities or Class Prefect duties. He doesn''t have the time to break school rules or mess up". She said with a sigh. ''Maybe I should be grateful for that. Raph seems like a near-perfect being....someone I could never get with all the money in the world''.


    Javier sighed. "He''ll give in eventually. He''s a boy like every other, and someone as rash as him will mess up in one way or the other". He said. "but, you better be there when he does, and make sure you record everything up till that point".


    "Rash? Raph is anything but that" Alicia said with a raised brow. Javier, surprised by her words, stared at her with curiosity. He glanced over at his friends and then at her before walking forward towards her.


    "You better not be getting sick with me, Alicia. Raph is an enemy of the System Users and the Vassal Alliance. Don''t you forget that". He said with a mocking tone as he used his finger to hold up her chin, forcing her to stare into his cold black eyes.


    "Don''t you know what you have done? Do I need to remind you who helped the King in forging those accusations? What don''t you understand?"


    She bit her lips, cursing under her breath at the helplessness she felt, but then again, she needed to make it as real as possible. "it was a mere compliment, don''t get so upset over one little thing, or what? Are you jealous, Javier?" She said with venom in her voice.


    ''So What? Raph is by far smart enough to know the Berry Household is involved as well, that isn''t something to be scared of''.


    She needed them, for now, to accomplish her grand task, but yet she despised it. The feeling that comes when someone acts superior to her when they are nothing. The feeling of being inferior to another, when that another is simply another.


    It had haunted her for years while she lived in her Mansion, entrapped from the world in a place where she had to surpass the last. But there were far too many last, and each time she surpassed one, a greater one came into play.


    It haunted her, encircling her, breaking her mind, in ways that were hard to understand. She began to grow smarter and more cunning and with time, she became the last.


    A family where the best child takes all became a haven for her because she would take no small step in achieving what she wanted.


    And yet, a boy whose words calmed her broken mind and the heart she had locked away into a light that was too bright. Something that was too fascinating to let go, no, she did not bother trying to let it go.


    The suffocating sensation began to turn sweet, and her breathing became haggard as she resumed walking to the hostel. At that moment, as her expression warped, and her hormones swept into overdrive, she made up her mind, once and for all.


    "Raffaelo Jun is Mine".


    Why wouldn''t he Be? After all, if his words were enough to calm her broken mind, then what would his actions do? Oh, she wanted to find out. She wanted to find out badly up till the point where liquid of hormones leaked down her legs and her body was heated to the point of bursting.


    It was too difficult to say no to that. "I will get all of him".

 Chapter 177- Tiara Gold

    Raph POV


    It''s just another normal day, well, up till this point, I guess.


    "Alicia Berry! You are an inadequate leader, and I ask for a duel to take your place as the Class Deputy!" A black hair girl said, her voice echoing within the Class as soon as the lecturer stepped out.


    I was seated in my usual spot with Elsie, who was busy having a nice nap next to me. At the moment, we were done with the last class of the day, or at least, that''s what I thought until now.


    With a raised brow, I stood up from my desk.


    "Um, who exactly are you? And with what right do you have to do that in class?" I asked with a raised tone, catching the attention of my classmates.


    ''Well, I have to do something about this....if not more students would be daring enough to challenge even me!''.


    The girl looked up at me, bowed and then turned towards Alicia, who had been seated, minding her own business until now.


    She never really talked with anyone, and most of the girls she communicated with were from the Vassal household or our classmates attempting to help the stock-up Prefect, or so I heard.


    "Alicia Berry is unsuitable to help you, let me serve you rightly!" She proclaimed, and white frankly, I was spooked


    ''The fuck does she mean by serve? What am I, a Prince?''. I thought when I noticed a particular princess giggle.


    I turned towards the direction to find Princess Meadow looking up at me. "If Alicia agrees and the battle proceeds, then that has nothing to do with you, Mr. Raph". She said,


    ''Hm....this is complicated'' I thought while I glanced at the Class. It seemed like everyone was just as startled as I was; in fact, most seemed extremely shocked.


    Well, one did. I noticed how Darell was practically fussing in his seat while Jane tried to calm him down.


    ''When did they get so close?''


    It was always a question that bothered me, but I quickly shoved the thought aside. ''Someone daring enough to challenge my deputy. MY! Deputy''.


    "Alicia, you don''t have to listen to this girl. You''re doing plenty enough as it is".


    "No! Savior!" the black-haired girl cried out as she snapped at me, her gaze piercing through mine, and for some reason, I heard something click in my brain.


    ''Saviour?! Where did I last...hear.....that....no way..'' I thought as my gaze drifted to Darell, who was staring right back at me.


    It was then it hit me like a lightning bolt.


    ''There were three figures that joined us this year, but I heard one had not resumed until just yesterday''.


    Two of the three unknown figures so far were Sophia and Elsie Darkpelt, but who was the third female?


    ''Not just that, who has Darell been fussing over all this time?''.


    "Ti¨CTiara?" I called, and the black-haired girl looked up at me from the steps, her golden eyes glistening with delight....or so it seemed.


    A smile formed on her lips as she turned towards Alica yet again.


    "What will it be, Alicia Berry?"


    Alicia seemed unperturbed, though; in fact, she had not paid attention until I called her name. And now, Alicia was staring right at me, exuding a feeling that she seemed to try to suppress.


    ''...is that jealousy?''.


    She took a step back in defense. "What?" She asked.


    "You''re a 7th circle yourself, you''re also not a mage". I replied. ''I don''t get where she gets the audacity to judge them''.


    She glared at me, before walking away with a click of her tongue.


    ''The fuck was that?'' I turned towards Darell and Jane, and their expressions caused my brows to furrow deeply. "The fuck you looking at?".


    They both shook their heads in unison with a click of a tongue. "He''s not gonna get girls anytime soon".


    "Yeah, maybe Elsie was a miracle itself".


    "Hmm! A miracle indeed". They nodded right after in unison.


    ''The Fuck?!''.


    BOOM!.


    The loud explosion caused us to turn towards the Sparring Ring as the loud cheers of the students increased.


    "Is that all, Alicia Berry?! You can not serve the Monitor this way!". Tiara said, holding a metal magic staff with iron rings and a red diamond at the top.


    She spun it around and aimed it at Alicia.


    "5th tier spell: Rising Boulders".


    The Arena vibrated as chunks of earth protruded out with her command, tall and bulky, it blasted out of the ground towards Alicia within the blink of an eye.


    Alicia flipped out of the way by manipulating the wind around her, a minor magic enhancement to enable smooth motion.


    She hovered over the Sparring Ring, swinging her wooden magic staff before pointing it at Tiara.


    "6th tier spell, Ice Spear".


    A gust of cold wind exuded out of her intricately designed staff, and its blue diamond glowed with a cold hue as the gust of cold air formed five ice spears, different in shape but long and sturdy as any other.


    It projected towards Tiara within a heartbeat, but Tiara stabbed her staff into the ground, causing the floor to rumble as a wall of earth formed into a dome of rock.


    "5th tier spell: Dome of Earth".


    An ice spear blew into shards on impact with the dome, but not without leaving a large dent on the surface of the dome.


    It quickly patched up before another blew it open, then another and soon the third blew the dome into bits of dust and earth.


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    The remaining two stabbed into the ground, causing a chill to spread in the form of ice over the floor.


    A gust of white cold dust dispersed into the air, and the sounds of the Students slowly died down in realization.


    My eyes flickered in surprise as well. ''Who taught her that?'' I wondered while Alicia searched the Sparring Ring for her.


    For a moment, I thought I noticed a satisfied smile, well, before the ground below her split open and an iron magic staff protruded out with the trunk of her body.


    "5th tier Spell: Water Burst".

 Chapter 178- Alicia Berry Vs Tiara Gold

    NORMAL POV


    "5th Tier Spell: Water Burst".


    Tiara''s iron magic staff stretched through the air as its ruby gemstone glowed red while droplets of water began to form at the tip of it, twirling and spinning into a moderate-sized mass and then shooting out like a missile towards its target.


    At almost the same time, Alicia cast a dome around her, her mana swirling within as the projectile of water burst into smaller droplets on impact, but the force pushed her backwards towards the edge of the Sparring Ring.


    She cursed in annoyance, as she stretched her staff forward.


    "6th Tier Spell: Ice spikes".


    The ground shook beneath her as a wave of ice shards protruded to her command. Spreading towards the other end of the Sparring Ring within seconds.


    Tiara had quickly resurfaced, and on noticing the encroaching spikes of ice, she slammed the butt of her staff to the ground.


    It clangs with a loud metallic tone as the earth protrudes around her, forming a shield of her own.


    The ice spikes broke into the earth dome, spreading its cold nature to the rest of the earthy structure, but as soon as it began to encroach its presence in her dome, she quickly made a way through the back and broke out of the protection, her gaze determined as she jumped upwards into the air while the ice spikes continued to consume the space of the Sparring Ring.


    She spun her staff in the air,


    "6th tier Spell: Ocean Landing".


    A dome of water formed by the gathered particles of water droplets suffused her body while she was in the air before it burst open on landing, causing a great magnitude of water to overflow to the surface of the Sparring Ring, breaking the ice spikes apart while it spread to the end of the Ring.


    She charged forward towards Alicia, who was blocking off the incoming ton of water that would have swept her off the Sparring Ring.


    The water pushed her back further, but she continued to resist, stretching her hands forward and her staff with it. "Uhhhh!" She groaned as she caused ice to spread through the water, turning the incoming flow of water that had long since grown larger than her height into solid ice.


    "No more wasting time, Alicia".


    Tiara''s voice rang in her ears as she looked up to find the end of a staff slapping her against her cheek.


    She cursed as she pushed through the ice, causing a crack to spread through the layer of ice and distorting the surface that Tiara had used as leverage.


    She yelped as she jumped backwards while the layer of ice broke down, scattering away from the Sparring Ring onto the floor.


    Some students had to back away from the incoming shards of ice as they broke and splattered into tiny bits that flew in my direction.


    But even with the commotion it caused, the two girls still seemed fixated on their battle.


    Tiara landed on the surface of the Sparring Ring once again, panting lightly while Alicia glared at her, her breathing haggard as well.


    "Why exactly are you doing this?" Alicia asked, her tone laced with annoyance.


    "8th tier Spell: Dome of Protection".


    A yellow dome began to form around the Sparring Ring, consuming the cold energy that emanated from it.


    She stared at the two attacks that were about to be projected, and she couldn''t help but reminisce.


    ''Is it a coincidence that Raph''s Deputy that he chose was an Ice element list like him.....''.


    Though Raph''s trait was similar, he was much more powerful as it wasn''t magic that he learnt, but a latent power that he was born with.


    Humans, nobles and commoners alike are usually born with a single affinity, but on rare occasions, there are those born with double affinities.


    The double affinities were the norm for the elves, but for humans, it was less than 0.45 rate.


    Triple affinities are even rarer, amongst both humans and demihumans of all kinds. Those born with the ability to manipulate three different elements were called prodigies.


    Finally, those born with quadruple affinities were less than 0.0001 and by far a difficult attribute to possess.


    Ciara was in this 0.0001% and her abilities far surpass any mage, so this fight may seem similar to a battle she once fought, but the efficiency was far from the same.


    The two girls locked unto one another, as a great vast amount of water and a disturbing gust of cold wind and energy permeated through the air.


    The clash could be borderline disastrous, and the difference in class would put Tiara at a great disadvantage.


    ''Someone has to stop this''.


    Ciara thought, her body tense from the decision she made. She knew magic the best, so she was the best choice in stopping this, but then again, she had nothing to gain from helping these two.


    In fact, she doesn''t even know them.


    It was during that mind-boggling decision that Raph rushed past her towards the Sparring Ring as the two attacks were projected at each other.


    Ciara''s eyes bulged open in shock as she watched Raph jump into uncertain danger in a heartbeat, but the attack had been projected. It was only a matter of time before it collided and exploded.


    Spells made from mana, especially elements, tend to blow up when the mana of which it is made up is disturbed, causing a catalyst reaction and then the explosion of Magic.


    Raph, who had run up ahead, was well aware of this. He had calculated his next move as well, as he jumped into the heat of the attack, startling the two girls.


    "Raph, No!" Alicia screamed out in shock, unable to stop the attack


    "Savior!" Tiara cried out with her hands stretched forward; she bit down on her lips as she contemplated her next move; however, on taking a glance around her, her gaze locked on Darell. And he shook his head profusely. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire


    ''So I can''t use it? Just because I don''t want to blow my cover'' She felt sullen at the choice she made. ''But....savior''.


    However, both were highly mistaken, for as soon as Raph landed on the Sparring Ring, a cold chill emanated from his lips while his eyes glowed with a crispy hue. He raised his hand in the air as said with a cold and devoid voice.


    "Everything is Ice".

 Chapter 179- Tiara joins the Club

    A cold aura emanated from his body as he slammed his fist against the floor of the Sparring Ring.


    "Glacier Spire".


    The Sparring Ring shook and vibrated as tall ice spires and snow mountains broke through the tough construct of the Sparring Ring, upwards into the air. It formed two blockades on either side of him, blocking the attacks from colliding and preventing the overlap of mana.


    Instead, the walls of ice and snow fell, blowing the attacks and dispersing them out of the Sparring Ring onto the fields.


    Raph remained fixed in his position, his hands still drilled into the floor while a large amount of water at his left and a cold chill of falling snow at his right began to disperse into the fields.


    The sound of gushing water and rushing snow filled the air, and a cold hue suffused the students despite the warm afternoon.


    Their gazes went left dumbstruck by the sight. Perhaps this was the first time seeing someone their age perform such an act.


    ''You would be surprised by the number of students that went for the Tournament of the Great Families''. He thought while he waited for the last bits to settle.


    Alicia and Tiara were left in a similar position to the students. A proper reaction could not be perceived since both were tired, though, Alicia seemed more tired than Tiara.


    Tiara seemed to be fixated on the tall heap of snow and ice that was formed within seconds just before her attack could collide, and perhaps a subtle reminder of the strength of the people that saved her from doom.


    Alicia, on the other hand, panted haggardly, mostly because she had expended more mana than she anticipated.


    It is always a rule for a mage to be careful of how much mana they spend in a battle when they are facing off against other mages.


    In a battle between mages, one''s mana circle and amount can define the victory. And from what Alicia had noticed throughout the Duel, she could tell something was up with this girl.


    ''She''s supposed to be a 5th circle?'' She thought, her gaze flickering as it looked up at the heap of snow and ice, and for a moment, her thoughts wavered.


    ''I heard he had an ice ability....but this goes beyond common sense, can mages pull this off as quickly as he did?'' She wondered, and while she was busy contemplating, the sound of rushing water and falling snow finally came to an end.


    Raph stood up straight and brought his hands downwards, causing the ice spires and snow mountains to crumble down and fall off the Ring.


    He had created it in a small size, unlike during the Tournament, just enough to stop the attacks from colliding.


    He glanced at the two girls with a sigh, scratching the back of his head.


    "There''s no point to this duel anymore, it''s obvious who could have won if this went on". He said, his gaze fixed on Tiara.


    His gaze caused a smirk to form on her lips. ''It''s good he knows that I would have won''. Tiara thought when Raph suddenly turned towards Alicia.@@@@


    "Alicia will continue to be the Class Deputy. She has proven herself well today". He said, and a startling silence suffused the Sparring Ring.


    Tiara''s eyes bulged open in shock, and for a moment, she found this difficult to believe. She clicked her tongue and began to stump forward towards Raph.


    "I request another duel". She said loudly when Raph glanced at her.


    Raph was slightly taken aback when he felt an ominous energy suffusing around him. With a sigh, he turned back to find Darell glaring at him, and he slightly raised his arms in defense.


    "What have you done to my beloved Tiara!" He asked as he walked towards him with a murderous glint in his gaze. "She doesn''t even smile like that at home. What did you do to her?!'' He grabbed Raph by the collar yet again, while Raph chuckled in submission.


    Tiara found this provocative, as her expression grew stern. She attempted to walk over to Darell when Jane spoke up.


    "Can we be serious, do you want to join our group?" He asked while the trio stared at him with puzzled gazes.


    Raph smirked, while Darell chuckled.


    "Wha¨CWhat?" Jane asked in confusion.


    "....You said ''our''," Darell replied while Tiara nodded as she replied to his earlier question.


    "Yes, I would like to join".


    It wasn''t the same as being his Deputy, but this will make do for now.


    She glanced at Raph one last time, before bowing as she said. "I look forward to having classes and club activities with you".


    Raph flinched, knowing what was to come but nonetheless, he nodded in reply as she stood up straight.


    "I will get to class now", she said, before walking away, leaving Raph with a very troubled silver-haired elf.


    "Um, Darell, you do realize it''s just a ''I saved her from death'' relationship, right?" He asked with a wry smile on his face as he stared at Darell.


    Darell clicked his tongue in annoyance as Jane walked up to him and grabbed him by his collar just as soon as he exploded in a fit of fury.


    "How dare you?! Let me at him! Fucker! I don''t want you to have any relationship with her, goddamnit!".


    Raph sighed as Jane pulled him away.


    "Alright, this is just childish, Darell. I don''t even like her, stop whining about a girl". Raph had a lot of goals in his life, but after finding out Mariam liked Louis, and figuring out that he had a 0 to 0.5 chance of actually being with her as he did in his past life, he decided to do away with any form of romance.


    ''But lately'' He thought, an image of Elsie appearing in his head. If he needed loyalty, then Elsie was the definition of it, but that wasn''t his main focus as of now.


    ''I guess Darell is at that age huh?'' He thought as he turned towards the Students cleaning up the mess.


    Canary was using a fire spell to melt down the ice, and the floor was being repaired and cleansed of its debris as well. ''How troubling, I wonder what the festival is going to be like when these kids are already fussing over love''.


    He walked up to the Students and joined in, using his trait and a fire spell to take care of the large chunks of ice. "Good work, people, let''s be done with this and get to class, Alright".


    "Yes, Class Monitor", They chorused as they went back to work.


    Raph looked up to the sky after a few minutes of constant de-icing. The warmth of the sun suffused him, and his smile widened. ''Yeah, this kind of normal school life is good too''.

 Chapter 180- Trip to the East

    And so the end of the Week came, and on a weekend like any other, Raph had plans. Or better still, a mission.


    About a week or two ago, the Princess had issued a task that he unwillingly accepted. There was no telling how dangerous a mission issued by the Princess would be and it involved a regal chain. Which made it more concerning, but he accepted it, and now, it was time to fulfil the task.


    He was currently in front of the Academy''s Portal, located at the entrance of the Academy.


    He had taken the necessary procedures and set his coordinates thanks to the Mages who acted as security and receptionists for the Portal.


    After all, it was a modified version that could teleport any living or non-living thing to any given place.


    And at that moment, Raph was about to be teleported to a particular village.


    He was putting on all black, and a dirty brown hooded cloak, and his gaze was fixed on the portal as it beamed to life thanks to the Mana infused by the Mages.


    The portal was layered on the surface of a large silver gate, with large chains forming a large circle over the portal sides. Besides the gate were the tall, concrete walls of the Academy, which spread throughout the diameter of the Academy.


    A spiral colour of white and gold formed in his retina as he heard the voice of the female mage that stood left of the portal.


    "Raffaelo Jun, coordinates have been set to Styl Village". She said, her tone laced with curiosity. "You may step in now". She glanced at the boy occasionally, while her cheeks turned red.


    ''He''s handsome....and a son of the Jun household?'' She wondered when Raph threw her a glance with a beaming smile.


    "Thank you". He said as he walked forward, towards the Portal.


    The female mage felt a pang of sweet pain in her chest as she looked away while the Male Mage frowned deeply at his reply.


    "Whatever purpose you have, if it is malicious then the Academy will be sure to treat you accordingly".


    Raph nodded, while he stepped into the portal. "Sure," he said when his senses suddenly grew disarray, and a small headache formed as soon as his body disappeared into the portal.


    It felt like his world was turned upside down, and his senses slammed against it, but as soon as the sensation overwhelmed him, it disappeared as well. Leaving him with the lingering sensation of his body churning.


    He clenched his abdomen when a pungent smell snapped him to the present.


    His senses began to return to him, ever so slowly. Starting with his smell, and then his ears, as he began to hear the loud chatter of a busy street, bustling with the lives of people and animals alike.


    And soon enough, his sight was returned to him.


    He looked up, raising his right hand to block the intensity from the cascading light of the sun, as he fully regained his composure.


    On his way to the main two-storey building, he observed the Merchants as well, his eyes glowing slightly each time he did.


    ''It seems like the Merchants are stocking up on food resources...''. The village may seem peaceful, but the situation was a little more complicated than that.


    ''Both countries had come to a standstill after the assault from my mother, but it seems that isn''t stopping the supporters of the East''.


    Something under and hidden was at work here, but right now, that wasn''t his concern. All he had to do was deliver the Regal chain to the man and bring him safely to the Kingdom.


    He walked into the building, pushing the wooden doors aside as he did so. His metal sole boots vibrated with the wooden floor and attracted the attention of the inhabitants of the building.


    The interior was like a cavern, with wooden tables and chairs, filled with large masculine males, and pretty females. Some were hidden with a form of clothing, while others boasted interesting scars that told the tales of their perilous lives.


    Mind you, this was not an Adventurer Building, but a Merchant''s Building.


    ''They said being a Merchant in Styl during the war was a call for suicide, and I can see why''.


    He ignored their intense gazes and the tension that hung in balance while he walked towards the Counter. He took a seat and placed his palms on it.


    "You seem new here". A female receptionist walked up to him, her long, blonde hair, bidding one of her pearl eyes.


    She welcomed him with a smile and a cup of water, while she scanned him, but sadly for her, that cloak hid everything from sight.


    ''She''s probably trying to gauge my level. They needed strong merchants during that time. He thought when he took the cup of water and took a sip.


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    "Yes, I am. I came looking for a job" he replied, his tone warped from his original.


    "A job? We don''t take new recruits".


    "....Can''t you make some room for one more?"


    "If it were really that simple" she replied with a smile. "I''m sorry, but you may have to find another way". She was about to walk away when Raph suddenly stood up, causing the girl to flinch as she turned around while taking a few steps back.


    "What did you think you were about to do?" A male voice echoed in Raph''s ears, as he felt the stinging pain of a blade pressed against his neck.


    A small smile formed on his lips, when he felt the presence of five people surrounding him with different weapons pointed at him.


    ''Yeah, you have to listen to me after this''.

 Chapter 181- Kael

    They say tough times call for tough people, and tough people call for tough circumstances. What happens when you threaten or attempt to threaten a room filled with tough people? Of course, situations like this occur.


    Raph slowly placed his index finger on the blade, his expression hidden from plain sight within the hoodie. "So, are you going to give me the job or not?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity, but the Receptionist could feel something else from it. Something eerie.


    "It''s like I said. We aren''t taking new recruits," She said firmly, standing her ground.


    ''Well, of course she did. Five level 70s are surrounding me....and there''s even more in the tavern.....this should be a safe place for anyone on their side...well until I arrived''.


    "Why is it So?" Raph asked.


    She furrowed her brow in annoyance. "I don''t have to reply to that. The rules are the rules". She said,


    ''....well, there''s no going back''. Rapj thought with a sigh. "I want to talk to your manager".


    "Oi! Kiddo!" The bully man who held a mace behind him called out, his large body forming a shadow over Raph. "You''ve been talking out of line for a while now. Do you want to lose your life?"


    Raph smirked but remained silent. ''They pretend to be cold, but deep down they just want to avoid trouble''. Raph suddenly kicked the back of his chair, causing it to strike the bully man behind him with a loud bang.


    The man groaned in pain when Raph suddenly ducked while pulling the dagger away from his neck at the same time. The dagger whizzed through the air, missing its target at the same time.


    Raph held the female assassin''s hand and pulled her towards him with great force. She yelped in shock, twirling her body in the air and sending a roundhouse kick from the back.


    At the same time, the two mages prepared a spell in unison, a water and fire ball forming at the same time beside him.


    Raph simply pulled her body to the Counter with a loud bang, twirled her through the air slamming the two mages away at the same time and flinging her body across the Tavern.


    He then spun around to his left, jumping into the air at the same time as a longsword was thrust towards his position, only to miss him by a hair''s breadth.


    He landed on the Sword, slamming it to the ground and kicking the man in a knight''s armor backwards.


    The man groaned in pain, releasing hold of his sword, while he glared at Raph in a fit of rage.


    Raph simply walked forward, and slammed his knee against his abdomen, sending a chill force of pain through his body, causing the man to stun in his position.


    Raph sent an uppercut through the air against the man''s chin, slamming him away and unconscious.


    He then turned to the bully man, who was still swept up in the pain and startled by the scene, unable to think of retaliating on time. And by the time he thought to do so, it was already too late.


    Raph reinforced his fist with aura and smashed it into the man''s face, the gruesome sound of bone breaking and blood spurting out echoed in the tavern. The man''s body fell limply on the floor, and with it were some teeth that came out his mouth.


    ''Well, no surprise here. After all, you needed at least eight 7-star swordsmen or 7 circle magicians to deal with an 8th star or circle''.


    Raph took a seat away from the broken part of the Counter.


    "Yes, I heard the Merchant Union was hiring Mercenaries. I''ve come long and far to help assist your cause" he replied.


    "Our cause? Do you even realize where you are?" She raised a brow in confusion, and perhaps curiosity. She was unable to read anything from this individual. Neither his intentions nor his level, but she could tell he was the real deal.


    ''He defeated five of my elites. You don''t see people his statues defeating five level 70s in a minute....he''s too suspicious''.


    "Yes, I do. And that is why I''m taking the necessary procedures; if not, I would have left for the East a long time ago," Raph replied. After all, this was a time of war. Volunteering for a trip to the east was like asking for a death threat. There was a fifty percent chance of not returning and another sixty percent chance of getting mixed up in the war.


    Of course, all this wouldn''t matter.....as long as you were on the western side of the war.


    ''But the Styl village Merchant Union wasn''t on the western side of the war, but the East''.


    "We still don''t take new recruits, and I can not bend the rule just because you seem strong".


    "I''m not asking you to bend the rules. Do you not trust me just because I seem like a Westerner?"


    "Well, your fighting style screams Western style. It''s a knight fighting style, isn''t It? We don''t trust you enough to give you an important task".


    Raph stared at her for a moment, then sighed. "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll report all this to the Kingdom? You are in Lumbrica''s territory".


    His words seemed to have struck a nerve as the mood in the building grew dark. Shyna, for example, did not take his words lightly, and neither did her subordinates.


    "The total number of Mercenaries in this building is one hundred and eight. Do you think you can leave here alive if I give the order to eliminate you?" the tone in her voice reduced and tinted with malicious intent.


    Raph chuckled. "Without a doubt".


    Shyna widened her eyes in shock, and for a moment, her lips curled upwards. She stood up and walked towards the stairs. "Lora, give him the job and prepare a pass for him as well".


    She instructed, startling the Receptionist.


    The Receptionist''s gaze flickered between Shyna and Raph. "Ye¨CYes, ma''am", she stammered, bowing at the same time.


    Shyna nodded in satisfaction before turning to Raph. "I didn''t get your name"


    Raph stared at her while his thoughts lined in order. ''wouldn''t want to tell them my real name.....well then, I''ll use...''


    "Kael"


    "Alright then, Kael. You better not disappoint".

 Chapter 182- Consume

    And so Raph''s first step of boarding a Carriage to the east had been fulfilled, under the disguise as ''Kael''. He didn''t have to wait long either, since there were some carriages already loaded and prepared for transport.


    After getting his pass, he waited in a guest room until he was called upon, and was now in one of said carriages.


    They had just left the Village and were now on their way to their destination.


    He was seated at the back of an open carriage, with five other Mercenaries. Luckily for him, he was already acquainted with them, though because of that, they had kept him at arm''s length the whole time. After all, who would want to befriend a stranger who walks into their territory and beats them hands down?


    Not like he cares, but their actions seemed childish and immature to an extent.


    ''It''s not my fault they stood in my way''. He thought, glancing at the people gathered. ''That wench probably did this purposely''.


    With a sigh, he looked away, taking a look at the entrance to the carriage.


    They were currently on the last line of five carriages heading to a rendezvous. The four other carriages were lined in front and were filled with the goods and the Merchants that were involved in the business.


    ''....It''s been a while since I''ve seen this much....sand''.


    He thought about observing his environment closely. The path to the east is known for its arid sights, stony mountains and Sandy terrains. It was like a desert, only a bit cooler.


    Tall pines and conifers stood beside the road, but beyond that, there was just sand and tall mountains.


    ''At least we won''t be facing bandits anytime soon''


    "Um....Kael was It?"


    A female voice echoed in his ears as he turned towards the source of the voice.


    A woman by the name of Azby, the level 70 Assassin, was staring at him with a wary expression.


    "You''re really from the west?" She asked, intrigue laced in her tone.


    Raph remained silent for a moment, observing the other''s reaction, then nodded in confirmation.


    "...Is that why you hide your face?" She asked, while Raph flinched, intrigued by her curiosity.


    Well, they couldn''t see his expressions nor his face, thanks to the enchantment on the Cloak, and this may have made them wary of him. A man who hides his face has a lot of secrets, they say.


    "Well, no. I would rather not reveal it if I have to" Raph replied. ''Of course, I can change my face Whenever, but why do I have to go through all that?''. He thought as he looked away from their direction.


    ''I have better things to think about anyways''.


    He had been scanning the environment since they left the Village, and though they had not crossed borders yet, he couldn''t help but feel something was amiss.


    ''Shouldn''t the path be littered with dead bodies by now?'' He thought.


    "Are you searching for something, Kiddo?".


    Perhaps they were surprised at his question, and perhaps they were not.


    Rodrick, for instance, chuckled in surprise.


    "You really do know nothing". He said, holding his abdomen while he laughed.


    ''Well....I know a lot more than you would think.


    Raph turned away as silence returned to the Carriage, as Everyone was left to their thoughts.


    For most, the war was merely daily news, but for most, it was reality. Not something they read from a newspaper but what they saw with their own eyes.


    "The Merchant Union...whose side are you on?" Raph asked, his tone low and laced with curiosity.


    The five Mercenaries glanced at him, and for a moment, a scowl formed on their expressions before they turned away.


    There was a tense silence that hung in the air until Azby broke it with a response.


    "The side that doesn''t consume".


    ''Consume?'' Raph thought, while a smirk formed on his lips. ''That''s exactly how you would describe the Kingdom''s current state. The Kingdom is being consumed''.


    "Sure".


    After that, they returned to their thoughts, leaving a threading silence in the air, and resolved hearts.


    ****


    Hours passed by, and the rays of the sun had begun to fade, a crescent light taking its former Amber counter.


    The five carriages had come to a stop after entering the woods, and the six mercenaries had exited from the Carriage.


    "Aaaaargh" Colyn groaned as he stretched his aching, bulging muscles. "How long till we reach Nenevre?"


    Azby took out a map as she watched the Merchants offload their carriages. "About three days. Would have been faster if we were going by ourselves".


    Criz, the level 70 Mage yawned while he adjusted his glasses as he said. "Yes, but we have a job. Should we take turns guarding the area?" He asked.


    "I don''t understand why we would have to guard. No merchant has reported an ambush for close to a month now" Rodrick clicked his tongue in annoyance as he stumped his feet on the dirt of the forest.


    While they were busy conversing, Raph was having a look at the place. It had been a while since he felt this much freedom and for a moment, he thought he could bask in it a little.


    The trees were mostly pines and conifers, and the soil, though hard, still had traces of sand. He could see mountains at the far edge of the forest, and perhaps he could hear the sound of running water.


    It felt heavenly. The chirping of insects and the luminance from the moon, which seemed to grant him strength, all felt surreal.


    Perhaps it was thanks to his sensations that he was able to hear the sounds of the leaves rustling, and on looking up, the dark shadow that disappeared.

 Chapter 183- Trip to the East 2

    ''....we''re being watched''. Raph turned around and walked towards the other Mercenaries.


    "I will stand guard first", He said, startling the others as they glanced at him in unison.


    Azby raised a brow. "Um, Kael. That will be a little difficult" she said with a wry smile.


    ''Oh?'' Raph thought while his thoughts lined in order. He has an inkling of an idea of why they wouldn''t let him.


    "We don''t trust you", Rodrick stated with a bland tone in his voice. "Quite frankly, we don''t even need you. It would be best to act like you weren''t even here".


    Raph sighed. ''As I thought''.


    Do our differences matter right now? I think we''re being watched, and I am better skilled than most of you. Wouldn''t it be better to let me handle it?"


    Their expressions twisted in annoyance as he finished his statement.


    It became painfully clear that they didn''t like him one bit with their current expressions.


    Rodrick for one, seemed eager to start a fight as he was evidently fuming in anger while the others just stared at Raph with a bitter expression.


    ''What? It''s the truth. I learned some techniques in the Academy, and I beat them all in a minute. What can they do about it?'' He wondered. ''...and besides, isn''t it natural to leave things for the strong?''


    "Look, Kael. We appreciate your presence, we really do....but, we''re mercenaries ourselves. We can handle it just fine". Azby said with a sigh.


    There was a tense silence that hung between them for a moment until Raph sighed and walked away.


    "suit yourselves". He said as he headed towards the Merchants, who were setting up camp and preparing a meal.


    The five Mercenaries stared at his back as he left to join them, their gazes flickering with emotions.


    "I don''t like him; what was Shyna thinking?" Rodrick stated with a disappointed tone.


    "He''s such an Asshole...just because he defeated us once", The fire mage, Lucky, a female with black hair and eyes, said with venom laced in her voice. "We were caught off guard. That was it".


    "Well, honestly. The way he fought back with fluidity was kind of cool". Colyn said as he stroked his go area when his teammates gave him the stink eye.


    ''Where have I heard that before?'' He wondered, unable to pin it down. ''Definitely from my past life....somewhere across'' he continued his meal, unable to find it, the reason why the man seemed familiar.


    "won''t you introduce yourself?" Malen asked with a raised brow.


    "Oh, well, I''m Kael," He replied with a lax tone before turning towards the fire that danced brilliantly in the middle of the camp. He scanned the people gathered, noting down the people.


    "We have four loaded carriages, and there''s a total of six merchants..." He glanced at the boy who had been serving them "....including the boy".


    He then turned towards Malen. "Why are there so many merchants? Isn''t one enough?" He asked.


    Malen raised a brow. "You should have been briefed, right? But we''re not all stopping at the same point. There are different sectors that require these goods".


    ''I see. So more like units....the eastern empire was well prepared....but, no matter how well prepared they are, they can never defeat the King''. Raph thought while he looked away. ''That''s why they stretched the war for so long while damaging their resources''.


    "It''s a pity. The Eastern empire and the Western Kingdom can achieve so much more if they were to form a treaty". He said with a sigh.


    Malen glanced at him as a result, before a smile formed on his face. "Maybe, but strong people tend to want the same things. It would be difficult to keep a treaty between Societies controlled by greedy leaders".


    "Yes, it would have been best if one of them was wise enough to know all this is meaningless. And over What? Fight for land?" Raph clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Malen laughed out loud, his face staring at the st as he did so. "Yes. You are right. Both sides are wrong.....and that is why they should be joined".


    "What? Joined?" Raph''s gaze widened in surprise, as he glanced at the man, his thoughts lining in order. "What do you mean, join?"


    "The Eastern Empire and the Western Kingdom are not that much different. They need a sovereign leader who will bring peace, and maintain it for a long time. After all, humans are the superior creatures; it is only right we lead each other properly". Malen sighed before he continued. "The way they rule is wrong. There is no peace in conflict; neither is there peace in equality. Conflict will rise again and again until Humans come to accept it. There is only peace in autocracy and dictatorship. A man that knows what humans need, and gives it to them. That is what we need".


    ''This man... how he speaks....Why is it so familiar?'' He wondered when he scanned the man one last time.


    "Oops. Look at me, talking about nonsense again" Melen said with a light chuckle as he continued his meal, and it was then it clicked in Raph''s head.


    He noticed his rings and one of them looked too familiar, too ominous, and too subtle that he nearly didn''t recognize it.


    A blood-red color with a black dot in the middle. The eye of the Red-eyed Devil.


    He looked away and continued his meal, but he recognized him now. ''...this man is a member of the Red Peacemakers''.@@@@

 Chapter 184- Trip to the East 3

    It was midnight, and Raph was currently sleeping in a seating position on the carriage, or at least that''s what he tried to make it seem like.


    Unexpected situations were occurring, and it didn''t seem like it was going to tip anytime soon. He had a lot of things to think about as a result and was unable to put himself to sleep.


    He was so worried about Azby and the others and decided to remain awake while his aura was applied around the premises in case of intruders. He could have still used it even if he were sleeping, but the series of events coupled together made it difficult.


    In the carriage, sleeping beside him, were Colyn, Criz, and Azby.


    ''She isn''t sleeping though''. Raph could hear their heartbeat, as well as their breathing and he could tell that Azby wasn''t sleeping either.


    There was no telling when the enemies would strike so it was understandable. ''.....if they strike''.


    Slowly but surely, the night continued, the moon''s luminance glowing in the cloudless sky as an epitome of darkness cascaded down on the earth.


    Time continued, and so did their wait. After some hours, Rodrick and Lucky climbed into the carriage, waking Azby and Colyn as they prepared themselves for sleep.


    They switched roles, and the night continued, undisturbed and unperturbed until the brilliant rays of the sun began to drive away the darkness.@@@@


    The morning had come, and with it was the beginning of a new day. Raph slowly opened his eyes, a mixed feeling dwelling up within him. He frowned his face as he stared at the sky, recognizing the familiar Amber colors of the sun.


    ''They didn''t attack.....how disappointing''. He thought when he heard a thump behind him.


    Turning around with curiosity, he found the annoyed expression of Rodrick. "There were enemies, he said," he said with a sarcastic tone as his teammates slowly awakened from their slumber.


    "Don''t, Rodrick. It is too early for your disputes" Azby said as she walked towards the entrance with Colyn, who was yawning behind her.


    She turned towards Raph. "There was no attack, but there could have been enemies. We will continue to take watch like this till our destination".


    Raph stared at her for a moment, before sighing. ''It''s funny how an assassin is the leader of the group....but her decision-making seems to be better than some''. It could have been that or something else. ''Or she listens to rationality and not her emotions...that is good too''.


    "Now, let''s gather up and begin our journey. The merchants are already up and about" She instructed before walking away, while Raph and the others climbed down from the carriage.


    In the next thirty minutes, they packed up their things, put out the fire, filled up their bottles, and were once again on the road to the East.


    Some of the mercenaries had decided to stay in another carriage for convenience in case of an attack, while others, like Colyn, remained in theirs.


    The Jade Flower was like a dance, which, unlike the Flying Crane, was not fluid enough. You would have to stop, counterattack, as well as observe your opponents to perform the right actions.


    If one mistake is made, then an opening will result, and it will lead to your defeat.


    ''Combining the two is difficult....and stupid really as their cores are different....but supplementing them with my fighting style....this is bound to bring results''. All this, thanks to the eyes he failed to use in his past life. He could not have been more grateful for them than he was when he realized their true purpose.


    He continued his visual training while Azby watched from below as she walked next to the fourth carriage right in front of theirs.


    Rodrick was next to her, his arms placed listlessly behind his head. His gaze was elsewhere, and so were his thoughts.


    They were currently walking between two rocky slopes, and he could occasionally hear the sound of sand and rocks falling. His body was on high alert when Azby tapped him.


    He flinched, turning towards her. "Wha¨CWhat was that for?!" he whispered, screaming in shock, his cheeks turning red.


    "Hm?" Azby raised a brow in confusion before waving his comment aside. "Did you notice, since we left that camp, he''s been...meditating?" She asked as she turned towards Raph.


    "Oh? You mean that guy..." He clicked his tongue and looked away. "It doesn''t matter. You know this by now: we don''t need any of that; the system takes care of things like that for us". And then for a moment, his thoughts began to line in order.


    "Shyna said she couldn''t scan his level," he said with his right hand on his mouth.


    "Yes, and Neither could Lora" Azby said in confirmation.


    "So...it''s either that cloak that''s hiding his face is also hiding his level or..."


    ".....He doesn''t have a level at all". Azby completed his statement, and just the very thought left them speechless.


    They glanced at each other, trying to read each other''s thoughts, and perhaps an answer to their speculation.


    ''It was only a thought, but if that were true, it would mean this Kael, was a noble, or an imperial son....or even worse, a son of the Great Families'' Azby thought as she looked away, her head spinning with the series of events that had taken place so far. ''....Oi, that makes him really dangerous'' she thought when Raph''s voice snapped them to the present.


    "Hey, incoming at 9 o''clock," Raph said when a loud shriek reverberated in the air, snapping the people gathered into a state of danger.


    Their eyes scanned the environment to find the cause but for a moment, silence suffused the air.


    They attempted to identify it quickly, but a creature the size of a school bus rushed down the rocky slope by their left, its cry echoing in the air as it smashed into the second Carriage with great force.

 Chapter 185- Trip to the East 4

    "SCROARRR!!!!" Its cry sounded like the mix of a high-pitched screech and a trembling roar, sending a shiver of fear to all those who met its ugly face.


    The creature looked like something pulled out of a horror film with its long-shaped snout and feminine hair that cascaded down its long worm-like neck.


    It had a slippery, slimy tongue that seemed to refuse to get back in its mouth and its body was red and slippery, with oozing black liquids emitting from its eyes and a long dinosaur tail. It had six legs like an arachnid, with the first pair serving as its pedipalps.


    The creature smashed into the Carriage, pushing it to the other side of the road with a loud snarl, screeching in rage as it smashed its pedipalps into the carriage. The three horses neighed in pain as they were slammed into the ground without a care in the world while the Mercenaries were left in awe at the sight. The familiar-looking demon sent a cold shiver down their spines as the loud cries of the Merchants present in the carriage turned into a bloody mess of tears.


    "What are you doing?!" Raph cried out in annoyance as he pulled a longsword from his storage ring.


    He sprung into action before the others could even react to the situation, jumping over the carriages until he got to the creature.


    ''7th tier Demon: Walking Worms''.


    He thought as he slid his long sword through the appendages of the creature''s pedipalps, slicing it off its body.


    The demon snarled in pain as it retreated from the destroyed carriage, pulse and blood gushing out from its open wound.


    Raph landed on the side of the rocky peak at the other end, his sword glistening with blood as it formed a crimson arc through the air. He smashed his feet into it, projecting himself forward and sliced through the demon''s head in a full clean sweep.


    THUD.


    Silence followed as Raph landed on the ground, swinging his sword in an arc through the air to get rid of the blood, while the demon''s head landed next to him in the next second.


    ''Firstly the Red Peacemaker Bastard, and now this?'' He thought to himself when he heard footsteps approaching him.


    Turning towards the direction, he locked gazes with Azby and the rest of the mercenaries, their expressions filled with wariness. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "....What do you think you''re doing? Transfer the goods. We have to keep going!" he said as he walked towards the 5th Carriage, ignoring the gazes of the people that followed his action.


    Azby remained silent for a moment, the shock still lingering within her, but soon enough, she got over it. She glanced at her teammates and signaled for them to gather.


    "He just killed a Walking Worm, didn''t He?" Colyn stated, his voice shaky from the sight.


    "....that''s not what bothers me. He did it without a drop of sweat....like he was used to it. The way he targeted the limbs first, and then its head when it was caught off guard...he''s well vested in killing demons," Azby said with a sigh. Her intuition was one thing she relied on in her line of work, and it had proven its usefulness time and time again.


    "...I¨CI could have killed it too," Rodrick interjected, and his teammates glanced at him before continuing their conversation.


    "We should get the merchant''s body, and transfer the goods to a storage ring," Azby said.


    "Good. The sound of a Gate. Listen to it, and you will find the mastermind," He instructed, and for a moment, the two mercenaries were caught by their own words.


    Colyn glanced at Azby, and she looked at him.


    "Is that it?" She asked, and Raph nodded.


    She turned towards the Rocky peak and in the next second, her figure turned into a black mist and dispersed into nothing.


    "Alright then. That''s one thing taken care of. Shall we kill these stupid demons" Raph glanced at Colyn before taking off into the air.


    "Colyn, you''re an archer right? Focus on the appendages of the demons that Rodrick is attempting to kill". He instructed as he landed on the side of the rocky peak with a loud thud.


    His feet formed a crater beneath his figure and attracted some of the demons due to the noise, and without waiting for their response, he charged forward with lightning speed.


    ''Let''s see.....starting with the Flying Crane Footwork''. As he charged forward, his legs formed small craters that anchored his body sideways on the Rocky Peak.


    His gaze filled with determination, focused on the Demon that charged at him. It swung its sickle-like pedipalps through the air, forming a crescent arc aimed at Raph, but the boy stumped his right foot in the ground, spun his body through the air with the wind pressure caused by the force of his stump, and flipped right over the demon in a heartbeat.


    He landed at the other end and slid across the side of the Rocky Peak like a flowing dragon, slicing through the appendages of the beast as he slid under the mass of the demon.


    It screeched in pain when it was silenced by a sword that pierced through its snout as it crashed to the ground.


    He quickly jumped over another, flipping through the air and slicing the head of the demon as it rushed past him, and fell to the ground limply, splattering into blood and pus.


    He landed safely, and slid to his left, dodging a sickle and bent over as another formed an arc of death through the air past him.


    He held onto the rocky platform as soon as he lost balance, throwing his sword in the air at the same time as another swung its pedipal like a guillotine towards his head.


    ''Oh, how amusing'', he thought, spinning his body in the air and kicking the front pair of legs, causing it to tip forward and miss its target by a long shot.


    Raph then proceeded to acrobatically kick his sword upwards, preventing it from falling out of reach and pulled himself into the air.


    He grabbed the demon''s worm-like neck and pulled it downwards as he landed on the side of the Rocky Peak. He then proceeded to grab it over his head and smash it into the rocky peak, causing the demon to cry in pain as blood splurged out of its reddish flesh-like body.


    He then flipped over in the air, and flung the demon to the ground, causing it to burst into red flesh, blood and pus, before landing on the side of the Rocky Peak, smashing his feet into the surface to anchor himself.


    He grabbed his longsword before it fell past him and pointed it at the two demons that were already charging at him.


    "Come".@@@@

 Chapter 186- Trip to the East 5

    ''What exactly am I looking at?" Colyn thought as his gaze lingered on Raph while he held a silver bow. ''It''s like....like fine-tuned equipment, moving with such precision and strength''.


    They were still being chased by the horde of Demons, and most of his teammates had dispersed to the front to handle the demons that targeted the Merchants, as for those that followed from behind. He handled, or at least riddled them limbless.


    His silver bow was the shape of a crescent moon, and three holes perforated the groove, each time he pulled out the invincible strings, three arrows of mana formed and shot out at the speed of sound, striking their appendages, and uprooting it if the demon was unable to resist.


    The rest was taken care of by Raph, who was evidently enjoying himself in the slaughter.


    His sword was his musical baton, and his fighting style was a musical piece, telling tales of bestial strength and speed.


    He would kick them off when They were wide open, flinging them through the air until they splurged into blood and puss on the other side of the Rocky Peak.


    His sword would slice through their appendages like butter, and his fist sent waves of destructive force through their bodies.


    The numbers were numerous, but the speed at which Raph was handling them was faster.


    Colyn had witnessed the sight for himself and was even able to identify some of the movements he made.


    ''I feel like watching the whole thing'' he thought when the Coachman cried out his name.


    "Colyn. The merchants in front ate in trouble!"


    He snapped back to reality, stretching the invincible string as he turned towards the direction of the Merchants.


    Their carriages were still functioning, albeit a little banged up but other than that, Rodrick and the two mages were managing somehow.


    When the demons first appeared, it looked like thousands of spiders crawling down at them, and the sight of them was nearly overwhelming.


    ''But with Kael. We''ll survive''.


    He released the string and a loud whooshing sound echoed as it pierced through the appendages of a Walking Worm that got close to the fourth carriage.


    ''I need to take care of this as a whole''.


    He continued to draw his bow while the horses rode for their lives, pulling the carriages as fast as they could. His gaze was determined and filled with focus, as he attacked them as precisely as he could, but alas, the numbers kept increasing.


    Sweat began to cascade down his forehead, and his focus began to turn blurry. ''How long has it been?'' He thought when he looked up at the fourth carriage. The mages were still throwing projectiles of their elements at the demons to scare them off, while Raph from above ended their lives with his skill and precision, but the numbers that were reduced began to increase.


    ''We have to do something.....something drastic!''.


    He thought as he ran down the carriage and jumped into the air with might, his legs pulsating with power and might.


    The young man halted in his tracks, lost for words at their statement. He began to line his thoughts in order before turning towards the direction of Raph, his gaze flickering with unwavering anger. ''Why?! Why does he look like he''s enjoying himself when he''s killing so many of them? These demons would cost us our lives if we''re not careful'' He thought, as he observed Raph''s refined movements that caused a massacre on the side of the Rocky Peak.


    He was facing a lot of them, but he did not falter in his movements or his actions. All with a single purpose to massacre. This was a sight that all battle-frenzied individuals would want to see. The beauty of massacre.


    "Fine, but we''re going to need some help". He said with a sigh, lowering his longsword for a moment.


    Cruz and Lucky sighed. "You want to ask him, don''t you? But I feel like he''s occupied with most of it". Cruz explained as he adjusted his glasses while Lucky nodded in agreement.


    Rodrick chuckled. "Don''t you get it? We are way out of his league. I''m sure he hasn''t even shown us what he''s got".


    He walked towards the edge of the Carriage, his gaze on Raph. "Kael! Support please!". He cried out, and the boy in the black hoodie complied.


    Raph was in a state of battle frenzy as he slid and jumped through the side of the Rocky Peak. It was somewhat funny since he had been slaughtering this beast while standing sideways the whole time. Yet, this didn''t stop his focus and drive, as he was intent on killing them all.


    It was a sight of flesh, blood and pus in a gory harmony of death and pain of which the demons fell to the ground limply.


    ''He said he needed Support!'' Raph thought as a smirk formed on his face. ''Shall we use some magic then?'' He stabbed through the torsos of one of the Demons as it fell while jumping through the air, dodging a swarm of them that nearly encircled him.


    He clicked his finger while in the air, focusing on the demons below, and a red flame erupted to life.


    "7th Circle Magic: Flame Sparrow".


    The red flame enlarged in size in seconds, taking half the size of the demons that they were fighting against, and shot out with a fiery blaze in its trail until it crashed into the swarm closest to their Carriage.


    The floor erupted in a magnificent red color of flames and blew the demons to the sides, giving the fourth Carriage enough breathing room.


    Raph landed back on the side of the Rocky Peak and continued with his massacre, a cold chill exuding from his mouth as he charged forward at the creatures.


    While he fought, Cruz and Lucky stared at him in awe while Rodrick stretched his muscles in anticipation of the incoming demons.


    "Well, prepare it," He said with a sigh. ''A ridiculous swordsmanship and now Magic? This bastard....he''s a Magic Swordsman''.


    Cruz and Lucky flinched back to reality, as they pointed their staff towards the demons.


    They began to recite a chant, and magic circles began to appear at the front of their staff. In that short time, the demons had finally caught up with them.


    They were about to attack the carriage again when another fiery sparrow blew them away, giving Cruz and Lucky enough breathing space to complete their spells.


    By the time the other demons could catch up, it was already too late.


    "Expert Skill: Fire Volcano!"


    "Expert Skill: Water Hole!"

 Chapter 187- Trip to the East 6

    Azby reappeared from the shadow behind a tall boulder on top of Rocky Peak in a single motion. Her crimson eyes simmered as she glanced at the demons that frantically ran towards the edge of the Rocky Peak in carnage madness.


    Their loud footsteps echoed, sending vibrations through the mountain, causing cracks to spread through the surface of the peak.


    The sight alone sent a shiver down her spine, and her worry for her teammates became an urgency that drove her to act.


    She had a single purpose for appearing here, and that was finding the Mastermind.


    ''According to Kael. I''ll find the Mastermind as long as I recognize the sound.....''. She froze on her spot, her thoughts reeling in. ''How did he know about the Portals? It shouldn''t be known that they''ve started appearing....unless''.


    Step by step, she began to piece together what little information she had in hopes of finding or at least having a strong lead on his identity.


    ''....I don''t even know if it''s a male. It could be a she in disguise''.


    After all, they had not seen his face since they began their little trip to the east, and though it bugged her the whole time, she had decided to bear with it for the sake of her Manager.


    She sighed and closed her eyes at the same time. ''Well, let''s just do what I have to....the sound of a Gate''.


    There had been reports of gate openings recently, but this sort of information had been restricted to a certain number of people of the nobility.


    If such information were to get out, there would be panic en masse.


    How does one ''hear'' the Gates? Well, that would be simple. All you needed to do was nothing. Gates were notorious for intoxicating calls that drew all living things to themselves.


    For an unknown purpose, it had been doing this each time it appeared and was one of the reasons why villages or towns would disappear overnight.


    It calls humans on the outside and the demonic beings from the other side, drawing both races towards each other for an inevitable clash.


    Sometimes these gates stay one-sided, allowing humans to venture in prepared and return victorious, and thus clearing it.


    Other times, humans are not so lucky, and the Gates open from both sides, enabling demons the free reign to invade us.


    The sound of a Gate opening is simple and is said to be really effective in controlling demons.


    ''....that would explain why the demons are targeting the Merchants, but how Kael came about with such information....''. Well, she could come up with speculations, but they will remain nothing but that, speculations.


    As she lost herself in her thoughts, a loud explosion of flames and water caused a tremor that shook the Rocky Peak with its mass, erupting towards the sky.


    What followed was the cries of Demons and the bashing of flesh against the Rocky Peak.


    She stood in shock at first but eventually regained her composure in recognizing the cause.


    ''They must have cast an Area Of Effect Spell''.@@@@


    If she felt fear before, what she felt now would be a multiple of that. Her body froze in place as if she had been ordered to do so, and beads of sweat began to form on her head. It felt like a hallucination altogether, and her body became unresponsive to that. Her eyes dilated and flickered and her lips quivered.


    ''....I....I can''t move''.


    She thought when she noticed the girl taped the boy that squatted next to her.


    The boy flinched and stared at her before turning towards Azby''s direction, and for a few seconds, they were stuck in a staring contest.


    A staring contest filled with the smell of death and tension that would cause your bones to shake. This lasted for a good number of seconds until it didn''t.


    The boy whisked into the air like lightning, appearing in the air above her, and slamming down with his dadao with great force.


    BOOM!!.


    The Rocky Peak shook but held on as sand and rock debris flew into the air and crashed onto the floor.


    "Tsk. You dodged? I thought that bitch paralyzed you". His lethargic voice was palpable as he stared at Azby who was a few feet away from him with dead eyes.


    His face was riddled with scars, and his eyes were sunken and dark, a testament to his hardships and lethargic nature. He walked towards Azby, who was currently panting terribly from the shock of regaining control of her body.


    She was on her knees, with her right hand on her left, as blood spilt from the side of her left arm that was nearly cut off from her body.


    The shock of regaining control came with a price, and she felt the full brunt of the pain that surged through her within seconds.


    "AaaaaahhhHHH!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, tears streaming down her eyes as she held her hand in place, unable to let go or let it stay. It could come off any second, after all.


    "Oi, Oi. Not so loud, Okay? This will only take a second". He charged at her, appearing in her presence in the next second, while his dadao formed an arc of death through the air.


    The blade sliced through the air as Azby disappeared, causing the boy to miss by a hair''s breadth.


    "Shit". He cursed under his breath as he stared at the pool of blood that had formed on the ground.


    ''Did she retreat on her own?'' He wondered as he turned back. He glanced at his dadao and stared at the reflection of his face on it as well as the blood stains that remained. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    ''Not to worry....'' His lips suddenly curled upwards, nearly reaching his ears, and a row of canine teeth simmered with pure malevolent delight. He pulled the blade towards his face and stuck his tongue out, licking the blood clean from his blade. ''I''ll just slice her open once I catch her''.


    THUMP*


    Colyn felt a loud thud as he jumped onto the top of their carriage. He raised a brow in confusion as he shot out an arrow, knowing fully well he couldn''t have made that sound, but the next thing he heard cleared up his confusion.


    "Aaaaaahhhh!!!". The familiar sound of Azby echoed in his ears, but it sounded much more agonizing than he had ever heard. Something was wrong, and he quickly descended to find out.


    "Cap¨CCaptain?!"

 Chapter 188- Trip to the East 7

    "Ca¨CCaptain!" Colyn cried out in shock at the sight before him after descending to the interior of the carriage. A puddle of blood had begun to form around Azby as she muffled in pain while her body jerked on the floor. Her eyes had rolled over her head and foam formed in her mouth.


    ''Shit! She''s not good at handling pain!''. He thought as he hurried up to her when He noticed her severed limb. He hesitated for a moment, his hands shaking and stretched out, his thoughts reeling in for a solution. ''The bleeding! I need to stop the bleeding l!''.


    He rummaged around their belongings that were placed against the wall until he found a bottle of white liquid.


    He quickly pulled out the cap and rushed back to the unconscious body of Azby.


    She had been forced into a state of shock from the pain, and it caused her body to turn off. Thus, she went unconscious.


    The cut was at her shoulder, and the blood had continued to pour out in large amounts. At this point, it was most likely she would lose her life to loss of blood and not a demon or assassin.


    He poured the liquid over her arm, and a searing, harsh sound began to hiss as her shoulder glowed white. The blood coagulated and solidified.


    ''It was a good idea to buy those healing potions....but her arm''. He thought, his gaze focused on her dangling left arm. It was only held by thin layers of flesh. There was no way they could heal something of this magnitude, and the uneven cut made it much worse.


    ''I have to cut it off....'' He thought when He grunted and bit his lip in contemplation. ''Can I do that? Can I really decide that for the Captain?'' He wondered but at this point, there was only one way to ensure it healed properly.


    He held onto her arm, ready to pull it from her body and closed his eyes, perhaps building the courage to do so. ''....I''m sorry, captain''.


    ****


    Raph was busy with the horde of Demons when he heard the scream that occurred from the Carriage. He had just punched a demon to the other side of the Rocky Peak when he glanced at the Carriage with a raised brow.


    ''That was Azby. Did Something happen?'' He wondered when a Walking Worm swung its pedipalps towards him like a guillotine.


    He simply sidestepped the large creature, allowing the scythe-like pedipalps to crash into the side of the Rocky Peak with a loud thud.


    He then kicked the creature''s head upwards with a powerful force, causing a throbbing pain to assault the demon as its snout smashed against itself, cutting its tongue and spilling blood in an agonizing display of gore.


    He ran across the Side of the Rocky Peak, dodging and slicing the creatures that came his way until he reached the Carriage.


    He then jumped into the air and landed on the top of it with a light thud.


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    "All I need to do is find a temporary location where we can fend them off, right?" He asked as he stood at the edge of it.


    Raph nodded in response and Colyn sighed, just before climbing back to the top of the carriage.


    Within the next few seconds, Raph could hear his feet stumping the Carriage and jumping into the air.


    He glanced at Azby, a sigh exuding his lips as he did so. ''I guess the Mastermind is strong...what a hassle''.


    Well, there was nothing he could do about it. He could join them and fend them off, but without taking care of the root cause, it would just continue until they get tired, and they will get tired.


    He chuckled, a smirk forming on his lips as he swung his blade across the air, forming a crescent arc that would slice metal like butter.


    ''Time to go take care of some Hindrances''. Yes, they were nothing more than that. Hindrances, and he would kill them all.


    With a cold chill emanating from his presence, he jumped out of the carriage and, in the blink of an eye, charged forward with immense speed, causing a sonic boom as he did so.


    While Raph left, Colyn had charged forward towards the carriages of the Merchants. He was running across the hard stony road, dodging the fallen demons as well as the active ones that tried to kill him.


    ''My MP is running out, and I won''t be able to use most of my skills at that point. We need to get these people to safety".


    He ran with his full brute force, catching up to the third Carriage, where his teammates were currently fighting from.


    The number of Demons from the sides of the carriage alone would send one to death from fear, and their persistent nature in getting what they want would put one in a state of panic.


    But his teammates held on, though not without injuries. Cruz seemed to have lost the use of his left eye as blood dribbled down from it.


    His magic robe was torn and soaked in different areas with his blood and some from the demons, but his predicament was better off than the other two.


    Lucky was unconscious and unable to actively participate anymore, and the number of cuts on her clear skin and robe would leave one to wonder if she were still alive.


    Rodrick still fought with the same energy as he always did, but he was sustaining more wounds than the others, barely holding himself from falling to his knees.


    ''This is bad! How are we...?!'' Colyn could hear the self-doubts as he observed their conditions, but at that moment, something clicked. "No! RODRICK! Hold on a little longer!". He cried out as he pulled his bow into the sky.


    "Master Skill! Arrow Shower!" He shot three into the air, and a bright light blew in the skies, forming a fog before loud whistle noises echoed, followed by a rain of arrows that shot down like missiles.

 Chapter 189- Trip to the East 8

    The arrows descended like a cloud of death, piercing the demons into a state of frantic pain.


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    The demons screeched and fell to the ground as their limbs were either cut off by the sheer force of the arrows or by a collision with another demon.


    It became alter chaos, and Cylon had to maneuver himself past them as he attempted to increase his pace, but to his utmost dismay. He couldn''t.


    ''Shit! I''m running out of MP'' he thought with a frown on his face as his speed began to decrease. He was unable to keep up with the Carriages, and the fallen demons had begun to turn to him in a fit of rage.


    Their snouts would cut open, revealing rows of canine teeth and a lengthy tongue. The sight alone sent a shiver of fear to those who laid their eyes on them, but at the moment, he couldn''t help but ignore it.


    He had to find a way to get to the fourth carriage, and somehow make a path for the fifth to catch up from behind. ''This is becoming messy!'' he thought when he dodged the snout from a Walking Worm by a hair''s breadth. He jumped to the side in an attempt to dodge it when his body was suddenly slammed into the ground.


    He grumbled in pain as he quickly forced his body back to his feet, ignoring the demons that crawled or walked humorously towards him with their incomplete limbs.


    ''Shit! Shit! Shit!'' He cursed when the demons began to swarm around him from all sides. It was ironic how the demons he attacked with the intent to kill were biting back at him, though without most of their limbs attached.


    Still, he didn''t falter. He dodged and climbed over them, using his arrow if he had to, but the more he fought back, the higher the number of Demons that turned their attention towards him. He was slowly being pushed to his limits, and it became evident from the manner of his breathing and movements.


    He was getting sluggish, and the demons were closing in on him. He jumped over a fallen demon before being slammed against the ground again. How exactly were they slamming him? It was simple, they would lounge themselves into the air with the sole purpose of crashing into him.


    Colyn smashed onto the ground with a loud thud, blood spurting from his mouth as he did so.


    ''Hah, shit'' he cursed, struggling to get back up as the demons began to close in. ''Is this the end?!''. He wondered when a wave of energy suddenly grabbed him and pulled him upwards into the air.


    He gasped in shock when his body was suddenly pulled away from the horde of fallen demons and towards the fourth carriage where his teammates currently were.


    With a smirk h, he laughed out loud. "Well done, Cruz!" he cried out in excitement as his body was dropped on the Carriage.


    "What''s so funny about you nearly dying? You''re lucky I was able to gather up that much mana for a telekinesis skill". Cruz said with a disappointed tone in his voice. He sat on the floor with tired breath, his gaze flickering from the pain and drain.


    "That was stupid and dangerous. What did you intend on accomplishing just now?" Rodrick asked as he walked towards them.


    They had a moment of respite thanks to Colyn''s skill, but the healthy demons were already on their way to catch up.


    "I''ll take control of the second, Cruz; you handle this one".


    Cruz nodded while they jumped off the carriage and landed on the ground before rushing off towards the others.


    He began to quickly take action by walking to the front of it and descending. He landed next to the Coachman, startling him and quickly grabbed the leach from him. "Do Nothing" He instructed the man before taking full control of the horses.


    ''Let''s hope we find somewhere quick enough''.


    *****


    A dark spot in the sky began to descend at a rapid rate until it took its full form of a human body that crashed onto the top of a Rocky Peak. What occurred next were the cries of dying demons, the gruesome sound of flesh being cut, and blood spurting into the air as a lone figure rushed past them like a tsunami.


    These were mere demons to Raph. ''Nothing more than Canon fodder''.


    Attacking them precisely at their weak spots was an easy thing, and once you reveal it to others, they take over as well.


    So Raph expected the others to do the same. Cut off their limbs first, before trying to kill them. It may seem easy at first, but when you''re up against a monster as large as a school bus, with sickle-like pedipalps and walking legs that could cut you in two in a second, you realize just how difficult it is to actually pinpoint their weaknesses. Not to mention, they always moved.


    Raph slaughtered them like chickens as the almost endless swarm began to dwindle from behind the horde, leaving a pile of dead bodies in its wake.


    He continued on his rampage and imbued his aura onto his blade and body, causing a rapid increase and precision in his attack.


    ''Firstly, let''s make things easier for them'' he thought.


    Of course, he expected them to find a way, but with the rising numbers, there was no telling when they would be pushed beyond their limits, and inevitably to their deaths. ''They''re only level 70 after all, they aren''t even up to a Master level yet''


    With this in mind, he continued for what seemed like an inevitably long time, but he was making progress.


    Each time his blade swung down from the air, a trail of blood and dead bodies would follow.


    He pushed forward which nearly spammed a whole kilometer or two, until he finally got to the source of it.


    Standing over a pile of dead bodies, his clothes soaked in red blood, and his sword dripping with their flesh and blood, he came face to face with the Girl with the snake hair, the boy with the murderous look and the portal that served as an entryway for the demons.


    "Oh, what a pleasant surprise".

 Chapter 190- Trip to the East 9

    The taste of blood had never been so disgusting, well, not literally, but no one exactly liked being soaked in the blood of one of the most appalling demons there was.


    ''Of course, this is just merely below the list of the top fifty''. He walked down the pile of dead bodies, and the smell that emanated from him had become a warning to the incoming Walking Worms. Like a spell of doom if they were to attack.


    They simply backed off as he walked forward.


    "You must be the masterminds. How amusing, a girl with snake hair?! Are you a member of the Eastern Resistance?". He asked, but of course, he was well


    aware of her identity.@@@@


    It would be difficult for one to miss her appearance nonetheless. The girl with the rarest of professions. The Serpent Whisperer. It was supposed to be a side class from the Beast Tamer profession, and our deeds on the border between the East and West were well known.


    ''It doesn''t just stop there. She actually goes and joins the Red Peacemakers later in the future...well that would be after the destruction of their resistance''.


    The two figures remained still and quiet but grew wary. They seemed to be scanning through the boy in their way, and it became nearly evident that they could not scan his level.


    "Are you not going to talk?" Raph asked when he noticed the girl''s third eye. ''Oh, I''m curious to find out which is stronger''. He pondered before he noticed the Girl''s movement. She suddenly turned around to walk away.


    "Take care of this quickly, Raja. We can''t fail the mission" She said, while the boy chuckled as he held his dadao.


    "I''m sure you see it too. This man is dangerous. I can''t even scan his level, and you want me to fight him? Scary ~" He teased as he stood up from his squatting position.


    "Shut up and do as you''re told" She instructed with a disgusted tone in her voice. She was about to say something else when an alien figure suddenly appeared between the both of them like a lightning bolt. It felt like reality had warped with the appearance of the figure, and the very action sent a cold shiver down their spines.


    Their eyes bulged open in shock as realization dawned on them like a boulder. They didn''t need to turn towards the figure to realize it was the same person who stood meters away from them until just now.


    ''Huh? When?'' The girl thought, her shock palpable as her body began to prepare itself for the next action even without her consent.


    "Who said anything about letting you go? You''ll need to face me together....". Raph slowly wretched his longsword in the air, a cold chill emanating from him, causing an icy shiver to spread to the two figures. "....if you want to keep your lives that is".


    Raja, the boy suddenly twirled and pulled his dadao forward, blocking a strike from Raph that would have otherwise taken the head of the Girl he was meant to protect.


    The force nearly sent him to his knees as he struggled to keep his posture.


    ''Oi, Oi, that was his natural strength?'' He wondered when Raph suddenly closed the gap between them by sliding across the floor like a flowing river.


    He grabbed the boy by his neck.


    "Is this all?" He asked before kicking him away with a loud bang. The air whipped with his foot as it struck the boy''s chest, causing a wave of pain to spread through the boy as he was sent flying.


    "To kill him. He will only become an obstacle, let''s take care of him now that he''s been poisoned". He said while they stared at Raph.


    The girl had her thoughts on the matter. Something like this was unaccounted for, but she was satisfied with the result. ''....I tested my skill on you...you should be honoured.


    The Master Skill, Snake Imbued, allowed her to create snakes from the living organism within a person or creature''s body. They multiply and feed on the individual from the inside out. So Raph was as good as dead, or at least that''s what she would have loved to think. ''....But Something feels wrong about him. He should be on his knees in pain, not on his feet motionless. Just what is he doing?''. She thought in confusion as she descended as well.


    ''We should leave''.


    After their short confrontation, she had a hunch that they wouldn''t make it out alive if he were to somehow get over her poison, and she certainly didn''t want to find out.


    "Raja! Let''s leave" She instructed, but the boy ignored her statement and continued to approach the hooded figure.


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    "Raja, listen to me. We need to leave now. That man is not our priority".


    "Oh, he is now. Kicking me like that was a mistake, and I''m taking his foot for that".


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Hah shit! You''re so fucking impulsive! Kneel!". She held out her hand as her third eye glowed with a crimson malevolent hue causing Raja to freeze up from the command and fall to his knees.


    He cursed under his breath and glared at her as she walked towards him. "Let me go, you bitch!"


    "Not until you listen to me!" She said in annoyance before raising her hand in the air and striking him across his face, causing a stinging pain to assault his cheeks after a loud sound echoed.


    Silence and tension hung in the air between them as they stared at each other, perhaps struggling with how to react, though it soon became apparent that they didn''t need to.


    A chill wind shook them from their thoughts, as they felt a stinging cold permeate their skin.


    The girl freed Raja without realizing it due to the cold, and began to hug herself as she looked around in confusion. Her gaze landed on Raph, who was still stuck standing still from the pain of her poison, only that things were different. The air crackled, and the Rocky soil began to freeze from its foundation.


    ''Wha¨CWhat is happening?'' She thought in confusion as she took a step back.


    Raja quickly armed himself and stepped in front of the Girl, his gaze filled with murderous intent as he stared at Raph. "It seems we won''t be able to leave as you want, Malicia".


    The cold began to quake and tremble, increasing in magnitude and intensity, causing white snow to form and a heavy cloud of cold darkness to sweep around them, blocking the rays of the sun like a coat of darkness and isolating them in a pitch-cold darkness.


    Their bodies began to shiver with the cold, and their minds were clouded with the pain, but the tension still hung high, and so caused them to remain alert. Until the need to do so was over.


    "Everything is Ice"

 Chapter 191- Trip to the East 10

    BOOM!!


    Tall pillars of snow and ice protruded towards the sky, glistening with a cold hue, and otherworldly presence as two figures were seen at the top of it, pulling back from the insurgence of ice and snow.


    They landed about a meter away, with Raja pulling Malicia. "we''re fighting that together, right?!" he asked as he spun his dadao in the air.


    "Obviously!" She replied, slamming her hands together. "Advanced skill! Fall of the Serpentine!"


    The ground shook as Raja charged forward towards a fog of snow, his eyes glistening with madness and his blade hungry for blood.


    He charged in with great force, causing an updraft of the snow into the air, revealing Raph, who was prepared for his strike.


    Their blades struck and an explosion of energy and power occurred, blowing Raja backwards. His smile widened into a grin as he pushed his body forward, swinging his sword through the air at the same time.


    "You''re rather amusing! What level are you? 100?"


    BOOM!


    Their swords clashed with an unprecedented force that caused a crater beneath them. Raja was stuck in the clash, but Raph easily maneuvered like a flowing dragon, sliding across the rough terrain of iced rocks.


    He stretched his hand forward and grabbed Raja by his collar, pulling him towards himself, before slamming his head against him.


    "Gah!" the sickening sound of bone crushing echoed as mood spewed from Raja''s orifice. Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Raph proceeded to swing him through the air, but the ground beneath him quaked, startling him for a moment.


    His eyes gleaned through it, and his body moved out of the way immediately after recognizing the threat.


    His sudden retreat gave Raja the freeway of escaping as ten giant serpents the size of a train, burst through the ground beneath them.


    "Hah!! This is shitty" Raph said as he slid across the ground on landing, retreating from the charging serpents. They furiously snarled as they chased after him in crimson madness, but Raph remained a step ahead of them.


    He dodged one that sprang towards him and suddenly twirled his body in the air, using the serpent''s large body size as an anchor, dodging two more that slammed against the ground.


    Bits of rocks and blood blew into the sky due to their impact, but Raph had no moment of rest.


    As he landed, two more had surrounded him, cascading a deep darkness around him.


    Raph was about to slam him at the other end when the giant serpents charged at him in unison, and surrounding him from all sides


    "What a joke". He threw Raja away and past the incoming serpents and stumped his feet into the ground. ''Everything is Ice!''


    "Absolute Zero!"


    The rocky ground broke and shook, trembling under the sensation of ice as it crackled and spread like cancer, attaching itself to the serpents and spreading through them as they lounged at him.


    Their bodies formed a cascade of darkness around Raph, as it was frozen in the air in the next few seconds before any of them could strike him.


    "It must be because you haven''t had the time to grow," Raph said as he strolled out of the darkness into the light while the ice statues dispersed into crystals of ice


    "You''re so weak, it''s almost pitiable. Did you really think of attacking the Merchant Union of the Southeast with only this much?"


    Standing far away from him was Malicia, whose snake came crawling towards her with Raja riding on it. They had put a safe distance between them and Raph, and their bodies remained on high alert.


    "Everything was going as planned, but you showed up". Malicia said with a bitter tone in her voice. "We do not even know who you are".


    "But from what it seems, you aren''t affiliated with the Merchants or Mercenaries" Raja interjected while Malicia healed him. "What is it? What did they offer you? Join us, and we can give you more"


    Raph stared at him for a moment, while his thoughts began to arrange in order. It was a surprising thought to him; in fact, it was the first time he heard his foes asking him to join them. ''Oh wow.....what is this feeling?'' He wondered for a moment before shrugging it off. "I have business in the East, and I''m hitching a ride with them. You being here and attacking is only being a nuisance"


    "Business in the east? In a time of war? Are you joining the Eastern frontiers?" Raja asked with a raised brow when Malicia suddenly smacked him in the back of the head. "Ouch....Hah....sorry, I wasn''t supposed to say that" he muttered apologetically while Malicia stared at Raph.


    "Eastern Frontiers, huh?" Raph repeated, as memories came flooding in. ''I don''t know about now, but they contributed so much in the time of the Demonic War, but if it''s now.....are they doing something else?'' He thought as a sigh exuded from his lips.


    "Look, I can''t have you here, but I can turn a blind eye to this...you will go your way, and we go ours".


    Raja and Malicia glanced at each other for a moment, before turning towards Raph. "Why?" She asked.


    ''She''s not part of the Red Peacemakers now, but most likely the Eastern Frontiers". They were a group of Eastern elites, including mages, warriors, and knights, and their goals usually aligned with helping the minority.


    "Are you....doing all this just to get some food?" He asked, his voice laced with curiosity.


    Raja and Malicia stared at Raph in surprise, their eyes flickering with emotions.


    It was then Raph''s hypothesis concluded. ''Right on point''.

 Chapter 192- Trip to the East 11

    The burning sensation of the sun on the East-West coastline imprinted on the surface of the earth as the sound of wheels turning furiously reverberated like a hum in the air. It was quickly erased by the loud bestial snarls and screams from a horde of walking worms that chased after four carriages like a flock of mad birds.


    Leading the front was a merchant named Malen Ritcoff. A popularly well-known man for his extravagant lifestyle and choice of clothing. He was someone who could have been easily disliked if not for his endeavors in checking poverty as much as he could and owning several orphanages.


    Malen held onto the rein and pushed forward like a torpedo, leaving a trail of dust behind him.


    He was focused on his task of escaping, or at least that''s what handmade it seemed.


    ''Those two must have taken care of those pesky Mercenaries by now'' He thought to himself as he whipped the rein with his arms, causing the horses to ride faster.


    ''We will rendezvous at the meeting spot''. He had it all planned, and though there was a little error to his calculations, he didn''t think a single person would change his plans entirely, well, until Rodrick popped his head downwards.


    "Hey, Malen, you have to give me the reins!" He said, causing Malen to flinch in shock. He looked up with a raised brow in confusion.


    "Ro¨CRodrick?! Aren''t the demons still chasing us?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity and shock.


    "Well, yeah, but we have a plan". He descended and took the reins anyways, before tugging it and changing their direction.


    "What are you doing?!"


    "Jeez....relax old man. There''s a good fighting spot around here. I''m only going to take charge till then, though you''ll have to buckle up the whole time".@@@@


    ''Good spot? For What?!'' He thought when the familiar gruesome sound of demons snarling and crying in fury shook him from his thoughts. "You''re the mercenaries. Shouldn''t you find the source of this?!" he asked in confusion.


    "Well, you see....Kael went and took care of that. I don''t know anything about a source, but that bastard has killed hundreds of them and still looked like he could go for three more rounds".


    "What?!" Malen raised a brow as he slowly stroked his beard. ''I might have to change plans'' he thought at the moment, before a loud shockwave shook the Rocky Peak and the road they were on.


    They glanced at each other in confusion and turned towards the source.


    "Wha...What is that??!" Their eyes widened in shock on noticing tall pillars of ice and glistening snow that peaked towards the sky.


    It was one thing to create something so tall, it was another to imagine how strong the caster was.


    Soon, they had crossed half a kilometer and were quickly approaching their goal, well, not that Cruz and Colyn had any idea about it. Still, they followed with no question or doubt.


    It was only natural they trusted in themselves this way, or at least that was the case until the Walking Worms closed the distances and began to attack once again.


    Most of them were flocking around the third, stabbing and cutting through the wooden Carriage as they did so, but a few of them had ventured forward.


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    Cruz and Rodrick were currently facing some of them, or at least trying their best to avoid it. They came with their long scythe-like pedipalps and immersed them into the wooden carriages that would crack and break to their intensity, but they stood strong nonetheless. It was time for the mercenaries to do their bit.


    Colyn handed the Reins to the Coachman sitting next to him and pulled out his Bow without an explanation.


    The Coachman simply did as he saw and followed the others.


    He aimed for the demons as they latched onto the carriages and struck an arrow on their limbs as they did so.


    One by one, they began to fall, screeching in pain as they did so.


    The air was soon filled with sounds of arrows and smoke caused by Cruz, who prepared to do the same. He had his magic staff stretched forward and sent fireballs out at their limbs to pull them backwards.


    This continued for a while until Rodrick could finally see the next Landmark that led to the cave. His expression brightened for a moment, as he turned towards Malen.


    "Do you believe in Me?" He asked as he changed directions yet again.


    Malen raised a brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"


    "I just need to know. Do you believe in me?"


    "...I think you are taking this joke a little too far," Malen muttered in confusion when He noticed their direction. His gaze snapped towards the Rocky Peak, with his eyes bulging open when he noticed how close the walls were becoming. "Hey, Do you know what you''re doing?!" he cried out and snatched the reins from Rodrick, but by then their path had been sealed.


    He attempted to tug the horses away, but it was to no avail. Even if he attempted to change direction, it would only lead to the same end.


    Malen''s hands shook in anger as he stared at the tall, pointy, and stony wall of the Rocky Peak. ''Shit. I should have killed them''

 Chapter 193- Trip to the East 12

    Malen couldn''t help but inwardly curse at himself as the horses galloped towards the wall of the Rocky Peak. It was one of these occasions where he would usually reprimand himself for taming his horses into submission to the extent that they would hardly think for themselves.


    ''Shit! Shit! Shit!'' he cursed as the distance between them and the stony, rocky wall began to decrease quickly.


    Rodrick, seated next to him, suddenly stood up and pointed his longsword at the wall.


    "Master skill: Sword Burst!" He said, and a loud siren noise echoed from his blade as a blue and white aura reverberated with the length of the metal blade.


    BOOM!@@@@


    A crackle-like thunder sound erupted as the aura shot out at the wall like a bullet, causing an explosion of rocks and white energy.


    The wall caved in, revealing an opening that the horses galloped into.


    Malen felt a wave of relief while Rodrick jumped off the carriage. He signaled for the others to go in while he charged forward at the incoming Demons.


    "Rodrick!" Colyn cried out as he jumped out just as soon as he went in. "You found It!". He said.


    "So much for stating the obvious" Rodrick muttered as Cruz rushed out from the cave with the orb and his staff in his hands.


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    "We''re doing it now, right?!" he asked as he rushed up to them just as soon as the third carriage was next to them.


    "Yes. Activate it" Colyn nodded in response.


    The fourth carriage had just passed them, and the horde of Demons, or what was left of it were frolicking behind in what little strength they had left. Some had been injured and others were perfectly healthy. In all, they continued to chase after their targets.


    Colyn and Rodrick charged forward while Cruz lingered behind to begin the preparations.


    He threw the orb to the ground, causing a ball-sized crater that perfectly fit the orb and began to recite a spell.


    The orb began to spin in response and slowly elevated upwards as a pulse of red energy blasted out from its glowing surface.


    This continued for a while, as Cruz continued to recite the spell. A small red magic circle formed around the orb, spinning and rotating with it, and expanded in size, followed by a second with an orange color and then a third with a pink color. This occurred four times with the last being white, and it expanded into a dome, stretching towards the wall of the Rocky Peak.


    "Activate! 4 Runic Master Dome"


    A pulsating wave blast was followed by an explosion of sound as the dome solidified and sealed the entrance of the cave while giving enough room outside it for the three mercenaries to fight from.


    "Colyn! Rodrick!" He called out as he clapped his hands, controlling the solidifying process.


    ****


    The surface of the earth was endowed with the warmth of the sun, and its dryness became a testament to the heat it was dealt with.


    Dead trees and cactuses were seen riddled on the earthen dry soil, and at one point, was a Portal.


    The red portal was opened, but nothing seemed to be emerging from It, and the demons that had emerged from it before the appearance of Raph were currently wandering around with no sense of purpose.


    Raph was currently with the mastermind behind the incident, or at least the preparators. They were in charge of controlling the demons, but there was a chance they weren''t the Mastermind, and after facing them. Raph could tell they weren''t.


    He had been trying to get as much information as he could out from them, but they weren''t exactly in any way cooperative.


    "Hah~, for damn sake. Just kill us. We don''t intend on telling you anything," Raja said with a yawn while Malicia glared at him.


    "Please ignore this buffoon. He doesn''t understand what he''s saying". She said with a scowl.


    Raph sighed. "He has a point though. I decided to spare you, and now you''re taking me for a joke".


    "Well, you''ve shown us your strength, and we admit. We can''t defeat you but that doesn''t mean we will open up to you. You are not our friend". Raja said with a bitter tone in his voice while Malicia sighed.


    "Yes, it''s just as he said. We don''t even know your name. Even if you think what we are doing has a just cause, we are not obligated to reply to you".


    Raph sighed inwardly as his thoughts reeled in. ''I thought a fight would be avoided since I know the Eastern Frontiers, but they don''t know how I know them....''. It was always possible for situations like this to occur. ''Well then''.


    He grabbed his sword and spun it. "Let''s just do this then. The two of you should fight me with all you''ve got and I will simply use sixty percent of my abilities....if you win. You go scot-free if you don''t. Then you answer my questions".


    "Sixty per cent?" Malicia repeated as a bulge appeared on her forehead.


    "Oi, Oi, aren''t you underestimating us too much?" Raja asked with an irritated tone as he picked up his dadao.


    "Oh, trust me. I am the last person that would underestimate you" Raph replied with a chuckle.


    "Fine then!" Raja repeated as a tense silence suffused the three individuals.


    Their gazes fixed on their opponents as the brewing tension of a fight was about to break out.


    Raph and Raja''s body suddenly erupted in a glow of blue and red energy that suffused their being and their weapons as they charged at each other with incredible speed.


    BOOM!


    An explosion of energy and wind blew, causing a deep crater beneath them as Raja glared at Raph, a murderous glint hiding beneath his eyes.

 Chapter 194- Trip to the East 13

    The air was tense and filled with the constant explosion of power as swords clashed with each other. A wisp of human figures flickered in the air with the intensity of their battle while deep craters and splitting rocks were left in their wake.


    The quaking of the earth and the stillness of the air became a testament to the intensity of their battle as a blue and red aura suffused the two fighters in a combat hue.


    Raph slammed his sword against Raja, pushing him away as his blue aura suffused his longsword, filling the incomplete part that broke out.


    "You can manifest an aura, I''m impressed". Raph said as he charged forward at Raja with a thrust of energy and force.


    Manifestation of aura: this was Something Raph hardly used despite being a master and more than capable of using it. Why? Well, so far he hasn''t come to the point of needing to use it. He could as well just use one of his Ice Traits Techniques and end the battle, but that would go against their agreement.


    It should be noted that despite both using aura, the sources were different. System users make use of Mana Points as their energy, thus exuding aura isn''t compulsory for them.


    It could come as a skill with their profession or an ability they learnt through techniques, but hardly did you see system users exude Aura.


    So this came as a pleasant surprise to Raph.


    Their attack increased in intensity as their weapons clashed and brimmed with life, while their gazes remained fixed on victory.


    Raph''s sword technique and fighting footsteps were a combination of all he learnt from the Academy. His legs moved like a flowing dragon, sliding across the ground and causing faints and turns at different positions that Raja found it difficult to fend off completely. It seemed like when Raja finally figured out his movement, Raph would do something entirely unexpected, yet it still flowed well with his battle style.


    That was one of the core traits of the Knight Dragon Footwork. Finding fluidity in your fighting style.


    Their clash of swords continued for a moment longer before the crater beneath them trembled and caved in further, revealing the head of a serpent the size of an aeroplane. Its maw was wide open as Raja retreated as soon as it caught Raph in its cold, poisonous depth.


    The snake hissed and slammed its mouth shut, casting a shadowy darkness of doom against Raph as he gazed at the depth of the serpent while it swallowed him.


    Raja landed next to Malicia, who was panting. Her third eye simmered with a crimson malevolent hue as the earth shuddered, revealing snakes of different colours which popped out their heads, hissing and snarling as they emerged in great numbers.


    "Aren''t you pushing yourself too much?" Raja asked as his wounds began to heal from her.


    "No. There''s no telling where his confidence is coming from. We have to be prepared". She insisted when the sounds of a snake hissing in pain shook them to the present. They turned towards the snake that had swallowed Raph to find it banging and slamming itself against the earth while writhing in pain.


    It hisses loudly, as if to ease the pain but it became useless to do so.


    "Wha¨CWhat''s happening?!" Raja muttered, confused when the belly of the serpent began to glow red.


    He raised his brow in confusion and attempted to charge forward when the fiery intensity became nearly unbearable before erupting into volcanic lava and fire. The snake hissed loudly before the colour in its eyes faded as it lay dead with its maw opened.


    Tension filled the air, as they stared at the bubbly volcanic lava that flowed out of the open wound as a figure slowly emerged from it.


    The ground quaked to the size of the serpentine beasts as they clashed against each other by accident before the former fell to the ground while green blood oozed from its wound.


    Raph rushed downwards while the others searched for him. He suffused aura around his arms and spun into the air before piercing it into the snake''s scaly body.


    The beast snarled in pain as Raph pulled his hands downwards together with his body, causing the wound to elongate downwards while green blood gushed out like a water fountain.


    He finally landed and as he did, the dead body of the snake fell limply on the floor while others began to form a cascade of darkness around him.


    He looked around him in search of Something and finally found it. Behind two large incoming serpents was the first one he killed, and on top of it, towards its tail, was his sword.


    With his destination set in mind, he charged forward at the snakes.


    ''Let''s try manifesting my aura more''.


    The use of footing styles and fighting techniques were advantageous to a knight, but when used with aura or Mana Points, the true abilities of these techniques are revealed.


    He charged in with just his body alone and manifested his aura around him while it surged within him like a fourth circulatory system. His senses her grown nearly twice as sharp, and his gaze had become twice as effective.


    The temptation to reveal his eyes so he could end all this lingered behind his thoughts, but he couldn''t bring himself to use it. After all, that would be part of the 40% of his strength.


    He stumped his feet on the ground and launched himself at the snakes with brute force and aura that surged around him continuously like a dancing flame while the two snakes widened their maws as they charged at him in a frenzy, one in front of the other.


    Raph simply ignored their frightful appearance and slammed into their bodies with great force.


    The snakes snarled in pain as their bodies were sent backwards with an explosion of power.


    BOOM!


    Raph pierced through their scaly bodies like thin paper, reappearing at the other side, with his body retched in green blood. ''The barbarian fighting style, for example, is especially deadly when used with aura properly''. He thought as he crashed into the ground next to his sword.


    He pulled it out and suddenly shifted to his right while he raised it before an explosion of energy occurred with the collision of weapons.


    Raja glared at him from above, his Dadao locked in a fight for dominance with Raph''s broken aura Longsword. Raph spun around, causing Raja to tilt forward with no leverage while Raph grabbed his leg and smashed him into the ground.


    A cough of blood gushed out from the boy''s mouth as his body was sent flying away, crashing into the ground before smashing into a boulder nearly a hundred meters away.


    Raph quickly turned to the serpents to find the multitude of them rushing towards him like a sea wave.


    Malicia stood behind them, her third eye closed with dried blood while she heaved. "Master Skill: Serpent Tide"

 Chapter 195- Trip to the East 14

    A cascade of darkness hovered over Raph as he looked up at the horde of snakes that rushed towards him in a frenzy.


    With his sword grabbed tightly against his sword, he glanced at them, perhaps making a count of the number of beasts or maybe doing something else. His thoughts were arranged in order as he did so.


    ''This....is going to be difficult''.


    From what he could observe, nearly thirty of these beasts were charging at him, each as tall and large as a train, with their heads held high in the sky. Their colorful scales shimmered with the light, making a temporal colorful hue like a rainbow, only that this rainbow spelt death.


    He could contemplate how to react, but the sixty per cent of his abilities that he decided to use were becoming an issue. ''I can''t use my ice traits; I can''t use my ocular traits either, thanks to the cloak. I can''t use the Jun techniques....either''.


    It slowly dawned on him that he may have overestimated himself. After all, the abilities he decided not to use would make up nearly 70% of his actual abilities.


    With that in mind, he slowly took a stance. ''Oh, please. Are you trying to say I''m nothing without the Jun name? In a world like this where one must be careful in revealing their familial identities''. He couldn''t have that. No, not at all. Instead, he would do something crazy, something that had never before thought of. Something only he could do.


    ''Alright, let''s make use of what we''ve learnt so far in the Academy!''.


    His body erupted in a blue aura, dancing and flickering with the intensity of his intricate control. The aura spread through his sword, igniting it into a blue blade. ''Concentration of Aura gives you Soul Aura''


    A high-intensity application of aura that shows control over one''s aura. This was merely an imitation, but the 9th star, which represented Resonance, had this one core principle. The use of Soul Aura.


    Raph remained fixed on his position, his feet widened apart, and his longsword stretched behind him. His left hand was opened slightly and pointed forward while he focused on the task at hand. His senses began to shut off, one by one.@@@@


    Starting with his sight and then his hearing, and slowly, he was losing his perception of the human world.


    Instead, he appeared in a dark void, devoid of Earthly principles, stuck in an endless flow of time which accounted for a single second.


    It was in that moment that a blue energy suffused around him, and his surroundings. Illuminating the darkness, stitching his senses, and expanding his focus. ''Yes...this is it...this is part of it''.


    He could feel it, he was nearly there. He was nearly at the point of breakthrough, but sadly, there was not enough time.


    He suddenly opened his eyes, and a thrust of energy blasted out of his being as Concentrated Aura suffused him like a cloak of warmth.


    He stumped his feet and charged forward, causing a large crater as he jumped into the air with a sonic explosion.


    "Huh? What do you mean, Malicia? We made a deal" Raja asked in confusion as he grabbed her by her arm.


    "How dumb can you be?! Now is not the time to let your love for battle cloud your judgment!" She glanced at Raph. "that man is killing my summons like their child''s play. I will not stand here and let him disgrace us. We had a goal, we had a mission".


    "We did, but things changed. We met someone that knows about us from the West. We can use this for the Empire". His brows furrowed as he stared at her. "We have to stay and see what he has to offer".


    ''Why? Can''t you see what he''s doing?! Have you ever heard of a system user capable of killing my whole army of forty serpents?! No! You haven''t. Do you know why?!" her voice lowered into a rushed whisper while sounds of gushing blood and cutting of flesh echoed in the air.


    With each shriek of death, she heard, there was a repercussion of pain in her third eye. It enabled her to control beasts and demons of all kinds, especially those related to the serpentine bloodline.


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    It was why she was able to control such a multitude of 7th-tier Great Demons.


    She felt the pain her summons went through as they died, and their deaths were recorded in her third eye.


    ''It''s going to take a while before I can use it again'', she thought, but she could have lived with that. ''If only Raph had lost''.


    They were still standing in their position when the last sound of a sword slice echoed, followed by a shriek that slowly fell silent, and footsteps that approached them soon after.


    "What''s this? A lover''s quarrel?". Silence followed after his voice, but they soon turned towards him in unison, their eyes slowly dilating from the sight.


    Raph''s cloak was riddled with holes and green blood that dripped down to the ground. A hissing sound echoed as the poisonous portion dried up while the holes began to patch up itself.


    His hoodie was still on, and the darkness that hid his face remained the same, but the rest of his cloak was far from its original appearance.


    They could have seen his worn-out expression if his face wasn''t hidden.


    What went through the minds of Raja and Malicia as they stared at him was far from how he felt. It seemed like he had not even felt the fight against the snakes, but Raph thought differently.


    ''Fuck, that was crazy. I''m insane for doing that. My muscles are sore all over. How the fuck do you even control those wild snakes. They were after my fucking head''. He thought as a sigh escaped his lips.


    His reaction caused a stir in Malicia and Raja as they thought in unison. ''Just a sigh? After all that?''. It has become painfully clear to them now. ''We can''t escape him''.

 Chapter 196- Trip to the East 15

    "So, would you let me in on your argument just now, or?" Raph asked as he released the aura over his long sword, and retreated it into his subspace.


    Malicia and Raja glanced at each other, before sighing in defeat.


    "It wasn''t an argument. We simply had a conversation" Malicia replied while she pulled her arm away from Raja.


    "Um, okay then. So, who sent you and what was your purpose for coming here?" Raph asked while he folded his hands and glanced at them.


    Malicia slowly rubbed the side of her third eye while she struggled with the urge to keep silent. An image of the scene that had occurred only a few minutes ago played out in her head, and the very thought of keeping silent disappeared. She looked up at Raph and replied.


    "We were sent by a Merchant. We don''t know the details, other than he''s from the west but sides with the east". Malicia explained. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "A merchant?" Raph muttered as an image of a particular Man came into his thoughts. ''Like I thought....are the Red Peacemakers influencing the East as well...did they always have a grand goal like this in my past life?'' He wondered while she continued.


    "We were here to steal the goods containing food supplies and weapons that were meant for the Eastern army, to the Eastern Frontier so it could be supplied to the needy, who require it".


    "But, since you''ve stopped us, we haven''t just failed the mission but also killed a lot of malnourished kids", Raja said with a click of his tongue. "This is why I hate powerful people. They never think for themselves and follow the rules of the Country, just because they were made for people to abide by".


    Raph tilted his head as he stared at Raja, causing the latter to take a step back in shock. "What?" He asked, taking a defensive stance with his arms up.


    "You''re....smarter than you look?" Raph replied, his tone laced with curiosity and surprise.


    A muffled laugh echoed and the two boys turned towards Malicia to find her looking elsewhere with her hand clasped on her mouth.@@@@


    A sudden silence suffused the air before Raph turned back to walk away. "You can''t have those goods. They were sent here for a reason" he explained. "Also, call off the rest of those demons and turn off the portal". He instructed while they stared at him with baffled expressions.


    "Um, is that it?" Malicia asked while Raph paused in his action. He turned back at her and tilted his head.


    The reason why he gasped was simple. It was Kael, and on his arms was the unconscious body of the Captain of the mercenaries, Azby.


    ''Impossible! They are both fine? Weren''t those two called the Hazard Duo?! Why didn''t they perform their task as they were told?! What is the meaning of this?!'' His head spun around in circles while he contemplated a reason or solution to his predicament.


    And while he did that, Cruz and the others rushed towards the Dome, reducing the intensity to let the figure in.


    Rodrick was the first to get there, with his gaze overwhelmed with emotions as he stared at Azby, and then at the figure of the boy that saved her before him. "Is....Is she alive?" He asked, his voice shaky and in disbelief.


    Raph glanced at him and then at the figures present, before nodding his head. "She''ll be fine. Luckily, her body was still stuck under the carriage so the demons couldn''t spot her on time since they were after you. She was still breathing when I found her, and I luckily have some proficient healing potions" He explained as he handed her body over to him. "She''ll be fine in about three days but she''ll wake up tomorrow".


    He walked past them, and towards Cruz, noticing the rotating orb in the air, a smirk formed on his lips, thought they couldn''t see it. "You did well, guys. You fought against a horde of 7th-tier Great Demons and survived. Please be cheerful and have fun this night; it will probably be the best of many".


    He said before continuing his walk towards the Cave, after all, if there was one person that expended themselves that day, it was him. He needed to recuperate.


    As he got to the entrance of the cave, he could feel an unwanted stare coming from beside him, causing him to slowly turn to the source. "Merchant Malen, was it? You survived too. Congratulations". He said with a cheerful tone, while Malen stared at him with mixed feelings.


    It seemed like a short moment of silence suffused between them as Malen contemplated on what next to say.


    A sigh exuded his lips and curved into a smile soon after."Yes, congratulations on returning". He said while Raph nodded and walked in.


    Malen continued to stare at him until his figure disappeared from his sight, as his thoughts came in order. ''I can''t read him...that guy. He is hiding something.... something that could hinder my plans''. He turned towards the moon and stared at its glorious shade of white. ''The world deserves to be coloured red because blood is the only salvation for sinners. The Blood Cult that looks over the people, the Red Peacemakers that keep the peace of the society....'' A frown crossed his face and darkened his expression as he walked into the Cave. ''....I must contact the boss''.


    And so, the first attempt of snatching the goods of the Merchants had been halted, but how long and how far are the Mercenaries able to go to keep them safe? Who knows.


    Colyn, Cruz and Rodrick could only look after their unconscious Captain and teammate while the series of folded events occurred behind the scenes, unbeknownst to them of the grand plans that awaited them.


    Surviving now, meant surviving at the moment, but how about the morrow?


    The Merchants returned to the cave for the night, with frightened thoughts that had not been settled, while the Mercenaries prepared themselves and their unconscious comrade for a rocky journey. Things might have ended nicely, but it had been made clear for some reason, that this was merely the beginning.

 Chapter 197- Trip to the East 16

    The rays of the sun cascaded down the earth in a warm hue, as its brilliance pushed the darkness that came with the moon into its transitory sleep. The morrow had come and with it, new challenges.


    The sunbeam permeated through the Dome and into the Cave illuminating its interior into a surreal sight.


    The walls glowed green, with intricate, and iridescent shades of white and black patterns that brought a brilliance to its structure. The Carriages were lined in a row, further into the Cave, while the horses were kept in a make-belief-stable, at the corner of the entrance.


    The sound of snoring was soon overcome by the sound of loud clapping as a Merchant walked into the Cave with hurried steps.


    "Wake up! Wake up! We need to get back on track, so get your things prepared and be ready to leave!" Malen announced while he stared at the two merchants left other than himself, and the three errand boys who worked for the Merchants stood sluggishly and tiredly to their feet.


    He glanced at the other side of the Cave to find the sleeping bodies of the Mercenaries, at least some of them. On counting them, he realized one was missing, and it was the same one that had been giving him a headache for a short while now. "Was it, Kael?" he muttered under his breath when a presence hovered him, and a voice shook him to his very foundation.


    "Yes?" the presence said, causing him to shift away from his standing position in a defensive stance, only to find pitch-black darkness that hid the face of the very person he thought about.


    Malen glanced at him and then heard the chatter of the other merchants, causing him to turn their way with an annoyed expression.


    The Merchants hastened their steps in getting their things ready as a result.


    While they did so, Malen slowly composed himself as he stared at Raph. "The merchants and I will go first, then the Mercenaries. I hope that all will be well on your side" he said, and slowly turned around to leave when Raph stopped him with a reputation.


    "Did you check the state of the carriages? Or the horses? Or scout the area to ensure that there aren''t any demons left?"


    Malen turned towards him, with his brows furrowed deeply while the sounds of the Merchant arranging their things began to decrease.


    "I checked them personally. You don''t have to worry about it".


    They were locked on each other''s gazes for a moment, or at least, what seemed like his gaze. Malen wasn''t sure, but he definitely wouldn''t let a boy try to outsmart him.


    "I see". After what seemed like an eternity, Raph finally replied and the Merchants resumed their pace while Malen turned to walk away.


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    This occurred for a few seconds until he was finally able to trace the reason for his peaked interest in the lines. "Are they pulsating?" He muttered with an intrigued tone and began to note down some peculiar characteristics or changes.


    Soon enough, his interest peaked again for another reason. ''These things....look too natural, and organized to be patterns....and it seems like it leads to somewhere''. He couldn''t understand it himself, but something began to chew at him, the more he understood what he saw.


    He backed off from the wall, dusted his cloak, and began to walk around the Cave, tracing the patterns as he did so. Noticing their rhythmic pulses that came to life each time they glowed green. It was enchanting, nearly deceiving and his thoughts wandered on the probable cause of the phenomenon. His curiosity led him further into the Cave, past the Merchants who had begun to fix up their carriages and the horses together and then Malen, who was busy supervising the process.


    It seemed like none of these concerned him at the moment, and he was just enjoying the walk.


    None of them paid him mind of course, or at least most of them. Rodrick would, from time to time, peek at Raph from the third carriage, which held the unconscious bodies of Lucky and Azby. His curiosity got the best of him at some point and he decided to walk after, but not before talking to his teammates. "Hey Cruz, Colyn. Take care of things for me, okay?" He said, ignoring Cruz''s complaints and walking after Raph.


    He walked after Raph carefully, attempting to avoid getting spotted while he observed him.


    ''Is he....searching for something? What is he thinking?'' He thought while Raph halted in his tracks.


    With a raised brow, he hastened his steps towards him, abandoning the idea of approaching him stealthily.


    "Hey, Kael?" He muttered with a raised tone in his voice as he got to him, only for Raph to hurriedly place his index finger against his mouth.


    He halted as well in confusion, while he stared at Raph, who slowly pointed forward.


    Confused by his action, he looked ahead as well, but just as he assumed when he first glanced at it. He saw nothing. The glowing emerald lights led up to the point where they stood, and beyond that was just a vast darkness that they did not want to thread in.


    He glanced at Raph, and as usual, he could not tell what the young lad was talking about, but his thoughts began to reel in, in an attempt to convince him. ''If it''s Kael, then he must be pointing at something serious''. He looked forward again and squinted his eyes dark, trying to adapt to the irrationality of the darkness.


    For a moment, it seemed futile, in fact, dumb. He couldn''t see anything and couldn''t understand what he was made to look at. This continued for a while, up to the point he had begun to lose interest and was about to look away, but just then, something subtle caught his attention.


    ''What was that? In the darkness?'' He thought in confusion as he focused harder.


    It took his eyes a while to get the image clearly and his brain some further time to process what he saw, but by the time he was done, a clear, vivid image was imprinted on his head that caused a cold shiver to creep up his spine.


    ''7th tier Grand Demon; Mountain Baby''.@@@@

 Chapter 198- Trip to the East 17

    Just as a recap, there are four hierarchies in the demonic level for demons, which start from Lower, Greater, King, and then Grand. Each has its tier, starting from 1st, the weakest, to the 7th, the strongest, depending on the number of demonic cores present.


    Currently, Raph lived in a period where most nobles weren''t even aware of the Gate openings and the invasion of demons, which occurred scarcely throughout the whole Continent, and this was because of the barrier separating the Demonic Realm and the Mortal Realm .


    Though demons of the lesser hierarchy had the opportunity to make holes through it and invade the Mortal Realm, the strongest demons of the higher hierarchy did not.


    So at the moment, after going through the Demonic Encyclopedia that had been engraved into Mercenaries and Adventures from the demons that nearly whipped the people of the earth, during the Dark Age, Rodrick was able to identify the.....creature he was staring at.


    Raph recognized the demon as well from his past life memories, and the thought of how it got here gnawed at them the wrong way.


    Further into the Cave, where their gazes were locked on, was a human baby head, the size of an automobile vehicle, protruding from the walls of the Cave.


    The patterns on the Cave were drawn towards the baby''s head, pulsating and shimmering in a demonic, emerald hue as it supplied an endless source of energy to the baby.


    Two tiny horns protruded from its forehead, and the green patterns formed the orifices for its face on the wall.


    The demon was embedded in the wall, and its figure just simply formed a counter, while it protruded the walls out. It seemed like an ethereal sight at first, but with the pulsating energy and glowing lights, one would wonder what the source of the energy truly was.


    Raph, for example, had his mind boggled by the thought as he walked backward with Rodrick.


    ''I thought the green light was caused by the sun''s rays? Is there something more to this that I don''t understand? He wondered for a moment as they continued to take slow steps.


    Even for him, if he were to use every power he had, he would not be able to face a 7th-tier Grand Demon.


    They were amongst the epitome of demonic creatures and the most susceptible to advancing into a devil. ''In general, these things are dangerous''.


    He must have made up his mind a long time ago. They needed to leave, flee, Vamos, and quickly so. "Um, I don''t need to tell you, Rodrick, but you know what to do, right?" He muttered when they got away from the creature and approached the merchants.


    Rodrick glanced at Raph, turned around, and rushed up to his teammates with hastened footsteps.


    ''Oh, he does then''. Raph thought sarcastically as he glanced at the Merchants. Most had gotten their things ready and were prepared to leave. They were climbing onto their carriages now and leading them outside the cave.


    It seemed like everything was going well, and according to plans, but something gnawed at him at the moment. He searched amongst the merchants for a particular Man, and he slowly began to get worried about not finding him. ''Could he have seen it as well?'' he wondered and walked towards the Merchant''s carriages. ''The Mountain Baby is usually found in deep slumbers, but they can be easily awoken once something that affects it directly has been tampered with.''


    His head was boggled in confusion at the sight until it snapped into realization, and in an unprepared manner, as soon as he crossed the entrance, he pulled his body backward into the cave before a loud explosion shook the cave.


    The red light illuminated a glowing crimson explosion that shook the cave entrance and collapsed the structure of the wall like a demolished building, blocking the sunlight that permeated through it.


    Rodrick and Colyn, in confusion, threw away their things and pulled out their weapons in a hurry to burst through the entrance when Raph snapped at them.


    "Are you crazy! Drop your weapons!" he cried out in rushed adrenaline, while a shiver ran down their spines as they turned to him in shock.


    Cruz, on the other hand, suddenly stood up and pointed his mana staff at the entrance, and a spark of flames ignited and grew into a fireball.


    "You don''t tell me what to do," he said before releasing the spell and causing a further explosion that blew the rock debris apart, causing a small human-sized opening within the piles of rocks that had blocked off the entrance.


    It was slowly closing up again, but Cruz had already seemed to have prepared beforehand as he rushed towards the entrance.


    "Cruz?! What the fuck are you doing?!" Rodrick asked in confusion as he went after him, only to be frozen in fear by the sound that caused a ripple effect to the green patterns of the Cave.


    "Shit! Shit!" Raph cursed and pulled out his sword, endowed it with aura, and thrust it forward as soon as Cruz wriggled his way out and rushed away. His sword glowed blue and an energy of blue light sparked before blowing the rest of the debris away.


    "Come on you fools! Unless you want to be dead!" he charged out first, and without picking up their things, Colyn and Rodrick rushed after him as well.


    "What¨CWhat is going on?!" Colyn asked in confusion when the sound they had heard echoed again. The sound was like the giggle of a baby, only distorted with a monstrous, inhumane voice. "Shit! What was that?!" he asked as he turned to look around.


    "Focus on running, you bastard!" Rodrick cried out as they headed towards the exterior of the dome, only to find Cruz already outside the structure, the Red orb glowing within his palm, as he closed off the dome to prevent them from leaving.


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    "The fuck, Cruz?! What are you doing?!" Rodrick asked as he slammed himself against the dome, slamming and striking it in fury. "Let us out, you bastard" he cried out in fury, while Raph and Colyn stood behind him. Cruz simply remained quiet, with a disgusted expression on his face as he stared at Rodrick.


    The loud, monstrous baby laugh echoed again, and their bodies were sent on high alert as the top of the Mountain was broken through by a large fist.


    Raph stared at it and then at Cruz before clicking his tongue in annoyance. He took a step forward and pushed Rodrick away. "I''ve had enough of this".


    He pulled down his hoodie and stared at Cruz.


    "Look into my eyes".

 Chapter 199- Trip to the East 18

    As the rays of the Sun cascaded down the sandy, dry, slope mountains and rocky peaks of the earth, a monstrous arm protruded out of its giant magnificence while the laughter and giggle of a baby echoed in the air in a glorified tone of horror and dread.


    Three figures stood held back by a dome, controlled by Cruz, a mercenary, who was now stuck in an endless loop of pain while his gaze flickered with horror as he stored into Raph''s eyes.


    This quickly occurred within seconds, and Cruz''s expression was twisted into dread and agony as his body froze in place.


    While this happened, Rodrick was mesmerized by the facial features of the figure he was staring at, while Colyn had his attention drawn to somewhere else.


    His face showed signs of confusion and fear as he noticed the loud, distorted baby giggles get louder and clearer with each passing second.


    Soon, another monstrous arm, green in color with fur and sharp claws, emerged from the Rocky Peak, breaking and smashing the Rocky surface into bits of stone.


    "Hey! Hey! Hey!!! Rodrick! Care to explain?!" he asked with a raised tone laced with fright, but it seemed like Rodrick was focused on something else to have heard him.


    "Take it down!" Raph ordered and Cruz quickly released the dome, causing the dome to dim into silence and fall into Raph''s hands just before it hit the ground.


    He turned towards Colyn. "Pick him up and run!" he instructed before rushing off ahead.


    Colyn and Rodrick glanced at each other with baffled expressions before rushing off towards him while Colyn flung Cruz over his shoulder.


    "What the fuck is going on, Rodrick?!" Colyn asked in confusion as they ran towards Raph with all their might, away from the creature that pulled itself out of the tall Rocky Peak. "What is that thing?!" the familiar baby giggles echoed and forced him to turn back to find the source.


    The demon''s head had slammed through the Rocky Peak and emerged into the outside world, its ghastly giggles echoing stronger than before.


    "Holy shit! That''s a fucking Mountain baby!" he cried out in shock and hastened his steps ahead, leaving a trail of dust behind him.


    "We slept with a fucking Mountain baby!" he cried out in realization and snapped his head towards Rodrick. "The fuck?! Did you know this, Rodrick?!"


    Sadly, Rodrick''s attention was fixed on something else. Something ahead caught his attention in a whiff. Colyn noticed his gaze and clicked his tongue.


    "You bastard! That''s a dude!" he cried out 8j annoyance while Rodrick, for the first time in a short moment, snapped his head towards him with a disgusted expression.


    "How dare you talk like that?! That''s a woman you bastard! A beautiful one at that" he said, before snapping his head away. "We only found out about the demon this morning. Why do you think you saw us coming out from the inner cave a while ago?"


    Colyn''s eyes bulged open in surprise before his brows furrowed deeply. The series of events that had occurred played out in his head, and he soon began to grow annoyed. ''Those merchants kidnapped the captain and lucky....'' He then glanced at the man, who seemed fixed in a daze over his shoulder. ''And Cruz betrayed us? Just what is going on?'' He wondered before the ghastly laughs pierced his ears and snapped him from his thoughts, followed by a swooshing sound, like that of a beam.


    Just then, Raph suddenly turned around while they rushed towards him.


    "Duck!" he cried out, and the two men, without a moment of hesitation, jumped into the ground while a beam of red light scraped the hem of their hair before passing them by a hair''s breadth.


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    He turned his gaze behind him to find the mountain baby frantically chasing after them, and catching up quickly.


    Unlike the name, these creatures were as tall as ships and possessed the face of a baby. The rest of their body was an unorthodox mixture of an ape and wolf. Their trunk was like apes, but their arms and feet were of wolf origin.


    Their unique appearance made it particularly difficult to forget their image, and their ridiculous strength and mobility made them one of the most difficult to deal with.


    ''Not to mention that they are parallel to a 13th to 15th star or circle.....if any exist at all''. Just one alone would lead to the destruction of a kingdom, and you would require at least three 11 stars or circles to deal with them. ''It''s absurd''.


    He glanced at his surroundings and marked any major changes.


    At the moment, they were being chased by a demonic Mountain Baby. Creatures that run on their four feet instead of two like a normal baby, and their terrain was a sandy pathway, broad enough for the demon to move smoothly, yet relatively if it were to turn. Mountains and Rocky Peaks were located on either side of the pathway, and this was the source of its restriction.


    He turned towards Rodrick after analyzing it and asked. "Until when do we leave the Twin Peak?".


    Rodrick''s gaze flickered to reality as he shook his head. "About an hour, but at this pace, we might not make it. Mountain Babies are faster than their appearance. It''s going to catch up to us" he explained while Raph clicked his tongue.


    ''That''s why I asked, you bastard''.


    At the moment, his options were limited; after all, its laser beams had destroyed his Aura field of Vision in a single blow. ''....luckily they only use it every 5 minutes''.


    It had been nearly three minutes since it fired out its beams, but it had one more skill it had yet to use. ''....Mountain drop''. Raph thought as a cold shiver ran down his spine. ''If it decided to use that skill now, it would spell trouble, even for him''.


    He gulped loudly when Rodrick''s alarmed voice snapped him from his thoughts.


    "Oi! Oi! It''s fucking jumping!". He cried out, and Raph immediately snapped his gaze to the demon, as a shadow of dread nearly took its place in his expression.


    "Both of you! Stand behind me!" he cried out in anger as he bit his lip. ''The bastard decided to use it when I was just thinking about it! Fuck!''.


    He halted in his tracks while Rodrick and Colyn slid behind him. He stumped his right foot to the ground as the Sun''s rays cast a silhouette of doom upon them.


    ''This better work!''.


    "Come to me; Cold Steel!"


    A cold wind swept into the air in front of him, forming the hilt of his blue, glowing double-edged katana.


    He grabbed it and pulled it out in the next second, and in the following second, he stabbed it into the ground.


    "Chapter 4! Sonic Surge!"

 Chapter 200- Trip to the East 19

    It was like thunder shuddered the sky before a bolt of lightning dropped on the earth to cause a cataclysmic phenomenon. The explosion of energy and power shook the earth to its core, reaching deeper levels never felt before. It was similar to a natural disaster that could sweep a town or village into oblivion, nearly as powerful as a nuclear bomb.


    The devastating aftereffects of the attack became apparent as a large mushroom of dust and lightning surged high into the sky like a beacon of doom.


    The shockwave of the demon falling from the sky was so great that the earth shuddered, shocked, and collapsed, causing the very large diameter of the Twin Peak to depress into a crater while lightning sparks emitted from its surface, a testament to the demon''s power.


    As the dust cleared, a figure stepped through the dust, coughing and staggering as a result of the attack, but yet, his glowing blade emitted courage and will. A red orb floated over his head, but it soon dimmed into oblivion and shattered, causing a dome to disappear.


    His glowing, white, ethereal eyes showed through the dust particles as he stopped in his tracks when he noticed the cascade of darkness that hovered over him.


    "Hah, fuck". He muttered as he slowly looked up to find the cause of the darkness, but even without seeing it, he had an idea of what it was.


    "You bastard. Happy with yourself?" He muttered as a cold chuckle escaped his lips.


    Hovering over him, was the giant figure of the Mountain Baby. Its crimson, demonic eyes glowed through the dust with malevolent delight while its row of canine teeth simmered with dark pleasure.


    It giggled, its bestial laughter sending waves of terror through the air as he stared down at Raph.


    Perhaps it thought it had won the little scuffle, if you were to call it that, or perhaps it simply delighted in playing with its prey before consuming it, but the demon simply stared at Raph, as if waiting for him to act.


    Raph cursed under his breath as a wave of pain shook him. He staggered, but held strong and took a few steps back, then stopped. He began to line his thoughts in order because if he didn''t, he would die.


    ''I should be glad that my attack activated first; if not, I would have truly died.'' He thought while he stared at the demon and the long demarcation that he created between them.


    Shards of ice could be seen piercing out from the demarcation that stretched downwards into the ground. It was created to transfer some or most of the shockwave downwards to alter its true power, and luckily for him, it worked.


    ''Though, now, I''m facing a new challenge''. He thought as he gripped his sword. ''How do I even win against a Grand Demon when I''m simply a master?''


    Suddenly, something struck him into realization. His eyes widened slowly, and his face twisted into a scowl.


    ''....I''m...weak?'' the thought was like a wake-up bell or a snap from delusions. Like he had been deluded into thinking he was strong all this time.


    ''For generations, we have fought against demons, and even grand demons fell to our feet. But with time came weakness, and man began to fall from his true potential.


    He stumped his feet on the ground, and an explosion of sound occurred as he barred through the sound barrier, causing his body to whisk into and out of sight before he appeared on the other side, behind the demon.


    The demon turned back in confusion as its body suddenly tripped and slammed into the ground before dragging itself against the ground of the crater and smashing into bits of rocks. It turned downwards to find a pool of red blood gushing out from its hind and forelimbs that was cut off from its place.


    It growled in annoyance, as its human-like face distorted into anger and carnage while it screamed into the air in fury.


    Raph sighed as he stumped his feet, ready to charge in yet again when the demon suddenly spun its head in his direction with glowing red eyes.


    ''Shit!'' he cursed as fiery crimson demonic beams were shot at him at the speed of sound, distorting space while Raph forced his body to the other direction, dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    He quickly ran across the crater, sliding his feet on the earthen ground as the beam continued to follow his trail.


    ''That cut was lucky.....it didn''t expect I would reach the realm of an eleventh star, but I won''t be able to do much with just this''. He thought when he suddenly felt a throbbing pain that caused him to trip on his foot, before falling to the ground with a loud thud.


    ''Shit!'' he cursed as he coughed out blood and quickly ran forward just before the laser beam exploded the spot he had fallen to. ''This thing is taking a toll on me! Is it because I haven''t used it in a while?!'' he wondered as he continued his frantic escape from the beam. But soon enough, he began to understand that the creature wouldn''t stop until it hit him. ''I can''t allow that''. He thought and changed the direction of his goal. He charged forward towards the demon that was slowly regenerating its limbs while dodging the beam at the same time.


    The demon had become wary at this point, as it increased the speed of the laser beam in striking him when Raph had nearly reached a foot close to it, but just as it was about to finally strike Raph, his body whisked, and disappeared, appearing at the side of the demon in the blink of an eye.


    The demon could not follow through in the end, and the beam was cut off as soon as it reached its regenerating hind foot.


    Raph used that little opportunity and charged in nearly immediately, swinging his sword through the air as he left a trail of ice in its wake.


    "Chapter 10! Bottomless Surge!"


    Five giant dragon heads, the size of an automobile vehicle, exploded from his sword as a gravitational force pushed the demon to the ground with a loud thud. He swung his blade downwards and the force pushed the demon further into the ground, causing a deep crater to form while lava and red fire began to erupt from the crater.


    It growled in frustration as it struggled to set free, pulling itself back to its feet with nearly the same force as the gravitational push. The five dragon heads slammed into its body, causing waves of pain to spread through it as it screamed in fury.


    The resistive force suddenly increased and Raph found himself struggling to maintain the gravitational hold. Constant explosions of power and energy occurred as they struggled to get the upper hand but soon enough, the demon had gotten tired.


    "KRIIIIEEEEEK!!"


    A hollow and inhumane cry like that of a baby and a distorted radio sound pierced through the air like a trumpet of death and a shockwave exploded from its body and blew everything from its path.

 Chapter 201- Trip to the East 20

    A ripple effect caused by the shockwave swept through the Rocky peak casting tall Rocky mountains to crumble to the ground. An updraft was created, causing chunks of earth and sand to fly into the air while Raph struggled to keep his feet on the ground.


    His sword was stabbed into the earth, and his body was enveloped in a concentrated aura. His muscles throbbed in pain under the weight of the strong wind and shockwave that was sent throughout the Rocky Peak but his will kept him on hold, preventing him from letting the wind pick him up with the rest of the rubble.


    His mind was set on the fight and searched for a constant pathway that led to victory. It didn''t matter how small, what mattered was that it was there.


    ''Crazy demon. You think this is enough h to stop me?'' He wondered as a slight chuckle escaped his lips.


    He could hear the sound of giggling approaching him and the heavy footsteps of the demon as it closed the gap between them.


    It was approaching, and steadily so. ''So what now?'' He wondered as he felt the energy within his body slowly fading. He was running out of time and he was stuck with a demon, so his mind constantly wavered, trying to find a fix for the situation. ''If I knew this was going to happen, I would have taken a sealing scroll...or better still, a sealing crystal''.


    Sealing artifacts existed, but the use of such was mostly planned and never came as a result of unexpected circumstances, as this was a period when demons weren''t at their all-time high.


    The heavy footsteps came to a halt, and once again, he felt the demon hovering over him, its gaze fixed on him like he was its prey. The feeling sent a shiver down his spine and became a strong reminder of his weakness.


    ''Let''s....Let''s still try''. He thought before slowly stretching his right hand forward.


    The 9th star represented Resonance, and the method of using his mana circles and aura stars in perfect harmony involved a form of resonance. When one looks at it, one realizes he had been using the state of the 9th star before he became a master.


    Resonance involved imbuing aura into the physical, and causing phenomenons with it after entering a state of oneness with the atmosphere.


    It was a form of connecting with nature and affecting it using your aura, your will, and your perception of reality.


    This was what the 9th star represented, Resonance.


    Raph''s body suddenly glowed bright blue, as his aura grew concentrated in its manifestation. It looked like his body was caught on fire, blue fire, but this was simply a second form of aura, this was Soul Aura.


    At the moment, his stars vibrated rigorously and his circles spun tenaciously. His body felt like it was crumbling from within, but a newfound energy and power was seeping through him slowly, and as it did, came an understanding of the 9th star.


    A beam of blue light ignited within his diatian, next to his right stars and it slowly began to take shape, growing and strengthening itself in the process.


    His vision had nearly turned blurry, but he could see the giant arms coming towards him like a hammer of death, ready to give judgment to his soul. ''Fuck.....you got to be kidding me''. He thought as he closed his eyes, giving in to his fate, or so he thought until an ear-piercing howl shook them both.


    "HOOOWLLLLL!!!"


    Like the sound of an angel''s trumpet, his eyes snapped open while the demon glanced around in search of the cause, ignoring Raph''s presence for a moment, but that was all he needed.


    Raph didn''t need to think twice, as he used whatever energy he had left to get to his feet and run from the demon. ''This isn''t a battle I could have won,'' he thought in bitter realization, when the demon suddenly roared and charged after him, closing the distance before he could even make a proper distance between them.


    The demon was about to strike him away when the loud howl pierced him into a halt, causing it to search around in confusion. At that moment, the wind peaked up around Raph, taking the shape of a Portal, and in the blink of an eye, a black wolf, the size of a bus emerged from it.


    It growled ferociously as it grabbed Raph by his collar using its mouth and jumped into another wind that took the shape of a portal.


    The demon snapped towards the direction in surprise and confusion as it searched for its prey, but sadly, it couldn''t.


    Crying out in anger, it slammed its feet on the ground in a tantrum, causing a wave of shock to spread across the iced ground and making the whole 400-meter diameter cave in.


    It slammed itself on the shattering floor as it cried, and wailed with a distorted baby tone, causing a disaster. It began to descend into the ground as it did so and continued to wail at the loss of its prey. Crying and muttering distorted baby sounds while red tears streamed down its juvenile face.


    The shockwave from its tantrum quickly spread throughout Rocky Peak as mountains fell and iced surfaces caved in, forming a large pit in the terrain.


    As it did so, a wolf jumped out from a gust of wind and flung Raph over its back before increasing its pace as the ground beneath it collapsed and shattered into ice shards.


    Raph sat up in confusion, placed his hands on the giant wolf, and simply stayed still as it attempted to escape the disaster that followed them persistently.


    He had nearly given in to the direction of the wolf when his thoughts snapped at him. "Rodrick and Colyn! Hold on, I left them behind!" he muttered when the wolf suddenly spoke.


    "Be calm, husband. I have already taken their unconscious body to where it is safe, now it is time for us to escape".


    For a moment, he felt like he could finally relax. Mountain Babies tend to fall asleep on their own after a tantrum, and it was on a tantrum because of his escape. Luckily, he didn''t need to worry about them being chased, but at that moment, his eyes snapped into realization for a different reason. ''Husband??!'' he thought, before crying out in shock.


    "ELSIEEE??"

 Chapter 202- Trip to the East 21

    AROUND THE SAME TIME IN THE HOMERIC ACADEMY.


    It was a late afternoon and a sunny one at that. The Sun''s rays cascaded down the puffy clouds that hovered over the academy in a melodic timbre of crimson and amber. Its brilliant, iridescent hue left an impactful impression on all those who looked up at the sky as the sounds of students chattering across the fields of the Academy echoed within it.


    Some students were actively participating in one or two combat practices, while others performed magic combat training. Their voices could be heard across the academy, and it filled it with a lively presence from their youthful energy and prowess.


    While some participated in physical classes, others were busy in their classes, listening to their lecturers for the last time of the Day, while some others skipped through it to have heartfelt conversations with their friends.


    All this while, the D.E.C was busy with mostly nothing to do, as they all lounged at different positions in the club room while they enjoyed the silence that suffused around them.


    Jane could be seen seated at the President''s table, his legs crossed neatly on it while he sipped a cup of tea with a satisfied smile.


    Darell was on the couch, reading a book, and the others were in their usual spots. With the addition of Tiara, who was seated with Mariam and Louis.


    They enjoyed their company in silence, after all, on a Tuesday like this when their classes meant nothing but elementary studies, they would rather prefer to be here in the presence of unlikely people than in their classes to learn something they don''t wish to.


    Well, that was until Darell looked up from his book, his brows furrowed in frustration. The book was titled *HOW TO TREAT AN ELVEN PRINCESS* and he was lost in those pages for quite a while.


    ''This book makes no sense! Half of what they say I should do doesn''t work on her!'' he cried out in his head in frustration as he glanced at Tiara, who was serving tea to Mariam with a smile on her face.


    A pang of annoyance filled his chest as he stared at them, but it conflicted with the satisfaction he saw when he saw her smile. ''Fuck, Tiara. You''re going to serve the person I dislike the most'' he thought with a sigh, when the two girls suddenly snapped towards his direction with glares aimed at him.


    He flinched and looked away, while Jane''s soft chuckles broke the silence.


    "You''re making things hard for him, Tiara," he said with a chuckle as he dropped his cup of tea and picked up a scone.


    The golden elf shook her head and puffed her cheeks, before turning away, while Darell sighed further in defeat. His head was spinning with images until he recalled someone. "How long has it been since Elsie left?" He asked, and the people gathered in the room turned in his direction in unison.


    A tense silence followed before Jane clicked his tongue and dropped his legs.


    "It''s his fault, you know! How could he plan a road trip in the middle of a school session?! And not take his obsessive girlfriend with him?!" he mumbled under his breath, but the silence was loud enough for them to pick up his words.


    "You have a point, but he instructed us to take care of Elsie while he was gone," Darell retorted with a light smile. "Besides, it''ll be bothersome if he returns and doesn''t find her".


    Just then, Ciara peaked down from her usual spot, a reading glasses resting on her nose. "She left because she picked up his scent. We don''t know anything about the Darkpelt tribe, but she was confident in finding him" She interjected.


    Raph''s gaze widened in shock as he stared at the ground below them. They were quickly ascending into the sky with the wind, as if she were walking on air, and soon left the collapsed surface of the earth.


    "Void walking?!" he wondered. ''But isn''t this something only performed by Martial Artists?''


    "No, my dear. This is wind walking, a skill of the Darkpelt tribe, whose affinities are darkness and wind". She replied with a giggle. "You must have noticed by now, but I am an eight circle. I am quite capable of protecting my mate when it comes down to it, am I not?"


    Her playful voice was nearly contrasted by her motherly tone, but he found it intriguing. Of course, he had an idea of her abilities since he could see them with his eyes all the time. ''When we first met, she was in the 6th circle. I wonder what she went through for her to get this strong so quickly''


    With a sigh, he lowered his body on her back and rubbed her fur with his tired hands.


    ''I have to admit. I did push myself to the limit this time'' he thought as his gaze slowly turned blurry.


    "Elsie" he called with a tired tone in his voice.


    "Yes, my husband?" She replied.


    "Wake me up the moment you need my help" He instructed, as he felt the breeze that slowly caressed him into his tiredness.


    "Of course. Sleep well, husband". She replied before he slowly drifted into sleep.


    Elsie''s lips curled upwards, revealing a row of canine white teeth as a giggle escaped her lips. She continued forward, away from the destruction while she rode Raph to safety.


    Soon, the sky began to darken as the Sun and its ambient rays retreated for their temporary slumber and were replaced by the Luminance of the Moon, with all its cold wonder.


    Elsie continued her journey in the air, marching forward towards a cliff as the glowing moon cascaded on her onyx fur, causing a brilliance to shine upon the world.


    Her gaze shifted towards the end of the Rocky Peak. Two tall mountains of stone, with a rugged peak that stretched towards the sky. It was larger than the rest of the mountains that followed its trail and held significance to this certain area.


    It was the landmark that gave this particular area, which spanned 27 kilometers, the name Rocky Peak.


    However, about a kilometer or so caved in, forming a pit crater in the middle.


    Elsie landed behind it, where three males were waiting quietly under a tall boulder.


    "You''re back, Great Wolf," Rodrick said with a small smile as the three men, of which one was tied up, looked up at her in reverence.

 Chapter 203- Trip to the East 22

    Rodrick looked up at the Giant wolf that descended from the skies with a joyful smile. A sparkle hid behind his eyes as he slowly got up from the spot where they had been hiding.


    Soon, Colyn did the same after recognizing the presence of their savior as they both awaited the onyx-furred beast.


    They felt a mix of complicated emotions on seeing it as part of them thanked it eternally for saving their lives, and another part feared it for its unknown origin.


    They had been betrayed and abandoned on the same day, and it was difficult to trust others at the moment, not less of themselves. But as they witnessed the ethereal beast approach them, those thoughts had been whisked away, and replaced by curiosity and gratefulness.


    Rodrick smiled as his memories began to replay the series of events that occurred right after the Mountain Drop.


    ''Kael used some sort of technique to cause a rift between us to transfer some of the brunt of the earthquake and fortified our defenses with the Protection Orb, but as soon as that was over.''


    The fight scene that occurred played vividly in his head, and he couldn''t help but dread the true existence of the boy who was able to hold himself against a Grand Demon.


    ''That was unthinkable on so many levels!'' he thought as a scowl grew on his face. ''....But, that saved us. He drew the attention of the demon, and we used that chance to escape''.


    But even that wasn''t enough to escape the brunt of the fight. With how tired they had become, it was only a matter of time before they were caught in one of the sonic explosions and exploded by the pulses.


    ''....and that is when it appeared''.


    He could remember clearly how it grabbed Colyn and him with Cruz, who was still under the influence of Raph''s control, and jumped into a portal made of wind. They soon appeared kilometers away from the battle, and with some extra teleportation, it had brought them all here.


    It was around that time that Cruz was able to snap free when they tied him up.


    Now, their savior had returned, or at least that''s what he would love to call it.


    ''....please don''t be a demon''. He thought as a gust of wind shook them, slowly caressing their skins while a loud thud echoed through the silent night.


    The two figures were forced to look away for a moment due to the wind, but soon they found themselves looking up at the creature that had saved them.


    "Now, what the hell could have possibly caused this". A voice echoed in the darkness, his accent similar to those of cowboys as loud footsteps caused by heavy creatures quickly came to a halt.


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    "What the hell is that, brother?" A much weaker-toned man spoke up next as he jumped off a mount, the size of a horse but the body of a Rhinoceros. He had the same accent as the former and was slowly approaching the man who stood in front.


    "Well, I''ll be damned. Right here is the deepest crater I ever seen". The man said as he whistled while he looked into the Pit.


    "Why don''t you go and take a look, brather. Who knows, Mama Sara could be waiting for ya down there". Another spoke up, and it was soon followed by a wave of laughter.


    Soon, more footsteps could be heard as more men descended from their mounts and approached the Pit Crater, their voices echoing through the night.


    "That''s not funny, brother. You know how sensitive I am about Mama Sara," The weaker-toned man retorted as five more men joined them at the edge of the Craters. Their gazes struck in awe at the sight.


    A brief moment of silence suffused the air before the first spoke up.


    "Y''all think that Werewolf Did This?" He asked with an intrigued tone as he stroked his beard while his lips curled upwards.


    "Wouldn''t that be nice? We could finally afford a new mount." Another spoke up, and a fit of laughter broke the silence soon after. "What does it matter? Those mutts have been up and about like they''ve forgotten their places. We need to catch this one"


    Soon, their gazes quickly shifted from the crater as they lost interest in the cause or the reason for a large hole in the middle of the road. They slowly returned to their mounts, a purpose guiding them to their destination.


    "Does it matter, brother? It''ll fetch us a good price with those Red Pipi people".


    The first jumped over his mount as well and slowly inserted his hand into a pouch attached to his waist. He pulled out a gun, a revolutionary machine with three long tungsten barrels and a well-designed hand grip that would leave most modern guns begging for a remodel. Its shiny, lustrous metal hand grip with the pattern of roses sparkled with a malevolent brilliance as he pointed it forward.


    "You know me too well, brothers. Let''s go catch ourselves a werewolf." He pulled the trigger, and gunpowder exploded as a bullet was released into the air.


    The bullet exploded a few feet away from the edge of the top of the crater and spread into a smoky, black portal. "Yeeee Hawww!!!" he exclaimed before his mount jumped over the crater and into the portal, vanishing from plain sight.


    "YEEEE HAWWW!!!" His brothers chorused in unison as they led their mounts into the portal, one by one until no one was left behind. The portal closed, while the moon''s brilliance continued to glow upon the earth.

 Chapter 204- Trip to the East 23

    Across the expanse of the sky, the moon''s luminance faded, and a bright ambient light suffused itself around the clouds in a lilac hue of tranquillity and peace, signaling the rise of the Sun. Its rays of light were like a beacon of luminosity that shunned the darkness of the night and summoned the glow of the Day.


    As the Sun rose and brought with it its tranquil light, the people of the earth awoke and began their daily activities, or at least, those that had slept the night.


    Amongst these people were Rodrick, Who slowly awoke with the piercing light of the sun that stung his eyes as he opened them. He yawned slightly as he sat up beneath the horizontal boulder that blocked the rest of the sun''s light.


    His gaze was a bit hazy for the first five seconds but he quickly regained his full sight as he felt his perception of reality return to him. A good night''s sleep has a knack for giving you a break from reality or the present, and as such, when one wakes up from such a sleep, it is akin to regaining your perception and perhaps your memory.


    As he regained his memories, a stinging pain crossed his mind and his body, and a deep scowl spread on his face as he looked around him.


    Next to him, resting on the wall, was Colyn, Who was still fast asleep, and at the opposite side, by his left, was Cruz, wide and awake.


    They stared at each other for a moment, perhaps calculating their thoughts before they spoke, but what could be said between former comrades?


    Rodrick was about to speak up when Cruz broke the silence.


    "I don''t intend on revealing anything," he said with deep enmity hidden in his tone.


    Rodrick scoffed and slowly turned his body in his direction. "That''s funny. I didn''t ask" he said playfully, as a yawn escaped his lips while he attempted to smile. "You see, at this point, I won''t be surprised if Kael has Something that can help us with that. If anything, I''m worried that he could decide to....you know" He gestured with his right finger to form an imaginary cut spread horizontally across his neck.


    Cruz rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I won''t deny that he was beyond our expectations, but there''s a limit to how skilled a person can be. I doubt he has anything he can use to make me talk, and even if he did, we have preparations for that". A brief silence suffused between them before Cruz continued. "You''ve grown pretty dependent on the bastard. What changed your mind?" He asked, curiosity laced in his tone


    Rodrick glanced at him and then the roof of the boulder that was arched above their heads. His head was slowly filled with thoughts and short images before he glanced at Cruz. "He''s proven how capable he is, hasn''t he? And I have a thing for respecting strong people, you should know this by now" He said, as he slowly stood up to his feet.


    Cruz watched him carefully as the man stretched his body, and walked out.


    "Where are you going?" He asked.


    Rodrick paused for a moment and sighed while the cool morning wind danced around his figure as he stared at the sky. "To greet our Saviours". He replied and slowly disappeared from Cruz''s sight, heading towards the top of the boulder that served as their roof.


    He turned around with a click of his tongue and continued his task.


    "Yes, I am, Rodrick. Do you have something against it?" He asked with a sarcastic tone while he sighed. ''This again. At least my hair is black, thanks to the artifact around my neck, but even with a black hair, my face still looks feminine?'' He wondered with a detestable taste in his mouth. ''How disturbing''.


    "I¨CI''m sorry. I just wasn''t expecting it" he replied with a mellow tone as he glanced around. "I can''t believe it, though; I mean....you''re blind...and you have this innocent aura around you that makes you so feminine that I thought...."


    Raph suddenly struck his long sword loudly and glared at Rodrick, which became a good enough reason for Rodrick to stop. After all, he wouldn''t stand a chance against Raph even if he chose to fight back. "So¨CSorry, I was just....in my head" he muttered embarrassingly as he scratched the back of his head.


    Raph ignored him and continued his task while a brief silence suffused them. Rodrick had used that chance to observe the boulder.


    It was a large structure, enough to carry all five of them present, and even room enough for Elsie''s wolf form. It was anchored tightly against the Rocky Peak Wall and didn''t seem like it was coming down any time soon. He was lost in thoughts while he observed when He noticed the girl that slept next to him, and not the Great Wolf from before.


    ''Oh....she really is a Beastman'' he thought. ''A werewolf at that.....they''re pretty rare and they don''t usually come out of their villages unless threatened''.


    He glanced at the girl and then at Raph, and he couldn''t help but wonder what sort of relationship these two unlikely people shared. ''....Well, whatever it is, it''s not going to be simple''.


    He thought when his gaze landed on Raph''s face, and the expression he made while he cleaned his long sword.


    It seemed like he was in his own world, perhaps contemplating on something, or formulating plans, but the seriousness and focus his expression exuded at the moment was captivating.


    A thought crossed his mind, and he gulped as he asked. "Um, Kael?"


    Raph looked up at him with a raised brow. "What?" He asked.


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    "Are you a fem-boy?"


    A tense silence exuded between them as they stared at each other with plain expressions until Raph suddenly flung a rock at him and yelled. "Go get the others if you have time to be fucking around, you damn homo!".

 Chapter 205- Trip to the East 24

    Soon the sun had taken its place in the sky, and the clouds hovered the earth in a tranquil hue. The ambient sunlight permeated through the foggy heavens and cascaded down the Earth, caressing the people of the land.


    It was a peaceful morning and the start of a new day, and at the beginning of this new day, five figures sat upon a horizontal boulder that stuck out from the tall rugged surface of the Rocky Peak.


    The five figures were seated around a small bonfire that had sticks arranged in a make-believe stove while five fishes hung over the flames, cooking from the intensity of the fire. The crackle of fire echoed while the fishes underwent their tasteful transformation.


    The four males sat quietly, while Elsie continued her nap on Raph''s lap, who sat closest to the wall of the Rocky Peak. Elsie was currently putting on his shirt and wrapped it in his cloak while he remained bare-chested. He was busy with his thoughts, and so were the others.


    Rodrick sat opposite him, a painful bulge on his forehead, a testament to his question, while Colyn sat next to him, his gaze fixed on the smoked fish while he struggled with the saliva that persisted down his mouth.@@@@


    Cruz was tied up still, but sat at the other side of Rodrick, his weary gaze glancing at the people gathered. Of all the people gathered, he seemed like the one who lost himself in his thoughts the most, at least at the moment.


    ''What is wrong with these people? Why are they acting like they''ve got time to sit around?'' He wondered with a raised brow as he stared at Raph.


    His gaze glanced at his facial expression and then at his face itself. ''Wow....he''s really good looking....what the hell? How can you be strong and handsome? That''s unfair to the world'' he thought before whisking it away. ''More importantly. Where did he come from? He''s the cause of this whole mess....I wouldn''t be in this predicament if things had just gone accordingly''


    He looked away when he noticed he was getting captivated by his looks again, and simply stared at the fish. ''....at least they''re feeding me.....which is weird, because I betrayed them''. The hospitality they showed him caused a stir of confusion within him.


    He was unable to trust anything at this point, and for a moment, he had questioned his decision of betraying them. Not only had they even questioned him or treated him like a betrayal, but it seemed like they were going to feed him. ''....this...This isn''t looking good''. He found it suspicious, but his strong will refused to give in. ''I won''t expose anything''. He thought when Raph suddenly broke the silence.


    "Alright, I''m assuming we all have questions," He said with a sigh as he glanced at the people gathered. He was in a meditative position, and his hand currently caressed Elsie''s hair.


    Rodrick and Colyn glanced at each other before turning towards Raph, as they asked in unison.


    "Who are you?"


    A brief silence suffused them right after, but Raph had quickly found a reply for them. He smiled as he said. "Kael".


    The Mercenaries sighed in unison. It wasn''t like they expected him to reveal his identity immediately, but their curiosity did get the best of them.


    Colyn shook his head as he asked. "Alright then. I have an important question. How do we get the carriages and the captain back?"


    Rodrick turned towards him with a raised brow. "And lucky too" he interjected, before Colyn chuckled wryly as he scratched the back of his head.


    So far he had obtained four different abilities from his eyes, and he was only going to obtain more with the advancement in his strength.


    ''but looking into one''s memories....it''s not something I can do on my first try''. He thought with a sigh.


    In the past, each time he obtained an ability, he would get a vision or some kind of premonition, but at the moment, he hasn''t gotten any.


    ''Making him talk, huh? Torture would be a better method, but sadly.....I don''t have the time for that''.


    He glanced at Cruz for a moment, his icy white gaze sending shivers of fear into Cruz''s body while he stared back.


    Cruz unconsciously shifted away from Raph, even with the knowledge of knowing there wouldn''t be much difference if he did.


    ''I fortified my 9th star already and formed my 8th circle....let''s give it a try and see what happens''.


    He thought as he slowly lowered Elsie''s head to the floor and hung his fish back on the sticks.


    He walked up to Cruz and squatted to his height, before gazing into the man''s eyes.


    While this happened, Rodrick and Colyn glanced at each other and then at Raph, their heads spinning with thoughts and scenarios of what was to come. Of course, they wouldn''t let Raph go as far as to kill him, after all, Cruz is or was their tea mate. But right now, at that moment, they were more concerned with what Malen could have offered him if he offered him anything at all, and the reason for his sudden....betrayal. Rodrick sighed, as he thought. ''Cruz this better just be a mistake''.


    Raph stared at Cruz with an intent gaze, while his eyes glowed an ethereal milky white, revealing a malevolence that had never before been tapped into.


    His hands suddenly grabbed Cruz''s head and pulled it towards him as the intensity of his stare increased.


    Cruz found himself lost in his gaze, entrapped in a darkness with a white moon glowing down upon him. This was much worse than what he felt before, after all, he could feel pain. But compared to now, he felt nothing.


    It was like his senses had been cut from the world, while he fell into a pool of white that served to give him meaning. It was enchanting, like the gaze of an Aphrodite goddess. He was unable to resist the allure, causing him to fall deeper into Raph''s mental trap, and just as soon as he lost himself, he became physically unable to control himself.


    For Raph, it felt different. Like prying through the forbidden books of the gods, he found himself skimming through countless webs, searching for something that would give him understanding.


    At first, He just intended to invade his mind, but then he wanted to maneuver himself around and find a path, and the moment he did, he was lost.


    Only to find a thread that led to a web, which led further into another thread, and then a web, until it formed this large complex structure of spider webs and threads.


    He simply tapped one of these webs, and a flood of information in the form of images would assault his senses. It was then it struck him. ''Hah....found his memories''. Hey

 Chapter 206- Trip to the East 25

    The abilities of the I SEE YOU trait had not been fully utilized by Raph in his past or present life, so how did he become proficient in using it now? Well, that would be constant practice and visualization.


    Traits are abilities possessed by their Family that are greatly dependent on their visualization. It didn''t matter how they decided to use it, but the proficiency in getting it to do what they had visualized.


    His first ability enabled him to see through people, and their aura or circle pathways, as well as Ki pathways, were energy flows. The second ability enabled him to seize control over a person depending on the difference in their abilities, the third ability enabled him to summon ghastly illusions and the fourth ability enabled him to control a person''s action for a period of time depending on the difference in their abilities.


    There was no distinct pathway in how he got this ability, but with each advancement in his overall fighting prowess and proficiency came new abilities that he may or would figure out in the long run.


    Raph had decided to take not just control over Cruz''s body but his mind as well, and instead of imprinting images of illusions in him, he did something else. He imprinted images from Cruz into his brain, and these images would slowly pile up to form memories.


    He had already advanced to the 9th star a day ago, and now he was testing out how possible it was to actually SEE people''s memories.


    Of course, this didn''t happen easily; for a moment, he had lost himself in the vast expanse of Cruz''s mind. After all, the mind is not a place that can easily be pried, and sending information from your brain to another is far easier than doing the opposite. But by simply following the flow, and having a general visualization of how memories should be seen, he was able to find his way.


    A moment ago, Raph had found himself in a darkness that would have overwhelmed his mentality if he hadn''t prepared for it. He simply scanned around, carefully until he located what he needed. A visual presentation of how memories should be, a thread of spider webs.


    Each thread led to a web that represented marked events that had taken place throughout Cruz''s life or at one point in his life. This was Raph''s visual representation of how memories should be connected, and how he expected to find them.


    So with that in mind, he simply followed the thread until he located the spider web, which led further to a system of webs that were interlocked and led to one another.@@@@


    How he was able to do this on his first try though, was impressive in its regard.


    The webs were much and filled the space around him. As soon as he located a thread, it led to a system of webs and threads which completely took the space of the darkness that could have overwhelmed him.


    It was by tapping into those webs, that he was able to see his memories. However, it was after tapping the closest to him and observing the pattern of the webs that he realized how long it would take to find the right ones.


    He needed a way to separate the old ones from the new ones, to make things easier. All he would have to do was roam around the new memories or webs and find out what occurred by himself.


    With this in mind, he changed his perception and visualization of the webs, and soon the space shifted; while webs with dull white colour and threads remained below, others of a brighter colour stayed upwards.


    The man, Neuj Rakarf, glanced at her and then at the Carriage behind them. The third Carriage was led by a well-known, notorious merchant called Colby Marier. A man known for his business with the Black Market, and at the moment, two important mercenaries were tied up in his carriage.


    "Those women are not going to have happy endings," he said with a dejected tone while he looked away. "It''s a shame that such wonderful ladies would be treated wrongly once they''re sold".


    "You can''t be the saviour of all women, and you should let the Westerns handle their own business. How could they have not been aware of Malen''s intentions?" She said with a scoff. She had always had an issue with the Western Kingdom and all their power-hungry citizens.


    It was difficult to understand their Kingdom, and she never considered what happened to their citizens as any of her problems, no matter how harshly they were treated. After all, she''s no saviour, why should she risk her life for ungrateful people?


    Neuj was well aware of her character, and the manner at which she thinks. He had found it an issue at first, but she could at least control it when they went to the West to do business. ''.....but not completely so''. He thought with another sigh.


    "I only hope the good gods don''t punish us for our misdeeds".


    "The good gods have neglected us for a while now. I thought you said you would get rid of that religion. Are you still stuck in that? There is no good god not to talk of gods''


    He stared at her for a moment, then looked up at the sky. "Sometimes Rafi, I wonder how I let you talk me into letting you come with me for my businesses"


    She scoffed. "Out of all those women in the headquarters, I am the most qualified" she replied with a haughty tone as a smirk formed on her lips, but it soon disappeared as she stared at the reins of the horse. "If the good gods do exist, then I''m sure they will look away from this", she said as memories ran through her head.


    Neuj turned towards her, noticing and recognizing the expression she made. His lips curled upwards into a smirk. "I understand".


    After that, a moment of brief silence suffused around them, and this continued for a while. But at some point, the wind began to pick up from behind, and a loud noise like the falling of sand or a storm of wind and sand echoed in their ears.


    It first started as a little noise that was easily ignored, but soon it became apparent that it was increasing.


    At this moment, Neuj and Rafi glanced at each other when things had become difficult to just blame it on natural circumstances, and they were right. It wasn''t natural circumstances that cause the noise.


    A loud voice echoed from behind their carriage, originating from the Messenger boy of the third Carriage. His tone was laced with panic as he said with a rushed and frightened voice.


    "THE MERCENARIES ARE COMING!"

 Chapter 207- Trip to the East 26

    SOME FEW MINUTES AGO.


    As the sun''s rays cascaded down the clouds and upon the earth, three carriages led by two horses each marched their way to the Eastern-Western Border. With a purpose in mind, and a goal to accomplish, they continued their journey despite their lack of escorts.


    The requirement of mercenaries along the way was to keep bandits and lingering demons from attacking them. It didn''t occur often, but when it did, it was quite catastrophic.


    At the moment, Malen led the others to their destination, with not a particular single thought in mind. He simply folded his hands and listened to the wind as it whizzed past them.


    His helper boy sat next to him, holding the reins and controlling the horses on the right path. His gaze had constantly flickered between his boss and the road since a while ago, but he couldn''t bring himself to start a conversation.@@@@


    Luckily for him, Malen picked up on things like this. "What is it, Junior?" He asked with a disinterested tone in his voice.


    "Oh, it¨Cit''s nothing" he stammered and stared away embarrassingly.


    This caused Malen to shift his gaze towards him, as he asked again. "What is it?". His tone was more stern than before.


    The boy gulped and scratched the back of his head, contemplating how to ask his question. "Um, Sir? How exactly are we going to complete the Red Peacemakers mission?" He asked, evading his gaze from Malen, who sighed at his question.


    "You do not need to worry about that, little boy. All you need to do is focus on the road and take me to where I''m supposed to be" he replied with a shrug. He remained silent for a moment, but then turned towards the boy and said. "The Red Peacemakers must never be mentioned in public again".


    The boy, Junior, nodded in understanding and simply kept quiet as their journey commenced.


    Ironically enough, Malen had been thinking about the same thing. The Red Peacemakers had given him a direct order. Take the goods and equipment to the Eastern Army to continue their war. It seemed like the Red Peacemakers, contrary to their name, insisted on prolonging the war for a bit longer.


    ''If they''re insisting on prolonging the war, then it means they''re not done with their preparations for what is to come after the war''. He thought while he looked up at the sky.


    The goods were initially meant for trading with the Eastern refugees, who had lost their homes due to the war. It seemed like the East were dealt a heavy blow, and lost a good number of lands to the West.


    ''....The whole thing is a mess. A political propaganda, in fact, but it doesn''t matter to me''.


    It was simple really. All he had to do was deliver the goods as he was instructed, and the rest would play out as it should.


    He was unlucky enough to get paired with some skilled Mercenaries, which became a hurdle in his plans, but the Eastern Duo was supposed to take care of that. ''.....but that man showed up as an anomaly and hindered the rest''.


    It was a shame. The Red Peacemakers had gone to great lengths in trying to use the Eastern Frontiers, a band of revolutionaries, to fight for them and incite the war. But their plans were quickly diluted by the appearance of one figure, Kael.


    Malen''s thoughts were clouded with the scene he witnessed when Kael was fighting off the demons on the walls beside them. ''He was skilled.....and dangerous''.


    He sighed at the thought. He couldn''t help but be glad that he found the Mountain baby and devised a plan to use Cruz to get away from the Mercenary.


    ''....they should be dead by now....'' He thought and slowly shifted his gaze forwards, at the incoming dirt road that almost seemed like it was without purpose. But, in a day or two, they will arrive at their destination.


    The dust had formed a smokescreen behind Raph, causing the merchants not to see the approaching beast behind him.


    After all, it wasn''t in Raph''s intentions to let them know of Elsie''s presence.


    The boy simply continued to run towards the Carriage, picking up pace and closing the distance at a quick rate.


    ''What a shame. I could have just taken Elsie and avoided all this from the beginning'' he thought, when He noticed some movements from the third Carriage.


    ''Doesn''t matter. She''s here now''. He thought as he suddenly bent backwards, dodging an incoming arrow that whistled past his face in the blink of an eye. It exploded into a wave of water, large enough to form a small pond, and fell forward towards Raph.


    "Interesting" he muttered and drew out his long sword.


    The terrain, unlike before, was quite spacious. There was a distinctive road which was meant for carriages, and beside it was a plain, barren field of dust and stones.


    A wave of water like this would do this terrain justice, and Raph had that in mind.


    ''The skills I can use....are limited'' he thought as he continued his pace forward. He had expected Elsie and the others to safely find a way without getting mixed in the attack, and with Elsie leading the way in her wolf form, he had expected such.


    So, without worry about the others, he simply imbued aura into his half-long sword, causing a stream of highly concentrated aura to explode, elongating the blade by two folds.


    He jumped into the air and spun around to face the wave while maintaining a constant speed.


    He stabbed his sword into the ground, and pulled it upwards, imbuing aura en masse into the blade, causing it to surge upwards in a pool of concentrated, blue aura.


    "Aura Strike".


    It is a basic use of aura, but when used by a deadly Master of the 9th star, its excellence is shown.


    The pool of concentrated aura exploded in contact with the water, causing the wave of water to implode into droplets like a water balloon, causing a rain of water to fall.


    Raph simply landed on the ground, spun around using his feet like a flowing dragon to maintain his pace while moving backwards, and jumped up lightly to change direction.


    He continued his chase while the droplets of water fell like rain, causing the dust to settle.


    At this point, the purpose of the dust had been lost, and Elsie, with the others, would be revealed soon, but at that moment, the purpose of hiding them was lost.


    A bald figure, the helper boy of Malen, was currently standing on top of the third Carriage with two tied-up bodies placed on both his shoulders.


    Raph didn''t need to look twice to figure out the identities of the two bodies. He smirked as he said.


    "Found them".

 Chapter 208- Trip to the East 27

    Standing atop the third Carriage was the bald helper boy, Junior, and on both of his shoulders were two human figures, bound by a rope as they lay unconscious on his shoulders.


    By then, Raph had covered quite a distance between them, and Elsie was nowhere to be seen behind him after the dust had settled.


    It seemed like Raph was the only one chasing after them, and with that in mind, Junior had cooked up a plan.


    "Mister Kael, why do you chase after us?" the boy asked as he stared at Raph with a calm, and collected expression on his face while his question was laced with disinterest.


    "That''s funny. I could ask you the same. Why do you run away from us?" Raph asked with a smirk as he stared at him. His white, moon-like eyes sparkled with a malevolent glint, but it was nearly translucent, unable to be recognized by a person, like Junior.


    "You hid your strength well" Raph said out loud with a spark of interest. "Level 60. What profession do you have? An archer? It suits you well".


    Junior raised a brow in confusion. He had intentionally started a conversation to try and startle the boy, but it seemed nearly futile as if Kael was unable to see the two figures he was holding. ''It''s either he doesn''t care.....or Doesn''t see''. He suspected it since a while ago, but Kael seemed oddly blind, and with how things were going, he could nearly confirm it.


    ''Does he have a method of tracking mana or seeing objects?'' It was a confusing thought. After all, no one had ever heard of or seen a man with long, flowing black hair and white eyes that resembled that of a blind person. He couldn''t deny it, he was startled at the moment.


    "With me are two members of your mercenary group". He said with a raised tone as he slowly lifted their unconscious body like they were a bag of feathers.


    ''Oh...he''s strong'', Raph thought. ''but then again, you needed that kind of strength to pull arrows''. It was intriguing, but it seemed like something else was going on within his mind.


    ''Does he think I''m blind....'' He expected a situation to occur where he would be mistaken as such, but never this soon.


    His lips slowly curled upwards after a moment of contemplation. "What? Is that so? Are they unconscious? I would have you hand them over to me, right now"


    Junior stared at him for a moment as if convincing himself of something or making a decision before raising the two girls into the air with a stern expression. "If you want them...." his gaze slowly shifted to his right, and an explosion of wood fragments occurred as a figure jumped into the sky from inside the carriage, breaking the top as she landed behind Junior.


    She suddenly stretched her hands forward to their left.


    "Expert skill!" She announced that a pool of water formed beside Junior, who tossed the two women into the pool of water that formed a blob mass that contained the figure.


    The blob of water suddenly enclosed around them, submerging the two figures in a pool of water, which suddenly sparked life into their consciousness. They awakened and struggled within it, gasping for air as Junior turned his gaze towards Raph.


    "Turn around now, and we will spare their lives". He instructed and summoned his bow.


    Raph raised a brow as he stared at them. "What did you just do?" He asked, curiosity laced in his voice and increased his speed, closing the distance at a rapid rate. "if you''re holding them, then hand them over".


    "Ro¨CRodrick?" She muttered as she slowly sat up with his aid. "What happened? Where are we?" She asked as she held her forehead soon after.


    She groaned lightly, and memories flooded in her head. "....the twin peaks...". She muttered in confusion as she glanced around.


    Lucky''s groans soon filled the air as she woke up, causing Azby to turn her gaze towards the girl who lay on the floor.


    Colyn had untied her already, and the sight puzzled her for a moment.


    "Um, It''s good to see you''re fine, Captain" The low voice of Cruz snapped her from Lucky''s direction and drew her attention to the man who was tied up on the floor. She stared at him for a moment, and then at Colyn and Rodrick. She raised a brow in confusion, but she seemed too taken aback at the moment to question things further.


    ".....How long have I been out?" She asked with confusion and worry laced in her tone.


    "...From what I''ve observed...." Rodrick muttered as he stared at the carriage that lay tilted in the wrong direction on the ground, as two figures slowly emerged out of it. "....I would say a day or maybe two? It seems like they put you guys into a temporary state of unconsciousness".


    From what he could tell, it seemed like Azby had not awoken any time soon since she was treated and left unconscious.


    The Merchants could prolong her unconscious state to make things easier for their plans.


    She glanced at Cruz and then the two figures that walked towards them from the Carriage, ill intent laced in their movements and expressions.


    "You will fill me up after all this is over". She said with a sigh as she slowly stood up with his help. She wobbled a little but soon regained consciousness of her movements.


    "Those two. Are they foe or friend?" She asked.


    Rodrick glanced at the two figures approaching them and then at Colyn, who gave him a wry expression.


    "Um, yes. They are our foe, Captain". He replied as they took a few steps back.


    "I see". Mana suddenly exploded out of her body as a black, oddly shaped stiletto appeared in her grasp. "It seems we''ve been mistaken as a weak band of mercenaries. What were you two doing in my absence?" She asked with a murderous tone laced in her voice.


    Rodrick and Colyn remained silent while Cruz sighed inwardly. After all, this was one of the reasons why he had instructed Malen to ensure she remained in a state of unconsciousness. Though, it was too late.


    She took a bold step forward as the world around her was cascaded in a violet glow of murderous shadow as she glared at the two incoming figures with murderous eyes.


    "Oi. You two better not die on me".

 Chapter 209- Trip to the East 28

    Across the vast plains of the Eastern-Western Roads, a giant onyx wolf with fur that glistened with the ambience rays of the sun jumped out of a cloud of wind and landed a few steps away from two carriages that rode across the dusty plains in a frenzy.


    On the second was the Merchant, Neuj Rakarf, a frightened gaze on his expression as he glanced behind to find the crimson gaze of a wolf as large as its carriage.


    He yelped in shock when a sudden thud echoed, followed by quick movements that approached the man from above.


    "Stop the carriage"


    The chilling voice caused a shiver down his spine as he looked up to find the white gaze of a boy who held a long sword that exuded a cold death.


    Neuj raised his brow in a complicated expression as he yanked the reins.


    "What are you going to do to me if I do?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity and nervousness as his horses neighed in response to the sudden tug and reduced their speed.


    "These are Track Horses, the fastest breed amongst them. I can easily take off from here with or without you boarding my Carriage" he said with a dangerous smirk on his face.


    Raph remained silent and glanced at the spot next to him. "Your helper boy isn''t here. I assume those two back there belonged to Malen, but did the Eastern girl belong to you?"


    The man remained silent for a moment, his expression hardening. "Does that matter right now?" He asked with a harsh tone in his voice.


    Raph glanced at him. "That depends. You could stop the carriage and find out or continue and not". His expression remained cold and calm, exuding a level-headedness that came with his expressions.


    A moment of silence descended upon them, and they were left in a stalemate as they stared at each other, until Elsie suddenly jumped towards the side of the carriage, running with the same speed as the horses.


    Neuj turned towards her and shook slightly, while Raph jumped down from the top and sat next to the man, pointing the tip of his sword at the man''s neck.


    "We can stop it ourselves. But I presume you don''t want to end up like the last Carriage?" he asked, with a dark intent.


    Neuj had gotten his message loud and clear, and without needing to search through his thoughts, he could tell that his options were limited.


    The constant growling from the ferocious onyx wolf next to him remained a constant reminder, and this forced him to come to a single conclusion.


    "Fine.....but Malen. I wish you luck"


    He said and tugged his horses, causing them to come to a halt.


    As soon as the horses came to a stop, the carriage did as well and this caused a further increase in the distance between the Carriage led by Malen and theirs.


    Raph had used that opportunity to jump down from the carriage, his gaze lingering on Neuj.


    Colby remained fixed on his spot, appalled by the idea of releasing his Helper boy into the world. It was a fact that mercenaries were allowed to take a helper or some sort of assistant in their trading business, but whoever they chose depended on them.


    Some mercenaries preferred non-combatants as their Helper boys, and others preferred Combatants or even females as their Helpers.


    It didn''t matter who you chose, but Colby had purposely instructed his helper boy to remain low-key because of his origin. An origin that could cause a stir in society.


    Was he truly willing to take such a risk?


    Colby bit his lip and shook his head. "It is not time!" he exclaimed, causing Malen to frown deeply.


    He grabbed Colby by his collar and pulled him with a single motion.


    "Do you want to die?" He asked in a hollow, cold tone as his gaze bore holes into Colby''s soul.


    The merchant shook his head in fear, as he whispered.


    "N¨CNo, bu¨Ct you know how th¨Cthese things are.....


    Granny Swan instructed us not to. I am only following procedures here".


    Malen remained silent for a moment when two people suddenly appeared next to him.


    His eyes bulged open in shock as he pushed Colby away and snapped towards his right.


    "Oh, is this Sir Malen? Fancy meeting you here".


    Raph said with a chuckle as he looked down at Malen while riding atop Elsie.


    Malen smiled bitterly. "I can say the same, Sir Kael. Why are you chasing us?" He asked with fake curiosity.


    "What can I say? I have a job to do, you have a job to do. Let''s all just calm down and do our jobs"


    Malen glared at Raph as he thought. ''You are the one stopping me from doing mine, you bastard!''


    "By the way, Sir Malen. I didn''t realize your helpers were all-powerful. Well, I couldn''t use my eyes properly all this time, but now that I do., I''m quite startled".


    Malen raised a brow in confusion. "You''re blind though. You couldn''t have seen them, even if you wanted to"


    Raph chuckled in response as he glanced at the Cabin. "True, but Sir Malen," he said as he pointed at the Cabin. "What kind of monstrosity did you bring with you all this time?"

 Chapter 210- Trip to the East 29

    The attribute of the cloak Raph had worn from


    The beginning of their trip enabled him to hide his hair and face, his eyes included. Due to its effects, his ocular prowess had been reduced to mere vision, without the unique abilities of his trait.


    It was something he had to keep in mind since it meant he wouldn''t be able to use his ocular abilities if he were ever blindfolded or in a situation where he had to hide his eyes.


    So it came as a shock to him when he could, only to find a situation he didn''t expect. Every Merchant and their assistants were between the level of 50 and 60. He found this surprising at first but slowly accepted it. After all, it only made sense that they attempted to escape without the Mercenaries because they were capable of protecting themselves along the way.


    As he sat silently on Elsie, who charged forward at an incredible speed, closing off the distance and running at the same pace as the carriage, he scanned the Cabin of the Carriage, only to find the most intriguing thing in it.


    ''Something abnormal is being kept in there''.


    He thought as he stared at Malen, who remained stoic in his expression even after Raph had asked him a bothersome question. Though, Raph couldn''t care whether or not he answered. After all, he could see it all.


    "I will ask again, what exactly is in the cabin, Sir Malen?" Raph asked with a raised tone as he glanced at Colby, who shivered and shifted away from his cold gaze. "Oh....does it belong to you, then?". He raised a brow as he stared at the man''s expression.


    But just then, Malen stepped into the conversation. "What does it matter? It''s simply part of what we''re supposed to deliver"


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    Raph smirked at his response, unable to tell if he was joking or being serious. It was one thing to lie strategically, but it was another to lie foolishly. He had expected at least Malen to have observed his eyes by now, but he could tell that the man was still in the act of processing the information.


    ".....Where''s the third helper boy?" He asked as he looked around.


    "I don''t see a reason why we need to respond to that," Malen replied harshly.


    Raph chuckled as he looked away, towards the horses and the path that they currently rode on. They didn''t have a particular destination in mind, so they didn''t have any form of protection against him or Elsie, other than whatever was in the Cabin.


    ''...it''s like a beast....the energy levels are unnaturally created from an unnatural fusion of mana circle and aura star''. He thought in contemplation, but he had a feeling he would find out soon enough.


    "Stop the carriage, Malen. We don''t have all day". He instructed with his chill voice as he gazed at the man who had been staring at him in tension all this time.


    It seemed like Raph was perceived as a great obstacle, or at least, that''s what he could tell from the gaze, and he was right.


    Malen was concocting all sorts of plans in his head, anything at all, to get perfect revenge on this boy who stood in his way.


    "Malen" " his rugged voice called out with a hoarse tone, and the man, in turn, slowly turned towards him, his eyes bulging a little at the expression the bald man-made at the moment.


    Raph noticed his rather bizarre expression as well. Like a mad scientist about to take the greatest gamble in his life. ''Who is he, by the way?'' His failure to learn about the other merchants and their Helper boys may have become an obstacle he would regret later, but for now, he would simply just learn with the flow.


    "You wanted to see my helper boy, did you Not?!" he asked with a mad glint in his eyes, and at that moment, Malen had shifted on his spot.


    "Don''t release him until we find a good spot to¨C"


    "It''s too late!!" Malen was cut off by Colby, who tapped on the Cabin and said with an evil smirk.


    "Wakey Wakey, living meat is available".


    A moment of silence diffused between them, but Raph''s gaze widened as he noticed the blizzard surge in energy from the figure within the Carriage. Elsie shifted as well, her snout rising in the air as she howled aggressively in anticipation of the inevitable.


    "Husband, be ready! A creature of great power is about to be released!"


    Her voice caught the merchants in surprise but it seemed like it was too late, as a gust of malevolent green energy busted out of the Cabin with a shockwave.


    BOOM!


    The cabin was suddenly blown apart from its top surface as splinters of wood broke and shattered into the air.


    Raph and Elsie had to shift away slightly to prevent the splinters from getting to them, but as soon as they did, a terrible hollow cry escaped into the skies and a creature jumped out of the Carriage causing the whole construct to slam into the ground, breaking the iron wheels like a twig and startling the horses as they neighed in fright. A crater was formed from the collision as the two men were flung into the air together with the goods and wooden fragments.


    Bags of foodstuffs, grains and barrels of types of equipment were flung into the air in disarray, some damaged, and some getting into the process of being damaged, but at that point, Raph had activated his Storage ring and stored all the necessary goods just before the rest of the debris slammed into the ground, including the two men that rolled across the harsh soil of the sand Roads.


    Elsie halted in her tracks as a large Beastman slammed into the ground a few feet away from them, causing a deep crater.


    Raph raised a brow in surprise as he jumped off Elsie, who growled aggressively in anticipation as the dust cleared.


    It finally did, revealing a Reptilian beast with humanoid arms, ferocious horns, a tail adorned with jagged spikes and a mace at the tip. Its scales were as hard as metal, and it glowed crimson with the sun as if it were a humanoid dragon.


    The creature glanced at Raph and then Elsie and, with a sudden surge of power, screamed in fury.


    *ROAAAARRRR!!!!!*

 Chapter 211- Trip to the East 30

    Raph''s gaze bulged open in realization as he stared at the creature. It seemed oddly familiar to the reptilian beast race, but those creatures were known for their racism against humans. But this one seems to not only be completely under their control, but also under their command.


    More than that, there was something unnatural about its energy source. A destructive yet stable combination of aura and mana.


    ''....wait....isn''t this familiar?''. He thought as the creature charged at them.


    Elsie growled ferociously and charged at him in the blink of an eye.


    Their speed was nearly impossible to follow with the human eye, and their strength caused trembles to spread around the Earth. A Wolf Beastman against a Reptilian Beastman. A sight worth seeing.


    A collision of power and energy occurred as they slammed their heads against each other, causing a sonic ripple that blasted into the air.


    The two Beastmen growled as they were locked in a struggling stalemate that was quickly shifted to Elsie''s side as she pulled herself backwards, suffused her body with wind and slammed him away with the brunt of the wind.


    The Reptilian Beastman cried out in fury as its body rolled against the hard ground, only to rise back up in all its reptilian splendour.


    It charged yet again in a mindless fit of rage, swinging its tail to the sides as it jumped into the air. Its claws protruded out in its splendour as it crashed down at the spot Elsie stood a second ago.


    They charged at each other nearly immediately, with the Reptilian Beastman striking out with its sharp, metallic claws while Elsie fended it off with her teeth and forehead.


    Her wolf form gave her a study constitution against sharp objects, though, that didn''t mean she didn''t get hurt.


    Slashes and cuts found their way on her face as blood dribbled down in minute drops. The Reptilian creature wasn''t left unharmed, though; its claws were protruding out the wrong way, and bite marks had found their way on his armour-like scales.


    Their fury of attacks continued for a moment until the reptilian beast suddenly spun around and swung its tail like a hammer of justice.


    The wind suffused Elsie, and her agility and reaction time suddenly peaked up to a certain level as she sidestepped, dodging the mace and opened up her maw as she grabbed its tail with her mouth.@@@@


    A small whimper escaped the Reptilian creature as it was suddenly flung into the air to the opposite side and slammed against the ground with brunt force.


    A surge of wind suddenly surrounded the Reptilian Beastman as it was picked up and slammed against the ground on the opposite side.


    Each time Elsie swung her head and its tail with it, the Reptilian Beastman would be sent flying into the air and crashing into the ground.


    The force caused a crater each time, and it only deepened as she increased the speed at which she swung it around.


    While this occurred, Raph stood from afar as he observed the creature. He had an inkling of an idea of what that was after witnessing the gruesome battle. "It''s not a real Reptilian. It''s a chimaera".


    He tapped the man on his shoulder and gave him a bittersweet smile.


    Colby raised a brow in confusion as he stared at Malen''s gaze when a sudden reflux of pain spread out in the man''s abdomen.


    Colby fell to his knees as he cried out in pain while blood and wriggly organs coughed out from his mouth.


    "....is This what you choose?" Raph asked with a bitter tone as he grabbed his longsword, and surged his body in a blue concentrated aura.


    Malen remained silent as he watched Colby wriggle on the floor as screams of pain and agony forced their way out of his mouth while blood and internal organs choked him as he spat them out.


    A moment of silence that was pierced by the agonizing wails of the man was left between the two until Malen finally glanced at Raph.


    "How long did you know?" He asked with a raised brow. ''Just now....He knows of my identity''. He thought. It was the only conclusion he could come to after understanding Raph''s words.


    It didn''t make sense to him. How did his secret get out? And most importantly, how many people know? He could stand all day and try to figure it out himself, or he could bear out his fangs and cut off all those who know.


    "Only I" Raph replied as he slowly took a stance. "Hasn''t the Red Peacemakers done enough? Why do you seek disorderliness in a world trying to find peace?"


    "There is no peace as there is no manner of obtaining it. There is only war and conflict". Malen took a step forward and pulled out an oval-shaped red orb.


    Raph widened his eyes to recognize the object. "A Return Orb?" He muttered and charged at him in full motion. His sword sliced through the air, with the flow of his feet as he struck his blade towards Malen with a cold purpose.


    His sword slammed against something hard, of which he could not see and bounced off nearly immediately.


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    "I have the blessings of the executives. Do you think you are enough to kill me? An important member of the Red Peacemakers?"


    Raph grunted as he increased the strength of his muscles and struck the invisible wall once again. A loud bang noise echoed as if he struck metal, and it bounced off again. He bit his lip in annoyance.


    Malen laughed at his efforts as he broke the orb, causing a stream of light to diffuse into the air and surround him before igniting into the skies.


    His body began to glow, slowly.


    "Let me tell you this, Kael! The Red Peacemakers shall come for your head, and I shall use your skull as my cup".


    His gaze brewed with malicious intent as it was fixed on Raph, who simply stepped away as Malen disappeared with the light. Raph sighed as he thought.


    ''That''s funny.....I want you guys dead as well''.

 Chapter 212- Trip to the East 31

    Raph looked up to the sky as a red beam of light disappeared from his sight. A frown crossed his face as he sighed and slowly turned back towards Elsie and the reptilian Beastman.


    ''So, Malen is gone....I can''t tell if this is a good or bad thing. He would have caused so many problems if he remained''. He thought as he watched their fight unfold. It seemed things were coming to an end since Elsie was winning by a landslide.


    He could observe pieces of scales that were torn off, and blood that formed small pools as the two Beastmen fought vigorously against themselves. Fangs, claws, tails, it didn''t matter what they used. All they intended to do was win the battle. ''Yikes, this sort of reminds me that Elsie is actually a werewolf''. He thought when a slight chuckle escaped his lips.


    His gaze slowly shifted to the dead body of Colby, who lay in a puddle of his blood and intestines.


    ''This....seems like the effect of a Red Worm....Do the others have something like this as Well?'' He wondered. ''Or, was this specific?''.


    He could stand all day and try to figure things out himself as usual, but he decided not to. After all, there were people he could discuss the matter with to understand it better.


    With that in mind, he simply walked towards the edge of the road, sat on the hard, sandy soil and looked up at the skies while bestial snarls and ferocious roars echoed through the air.


    ''Hah.....How nice''. He thought as a sly smile formed on his face.


    ****


    About ten minutes had passed, and Elsie had finally brought the lizardman down. It was quite anti-climatic but Raph could observe the chimera wasn''t as functional as it looked.


    Its mana function worked, but it lacked information on any spell to cast, and its use of aura was rudimentary at best.


    Its strong scales and physique were what dragged the fight for so long, but Elsie found a way in her method and brought the creature down.


    At this time, the Mercenaries had gathered up, together with the last remaining carriage and two captives. Neuj Rakarf and Rafi.


    It seemed like the helper boy of Malen, Junior by the name, died during their fight against Azby in a similar fashion as Colby.


    This only proved Raph''s hypothesis, and it was confirmed that these two, unlike Neuj and Rafi, had consumed the Red Worm.... However, this caused questions to arise among the Mercenaries, Raph and Elsie included.


    Cruz was also left in a tied-up state and was left for questioning by Azby and Lucky later, as they had No idea of the series of events that had played out since they fell unconscious.


    And so, time ticked, and as it did, the sun descended and gave way to the moon.@@@@


    Azby raised a brow as her teammates glanced at each other in confusion. "Obviously" She said with a bit of venom in her tone.


    Raph chuckled at her reply. "Well then, I am a noble from a skilful lineage of swordsmen, and that is why I am skilled with the sword".


    "A swordsmen household? But that could be any of the numerous families that focus on the art of the sword". Rodrick interjected with a disappointed tone in his voice.


    "Well? Does it matter which I originated from?" Raph asked with a raised brow, while his thoughts reeled in. ''I can''t give them too much information. The Jun household is already facing so many antagonistic forces. I can''t even imagine the number of problems that will occur if news of me crossing the border gets exposed''


    The Mercenaries remained silent, as they were left in deep contemplation.


    "Can you at least give us the reason why you''re trying to cross the border?" Colyn asked with a dejected tone. It seemed like they were interested in finding out his true identity after all.


    "I was given a commission by another higher noble household. I needed to get someone safely into the West, but I don''t know the identity of the individual". Raph replied.


    "Smuggling people are we?" Azby asked with a raised brow. "And why would nobles go through the trouble of doing something like That? Unless....this individual is rather important".


    "Well, I could try and figure that out myself, but my family has been held captive and I''m in a rush to find this man to secure their lives" Raph replied with a slow tone as if he had been forced to say what he just did, but internally he found this the best choice. After all, they only needed the bare minimum. "Do you want to get into the scuffle of nobles?" He asked with a raised tone, and the Mercenaries quickly protested in unison.


    "Oh hell no".


    "Sounds like a pain"


    "The nobles can go fuck themselves".


    "We wish you good luck, Kael".


    Even Cruz, Neuj and Rafi showed expressions of protest at the idea from their spot.


    Raph chuckled at their reactions. "So you see...." He said while the noise died down. "I can not reveal too much information, but I can promise you that I won''t do anything to harm or endanger you. I only seek help in getting to my goal".


    A moment of silence suffused the air as they were lost in their thoughts again. They could tell that there was something deeper and much more substantial than the surface explanation he gave them, but they couldn''t pry. For their own safety.


    "Alright then," Azby said with a nod and then pointed at Elsie. "Then, how do you explain the werewolf calling you husband?"

 Chapter 213- Trip to the East 32

    "Well, she is sort of pretty so I can guess why".


    The Mercenaries, the merchants included and Raph as well turned to Rodrick in unison, who shrivelled up on the spot from their intense gazes. Even Elsie looked up from her meat, with an oil-stained mouth, to get a better look at the man.


    "Yulk" she muttered and continued her meal while the others sighed in unison and looked away in disappointment.@@@@


    "Wha¨CWhat?! I¨CI don''t discriminate!" Rodrick struggled to explain himself, but alas, it was inevitable; he only made things worse as Colyn and Azby, who sat next to him, shifted from the spot.


    "Co¨CCome on! I don''t swing that way".


    Colyn glanced at him, an expression of disgust on his face as he said. "Just quit it".


    Rodrick whimpered as he sat on his spot and remained silent.


    Azby continued the conversation from earlier by turning towards Raph. "Well?" She asked.


    Raph scratched the back of his head as he glanced at Elsie, who was next to him, with not a layer of breathing room.


    "I would like to know as well, um, Ryla, why are you here?" He asked with an intrigued tone.


    Elsie looked up from her meat with a raised brow as she stared into Raph''s eyes for a few seconds. ''I see'' she thought before looking away. "You left on your own without your fiance. Didn''t I already tell you that my wolf clan can help you? Why are you trying so hard to do things on your own?" She replied with a pout.


    Azby and the others blinked quietly as they watched the scene unfold before them.


    "Oh, that''s what happened, but Ryla, you know how much I don''t like to put you in danger" he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.


    Elsie yelped in surprise as a shade of red blossomed on her cheeks. "Yo¨CYou can''t. Th¨CThere are people here" She whispered, while Raph smirked when he noticed something peculiar behind her.


    ''She''s trying to be calm, but her tail is wagging so much from the excitement? She really is cute'' he thought as he looked away from her wagging black tail.


    He glanced at Azby. "So you see?" He asked with a raised tone.


    Azby and her teammate stared blankly at the both of them, a slight blush on their cheeks as they coughed and looked away in unison.


    "Ye¨CYeah, I see" She muttered in embarrassment, while she regained her composure.


    "Well, if she''s a Werewolf, and your fiance, I suppose she has a method of finding you?" She asked.


    "You''re a busy man, Sir Cruz" Malen greeted as Cruz walked in, a tired gaze hidden behind his meticulous appearance.


    Cruz glanced at him and yawned. "Someone has to observe the Orb, and now that Kael isn''t up, I have to take on that role". He replied with a shrug as he headed towards his teammates, who slept peacefully.


    "You make it sound easy, Sir Cruz," Malen said with a chuckle. "When it isn''t. I am impressed by your efforts". A smirk formed on his face as he pulled out a glowing pin, shaped in the head of a Phoenix. The glow exuded a brilliance that swept through the Cave and caught Cruz off guard.


    He snapped back towards the man with widened eyes. "Is that a Phoenix teardrop?" He asked with intrigue.


    "Oh? You know your equipment. I recently got this from the Blue Tower. You know they are skilled in handling matters like this," He said with a chuckle while Cruz remained in awe at the magical pin, his thoughts lining in order. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    ''What? That really is a Phoenix teardrop?! I heard just one of those increases your MP by a whopping 100 points permanently when consumed. How does he have That? A mere merchant....'' He thought in wonder when his curiosity began to turn to suspicion. ''A mere merchant? And he mentioned the Blue Tower so easily. Almost like he knows the purpose of the towers.....But most merchants don''t''.


    There were a total of six towers under the control of the Merlin Household, each with different colours and functions.


    The Green Tower was in charge of creating advanced Magical crafts and Equipments, Some of which had already been distributed for public use. The downside would be their expensive prices, the major reason why low-level mages like Cruz couldn''t afford to get them.


    The Blue Tower was in charge of crafting artefacts and body enhancement potions. Healing potions, Strengthening potions, Tracking and other sorts of positions The artefacts involved return ones and protection orbs. These were relatively more affordable and were in use by most Adventurers and Mercenaries.


    The Yellow Tower was in charge of researching spells, alchemy and advancing circles. Mages were mostly involved with the theoretical aspect of magic and how to improve it substantially in the magic field. It also involved the important production methods of alchemy.


    The Red Tower was known as the Tower of Battle Mages. All Mages known for their proficiency on the battlefield were found here, and their advanced and specialized form of fighting were known for their destructive results on the battlefield.


    The White Tower was involved with spirit magic and healing. It was mostly concerned with employing Divine mana in creating magic and important spells that could aid the people.


    Lastly was the Black Tower, involved with the Dark Mana and Dark Mages. Necromancy and other forms of Dark Mage Professions were usually found here, mostly to use witchcraft and dark spells.


    These were the six known towers under the control of the Merlin Household, and every one of these towers was unknown to the normal person. It could be estimated that more than half of the population would be unaware of the presence or purpose of the Green Towers, and the Merchants were usually among this population of ignorant individuals.


    So at the moment, Cruz found Malen highly suspicious. "Who are you?" He asked with a raised tone as he pulled his staff and pointed it at Malen, ready to strike the moment Malen tried anything funny.


    "Wait! Wait! Be calm". Malen raised his hands in protest as a slight chuckle escaped his lips. "Cruz of the fallen Household of Dorion. Wouldn''t you like to get back your power?"


    Cruz''s gaze slowly widened in shock as his lips quivered. His grasp on his staff faltered for a second, but he quickly snapped himself out of his confusion, as he asked.


    He bit his lips as a ball of flames began to form at the tip of the staff.


    "If you don''t want to die, then you better tell me who you are"

 Chapter 214- Trip to the East 33

    Cruz''s gaze turned cold, as he held his staff towards Malen. His thoughts reeled in his head, as he stood in confusion at the identity of the merchant.


    ''What? That''s not information that should reach a mere merchant?!''@@@@


    He thought in bewilderment. The cause of Dorion''s household fall was kept under wraps by the king, up to the point that most nobles had not heard of it. It had been a long time since Someone had even mentioned the name, not to talk of calling him a member of the Household. With that in mind, he decided to get to the bottom of this.


    "I will ask again. Who are you?"


    Malen sneered from ear to ear as he played with the Phoenix pin on his palm.


    "Sir Cruz. Why does it matter how I know? What matters is what I can help you know". He said with a fixed gaze on Cruz. A gaze that felt so calculated that it made Cruz jerk in the discomfort he felt from it.


    He raised a brow in curiosity and asked. "What do you mean?"


    Malen stopped playing with the magical artefact and held it firmly, as he responded. "The Seven Great System Families," he said. "There are many who are unaware of their presence since it has been overshadowed by the Twelve Great families, but I say that the System Families should not be neglected as Well".


    Cruz furrowed his brow. "How does that concern what we are talking about at the moment?" he asked.


    "Let me get to that point, Sir Cruz. Patience is a Mage virtue, after all," Malen replied with a chuckle. "How do you think the fall of your family came about?"


    Cruz hardened his grip on his staff as he replied. "That is information I am not privy to. I only know my lineage thanks to the system itself, but I am not aware of why or how it fell".


    "Of course you aren''t". Malen said with a sigh. "thirty years ago, there was a scuffle between the system households and the King on the matter of the System Heroes"


    "System Hero?" Cruz repeated with a startled tone. "What nonsense is this about?" he asked with an annoyed tone. "System Heroes were nothing but childhood stories. The true saviour of humanity are the Great Families. They are the true heroes". Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "We have demons, we have devils, and we have the Primordial Devil King. And you disbelieve the stories of System Heroes chosen by the goddess Mayura, herself. I am displeased at your disbelief" he said with a raised brow.


    Cruz laughed out loud under the moonlight. "Huh? You expect me to believe such a story? I do not have time for this".


    He pointed his staff forward, and a fireball began to slowly form at the tip. "If you do not tell me how you got to know about my lineage and tour identity. Then I will kill you right here".


    A tense silence followed suit after their short conversation as they were locked in a strut contest. It seemed like Malen''s goal of startling Cruz wasn''t going to work, or so it seemed.


    As much as the world was full of lies, so was it filled with truths. We hear histories and stories of the past that could be tales of lies built with misconception as the foundation. As a way to mislead the people and guide them to a chosen truth.


    LOCATED THE SPINE CASTER.


    CONGRATULATIONS USER FOR FINDING YOUR HERITAGE!


    "The Spine Caster?" He muttered in disbelief as Malen kept the object back in the Storage Ring.


    "This is a heritage of the Dorion System household, also known as the Household of Fire". Malen explained.


    "And you''re telling me, that the other system families have something like this?" Cruz asked, still taken aback by the sight. He could tell nearly instantly that the person he had just witnessed could burn towns and villages and maybe even Kingdoms. It exudes such a brilliance that would be difficult to contain and a latent power that had yet to be tapped into.


    "Yes. They do" Malen replied with a satisfied smile. "You do not need to know the names of the others, but you do need to know the importance of the System Families".


    Cruz raised a brow. "The importance?"


    "Yes. After the Dark Ages when the System of Casualties was crafted by the goddess Mayura. The Seven Cardinal Weapons were created to serve seven heroes that would lead the people in times of darkness"


    "But....The goddess Mayura gave power to the Twelve Heroes of humanity, why would she need to create seven weapons for the seven system heroes?"


    "Why, you ask?" Malen said with a slight amusement in his tone. "Life is a balance, Cruz. Where there is peace, there is conflict and war, and when there are powerful beings, there are those who rise to check them in place".


    The information had become nearly boggling at this point, as he placed his hand on his forehead in dismay. ''What? What is all this?''. At this point, it no longer concerned him of how Malen got to know of this information, but what he was going to do about it.


    "The Non-system users have misused their power for decades and the system families which were meant to check them in place were checked by the King?! How can I resolve this?!" He asked when his gaze sparked in realization.


    He snapped to his back to observe the condition of his teammates, but they were still asleep.


    "Don''t worry. I have cast a barrier. Not even Grand Masters can hear what we are discussing. There are higher powers, Cruz. Do not fear".


    Cruz turned back to Malen with a sigh. "....How can I resolve this?" He repeated.


    Malen chuckled as his smile returned to his face. "Simple really. Do what I ask you to, and I shall reveal the rest with time".


    Cruz remained still for a moment, as he lined his thoughts in order. A part of him knew he was about to walk on a path of no return. He might as well have been shaking hands with the devil. He was aware of the great risks that came with what he was about to do, and the betrayal of the group that had helped him like his own family. But sometimes, responsibilities come before bonds.


    "What do I have to do?"

 Chapter 215- Trip to the East 34

    FLASHBACK END.


    Raph had just finished narrating the scene he had seen through his memories, and the reactions from the people gathered were more or less expected.


    After all, even he had to admit he wasn''t expecting that. System families? Cardinal Weapons? That sounded like names you would find right out of a fantasy novel.


    ''not that the Twelve Great Families don''t'' he thought as he stared at the crisping, burning flames that ignited life around the people gathered.


    He noticed Azby''s gaze had shifted to the man who was currently bowing his head while resting on the Carriage. This was information he had not expected his teammates to learn so soon. In fact, he had not expected anyone to know of their conversation.


    Cruz had to admit, Raph became more than just an uncertainty at this point.


    "The System Families? Why have we never heard of them?" She asked with a raised brow while the others sat and pondered on their thoughts.


    Neuj Rakarf and Rafi were also among these people, though for different reasons.


    During the whole time of Raph''s narration, the man had maintained a frown. As if he was annoyed by the fact that something like this had been revealed.


    Neuj was tied up with Rafi and Cruz, and his thoughts were currently lining up in order. ''How? How can such information get out so soon?'' He wondered with a bitter tone as his gaze fixed on Raph. ''Who is He?'' He thought.


    "This isn''t information that concerns you. All you need to know is the importance of letting me go" Cruz spoke up, his gaze still fixed on the ground.


    Raph glanced at him with the others, and a brief silence descended upon them.


    "I find it intriguing?" Raph said with a chuckle, causing the people gathered to turn towards him. "The System users seem to have a history that has been forgotten in time. Something that I never thought was possible, and now, there is this concept of System Heroes".


    "You don''t believe them?" Azby asked with curiosity etched in her voice.


    "No, far from it" Raph replied. "In fact, I find it innovative that the System users are finding ways to represent their interest in the Kingdom. These heroes would serve that purpose nicely"


    "Spoken like a true Noble" Neuj''s voice pierced through the darkness and drew their attention like a magnet. He was the least expected individual to speak in their conversation. "You may not realize it from your tall castles and sublime academies but the streets are reeking from neglect. The neglect of the king".


    "I and every other System user out there will rise against you and all of your kind". Cruz replied, his gaze glaring furiously at Raph.


    ''Perfect.....now We have enemies with the system users too....what a mess''. Raph thought as a slight chuckle escaped his lips. "Well, good luck in finding those weapons. That is if your teammates decide to let you go. After all, you betrayed them, not me".


    Cruz immediately turned towards Azby and the others. "You must understand that I did it for us. We have always wanted to keep them in check, have we not?" He asked, his gaze hiding a deep longing.


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    Azby and the others sighed while Neuj and Rafi watched silently as they subtly awaited their reply.


    It was a saying that one''s enemy can be an ally when they face a bigger enemy. And the Great Families and the King were big threats to all of their plans.


    Rodrick had focused his gaze on the flames and then glanced at Elsie, who was dozing off on Raph''s shoulder. A smile formed on his face as he said.


    "As much as they are bad people that are in control, there are also good ones". He looked up at Raph. "You said you were from a fallen Noble, but I strangely don''t believe you" A slight chuckle escaped his lips as he continued. "If there is truly a way to usurp the King without shedding blood between the System users and Non-system users, then I would rather choose that. After all, there was a balance meant to be maintained".


    "Hah, geez....look at us talking about the king like we wouldn''t get our heads cut off if someone else heard this". Azby nodded her head while the group laughed softly. "Not to mention you could have told us, Cruz and we would have understood....but you let your goals and a shiny object get into your head. We were on a mission and sabotaging it for a goal without a solid foundation was a wrong choice".


    Colyn remained silent for a moment before a sigh escaped his lips. "It would be no different than the System Cult, Cruz. That''s a no-go area. We would get blinded by our goal and sacrifice even those we were meant to protect".


    Lucky simply shook her head and remained in place while the others glanced back at Cruz. His expression gave away his emotions at the moment. Betrayal, anger, disappointment, the negative emotions pilled up and became something new.


    "I see". He muttered before slumping back to the ground with a loud sigh. "I''m a fool for thinking you could understand me".


    Azby sighed. "No....It was just unfortunate timing. Merchant Malen has proven that he is more than just a mere merchant".


    "That is because he is not" Raph replied as his gaze lingered on Neuj, who raised a brow at his statement.


    Azby and the others glanced at each other in confusion. "Oh? And what else could he be?" She asked.


    Raph''s gaze slowly simmered in the night while he observed Neuj a little closer, Something that felt naturally uncomfortable to Neuj as he attempted to evade his gaze, but the next statement made it completely impossible. "He''s a member of the Red Peacemakers".

 Chapter 216- Trip to the East 35

    There was a pin-drop silence that suffused the air after Raph''s statement.


    The Red Peacemakers were quite notorious after all. Their name was very popular amongst the commoners, mercenaries, and mostly all system users compared to the Nobles, who weren''t even aware of them until their propaganda became a threat to them.


    "The Red Peacemakers?" Cruz repeated, his gaze just as dismayed as Neuj and Rafi.


    Raph had focused his gaze on Neuj to find out whether or not the man knew about the real identity of Merchant Malen, but after witnessing his surprised expression, he could tell that he didn''t. It was impossible to take an expression without him noticing it, so he could tell that Neuj sincerely had no clue.


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    "It all makes sense now," Neuj muttered under his breath as he bit his lips hard while a frown crossed his face.


    "Merchant Neuj, from your reaction, I can tell you had no idea from the start...". Raph said, causing the man and Rafi to look up at him in unison. "and you don''t need a fortune teller to let you know that you were being used" his gaze shifted to Cruz. "So where you, Cruz. All of this was just Malen''s plan to take the goods to the Eastern army".


    "You are mistaken, Kael," Neuj said as he slowly sighed. "We are on the side of the eastern army. It is not called "being used" when we serve the same goal".


    "True....but living you in the dark makes it all the same suspicious" Raph said. "If you think about it. He could have decided to make allies of the merchants, but instead, he chose to use the remaining out of the five".


    Azby and the others stared at him in confusion.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The attacks so far. Starting with the walking worms and the Eastern Frontier Duo. It was to weaken the group and claim what was left as his companions for the rest of the trip".


    "I see....but you were in the way of his plans" Rodrick interjected as he rubbed his chin. "and because of that....he sought a more...frantic approach".


    "Yes....I have no idea how you were assigned to the same group as Malen, but it could have been planned internally from the start" Raph said while he shifted his gaze back to the fire. "If my theory is right. This whole thing was a set-up from the start. He must have done his research on Cruz for him to find that kind of information and confirm it as well. He then kept it as a backup in case his initial plan of using the Eastern Frontiers didn''t work"


    "But all personal information on the Mercenaries in town is controlled by the Leader", Azby muttered, her breath shaky with realization.


    "We shouldn''t jump to conclusions just yet, but we can be sure of one thing" Raph added while his words caught Azby''s attention. "You have a spy in your ranks....and not just any spy"


    Azby bit down on her lips as she refused to say it. Luckily for her, her teammate thought otherwise. Colyn looked up from the flames for the first time in a while during their conversation and completed the statement.


    "A spy from the Red Peacemakers".


    A tense, foreboding silence descended upon the group as the conclusion hit them like a loaded truck. Of course, they had different reasons for their reactions but most were driven by the same emotions. Fear, confusion, betrayal and worst of all, Suspicion.


    When there is suspicion in a household of bonds, a fall is inevitable and once fallen, it can be difficult to rebuild.


    "Let''s leave it at that for the night. Captain Azby. I suggest you decide what to do with Cruz with your teammates," Raph said when he felt Elsie''s head rest gently on his lap.


    He looked down at her with a smile. ''She must be exhausted after that fight''.


    "Yes. You''re right" Azby said, snapping herself from her thoughts as he glanced at the merchants. "And the merchants?" She asked.


    "I would like you to let them be, at least till after we complete the journey.


    I have a task that I have yet to fulfil and the day of the meet up will soon arrive". He glanced at them as well. "I would require a guide for when I get to my destination".


    Rodrick raises a brow in confusion. "Was your destination not the Border Town? That''s where we''re stopping at".


    "Oh no," he replied while he looked away from the merchants and at Rodrick. "Well yes, but I have no information about that place.....not to mention how broad Border Town is".


    "Oh," Rodrick nodded in agreement.


    The Eastern-Western Border Town, or the town of Truce, was a very large city compared to most, reaching nearly a kingdom.


    It was left as it was which led to the unlawfulness of the town. If Raph was going to roam about the entire place in charge of a single person, then he would be stuck in the Border Town for at least a month.


    "I bid you luck then," Azby said with a nod as she slowly stood up from her spot. "We''ve had enough conversation for the night. Let''s get ourselves togged to sleep so we can be behind early tomorrow".


    "Yes ma''am!" They chorused and slowly got up as well, except for Raph. He remained in his position, with his hand stroking Elsie''s hair while his gaze trailed after the Mercenaries. Thanks to Raph''s oversupply of survival kits, they had found some extra sleeping bags for them to use. ''Special thanks to Rebecca''. He thought with a smile, but something else was on his mind, something that bugged him but made him unable to tell others.


    He had already avoided having to explain how his abilities worked because it seemed that they trusted him enough not to ask, but something lingered thanks to that ability.


    His thoughts slowly drifted once again. ''This is different from what I expected'' he thought. ''....but at the same time....it is as expected''.


    He compared Elsie''s stats with Cruz''s, who was a few feet away and the difference was made clear.


    MAYURA SYSTEM WINDOW


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    Name: Cruz Dorion


    Title: Forgotten Son of the Lost Household


    Race: Human


    Profession: Fire Mage (upgradeable)


    Lineage: The Fire Dwellers


    Level: 75 (+3) / 7 Circles.


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    STRENGTH: 90 [+]


    AGILITY: 98 [+]


    CONSTITUTION: 100 [+]


    INTELLIGENCE: 700 [+]


    MP: 6900


    AVAILABLE POINTS: 70


    ¨C-------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    <SKILLS>


    ?Fireball (active) >


    Rank: Master level


    ?Fire Volcano (active) >


    Rank: Expert level


    ?Mana Refill (passive) >


    Rank: Advanced level.


    ?Fire Arrow (active)


    Rank: Expert level.


    <TAP TO SEE MORE>


    Thanks to the screen, he could see the overall difference between a System user and a Non-system user. ''Their physical stats seem a lot more lacklustre than ours.....or at least, compared to Elsie''. He thought as he continued to compare. ''....and they seem to have more...skills?''


    He attempted to tap the screen with his finger, only to find out he couldn''t. His hand simply felt the air.


    ''.....How the heck am I supposed to see more?'' He wondered as he stared at the screen section. He focused his gaze on one particular sentence.


    ''TAP to see more?'' He thought, and focused his gaze on it. ''....but how?'' He wondered when the screen flickered and revealed the rest of the skills.


    "Oh?"

 Chapter 217- Arrived in the East 1

    And so, morning came and with it, the splendour of the sun and the skies. Its rays basked its ethereal glow upon the earth as the darkness was banished for its temporary slumber.


    While this went on, the people of the earth began their daily duties and proceeded to their various tasks. Amongst these people were the group of mercenaries that were currently on their path to their destination, the Eastern-Western Border Town.


    Amongst the carriages that were left, only one remained functional and fixable. After all, there weren''t any Cartwright or Coachmakers to repair the others so they had to make do with what they had, and luckily for them, Raph had kept an insurmountable amount in his Storage Ring.


    The carriage was currently on the road, with four horses pulling it. Azby sat at the front with the reins while Rodrick and Colyn sat beside her.


    At this point, they were left in silence and to their thoughts after making their decision on Cruz this morning. Now, they were down by one member, and morale was at its all-time low.


    Azby especially couldn''t keep her head from straying off the clouds, as it helped with the pain.


    Watching over the three figures from atop the carriage, Raph sighed inwardly. ''It''s not like they killed him. They only took him off the team,'' he thought as he glanced at Elsie, who was sleeping sheepishly on his lap. ''She does nothing but sleep these days''. He thought as he turned towards the end of the carriage.


    His gaze locked on Neuj and Rafi, who were tied up by a rope connected to the Carriage and were currently riding their horse together.


    An awkward silence descended upon them as they simply stared at each other until Neuj found it rather annoying.


    "....do you want something?" He asked with a raised brow.


    "Oh? Me, No....not really". Raph replied with a smile as his gaze flickered for a moment, only to return to the Neuj. "What level are you?" He asked.


    Neuj raised a brow while Rafi poked her head from the side, as she sat behind him on the horse.


    "Why do you need to know that?" Neuj asked with a raised brow.


    "....well..." Raph muttered as he stared at the screen on top of Neuj''s head.


    ''A level 90 Merchant.....you don''t see that every day...and those stats...''.


    MAYURA SYSTEM WINDOW


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    Name: Neuj Rakarf


    Race: Human


    Profession: Merchant


    Level: 90 / 6 Circles.


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó@@@@


    STRENGTH: 60 [+]


    AGILITY: 58 [+]


    CONSTITUTION: 70 [+]


    INTELLIGENCE: 200 [+]


    MP: 1500


    AVAILABLE POINTS: 0


    ¨C-------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    <SKILLS>


    The group didn''t pay them mind and simply followed the line on their way.


    "I thought this was a lawless town?" Raph asked as he approached the edge of the carriage and sat down with Elsie.


    "It is," Rodrick replied with a chuckle. "This payment isn''t for the city but the thugs that live in it". He explained.


    Raph raised a brow for a moment and then glanced at the gate ahead, where four men were collecting payments from the people who went in.


    He frowned slightly and then turned towards Azby, who was staring at it at the same time. He froze from the slight fright but quickly slapped it off.


    "What?" He asked.


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    ".....Don''t" she replied with a stern voice as she looked away.


    ''.....don''t What?'' Raph wondered when he noticed Colyn''s gaze and his expression gave away the answer to his question.


    ''...Oh? She doesn''t want me to start a fight''. He thought in realization. ''....I see''.


    He remained still afterwards and had not moved an inch until their carriage had finally got to the gate.


    Its entrance was like any other, only a lot less maintained and damaged beyond repair, with logs of wood holding up the top to prevent it from falling over.


    It was a wonder that something like this still held, but it was moments like this that you had to complement the creativity of man.


    "Oi! If it ain''t Azby and her Lackeys". A man with dirty blonde hair and lost incisors said as he and another in a fine suit of armour approached their carriage.


    "Yael! Zick! It''s been awhile" Azby greeted as she pulled the horses to a halt. Her gaze scanned through their armour, and a slight curve appeared from the tip of her lips. "I see you''re still flourishing in the business". She said with a slight chuckle.


    "Oh, you old girl! You know how it is in the Eastern borders". The second guard spoke up, with a devilish grin as he observed their carriage. He had deep brown hair and a brown complexion. "Looks like you were up against some strong ones this time. You came back with only one carriage".


    "You know how this job rolls. Things like this happen a lot in this part of the world".


    The two guards laughed out loud in unison as they nodded. "That''s right, girlie,", the brown-haired guard said as he patted one of their horses. "You''re good to go, lass. Let''s not keep you waiting".


    The two guards stepped back as Azby smiled and pulled the reins.


    "See you lots in the Nasty Crib tonight?"


    "You know It!" The first guard, Yael replied with an intense laughter that followed right after.


    The guards watched as the Carriage entered the town, and their smiles lingered from the conversation until they looked up to find the crimson eyes of a beauty with long fluffy ears, seated crossed-legged with a wagging tail.


    Their smiles faded for just a second before something sinister replaced it.


    "Azby?!" Yael cried out as Zick rushed and tapped the back of the cabin to stop the carriage yet again.


    It stopped, and Azby glanced back at the guards. Her gaze flickered between them and Neuj who was still tied up on the horse.


    "Oh? Did you stop us because of the merchant? We have business with him" she said, but the two guards glanced at each other and turned around in confusion.


    "Oh?" Yael muttered in realization. "Is that you, Old man, Neuj?" He said with a slight chuckle when Zick tapped Yael back into focus.


    "Oh rig¨Cright. That''s not it". He replied to Azby, as his gaze shifted towards Elsie.


    At that moment, Raph glanced at the man as he asked.


    "How much for the beast folk?"

 Chapter 218- Arrived in the East 2

    Raph had thought it wise to remain still on his spot while he let Azby take charge of their entry into the Town, and he would have preferred to do so. After all, he''s been fighting since they started their journey.


    So when they had gotten to the gate, he simply adjusted his seating position to stay out of sight somewhat, but he might have forgotten to do the same about Elsie.


    His gaze was currently on the two men who had just asked for a request that was far from pleasing him, and his expression was a testament to his irritation.


    "So¨CSorry, can you repeat that?" Rodrick spoke up with a startled tone, his gaze slowly shifting upwards as he stared at the two guards.


    Yael and Zick simply stared at each other before turning back at him.


    "I asked for the price of the beast folk" he repeated with a startled tone. "Or what? You deaf or something?" He chuckled with Zick.


    Azby sighed as she scratched the back of her head. If she didn''t handle this properly, then they would draw unnecessary attention to themselves from the beginning.


    ''....I have to avoid that....'' she thought as she responded. "Sorry pals, but do you see any chain or bondage on her?" She asked plainly while the two guards gazes lingered on her for a second.


    They glanced at each other and then scoffed in unison. "You don''t need to put Beastmen on a chain to know they''re for sale," Yael explained. "they''re just beasts, Azby, no point trying to make a fuss over it".


    "Yeah, just sell us the beast". Zick interjected while a tense silence suffused the air around them soon after his statement.


    Stuck in their thoughts, they searched for a way to get out of their predicament. One that didn''t have Raph involved.


    Azby sighed. "I''m sorry guys, but she''s not for sale. In fact, we don''t even consider her a beast.....she''s a person like us".


    The two guards scoffed in unison as they glanced at Elsie, their gazes revealing perverted thoughts that were beyond palpable.


    Elsie could see the lust and deceit in their eyes, after all, it wasn''t her first ball dance with humans like him.@@@@


    ''.....sometimes I wonder who''s the beast when I meet a human''. She thought, but even with the discomfort she felt with being with these two men, she was surprisingly relaxed.


    She had not even batted her eyes from their request from the beginning and she didn''t feel the need to get upset over it. ''Why would there be a need to?'' She thought with a smirk as she felt Raph''s presence grow closer.


    ''I have the strongest husband next to me''.


    "Not for sale? Fine. Give her to us for free. It''s not so difficult, Azby; just take it as a hire you did before entering town". Zick said with a raised brow.


    "Is there a reason why you don''t want to give her to us? Perhaps she''s been @old already?" Yael >enquired as they continued their still, tense silence.


    ".....I''m sorry....Yael, Zick, but can you just let this rest....for your sake," Azby said in a slow, mellow tone while she stared into their eyes, trying to signal at Something with her words.


    Rapj was inspecting some of the buildings while Elsie stared at the children as they rode to their destination.


    "Where exactly are we stopping by?" Raph asked.


    "The Cat Guild. The only lawful organization in this goddamn place" Rodrick replied as he held himself from hurling at the difficult sight of solid waste and liquid at the side of the roads.


    "Shit....I forgot how dirty this place is".


    "Dirty?" Azby repeated with a loud chuckle. "Stop talking like this is your first time here, you silly fool" She said as she nudged him lightly, while she looked up at Raph. "How''s the place? Shitty isn''t it?".


    The sound of working men, carriages pulled by mulls and oxens echoed as they passed by a curve between two large uncompleted buildings.


    Rapj looked up to the buildings and his expression turned into a frown. "...These kids..."He muttered on noticing the nosy kids that looked out the window or simply stood on the road to get a look at the passerby. ".....why is it so bad?" He asked.


    He never got the opportunity to get to the border town. After all, it was completely besieged by demons at the time he started travelling to places other than his home and the academy.


    "What do you mean? Nobles don''t get to see this now and then do they? This is pretty common even outside the border town". Azby replied with a smirk.


    "Well, I would say yes, but I don''t think it''s this bad".


    Rodrick scoffed. "Try coming out at night. That''s when you see all the real stuff going on".


    "Where are all the women?" Elsie asked with a raised tone as she glanced at Rodrick.


    The man blushed slightly and looked away. "Wo¨CWomen are sort of....not treated rightly in this town". He replied with a startled tone.


    Raph raised a brow at his response "What does he mean, Azby? Women aren''t treated right?" He asked.


    A brief silence followed suit before Azby sighed outwardly as she said. "Let''s get our job done first before something else pops up...."


    Raph shrugged while Elsie looked away, lost in her thoughts as they headed to the Cat Guild. "The Cat guild? What kind of building is it?" Raph asked, curiosity laced in his voice.


    "You''ll find out soon enough", Azby replied, and the silence returned, a comfortable one where they simply watched and lost themselves in their thoughts.


    As their carriage rolled past the dirty, Sandy soil and the liquid that somehow pooled up despite the hot sun, two figures hidden behind a black cloak hid behind an incomplete, earthen building, their sights focused on Neuj and Rafi, who were led by the carriage.


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    "Isn''t that the master?" one asked with an inquisitive tone.


    "Yes Sora, it is". The other replied as she turned around to walk away. "Let''s get the others".

 Chapter 219- Arrived in the East 3

    Soon, the carriage had arrived at an old, rickety postal office, which had an oddly snapped board sign with two long cat ears on the top fixed in front of it.


    The building looked as ancient as the rest, without any proper care or maintenance but for some reason, unlike the others that had strayed men and children waking about, this one had none.


    Their carriage had stopped by an old iron gate, worn out from rust and time. It was a testament to the number of years it had spent guarding the old building from the test of time.


    As their carriages slowed down due to the hard grip of the sandy soil, two loud thuds echoed, signalling two people coming down from the carriage.


    Neuj and his servant girl, Rafi were still tied up behind, and the weary eyes of the people of the town had been left behind a while ago.


    Now, it was simply this postal building with a cat sign on a large billboard on the top of it and its signpost.


    Most of the buildings were a few feet away from there and what separated the building from the others was a simple barricade made of stone and sand.


    Raph had simply watched until now, but his curiosity had gotten the best of him a while ago.


    "There''s Nobody here". He said with curiosity etched in his voice.


    Azby glanced at him as she approached the old black, rusty gates with a smirk. "Sometimes, we ought to be patient". She replied while Rodrick chuckled as he approached the gate with her


    "Let me do the honours" Rodrick said as he held the iron bar of the gate firmly. The length of the gate wasn''t so difficult, it was merely 6 ft tops.


    "Sure" Azby replied with a smirk. "Do you want to hear a little history of this place, Kael?" She asked as she glanced at him.


    At that moment, Elsie had poked her head out from behind Raph, her ears twitching with interest.


    Her smirk widened. "I see your lady wants to".


    Raph shrugged. "I''m interested as well. What and why are we in the middle of the outskirts of the town? We''ve crossed all the actual buildings....and you stopped us here..." Raph said as he glanced at the building.


    Most of the windows had been damaged beyond repair, while some others still had the glass hanging off the edges. The door itself was locked shut, and it was surrounded by a vast amount of sand and stone before the gate stood in the way.


    "....there is nothing here," he said, despite noticing the Cat ears. He had speculated that there could be more to it, but he wasn''t sure how.


    Meanwhile, the horse which rode Neuj and Rafi slowly approached the carriage, with Neuj glaring at Raph. "It is time you end this nonsense. Why don''t we talk about my release before venturing into the Cat''s guild?"


    Raph''s gaze perked open in surprise as he glanced at the man. "Oh? Do you know about them? Guess there''s more to this then". Raph said, disregarding his earlier comment while Azby cleared her throat to grab their attention.


    "...then if I may..." she started. "You see, years ago, the Border Town wasn''t called the Border Town", she explained while Rodrick began to tap the iron rails at different intervals, creating a rhythm.


    "It was called the Union City because of its freedom from the empire and the kingdom".


    "Yes. But that was merely a hundred or so years ago. They abused the indigenes of the town that remained at the time, the women and children especially, until the Cat knight appeared, and with him, the Cat Guild".


    At that moment, the tune had died down, and the gates suddenly sprung open without making a sound. The space in front of them cut through like paper, and a black void opened. A woman walked out of it in the next second.


    She had long, red cat ears, and red eyes. She wore a maid outfit that stopped just above her knees and black strings that accentuated her lap and legs.


    Her round glasses fitted perfectly with her attire and expression as she scanned through the people gathered at the gate.


    Her gaze landed on each of them, stopping at Neuj and Rafi. A slight smirk formed on her lips as she shifted her gaze to Azby.


    "Come in".


    She said, with a commanding tone as she walked in as soon as she gave the statement.


    Azby signalled for Colyn to guide the horses in, as she walked in with Rodrick.


    Soon the people gathered in front of the gate prepared to move in, but at that moment, at the corner of Raph''s gaze, a glint appeared.


    Raph slowly turned to his right, from the barricade that separated the building from the rest of the town.


    He squinted his eyes in confusion when Elsie''s ears suddenly perked up.


    Her nose shifted, and she suddenly jumped off the carriage while Raph stood up and cast a spell.


    "7th tier Magic! Dome of Protection".


    BOOM!


    A loud, supersonic explosion occurred as a ball of streaming lightning slammed onto a dome of blue energy.


    In the next second, ten figures jumped out of the barricade, as if they had been hiding in the shadows and charged at the people gathered.


    "Secure the Boss", a female voice ordered as the people scattered and charged to a specific individual.


    "Interesting!" Raph muttered when two figures slammed onto the carriage beside him, blocking him off from both corners.


    At that moment, his gaze caught a whiff of a figure cutting off the rope that bound Neuj and Rafi, and the change in his expression became a testament to his displeasure with their action.


    "Where do you think you''re looking?!" one yelled with a female voice as she swung a scythe through the air, forming a deadly arc in her wake while Raph bent backwards, dodging it by a large margin.


    The figure behind him grunted with a female voice and swung down a heavy hammer towards his head, but Raph suddenly spun around in the air to the left, dodging it as it slammed into the carriage, causing the top of the Cabin to shatter and break.

 Chapter 220- Arrived in the East 4

    The two girls attempted to jump off when Raph suddenly grabbed one by her cloak, causing her to yelp in surprise, she spun around and grabbed the other, causing the same reaction from her.


    He jumped into the air and threw them down with all his might, causing a sonic wave that exploded as their bodies slammed into the ground with great force.


    He landed just next to Azby, who was fending off another one of these figures and quickly charged forward.


    "Azby. I''ll take care of this, so get in quickly". He instructed as he grabbed the figure in the middle of her assault against Azby.


    He suddenly sidestepped to the left, dodging a spear that dug into the sand with a whiff of power and flung the girl he held into the air and onto the ground with his brute force.


    Her body slammed with a loud thud as the sound of bone cracking echoed while she yelped in pain


    Azby nodded and quickly went to take control of the carriage, or what was left of it while the rest of the figures focused their attention on two people.


    Most had charged towards Raph, while three others were trying hard to fend off Elsie.


    Raph simply smiled, noticing their wide movements as they approached him with evident killing intent.


    "Come".


    Raph sidestepped to the left, dodging one that smashed into the ground next to him with a long sword. He raised his two fists in the air, in a boxing stance as the girl swung her blade through the air, leaving a curved trail in its wake as her precise control of the Sword sliced through the fabric of the atmosphere.


    Raph sidestepped and walked backwards, dodging the attacks of the figure while the figure continued to approach him while swinging their blade.


    It was a battle dance that seemed continuous like a flow, with one side attacking and the other fending, but at that moment, a second figure joined in with a spear, jumping into the skies and crashing down with a wooden spear aimed for Raph''s head.


    Raph easily dodged when the first thrust her blade forward towards him in one fell swoop.


    He imbued a concentrated aura around his fists and slammed them upwards, causing a reflux of energy to pulse in the air and pushing the figure backwards while a startled female yelp escaped her lips.


    Raph took a step forward, but the second with the spear did not let him move any further. They pulled their spear from beneath Raph''s feet towards his face, causing him to take a step to the left while holding the spear.


    He pulled it and the figure with it, and grabbed them by the face before slamming the figure into the ground with force suffused with concentrated aura.


    The female muffled scream of pain was cut silent as they fell unconscious nearly immediately.


    This was followed by an attack from the first, who screamed out as she charged at Raph in a frenzy.


    It was only for a short moment, but they had been attacked by people from the town. It didn''t matter what their reason was, what mattered was that it happened and that left room for a conclusion.


    ''I can feel it''. He thought as he walked into the portal, while the familiar sensation of geographical warp suffused his body. ''This won''t be the last assault''.


    Soon Elsie walked in as well, leaving the maid in front of the portal. She stood idly by for a moment while her cold, crimson gaze swept through the surroundings, and the unconscious bodies that laid on the floor.


    Her gaze slowly turned cold as she clicked her tongue and walked into the portal, while a black tail swayed seductively behind her.


    "What a shame," she said before the portal zipped closed and dispersed into the atmosphere.


    A sudden and still silence diffused the air as the portal disappeared, leaving nothing but tj4 subtle signs of battle that ensued in the place.


    It was during this tranquil moment that one of the figures that had been unconscious suddenly rose to her feet like a walking corpse.


    The figure''s cloak had been ripped apart, revealing her face and expressions. Her gaze scanned around the atmosphere for a few seconds, before she clicked a tune with her tongue.


    A few seconds passed with nothing happening, but soon, the unconscious bodies began to rise back up to their feet, one by one, following a certain pattern.


    This continued until a sudden blue portal erupted out of thin air, while a few figures walked out of it.


    The girls snapped their attention towards the man and three other females that were all too familiar and they quickly fell to their knees.


    An aura of respect and reverence is etched in their very actions.


    "Welcome back, Boss!" The girls chorused in unison as Neuj, Rafi and two other women stood side by side in front of eight kneeling girls.


    Neuj glared at the building of the Cats guild, as a familiar sensation of anger brewed in his abdomen. "That was close". He muttered under his breath as his fists gripped tightly. ''The Cat guild....they nearly had me''. He thought as his gaze swept through the girls gathered.


    "It is time we unify the Clans". He said with a husky breadth.


    Rafi glanced at him with calm eyes and simply looked away. "Do you fear the cat guild that much?" She asked.


    Neuj hesitated for a moment, perhaps contemplating his response, but since a while ago, he had already made up his mind on who the real threat was.


    "No. It is Kael I fear". He replied with a dejected tone in his voice. "Whoever he is, Whatever he is. We can not let him free reign in our town. He is an uncertainty that must be gotten rid of for the sake of the town".


    Neuj Rakarf, the Head of the Nightshade Merchant Group and the Master of the Calla Lily Clan.


    "Let''s call in a Clan meeting".

 Chapter 221- Arrived in the East 5

    A sickening feeling spread through Raph''s body like cancer as his surroundings changed immediately after stepping out of the portal.


    The nostalgia that came with geographical warping had soon taken hold of him, but his resistance was fairly strong.


    He simply wavered slightly and groaned as he regained his senses.


    ''Hah, geez....teleportation needs to be worked on''. He thought as he grabbed his head firmly due to the pain.


    His hearing returned to him first, and the subtle voices of Azby and Rodrick rang in his head for a moment, until he finally looked up to find the four mercenaries staring at him.


    His gaze flickered for a moment when he felt Elsie''s hand tap him lightly, while she stood next to him.


    He glanced at her and noticed her finger pointing forward, and the expression on her face gave away her thoughts at that moment.


    An expression of pleasant surprise was etched on her face, and his brows arched upwards in curiosity. ''What''s she pointing at?'' He wondered before turning his gaze forward and looking beyond the four mercenaries and their carriage.


    His eyes widened in shock instantly, as he stared in utter disbelief at the sight before him.


    ''Ho¨CHoly Shit!''


    In the wide landscape of a hidden space, was a floating postal office. Its designs and architecture were a lot similar to the ones they found outside, only this was a lot bigger and was floating in space.


    What separated them from the building was a bridge that was anchored in the air, floating and standing in place like it had been constructed that way.


    Around them were stars and a darkness that felt so comfortable that one could mistake it for the day.


    It was bright, blissful and ethereal, taking away their breath with a single glance.


    A peerless moon, two stood in the vast space and served as a pillar of luminescent light that shone upon the landscape.


    There were flying living creatures, ranging from mystical beasts to normal, typical animals.


    Surrounding the postal office were four islands, the size equal and similar to the one they currently stood on. Surrounding the four corners of the floating postal office like living guards.


    Each hiding creature was either mystical or ordinary but would cause harm to any that showed hostility in their home.


    The sight alone was one of a kind, after all, they hadn''t seen much of Territorial Space Control other than their academy. It wasn''t an easy thing as one of the conditions required to create one was it was powerful Physic mages, which were difficult to find.


    Now, what surprised them wasn''t the serene sight of a waterfall imbued with darkness that fell from the sides of the islands or even the creatures that flew into the air or stood on their feet, reaching even the tallest of trees in the area. No, what surprised them was the building itself.


    A large signpost stood in front of it, and it read "Cat Guild" with the symbol of a black round ball with two long pointy ears at the top and a slender tail at the bottom. It floated in front of the building, which was completely upside down.


    The sight of the upside-down postal office with the architecture of a Greek God was not an easy thing to swallow.


    It, in fact, left quite an impression on the two.


    At that moment, while Raph and Elsie were scanning the space, a portal zipped opened behind them, letting the maid walk out.


    Raph shrugged and put back his ring. "Of course, I wouldn''t".


    Merthy sighed in what seemed like defeat and glanced at Azby and her crew.


    ".....Where''s Cruz?" She asked with a raised brow.


    Azby and Rodrick glanced at each other before shrugging in unison.


    "...Oh....I see," Merthy said before turning towards the Rocky floating bridge. "You better keep your promise this time, guild master". She said as she stared at the Postal Office.


    Four of these existed, and each led to a door of the Postal Office. They were currently at the edge of one of the four floating islands, which faced the bridge and the Postal Office.


    A tranquil silence hummed in the space as Merthy turned to face Raph and Elsie.


    "Come along. Our Guild Master wishes to see you".


    Raph nodded before walking after her with Elsie.


    His thoughts reeled in. ''This...this is something I never experienced in my past life''.


    There were a lot of things he didn''t know in his past life, and his ignorance had come back to bite him in particular circumstances, but he had never felt as nervous as he did now.


    This was new to him, and perhaps there would be many more scenarios like this, but for now, he controlled all his doubts and headed forward.


    ''Doesn''t matter at this point. If I have to fight, then I will, and if I don''t, then I won''t.


    With his mind made up, he walked after the maid, while Elsie and the others walked after them.


    "Is this what all mercenaries experience?" Raph asked as Azby walked up next to him.


    "Nothing is ever as it seems. And so is our job". Azby explained in response. "Sometimes, something that seems so utterly simple and useless could become the most butt cracking brain puzzle".


    She chuckled at her pun as they continued walking forward.


    "Yes, this is a norm for us, though they never let us get into the Guild Building...." She said as she pointed at the islands that surrounded them. "We usually exchange our goods on the islands and right after, we are sent back".


    At that moment, a portal appeared behind them, causing them to snap their attention to the source.


    Two males stepped out, walked towards their horse and carriage and led it into the portal, closing as soon as it opened.


    The crew were slightly taken aback but their attention had been quickly shifted to Merthy, who had nearly walked halfway through the bridge. And though puzzled, they continued their trip.


    Raph sighed silently and said. "I see....so this part isn''t normal?"


    "Well to be fair, none of the things we have experienced within the week have been normal". Azby replied.


    He chuckled silently. "Oh". A moment of silence suffused the air before he spoke up again. "I''m guessing your curiosity is on an all-time high".


    Azby glanced at him and then at the others. "You don''t know the half of it".

 Chapter 222- Arrived in the East 6

    The group finally got to the Guild Building after minutes of walking down the bridge and entered with Merthy taking the lead.


    They walked through a black door that led into the interior of the building, and a sudden change in space occurred as soon as they did.


    Raph walked directly behind Merthy, with Elsie and Azby walking beside him, and they were the first to experience the sudden change in space.


    Raph looked around with a puzzled expression, as his brain assimilated the scene that just played out. They had found themselves in what seemed like a bar, where a few unrecognizable people sat and had conversations while a mellow tune played in the air.


    Raph found this boggling as the familiar sensation he felt was very similar to geographical warping.


    He glanced behind him to find Rodrick and the others stepping into the room, and the door or what he thought was the door caught his attention.


    ''....there''s no door,'' he thought while he stared at the Wooden wall where they had just stepped out. ''.....we were directly teleported here...'' he surmised from his thoughts.


    Mass teleportation wasn''t unpopular but it certainly wasn''t an easy feat, but that wasn''t what bothered him.


    ''.....if they could teleport us so easily to any location, then there''s no telling where they would send us''.


    They could get moved to a dungeon or a prison and even forcefully separate the members of the group. The thought alone sent a message to him, and he certainly heard it.


    After coming to his conclusion, his gaze shifted away from the wall to his front, to find Merthy staring at him.


    A tense silence ensued between them for only a moment before Merthy''s gaze flickered, and she walked away.


    Azby walked closer to Raph and asked. "What was that all about?"


    Raph shrugged in response and walked after Merthy while Elsie followed as she inspected the place with her smell and sight.


    The Mercenaries glanced at each other for a moment, before walking after them towards a counter.


    Merthy stopped in front of a wooden counter, its structure and woodcrafts intricately constructed and adorned with delicate patterns that ensued a sort of noble craftsmanship on the counter. The symbol of the Cat''s guild was placed on the top of it.


    She glanced at that bartender, who was a dark-toned, bulky man with a shaved head and long moustache.


    He wore a uniform that contrasted greatly with his build and could barely hold the man''s muscles from bulging out.


    "Get me a BenStar". She said while pointing at the rows of bottles of wine behind the man.


    "Huuuhhh...you sure you wanna do that? The boss doesn''t like it when you drink". The man said with a deeply etched tone, to the point that Raph and the others were startled.


    "Oh, shut the fuck up, Harry! I''ve had enough of that old hag! Bring it!" she instructed with a deeply annoyed tone in her voice.


    At that moment, Raph and the others found themselves highly confused, as they glanced at each other.


    Well, Elsie was having a ball as she looked around at the people who were having conversations with one another while they minded their own business.


    "....where is your guild master?" Raph asked with a raised brow.


    Merthy glanced at him, took a chug and turned away, without finding the need to reply to him.


    Silence ensued around them, and for a moment, they remained this way, unable to bring up any form of question at the moment. But Some minutes passed and the silence soon escalated and became awkward.


    Merthy was standing at the side of the room, resting her back and occasionally taking sips of her drink, while the others were now resting on the wall where they had appeared from, waiting for the Guild Master, or so they were told.


    Raph looked up at one point, his gaze occasionally flickering as he stared at Merthy.


    ''....She''s not that strong''. He thought as he viewed her stats screen. ''Level 80''.


    His gaze was quickly met by her, and they were forcefully locked on one another.


    "Did you bring us here just to waste our time?" he asked, but she remained silent.


    Raph''s brows arched in annoyance. "There''s a limit to how much you can leave someone in the dark. Why are we here?" He asked again, this time taking a step forward.


    Merthy seemed to have been agitated as well since she drank whatever was left in her bottle and smashed it against the wall.


    "I asked a question first, didn''t I?" She asked as she pointed the broken bottle at Raph.


    "....I don''t see why I have to respond to you when you''re not even the boss". Raph replied, his gaze shifting between the glass bottle and the girl''s neutral expression. ''....that thing should be 90% concentrated alcohol, and she just drank it like it was water.....and remained normal right after''.


    "The guild master did wish to see you, but I get to decide whether or not you''re worth it".


    "What are you talking about? Didn''t you make a deal with them? Enough of these childish antics and reveal them". He said sternly as he stretched his hand forward towards his storage ring.


    At that moment, Azby walked up to Raph and held him by his shoulder. She quickly shook her head the moment Raph glanced at her, and their subtle conversation only increased Merthy''s curiosity.


    She was about to approach him when a figure suddenly warped into the room.


    "That''s enough Merthy". The figure said, warmth etched in her tone.


    The sudden appearance caught them by surprise, causing the group to snap their gazes at the figure. A woman with peerless white skin and white hair that cascaded down her face like a water fountain, with eyes so pale that one would mistake them for being blind. Her lit figure was covered in a black, soft one-piece dress, and a white cloak was wrapped around her.


    She hovered in the air like a demigoddess, her gaze piercing daggers into the six people gathered, one especially.


    Raph''s eyes widened in shock at the sight, and he didn''t seem to be the only one shocked.


    This woman''s appearance seemed eerily familiar, so eerie that it nearly caused their heart to drop.


    Rodrick glanced at Raph and then at the woman, before asking with a curious tone.


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    "Is that your mum, Kael?"

 Chapter 223- Arrived in the East 7

    Raph found himself questioning quite a lot of things as he stared at the woman who floated in front of him. At one point, he glanced at Merthy, who seemed disappointed by the appearance of the figure while he tried to decipher what was going on.


    "Who are you?" He asked, curiosity laced in his tone as he looked the woman over.


    The woman gave a warm smile, a smile so warm that the atmosphere around them had gone up a couple of degrees. Raph had noticed this subtle change and that made him simply grow more weary.


    "I should be asking you the same. Who are you? And why do you look like me?" The woman asked, her tone coming off subtle and calm like a tranquil lake beside a meditating spot.


    "Huh? Excuse me but you''re the one that looks like me..." he looked her over. "...at least the female version of me".


    At that moment, Merthy walked up to Raph and pointed the broken bottle at his neck.


    "watch how you speak to the Guild Master, you foolish noble"


    ''Noble?'' Raph thought with a raised brow. "I am not a noble", Raph said as he pushed the bottle away from his neck. "and weren''t you taught not to point sharp objects at visitors, or did you bring us here as prisoners?"


    The woman glared at Merthy. "Yes, she was". Her tone had turned harsh, and Merthy seemed to have gotten the message since she backed off nearly instantly.


    "Good. Now, can you explain to us what is happening?" He asked the Guild Master, who slowly shifted her gaze from Merthy to him. At that point, her warm smile had been replaced by a cold scowl.


    "...you don''t seem to know how to respect your elders, kid".


    "....maybe in another condition but at the moment, I just want answers. Why did you call us up here? And why do you look like me?" Raph repeated his questions, his gaze flickering with intensity. Sometimes the unknown can cause future unprecedented circumstances, and he did not remember ever meeting someone like her.


    ''...not only does she look like me....but those stats, '' He thought as he stared at & the stat screen.


    MAYURA SYSTEM WINDOW


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    Name: Ziza Ruggard


    Title: Daughter of the Psychic King.


    Race: Human


    Profession: Psychic Martyr (upgradeable)


    Lineage: The Mind Rulers


    Level: 100 / 10 Circles.


    ¨C--------------------------¡ó~¡ó


    STRENGTH: 150 [+]


    AGILITY: 189 [+]


    CONSTITUTION: 450 [+]


    INTELLIGENCE: 2400 [+]


    "Not at all, Guild Master, but Kael means no harm" Rodrick attempted to explain.


    "Yes, Guild Master. He may be hiding a few things from us, but he means no harm. He simply does so to avoid complications". Azby explained further while Ziza remained stoic, perhaps upset but her subordinate wasn''t having it.


    "He may seem that way to you since he travelled with you lots, but we, on the other hand, see him as a threat. Not only does he look like us, but he also doesn''t have the system...together with that girl". Merthy said with a plain tone in her voice. "This town may seem like a No rule area but it is far from that. Certain obligations must be met, and finding out his identity and his purpose for being here is one of those". Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    The group remained silent for a moment, but Raph suddenly pulled Azby and Rodrick back.


    "There is something wrong here". Raph said, his tone growing cold. He withdrew his long sword and held out his right hand.


    "Come to me! Cold steel".


    The space around him, despite lacking any form of matter, began to crackle to the intensity of his command.


    This sudden change caused Merthy and Ziza by surprise as Ziza attempted to stop it. She held out her hand towards Raph, as an invincible force suddenly fell on the group in a single swoop.


    The force was so great that Azby and her crew were forced on their belly on the ground, while Elsie was forced to her knees.


    Raph on the other hand, simply grunted as he pulled his sword from the gust of snow and ice that formed.


    A blue double-blade katana glowed with a malevolent hue as he swung it across the air.


    There is a form of mastery that is obtainable from the 9th star, where the aura is used as a limb by swordsmen. This is called Aura Force, a form of applying pressure upon one''s opponent with aura.


    "Kneel".


    BOOM!.


    His aura exploded out of his body like a tsunami, fighting the invincible pressure applied on them by Ziza while forcing Merthy and Ziza to the ground.


    The sudden explosion of aura and its application on them caused a sudden stir of confusion that caught them by surprise.


    The two ladies were forced to their knees while the invincible pressure was offset.


    At the same time, Raph''s aura was dispersed, while the invincible pressure was gone, causing a serene silence to follow after.


    The people gathered panted lightly as they rose to their feet, surprise etched on their expressions, at least some of them.


    Ziza and Merthy didn''t seem pleased in the least about what had just occurred.


    "...you''ve proven your point....now, who are you," Ziza asked with a stern gaze while Raph stared at them with a smirk.


    "I admit that I''ve not been honest with a few things, but I promise you that your method would have never worked on me". Raph explained. "If you wish to get answers....then I would have given them to you".


    He slowly glanced at Elsie, who simply stared right back at him.


    At this point, he didn''t think there was a need to keep going with his identity; after all, he was far away from the West, but even that didn''t give him enough reason to reveal his identity.


    "You control space, right?" Raph asked Ziza, who slowly nodded in reply. "Then, could you move five of us to a different location".


    His decision was simple. Reveal it to those he could trust.

 Chapter 224- Arrived in the East 8

    There was a brief moment of silence before Ziza glanced at the people gathered and then at Raph.


    She had one question troubling her at that moment, but her initial plan of forcing the answers out of him did not work.


    She glanced at Merthy soon after and sent a psychic link to the girl.


    *What do you think, Merthy?*


    Merthy flinched for only a second, but she had regained composure soon enough.


    *It''s hard to decipher what he''s thinking, and he seems a lot stronger than we anticipated*


    *Yes, that aura he exuded was on the level of an eleventh star....I have no method of knowing what his true abilities are, but I have a feeling that he could be beyond our expectations*


    Merthy sighed at the thought, while she stared at Raph, who seemed relaxed at the moment.


    Ziza Ruggard was perhaps the strongest psychic mage she had ever known, but even her abilities were offset by a single boy with an unknown origin and abilities.


    All they knew about him was the fact that he travelled with the Mercenaries and they trusted him enough to ignore his lies.


    *Send him a psychic link, let''s find out who he wishes to reveal himself*


    Ziza stared at her subordinate for a moment, before glancing at Raph with a pleasant smile on her face.


    Raph raised a brow in confusion when he suddenly flinched as a sensation swept into his brain. It sort of felt like fingers were poking into his head, just shallow enough to stay out of the important parts.


    At that moment, a psychic link was established, but Raph also realized something soon after.


    *Is this the psychic link?*


    Raph asked with a raised brow while the two women stared at each other and then at him before nodding in unison.


    *Alright then. Please take the three of us, including Elsie, the demi-human next to me and Azby*


    A moment of silence descended upon them, before Ziza evidently sighed and replied mentally.


    *As you wish*


    At that moment, the eight figures disappeared, and five of them reappeared in the white room they had occupied a short while ago.


    "Oh" Azby muttered in realization, her gaze etched on Raph "You want me in on your identity?" She asked.


    Raph nodded and sighed. "It''s important that at least you know about it. After all, I did mention how careful I was in revealing my identity" Raph explained.


    "Why are you careful about it? You are a noble, but I don''t think you''re all that," Merthy said with a click of her tongue, while Ziza floated back into the air.


    "My subordinate has a point. Is your secret that troublesome?" She asked.


    Raph scoffed and nodded. "Yes, it is" He replied. "Though, I''m wondering why you couldn''t use your psychic abilities to find out yourself".


    His sudden statement caused both Merthy and Ziza to move subtly. Perhaps unconsciously to them, they didn''t realize it but to Raph and his sharp gaze, he quickly identified their slight movement.


    ''....that means they tried it already....'' That brought him to one conclusion. ''....My eyes fend against mental attacks?''.


    "The Guild Master is trying to look into it, but things keep getting worse. The Eastern Army has a direct influence in our area of work, too.....I''m sure you guys didn''t come here in one piece". He said.


    Rodrick and his teammates glanced at each other, before sighing in unison. Their expressions were a testament to the ordeal they went through before getting here.


    ''The guys will be surprised when I tell them that we escaped a mountain, baby,'' Rodrick thought before a slight smirk formed on his lips.


    An image of Raph appeared in his head, and for a moment the smirk disappeared. "I really wanted to find out his true identity though".


    "...Well, he did say that finding his identity could cause....I don''t know, issues with higher people; let''s just hope it''s not as bad as he said". Lucky said while her gaze was fixed on her cup.


    Harry chuckled and began to refill those cups. "Relax, people like him are usually all talk and no show. I bet he''s just some noble who thinks highly of himself".


    ****


    Ziza and Merthy''s eyes were laced with shock while Azby had her mouth hanging while they stared at Raph.


    At that moment, Merthy quickly glanced at Ziza, but her expression gave her the reply to her question before she could even confirm.


    "You¨CYou''re the only son of the Jun Household?" Azby asked with a shaky tone in her voice and slowly shifted her gaze to Elsie.


    "....And you''re a member of the Darkpelt tribe? The King of Werewolves?"


    Elsie giggled while Raph nodded.


    "You see why I didn''t wish to reveal my identity until now?" He asked with a sigh.


    Azby scratched the back of her head while Merthy and Ziza continued to stare in surprise.


    "Bu¨CBut why reveal it now?" Ziza asked, her voice laced with curiosity.


    "....Well" Raph muttered as he glanced at them. "I trust Azby enough, and I believe if she attempted to reveal this information, it would be for a good cause" He explained. "And also she''s an assassin".


    Their eyes sparkled in realization, after all, assassins tend to keep secrets to their grave, especially those that aren''t under a specific master. That included Azby.


    "Then, How about us?" Ziza asked.


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    Raph glanced around the room. "You were suspicious of our identity and antagonistic against me, thinking I was just any noble....and nobles are under the King". He replied. "Not to mention, these goods are meant for the Eastern Frontiers and not the army. I believe you want peace".


    Ziza''s gaze widened slightly in surprise while Merthy clicked her tongue.


    "You observed all that?" She asked, curiosity etched in her tone.


    "Well, perhaps....I do have my suspicions after all" He looked her over. "After all, we look alike so much that it caught me by surprise".


    "Well, your hair is black, and hers is white...so.." Merthy muttered for a moment before her head snapped in realization. ".... Didn''t you always have white hair?" She asked.


    Raph nodded with a slight chuckle. "I do," He replied. " ...But, we should leave that out for now. Seeing you guys here, actually gave me a brilliant idea". He said with a slight amusement in his tone.


    The women all stared at him puzzled, in anticipation of his next statement, and then it came.


    "How about you join us in our revolution".

 Chapter 225- Arrived in the East 9

    "Did I hear you right?" Merthy''s voice had risen a level of decibels without her even realizing it at this point. Her gaze was intently fixed on Raph, while Azby and Ziza watched in silence.


    Azby was lost in her thoughts, perhaps putting two and two together to get the bigger picture.


    ''It all makes sense now....his strength...his information...his reason for antagonizing the king''. She thought, her gaze fixed on Raph as well.


    "I see. The Jun household is also having a feud with the royal household?" She asked, curiosity laced in her voice.


    Raph glanced at her subtly and then focused his attention on Ziza. "Well, yes. I am not aware of how much information you know about the great families, but all is not well back home". He said with a slight smile. "The king has made it evident in his decision to bring my family down".


    Azby scoffed. "The Jun household is the first ranked household amongst the Twelve Great families. He can''t bring you down without a just cause".


    "Well, we know that, and it has worked for us so far....but the king is getting impatient...and his greediness is causing chaos", Raph replied with a sigh. "My sisters and I wish to take the king down. And we aren''t the only ones in on this..."


    A tense silence suffused the air, as the ladies retreated to their thoughts.


    At that moment, Ziza sighed outwardly and glanced at Raph from her meditative position.


    "You mentioned all this now because you feel you can trust us? But what if we give you to the king right now? I hear he''s after you....more than the others...it would be easy to simply capture you and get paid for it".


    Raph chuckled slightly. "Well, firstly...Ziza. I assumed you were much smarter than that, but is Merthy here perhaps the advisor?" his question caused a stir of emotion between the two ladies as they blushed from embarrassment.


    "The king may want me, but he sure as hell wouldn''t need to pay you guys...a bunch of nobodies from the Border Town anything. He would simply betray you".


    They had to admit, he was right. The King was difficult to understand, but they had someone right here, who seemed to be on their side. Someone from a great family.


    "Not to mention, I will raze this place to the ground before you could lay a single finger on me".


    His next statement caused the ladies to flinch in unison. They had never felt threatened so much as they did after hearing his statement. His words sounded cold, just as his expression was when he said it and they could tell he meant every word.


    "Then I''m guessing meeting me was perhaps a lucky encounter for you?" Ziza asked with a sigh.


    "Well, yes. I just thought of it on the spot, but I''m glad I met a psychic mage here.....or martyr..whichever it is". He replied with a shrug.


    Ziza and Merthy glanced at each other, their gazes growing weary.


    "How do you know that?" Ziza asked and Raph simply smirked in response.


    "There are a lot of things that I am aware of, which you aren''t. It''s best we simply maintain a contract relationship....no crossing boundaries or personal lives".


    "Did you guess that as well?" Merthy asked with a hesitant tone in her voice while Ziza giggled.


    "No....but I assumed as such... someone of your level wouldn''t let other powerful beings like yourself decide the fate of the Town without you being there". Raph replied. "There''s no telling what sort of harm they could bring upon this town".


    A sigh of relief escaped their lips as they retreated to their thoughts. A brief moment of silence ensued, and Ziza finally looked up at Raph, seemingly with her response.


    "If you assist me in my aid of unifying the Border Town, then the Cat guild will be at your disposal during your Revolution"


    Raph sighed as he nodded in response, while Elsie glanced at him with a questioning look. She leaned closer to him and whispered. "You know we have school, right?" She asked.


    Raph scratched the back of his head in deep thought. ''You think I don''t know that!'' he cried out in his head before sighing. "Let''s get this over with then. We''ll begin as soon as possible".


    Ziza''s heartwarming smile returned to her expression once again, as she glanced at Merthy.


    "In that case, they''ll be staying as guests until they''ve completed their end of the bargain". She said with a pleasant smile. "It will be assuring to have the son of the Jun household fight for us".


    Merthy scoffed at her statement. "I attended the last Rankings Battle, and I can vouch for your strength, but I do not trust you completely".


    "I don''t need you to trust me completely," Raph said with a smirk. "This is a contract that will be fulfilled between us. We merely need to trust the contract"


    At that moment, Merthy smirked and glanced at Ziza, who made a paper appear in the air with the flick of her finger. "Then, as you said.....let us sign on it"


    A paper revealing two empty spaces at the bottom was opened, and she imprinted mana into one of the empty spaces. She handed it over to Raph, who picked it up and imprinted his aura.


    "A bound contract....so be it" He said as he handed the paper over to Merthy.


    A brief moment of silence suffused around them before Ziza turned away. "Take them to the living quarters and provide their necessities....until I call for assistance".


    Merthy bowed and walked over to them, as Ziza prepared to teleport them away.


    "You have a plan though?" Raph asked with a raised brow.


    "Of course". She replied.


    "Then you wouldn''t mind if I handle a few things before we begin the plan....I also have my reasons for coming here".


    Ziza nodded in reply. "As you wish".


    They disappeared instantly after the end of her statement, and in that tranquil silence, she teleported a white envelope into her hands.


    Her pristine gaze read through the address, and a slight frown creased her face. ''A meeting, huh?''.

 Chapter 226- Arrived in the East 10

    They reappeared in the Bar room, Merthy''s gaze lingering on Raph for a moment before walking up to the counter.


    Azby clicked her tongue in disappointment on getting to the counter as her gaze was focused on her three teammates, and a scowl grew on her face.


    "Did they seriously get drunk?!" She asked out loud in annoyance as she banged her fist on a sleeping Rodrick. The man looked up at her with woozy eyes and then at Raph before jumping up suddenly.


    "Yo...Ka-Kael....You don''t trust me~?! Y~our buddy!?!" His voice was twisted into a drunken slur while he struggled to get to him.


    At that moment, Azby glanced at Harry, who chuckled while he served Merthy a glass of her favourite wine.


    "Why exactly did you give them alcohol? We don''t even have the money to pay". Azby asked with a stern expression on her face as she grabbed Rodrick by the collar.


    "They seemed out of it, so I decided to give them some drinks to cheer them up. Don''t worry about the bill, it''s on the house". He said with a smirk while Merthy chugged down her flaws and slammed it on the counter.


    Her gaze went up to Harry''s, and they seemed to have some sort of mind conversation as Harry sighed a few seconds later.


    He glanced at Raph and Elsie, and his expression grew wary.


    "It seems we have important guests. We should get you to the inn" he said, his gaze shifting towards Merthy.


    Raph raised a brow at first, a questionable one at that. It seemed Merthy had trusted Harry enough with his secret. ''Well....you guys will be the ones getting tortured for the information on me anyways''. He concluded before glancing at Azby.


    "You have them under control right?" He asked.


    She sighed, then nodded. "This isn''t the first time they''ve gotten drunk. Don''t worry about it". She replied.


    Raph nodded in approvement, but then his thoughts reeled in at that moment. "Are you staying? You really don''t have to....and you wouldn''t be paid for your stay either".


    Azby sighed on hearing his question while Merthy and Harry glanced at her, perhaps in anticipation of her reply.


    Elsie simply walked up to one of the chairs to get a seat, after all, she wasn''t exactly needed in their conversation. She had played a third party all this while, and simply observed and watched. Leaving things to her future husband seemed like a luxury for her, and she wanted to enjoy the benefits of not involving herself directly.....unless required to.


    "Well, for starters....we have other jobs waiting for us back at the Styl Village and that....plan of yours". She glanced at him and then offered him a genuine smile. "It seems like you unconsciously decided to gather allies".


    Raph blinked a couple of times before sighing. ''Yeah...she''s right. I decided, on a whim, that having allies would be necessary in case the King called an army for us....but I did have a backup plan''.


    Though he never mentioned them much, because of their inconspicuous nature in handling their affairs.


    The Northern Army, which was dealing with the gate openings at the moment, were more than enough to deal a fatal blow to the Imperial Army.


    ''...that I am absolutely sure of''.@@@@


    "Well, we are all of the same mind. Dealing with a common enemy is natural for humans". He said.


    Azby chuckled, then glanced at her teammates. "I''m honoured you trusted me enough to let me know your secret" She glanced at Elsie soon after. "...and Of course, you too....um, Ryla" she added. "....but This is way beyond us and our current abilities....so if we even had an inkling of a thought in joining you, then we must get stronger".


    Elsie shook her head. "it''s only natural that a husband and wife share the same room. Don''t make such a big deal out of it".


    Merthy was left taken back and shifted his attention to Raph. "Have you put a ring on it?"


    "I''m 15!" He cried out in protest with a startled tone in his voice.


    Elsie giggled while Merthy sighed.


    "look here, um, Ryla? Look....we can''t let you two stay in the same room. It isn''t proper".


    "....I don''t see how that''s any of your concern. I feel it''ll be best for us to decide for ourselves, no?"


    Elsie''s tone had come off sharp, and venomous, something Raph hardly ever saw.


    ''Now that I think about it....I don''t know much about Her''. He thought while Merthy sighed in defeat.


    "Fine! Do what you want! The rooms come with baths so just get in if you want to...everything else you would need is also located there....you can check the drawers and tables, and you should find it".


    Her voice faded away as she walked and gave her instructions to the duo while leaving them to their own business.


    The last thing she wanted was to start an argument with a werewolf from the Darkpelt tribe. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Raph chuckled lightly while he opened the door, and Elsie followed soon after.


    "You really don''t mind?" He asked as the magic lamps turned on automatically at their entrance.


    Elsie shook her head with her tail wagging behind her.


    "Why would I?"


    Raph sighed in defeat and, instead of trying to talk her out of it, decided to accommodate her and make things less embarrassing for the both of them.


    When the room lit on, Raph''s gaze scanned the interior, as a satisfied expression exuded from his face. If he had a method of rating the room, then he would give it a 7 out of 10, not because it seemed expensive, but mostly because of how comfortable it seemed.


    There was a medium-sized bed placed in the middle of the room, with two drawers at the side.


    A window of Oakwood, and intricate carpentry designs laid at the sides of the room. He found this intriguing because these windows were at every corner, almost as if there weren''t neighbouring rooms next to his.


    It made him phantom the abilities of Ziza''s psychic ability and her skills that enabled her to create such a vast space.


    Four magical lamps illuminated the room, like the radiant sun, bringing life into the interior mahogany walls and ground that sprung to life with their entrance.


    By the far left was another door which most likely led to the bathroom, and in front of the bed was a round wooden table, comfortably placed with three pillow cushions around it.


    ''How...comfortable''. He thought before slumping on the bed with a heavy sigh.


    He glanced at Elsie, who jumped next to him on the bed, her gaze lingering on his, and a moment of tense silence grew between them.

 Chapter 227- Arrived in the East 11

    "..you don''t talk much". Raph said, breaking the silence while Elsie smiled a little.


    "I don''t need to. You have everything covered". She replied.


    "....then What if I wasn''t here?" He asked with a raised brow.


    At that moment, Elsie slowly rolled to face the ceiling, which was also made of wood, with a large magical lamp, the shape of a simple chandelier taking place there.


    "Well, for starters, a contract with Ziza is nice, but my brutal approach would have forced her to give in whether she wanted Something from me or not". She said. "....and Then, well for now. I feel it''s best I watch".


    Raph had always had this thought since a while ago, but Elsie wasn''t a simple-minded girl as he assumed her to be because of the way she acted around him. He felt his presence only made her feel relaxed enough to show this side of her because, in her Beast form, how she spoke and acted was different.


    ''....well, she is the daughter of a chieftain''. He thought before drifting his thoughts elsewhere.


    "Let''s get this whole thing over with and get back to the academy....the Festival plans will begin soon''.


    Elsie chuckled slightly. "And then the exams....I heard practical is what matters mostly...so I''m sort of excited about it". She said with her legs in the air.


    All this time, she had been putting on Raph''s cloak and long-sleeved shirt without a proper outfit. After all, she damaged hers with her transformation, so her pale legs were laid bare for Raph to see.


    Surprisingly for him, he found himself occasionally staring at it, perhaps far longer than he anticipated since Elsie''s sudden gaze snapped him from his thoughts.


    "Who''s bathing first?" She asked.


    Raph blinked for a moment, his mind still picturing her legs before sitting up. "You, go ahead". He said. "I''ll get proper clothes for us".


    Elsie hummed sweetly before jumping off the bed with a sudden swoop. "Alright". She said, as she suddenly dropped the cloak on the floor.


    Raph''s gaze widened slightly while Elsie began to pull the shirt that stopped around her thighs.


    "Hey Hey! What are you doing, Elsie?!" he cried out in protest as he covered his eyes with both hands while his cheeks flushed in embarrassment.


    Elsie chuckled slightly, her tail wagging while it raised the shirt upwards from her thigh, posteriorly, and the shoulders fell slightly downwards. She was backed away from Raph, and her gaze lingered on him as she looked behind to get a better reaction.


    "You''re so cute when you''re flustered".


    Raph attempted to peak, but the mere sight caught him off guard yet again, forcing him to turn around.


    "El¨CElsie!" he stammered while the image replayed in his head over and over again.


    "Okay, Okay" She teased as she walked towards the door while giggling. Soon, the door closed behind her, giving Raph the go-ahead to look.


    He sighed in relief while he glanced downwards at a protrusion.


    ''....damn...I knew she was sexy...but that is too much even for me''.


    Another heavy sigh escaped his lips before collapsing on the bed yet again. His gaze shifted to the ceiling, while he lost himself in his thoughts. But at some point, his pupils flickered and it shifted to a specific corner of the room.


    Ziza chuckled. "Well, they do tend to do that...".


    "Well, yes...but the problem was how he won in the end".


    Ziza raised a brow in curiosity as she looked up from her cup of tea. "How did he win?"


    At that moment, Merthy looked up from her mug, a weary look in her eyes as she recollected the scene. It was so eerie, and uncomfortable that she nearly forgot how she felt at that moment.


    "It was like he had put her under a hex? With his eyes perhaps.....I''m only guessing because he looks blind...but he''s not".


    "True...." Ziza nodded in agreement. Raph could be easily mistaken for a blind beauty if he wasn''t built well as a man and was frantically a boy to the core. But if he decided to act as a woman...perhaps as a disguise, there was no doubt that it would have worked, perfectly....depending on how good he was.


    "Well, he somehow...controlled her...and instructed her to lose".


    Ziza raised a brow in confusion. "Control?" She asked, "like psychic?"


    It was uncommon to find psychic mages....but they had heard of a few who were under the Merlin Household, but the Jun household had absolutely nothing to do with magic....until recently.


    "Not psychic....but just....Control?" Merthy muttered, and another moment of silence descended between the two.


    They seemed stuck in their thoughts, contemplating their conversation, until Ziza sighed.


    "Never mind that. I got a letter from Neuj Rakarf".


    "Oh....that son of a bitch. He''s lucky his ladies in arms came to rescue him because he would have made a great trophy".


    "He''s one of the Five leaders, Merthy. Pay him the respect".


    Merthy scoffed in disgust. "That womanizer?". Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ziza turned her gaze elsewhere. "There''s no proof of that". She tried to stand up for him, but she was aware from her many previous attempts that it was futile. It was just nice to argue with her Assistant now and then.


    "He''s a merchant...and his guild and merchant union are made up of women....over a hundred members, and they are all women...including CHILDREN". Merthy stretched out the last word to remind her perhaps of the kind of man she had tried to stand up for.


    Ziza giggled. "Alright, but he''s called for a meeting".


    Merthy raised a brow. "What could it be about?". She asked, though, at the corner of her mind, she had a reply to the question.


    "Of course, it should be about Raph. Though, he knows him as Kael". Ziza replied.


    ".....I''m actually surprised that he''s been able to keep his identity so far....though, his hair is black".


    "Yes....He simply looks like a blind boy with special abilities that enable him to see"


    "Well, yes....but his fighting style....if he had truly fought against the Mountain Baby as Azby''s teammate claimed, then"- "He fought against what?!"


    Ziza cut into Merthy''s statement, her gaze filled with disbelief and shock.

 Chapter 228- Arrived in the East 12

    After all, even she alone would find it difficult to contain a mountain baby, though her abilities were strong enough to kill one.


    Merthy giggled at her reaction. "He fought against a mountain baby...and survived apparently".


    Ziza raised a brow in surprise, and perhaps a bit confused. "If he fought against that beast and survived....and Azby and her teammates still weren''t able to recognize his identity....then does that mean he was, perhaps, not using his original fighting style?"


    Merthy''s gaze widened in realization as a sudden silence descended upon them.


    It dawned on them at that moment just how strong Raph actually was and how skilful he seemed to be with the sword.


    Merthy sighed. "....Thank goodness we didn''t fight him".


    Ziza sighed as well, her gaze shifting upwards at the ceiling.


    "....We should involve him in our plans...he may prove more useful than we give him credit for".


    "...He''s the son from a knight household...and the strongest at that. It should be expected, I guess". Merthy chuckled in defeat as they both took a sip from their beverage.


    "How do you plan on uniting Border Town?" Merthy asked.


    Ziza remained silent for a few seconds before dropping her cup of tea and closing her eyes. Merthy sighed and dropped her mug as well. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    This she was also used to. Her guild master was currently using her psychic abilities to watch over the town. She did this whenever she was about to make a serious decision. After all, growing up in this place taught her a lot of things, and she wished to right the wrongs that were done to the town, and its people.


    In fact, Ziza had saved Merthy and a lot of others in her Guild, and they had formed the Cat guild in a pretence to bring stability to town.


    "We need to monopolize the power". Ziza said, snapping Merthy from her thoughts.


    At that moment, Merthy felt a deep emotion, she had never felt in a while, fear. "Monopolize it? How would that help?" She asked.


    "The Calla Lily clan doesn''t have the kind of justice I wish to have to determine what is right or wrong, the Drifting Wheels Gang doesn''t have any sort of moral compass, the Rugged Coin Clan are made up of self-centred robbers, who only wish to fill their pockets and the Watchers have no goal whatsoever in aiding this town".


    She explained, her eyes slowly opening at the same time.


    "Every single one of them is incompatible with my goals and will either stand in my way or remain neutral...and we don''t want that".


    Merthy remained silent for a moment, but then a sigh escaped her lips. "I know you want this town to be united, but I hope you aren''t letting this kid...Raffaelo Jun, affect your judgement. Yes, I admit he could be a trump card, but we should be wary of the consequences once he is no longer here,". She said, took a pause and then continued. "Not to mention, we still can''t trust him".


    Ziza giggled. "We aren''t trusting him, but the contract we signed. A contract of bond as he called it....and he can be used far more than just any trump card. Have you forgotten the wolf girl with him?"


    Merthy remained silent for a moment, her thoughts reeling in.


    Her guild master was right about one thing, and that was that the other leaders of the four groups she had just listed weren''t on the same line as they were.


    They wished for a prosperous town, but the others simply wished to rule and take what was theirs.


    She could also confirm Ziza''s suspicion of Elsie''s strength; after all, she felt it, too.


    Sadly, Elsie suddenly wrapped her legs and arms around him, like he was her giant teddy bear, making it difficult for him to even move a muscle.


    He simply glanced down and sighed.


    Ziza''s giggle echoed before she tapped on her chair.


    "I know that. Just wanted to fill you in on the situation".


    "Oh?" Raph muttered before looking around the room. "Right, there''s no clock here".


    Ziza clicked her finger. "That can be easily fixed".


    A pendulum clock appeared from thin air, directly opposite the end of the bed.


    He glanced at it and his gaze slowly waved. "It''s nine already? Just how long were we put for?" He asked.


    "Well...technically, you guys fell asleep at four in the night, so I can understand". She explained.


    Raph clicked his tongue in realization. ''Time will be a little hard to tell around here...''


    "Are they gone?"


    Ziza nodded in response. "They left about an hour ago," she replied.


    "Oh...." He sighed yet again, perhaps letting the information sink in. It was only for a week, but he had felt close to them, perhaps to the extent that he wouldn''t wish for anything bad to happen to them. ''....and that''s exactly why I can''t let Cruz get away so easily''.


    He had snuck a mana tracking device into Cruz the night before he was set free by Azby and her teammates. After all, it was difficult to predict what he could do at the moment.


    ''Courtesy of Fiona''. Having a genius Mage, who was also the Mage Master of a tower came with his benefits, and he was going to reap bountifully from it.


    "Alright then. I''ll get to business...". He glanced at Elsie. "Once she gets up".


    Ziza nodded in agreement. "Alright then, I''ll send in Merthy and Cartwyn to come help".


    Raph raised a brow at her. "Cartwyn?"


    "Yes, I have over fifty members after all". She replied with a smile. "Some have already taken the cargo to the Eastern Frontiers base, but a lot more are around...expect to see them during your stay".


    Raph frowned a little before turning his gaze away. "Alright". A part of him was expectant of the disapproving gazes he would get from her other Subordinates, but then again. ''...I''ll just whoop their ass if they complain''.


    Sometimes, especially when dealing with a group of people, showing them a glimpse of your abilities helps set up an image. An image he was hoping would teach them to back the fuck away from him.


    "Well then, greetings to you, and I hope your tasks grow successful". She said before the space was sealed shut, returning the room to its single appearance.


    The silence that followed was repeatedly tranquil, and he was going to enjoy it a little bit more when he suddenly felt something change. His gaze slowly shifted to Elsie, who was staring right back at him, her crimson gaze burning holes in his.


    Her lips curled into a cute smile as she said. "Good morning, Husband~"

 Chapter 229鈥怉rrived in the East 13

    Elsie slowly sat up from the bed, a brief yawn escaping her lips as she did so.


    "So¨CSorry, did I wake you up?" Raph asked, curiosity laced in his tone as he watched her carefully.


    Her legs were still wrapped around his waist, so her figure was currently positioned at an angle of Raph''s, or perhaps beside him.


    She rubbed her eyes silently, while Raph''s gaze remained fixed on her.


    ''....how cute''. He thought.


    "No, you didn''t. I woke up amid your conversation with Ziza. You want to find this...man that the princess asked you to?"


    Raph nodded. "I do...though I initially thought it would be best to get to the East first and search my way from there".


    Elsie raised a brow as her tired gaze landed on hi@.


    "What do you mean ''search''?"


    "Well..." Raph scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "The princess''s instructions were vague at best, but I assumed a member of the royal family wouldn''t be too difficult to find".


    Elsie raised a brow in confusion. "She didn''t know where he would be?"


    "She does....I think. She only instructed me to find him in the East, and the Border Town seems like a good place to find him". He remained silent for a moment in contemplation, then continued. "The regal chain will lead me to its owner if we are in certain square kilometers."@@@@


    "Oh? How convenient. Now, we''re not even sure how long we''ll be staying here".


    Raph chuckled loudly. "Don''t worry about it. If it were that impossible of a task, then Meadow would have sent Someone else....and not the son of her father''s worst enemy".


    Elsie stared at him a little, in contemplation of his statement. She shrugged her thought after a few seconds and suddenly pulled herself closer to Raph, hugging his body sideways.


    "Elsie?" Raph muttered in surprise while she continued to snuggle up to him.


    "I won''t get the chance to after this...let me spend some time with my husband" She ignored his retaliation and remained in her position for a few seconds.


    Raph simply sighed in defeat.


    "Fine then.....in a few minutes, we''ll get ready and head out. We have a few places to check out today".


    "Yipee!" Elsie exclaimed in excitement while Raph chuckled. A somber silence suffused the air around them, and the tranquillity left an aftertaste of satisfaction and warmth.


    They remained in this position for a while, stuck in their thoughts and enjoying their company. As much as Raph found this alien, he couldn''t help but submit to it and enjoy it a little bit.


    ****


    Elsie giggled as she took a sip from her cup. She was sitting next to the Cat girl, but her attention to her food preceded every other thing that happened around her.


    The girl suddenly shot up from her seat, her ears twitching in annoyance. "Say that again, blind boy?"


    Raph chuckled. ''Blind boy? This will be annoying''.


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    "If you have a problem with me, then you should go talk to your guild master. Don''t trouble me with your useless, baseless judgment,".


    The girl hissed bitterly, her tail and ears standing in annoyance. Her cat-like expressions gave off her dissatisfaction.


    "You have a death wish, don''t you?" She said, her gaze shifting to Merthy next. "I told you we couldn''t trust him. He should have been kicked out like those mercenaries".


    Raph paused in his action, his gaze shifting to Merthy as well.


    The maid shook her head and sighed. "Take your seat, Cart, or we''ll take you off the job". She said with a stern tone.


    The Cat girl sat in dissatisfaction, her gaze shifting between Raph and Harry who was attending to others.


    Raph simply looked away and continued his food. ''Seems like their subordinates don''t think highly of mercenaries....'' He thought. ''...which is weird, since they''re technically mercenaries themselves''.


    Raph continued his food in silence until Elsie suddenly swung her empty plate in the air.


    "Another round, please".


    Harry chuckled as he walked up to her to answer her request, while Raph turned towards Merthy, who was sitting next to him.


    "You mentioned something about finding someone. Is there any way we can help?" She asked when their gazes locked.


    "...Well, I do need you to take me to all your popular...tourist spots if they are....or just where people like me who know nothing about this place would go".


    Merthy raised a brow. ".....you do know who you''re looking for, right?"


    Raph took a sip from his Apple juice. "Just focus on what I asked you". He said with a soft sigh.


    Just then, Cartwyn had kicked the counter, her cat-like gaze still fixed on Raph.


    "...and get that cat....under control".


    He took another bite, ignoring the death stares he received from Cartwyn. Of course, he ignored it and continued his meal, after all, he was about to go for a wild goose chase for a person he had never seen before. Not in his past life and certainly not in this one.


    Soon, their meal was over, and they headed towards the exit of the bar. After all, it was finally time to find the owner of the regal chain.

 Chapter 230- Arrived in the East 14

    Outside the territorial space, the sun stood in the skies, its otherworldly glow cascading down the clouds in a warm hue.


    It''s brightness ignited a warmth that grew fierce with time, as the arid lands of Border Town were left bare to the Sun''s magnanimous glow.


    While the people of Border Town went about their various activities, if they had any, some were gathering in their strongholds, in preparation for the inevitable.


    Out of these many individuals was Neuj Rakarf. South from the central part of Border Town was a region well known for its lucrative businesses, and rightful attractions. Attractions that mostly included women, and fancy brothels that smelt of jasmine and roses.


    This region was well known as the Calla Lily, and perhaps the largest since it included a lot of well developed buildings, compared to many other parts of the building.


    It was a specific square kilometres that included at least ninety five of the women population, of which consisted of the age from birth till thirty five.


    Any one older was usually assigned somewhere else in town and the process was handled by Neuj Rakarf.


    With the Sun''s rays came the calm of the Calla Lily District, as most brothels recovered from the previous night while officials performed other matters of great importance.


    A few of which brushed into an office, startling a sleepy middle aged man, who jumped on his chair, while he looked around wearily.


    A few seconds passed and the man clicked his tongue in annoyance as a yawn escaped his lips.


    Six women in black and purple armour marched around the room, separating into three to each side and opened up the silky, golden curtains to let sunlight seep into the dark walls of the office.


    Neuj Rakarf grunted slightly as the familiar sensation of warmth and sunlight permeated his vision while he sat up.


    His office walls were made of clay, and flower pots could be seen arranged in an orderly manner at each side.


    At each side of the office were two windows each and his desk was located opposite the door at the far back of the room.


    It was made of Oakwood, and its intricately patterned designs were a testament to its artistry origins. The chair was just as well crafted as the desk and the files stacked against each other on his table was an evidence of his line of work.


    As he yawned again, the six women lined at the side of the room, three on his right and three on his life. He slowly looked up from his desk to find two familiar figures walking into his office.


    He sighed. "Rafi, Sora...what did i say about disturbing my naps?" He asked with a dissatisfied tone in his voice.


    Sofa walked in and saluted the Merchant while Rafi simply stood with her hands folded as the door was shut behind them by one of the six girls.


    "You said we shouldn''t interrupt unless it is called for"


    Neuj raised a brow. "And?" He asked.


    Rafi sighed in annoyance. "Kael and Ryla have been spotted".


    Neuj''s gaze flickered at the sound of their names, and he slowly stood up from his desk, placing his hands on it, and remained fixed in his position for a few seconds.


    Slowly, he looked up at Rafi and Sora.


    "Who''s watching them, right now?" He asked.


    Sora and Rafi g)ended at each other, before Rafi turned to him to rely.@@@@


    ****


    Almost at the other end of the Town were four figures walking down the deserted streets of Border Town. Well, honestly the people that ought to be on that street were either hiding or running away at the recognition of the two women walking besides Raph and Elsie.


    They were currently walking on a narrow path, with their second destination in mind, and Raph was enjoying having Merthy and Cartwyn with them.


    As he glanced around, observing the tall, incomplete buildings and their fallen structures, he could not help but wonder.


    "I can''t believe a place lkke that is were people would go to" Elsie snapped in annoyance for the millionth time.


    Merthy clicked her tongue in annoyance while Cartwyn sighed.


    "Miss Ryla, like we already said. The public bath is one place most people go to first when they arrive here".


    ".....It honestly doesn''t make sense. The state of the buildings are in shambles but the bath house looked....clean?" Raph muttered out loud while he glanced at Merthy besides him.


    "Well, the bathhouse isn''t public. Didn''t you see the levy we needed to pay? It''s owned by the Drifting Wheels Gang".


    Raph raised a brow as his eyes sparkled with curiousty. "Drifting Wheels?" He asked with a raised tone.


    Merthy sighed in response. "There are five pillars that hold this place together, and the Drifting Wheels are one of those pillars".


    "Oh? How are they like?" Raph asked. He already got a mental image of the Cat Guild, now his curiosity wanted information about the others.


    "The Calla Lily Clan is headed by Neuj Rakarf".


    Raphs gaze flickered on hearing the name and a small chuckle escaped his lips.


    "....Ridiculous". He muttered as he looked away from Merthy. The maid had continued to describe the other pillars of Border Town but his thoughts were preoccupied with other things.


    ''Neuj Rakarf had a high position in Border Town? Is that why he remained calm despite being captured by us''.


    He had to admit that as much as he could see alot of things, there were a few others that he couldn''t. Why though? he wondered.


    It would have been easier if his eyes could see theiihh deceit, and maybe it would if he increased his mastery but at the moment, it couldn''t.


    ''Its almost like getting deceived....if not worse. Could Malen had known?'' He wondered but the thought was easily swatted away. After all, Malen had hidden his purpose and identity from Neuj, so it was difficult to think they worked together.


    "Kael"


    Elsie''s voice pierced through his thoughts as she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. He was sudde ly snapped back to reality, with merthy and cartwyn staring at him with baffled gazes while Elsie looked concerned.


    "What is it?" He asked, shrugging off their looks.


    Merthy stared at him for a moment, and then at the building they were currently standing in front of.


    "You said you were searching for someone who could have come into Border town to find a way to get to the west. Check this place out as well".


    Raph glanced at the building, and an eerie feeling began to creep up his spine. A scowl formed on his face at the discomfort, until something shimmered in his pocket.

 Chapter 231- The free zone

    There were not that many places one would go to in a Town of criminals and unlawful rebels of society, or at least that''s what the Kingdom and Empire have portrayed them to be. But the few that existed were quite popular, and it was common to make use of levies to get an entryway since it wasn''t owned by the public.


    One such, North from the centre of the town, was a well-known tavern. It is a place for crooks and worn-out adventurers, coming to get some action and money along with it.


    The road was filled with sand, soft and sharp, stinging the legs of the indigenes of the Town who worked about barefooted.


    This mostly included Kids, boys especially, who were seen in most corners of the region.


    This part of town was owned by the Rugged Coin Clan. A clan of misfits and worn-out middle-aged men who spent most of their days drinking and sharing information.


    Of course, they were protected by a powerful guild master, who rivalled the others and got their funds from any means possible.


    They were hard-headed men who listened to no one other than their leader, and the loud cheers and conversations that echoed in the air were a testament to their daily antics, including drinking and having fun.


    It was in front of this tavern, with fortified wood and sand holding it and a sign that spelt the name of the clan that a figure cladded in a white cloak stood in front.


    His legs had dug deep into the sand, and the searing heat from the sun was affecting him from both sides, despite his cloak.


    The figure stood motionlessly as he watched kids being pushed, beaten or walking about to carry out activities that were too much for them.


    The figure sighed and took slow steps towards the tavern, ignoring the stares from the kids and people who resided in the tall, uncompleted buildings that surrounded the tavern.


    His walking steps exuded an easily palpable grace, though it was covered under layers of sand and dust on his boot. It was surprising that the individual I walked by maintained his white cloak for this long.


    Two men sat at the front of the tavern, each with a disgusted and suspicious expression etched on their faces as they glanced at the man in a white cloak. But sadly for them, the man didn''t seem to mind them, in fact, he had not even noticed them.


    His mind was boggled, perhaps exhausted from his journey, and all he required at that moment was a moment of respite.


    But....better or not these unlawful people would give it to the man in white cloak that he did not know.


    "Oi", The one on the left called out as he rocked his chair while the loud conversations echoed from within the tavern.


    The man in a white cloak stopped by the wooden staircase, his expression hidden beneath his hoodie.


    "You''re not from around here, are you?" The man proceeded to ask, though the answer was rather palpable.


    The man by the right, with a long chewing stick on his mouth and scars that would make one wonder where he got it from on his face, simply opened one of his eyes to stare at the white-cloaked man.


    A tense silence ensued. "Time is ticking, I can not wait around here". The man in the white cloak said with a sigh and proceeded to climb the stairs, but at that point, the man at the left stood up with a loud thud from the sound of his chair falling. His hand was wrapped tightly on the Sword wrapped around his waist. A broadsword that was riddled with dried blood.


    "Back off....we don''t need visitors in our tavern". He said, his tone laced with venom and hostility.


    The man picked it up, stared at it for a moment, and sighed deeply. "You don''t have to poison me". He said before gulping the cup of water with desperation that bordered on frenzy.


    The attendant raised a brow in confusion when the man in a white cloak suddenly slammed the cup on the table.


    "Another," He said with a strained voice, while the attendant raised a brow.


    He poured out another cup of water, and the man drank the whole thing with the same amount of frenzy as before, like a man who was a perched traveller in the desert.


    "Oi, slow it down," The man at his left said with a startled tone as he was served his fifth cup of water.


    "Um, yes....I believe I should get another jug for you" The attendant added, but the man stopped him with the sound of his cup hitting the counter.


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    "Does it matter? You people fear the unknown and refuse to accept visitors, don''t you? That is why you stoop yourself to the point of no return. Choosing to kill the unknown, rather than learn from it". A soft cackle escaped his lips as he leaned on the table. "Well guess what? This world doesn''t revolve around you. And someone will kill you too".


    He raised his cup of water towards the attendant, as a strained silence ensued in the tavern as they watched the man''s every action.


    "Pour out some more. I am parched".


    ****


    Almost a few kilometres away, four figures could be seen jumping from one building to another with speed as they aimed to get to a specific location in mind.


    Raph led the group, his gaze shaking as he glanced at the regal chain on his hand.


    ''What? It''s not responding again?'' He thought in confusion as he jumped down from one of the buildings with a light thud.


    Elsie followed soon, and so did Merthy and Cartwyn.


    Their breaths were shaky as they glanced at Raph.


    "Well? Did you find the person?" Merthy asked with curiosity laced in her tone.


    Raph glanced at her and then at Elsie. "The chain stopped responding". He said with a sigh. "It seems it doesn''t just respond when they''re close....but rather when it''s called upon".


    He could remember the sensation from when it began to shimmer in his pocket. It was like a longing, for someone to come find him. Did something happen to the person he came to rescue? He did not know, but the thought boggled him.


    Elsie glanced around, a scowl spreading on her forehead. "Where are we, Methy?" She asked.


    Merthy glanced at her when she finally noticed it as well. A frown formed on her face as she sighed. "We were headed north from the centre of the town". She said in reply as they stared at the figures that surrounded them from the top of the buildings. "....We''re in a free zone".

 Chapter 232- Neujs girls

    "A free zone?" Elsie asked with a startled tone.


    They were currently surrounded by tall, incomplete buildings and the people located here were either scurried inside or running away from the area as a whole.


    Raph had noticed it along his way here, but oftentimes, he would notice collapsed buildings and depressions that were unnatural.


    "I see....so there are areas that aren''t under the control of the Five leaders?" He asked with a sigh.


    "Yes ... .these places are called Free Zones...and most of the Leaders have access to this place".


    Raph palmed himself in realization. "Well, our identities are going to be revealed sooner or later, though, the Cat guild...."


    "Let us worry about that later" Merthy instructed as the figures surrounding them began to approach carefully, their black figures seemingly warping from one direction to another.


    "These are Neuj''s girls".


    "Oh? Those weaklings". Raph asked as the group began to huddle up. Their gazes sweep through the area to locate the girls in question.


    "Don''t be deceived by their gender" Cartwyn said with an annoyed tone laced in her voice.


    Raoj chuckled in response. "That''s funny...their gender is the last thing I need to focus on right now". He said while Elsie began to growl lightly.


    "We should attack before giving them the chance to". She said,


    ".....no, we shouldn''t". Merthy muttered as her thoughts reeled in. An idea popped in at that moment, and her gaze scanned their surroundings for something else, something that could help in their goal.


    ''We don''t have much time with Raffaelo, so we have to make the most out of him''. She thought. ''Why don''t we start an urban legend''.


    "...Hey, Kael?" She called.


    Rapj raised a brow in curiosity and glanced at his left. "Yeah?"


    At that moment fifteen figures emerged from the shadows, their faces hidden behind a mask, with black uniforms wrapped around their figures. They exuded blood lust, as they pulled out their weapons.


    "You see, the Five leaders aren''t considered good people in this place". Merthy explained as the fifteen women began to close in.


    "...And?" Raph raised a brow in confusion, though his thoughts were piecing what she was about to say together.


    At that moment, she grabbed Elsie and Cartwyn at the same time.


    "You can handle all this by yourself, right?"


    ''Shit'' He muttered, before a portal suddenly opened in front of Merthy, who rushed into it with Elsie and Cartwyn.


    The message is that Raph would stand for these people and what they do. To show his brutality against them, and to help build an image for himself within the town.


    Not to mention, he was about done with letting people, who would simply strengthen themselves and come look for him when they''re done, go. A good example was Cruz, who was still out there.


    He ignored his thoughts for now, and simply killed. His sword sliced the women before they could even exclaim or shout out in shock until he reached the sixth.


    His aura force didn''t have as much potency as it did, and they were finally free to move properly. Without even wasting time, they did, with the level 80 double welder standing in front.


    "Mages! Archers! Gunmen! Do your thing!" She exclaimed when a crackling sound echoed through the air.


    Raph''s gaze shifted to his right as he forced his body to the left, dodging a lightning strike that caused a crater on the ground.


    He jumped into the air as the lightning streamed through the ground like a serpent and suddenly sprung out towards him like an iron spring.


    Raph''s face contorted slightly in shock as he raised his left hand towards his right and suddenly shot out a ball of fire.


    The spell caused a blast of fire that propelled him to the left, dodging the lightning stream by a hair''s breadth when he heard a crackling sound by his right.


    This sound was a lot familiar, like that of fire burning on wood continuously. His gaze didn''t need to shift in that direction for him to know that a Fire spell had been cast on him, and he quickly ducked. A fire blast shot out over his head, slamming into an incomplete building, and causing A fire that began to spread hazardously.


    ''Shit''. He called, when a shift of the air occurred, as he felt a presence above him.


    His gaze shifted upwards to find the dual welder sending her sword downwards towards him with her might. She groaned in anger as she slammed it down while Raph swung his sword up, causing a clash of weapons and an explosion of energy that pushed the girl backwards.


    A soft groan escaped her lips, but the counter had startled her actions, causing a wide opening and Raph wasn''t about to let it go.


    He charged in with his sword thrusting forward when he heard a loud sound like an explosion. His body over instinctively and his sword swung to his left, blocking a bullet that bounced off with great force.


    He groaned slightly as his gaze whipped upwards in annoyance.


    A whizzing sound echoed, and he was forced to change directions as an arrow inserted into the ground like a knife through butter.


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    ''Those bastards!'' Raph cursed as he charged upwards towards the women. At that point, the fire that was caused had begun to spread to other buildings, and a loud cry echoed in the air. Not the cry of a warrior about to attack, but a genuine cry of a child caught up in the flames.


    Raph stopped in his tracks to recognize the sound, and his body whipped towards the direction.


    To his left was a building where the fire blast had struck, and surrounding it were the buildings that were getting caught in it.


    Sadly for him, he didn''t know water magic much, and he couldn''t affect it as he would hope to. But that didn''t stop him from charging in, no, not at all.


    With fire brewing in his eyes, he gritted his teeth and headed towards the direction of the child without a second thought.

 Chapter 233- Raph Vs Neujs girls

    Amongst the squads sent by Neuj, was the gamma squad, one led by a Level 80 Dual Knight, Herbe. She had just recently gotten her level advancement before she was sent off on her mission to take down the man known as Kael.


    At the time, she had heard about how he had defeated some of her sisters, and she had not taken the news lightly.


    It was absurd that one man could defeat so many of them, even if they were from a lesser team. Though, now that she had experienced him first-hand, she had to admit her loose judgement.


    She was the one who greatly underestimated him, and that cost them five of her sisters; a whole team lost because of her mistaken judgment.


    At the moment, the archers, mages and gunmen were taking care of him, or at least holding him back but his movements made it difficult to actually land a hit.


    She had watched him carefully and gone for an attack when he would least expect it, but even that was done away by his quick reflexes.


    She sat on the floor pondering on their chances, when she noticed him moving towards the direction of the buildings.


    Her brows furrowed deeply, and then a look of relief exuded from her expression.


    ''....Interesting...'' She said, before turning towards the mages on the incomplete buildings.


    She needed to get information to her partner and to do that; she would have to be quick.


    She glanced at her subordinate, Narnia, the only one left in her team.


    "Narnia!" She called out, but the girl was still frightened to respond.


    She remained coiled up in a ball on the floor, shivering from the effect of the Aura Force, something that none of them expected.


    ''...He''s at least a Master of the 9th star''. She thought as she slowly stood up.


    It didn''t matter if her teammate felt fear from the battle; all that mattered was getting this idea to her projectile friends. They needed to take down Kael, whether they wished to or not. After all, it was all for their Boss.


    She glanced at Marnie for a moment and walked up to her.


    "Marnie?" She called out, but the girl refused to even lift her head. There were often times in battle when she had seen girls too scared to fight for themselves. It was girls like this who died easily, and most of them suffered from men before they were even left to die.


    ''..it''s disgusting''. She hated the thought of women being weak, and she was repulsed by the sight of women choosing to be weak.


    She was a strong upholder of women''s strength and she wouldn''t let any of her teammates experience or exude weakness from them.


    A soft sigh escaped her lips as she raised one of her swords and swung it down with a smooth transition, while the sound of blood and flesh splattered in the air.


    He grunted in annoyance as he looked up to find nine females staring at him with bloodlust. Soon, he heard another explosion of gunpowder, but this wasn''t coming towards him.


    With a glance at the building he had seen a minute ago, he noticed how one of the seven people who escaped from the building, fell to the ground, dead.


    ''Huh?'' He thought with a bitter sensation spreading through him. He glanced at the girl and picked her up.


    ''...I see...so you''re going for the people now...''


    It was disgusting. These were people that they were meant to protect, not kill.


    He rushed towards the remaining seven as another gunshot erupted, and another fell dead. By then, he had already closed more than half of the distance between them. A third gunshot erupted, and before it could even graze one of them, it was quickly projected away by Raph''s sword.


    A loud clicking sound ensued due to the clash, and Raph dropped the girl with the six remaining people. Three men and two boys.


    "Take her and go hide". He instructed, and the man in front of the group, out of fear, complied as they rushed off.


    Another gunshot erupted, and Raph''s pupils whipped towards the direction, leaving a trail of white in its wake as his sword struck it away like a baseball.


    This caught the three gunmen by surprise as they glanced at each other from the top of the buildings and at Raph.


    They aimed their guns at Raph, which was ancient technology that was still under configuration. Their weapons held some class, with long, iron barrels and artistic forgery. It was very similar to a shotgun, only in the shape of a sniper.


    Another explosion of gunpowder exuded and Raph''s gaze traced it like a satellite, causing his body to act without command.


    His sword was like a thin line as it slammed the bullet, aimed for one of the people that were escaping. His gaze traced another, and his body acted, causing his aura to spread through his sword as it sliced through it and sent it in different directions. Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    A brief moment of silence ensued, as the eight women stared at him in shock. Their shock was soon dissolved as their gunmen shot at a frantic speed, one bullet after the other to take down one of the townspeople.


    Sadly for them, Raph did not let their plan go through. His body moved like a well-oiled machine towards the direction, and his sword was sent towards the bullet, slicing it before they could even get to their target.


    He moved with precision and speed, faster than bullets could ever be, and sliced them up before they could even get in the range of the people on the run.


    It was shocking to the mere eyes if they could even keep up with his pace. It was like he was teleporting, warping his through space to stop the attack, but it was far from that.


    It was speed and precision. His eyes moved like high-speed cameras, capturing the line of direction of the bullets, and his body acted within a second, moving towards that direction of the bullets to stop it.


    His eyes left a trail of malevolent white in its wake, and his body was a blur. He couldn''t count the number of times he heard sound explode each time he acted, all he knew was that he needed to cut off the path of the bullets.


    With that goal in mind, his body and sword acted, moving before he could think, and stopping the bullets before they could leave their mark.

 Chapter 234- Raph Vs Neujs girls 2

    Herbe''s gaze was filled with shock as she stared at the man known as Kael, or at least tried to.


    Her eyes were barely able to keep up with his speed if they could at all. It was frightening and shocking, and the sight caused her thoughts to reel in.@@@@


    ''...What''s going on? Are 9th stars capable of feet like this? He''s moving at the same speed as the bullets...no, he''s moving much quicker''.


    What surprised her the most were the gunmen who kept on firing despite the difficulty in landing a hit on their target.


    ''Isn''t this useless?'' She thought, confused at the thought until she felt a pull on her wrist.


    The girls were standing on a platform that was most likely the uppermost floor of the building before it fell apart. Now the roofing had caved in and the walls were damaged, breaking away and giving free way to the vices to get into the room.


    The nine women present were occupying that very room. Or at least half of them were.


    There was a building similar to theirs on the opposite side, where the remaining ranged fighters occupied. It was interesting because two of the gunmen were actually from the opposite side.


    So Raph was fending off these bullets from two directions without knowing where they would be going.


    He was moving with his eyes, keeping up with the speed of his body and acting there.


    This was something that Herbe could not contemplate. She was aware that level 90s and above were known for performing nearly indescribable phenomena, but a swordsman skilled enough to catch up to bullets and stop them was unheard of or at least not in this part of the world.


    ''...at least it''s one of defending yourself against bullets''.


    She thought when her arm was suddenly jerked by one of her teammates.


    She snapped from her thoughts and whipped her gaze towards her left, where Xixan, the leader of the Epsilon squad, and a Level 82 Fire Mage were.


    The panic in her ruby eyes was evident as she pointed at Raph.


    "We need a solid plan. That thing isn''t going to stop at just blocking bullets". She said with a hastened tone.


    The dire situation had only become so because of Raph''s skills.


    "I thought his skills had been determined by the boss?" Herbe asked with a curious tone. It didn''t make sense that they experienced this level of difficulty against someone who their Boss had scanned.


    He was meant to be a 9th star, equivalent to a level 90 to 99, but from what they could tell, he was very much a Level 100, if not higher, but the level cap sealed that shut.


    ''This is the problem with non-system users''. She thought with a sigh.


    They were known for being unable to grow as quickly as system users, but when they did, they were a force to be reckoned with.


    "He did, but his speed wasn''t expected to be this high....he''s literally breaking the sound barrier to get to those bullets". She described. "That isn''t something easily done even by level 100 unless their main attribute is speed".


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    This was a kill-or-be-killed situation, and they sure as hell weren''t going to get killed. No, they weren''t.


    Xixan clasped her ears from the sound and glanced at Herbe, who did the same.


    The discomfort on their faces was palpable, but with that discomfort was a nod of approval. There was no escaping this one, or so they thought.


    Herbe and Xixan turned towards their target in unison, expectations high and their worry ridiculously low. But that look had completely been watched away by the sight.


    ****


    ''What are these?'' Raph wondered when his eyes suddenly picked up another bullet coming towards him. He sliced it into two, but another came in his field of vision, and then another and then three more, four more, five....increasingly!


    They were too much.


    ''These bitches! They aren''t even aiming for the people any more. Their goal is me!'' he exclaimed in his head in deep resentment.


    His body was moving before he could even think, and his eyes were drifting from side to side like a machine. It was nearly like his eyes were moving faster than his body, but it wasn''t. They moved in unison because how else would you be able to slice a machine gun''s bullet, let alone a hundredfold of them?


    Multiply that by three more and you get at least three hundred.


    His body was moving at such a speed that he was no longer breaking the sound barrier as he used to, but at one point, his gaze missed one, and a bullet pierced through his right shoulder.


    The searing pain of metal piercing his body exploded like fireworks in his head, but the heat that came after as it was about to explode in his body sent his brain on overload.


    He had not even thought twice before pushing his left finger into the wound and pulling out the bullet before throwing it away. The sound of flesh and bone being torn apart as he did so was sickening, and it echoed loudly in the air.


    As he did, he quickly changed directions, running away from the range of the bullets, or their gazes at least.


    The bullet exploded into a rain of fires and he quickly took cover in an incomplete building, hiding behind the wall.


    He exclaimed in pain, dropping his sword as he held it firmly.


    "Shit!" he cried out in pain, pulling out a potion from his storage ring and pouring it on the wound.


    "Firearms are such a pain to deal with".


    The use of firearms, or magicarms as it would be called in the future had been prohibited on many occasions. Mostly because of its easy use and its destructive capabilities.


    It was easy to buy some magically infused bullets and a good magic arm to fend against enemies, to the point that most nobles had at least one in their homes.


    The burning sensation of his wound healing ran through his body, but his irritation at the people who had put him in his predicament had clouded his senses. He had just one thought in his mind. ''I need to kill them''.

 Chapter 235- Raph Vs Neujs girls 3

    He wasn''t exactly on a schedule, but he did think he needed to take care of them quickly, most importantly, he didn''t want them to escape.


    Humans tend to escape from things they deem unconquerable or unachievable, so the moment they think their plans are not working is the moment they plan their escape.


    He didn''t want that. What he wanted was a clean victory with fifteen dead bodies as collateral damage.


    ''...but Those bullets...''.


    The moment he stepped into the light would be the moment his death would be on countdown.


    He couldn''t dodge all of it; the bullets were too fast, and he was only a ninth star.


    If he were faster...like a tenth star or even an eleventh.


    ''Oh....'' A smile formed on his face in realization. ''It''s been a while since I used that''.


    He didn''t necessarily have to deal with the gunmen but they stopped him from achieving anything.


    Moving towards them and dodging the bullets at the same time would prove difficult, so if he wanted to defeat them, he needed to lure them to him.


    ''Lure? Who has time for mind games''. He thought before taking a deep breath.


    The moment he breathed out, his aura stars had begun to work on overdrive, vibrating like a drill bit while his mana circles spun around.


    The newfound strength pierced through his body like a gush of adrenaline as his vision was fortified by the energy.


    There was no name for it other than the one he gave it. "Resonance". Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    A cold chill exuded out of his breath as his gaze whipped outside, behind the door he had been standing on.


    It was fixed on one position, far away, at the top of the building where the girls were using as their cover


    "That building is found down".


    Without a second though, he charged into the open area, and the rain of bullets shot down at him in a second as if they had been anticipating his line of action.


    At that moment, the sky vibrated as black clouds began to gather above the open surface.


    It had become imminent that something bad was about to happen, but Raph wasn''t given the leeway to find out as the rain of bullets shot down at him with persistence.


    Raph''s movement had become faster, stronger, sharper and more fluid. Like the smoothness of silk, he acted on impulse.


    His legs and body moved in whatever direction the bullets were headed.


    His gaze had left trails of white with his action, while his sword was a blur. His body had become nearly invisible, making it difficult to pinpoint his exact direction.


    Xixan seemed to do a breathing technique to help her calm her nerves, which Herbe had noticed.


    She simply sighed and looked out through the window above them. Ahead of them, in the opposite direction was Zoan, the lightning mage and Rina, her subordinate.


    Time was ticking, and with it was the constant explosion of energy that occurred beside them.


    Turning towards the direction of the source, her gaze flickered as it spotted Raph defending himself against the onslaught of bullets.


    A trail of fear ran down her spine as she shivered slightly. The sight above the building was a lot different from what she saw now that they were on the same floor.


    There was an implosion of energy with his action as if he imbued aura in every movement he made.


    ''..this level of mastery is usually attainable after years of fighting. This is merely a boy?! Is he Not?'' She wondered, before nodding at Zoan and retreating her figure below.


    They needed to stay in hiding for as long as they could for their plan to have even a minuscule success.


    She glanced at Xixan. "MP recharged?" She asked and the girl nodded in response.


    ''It is now or never''. Herbe thought, but at that moment, a slight chuckle escaped from her lips.


    Xixan had noticed it but chose to not pry, seeing as how Herbe was in a state of calming herself.


    It was ludicrous, or at least Herbe found this situation ludicrous. It was like she was in a war, but they were merely fighting against one man.


    ''....if all Non-system users are like this....then we''ll have a predicament in the future''. She thought before sighing loudly.


    Well, unbeknownst to her, Raph wasn''t just any Non-system user, as most of them couldn''t wield as many abilities as Raph could.


    Born into the Jun household, he was naturally gifted with the Jun physique. It gave him inhumane strength and speed, precision and battle IQ. These were people from a long line of knights and their genes were forever dominant. Everything came naturally for them, to the extent that the king feared them.


    She wasn''t aware of this, and she would never be, but her mind had been cleansed from all distractions. It was time to administer the plan.


    "Let''s go".


    Xixan didn''t wait for another second before she charged out of the building, with Herbe following closely behind her.


    Zoan and Rina did the same, hurdling up together before they began to prepare.


    The constant explosions that occurred with Raph''s movement had caused wave after wave of energy blast to spread through the air.


    These four weren''t exempted from it as they were occasionally struck by the strong winds and energy waves that would send them staggering backwards if not for their skills.


    They had to rely on their MP to boost their physical strength to resist the effects of the explosions while keeping their movement silent.


    Zoan and Xixan stood together and summoned their starves together. They aimed it at Raph, or where they thought Raph was, as they poured their MP into the attack they prepared.

 Chapter 236- Raph Vs Neujs girls 4

    "What skill are you using?" Zoan asked with curiosity.


    "My highest, the Master Skill".


    "Alright then," Zoan said with a wild grin on her white face. "Let''s burst this brother into smithereens".


    Rina sighed and prevented herself from lecturing her team leader about the people she was meant to and not meant to be referring to as brother or sister.


    A fireball erupted from the tip of Xixan''s staff, and it began to twirl around as more of it erupted in front of the staff.


    At the same time, the black clouds in the sky rumbled bitterly to her command, as her eyes sparkled with yellow electricity.


    The tingling sensation that came with casting her lightning spell had overtaken her as her grin had widened into a mad smile.


    The wind rumbled with the black clouds and lightning began to stream across it like a fearsome dragon irked by the laws of the world. The black clouds began to swirl around like a vortex, descending towards the earth in an unparalleled fury.


    Zoan cackled softly as the sparks in her eyes ignited in a frenzy while Xixan and Herbe stared at the phenomenon in shock.


    It was impossible for a master skill to affect the laws of nature to this extent. So it had quickly dawned on them, just what Zoan was about to unleash.


    Herbe''s gaze shifted slightly, as she whipped towards the frantic girl.


    "Hey! Zoan, are you crazy?! That''s a transcendent skill?!"


    Zoan laughed out loud amidst the sound of gunshots and lightning, her voice piercing it like a hot knife through butter.


    "What''s the problem? We want him dead, no?"


    ''This is ridiculous!'' Herbe thought, her gaze still in a state of shock. A member of the Named team shouldn''t possess this sort of skill unless she discovers it along the way. It was uncommon to find just anybody using a transcendent skill; after all, it was mainly used by level 100s, especially during a confrontation amongst themselves.


    Her gaze shifted towards Raph, her thoughts reeling in, causing a banging headache. "What the bloody fuck is that man even doing?!"


    She had questioned his authority multiple times in her head, but never had she exclaimed it once because of the love her sisters had for Neuj, but right now, Everything seemed....absolutely out of control.


    "Forget about that! Let''s handle Kael first". Xixan''s voice was like a wake-up bell, snapping her back to reality.


    She glanced at her and then at Raph, who was still in the middle of fending off the bullets. This was their chance, the only chance if possible, or at least, that''s how it seemed.


    "Alright then. Attack when you''re ready".


    ****


    Multiple fire bombs had spun around the tip of her staff until now before they shot out like missiles towards their target on command.


    At the same time, the sky shook as a loud lightning roar echoed before a bolt of lightning descended within a flash.


    The yellow lightning struck the ground with such force that it ran through the earth, causing a stir throughout Border Town, and the firebombs landed with so much speed that multiple crimson, fiery explosions occurred at the same time.


    A wave of wind shook the nearby incomplete buildings to the ground while the remnant of the lightning bolt ignited in the air like lightning sparks.


    Soot rose to the air and clouded their sight while a tense silence suffused around them.


    The only sound that pierced through the air was the vibration of the earth and the sparking of lightning in the air. While the girls waited patiently for the soot to descend, Xixan and Zoan panted heavily as the shock of using all their MP became palpable.


    Herbe had glanced at them and then at the destruction caused by their attack, and tension ensued in her chest.


    ''...if he survives this...then even the boss can''t take him down''. She thought as she attempted to take a step to find out herself.


    "Wait!" Rina cried out, stopping in her tracks, but at the same time, she noticed a severe depression in the ground that had nearly swallowed her up.


    On leaning in, she found out that it was a crater, deep and eerie, that was caused by the lightning attack. Sand slid into the hole, and soon they would if they remained on that spot.


    She stared at it in surprise, then at Rina, as a brow raised in curiosity.


    ''She knew''.


    Hiding once Transcendent Skill was akin to betraying the boss, or so she was told, so this was surprising news for her. ''....I''ll handle all that once we get out of here''. She thought with a sigh.


    "We need to find Carlie and get out of here". She said with a stern tone as she helped Xixan up while Rina helped Zoan.


    "He should be dead, right?" Xixan asked, listlessness etched in her voice.


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    "Of course!" Zoan said before panting lightly. "There''s no escaping the fury of the lightning".


    Herbe and Zoan stared at her for a few seconds, before turning away with a sigh.


    "You have some explaining to do". Herbe said with a click of her tongue as they turned around to walk away.


    Zoan laughed out loud in response. "Don''t worry about it. The boss won''t punish me that much". She said with a carefree tone.


    Herbe and Xixan glanced at each other with a weary smile. ''At least she knows''. They thought in unison when a crunching sound caught their attention.

 Chapter 237- The Blind Swordsman.

    They stopped in their tracks and looked up to find a bullet kicked their way.


    "Oh? Carlie? That''s you right?" Xixan asked after recognizing the object, but Herbe remained perplexed by it.


    A tense silence ensued before a figure approached them through the soot. There was no response, but simply the sound of her feet crunching on the burnt sand as she approached them.


    Zoan glanced at Xixan. "Does your teammate play jokes?" She asked.


    Xixan shook her head in response, but Herbe was more focused on something else.


    ''.....wasn''t her building in the range of destruction?'' She wondered as she instinctively took a step back.


    "Um, guys..." she muttered, hesitation laced in her voice.


    Xixan noticed her action and glanced at her with a raised brow. "What are you doing?" She asked, her tone laced with worry.


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    Herbe remained silent and continued to take slow steps back. Noticing this, Rina and Zoan glanced at the figure that approached them through the soot. It had appeared to be a girl a minute ago, but the figure had disappeared into nothing.@@@@


    It was at that moment that panic began to grow evident in their chest.


    Rina took a few steps backward as well while an eerie silence crept up their skin like a rodent, suffocating them in an uncomfortable tension.


    As the silence dissolved, a shift of the air occurred, and a figure pierced through it, appearing beside Zoan and Rina in seconds.


    Their gazes widened in shock as they whimpered in fear, but they were too slow to react. A gut-retching sound pierced through the silent air as blood splurged onto the ground.


    Rina''s scream echoed across the expanse of the skies, and Herbe was forced to turn around hastily with Xixan held firmly across her shoulder.


    "Wait! We should go back for them!" She said in protest, but Herbe didn''t even want to think of that possibility. It was never in their plan to die, and she sure as hell wasn''t going to let that happen right now.


    The sound of their comrade, Rina screaming was suddenly cut short by the sound of gurgling as a thud projected in the air.


    It was evident now that they were dead, and the only killer she could think of was that person.


    "How?! How did he survive that? That''s impossible! What is he?!" Herbe muttered in shock, as she continued to run through the black dust.


    It had not settled yet, but it was getting clearer and her sight was slowly returning to her ever so slowly. But even that didn''t stop her from stumbling on her feet, and tripping on sand, her legs buckling beneath her. The two girls screamed as their bodies were pulled into the crater, the sand sucking them in like quicksand, its grains shifting and swirling around them.


    Herbe looked down at the bottom of the crater, but her vision wasn''t clear enough to see through the fog.


    She immediately turned over and attempted to clasp her fingers into the sand to stop herself from falling, while Xixan attempted to do the same.


    The nature of the soil made it difficult, and their efforts were not being rewarded as they kept on falling inside.


    "Never do that again in your life". She said with a stern tone before rushing off to Raph.


    Merthy sighed while Cartwyn remained in a state of shock as she glanced around the area.


    "Surprised?" Merthy asked and Cartwyn nodded in reply immediately.


    "Who is he? I assumed he wasn''t just an ordinary figure....but he just defeated three squads from Neuj''s upper battalion".


    Merthy chuckled in response. They stood at a corner of the demolition caused by the fight while they watched as the townspeople began to gather around Raph.


    A smirk formed on Merthy''s lips.


    "He''s our ace and the plan in uniting this wretched town".


    Cartwyn glanced at the sight with baffled eyes. "So the Guild Master was in on it...you guys knew of his true abilities and wished to use him?"


    "No...Not used...it was a contract... we''ll have to fulfill our bargain after this but..." She nodded in satisfaction. "...It seems like our plans are coming to fruition".


    Cartwyn raised a brow as she glanced at Merthy, her thoughts reeling in as she attempted to figure out what she had just said. ''How are their plans coming to fruition? Look at how much damage that occurred,'' she wondered.


    "Don''t fuss your little brain over it" Merthy said with a sigh. "...I''m sure you''re aware that the people don''t trust the five pillars". How could they? When they were constantly assaulted because of them. So now that someone had defeated one of those pillars or a part of one of those pillars, what would that mean?


    "Oh? Are you trying to start an urban legend?" Cartwyn asked as her ears perched up in realization.


    "Yes....Just like the Cat Knight all that time in the past..." Merthy replied with a smile.


    At that moment, they watched a little girl approach Raph as he descended the ruble with Elsie. It was the girl that Raph had saved, and the people who he saved with her were amongst the townspeople that surrounded him.


    "The Blind Swordsman". The little girl said with a wild smile on her face as Raph picked her up.


    He was about to start his usual protest but the townspeople had suddenly taken it upon themselves to make sure that name stayed.


    "The Blind Swordsman!"


    "The Blind Swordsman!"


    "The Blind Swordsman!"


    That name mentioned by the girl was all it took for the townspeople to get hyped up. There were loud cheers and excited voices as they chanted his name. Yes, some of their homes had been destroyed, but they had gained something else from this, a hero. Someone who had fought against the pillars and won. Was that not something worth celebrating? Yes, it was.


    Merthy and Cartwyn watched in silence as the townspeople''s voices pierced through the air in a melodic timbre of excitement.


    Merthy glanced at the little girl that Raph held and her smile grew wilder. ''Good work''. She thought as she glanced at Cartwyn.


    "This will be the start of a new urban legend, the Blind Swordsman".

 Chapter 238- Beyond the West

    The atmosphere warped as four figures appeared in a white room. A figure of pristine beauty floated in the middle with a piercing white gaze that glanced at the four figures that stood before her.


    With a giant smile, she signalled for them to come forward with her fingers as a table and four chairs appeared below her.


    She descended and sat on one of the chairs while Merthy, Raph and Elsie walked up to the table. Cartwyn was immediately teleported out of the room, leaving the four people gathered for their conversation.


    "Was that planned?" Raph asked with a raised tone as he sat down on the chair next to Ziza. He was now putting on a different set of clothes in place of the torn one.


    Ziza giggled lightly. "Not at all. Why would we cohort with our enemies?" She asked with a playful tone in her voice.


    Raph scoffed. "I would like to know as well".


    Merthy and Elsie sighed before Merthy stepped in.


    "It wasn''t exactly planned, but it was expected".


    Raph glanced at her for a moment before a sigh escaped his lips. "You called them Neuj''s girls? Is that where all the women are?" He asked.


    Merthy nodded with a hateful look in her gaze. "That bastard, Neuj came over a while back and completely reformed the South of the Town. Now all the women swoon at him".@@@@


    Raph raised a brow in surprise and glanced at Ziza. "All of them?"


    A sudden silence fell as Elsie''s giggle pierced through it.


    "Olay, maybe not....all of them. But Neuj is someone that shouldn''t be trusted with the wellbeing of women. A pervert like him whose goals are unclear shouldn''t be trusted". Merthy explained with a stern tone.


    Raph scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Is he part of the plan in uniting the Blender town?" He asked.


    "Yes....it''s all a process. Usually, we would need time and patience for this, but we don''t seem to have the luxury," Ziza explained as she placed her finger on the table. She tapped it lightly while her thoughts reeled in.


    "....The start of the urban legend, The Blind Swordsman. People keep calling me that whenever they see me now".


    "It''s just been a day. Get used to it. Names like that usually stick in our town" Merthy said with a smirk as she glanced at Raph. "Be excited. You''re a celebrity now".


    "What is there to be excited about? Aren''t the other pillars going to be wary now?"


    "Wary?" Ziza''s voice pierced through their conversation as they glanced at her in unison. "Nooo....far from it. Knowing them, they''ll probably try to bring it up in our meeting....after having a meeting behind my back".


    They stared at Ziza with baffled expressions as they slowly lost themselves in their thoughts.


    "....what do you intend on doing, Guild Master?" Merthy asked.


    Another tense silence ensued, which was occasionally perturbed by the tapping of Ziza''s fingers on the white table.


    She lost herself in her thoughts as she searched for something within her mind. Something that would help them achieve their goal, or at least a part of it.


    At the same time, loud footsteps could be heard from the other side of the gate, followed by a torch or light that sparked life into the darkness.


    The seven men looked up in unison as they stood on guard at the same time. There, a man stood on a platform attached to the gates where he was able to inspect incoming visitors as he was now.


    "Who goes there?" One of the guards of the gate, Yael asked as he shifted the magic lamp to get a better view of their faces. "Who are you? No entry into the town until morning" he instructed when he noticed their mounts as a subtle warning screamed in his head.


    "Oi. That there might be the guard, y''all" The man who led the others chorused, and the group laughed out loud in a symphony of delight.


    Yael clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Are you from the West? We haven''t seen people beyond the Kingdom in a while. What are you here for?" He asked, recognizing their voices, but at the same time, the caution began to scream louder.


    There were other continents other than the Western Kingdom, Northern Highlands and the Eastern Empire and people who are from those parts of the world are referred to as "Beyond the North or South or East".


    They were known for their foreign traditions and accents, and they spelt trouble wherever they went.


    Yael was aware of this, and their mere presence caused thoughts to twirl in overload.


    ''....I need to tell the boss''. He thought as he attempted to drive them away.


    "Please leave. The gate will be open tomorrow". He said, but the group of seven simply laughed out as they always did.


    ''...What about this is funny?'' He wondered.


    "well....this fellow seems to get it all mixed up, Brathers," the man said with a chuckle as he pulled out his gun.


    Yael suddenly took a step back from the platforms nearly slipping off when he said with a rushed tone.


    "If¨CIf you choose to fight then we won''t back down!" he screamed out in anger, but in all actuality. He was alone at the moment, worse off, his partners were at their headquarters having a meeting on the recent events.


    Of course, he didn''t try to show his weakness, after all, that would spell death.


    "We came all the way here to catch a beast. Just hand it over and we''ll be on our way". The man said with a slight frown on his face.


    Yael''s gaze snapped open in realization, as he furrowed his brow. "A¨CA beast?" He asked, his tone laced with curiosity.


    The man clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Are ya deaf?! A beast is what I said!"


    "Um, Brother, I think you meant werewolf. They aren''t true beasts because they possess rationality". The weak-toned man said with a slightly rushed tone when his brothers suddenly snapped glares at him.


    He jerked on the spot in fear and remained silent, but his statement had just sparked a fire within Yael''s gaze.


    "Are you referring to that Werewolf girl?!" he asked in excitement. ''....Is this a chance?'' He wondered.


    The seven men glanced at each other with baffled expressions, before the man in the front looked up. "...And What of it? Do you have our beast?" He asked.


    A smile formed on Yael''s face which quickly curled upwards into a devious grin. "...I don''t but I know where it is".

 Chapter 239- Timon

    In the dead of night, where the rays of the sun had no reach, a figure walked across the expanse of the sandy soil towards a large incomplete building, guarded by light. His figure was covered in a dull cloak, and beside him were two others in the same cloak.


    They had just approached a building that stood out from the rest, as it was guarded by men in armour. There were magical lamps placed around the building to spark life into the area while men in armour walked around to guard it.


    In front of the door leading to the building were two men, whose gazes were fixed on the approaching figures.


    They glanced at each other and gave way, opening the giant doors at the same time. The three figures didn''t hesitate and walked in, their footsteps echoing in the quiet air as they did so.


    Two other guards appeared in front of the trio and led them forward, towards a known location.


    They were now walking through a large corridor, where statues in knight armour stood across the landscape and magical lamps fluttered at the side of the ceilings.


    The extravagant nature of the floor and ceiling, which were both ceramic, was a contrast to the exterior of the building, which seemed like it was about to collapse.


    As the five figures walked with vigour, they approached a stairway where the two guards stopped and two others continued.


    The trio did nothing but oblige and follow. Now, the two new guards led them up the stairs while they remained in silence. The only occasional noise was the sound of their footsteps.


    They continued this until they got to the fifth floor, where a single guard stood watch with pristine white armour.


    The two guards stopped in their tracks while the trio continued forward until they stopped in front of the guard.


    A tense silence ensued until the guard gave the trio a curt nod, before taking a step to his side and gesturing for them to go in.


    The man in the middle scoffed and walked towards the door, violently pushing it open as he did so, while his two partners followed quietly.


    As the door closed, the man in pristine armour glanced at the other guards for a moment before shaking his head and sighing.


    "You shouldn''t come to me when you''re upset".


    A masculine voice pierced through the air as the three figures pulled down their cloak in the room. The well-lit room was actually a study, with books kept haphazardly at the corners of it and a table and chair placed at the centre end of it.


    There a man with grey hair sat, his right hand fiddling with a dagger while his left held a jug. Next to the jug was a glass of red wine.


    "Timon, we need to do something". The familiar voice pierced the silence as he took a seat in front of the desk while his two subordinates stood by his sides.


    Timon remained silent for a moment, but suddenly adjusted himself on his seat. "Tell me. Do you perhaps have a plan?" He asked.


    Neuj shook his head in dejection as he sighed. "Not a bit, and that is why I have come to you. Let us rally the others and fight against Ziza at the upcoming meeting. Killing a threat is better than fanning the flames to reap the benefits".


    Timon chuckled lightly. "You know me well, but that will be difficult for me....Neuj. If this kid is as dangerous as you make him seem, then I will act but defeating fifteen of your girls does not make him look strong". He turned away from their gazes. "in fact, it makes him look weak".


    Neuj bit down hard on his lip in anger as he curled his fists into a tight ball. "This isn''t right, Timon. We need to work together".


    "Gather the others then. You came to me because I''m more rational than those two, right? Get them to act with you, and I will join".


    Another sudden silence ensued, leaving the people gathered to their thoughts.


    Neuj had come here knowing fully well that his former mentor would have put down his offer, but he still did it anyway because of the disparity of the situation. Raph had proven too inconsistent to them, not only in action but in abilities. ''is identity. I will figure it out even if it is the last thing I do''. He thought. He sighed as he prepared to stand when a knock on the door pierced through the silence.


    Timon''s gaze flickered as his gaze went to the door. It slowly opened, revealing Yael with a nervous expression.


    "What do you want, Yael?" Timon asked with an annoyed tone. "haven''t I ordered you to stay at your post?"


    "No¨CNo My Lord. We have a bit of a situation," he replied with an awkward chuckle as he closed the door behind him. "Y¨CYou know I would never disobey my Lord!" he yelled out loud as he turned towards the four people gathered and bowed.


    Silence followed but it was broken by Timon''s question.


    "What is it?" He asked. "and be quick with it".


    "My¨CMy Lord. Remember the werewolf girl I told you about?" He asked.


    At that moment, Neuj''s gaze flickered as he glanced at Timon.


    "..What about it?" Timon asked with a sigh.


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "It turns out....She''s actually with the Blind Swordsman and some bounty hunters are here for her".


    Timon''s gaze flickered for a moment as he sunk back in his thoughts. ''Did he just say bounty hunters?'' He wondered.


    "Did you say bounty hunters?" Neuj asked in curiosity while the two girls by his side glanced at the man as well. It seemed the whole room had picked interest in his last statement.@@@@

 Chapter 240- The Bounty Hunters

    "Y...Yes, bounty hunters from beyond the west".


    Timon and Neuj clicked their tongues in unison.


    "Beyond the West? Those salvaged?" Timon said with venom in his voice.


    Neuj sighed while he rubbed his temples.


    "You know all those from beyond the Kingdom and empire have different customs from us. It''ll be difficult to trust these men".


    "Wait?! Did you say they were after the Werewolf girl?" Timon asked as he glanced at Yael, who quickly nodded in reply.


    Timon shifted towards Neuj. "And the werewolf girl is with the Blind Swordsman, you say?"


    "Yes, My Lord. We confirmed it this evening. Some men saw them walking towards the Rugged Coin district".


    "Rugged coin?" Neuj muttered with a raised brow, but then his thoughts clicked for a moment. ''Didn''t he say he had something to do here? Is it perhaps located around there'' he wondered, but then again...


    He looked up at Timon, who was staring at him as well.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" He asked.


    "I hear Werebeast are extremely sensitive to smell and the Blind Swordsman seems capable enough to defeat those bounty hunters.....but with our help". Timon muttered to himself but stopped midway as a glint of excitement sparked in his eyes. "...would you look at that, it seems like the good gods are on our side".


    Neuj scoffed and looked away at his statement. "Yes. That is one way of putting it".


    Timon stood up from his desk, his chair dragging against the floor as he did so. He walked up to the door where Yael stood and glanced back at Neuj.


    "What are you waiting for? If we want him dead, then now is a good time when he''s alone".


    Neuj nodded in agreement and stood up as well. "I''ll send some of my girls to track his movements for now until the bounty hunters get to them".


    His two subordinates, Rafi and Sora both walked after him as they all left the room. Yael closed it behind him, being the last to leave and walked quietly after them as they continued their conversation.


    "You do that. Though, I wouldn''t need to convince you to stay out of their way, right?" Timon said with a chuckle as he glanced at the girls beside Neuj with an amused expression.


    He looked away and continued his trip upwards to the exit of the building with Yael and the large guard that stood by his door.


    It took them some seconds, but by tracing their way back, they had gotten to the gate of the large building where their guests were waiting.


    Timon and Neuj stepped out in unison, while the evening wind suffused around them. Soon their subordinates came out, their gazes filled with curiosity at the sight before them.


    "Yael?" Timon called as his gaze was fixed at the sight.


    "Yes, My Lord?" He responded nearly instantly, walking up beside him at the same time with his head lowered slightly.


    The bounty hunters remained silent again, and for a moment, they glanced at each other. In the next second, they withdrew their weapons and their mounts sat back.


    "Y''all should have said that. Now, where is it?" The man asked with a careless smile on his face, almost like he had not threatened them a minute ago.


    Timon and Neuj glanced at each other with knowing looks. They did not approve.


    Well, of course, both were level 100, even if they weren''t at the same combat prowess, they had something similar. A Transcendent Skill and that was more than enough to deal with these bounty hunters. If only their weapons weren''t state-of-the-art gun-type weapons that use magic-imbued elements and handy craftsmanship to make it easier for everyday usage.


    They could very much die from a bad gunshot if they weren''t careful, and as much as they were being rude, they were the only hope they had.


    "I''ll tell you, but you have to take care of someone that it follows"


    The bounty hunters clicked their tongues In annoyance.


    "I told y''all it had an owner!" one said with a victorious tone in his voice. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    The man who led the group sighed and shook his head. "Who else laid their bet on her being owned?" He asked.


    Three more of his teammates raised their hands, and he slumped his shoulders in defeat.


    "We¨CWell, yes. She''s owned, but we have a plan to help you take her from him" Timon explained.


    ''....I''ll just take the werewolf from them once they get it from him''.


    "Plan? Just tell us where our beast is. We''ll take care of the rest" the man said with a chuckle as he whistled loudly.


    Their mounts growled and grumbled as they walked over to the group of seven, ready to begin their quest.


    Timon glanced at them and then at the man.


    "You may not obtain it on your own".


    The man clicked his tongue and pulled out his gun, het again. "Do y''all want me to put this in ya head?!" He asked with a slight chuckle as he grabbed the reins of his raptor-like mount.


    The beast snarled and then growled slowly as it was led towards the street.


    Timon glanced at Neuj with an annoyed expression.


    "North from here, the Rugged Coin Tavern".


    "Now, that''s a good boy. Woulda made ya mama proud, ey," he said with a light chuckle as he jumped onto the mount, his crew following behind him.


    He glanced back at them, held the tip of his cap and nudged it downwards with a slight bow.


    "HEE YAAAWWWW" he chorused, before charging off with his beast, while his crew followed after, reciting the same chant.

 Chapter 241- Plum

    Timon and Neuj were left exasperated and annoyed, as they sighed in unison.


    "This is why I don''t like Invaders from Beyond". Timon said with a click of his tongue.


    "They do whatever the hell they like, but they''ll come running back when Kael sends them". Neuj said.


    "Do you think Kael would let them go?" Timon asked with a raised brow. "If he finds out bounty hunters are after his werewolf, he''ll be livid..." he scoffed and headed towards the door of his building.


    "Yael, call the other hooligans in armour. We have plans to make".


    "We still have time. The meeting is two days from now". Neuj said as he watched Timon walk back to the door.


    Timon stopped and chuckled slightly. "You haven''t changed, Neuj. There is never enough time. You should know that by now". With an annoyed grunt, he pulled the door open and went in, leaving Neuj and his two subordinates outside.


    They didn''t need Timon to say it, but their meeting had come to an end.


    Neuj stared at the door for a moment before a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He glanced at Rafi and Sora.


    "Shall we?" He muttered before walking away from the building. They headed to the South district, where other plans were being carried out.


    ****


    Meanwhile in the free zone, towards the North District, Raph and Elsie walked together in perfect silence.


    The sound of their feet stepping on the sand was the only sound that pierced through the silence. Their gazes swept around the area, scanning for people or damages that they weren''t aware of.


    Raph walked in front while Elsie walked slightly behind him by his right.


    He seemed lost in thoughts since he pulled out the regal chain from his storage ring.


    ''...this is absurd. A simple mission turned into a heck of an adventure in just a few days''.


    He thought with a sigh.


    The festival was no longer in weeks now, but a matter of days. He was supposed to be the Class monitor, but he had not been available for the preparations.


    Just the thought caused a bothering headache. ''It''s a good thing I asked Jane to help me out while I was gone''.


    He was confident in Jane''s decision-making, though it would only be for a while. Before long, they would start asking for a new Class Monitor.


    ''...while that is good and all...I can''t let go of the position just yet''.


    He still had plans for the position, so he needed to do his part quickly.


    ''I''ll just grab him and go,'' he nodded to himself in satisfaction when they got to a turn that led to a tavern.


    The sounds of loud laughter and drunken voices pierced through the cold air as masculine figures could be seen having a ball in the tavern.


    "Hmm. Is it always noisy there?" Elsie wondered as they walked towards the tavern. Explore stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Seeing as how they''re a bunch of drunken men out here at night, most likely, Elsie". Raph muttered as they approached closer to the building.


    It wasn''t until a few seconds after getting there that the men in the tavern recognized him.


    Three were seated outside, having a bottle of whiskey with wooden jars filled to the brim.


    Their eyes were mostly reddened from the intensity of their drinking, but they seemed to maintain most rationality.


    After all, can you recognize people by a glance when you''re drunk?


    "Is that you, blind swordsman?"


    One of the drunken men asked in a slur of words, causing the others to turn towards Raph and Elsie.


    Raph glanced at them with a small smile before nodding quietly.


    The three men scoffed and glanced at each other. They stood up in unison, nearly instantly, their gazes turning dark.


    "You think you can just go anywhere and cause trouble, huh?" He asked in a bitter tone as he spat out on the floor.


    Raph halted right in front of the stairs, his hand pulling Elsie to his back. He was well aware that she didn''t need protection and even she was aware that he knew, but for some reason, he thought of Elsie first.


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    He didn''t need further introduction, this was the man he had come to find. Just the name itself was a clear reminder.


    ''The forsaken son? Why was he forsaken..''


    Raph sighed and pulled out the chain, stretching it out towards the man.


    "I''ve come to retrieve you," he said


    The man, Plum, stood in shock at the chain. His gaze flickered in fear as he took slow steps back.


    "How do you have that?" He asked in a rush, his mana swirling within his body


    Raph raised a brow. "From your sister, she gave it to me".


    The men in the tavern weren''t aware of what was happening, but they did know that their new member was feeling uncomfortable.


    "Alright, Blind Swordsman. You''re coming with me".


    One said and walked down the stairway, but just then, a loud cheer pierced through the air like a microphone.


    Their attention was quickly swept to the source as they felt the sand tremble to the pressure of running beasts.


    Elsie peeked behind her, her ears and nose twitching. It didn''t take long for her to recognize the scent, causing her to growl in fury.


    Raph glanced at her in surprise.


    "What is it?" He asked.


    "Bounty Hunters".


    The name pierced the rumbling air, causing the men gathered to shift on the spot.


    They glanced at each other for a moment, before suddenly rushing off into the tavern.


    "Leave here at Once! Blind Swordsman. They are here for you!" The man that they had spoken to at first said in a rushed tone as he quickly joined his comrades inside the building.


    It was comical really, but they may have had a reason for rushing in.


    Raph sighed as he turned towards the source of the noise. Far ahead, where the sand began to rumble to the force of the charging beasts, seven men riding seven mounts appeared.


    Their excitement was palpable in the air as they shot multiple bullets upwards.


    ''Who created that damn thing!'' Raph wondered in annoyance as he walked over in front of Elsie.


    "Don''t attack until I say so".


    He instructed, but the werewolf simply growled higher, and more ferocious in return. Her crimson eyes had begun to glow red from blood lust, and her hair stood on end. Her anger was palpable, but what Raph felt the most was her fear.


    "No one is touching my wife".

 Chapter 242- One sided massacre

    "There be our wolf!"


    One of the seven men cried out in excitement as they screamed out in joyful symphony, their voices piercing through the Dark skies. Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    They had quickly closed the distance between them and were now circling the duo, their gazes fixed on Elsie.


    "Werewolf? Yes, but she certainly doesn''t belong to you" Raph''s voice was a chill whisper as the air turned cold to his command.


    He stretched out his hand and pulled out his sword from a gust of cold wind, his gaze lingering on the bounty hunters who cheered themselves up with loud cries.


    "Give us our werewolf and we let ya live, boy, don''t make things hard for ya"


    One of them said with a loud voice as he pulled his rifle into the air and shot out some bullets as a warning.


    Raph chuckled at the attempt, his hands firmly clasped on Elsie.


    "We''re going to retreat to the free zone on my command". He whispered while Elsie nodded in response.


    "Deaf are ya?" Another spoke out with a shotgun and a loud series of laughter pierced the skies like a.


    "Well, you guys laugh a lot".


    Raph muttered as his aura swirled within him. "I''m not giving Elsie to you, unless of course, you take her from my dead body".


    "Ya choose" the leader of the group muttered as he pulled his pistol and shot a bullet at Raph within a second.


    The others cheered, pulling out their guns and shooting out a bullet at the same time.


    ''I''ve had enough of this...bullets''. Rapj thought, his gaze following the line of movement of the bullets as if they were moving in slow motion.@@@@


    "Everything is Ice". He muttered to himself as the sand rumbled to his decree.


    "Glacier Spire".


    BOOM!


    An eruption of tall ice shards and snow mountains broke the formation of the seven men with an explosion of power.


    The man in disarray, fell from their mounts onto the floor as snow and ice fell from the sky like rain.


    The ice shards were like a crystal of art, showcasing a deadly warning to all those who laid their eyes on it, but sadly for Raph, these men were blind to warnings.


    "Over there!"


    The smallest of the group quickly stood up in a hurry, his large machine gun aimed for the skies as he released a load of bullets at the two figures that descended from it like two meteors.


    "They''re escaping"


    "Not on my watch, brather!"


    In a fell swoop, their leader climbed onto his raptor-like mount and rushed after Raph and Elsie, who were over a kilometre away from them.


    "Get ready and follow me, y''all Cherry poopers!"


    "Who ya callin'' a pooper?!"


    Raph floated in mid-air in front of the man on his large mount, his arms wrapped tightly around Elsie.


    ''Shit!'' The man thought, attempting to change the direction of his shotgun when Raph slammed his forehead against his.


    The man with the shotgun cried out in pain as his head went limp, and his body fell off the mount. The rhinoceros-like-mount simply growled and continued charging forward, leaving its owner to Raph''s wrath.


    Raph spun his double-edged katana in the air, a blue whisk following its wake as he did so, before stabbing it into the man''s chest, ending his life for good.


    "Brother Jick!"


    The other four had finally arrived, witnessing the death of one of their brothers. Something that had occurred so quickly and so easily that the shock had nearly overtaken them entirely.


    "Shoot him you bastards!" their leader cried out as he rushed after Raph, struggling to keep up with his speed.


    "Don''t worry. You all will meet him soon".


    Like the wind, his body whisked away, appearing in the air in front of another.


    The one held a bazooka, but his gaze had not even caught up to Raph as he floated in the air right in front of him.


    Raph spun in the air like a wheeler, thrusting his sword into the man''s forehead like a hot knife through butter before landing atop the feline mount with his feet and kicking off the dead body.


    "Shit?!" The leader screamed out in rage, as he whistled loudly. It was quickly followed by a loud thud as his mount jumped out of the pile of sand that had covered it and rushed off to his aid.


    "Get away from him!"


    The other three though, had other plans. With fierce expressions written on their faces, they circled the feline mount that Raph rode atop, their gazes blinded with crimson rage.


    Two held rifles, and they were quick to use them. Firing their weapons rapidly at the boy they thought they cornered.


    Sadly for them, the figure whisked away again, his speed too cunning for the eyes.


    Their bullets pierced through the feline mount like paper, its body splitting into tiny pieces as its cries echoed in the air.


    The next moment, one of the rifle users groaned in pain as a blue blade was stabbed from his back to his chest, piercing through his heart.


    The sound of blood spurting out of his body rang in the cold air as the sword was sent across his body like scissors, slicing him into pieces like a freshly made pie.


    The anger of the other two had quickly turned to panic as the piercing stare from two eyes the colour of the moon landed on them. Blood had stained his ice-cold face, and his blue sword glowed in the dark as warm blood dripped from it.


    The panic spread like wildfire as they turned their mounts around to escape from the grasp of their brother''s killers.


    "Why would I let you escape?" Raph muttered as he was about to jump off the mount. The leader on his raptor, quickly stood before him, stopping him from going after the two.


    "This bastard," Raph muttered with an annoyed click of the tongue.


    "Aura Force". His blue aura spread out like a gust of shadow against the weakening light, engulfing everything that stood in his way.


    "Oh no ya don''t!".


    The man screamed out as he pulled out a round object from his coat, and removed the safety pin.


    "Ya worse than a beast!".


    He threw the round object on the ground, and a bright, piercing light exploded into the night, like casting day onto a black canvas.


    BOOM!

 Chapter 243- Dreadful Revenge

    As the blinding light dimmed into the night, the skies became filled with the loud voices of people''s worries. It had seemed like day had come before its time thanks to that light, but its subtle disappearance puzzled them more than its abrupt appearance.


    The people had begun to gather around the fight scene, where the source of light originated, but not a single human was to be found.


    Even the dead bodies were gone. All that remained was the subtle remainder of a battle that had been won one-sidedly and the broken orb that stored the light.


    ****


    Raph and Elsie suddenly reappeared in the white room, Ziza and Merthy sticking their gazes on them as they did so.


    Raph sighed in annoyance as he rubbed his eyes while he finally let Elsie down.


    "Are you hurt?" She asked as she stretched her hands towards his face.


    He held it softly and shook his head.


    "The light was sudden and bright, but I protected myself fast enough, and these two saved us at the right time.."


    His gaze slowly hardened as he turned to the two women seated around a table.


    "Must be nice watching from here, huh?"


    Ziza and Merthy gave him a wry smile in return.


    "We can''t influence your battles. They''re meant to build your persona for the people".


    Raph raised a brow in confusion. "They aren''t even aware of who fought in that battle thanks to your quick thinking". He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he walked up to the table and grabbed a free chair.


    "Those were bounty hunters?" He asked.


    Elsie sat next to him as well, a small smile on her face.


    "They must have followed me from the "


    Raph remained silent in response, his thoughts reeling in.


    "Those vermin will come back for revenge....it''s exactly why I wanted to kill them all". He said with a sigh.


    "They used a blinding orb...haven''t seen one of those in a while". Merthy said. "It is Something you would use on reconnaissance missions or something similar, so using it as a means of escape was a smart thing".


    Of course, Merthy had not meant any harm by what she said, but the pressure that nearly choked her to her knees in the next minute after her statement made one wonder if she did.


    Ziza glanced at Raph, her pupils constricting at the sight before her.


    "Are you...Contemplating those vermin?" He asked, his tone bitter and full of rage.


    His brows were furrowed and his gaze twisted into a suppressed fury.


    Far away from the free zone, towards the Western District of the Drifting Wheels Gang, four figures with five mounts headed down the street in utter silence.


    The leader of the Bounty Hunters and his three other brothers were spared their lives, but the scars that had been imprinted on them that day were something that would forever drive them for life.


    The thinnest amongst the group who had been put into an unconscious state from the beginning of the battle was called Bick. He had woken up from his forced slumber a while ago as they walked back in shame.


    The silence that suffused around them was alien, something he had never experienced despite wanting it all his life.


    Growing up with six talented younger brothers had always put pressure on him, but after losing three of them, he had realized the hard way, how much they meant to him.


    With a sigh, he turned towards the leader of the group and also their youngest.


    "Brother Vick. Why don''t we call it a day and go home?" He asked with a low tone in his voice, but he didn''t need the usual talk down from his brothers to know that was a terrible idea.


    "He killed our brathers". Vick, the leader of the group said with clenched teeth. His rage seethed in his eyes as he struggled to keep the tears from falling while his two other brothers led their mounts.


    The dead bodies of their fallen brothers were kept on three of them, while the rest were left free.


    "We need to get back at him, brather! We need to," One of the others said, his voice shaky from his swelled-up emotions.


    They had lost three brothers today, something that had never occurred to them before. It was painful and, most especially, embarrassing.


    "That man! That man knew something. That was why he asked for us to work together" Bick said with venom in his voice.


    "We need to get him to pay"


    A tense silence suffused around them for a moment, until Vick looked up at the sky, his gaze fixated on the moon.


    The image of Raph appeared in his head, and a soft sigh escaped his lips. "The Moon Demon"


    He muttered and looked away. "That wolf is ours. We brathers must claw our way to get it". He said. "Victory comes to those who rise again. Remember Mama''s words?!"


    The three brothers whimpered as tears flowed down their eyes, their voices rising like mournful ghouls.


    Their teeth were clenched, and their fists tightened into small fists. The rage and sorrow they felt washed down their eyes like a fountain, as they lost themselves in the pain of losing a loved one.


    "Let us avenge our Brathers" Vick muttered, his gaze filled with crimson rage.


    Some few minutes passed, and the Four men had arrived at the Drifting Wheels Gang, where Timon was waiting for them patiently. His arms rested on a great sword that exuded brilliance and mastery as his knights lined beside him in front of his building.


    There, the four Bounty Hunters halted, their gaze fixed on the old man who had seemingly warned them.


    A tense silence grew between them until Vick took a step forward and stretched out his hand.


    "We, Brathers, have wronged you. We shall follow your lead to capture what is ours"


    Timon glanced at the man''s arm and then at his expression. A smirk formed on his lips as he stretched his hand forward for a shake.


    They grabbed each other arms firmly and shook once, their gazes fixed on one another as plans of dreadful revenge brewed within their hearts.

 Chapter 244- Captured.

    As the sun''s rays permeated the skies in a crimson blanket of awakening, the world became brighter. The Sun had driven the darkness once more and taken the place of the moon, serving as the only anchoring source of light for the Day. As the people arose to their daily tasks, so did Ziza and Merthy and some members of the Cat Guild.


    There was a day left until the General Meeting of the Five Pillars, and a lot of matters were left untouched.


    Of course, at a time like this, Raph and Elsie had other plans.@@@@


    Finding Plum was their mission, or was at least, Raph''s and now that he found him, he wasn''t letting him go.


    At the moment, Raph and Elsie were walking through the free zone, albeit a lot stealthier now.


    "How long until we get there?" Elsie asked with a quiet yawn as they walked past some rubble. The number of fallen buildings in this particular area had increased since their arrival.


    It was practically a wasteland of concrete and sandy walls fallen to pieces, with large chunks of rocks and rubble.


    "Almost, I think". He replied with a sigh.


    He would have preferred to go on his own, but Elsie insisted.


    ''Bounty Hunters are persistent. If they were to come again, there would be a significant difference''.


    He didn''t doubt his strength, but he wasn''t going to underestimate the persistence of Bounty Hunters. Especially those that had lost their crew in their mission.


    ''Absurd how they''re more loyal to themselves than other known organizations''. He thought when he finally got to the last building before the Rugged Coin Tavern came into view.


    "Are you ready, Elsie? We may be attacked. Ensure you remain at my side, Okay?" He asked as he walked towards it with a slight grunt of worry.


    Elsie giggled and nodded, walking after him quietly. It would be a lie if she wasn''t enjoying the way he treated her, and she was adamant about enjoying it while she could.


    ''Maybe leaving school for a while was a good idea''.


    She thought, her gaze shifting about to inspect the area.


    There was nothing much other than the rubble. The people that used to live there had been moved thanks to the Cat''s guild, and all that was left was owned by the Rugged Coin.


    Soon, they got to the door, and Raph walked up, ignoring the stares from the two men who sat beside it. He opened the door with a single swing, causing the people gathered to turn towards him in unison.


    ''...Interesting''


    He thought with a sigh as his gaze scanned the room, searching for his target and there he was, attending at the bar.


    With a sigh, he walked up to the counter with Elsie by his side, swinging her tail leisurely as they sat in front of the counter.


    The silence that suffused the air since their arrival was chilling, but that wasn''t what bothered Raph, really.


    He glanced to his left, and there, seated next to him, was a muscular, built woman. She had rough crimson hair and piercing, cold black eyes.


    Her attention was fixed on the cup of whiskey she drank, and her attire was an embodiment of strength.


    He looked away and turned to Plum.


    "You''re still here, huh?" he asked with a smile, while Plum glanced at the red-haired woman before turning to Raph.


    "Well, yes. This is where I work now".


    "Why wouldn''t I? The rugged coin knows of your identity and still treats you as their own....they wouldn''t let something like this slip up to the king".


    Raph replied as he sat back down on the seat while Elsie did the same. "You aren''t the only one tired of the West, Plum. We also have lost things to the king; you are not alone".


    He glanced around the room once more and then at Safara.


    "You''re a battle mage with affinities for all four elements....talents like you shouldn''t be washed up here. Convince the price so we can make him King". Raph said to her, his voice filled with conviction.


    It seemed like the people in the tavern were actually listening to him, but the subtleness in how they acted made him think otherwise.


    He glanced at Safara, his gaze piercing through hers. "....What do you think?" He asked, his voice filled with curiosity.


    The woman remained silent, her gaze flickering with intensity. Raph had only met her for a moment, but his brain screamed at him that it could be a warning.


    ''A warning for what?'' He wondered as he glanced at Elsie, but his eyes caught something at that moment.


    Something peculiar, and white, which pulled his curiosity. ''....A Gas Mask?''


    For a moment, it seemed like silence had suffused the air, but in the next, the glass windows burst open as black orbs were thrown into the building.


    "Put on your masks!" Safara screamed out as the people gathered in the tavern pulled out a gas mask that had been hidden. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    The black orbs rotated in a frenzy and emitted black fumes that clouded the tavern within seconds.


    It was then it struck Raph as he quickly grabbed onto Elsie before the sudden influx of fumes affected his breathing.


    "El"¨Ccough "Elsie"


    His vision had been clouded, but the sounds of footsteps receding the room echoed as he grabbed onto Elsie, who was also coughing.


    "If you survive this, Blind Swordsman, then we will do as you please". Safara''s voice receded with their footsteps as the people who were once present in the tavern left the duo to their fates.


    Raph coughed out erratically as he fell to his knees. ''Shit. Shit. Those bastard Bounty Hunters!''


    He screamed out in his head as Elsie coughed out even more erratically than him.


    Their bodies were completely repressed from the fumes as the smoke assaulted their senses even more.


    ''Shit...I''m losing it...move you freaking body!''. He held onto Elsie tightly as they fell to the floor, their bodies aching from the force of their coughs as tears streamed down their eyes.


    "Shhh...Devil''s Gas still works as well as it used to, brather"


    The sounds of footsteps entering the building echoed, causing Raph to struggle to get a better view.


    ''No!'' he cried out in his head. ''No! No! No!''


    He screamed as three men in peacock masks stepped into the building, their eyepieces sparkling white as they moved in the fumes towards their unconscious bodies.


    ''No! NO!'' He thought as Elsie was suddenly pulled away from his grasp, his body shaking in rage.


    "Hah....you should have killed us when ya gat the chance".


    With a solid thud, his head was struck with the blunt of a gun, sending his senses into a state of unconsciousness.

 Chapter 245- Gone missing

    At the Cat''s Guild, the members were gathered in the white room for a debriefing.


    Plans were being made and decisions were being finalized on their special attack against the four other Pillars of Border Town.


    A total of one hundred and nine people gathered, with an approximation of 70% men to 30% women.


    Ziza had been watching the event unfold from her position at the back in the air, while Merthy stood next to her while Cartwyn went over the details at the front of the group with a board in the middle.


    "I''ll go over our plans once again before we finalize it". She said as her ears perched up in excitement. A clan war had not even been mentioned until now, but the sudden issuance of one had told the Members all they needed to know.


    "When the time comes, the Guild Master will give us the signal...of course, that would be the distortion of space she will cause in containing the four leaders".@@@@


    She said when one of her comrades, a man with a jovial expression and a scarf tied around his head, raised his hand.


    She nudged him to respond and he asked.


    "Then we exploded the main buildings of the four Leaders, using the bombs that will be set up tonight?" He asked.


    Cartwyn nodded in response as she went over to a desk and grabbed an orb.


    "Explosive Orbs. We had been stocking them, using the Merchant Guild as a farce to gather this en masse". She glanced at her teammates. "The current number is more than enough to bring down their buildings and favourite spots".


    She went over the board and continued.


    "And that is when we launch our attacks. Of course, our numbers are far too low when considered, but unlike the others, we have three powerhouses that have been hidden for a while".


    Ziza had made it clear that their plans would begin with the arrival of Raph, and that was thanks to her meticulous planning. The other leaders believe in the monopoly of power even within their ranks, to the extent that they don''t let their subordinates cross over level 80.


    It was different for her. She had fifteen, level eighty, five-level ninety and two other level hundred.


    Of course, keeping them from the public had been a difficult thing in the past.


    Ziza smirked and turned to Merthy. "Looks like you''ll get to see your elder brother again". She said with a smirk, and Merthy pouted her lips, turning away in embarrassment. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ziza giggled at her reaction when she suddenly froze on the spot.


    Merthy''s ears perked up in surprise. Ziza had remained silent halfway through her tracing; that was something she often did unless she sensed something. She slowly turned towards her, her eyes lingering with curiosity.


    "Wha¨CWhat is It?" She asked, her tone laced with concern on seeing her expression.


    It wasn''t often that Ziza got worried, but when she did, Merthy could always spot it at a glance.


    "Rap¨CRaph...." She muttered slowly, her gaze flickering as she placed her hand over her head. "It''s foggy....our connection has been cut off".


    Merthy''s gaze widened in shock, her body jerking from her statement. ''Cut off?'' She wondered in surprise.


    "Wha¨CWhat do you mean?" She asked.


    "You made a deal with Timon? That sly man doesn''t have anything to offer you". Harry said with a sigh as he folded his arms.


    "He didn''t need to give me anything...using a man from the west as a means to take control of the town? Does the cat guild not know what shame is?" She asked with a bitter tone, her face turning into disgust.


    Merthy raised a brow, her fists clenched tightly. "You were in isolated training all this time, weren''t you? Do you have any idea what has occurred in the past years since you began your isolation?"


    Safara sighed, turned towards her subordinates and dismissed them. They all groaned as they walked into the building, Plum being the last.


    They glanced at each other for a moment, until Plum sighed and walked in. Safara remained silent for a while until she turned towards them.


    "I can tell you where they were taken...but they should have left by now. You wouldn''t be able to trace their steps even if you wanted to".


    Merthy raised a brow in surprise while the others glanced at each other.


    "A change of heart? It''s too late for that".


    Safara sighed. "A change of heart? I don''t think that is what it is. I don''t know who that kid is, but his will is strong....I believe being captured by Bounty Hunters will be the least of his worries".


    Merthy''s expression grew stern with her statement, a brewing sensation growing within her.


    "You talk because you don''t know his identity," she said firmly, her gaze filled with annoyance.


    "Not only have you infiltrated our plans, but also made enemies with one of the Great Families".


    Her last statement was like a bullet, shocking the people gathered to their very core.


    They glanced at Merthy in unison, their eyes bulging


    in shock, as their thoughts reeled in.


    "A member of the Great family?" Safara scoffed. "..There''s no need to lie". She said firmly.


    "Lie? That would be a waste of time" Merthy clicked her tongue in annoyance as she looked away. "Where were they taken? They will still need our help even if they do escape".


    Safara flinched slightly, her fist tightly clenched. ''If what she says is true....then not only is he powerful....but also from a powerful lineage...''


    If word were to go out that the Son of one of the Great families had been deceived and sold. ''It won''t end with just my head''.


    She heaved slightly, her thoughts spinning in overdrive.


    "Let me come with". She said, with a startled tone in her voice. "The deal with Timon was until they were captured, but once they were captured, we resumed being enemies".


    Merthy clicked her tongue. "Why would I need to do that? Just let us know and we''ll be on our way...your clan will go down either way".


    A tense silence ensued between them, Safara''s gaze slowly growing firm. "I will come with you and lead you to where they were taken". She said, before turning around and entering the tavern.


    Merthy sighed as her teammates glanced at her. It seemed like they would have one more addition to their crew, a fiery one that spelt trouble.

 Chapter 246- Elsies Story

    The Sun anchored the rays against the skies in a splendour of warm, amber tint. The clouds hovered the skies, its aqua timber cascading through the exterior in a well-sewn-out art of nature.


    Six figures walked out of the Border Town, their gazes scanning the dandy landscape of their surroundings as two men sneered at them at the gates.


    Merthy led her group while Safara stood at the other side, their gazes filled with determination.


    "We''ll split into two groups and go after them separately". Safara said as she glanced at Merthy. "The Blind Swordsman was taken East while the Wolf girl was taken West from here".


    Merthy stared at her with a puzzled gaze. Her brows furrowed deeply.


    "Why are you helping us?" She asked.


    Safara sighed as an image of plum appeared in her head. "Perhaps he''s not as crooky as I thought".


    ''Crooky?'' Merthy thought with a raised brow as she looked away.


    "They should be fine, perhaps even planning on their escape...we should be there for them when they escape. That''s the plan".


    Merthy''s teammates nodded in response.


    "Harry and I will go with Safara to the East. Cartwyn, lead the others West".


    With a sigh, she looked up at the sky.


    "Let''s just hope we''ll find them safe".


    ****


    Elsie woke up with a loud thud, a lingering pain spreading from her forehead as she came to.


    The sounds of metal rattling and people conversing pierced through her ear as she groaned in pain.


    Opening her eyes, she looked up to find the roofing of a cage, as she rubbed her forehead from the pain.


    She glanced around her in confusion, the familiar scenery slowly taking root in her chest.


    ''No....Oh No..No...'' She thought as she looked down. Her arms were bound by cuffs, a metal alloy of familiar material.


    She attempted to use her magic, but to her utmost dismay, she couldn''t.


    "Oh...the mutts awake".


    A man''s voice pierced through her thoughts as she looked up in alarm. Her gaze flickered with emotions.


    "Hello, dear, beauty".


    The man teased as another slapped him across his back.


    "Don''t compliment the beast. We need her to know her place so we can sell her off for the right price". The man said with a slight tint in his voice.


    Behind him was a fireplace where three women were seated quietly on beast hides, and next to the Chieftain was the Chief advisor, Rabakar Darkpelt, and also the children''s teacher.


    "I have said this time again and again, Elsie, but you are Darkpelt, and your true abilities will not be revealed until you accept the darkness that comes with that name".


    Elsie dug her flesh with her nails as she lowered her head from her father''s wrath.


    They had just finished their lecture with the teacher, and she was once again receiving the same lecture from her father after failing to accept the Darkness attribute of her clan.


    "Chieftain, she is remarkably proficient with the wind technique...let her master that instead. The darkness isn''t for everyone".


    Rabakar said, his elderly tone taking play in his voice. He had been the royal teacher for three generations but never had he seen anyone like Elsie.


    "Father, aren''t you being too hard on her? She''s proven herself in every other field".


    Elark Darkpelt, the first son of the Chieftain, asked with a firm voice.


    This was something they had experienced countless times already, but their father''s persistence was warranted.


    Every wolf tribe had an element they were born for.


    The Darkpelt tribe was darkness; the Sunpelt tribe, light; the Redpelt tribe, flames; the Bluepelt tribe, water; and the Greenpelt tribe, wind and earth.


    Elsie of the Darkpelt tribe had an unimaginable affinity for the wind element, making her one of the rarest cases seen.


    It was contradictory to her father, who had the highest affinity for the dark element, and her brothers, who had also shown abilities that made use of the Dark element, but it was different for Elsie.


    Rakabar had tested her for the dark element, and her affinity for it was also as high as her father''s, perhaps even capable of surpassing him if she were to work hard enough, but she was incapable of manifesting it.


    Her case was rare and even looked down upon by many of her peers, but her affinity for the wind, which was similar to the Greenpelt tribe, made room for doubt in her birth story.


    "Be quiet, Elark. The quicker your sister showcases her talents, the faster we can quell the dispute in the village. This is a matter of great concern, not something a pup can have a say in".


    Vanzark said with a stern tone as he glared at his son, his crimson eyes glowing.


    Elark sighed and bowed, relieving himself from their conversation while Elsie looked up at her father.


    "I am as capable as I am, father. I just can''t...." she said, her voice lowering with each sentence. "I just don''t like the darkness".


    Rabakar sighed while the Chieftain clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "How dare this child. The Darkness is your heritage. It is your birthright. How dare you shawn it because you are scared of it?". His tone was laced with annoyance as he turned to his chief advisor. "Increase her training and reduce her free time. We must show the villagers that she is part of us. Reveal the darkness within Her!" He ordered, and the man, with a sigh, bowed in response.


    "As you wish, my chief". He said in reference when a whimper pierced through the air.


    The chief widened his eyes in shock as he turned towards his daughter, watching as tears streamed down her eyes.


    Elsie sobbed, her hands covering her eyes as she suddenly stood up and rushed towards the exit.


    "Elsie". Her brothers called, but without turning back, she left the room, leaving a heavy presence behind.

 Chapter 247- Elsies Story 2

    The Wolf tribe, like many other Beastmen, lived in nature. Their homes were made of mud, wood, straws, and a lot of other strong components found in the forest.


    They were surrounded by large trees, greenery that reached the skies, streams, and lakes; domesticated animals kept for their consumption, and, every so often, farmers.


    The Darkpelt tribe, being different from others thanks to their hermit lifestyle, were by far one of the largest and inbreed amongst the Wolf Beastkin.@@@@


    Their forest, otherwise known as the Dark Forest, was an area restricted from humans and even other beastkins. However, the proximity with other tribes wasn''t as far as it seemed.


    The largest building in the middle of the tribe represented the Chieftain''s office, and a figure of Elsie was seen quickly rushing out of it, the two guards beside the building glancing at her and themselves before resuming their position.


    Their choice of clothing showcased most of their body parts except their sensitive parts, mostly consisting of animal hides.


    Elsie rushed away from the building, ignoring the stares from other members of the tribe as she headed toward the forest.


    Her ears perched up to the conversations the people whispered amongst themselves.


    "Isn''t that the Chieftain''s daughter?"


    "I heard she wasn''t able to use darkness again"


    "What? Isn''t she from our tribe? How can she not know how to use it?"


    "Don''t you know? People say it''s because she''s from the Greenpelt tribe".


    "Oh no....what an embarrassment to the Chief".


    Even from her early years as a pup, she had always had sensitive ears for a wolf, something she had kept to herself all this time.


    She could hear the negative emotions that came with their statements, the disappointment, and contempt, especially amongst the women of the tribe.


    It caused her to ache, as she suddenly jumped into the air, turning into her beast form, and quickly disappeared with the gust of wind.


    The people continued to chatter amongst themselves as they went about their business, while a boy with white hair watched the whole event unfold. He was standing in the shadows, behind a hut and slowly walked back before disappearing.


    ****


    Elsie reappeared in a gathering surrounded by trees and a stream in front of her in her Beast form.


    Her tears slowly streamed down her eyes as she transformed back into her human form, taking a seat next to the stream with a whimper.


    "They don''t get it".


    She muttered as she wrapped her arms around her legs while resting her face on her knees.


    Her thoughts swirled in her head as she slowly whimpered, the tears drying off her face.


    She stared at her reflection in the stream, her gaze twirling with emotions.


    ''Darkness....it''s a scary thing. How can one expect to accept it without knowing what lies ahead?''


    She wondered when the sound of bushes bustling pierced the air.


    "Yeah...I guess I should thank Father for not banishing me".


    Zon sighed. "That''s not what I''m saying, princess". He dropped his arms causing the ball of light to dim into oblivion. "The darkness might be scary, but you were born to control it. Don''t be scared to control what is yours".


    Elsie''s pupils dilated at his statement, his words


    causing a swirl of thoughts within her head. ''...control what is mine? The darkness?'' She wondered when three figures suddenly emerged from the trees behind them.


    Their hair is as dark as Elsie''s but their pupils were of different colors.


    "Zon! There you are. The pack was just about to go help the¨CPrincess?!"


    The one with green eyes cut himself off his statement on recognizing the girl next to the silver-haired wolf man.


    Zon smiled sheepishly at the people gathered. Two boys and a girl.


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Help them?" Elsie asked, her tone laced with curiosity as she glanced at the people gathered.


    "Huh...oh, no...it''s nothing, princess". The girl said, her tone laced with hesitance as she glanced at Zon.


    "It''s alright, guys," Zon said with an awkward smile as he turned towards Elsie. "we''ve been tracking down the Bounty Hunters that have been targeting lone wolves and small tribes....it seems like we''ve got a lead on one of them".


    Elsie suddenly stood up from the ground, her gaze blazing with emotions.


    "Where are they? Let me come with." She glanced at Zon with expectant eyes.


    The boy groaned slightly as he stood up, his gaze lingering on hers as he did so.


    "I don''t know Elsie, we need to use the element of darkness if we''re going to be discrete"


    Elsie''s lips curled into a frown as the intensity of her gaze died down. "Are you going to lecture me like my father?" She asked.


    With a slight flinch, Zon shook his head and turned around. "We''ll be in front of the village in five minutes; get your gear, princess. We''ll wait for you".


    Elsie nodded with a bright smile as she bolted away, into the forest towards their village, her gaze lingering with excitement.


    As she did, the three people gathered scoffed and clicked their tongues. Annoyance lingered in their tone.


    "What did we say to you about approaching the princess, Zon?" The girl asked with a raised brow.


    "We''re not actually planning on bringing her, right? She won''t be useful to the plan". The other male said, his gaze glistering blue. His build was a lot larger than the others, and his right ear had a cut.


    Zon shook his head as he walked towards the angle they came from. "And whose fault is it? You weren''t smart enough to know I wasn''t alone. Now the princess''s life will be at stake".


    He sighed in annoyance while the three people gathered glanced at each other.


    Their gazes lingered on Zon for a moment, before they walked ahead of him.


    "The princess won''t ever accept your feelings, Zon. You''re not from the blackpelt tribe so the Chief won''t accept you either. Accept it". The male with blue eyes said as he tapped Zon on his shoulder before they all transformed and rushed into the forest, disappearing into the darkness as they did so.


    Zon glanced behind them for a moment, his gaze growing dark. "Then I''ll make it so she has no choice".

 Chapter 248- Elsies Story 3

    At the far corner of the tribe was the second largest building and the only duplex structure in the area. It was the home of the Chieftain, his three wives and seven kids.


    Elsie had walked past the guards in front of the building, her steps hastening as she climbed up the wooden staircase to the second floor. She quickly rushed to the end of the hallway, where a door with her name written on it was evident. As the only girl of seven children, she had been given enough room to herself, and that included her room.


    She quickly walked in, leaving the door open, and heading to her wooden drawer. It was next to her bed, which was a fluffy cushion of animal hides and fur. Large enough to look like a comfortable large sofa.


    She was in the process of packing her weapons, including a bow and arrow, a short sword and her gauntlets when she heard a knock.


    Her ears perked up in surprise as a frown formed on her face.


    "What did I say about sneaking up on me, Elark?" She asked with a dissatisfied tone in her voice as she packed up her gear in a sack and wore it on her shoulder.


    "If I didn''t, then you would have spotted me a mile away". The boy teased with a smile, showcasing his sharp canine.


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she walked out of her room and locked it behind her. Her gaze lingered on her brother as she headed out.


    "Where are you going?" Elark asked after waiting a few seconds for her to come out herself.


    His sister was someone who tended to keep to herself, mostly because of the pressure applied on her, and he could understand it perfectly.


    Elsie sighed and stopped in her tracks, her gaze flickering with intensity. "I''m going to help a nearby tribe. There are some bounty hunters in the area".


    Elark frowned slightly, his brows creasing. "Those barbaric humans haven''t learnt their place" he said with a bitter tone in his voice. "...but, gather should know about this".


    "It''s alright. Zon is leading the pack, we should be back before nightfall".


    Elark raises a brow, his worry only growing from her statement. "Zon....isn''t someone you should trust on a fly, sister".


    Elsie scoffed and continued on her way. "Oh please, he''s done nothing but help our tribe strive. Stop whining over a little detail".


    Elark lips curled downwards as he walked after her. "Can I at least come with? I don''t trust him"


    Elsie shook her head. "Melf, Wilol and Shozan are with us, and we''ll be going with the rest of the pack...there''s nothing to trust".


    Elark clicked his tongue as he rushed after his sister who suddenly picked up her pace.


    "Sister...this isn''t a simple matter. We shouldn''t trust these people...they...you know this by now...they won''t accept you". Discover more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Elsie suddenly stopped at their door, causing Elark to stumble slightly and bump into her.


    He quickly took a few steps behind him in surprise and lowered his ears. Elark was someone who had faced the full brunt of his sister''s abilities once. Sometimes, power can get to your head, especially when someone older doesn''t have it.


    It was a simple sibling argument, but his sister had brutally beat him up in their wolf form.


    ''Just goes to show that she would be unstoppable with the darkness elements mastered''. He thought as he scratched the back of his head in silence.


    ''When was the last time I led to the dark forest?'' She wondered as they walked into the forest. ''Definitely been a while''.


    "Alright, the guards can''t see us from here". Zon announced when they entered the forest. He turned around towards the group.


    "Wilol, Shozan...you''re in front. Mark, Jay and Destin, you''re at our sides and Melf and Elsie, you''ll be behind. We''ll use this formation in our transformed form and reach the nearby forest as soon as possible".


    "The bounty hunters will be striking soon. We need to get there and free them as soon as possible". Shozan, the muscular wolf boy from before said with a stern expression, his gaze shifting behind towards Elsie.


    "I hope we can keep up". He said.


    Zon laughed wryly and looked away while Elsie shrugged. "Alright, let''s go".


    At his command, Wilol and Shozan rushed forward with a slight howl, their bodies transforming into formidable wolves as they rushed forward. Their sizes were that of a small automobile vehicle.


    Zon followed, transforming into a pristine white wolf of a slightly larger size than the former, while the remaining three boys followed soon after. Their sizes are equal to or slightly larger than the first two.


    Melf glanced at Elsie, a smile on her face.


    "You first, Your Highness".


    It wasn''t. Every day, they got the chance to see the transformation of royalty, at least their royalty, but Zon could have given them a heads-up.


    Children of Alpha Wolves, or the chieftain were usually born with larger figures than the others in the tribe. It''s what separates them from the others, as a larger size means stronger and faster reflexes.


    Elsie nodded and jumped forward, her pristine, onyx figure taking shape as a low howl pierced through the air. Her size was a lot larger than the others, but she wasn''t even in her adult stage.


    She rushed forward with inhumane speed, causing a stir of shock within Melf before she quickly rushed after her.


    "Wait! Princess" she called out as she rushed after her.


    Their loud footsteps pierced through the air, as the sounds of insects and birds chirping brought life to the forest.


    The bushes rustled with the intensity of their figures as the creatures of the Dark Forest gave room to the werewolves.


    Their march continued until nightfall, when the moon rose to the sky and its luminescent splendour brought great strength to the pack.


    Werewolves were naturally strengthened at night, but it was apparent in the Darkpelt tribe, whose element was darkness.


    Elsie felt thrill from the experience, as the wind cascaded soft brushes against her fur. Her senses were strengthened to an all-time high, and the smell of nature brought bliss to her worries.


    She felt at peace with nature, running wild like the beast she was but at some point, a small picked up her attention.


    "Do you smell that?!" Zon announced, his voice vibrating through the forest.


    Silence remained after, but the pack knew what they smelt, and soon the dark sky began to be filled with a crimson, amber colour.


    "There''s a fire up ahead".

 Chapter 249- Elsies Story 4

    ''Fire?''.


    Elsie looked up at the sky, her crimson gaze glowing in the darkness. The moon stood in the night sky in all its brilliance; its luminance glows cascading upon the furs of the wild beasts.


    Zon suddenly jumped into the trees, transforming into his human form. His body moved into the branches as the sounds of screaming pierced their ears.


    The pack followed after him, transforming into their human form and moving on the branches.


    They jumped from one branch to the other, their bodies tensed in anticipation of what was to come.


    "Remember guys, attack the bounty hunters and free our kind. Let''s get this over with".


    They all replied to his institutions, Elsie included as her thoughts reeled in.


    ''Why are the guardians not doing anything about these bounty hunters?''


    For centuries there had been wolves chosen by the tribe to protect the forests. Each tribe had their wolves selected, but it seemed like even that wasn''t enough to prevent these bounty hunters from coming into their territory.


    "They have a secret path". Zon said, his voice snapping Elsie from her thoughts.@@@@


    She looked up at him in surprise to find his gaze fixed on her. For a moment, they stared at each other but soon their focus was cut off by the loud sounds and explosions.


    They turned towards the direction of the sound and landed on a tree, where the sight was finally revealed before them.


    Elsie stood in dismay, her gaze flickering with emotions as she watched the scene unfold.


    The Village was a lot smaller compared to theirs, and the houses were just as small.


    Most had been burnt down by now, and humans could be seen pulling their wolfkin into cages.


    The male wolves were seen fighting valiantly, but a lot more were seen dead.


    The total number of humans had exceeded their expectations, and the sight itself was more horrific than they anticipated.


    The smell of blood had clouded the air, as children were dragged on the grassy plain into the cages on Carriages while the women were stripped and forced into submission. A total of seven were placed at the exit of the village, while nearly fifty humans were seen causing chaos.


    It seemed like they couldn''t completely showcase their strength, something that completely confused Elsie.


    "What''s going on? Why can''t women transform?" She asked, her gaze flickering as she turned to don.


    "The humans have gotten wiser. They make use of pure silver bullets and a silver mana adapter".


    Mana adapters were manufactured gems that possessed elemental and non-elemental properties. Silver was just one of the many properties that could be used.


    "Silver?" Elsie muttered in surprise. She had heard of wolves with weaker bloodlines being weak to such objects, but alpha, beta and gamma alphas and their descendants had adapted to it a long time ago.


    Its crimson eyes reminded him of the pool of blood that had filled the village, a testament to the dead bodies that were laid waste.


    "This will probably be the last time we get something good from the Wolfkin Forest. We shouldn''t come back after this". Gonzalo instructed, and the others nodded in unison. "I want that big one. Take care of the rest".


    "For the Red Peacemakers". He said.


    "For the Red Peacemakers". They chorused.


    Like a catapult, Gonzalo charged forward towards Elsie, his body brimming with power as she mauled down one more human before she spotted him.


    She howled as she charged at him, her speed picking up as the wind rushed towards her in a fit of storm.


    The sudden rush caused a wave of wind that pushed Gonzalo back with a powerful force, causing his body to suddenly slam against one of the carriages.


    "Wind? But she''s a black wolf" he muttered in confusion as he rubbed his head when Elsie suddenly appeared above him, her eyes glowing red in the night.


    Gonzalo wasn''t given the chance to react as his body was suddenly bitten into and slammed into the ground with all her might.


    The sudden force caused a crater that shook and extended as his body was pushed down with the might of the wind.


    Gonzalo bit down hard as he groaned, fighting off the wind with the brunt of his body but unable to even move a finger.


    "This fucking mutt". He said through gritted teeth as his body suddenly enlarged. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The sudden increase in mass caused a deeper crater to form, and Elsie was caught in surprise by the change.


    Gonzalo grabbed her neck with both arms and pushed her off with great force, a sudden wave of energy blasting due to the force.


    He grabbed her under his arm, jumped into the air and slammed her into the ground, driving a fist into her head as a startled yelp escaped her lips.


    "You can''t even use the darkness. How are you supposed to beat me, you stupid mutt?".


    The wind formed a cyclone above them, a sharp work piercing the sky as it slammed down at the both of them, causing an explosion of earth and wind.


    A mushroom of dust rose into the sky, as Gonzalo jumped out, his clothes torn from the impact while blood dribbled down his forehead.


    His gaze turned towards the Carriages at the far front, his thoughts reeling in. ''She''s powerful...but I can''t let this haul go to waste''.


    He pulled out an orb from his pocket and broke it, causing a ray of thin light to pierce through the air.


    Almost instantly, the horses neighed as they were sent away with the remaining carriages, the sounds of the captured female wolves and kids echoing in the air.


    "No". Elsie suddenly sprung out from the dust, charging towards the carriages when Gonzalo jumped in her way, his body slamming into her and forcing her to a stop.


    "Oh no you don''t".

 Chapter 250- Elsies Story 5

    As the moon stood in the sky, its luminance cascading whispers upon the darkness of the night, blood painted its canvas in a gory hue of carnage and death.


    Zon, Melf, and Wilol were circling one of the members of the Red Peacemakers, the muscular-looking woman, while the others had their fair share of the skinny man.


    Elsie was left to face Gonzalo alone, and the carriage was set off for departure.


    The series of events were not going their way.


    "Zon! The carriages!" She cried out as she charged at Gonzalo like a speed train, slamming her head against him with brute force.


    Gonzalo groaned slightly, his feet dragging against the earth as she pushed forward in an attempt to lift him off the ground.@@@@


    "You crazy mutt! You''re strong for a wolf" he said as he locked her head once again, but this time, Elsie was prepared.


    The wind suddenly picked up around her as she easily lifted him off the ground and charged at one of the burnt-down homes.


    With a swift push, she slammed him into the pile of burnt wood, her ferocious growl burning with desire.


    While she was locked with Gonzalo, Zon and the others quickly changed tactics.


    Zon glanced at his teammates, his silver eyes brewing with intent.


    "Melf, take care of this woman with Shozan and Wilol!" he instructed before howling into the sky.


    His sudden action caught the people off guard as a bright light ignited into the skies, illuminating a blinding light against the humans.


    They groaned from the intensity as the sounds of growls pierced the skies, followed by a darkness that swallowed up the light.


    Shozan, Wilol, and Melf had suffused with the darkness of the night like a shadow, dashing around at a speed unimaginable as they sank their teeth into the muscular woman.


    She had not even received her sight yet, but the pain that bore through her shoulders and right leg as they were torn off in unison caused a sickening sensation to sweep up her very being.


    She was shocked with her saliva as the gruesome sound of blood spurting out of her torn-off parts pierced the silent night.


    The bright light finally disappeared, and the other skinny-looking man was seen in a worse-off state, his limbs torn to shreds with a pool of blood forming around his near-death figure.


    Gonzalo had shielded himself from the light with his armored helmet, but Elsie had been affected unknowingly.


    The Darkpelt were usually immune to the brightness caused by the Sunpelt tribe and that was because of their affinity to darkness.


    They could easily block the light by covering themselves in a fog of shadow while they waited for it to die down, but Elsie had no such qualities.


    Something that Zon had to realize the hard way as he rushed after the carriages, just to find Gonzalo getting the upper hand against her.


    "Zon won''t forgive you". Mark said with the click of his tongue as he turned away in anger. He howled into the air and rushed away in the direction of Zon and the carriages.


    The other wolves followed in his league, with Melf being the last.


    She watched the scene unfold one last time, an evil glint sparkling in her eyes. ''How dare you covet what is mine''.


    With a loud howl, she turned away and rushed after the pack, leaving Elsie to her fate.


    Gonzalo had punched Elsie a few feet away, his armor a sorry state from what it once was. His two greatswords had been broken from the constant thrust and push and he now held his claymore.


    "Hah Hah! Seems like you were abandoned by your pack".


    "I was not" she charged in like a bull, relentless and ferocious. Her teeth left ghastly wounds across his shoulders.


    "You stupid mutt! I am a berserker".


    His body suddenly ignited with a crimson burst of energy as he swung his claymore against her tough skin sending a wave of pain as it slammed her away like a baseball.


    Her body smashed into the ground, leaving a crater. She howled in fury. Blood dribbled down the side of her body, head, and mouth as she growled ferociously at Gonzalo.


    ''I need to escape...the longer I drag this...the stronger he gets''.


    Berserkers grew stronger with blood, but Gonzalo was different from many. He was a shadow berserker, Something akin to the Darkpelt dark element.


    He had an affinity for the shadows and at night, he was constantly filled with it.


    "Even if I don''t take the others. I must have you".


    He said, pointing his blade at her as balls of red energy formed in the air. It crackled and hummed to the intensity of its energy as it was projected at Elsie at a sudden speed too quick for the eyes.


    Elsie had seen it a mile away though, as she charged sideways, dodging the I''m coming blast of energy balls that exploded on impact with the ground.


    The ground shook from the intensity of the vibration as Elsie charged in after dodging the last.


    Gonzalo sidestepped, dodging her by a hair''s breadth as he raised his claymore in the air. He grunted as he pulled it down like a guillotine, his gaze fixated on her onyx fur when she suddenly slammed into him with the side of her body.


    He groaned in pain as his gaze shifted towards Elsie''s, her crimson eyes filled with rage fixed on him.


    She suddenly disappeared into the air, reappearing a far distance away from him, but Gonzalo''s gaze had locked on her figure since a while ago.


    He charged into the forest after her, a mad cackle escaping his lips as he did so.


    "You''re not escaping me!" he screamed out as an orb appeared in his hand. He broke it, causing a red ray of light to pierce through the air before throwing the broken orb away and increasing his pace after her.


    ''Let''s see who wins this battle, Mutt''. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 251- Elsies Story 6

    Elsie rushed into the forest, her sharpened end leading the way as she ran past the trees in a blur. Her thoughts reeled in as she did so, contemplating the reasons for the pack''s sudden betrayal. It wasn''t difficult to figure out the reason, but facing the reality was much harsher than she anticipated.


    ''Simply because I can''t use the darkness attribute?'' She wondered as her nose perched up in the air


    "I see you!!" The loud, hoarse voice of Gonzalo Jean pierced through her ears, forcing a shiver down her spine.


    She didn''t need to look back for her to know that he was quickly gaining on her, and the thought scared her.


    It was annoying as it was that she needed to face the pack once she got back to the tribe, but the thought of having to deal with the persistent human too annoyed her.


    ''Why are humans so bent on using us? We simply want to live our lives''. She growled lightly when the wind suddenly shook behind her.


    Her hair stood on end as she felt a chill through the shadows as two arms suddenly emerged from the darkness with giant greatswords.


    Their movement was quick and precise, descending towards Elsie like a guillotine, and forcing her to make a sudden change in direction.


    Her body slammed into one of the tall trees, startling the arms of shadow and causing them to disperse, but at that moment, Gonzalo appeared, a wild smile on his face.


    He chuckled madly as he swung his claymore across the air, forming a crescent arc in its wake as Elsie suddenly jumped into the air, dodging the attack by a hair''s breadth.


    She transformed into her human form as Gonzalo''s claymore struck the tree with a sudden quake. Energy ripples spread through the air as she landed lighting on the claymore.


    She grunted loudly, as she spun her body around and slammed the back of her right foot across Gonzalo''s helmet, causing a sickening sound of metal breaking.


    He groaned loudly as his head was nearly forced out of his body before being thrown away from the force of the strike.


    Elsie landed on all fours, her gaze brimming with energy and fury as she suddenly charged after Gonzalo.


    "leave me alone you stupid human!" She cried out as Gonzalo emerged from the rubble of fallen trees caused by his collision.


    He laughed out loud as balls of red energy formed in the air, rotating and humming before projecting toward Elsie like missiles, causing loud explosions on impact with the ground.


    Elsie dodged one after the other, her body moving like a slippery snail as she suddenly jumped onto the bark of a tree.


    She climbed up, rushing towards the top, and jumped over to a branch, her mouth opening up as a ball of wind formed at the tip.


    "DIE!" She exclaimed as balls of wind formed at the tip of her mouth and shot out like bullets, causing an implosion of wind to occur as it struck the ground and the trees.


    Gonzalo ran out of the way, his heavy armor leaving a trail of shadowy footsteps as he did so. His gaze brimmed with excitement as he jumped into the air toward Elsie at an impossible speed to follow with his eyes.


    Elsie growled in fury as she jumped out of the way, causing Gonzalo to charge into the tree and bring it down.


    His body suddenly increased in mass as the shadows around him came to his aid, forming a sturdier, stronger armor. By now, he was far larger than Elsie ever was and an insurmountable strength was being suppressed within him.@@@@


    "Mutt! I shall have you today!" he cried out as the red energy balls formed in the air, twice as large as he charged at her with the projection of the balls.


    Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    The words of Rabakar rang in her ear, and her breathing picked up even more, growing erratically by the second.


    Gonzalo had noticed this sudden change, but he ignored it and continued moving forward. He slowly pulled out an iron collar, his goal fixed on capturing the wild wolf, but would his plans go smoothly?


    ''We are the fangs and claws that dwell in the darkness.....


    The Moon calls our name but the darkness calls our might...


    We are the dwellers of the unknown, the bearers of horror, and the personification of the dead.....


    We are the darkness that dwells in our hearts...


    Swallow it up.....


    The light that pushes us....


    The warmth that deceives us.....


    Give way to the DARKNESS...''


    Elsie''s breath suddenly seized, and her heart thumped for the last time.


    Gonzalo stopped in shock, his gaze scanning her body as a chill crept up his spine.


    The air had suddenly gone quiet, as if the sound had been swallowed up, leaving nothing but a trail of black and white for his sight.


    He was lost, confused, and his senses screamed at him, biting at him, gnawing at him, to back off and he took a large step back. Though, not quick enough.


    A fog of darkness, devoid of light, suddenly swallowed Elsie like a nine-course meal, tendrils of shadows shooting out of its very being.


    It suddenly sprung out like a catapult, striking Gonzalo away like an insect.


    The sound of trees falling from the impact pierced through the air, but the sordid sound of tentacles slamming against everything in its path had replaced it completely.


    The darkness warped, hummed, and vibrated, forming a thick fog that rose into the air, Elsie''s figure completely overtaken by the might.


    The night seemed to have been pulled by it, as it only got darker as if it were born to swallow the darkness of the night itself.


    Gonzalo gasped in shock as he stared at his abdomen, groans of pain piercing the air at the sight of his armor clogged into his skin.


    Bright blood oozed out like an open tap, while the sensation of pain completely overtook his very being.


    He heaved greatly when he noticed four figures standing around him.


    He sighed, taking a heavy breath as he said.


    "What took you so long?"

 Chapter 252- Elsies Story 7

    Four people stood around Gonzalo, their gazes fixed on the black mass of fog a few meters away. Three men and one woman, each holding a different weapon, a stern expression on their faces.


    "You called the executives for a mere pup?" One of the males asked, his tone stern and laced with irritation. He had crimson eyes and red paint below his eyelids. His black hair was wavy and unkempt, and he wore a robe over his black clothing, with jagged sleeves. On his back was an iron pole, with a mace at the tip of it.


    He was Krit Folly, the Fifth Executive of the Red Peacemakers.


    "Oh please, the boss sent just me. The rest of you decided to come with me because you were bored". The female said with an annoyed expression. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail that cascaded down to her waist, and her dark eyes brimmed with life. She wore a white mini jacket over a black crop top and tights, with boots that increased her height by over four inches.


    "It wouldn''t have been a mere pup if only I came to handle the situation". Mila Jack, the Third Executive of the Red Peacemakers. She had a double katana placed around her waist as she folded her hands and sighed.


    "Mila dear, you know we couldn''t let the only woman in the team stress herself over something so little". Another man said, a relaxed expression on his face as he smiled from ear to ear. He had a rough goatee and mustache, with long, slender hair that stopped at his neck and covered one of his aqua-blue eyes.


    He was in a kimono, with an odachi across his back.


    Nicho Mayuri, the Seventh Executive of the Red Peacemakers.


    "Forget about that..." the last man said, his bulky build thumping as he walked in front of the group. He was bare chested with a black trouser as his only form of clothing. He had a tattoo of a dragon''s head on his back and gauntlets wrapped around his hands. With fiery yellow hair and sharp crimson eyes that sparked with brilliance and excitement.


    He slammed his fists against each other as he smirked.


    "This mutt is a Darkpelt?" Lioren Koske, the Second Executive of the Red Peacemakers.


    Gonzalo groaned lightly, his gaze scanning the people gathered, blood oozing out of his injuries as he attempted to sit up. "Yes...Yes sir". He replied, coughing out blood as he fell back to the ground.


    "Relax lad, we''ll take care of things here". Nicho said as he threw a potion at him. "The others escaped by the time we got there but I assume we''ll at least capture this one?"


    "Of course. It looks like a rare breed...we might gain a good bargain once we sell it". Mila said with a shake of her head as she walked towards Lioren.


    Both stared at each other and the others.


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    "Let''s get it under control and leave...the chieftain will soon be on his way".


    Gonzalo grabbed the potion and drank it, a calming sensation spreading through his body as a green aura appeared over the wounds.


    Her body slammed into the ground, forming a crater, flames pulsating around her as she was suddenly ignited in a pool of flames. She pulled out her katanas and swung them to the side, leaving a trail of fire in its wake as the aura of flames shot out from her body into the sky like the accelerator of a car.


    Growing brighter and wilder by her will.


    "Master Skill; Fire Light".


    A spark of flames ignited at the tip of her blade as it suddenly erupted into a bright, blinding light of flames. The dark skies had suddenly turned bright from the might of the flames and the darkness was burnt from its glow.


    The mass of darkness was suddenly shrunk from its large size as a loud shriek pierced the sky.


    At that moment, the wind rippled as green energy erupted out of Nicho''s body, his aqua-blue eyes igniting a green glow.


    He swung his odachi through the air, forming a thin line vertically and horizontally in a cross.


    "Master Skill; Crosswind".


    The air rippled as the wind struck against the black mass in a cross shape, causing it to dissipate into oblivion.


    He swung his blade again and then again for the third time, causing the same attack but increasing each size as he did so.


    The mass of darkness quaked as it shrunk, the sound of screaming only increasing as it dispersed into the atmosphere.


    Lioren laughed out like a maniac as his body exuded a golden energy. His lion tattoo glowed golden from the outpour of energy as he took a step forward, disappearing and reappearing next to the shrunk black mass, his fist sending a wave of shock through it as he punched it.


    "Master Skill; Golden Blow".


    A wave of energy pulsated through the air from the force as the ground shook and broke, forming a crater below the mass of darkness as it shattered into millions of pieces.


    Elsie''s figure began to be visible from the black mass, and at that moment, Krit appeared next to her, black wings emerged from his back as he grabbed her by his left hand and swung his weapon around with his right.


    "Master Skill; A Mile Of Thorns".


    The ground rumbled to his decree as thousands of wooden spikes, the size of an automobile emerged out of the ground and pierced through the darkness, glowing bright green as it exploded in the next second.


    The sky was soon filled with smoke as a crimson hue was left on the canvas of the night. The sound of crackling wood and chirped-up plants echoed in the darkness, telling tales of destruction that could never be ignored while the moon left its luminescent imprint on the scene.


    At that moment, five figures stood in the skies, a floating mat beneath their feet.

 Chapter 253- Give way to the DARKNESS...

    "Oh...this is the equipment from the east right?" Nicho asked as he sat down on the mat, placing his odachi next to him.


    The others remained silent, their gazes fixed on The destruction below them while the groans of an unconscious werewolf lay on the shoulder of Krit.


    "She better be worth it. We won''t be able to come here ever again".


    "After this destruction? Let''s hope they don''t chase after us".


    "Even if the chieftain is an eleventh star, there is a limit to his abilities". Lioren scoffed and looked away, his gaze lingering on Gonzalo. "Let us leave before the others arrive...this level of destruction should serve as a warning in case they come after us".


    "....and if they still do?" Mila asked, curiosity laced in her voice as the mat hovered away through the skies.


    Lioren glanced at her, a mad glint sparkling in his eyes. "Then we do it again".


    Elsie remained in a state between unconsciousness and consciousness, her senses barely working.


    She could feel the pressure of the darkness slowly seeping away from her body, and a calm taking place. As if it was never there, but the gripping feeling it had on her remained, serving as a dark reminder of her abilities.


    Soon she opened her eyes, her gaze hazy as she stared at the floating mat and people around her.


    ''.....No...'' She thought, unable to move, feel or think. The only thing that remained palpable were her limbs, and that was even barely.


    Everything felt dull, weak, and incomplete to her, and a creeping sensation had brewed in her chest.


    She attempted to move, to get off the strangers, to at least choose her own death if it meant escaping from their clutches, but one of them had been staring at her the whole time.


    Nicho had silently watched her, his gaze softening on meeting hers.


    "Lioren, I think we should leave the wolf as it is....it is incapable of using the Darkness attribute". He said with a muss, as he laid down on the mat.


    The golden-haired man glanced at him with a baffled gaze.


    "Is that what you think? I expected you, of all, to know the dangers of letting a loose demi-human into our control".


    "She''s to be sold right? Just use the collar. It should seal off her abilities for the time being until a suitable buyer approaches".


    Lioren seemed contemplative as he stared at him, but Krit and Mila tapped him by his shoulder, nodding their heads in unison.


    "There''s no need to be worried; if Nicho thinks we shouldn''t then let''s leave it at that," Mila said.


    "Yes...not to mention how she could get side effects from having her primal affinity sealed off".


    It was something they had never done, but they assumed it would have dire effects on the wolf. Thus, making her unable to be sold if they were to seal off her darkness attribute.


    Elsie remained fixed, unable to have a say in it. Even if she wanted to, it would have been impossible. She was taken as a slave, a captor. A plaything for the humans and the thought caused a boiling rage to seeth in her.


    Lioren nodded and turned away. "Fine then...we won''t seal it off".


    Nicho glanced at the girl, recognizing her pent-up frustration as a sigh escaped his lips. ''Poor pup''.


    The group of Six continued their way out of the forest, with Elsie as their last captured wolf.


    FLASHBACK END. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    That flicker of darkness ignited into an aura that consumed her body whole, forming a transparent dome that suffused around her.


    Elsie groaned, her fangs and claws elongating from the power.


    The two brothers stood up in surprise, their feet slamming against the cage in an attempt to stop whatever was about to occur


    "What''s going on back there?"


    The man at the front asked as he slowly turned towards the inside to inspect himself.


    A cascade of darkness crept on his expression as he shoved his body through the window to the interior.


    "This is the Darkness attribute! Shit, we need to get out of here!" he cried out as he attempted to push the brothers away from Elsie.


    "Get out of here?!" Vick asked with a click of his tongue as he pushed the man away.


    He walked up to the cage and kicked it again, only this time, Elsie responded.


    The aura of darkness was suddenly absorbed into her as her gaze locked on the people gathered, a tense silence hanging in the air.


    They stared at each other, confusion slowly finding their way to their expressions.


    "Ya see, she was bluffing". Vick said with a venomous tone as he kicked the cage again, but the man wasn''t convinced.


    His breathing suddenly picked up as he grabbed some bags and attempted to rush out of the cage, but his premonition had warned him too late.


    A flicker of dark energy reverberated within Elsie, and in the next second, a large fog of darkness exploded around the carriage.


    The sudden explosion sent a ripple of energy through the air as it took a large mushroom shape, expanding across the atmosphere and reaching upwards in the sky.


    The people within the Carriage weren''t even given the time to think as their screams and bodies were consumed by the darkness, swallowed up whole with nothing left in the world.


    At the same time, a figure was wrapped in this darkness, floating through the Dark mass of fog until she reached the top.


    Sometimes, people find semblance in the smallest of things, finding reasons to anchor themselves to reality. It doesn''t matter what it is, be it people or things. What matters is how far we''re willing to maintain it, stick with it, and never have to make part with it.


    Elsie had found a reason to use her abilities; perhaps she didn''t have one in the past, but she certainly had one now.


    More situations would arise where her abilities would be challenged as long as she continued to stick by Raph. He was a magnet, attracting forces that either wanted him as theirs or none at all.


    The constant clash would push her to the edge, and without using her full abilities she would be left behind.


    Knowing this, without a doubt, and with the goal of only going forward, she manifested her attribute, the darkness serving as a testament to her will to drive forward.


    Her onyx fur glistened in the sunlight, and her crimson eyes glowed with ethereal beauty. The darkness didn''t seem to consume her but instead served as a second skin. Her other half, the very core of her being.


    She had controlled it, using her resolve and love as fuel to stay in control and using the darkness instead of letting it consume her.


    Her gaze scanned the horizon of the skies, and far ahead, she picked up the scent of her beloved, her husband. With fire in her eyes and darkness that dwelled within her, she ran across the expanse of the sky, to get back to her Husband.


    (Please note the Change.


    The Darkpelt tribe main attribute is darkness, any comparity with it being wind is wrong).

 Chapter 254- EVERYTHING IS ICE

    A FEW MINUTES AGO.


    A far distance away from Elsie was another carriage. Here, another two members of the bounty hunters, the slim nerd cowboy, Bick, and another that held a rifle.


    Both were seated in the carriage with a cage, worse off than Elsie. This one didn''t possess rails like the other but iron walls with a slit on the front.


    In it was Raph seated, barely managing to breathe from the slit, and wrapped around his arms were the chains.


    Chains and Cuffs that stopped one''s aura or mana from flowing, blocking them from using their abilities, or at least that''s what it was for.


    They were headed in a different direction, as this one in particular, Raph, was strong.


    Bick had thought it wise to make use of his strength and send him to a colosseum back in their hometown to earn money for them.


    It was a brilliant idea at the time, but no one knew what awaited them along the way.


    Bick and Dick were the brothers that surrounded the cage, their gazes facing the exterior.


    The carriage was led by two of Timon''s men, of course, both minding their own business.


    "It''s been a while since he spoke. Is he asleep or something?" One of Timon''s men spoke after a short while.


    His gaze flickered as he turned back to find the bounty hunters staring blankly in their direction.


    Bick flinched, snapping himself to reality as he turned to the cage.


    "He hasn''t spoken...must have given up" he replied, though his senses were screaming at him.


    He didn''t understand why and simply ignored it. ''It''s probably just acting up since I''m not with my brother''.


    Bick and his brothers had traveled down from the west, frolicking about in different villages until they arrived at their present destination


    Finding Elsie''s tracks was just on a whim when they arrived at the Border City of Styl, and now, in the process of capturing her, they had the last three brothers.


    ''At least we''ll gain something good from all this''.


    He thought with a sigh as he glanced at the cage once more.


    ''....that man....he''s too dangerous...thank goodness we captured him and locked up his aura stars. The damage he could and would have caused...''


    He felt a chill run down his spine at the thought and shook his head. ''Better this way''.


    While they continued to focus on the road, and themselves, Raph was busy somewhere else. Well, of course, his body was currently in the cage, but his sense of self....had been transported once more.


    In a white void, permeated by dark particles, Raph stood. His gaze scanned the interior of the room as he did so.


    ''....Where am I?'' He wondered, but his question had been answered soon enough.


    A chilling cold suddenly swept into the room, turning the interior into a dome of ice and snow.


    A throne of ice was formed in his front, and there, a man with blue air and chilling blue eyes stared at him.


    He didn''t need to think twice to recognize the figure. With his ethereal, cold demeanor.


    The progenitor of the KING OF SNOW trait sat on his throne of ice, a discontent, discerning gaze looking down at him.


    "You disgust me".


    Raph''s gaze widened at his sudden statement, his brows furrowed in confusion.


    There were few occasions when the Knights of the Jun household actually showed themselves at their home.


    That was because the Knights weren''t used for personal reasons, but simply war and expeditions.


    Their father had made it so, relying on themselves and a few trusted aides to actually be a part of their household.


    ''...though even that was corrupted by the King''.


    "Maybe you are right. I need to continue to grow stronger...because our foes will continue to multiply".


    "Exactly. The Jun''s are the most hated out of the twelve households because of our character but that doesn''t mean we should let them get away with messing with us".


    "I don''t intend to".


    "Yes....the revolution. Honestly, that plan is looking promising but I fear you may make a mistake at some point".


    Raph shook his head. "I don''t intend to".


    The man stared at Raph, his chill gaze sending a cold grip on Raph''s heart.


    "Then show it. I know you are no longer driven by revenge, but by the goal of saving your family, so be hellbent on it.


    Be who you are meant to be, a Knight, a Warrior, a King of the Snow. There is regality in who we are".


    ''Regality? He''s basically calling us royalty now''. Raph thought as a chuckle escaped his lips.


    This was the emotion that had driven the Jun''s for many years. The pride of being born with gifted statutes fit for war and carnage.


    A household of swordsmen, proud and noble but soft-hearted when it comes down to it.


    The definition of a noble household.


    "You said I''m not using the KING OF SNOW trait properly....how do I use it then?"


    "Well...you have used it well so far. But it should have been a second limb for you by now..."


    "A second limb?" Raph asked, his tone laced with curiosity.


    "The air you breathe should be cold; your body itself should be the embodiment of coldness. Your techniques should imbue the principle of ice and snow...and most importantly. You do not need mana nor aura to use it".


    The last statement sounded like a fool''s errand to Raph. After all, the basics of using his abilities, according to his father, was using his aura or mana....so now, he was told to use none?


    "What?" Raph asked.


    The man suddenly appeared in front of him, and a cascading chill, colder than anything Raph had ever felt, descended on him like a chill bath in Antarctica. Of course, it was worse than that.


    "Let me help you".


    He tapped Raph on his shoulder and that cold spread through Raph like cancer, his gaze slowly glowing from the chill as he felt his body turning numb.


    The sensation was chilling as it was familiar. It continued to spread, forming ice shards in the air around them, freezing the atmosphere without their command.


    Patterns of ice shards, beautifully crafted, froze the air and the ground around them, spreading and thickening with the ever-flowing cold.


    This continued until it reached Raph''s heart, and dantian, pulsating with each beat....until it stopped.


    Then like a man who gasps for air after being dipped into a bath of ice and snow, Raph''s mouth opened agape as they said together.


    "EVERYTHING IS ICE"

 Chapter 255- Saga of the Prince of Snow and the Maiden of Darkness

    CURRENT TIME.


    What is Death without the cold that comes with it? A sensation that swallows the human senses, exuding an aura akin to the afterlife. There is nothing warm about it, simply the comfort of dying in a cold abyss. To achieve the epitome of snow and ice, one must die. Give in to the cold, let it permeate through you, and become a vessel for a higher power imbued in you.


    To hold what is dear to us in a crumbling world, one must grow a powerful status. Humans are reminded how pitiful it is when you''re not strong enough to protect what is theirs and that often includes other people.


    But when they have that power, now that is a different story.


    Raph''s eyes suddenly opened a white afterglow in its wake as a chilling cold exuded from his very being.


    The sudden slight movement caused the cage to shift a little, attracting the attention of the two bounty brothers.


    Bick smirked as he glanced through the slip, only to find two pools of malevolent white staring back at him. His body jerked as he yelped and stumbled backward, followed by the sudden eruption of cold energy in the air.


    "What''s happening?! I thought his abilities were sealed off?!" one of Timon''s men cried out in shock as crystals of ice formed on their bodies.


    "I don''t know, something is off!" Bick cried out when the sudden eruption occurred again, blasting the cage into shards of ice as a cold wind erupted out of his body like a living pulse.


    The people surrounding Raph were frozen in place, their gazes flickering with intensity as a biting cold permeated through their bodies.


    "Hah...For crying out loud. Is this how my trait works?" Raph''s words pierced through the air, sending warning bells to the people gathered.


    The carriage had been frozen in place, and the mounts had been turned into blue icicles.


    "Everything is Ice".


    He muttered and a cold wind swept around, picking everything in its wake into a storm of snow and ice, freezing their bodies and minds before they could even think again.


    "Die".


    The snowstorm suddenly swept around the sand, increasing in mass as it rose into the skies.


    At the bottom, surrounded by the cold storm, was Raph, his body exuding a chilling aura that would make one''s heart freeze in a millisecond.


    This chilling cold rose into the air, forming a blanket of snow and ice in its wake, leaving an ethereal view of the beauty of snow.


    Raph was an orchestrator in a live band, controlling the snow and ice in perfect harmony, building chilling sceneries of spires and mountains, an uncontrollable storm brewing within him.


    He took a step forward, and the world crackled to the intensity of the cold, causing fragments of reality lost to him.


    He was unable to absorb it back in, becoming a vessel for a continuous flow of deadly cold.


    It was then that the sky darkened from the horizon, an onyx shadow running across the expanse of the skies.


    His gaze was drawn forward, akin to a magnet to steel and the sight caused a stir within him.


    "Elsie". He muttered, his body cracking from the intensity.


    She muttered, an amused tone in her voice.


    "Now that''s an urban legend".


    This continued to roam the expanse of the desert, swirling sand into the sky as it crackled and froze the grains of coarse sand to crystalline ice.


    Transforming the property of the earth into ice. Not one born from water, but one born from matter.


    This ice froze the very molecules of the matter it struck, though its effect varied.


    It persisted until it didn''t, dispersing like it was never there, and crumbling to the ground like rain.


    The gust of cold wind had fallen to the ground, turning into powders of ice particles while the darkness dispersed into the light.


    The once chilling cold was gone, replaced by the persistent heat from the rays of the sun, but for some reason, the effects remained.


    Houses, frozen from the gust of wind and sand turned to ice shards on the ground, remained so, melting into a gust of vapor from the intensity of the sun.


    Thkihu, the heat returned, the chill felt individually persisted, and across the sky, serving as a testament to the phenomenon, a cloud of blue and black mingled. A malevolent, yet tranquil sight persisting in the expanse of sky like an artwork on a plain canvas.


    Below that cloud of blue and black were two figures.


    One whose body slowly repaired, fixing back the cracks caused by the intense release of the snow and ice, and the other, though naked, wrapped in a shroud of darkness.


    Raph''s arms were wrapped tightly around Elsie''s waist, as their lips were clasped together for a kiss.


    Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    They remained still on the remnants of the carriage that couldn''t be swept up by the force while trails of ice crystals, snow, and shadow cascaded down the ground with them in the epicenter.


    They finally took a moment to breathe, their breaths shallow and calm, as their gazes, softened with emotions, were fixed on one another.


    "....Are you okay?" Raph asked, his worry palpable. He couldn''t imagine how important Elsie had become to him, until now, but it was made evident.


    Elsie nodded in reply, a smile on her face and her arms wrapped around his neck.


    That moment felt fleeting like a timer was set on it because it was.


    Raph pulled away, the remnant of the chains breaking into dust particles as he did so.


    "Shall we?" He asked, his gaze turning towards the Border Town.


    Elsie turned towards the same direction, her smile remaining fixed on her head.


    "Yeah. Let''s get this over with and get back home...I''m tired as well".


    Raph picked up Elsie in a bridal style, his feet clutching to the ground as he suddenly jumped into the air, releasing a force that sent him projecting like a rocket towards his goal.

 Chapter 256- The Pillar Meeting

    In Border Town, the four other Leaders were gathered in front of the incomplete building of the Cat Guild, their gazes filled with a purpose, well, except one whose eyes were hidden behind a dirty, old rag.


    Ziza walked out in front of the group.


    "Timon Lukwood, Neuj Rakarf and Elias Sei....are we prepared for the 7th Pillar Meeting?"


    Timon clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Such an outlandish name for a meeting of backwater leaders, don''t you think?"


    Neuj sighed, shaking his head in deliberation. "Never mind that fool, Ziza. Shouldn''t we wait for Safara?".


    "Amitabha! Safara has wandered off to find the Blind Swordsman and his counterpart". Elias Sei, a dark-toned man of unknown origin, said. He was the master of the Watchers, a group of hermits that lived in different corners of the town.


    They never revealed themselves unless it was time to complete a task as such, but their members, though few were quite strong.


    Each possessing a unique class, you might say.


    "Hah, geez....that weird greeting of yours again. Can you not do that every time?" Timon asked with an annoyed tone as he glanced at Elias.


    "This is a unique religion from my origin, I must fail to comply with your demands, Sir Timon". Elias replied while Timon groaned in annoyance.


    Ziza watched silently, her gaze flickering between them while they slowly returned to the silence that was once suffused around them.


    A smirk formed on her lips as she rose in the air, her arms stretched across the air.


    "Welcome to the Five Pillars Meeting".


    The atmosphere suddenly warped, and their bodies were suddenly brought to a dark space.


    The leaders gathered glanced around, their expressions of amazement hidden behind their poker dot faces.


    It is at times like this that they are reminded of the abilities of the Guild Master of the Cat Guild.


    Mass teleportation after all, was difficult to master unless you were a prodigy.


    "Shall we begin the Meeting?" Ziza asked, their attention drawn to her as a result.


    They were in a dark space, their bodies seemingly standing on air, while a white orb stood at the far corner, serving as a medium of light.@@@@


    "How about Safara?" Neuj asked.


    Ziza shook her head. "She will join us once she gets into the town".


    At that moment, Elias flicked his gaze towards Ziza.


    "And the blind swordsman as Well?"


    The question caused a swirl of mixed emotions within the leaders gathered, their thoughts reeling in as they receded to their thoughts.


    ''They fear him'' Ziza thought as the corner of her lips raised a little.


    It was a delightful sight indeed, and she was sure it left quite the impression on the leaders. If anything, it left on her as well.


    "And you...have you forgotten that this is my space. I can teleport you to a place without air in a single flick of my finger if you dare me".


    "Don''t play dumb with us, Ziza. If you could do that, then you would have gotten rid of us a long time ago". Timon''s body suddenly erupted with a blast of mana, his smile widening as he prepared to attack.


    He was right, despite Ziza''s efforts in controlling space, it had a limit. Not to mention, she was facing two level 100s with at least two transcendent skills of their own.


    "You pride yourself in your control of space. I bet you thought you would trap us here and have your way with our lives....but don''t forget that we are level hundreds as well".


    She bit down on her lip, her anger repressed when she felt a pulse, like a warning signal that caused a smile to form on her lips.


    A figure suddenly warped into space, and on revealing their identity, Safara Desert stood amongst them.


    It didn''t take long for the other Leaders to guess what was going to happen next.


    "Safara, you are back already? You really chose to save that man over staying loyal to me?" Timon asked, pulling down his sword as the battle mage glared at him with a fiery storm in her eyes.


    "What can I say? Their side looked more promising". She replied, her gaze turning towards Ziza.


    "He''s here".


    That statement alone was able to cause a storm of emotions to erupt within the people gathered. Neuj, especially.


    For some reason, he feared him much more than the others and it was palpable from his reaction.


    Beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead, and his palms had grown sweaty.


    "It seems like your time is done, Timon and Neuj. I would ask you to submit and admit defeat but I fear I would waste my time".


    A piercing laugh echoed as Timon stumped his foot on the invisible ground.


    "You think he is strong enough to handle all of us? Especially after releasing such a powerful wave of energy? I fail to see it".


    Ziza felt the impulsive feeling of wanting to charge in on him and end it once and for all, but the fact that Raph had not chosen to enter the portal she had left for him meant something entirely.


    She glanced at Safara.


    "What else did he say?"


    Safara groaned slightly, her actions hesitating for a few seconds as she turned to Neuj and Timon.


    "He wishes to speak with you both directly....but...I doubt it will lead to anything good for you.


    We shouldn''t be killing each other, let''s avoid driving the blind swordsman to a point where he thinks killing us is the solution".


    Ziza scoffed. "it is far too late for that".


    With the click of her finger, the two figures with their subordinates disappeared, leaving Ziza with the last two pillars.


    With a sigh, Ziza folded her hands, a condescending gaze fixed on Elias and Safara.


    "Now, tell me which side you are on, or face the wrath of the Blind Swordsman"

 Chapter 257- Raph Vs Neuj and Timon

    Neuj and Timon felt the subtle discomfort of constant teleportation as their figures, with their subordinates, appeared in a familiar open area.


    They heaved slightly, stopping themselves from throwing up, their gazes scanning the surroundings as they processed the information in their brains.


    "Lord Neuj, we seem to be in the Free Zone". Sora muttered, walking up to her master.


    They were surrounded by rubble, demolished and incomplete buildings.@@@@


    A few of the buildings had remained standing, despite the constant battles that wagered in this particular place.


    It was a testament to its strong foundations, though that strength would be tested today.


    Timon swung his greatSword over his head and placed it back in its sheath, a click resounding as it did so.


    He glanced at Neuj, a scowl forming on his face.


    "We should have attacked her the minute we had our chance. We made a blunder".


    "We did not. We didn''t expect the Blind Swordsman to escape from the Energy Binders".


    "Those shitty things didn''t do half the work I paid for". He clicked his tongue in annoyance, his gaze wavering around the area.


    "We are here, but I do not see anyone".


    Neuj sighed. "Neither do I". He turned back, towards Rafi, a knowing gaze written on his expression.


    She nodded in acknowledgement and looked up, materializing a red orb. She broke it and a red light permeated the air, igniting and disappearing as soon as it came.


    "An attention orb? You think calling more women will give us a better chance?"


    In this world, there are five different kinds of orbs, Attack Orbs which contain elements, mana or aura for offensive attacks, Defense Orbs for creating domes of mana for protection, Escape/Return Orbs for escaping enemies, Memory Orbs for storing images and events and an Attention Orb, meant for calling aids and backups.


    Neuj glanced at Timon, a disapproving gaze written on his face as he turned away.


    "That shouldn''t be our worry now. We are in trouble; we tried to sell the Blind Swordsman, but that didn''t work. Now, he wants revenge".


    "Revenge?".


    Raph''s voice pierced the air, grabbing their attention like a magnet as a cold chill crept up their spines.


    Neuj and Timon glanced around, their subordinates doing the same as they searched for his figure.


    "If the King isn''t worth my revenge, what makes you think you are?"


    It didn''t take long before they looked up, and high in the skies was a boy with snowy white air that cascaded with the wind. Peerless, white eyes that bore through your very soul and a glowing, blue double-blade katana, exuding a malevolent hue.


    He rode atop a fearless beast, a werewolf, with onyx fur the colour of the depths of darkness and crimson, glowing eyes, the shades of blood. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Their bodies flinched at the sight, their gazes widening in shock.


    Neuj especially, found his mouth hanging open. Why? Well, maybe it was because Raph''s appearance was a little too familiar.


    He raised a brow as he glanced at Raph, his gaze furrowing in surprise when he noticed the struggle in his arms as he attempted to pull his sword but failed.


    He cursed bitterly, his pride greatly wounded by Raph''s careless display of power as he held the tip of his sword, but he seemed to have bought enough time.


    "Master skill..."


    Neuj appeared directly in front of Raph, a newfound power brewing within him as he pointed his staff towards him.


    "Gravity shot".


    A vibration of the earth occurred as a purple orb sparked to life at the tip of his staff, growing into a ferocious size that caused the air to sizzle with pressure at the intensity of its sheer intensity.


    The ground shattered as it suddenly exploded forward towards Raph like a projectile, causing a sizzling vibration as it erupted into a mist of gravitational energy.


    "impressive".


    The air warped as Raph appeared above him, swinging his sword across the air as a crescent arc of ice trailed in its wake.


    It slammed against the heavy pressure surrounding Neuj, who was suddenly slammed away by the force of the strike.


    Neuj skidded across the ground, his body floating slightly above it as he maneuvered his body to regain momentum. His staff swung around as he did so until he finally stopped, barely touching the wall of an incomplete building.


    At the same time, Timon growled as he swung his greatSword upwards towards Raph, who suddenly parried it to the side with his, spinning in the air and stretching his left hand to grab the back of Timon''s armour as he landed behind him.


    He pulled Timon upwards into the air, uprooting him from the ground with a swooping power and slammed him into the ground with a fierce thud. An eruption of power occurred as a crater formed, descending the two figures into the sandy soil.


    Neuj hissed bitterly as he swung his staff and pointed it forward, vibrations occurring around him as the rubbles began to rise from their solid state.


    "10th circle spell; Rock Plain Shots".


    They spun rigorously, projecting towards Raph like rockets, the air whistling with the force of their movements.


    Raph looked up as he slammed Timon to the other side of the ground, his sword, an extension of his arm, igniting in a pool of concentrated aura.


    He swung it through the air, slicing one off and grabbed Timon upwards, slamming his figure into an incoming rock, its size twice as that of both of them combined.


    Timon groaned in pain, as he was suddenly thrust into the ground again and slammed against another incoming boulder before he was suddenly swept into the air and flung towards Neuj with great precision.


    He groaned, his body aching from the pain as his body crashed and spun on the ground, rising up as soon as he got next to Neuj.


    "With me" Neuj instructed and charged forward without waiting for a reply.


    He stretched his staff forward, twirling its tip around as purple balls of gravity sparked to life around him. It shot out towards Raph within the next second


    "Master skill; Rapid Gravity shot".


    Raph jumped out of the way of one, the mass of gravity crashing against the ground and causing a blast that erupted the sand into the sky.


    His body became like a flowing dragon, skidding across the icy ground as he dodged, and spun out of the way of incoming mass of gravity. His gaze flicked towards Neuj, and a daring smirk formed on his lips as he swung his sword across the air.


    "You can do better than that!"

 Chapter 258- Raph Vs Neuj and Timon 2

    Neuj''s gaze narrowed, pulling his arms back with his staff as the air crackled to the intensity of the gravity around him.


    "You tend to underestimate people don''t you?"


    Raph''s gaze flicked to the front when Timon suddenly appeared, his body exuding a golden red energy, and his eyes blinded by golden light.


    He let out an incoherent roar, stomping his feet against the ground as he attempted to slam into Raph.


    Raph sidestepped the man, using his left hand to guide him away from his path, their swords swinging to each other as their bodies spun to the intensity of their movements.


    BOOM!


    A sonic explosion occurred as their swords clashed, the ground vibrating from the sheer force as the sand gave way and descended, sinking the two fighters into the earth.


    "I will kill you!" Timon cried out with mad frenzy as he slammed his sword again and swung it from the side while Raph did the same.


    His gaze followed the movement of Timon as he did so. His eyes made it adamant to break through his fighting stance and see the very core principle of one''s battle style.


    After cracking it down, it would be child''s play from there but for now. He increased his force, using his sword infused with aura to strike back at Timon.


    The powerful force of their constant collision cases ripples through the air, vibrations cascading down to the ground as the intensity escalates quickly.


    Their movements were a blur, quick and precise, leaving not a single opening for the other to exploit. But when situations like that occur, you should create one yourself.


    Raph suddenly took a step forward, his sword an extension of his arm as he swung it from the right, horizontally into the air to create a sudden clang noise.


    He strengthened his arm, increasing the force of his next attack by imbuing more aura within him.


    His body suddenly tensed as he slammed his sword from the left, a sudden ripple pushing Timon in the process.


    A shocked gasp escaped Timon as their swords suddenly clashed again, his body fencing up as a wave of shock was sent through his very bones.


    ''Shit!'' he couldn''t afford to stop, because if he did, he would be leaving himself wide open, and that would cause issues for him.


    Sadly, Raph was adamant about doing that very same thing. His double-blade katana was a blue blur, swinging with such grace and accuracy as a Swordmaster as he suddenly pulled the hilt upwards from the ground.


    The sudden movement caused a recoil on Timon as their swords clashed, his great Sword sent in the air with his arms unable to handle the weight of the counter strike.


    Timon groaned, his mind preparing for what was to come but at the same time as Raph''s sword had clashed with his, he had let it go, clenching his right fist while his sword remained in the air. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    With a slight groan, he threw his fist forward and slammed it against Timon''s armour, sending waves of pain through the man''s body as an air force imploded behind the man''s body.


    He was suddenly swept off his feet and sent away due to the force of the strike.


    His body skidded down the ground and collided with the rubbles before slamming into an incomplete building.


    At that moment, purple hands of gravity extended towards Raph in a frenzy, increasing in numbers as he grabbed his sword before it could fall, and parried them away with a strike of his sword.


    He jumped out of the way, skidding across the icy floor by extending ice on the floor as the arms chased after him.


    ''Oh?'' He thought, his gaze fixed on the remaining boulder, floating over his head.


    "Interesting".


    The boulder pierced through the air, ripples of energy exuding from the bottom as it descended like a guillotine.


    It crashed into the ground, a powerful wave of energy exuding from the collision, pushing the remaining standing buildings from their roots.


    Sand and dust arose in the air, while the sound of rocks shattering and breaking projected across the sky, a testament to the brutality of the fight.


    Standing meters away from the risen dust, Neuj panted heavily, his body weary from the constant spells and skills.


    ''This....this should have done Some damage. He isn''t wearing armour like Timon so he should be in a worse state than Timon ever would''.


    He thought, but he was soon proven wrong.


    Tongues of flames ignited within the dust, increasing in mass and intensity as a strong wind drove the dust into oblivion, revealing Raph standing atop the mass of rocks.


    His sword held firmly in his right hand, a concentrated blue aura emerging from It and balls of flames floating around him.


    He looked spotless, though sand and dirt were found on his body, other than that, he was perfectly fine.


    Below him was Timon, unconscious from receiving the brunt of the attack and at Raph''s mercy.


    Neuj''s gaze darkened, his thoughts clouded by the sight.


    "Hah...Hah! Hah! Magic? What the heck, Raffaelo! How can you be this skilled?!" he muttered, his gaze growing in intensity.


    His plans, ambitions, and goals are to claim all the women within Border Town and nearby cities. His ambitions of making Ziza his, the over grown urge to grab every woman from her Guild.


    All of it came crashing down at the sight of this boy, this knight, this Blind Swordsman.


    "Why??!" he muttered. "Why??!"


    Raph raised a brow, his gaze clueless as to what he was referring to, though the results of the battle had been made clear from this moment.


    Timon was out of the battle, and Neuj was left. He wasn''t going to let him escape like he did with a few others, so with that in mind, he gripped the hilt of his sword.


    His gaze first landed on Timon, a subtle smile exuding from his lips. "I apologize Timon, for this cowardly act".


    He stabbed his sword through the man''s chest.


    "Glacier Spire".


    A gust of wind invaded Timon''s body, exploding into pillars of ice and ripping his body apart.


    His gaze shifted slightly and flicked towards Neuj.


    "Well, any last words?"

 Chapter 259- Raph Vs Neuj and Timon 3

    While the fight went underway between Raph, Timon and Neuj, another fight took place somewhere else.


    Well, not exactly a fight, but a simple feud that could lead to one.


    Ziza was currently floating above the remaining two members of the pillars, Safara Desert and Elias Sai.


    A tense silence ensued between them as her question hung in the air.


    "Well, what shall it be?" she asked, her question tugging them both from their thoughts.


    Safara sighed. "I have no intentions of staying in the border town, nor do I have the intentions of being amongst the five pillars".


    "You''re stepping down? Why?" Ziza asked, curiosity etched in her tone.


    Safara scratched the back of her head, the image of plum playing on her mind.


    "There seems to be a better fate for me, but that isn''t here. I already talked with the blind swordsman before he asked me to come here.....I will go with them to the Kingdom"


    Ziza''s brows furrowed deeply, confusion etched in her expression, though she was satisfied with her reply.


    Her plan was to become the sole ruler of the Border Town and fix it up to what it used to once be. It didn''t matter whether the others chose to leave, stay quiet, or die, but she had to ensure they didn''t lose a threat to them later on.


    "I don''t get it...but if this is something you have spoken to the Blind Swordsman, then so be it".


    She instructed, a sigh escaping her lips.


    "Yes, I''ve already instructed my subordinates on what to do. They shall be coming with us".


    Safara explained. ''Plum will be fighting for the throne from his tyrannical father, he needs all the help we can give him....''


    She could tell the Cat guild wasn''t just being helped by Raph, and her certainty was confirmed when she realized Raph''s true strength.


    He was strong enough to claim the Cat guild if he wanted to, but he didn''t.


    ''They must have struck a deal''. She concluded, a sigh escaping her lips as she did so.


    "Fine..." she flipped her finger, sending Safara away from her space, and turned to the last remaining member. "....Well?"


    Elias Sai found himself in a deadlock, an uncomfortable one at that but he wasn''t about to just let things go their way.


    "Amitabha, why are you doing this, Ziza? We are old comrades, friends from the same neighbourhood"


    "And that''s why I''m giving you an option. I didn''t give Neuj or Timon any of that. I hope you will be grateful for my generosity".


    Elias chuckled, his hands clasped together as they glanced at each other. A tense silence ensued between them, adrenaline coursing through their bodies in anticipation.


    "I do not wish to antagonise you or your clan, but you will need the watchers. We have recorded our history for many generations; we know what the true Border Town should be like".


    A scowl creased her brows as she stared at him. For some reason, Elias had always rubbed her off the wrong way. Maybe it was because he acted so pacifistic, almost like he was instructed to do so.


    None of his ambitions carried weight, and he was a system user who had reached level 100 like her.


    It made no sense to her, something was amiss in his story, but she just couldn''t tell.


    "I have never trusted you, Elias...and I will continue to do so".


    She stretched her arms across her chest, forming an x-shape with them as her gaze flickered with a malevolent hue.


    "You know, Timon, you act like a cockroach".


    Timon''s expression hardened, his fists gripping tightly and his lips bit down.


    "I refuse to die meaninglessly".


    "Oh....is that so". Raph''s sword suddenly exploded in a warm pool of concentrated aura, his power charging at his command.


    "Want to find out if you''ll die meaningfully?". He asked, his tone laced with authority. "Give it up and die by my sword. Don''t make things hard for yourselves, after all, the both of you are out of energy".


    It wasn''t just him bluffing, his eyes could see it.


    Not just the system status, but their energy pool.


    System users have mana circles around their hearts, and each continues their mana pool.


    ''They''ve almost run out of It''. He thought but he was still filled with it, both in fact and he had not even used resonance.


    ''They are no match for me....I''ve gotten stronger''.


    He was facing two 100 levels at the same time, but yet he wasn''t exerting himself as much as he did when he fought against Dugu Jafar.


    ''This is progress''.


    "We may not have energy but we''re still leaders. It would be a shame to die without even trying hard enough".


    "I see, well put up all the acts you want". He swung his blade through the air, and a cold crescent arc formed in its path. "I shall end you both".


    Energy warped around him as he suddenly appeared in front of Neuj, a sudden thrust of power exploding around him as he grabbed the man by his neck.


    "Shit!". Timon sent his sword flying down with brutal strength, his veins showcasing the bruteness of his attack, and his expression devoid of all lingering rage.


    His sword was suddenly slammed away by a stronger force, Raph''s sword spinning in the air as he rotated his body across the icy ground, slamming Neuj into the ground, a sudden groan escaping his lips. He then slammed his sword against Timon''s, a powerful force imbued in it that sent Timon flying back.


    "What change does it bring if you''re alive again? I''ll simply cut you down once more!"


    He charged forward, Neuj in his grasp and his sword hungry for blood.


    Timon skidded across the ground; his gaze ensued with golden light.


    "Master skill; Gladiator Body!"


    His body was filled with golden energy that suddenly erupted in size, forming two giant arms in the way, which stretched themselves across the air.


    The giant arms, large as pillars, slammed their first together and pulled themselves down towards Raph, a ripple of energy and wave exuding at the bottom.


    "Oh?" Raph muttered, stomping his feet on the ground as ice crept up around him.


    "Everything is Ice". He said with a smirk drawn across his lips. "Glacier Spire!".


    Cold energy exuded throughout the ground, growing in intensity until it suddenly exploded in the skies, forming tall ice spikes and snow mounts that stopped the arm from coming down.


    A sudden explosion occurred, wind drafts exuding from the collision as ice spikes and snow fell to the ground from the impact.


    A startled laugh escaped Raph''s lips, his gaze exuding a cold hue.


    "You can do better than that!"

 Chapter 260- Timon of a 100 men

    Back in the day, Timon was known for many things. A tyrant, a thief, a fake knight, but all of those came to nothing to his Nickname once he got his Transcendent Skill.


    Timon of a hundred men. A man said to possess the strength of a hundred men. Of course, this was boosted at least thrice by his strongest Master Skill, Gladiator Aura.


    A boost skill that increases his overall physical abilities by at least three of its original.


    He was a powerful man, a strong-willed individual with a goal, though....he stumbled upon ice. Not just any ice, the Sword Ice King.


    Neuj suddenly sprung up, his neck still clasped in Raph''s grasp with his hands stretched forward.


    "Transcendent Skill! GRAVITY TRIUMPH!"


    An unparalleled force of gravity descended upon Raph like a mountain as a sudden yelp escaped his lips.


    The ground shook and trembled, sand digging a sinkhole in itself as Raph was pulled to his knees with a magnetic thud.


    "Timon! Now!"


    The sudden adrenaline infused Neuj screamed out at the top of his lungs and Timon smashed his way through the debris, a scream erupting from the top of his lungs as the sand trembled to his decree


    In the span of a second, Timon''s, a hundred of them in his likelihood and image, jumped out from the sand, their war screams sending shivers through the skies as they charged forward in unison.


    "Kill the Blind Swordsman!"


    "Kill!!!" they chorused, their feet stumping the icy ground into oblivion as they rushed towards Raph, stuck under the influence of the gravity force.


    ''Interesting!'' Raph screamed out within him. ''Let''s get up a notch then! RESONANCE!''


    Within his body were the aura stars and the mana circles, vibrating and spinning to his skilful control as new-found energy was poured into his veins.


    The power surged from within before exploding out of him in a whisk of blue energy, pulsating with his strength.


    The gravity alleviated causing him to stand on one knee.


    By now, the crowd of Timon''s infused in golden energy had gotten to him, their screams filling the skies as they jumped towards him, ignoring the plight of the gravity force.


    Neuj was forced under the weight of it all, watching as heaps of human bodies laid themselves atop one another, their fists stretched out for blood with a rushed glee.


    ''It''s over, Raffaelo Jun'' he thought, when a bizarre cold suddenly swept him into shock.


    He breathed out slightly, his eyes dilated as he glanced at Raph in shock, the sickening cold creeping up his body like cancer.


    It felt like his very organs were being frozen to dust grounding from the pressure within, and it was made evident from the blood that oozes out from his orifice.


    It was then he heard it, Raph''s final words to them.


    "Everything is Ice.....Absolute Zero".


    A gust of ice surged out of Raph like a tsunami, permeating through the unsuspecting skins of the humans around him. It spread like a thick fog and moved like cancer, rushing around him in a frantic effort to reach an absolute freeze.


    Everything was forced to a stop, their bodies cracking to the intensity of the cold as they were turned to ice, frozen in place by Raph''s command.


    This occurred in seconds, consuming the loud cries of Timon and the protests of Neuj, leaving a cold, malevolent silence in its wake.


    "Yes, my Lord".


    "Enough of the Lord"


    Ziza remained silent for a moment, but a smile soon formed on my lips. "As you wish, Raffaelo".


    "Just Raph is fine. Also, I''ve helped my end of the bargain....I expect the same".


    "Of course, the cat guild with all its subordinates are now under your command".


    Raph raised a brow at her statement. "You''re....giving your clan to me? And your subordinates...?" He asked. Their initial goal was for them to help them in place, but it seemed like Ziza had other plans.


    "I assume Safara wishes to follow you back. I may not know why, but I think having a member of the twelve households as our Head would be beneficial for us" she replied.


    Raph stared at her blankly, an amused laugh escaping his lips. "So be it. I will need your help when the time comes". He walked up to the portal next to Ziza. "I assume you will begin the cleanup?"


    They had made a mess of the town after their battle, after all.


    "Of course".


    "Well then, I''ll leave you to it. Let Elsie know I''m in our room, resting...." He said before stopping at the portal. "We leave first thing in the morning. We have overstayed our welcome, long enough".


    "Yes, My L-Raph". She muttered, bowing slightly.


    Raph scoffed, walking through her portal before it disappeared.


    Ziza had already set the coordinates so he would arrive in his room,


    With the disappearance of the portal, Ziza glanced up, a fog of darkness rising in the air in the distance.


    She recognized it as Elsie''s darkness ability.


    ''It seems like she recently unlocked her abilities....we were lucky to have them this time, we must keep in touch''.


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    Just as how we have influential connections in high society, they have powerful figures. Having powerful allies with prominent names, even amongst high nobles, would be a boost to their prestige....directly or indirectly.


    ''It wouldn''t hurt to stick with them for a while''.


    Just then, two figures rushed up to her, their laboured breathing, a testament to the battle they were going through.


    "What is it, Merthy, Cartwyn?" she asked as they dropped on one knee in her presence.


    "The Calla Lily has been subdued, though the numbers seem to be giving us issues. Some of them are insistent on resisting us".


    Ziza sighed, her gaze lingering in the sky. "Despite Neuj''s bizarre goal, he was genuinely a good man who showed love and care for those women".


    She said, her gaze slowly easing up.


    "They will continue to resist, so let me come along. We''ll have to physically subdue them whether they like it or not".


    She walked past them, the two girls standing soon after and walking after her.


    "Let''s clean this all up and have a good after-party when we''re done".

 Chapter 261- Celebration and Kisses

    The brilliant skies had turned pitch black with the luminescence of the moon serving as its only source of light.


    Across the expanse of the skies was a blue and dark hue, cascaded within it, like a canvas of art, hand-written with such magnificence that it left a lasting impression on all those who looked up at it.


    It was a splendour of the night, glowing an ethereal aqua-blue on the sandy plains of the desert.


    While the skies were filled with colour, the border town was filled with life.


    The people who were once hidden and restricted themselves were out in the open, mingling with one another.


    The streets were filled with oil lamps and the buildings were livelier than they had ever been before.


    The Five Pillars had come to its downfall on this day, and only one body remained to fix up the broken city of Border Town. That was the Cat Guild, in partnership with their urban legend, the Blind Swordsman.


    Many sang his name on the streets, conversations that were restricted to themselves left out in the open without prior consequences.


    The Rugged Coin had instilled fear in them, to the point that they were hardly ever out in the open in the night.


    During the day though, most went about their activities. From the far South, north, west and east, there was a subtle celebration in the air.


    Of course, some feared the rule of the cat guild, anticipating their tyranny but many argued them wrong.


    The Cat Guild had never once showcased hostility to the people, but the Rugged Coin had instilled fear; the Calla Lily provided a safe haven for women, but what of the men? The Drifting Wheels Gang had been tyrannical with their actions, taking resources by force and the Watchers.....did nothing. The people weren''t even aware of their identity, and they still weren''t.


    No one really knew how bad living conditions had become thanks to their constant pull for power and resources.


    It was like their land had been stripped from what it once was. No one cared or tried to make right of it until the Blind Swordsman showed up.


    So why wouldn''t the people celebrate their liberation, their freedom from the constant struggles of the Five Pillars?


    Oftentimes, fixing a dying issue with an economy involves baby steps and controlling the power that rules over their land is one of those.


    They needn''t someone with not just the same mind and experience, but leadership qualities as well.


    So while the people celebrated on the streets, their merry voices carried in the air, the Cat Guild gathered its members.


    A merry tune played in the background as Harry cheered with his comrades, serving jugs of beer one after the other.


    The sounds of loud laughter and conversations pierced the air. Men and women alike interact in a cheerful game of celebration.


    A table was set apart from the others, there Ziza, Raph, Elsie, Merthy and a man with glasses sat. Meals are set on their tables, and jugs of alcohol are placed next to them.


    Elsie was having the time of her life, stuffing her face with beef. One after the other, she showed it down like a wild beast.@@@@


    The others gathered on the table though, were more concerned with something else.


    "Neuj was selling his girls?" Raph asked, his tone laced with confusion and shock.


    Ziza sighed, her gaze shifting towards Merthy.


    "Yes, we found different files and records of his previous transactions. I guess not Everyone is as they seem".


    "What''s peculiar is his secrecy. Most of his members weren''t aware of it until now. It seems like he hid it well...I only wonder what Rafi thought". Merthy said with a sigh.


    "How about the other one? Sora and the two subordinates of Timon?" Raph asked and he took a sip from the alcohol, the lingering taste causing a small discomfort. He dropped it down and picked up the glass of water instead.


    "We captured all of them. Sora gave in, and we were able to get some information out of her. It seemed like Neuj wanted to capture all women within the border town..." the man with glasses replied, his cool gaze fixed on Raph the whole time. "...but the other two? They didn''t give in so we had to...end them".


    Raph glanced at him and raised a brow.


    "And you are.....?" he asked.


    "Burly, Merthy''s elder brother".


    "I respect you, boss". She said with a bright smile.


    Raph laughed out loud in reply. "Don''t worry about it, and use it to help the town. I like what you''re doing, and I''m a part of this whether I want to or not.


    I just hope you do this right".


    Ziza dropped the sack of a ridiculous amount of gold coins and nodded her head.


    "Do not worry, Lo"-"Raph, we shall not waste your efforts".


    Raph laughed at her reaction, resuming his meal as the celebration continued.


    The sounds of cheers, conversations, laughter and drunken singing are portrayed through the air.


    He felt a vibrant atmosphere from the once quiet tavern. A small smile spread across his face.


    ''This....this is nice too''.


    ****


    And so, the celebration came to an end, but fortunately or unfortunately.....depending on how you look at it, Raph had found himself in an unfamiliar spot.


    The sound of groaning echoed as a door was suddenly kicked open, revealing Elsie and Raph, who were nearly unconscious. He was assisted inside with Elsie''s help, until she laid him on the bed, a slight grunt escaping her lips as she did so.


    "Whew...you really can''t hold your liquor".


    She commented as she attempted to walk away. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Before this, Raph was eventually made to drink in the heat of the celebration, something that was very likely to occur.


    Of course, unfortunately for him, he got drunker than expected and was now forced to go to bed early despite the celebration still ongoing.


    Elsie was just about to resume her large portion of premium beef, given to her when she suddenly whimpered as Raph grabbed her tail.


    A cold shiver ran down her spine and her cheeks grew bright red as she turned around.


    ''Oh...he''s still sleeping''.


    She stared at his face for a while before a small sigh escaped her lips. "Just this one time". She muttered as she slowly pulled her two from.his grasp and walked up to him.


    She sat next to him on the bed, her fingers slowly stretching towards his face.


    ''We didn''t get the chance to talk after what happened''.


    She could still remember vividly how she clashed against Raph''s energy and subdued the ice that had begun to harm him.


    It was an unexpected occurrence, but she was glad she mastered her darkness attribute at the same time.


    She traced his lips gently, and the contour of his face, a warm sensation spreading within her chest.


    ''....he''s so handsome''.


    She thought when she lowered her face towards his till the tip of their noses touched. She continued to trace his lips, her breath quickening and the warm sensation spreading through her chest rampantly, flickering with intensity.


    She planted her lips on his, her eyes closed when Raph''s eyes suddenly opened.


    He glanced down at her, his brain foggy with information and suddenly spun around, a startled whimper escaping Elsie''s lips as he did so.


    Now she lay underneath him, his warm gaze fixed on her.


    "Raph, I''m so¨C


    She was cut off by a sudden and locked kiss from Raph.

 Chapter 262- Celebrations and Kisses 2

    "Hmmm~" Elsie felt a thrill run down her body, crawling on her skin in an unfamiliar, yet comfortable sensation.


    She placed her hands on Raph''s chest, pushing him away, her raspy breath echoing within the walls of the room while her lips glistened red and swollen.


    "Wh¨CWhat do you think you''re doing? Snap out of it! You''re drunk" She muttered, her gaze growing queasy.


    Raph stared at her, his expression unreadable, except the lust hidden beneath his eyes.


    He suddenly lowered himself, despite Elise''s protest and clasped their lips again.


    "RaMfff~"


    Her hands were going limb, as she attempted to protest again, pushing him as firmly as she could, but he wasn''t moving.


    ''Huh? How strong is he?! I''m using my werewolf strength right now!'' she thought, when Raph pulled upwards, giving her another moment of respite.


    Their gazes locked on one another, untold feelings swirling within them as unrecognizable sensations roamed within them, though it felt too short-lived. They wanted more¨CNo¨Cneeded more.


    "Raph....Please".


    Despite the longing she held back within her gaze, she attempted to make sense of what little rationality they had left.


    He was drunk, a situation that shouldn''t have occurred as he was a master, but this was his first drinking, in both lives.


    Spending most of his time in the war, he was restricted to certain celebrations and that was drinking. He had reached the tenth star in the battlefield at the age of twenty-three and the Master rank at the age of twenty.


    Sent to war immediately after he was found to have reached the Master rank, he never got the chance to drink wholeheartedly and master the art of drinking without getting drunk.....or so it seemed.


    ''He wouldn''t approve normally....I don''t want him to wake up and feel bad about this''.


    Contrary to Elise''s refutation, her wolf, deep within her, was screaming at her, urging her to get done with it.


    Raph was her Mate, not something self-proclaimed but a feeling a werewolf gets on seeing their future partner for the first time.


    Many find theirs at just the right time, a few earlier on and a minor number, a lot later than others.


    It varied, and she was the first to find a human as a mate. It confused her at first, but with time, after entering the Academy, that confusion was soon lost.


    ''No...even before that....at the time he saved me, I had always wanted that''.


    Her gaze had grown foggy with the heat of the moment, her breath raspy as her gaze was fixed on Raph. She fought back the urge continuously and persistently. She was ready to offer herself, right there and then.


    ''But not like this....''


    A sigh escaped Raph''s lips, as he held out her arm and pulled it towards his face.


    His sudden action caught Elsie by surprise, as her mouth was left hanging.


    "You''re....You''re sober?" She asked.


    A small smile spread on Raph''s face as he lowered his body to hers, their face meeting each other, yet again.


    "What do you think?".


    His voice sent a shiver down her spine, the heat growing within her abdomen exploding. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, pulling him to her warmth as they locked lips yet again.


    Burly and Merthy nodded in agreement, while Harry smirked at their responses.


    "Either way, the problem remains the Calla Lily¨CI mean, the former members of the Calla Lily. Their trust in Neuj Rakarf seems nearly unbreakable".


    Burly said with a sigh, folding his hands.


    "We should use the one known as Sora. She would be our representative for them and guide them ... They will follow our orders through her....if you do not wish to use a bind contract, that is".


    "Yes, we had the same thought....it would be slow, but we can be sure there wouldn''t be a form of rebellion if we let them come to us on their own"


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    Merthy nodded, a sigh exuding from her lips. "It will also boost their morale if we get those missing girls back.


    It wasn''t worthy of note to most of them, but a few did notice the bizarre nature of it. They wish to get to the bottom of it as well".


    "True...".


    A brief silence followed after, Ziza slowly standing up from the table.


    "I guess we are done then. We''ll discuss our future plans on another day but for now"


    She looked around the tavern, a sly smile on her face.


    "We should prepare the clean-up and the foundations of our plan".


    "Yes, Mac and I will get Sora to join us....she is someone I am willing to use a Bind Contract on"


    Burly said, glancing at his comrade next to him.


    Mac Allizer nodded in satisfaction.


    "Then, it shall be so. I trust your judgement so make sure it goes well. As for Merthy...and the others"


    Ziza turned to the others gathered.


    "Prepare yourselves. You will be taken to the Training Zone immediately after sending off Raoh and the others. We can not tolerate weakness at this crucial moment".


    "Yes, Guild Master" They chorused.


    "You are dismissed".


    With her statement, the group of five stood up, goals hung in the air tightly as a future within their grasp was prepared to be grabbed.


    ****


    And so, morning came, and with it, the ambient rays of the sun, with its warm splendour and crimson hue.


    The vast skies were cascaded with the tranquil cloud of the day, while a bizarre pattern of blue and black intertwining with each other hung at the far corner of Border Town.


    It told tales of a love that had blossomed, a harmony soon to be achieved.


    While the people began their morning calls, the members of the Cat Guild and the Rugged Coin were gathered in the free zone.


    Once the free zone, was now a memorable location, the place where the liberation of the Border Town had occurred. The sight where two of the Pillars lost their leaders, whether they were good people or bad didn''t matter, but the fact remained that the future of the Border Town was looking a little brighter.

 Chapter 263- Sendforth

    As the sun''s rays cascaded through the blanket of the sky, a warm hue spread down on the earth, and with it, a warmth of semblance.


    The assembly of people gathered in the Free Zone had a neutral expression, while five of them were gathered in the epicenter of the mass of people.


    Raph and Elsie were in new attires, with Raph putting on black trousers, white sleeves, and black boots and Elsie on Jean shorts, a black crop top, and black high boots. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and her skin had never been as clear as it was at this moment.


    Ziza, Safara, and Plum were the others gathered; the tension hung firmly in the air.


    Ziza glanced at Raph and Elsie, a knowing expression written on her face as her gaze met Raph''s. A smirk formed on her lips.


    ''Oh...must be nice to be young''.


    "This is where we say goodbye, to our saviour, the Blind Swordsman". Ziza said, her tone laced with authority as it echoed in the skies.


    "Well, this may not be much for a send-forth ceremony, but we, the Cat Guild, will serve and welcome you at any time."


    Raph nodded his head, stretching his hand towards her.


    "No need for all the formalities, Ziza. Your decision to join me will not be for nought".


    They shook hands, a silent promise within their grasp and a turbulent future that brewed in wait for them.


    Their loyalty will be tested, and so will Raph''s resolve, but overcoming all this will be a tale to tell.


    Ziza turned to Elsie and bowed curtly, the girl returning her action with a smile.@@@@


    "See you around, Ziza". Elsie said with a giggle as Raph turned to Plum and Safara.


    "Are you ready? Your future is riddled with enemies and obstacles, but your allies are with you. This journey is your first of many.....are you ready to grab it all, once again?"


    He asked, a sigh escaping his lips as he did so.


    A flash of memory of the promise with Meadow came up in his mind, and so did the journey it took to get here.


    Two weeks? Three? He couldn''t tell, but he had spent quite a while here, trying to bide his time just to find a forgotten Prince that was very alive.


    Banished from the kingdom at an early age, Raph was certain of the perilous journey he had undergone just to get here, but for some reason, he was certain that Plum was more sure of his goals than he ever was in the past.


    His gaze landed on Safara and the Rugged Coin Clan, now called the 1st Plum Battalion.


    ''This is all thanks to Safara and the Clan....who could have thought a back alley Battle mage and her group of hippy men would change the mind of royalty''.


    He didn''t know what she said that convinced him, or if his talk with them had a hand in it at all, but he for sure could tell that they had the same resolve.


    ''....and the same goal''.


    Plum smiled, his golden hair cascading down with the sunlight.


    "Don''t be ridiculous, Raph. This was a destiny I could never run from".


    But that was where he was wrong, and Raph was certain of it.


    ''The Forgotten Prince, Prince Plum was killed in my past life....Either that...or he remained here, with the Rugged Coin''. He thought, but that only meant that Plum had suffered the same fate as the people of Border Town. Complete annihilation from the Demon Gates.


    "Mass Summon"


    The hum suddenly went silent, shutting down on itself as the people intended, disappearing into the air, a white streak of light piercing the skies as it did so.


    A few seconds passed and Ziza finally landed, her team members surrounding her as they did so.


    ''Good luck''. She thought before turning around and walking away with her Clan member.


    There was a lot that had been done, but many more were left incomplete.


    ****


    Like the clock wheel of time, the sunny sky had once again turned dark, only this time, it carried an ominous hue.


    Of course, the people of Border Town had long gotten used to it. They were out and about as usual, and signs of construction could be seen here and there.


    The women, or at least a few of them that had agreed to comply were also seen mingling about with others. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Though, it was far from normal, it was at least close to it.


    Despite these many changes, there were still some people who protested against it; well, they were brought down easily, but was it all of them?


    A man in a dark cloak walked down the busy streets of the Northern part of the Border Town.


    This used to be the harshest part, but life was brought to these people once again, not something this individual particularly liked. But he wasn''t bothered.


    His figure was hard to miss, being large and fully covered with a black cloak from head to toe, but he seemed nearly invincible to the people of the town.


    They walked past him like he was a ghost, and he complied by minding his business.


    His heavy footsteps walked through a clearing, before entering an alleyway between two incomplete buildings.


    There, he stopped after stepping on some vicious, thick liquid.


    "Oh, Elias, she did you dirty this time".


    His voice was a deep, harsh timbre, reverberating with the walls of the building.


    He stepped back, pulling his right hand out and grabbing a dagger from his cloak.


    The dagger had a pattern, a written inscription of death and demon on its red blade, and a pulsating eyeball on the hilt.


    "The Red Peacemakers still need you". He said, stabbing the Sword into his burly hand and pulling the blade down his arm.


    Blood splurged out of it like a waterfall, rushing down to the mix of flesh and blood on the sandy ground.


    It flowed into the liquid, a pulsating energy spreading through it.


    "The Crimson Lord still wishes for your service, Grant the Lord his praises, Elias".


    The pulsating energy began to float in the air, and with it, the viscous liquid took the shape of a human figure. A painful groan escaped it as its body took form, reshaping into the man known as Elias.


    "Glory be to the Crimson Lord".


    [END OF VOLUME 2- DARKNESS AND ICE]

 Chapter 264- Back in the Academy

    DING! DING!! DING!!! DING!!!!


    A pupil of pure whiteness suddenly snapped alive, his body jerking up as he summoned his sword in his grasp while his energy suddenly exploded out of his body.


    "Damn it! RAPH!"


    "Grow out of it already, you crazy bastard!"


    "I knew it was too quiet to be true".


    The familiar sounds of his chirpy neighbours snapped him back to reality.


    ''Hah shit....I forgot about this''. Raph thought as a sigh escaped his lips.


    "Sorry guys". He called out as he withdrew his energy and sword.


    ''How long has it been''. He thought as he looked up at the clock.


    They were teleported to the Capital just a day ago and he and Elsie had to make their way quickly to school through the Portal Transport.


    They had to spend the whole day in their hostels until now.


    ''But I guess...we''ve officially resumed the Academy''.


    He nodded in satisfaction as he went about his morning activities.


    He added some light stretches, had his bath, brushed his teeth, put on his Academy uniform and was ready in the next thirty minutes.


    With a melodic whistle, he headed out the door, opening it to find two familiar-looking boys standing beside him.


    "See, I told you that energy felt familiar". Darrell said with a sigh while Jane had a particularly interesting expression.


    Shock was written on it, but more than that, there was relief.


    "You bastard!" Jane screamed out and grabbed him by his collar. "How dare you?! Where the fuck have you been for the past two and a half weeks?!"


    His rage was palpable, but what was more, was the relief and unrelinquished pain.


    "Jane, Jane...be calm, you''re not the one that swears. I am". Darrell said with a slight chuckle as he appeased the boy by gently stroking his back.


    "You....you have any idea?! Huh?! How dare you?!"


    Jane''s voice became a whisper to what it once was as he rested his head on Raph''s chest, the past few week''s experience playing in his head.


    Raph watched them carefully, amusement laced in his expression.


    ''Well, they got closer''.


    He thought as he tapped Jane on his head and pulled his hands away.


    "Never touch me like that again," he said, his expression calm and his voice steady.


    He walked past them, waving his hands forward.


    "Let''s go".


    Jane and Darrell stared at each other, their expressions slowly tensing up.


    "Miss when he was gone, yeah?"


    "Fuck yeah!"


    "I can hear you!" Raph said in protest, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as the two boys sighed and walked after him.


    "Did you get stronger?" Darrell asked about getting next to him, while Jane remained silent, his expression filled with discontent.


    "What do you mean? You can tell something like that?" Raph asked, his tone etched with curiosity as they got to the Door of the Hostel.


    There were curious stares and conversations from other students who had their gazes on the sight.


    A few of those were seated alone, pondering on it for a while. One of those was Sophia Arcanus.


    She sat at the opposite table of the usual table used by Raph and his niche and had been preparing herself for weeks to get close to him.


    But all that was suddenly brought to a halt when she realized he had left the Academy.


    ''I thought he was expelled or something, but here he is with that wolf girl like they''re dating''.


    She was having a piece of bread when the thought crossed her mind again. ''Are they? Well, it doesn''t matter. I don''t need a man weaker than me''.


    She thought and continued her meal, her gaze often times wandering off to the very boy she tried to shrug off. ''....well, I do need to get close to him anyways....'' She thought, a startled middle escaping her lips.


    ''...yeah, it''s for the cause of the Arcanus or whatever! Not for me''.


    She suddenly stumped her hands on the table, standing from the bench and startling the other students at the same table.


    She turned around with her food tray.


    ''....definitely not because I think he''s strong''. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    As a power-crazed gothic princess, she had always sought stronger opponents. After all, it was one of her few reasons for attending the Academy, but so far, the students had disappointed her.


    ''....well, all except Raph''.


    For some reason she couldn''t gauge his abilities, but this time, during this festival. She was hellbent on accomplishing her goals.


    Meanwhile, Raph had only just begun to eat his meal while ignoring the constant stares from his friends beside him.


    "Would you guys quit it"? He said with a slight displeasure in his tone.


    "It''s hard to when you''re....publicly displaying like that".


    Jane responded with a nonchalant tone while Darrell glared at the two as he ate.


    Ciara was seated at the edge, a book in hand and the other on a cup of tea while their newest member, Tiara, sat at the other edge.


    A slight blush on her cheeks as her gaze constantly flickered towards them.


    Louis and Mariam minded their business as well, but the occasional stared weren''t exempted from them.


    "Elsie, you really don''t have to do any of it. Did he force you? Cajole you? You can cry for help you know"


    Mariam said, her gaze lingering on Raph''s while Elsie seated gingerly on his lap, her mouth stuffed with her usual premium meat.


    She looked up, her smile widening.


    "I''m good".


    Mariam glanced at Raph, her displeasure palpable, but Raph couldn''t bring himself to care.


    After all, the consequences of their action had finally caught up to meet him.


    He turned around, his gaze landing on a familiar figure. Though, the figure wasn''t particularly pleased at the moment.


    A small smile formed on his lips as he sighed.


    "Hey, sisters". He muttered, the angered gazes of his two sisters landing on him like a laser pointer as they approached the group.


    ''I could feel them a mile away....'' he thought. In fact, his senses had sharpened by a long mile since he arrived.


    Rebecca and Thalia folded their hands as they stared at him, their displeasure only made palpable as they frowned.


    "Come with us, Raffaelo Jun and Elsie Darkpelt".


    Raph chuckled. ''...well, I''m back in the Academy alright''.

 Chapter 265- Council Club Room

    Raph and Elsie were led by Rebecca and Thalia out of the Cafeteria to the Academic Complex.


    Raph had a vague idea where they were being taken to, after all, it wasn''t the first time he had seen an occurrence like this.


    ''Though, all of it was in my past life and never really included me''.


    The Academy has the right to apprehend students who disobey Academic rules, and of course, that includes administering the punishment.


    ''but to be honest, for Elsie and I....this is more like a placated punishment''.


    If the Academy had called for him directly, then he was likely to face expulsion if his case didn''t make logical reasoning.


    Raph was lost in thought, a moment of silence suffused between the two until a thought crossed his mind.


    He turned to his side, his gaze lingering on Elsie and her sudden new hairstyle.


    ''She''s so cute...'' he muttered when memories of an unforgettable night replayed in his head.


    He turned away when she suddenly looked up at him, shaking his head to get the thought away.


    "What''s wrong?" She asked.


    "Your darkness attribute, you said it was a scary thing to use, and that''s why you choose to learn it. You seem to be enjoying every moment of using it now, though".


    A smile formed on Elsie''s face as she looked away, another moment of silence suffusing them.


    "Yeah, I really enjoyed our late night talking....I wish we could do it again..."


    After their event, they had a heartfelt conversation about their experiences, especially the sudden power-up.


    Elsie opened up to him about her past, her fears and her friends who abandoned her.


    ''Though, she seems adamant on believing it was the only choice they could make''.


    Raph thought with a smile on his face.


    ''....my girlfriend is kind and cute....and surprisingly wise when you come down to it''.


    It could be a contrast to her playful attitude towards Raph, but Elsie is the daughter of a chieftain, there was no telling what she was truly capable of.


    ''Well, I have all the time to figure that out''.


    Just then, Rebecca and Thalia suddenly stopped, causing the two students behind them to come to a halt as well.


    The two girls turned in unison, their gazes lingering on Raph for a moment too long.


    "What did you do?" Rebecca asked, her voice firm, but the curiosity had never before been as palpable as it was now.


    "Where did you go?" Thalia asked, adjusting her glasses.


    Both had a question that had been biting at them since a while ago, but they chose to leave it out, at least until they got to the bottom of it.


    Raph scratched the back of his head in an awkward silence.


    "The Border Town" He replied. "Didn''t Fiona tell you about me leaving? I came over to her Tower to get some... equipment".


    His sisters stared at him for a moment, turning around and continuing their walk.


    They had reached the 5th-year Lecture Building and headed inside.


    "You''re lucky we were able to take your case from the Lecturers," Thalia said with a sigh.


    Their expressions turned complicated. A tense silence suffused around them when a sigh escaped Rebecca''s lips.


    Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    "All this must have happened coincidentally, but I''m glad you forage something out of it".


    "Well, Yes....a few other things happened though".


    Raph sighed, releasing a bit of his energy at the same time.


    His sisters were left in shock, and Phestus was dismayed.


    "You''re a 9th star?!" Rebecca''s voice was a loud shriek, her surprise and excitement evident.


    His smile widened while Elsie giggled beside him.


    "Yeah".


    "What?! 9th star at fifteen! That''s incredible Raph!" Phestus muttered, his surprise palpable.


    This could be seen as an absurd record if it were to get out, but there was a reason why Raph had waited till now to show them.


    He didn''t want it to get out¨Cin fact, he didn''t need it to.


    It was already incredible that he reached this prowess at the age of fifteen, but they had to key in the fact that he was a Magic Swordsman. So he was basically a 9th-star Swordsman and an 8th Circle Mage.


    "Yeah, I reached this level of mastery after fighting against a Mountain Baby"


    The excitement immediately died down at this point, and now they were filled with surprise...and a different expression.


    Elsie, though, was getting a kick from their reaction, giggling silently beside Raph.


    "You fought what?!" Thalia raised her voice as she slammed her hands on the table between the chairs while she stood up. "Are you insane?"


    Rebecca sighed and face palmed herself while Phestus just remained silent.


    This was an amusing sight and a ridiculous conversation.


    "A mountain Baby? Of all the things....gracious gaia" Rebecca muttered, shifting her gaze away from Raph. "Gloria and Fiona will do the lecturing, I really don''t have the mental capacity for enough of your stunts".


    Raph had a wry smile written on his face, as he adjusted in his seat.


    ".....it..it wasn''t that bad".


    Thalia stared at him, bewilderment and exasperation fighting for victory within her.


    She fell down to her seat, a startled sigh escaping from her lips.


    "The festival will begin tomorrow. Let''s just decide your punishment and move on".


    "Tomorrow?!" Raph repeated. "But...it''s in the middle of the week".


    "We were supposed to start this Monday, but we kept pushing it because your class representative was absent". Rebecca explained.


    "If we had done any less then your position would have been compromised". Thalia clicked her tongue. "I''m guessing you decided to become a Class Prefect for a reason so don''t screw it"


    "Oh..." Raph muttered, arranging his thoughts in order. "I only have a few days to set the arrangements then?"


    "Don''t be too quick on your feet. There''s already an arrangement. The festival will last for the remaining period until the Semester Exams begin".


    "So three weeks?" Raph raised a brow. "That''s more than a month...why so long?". The average festival should have been at least a week.


    "It was an instruction from the staff" Phestus replied, adjusting his glasses as a foreboding sense of agreement suffused in the room. "I think it''s safe to assume the System Uprisers will be up to something".

 Chapter 266- Visitors

    The Western Kingdom Capital, Kingdom of Lumbrica was home to many. Humans and Demi-humans alike, with ancestral buildings and architecture, large eye-catching sceneries and bustling people going about their daily lives.


    As much as it was a simple yet sophisticated Kingdom, you could say it also possessed its own dark sides. Unfortunately, not every great nation can resolve world poverty,even within its own domain. But they can make it a tad bearable.


    It was on a sunny day like this when two individuals walked down the busy streets of a popular Market, Market Libertio, one of the few places to get your necessary items.


    Both were in a dark hooded cloak, but their faces weren''t hidden. In fact, they looked quite familiar.


    One of them was a man with a relaxed expression on his face. He had a relaxed smile and a rough goatee and mustache. His long sleek black hair formed a bang over his right aqua-blue eyes.


    The other was a female with dark, fierce eyes and a tired expression.


    Both had walked quite a long mile to get here, on an order that they questioned daily.


    "Nicho?" Mila called out with a tired whine in her voice. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she poured her lips.


    Nicho, the relaxed man glanced at her, his smile widened as a chuckle escaped his lips.


    "Don''t tell me you''re bored already, Mila my dear".


    "Hah, please! Why wouldn''t I?! We could have been on a vacation or training, but here we are, wasting our time on a children''s errand".


    Her reply was a testament to the disinterest she had in their mission.


    "It''s too late to go back now, and we were instructed by the Crimson Lord himself. It would have been a sacrilege to disobey one of the Apostles of Hades".


    Mila remained silent for a moment, her thoughts reeling in on the information before she sighed.


    Oftentimes, she would wonder about the purpose of the Red Peacemakers.


    She joined in because the thought of bringing world Peace was a suiting cause, but now, they were gradually turning into a cult that worships the Devils.


    "Forget I ever complained then".


    Her tone changed, causing another fit of laughter to escape Nicho''s lips.


    They continued their walk on the streets of the market, ignoring the screams of the women and customers haggling over the prices of foodstuffs and weapons.


    Stands and stalls stood at the side of the roads, while Cabins and carriages trailed along the road.


    "The Homeric Academy Festival Huh? Are the system uprisers even doing their job?"


    Mila muttered under her breath.


    Nicho sighed as he looked up.


    "We''re here to find out...and also to find the person that joined the Border Town".


    A tense silence ensued between them as their faces grew stern.


    "It''s comedic to think that man''s plans wouldn''t fall through. He must have been devastated at the fact that his direct subordinate was killed".


    "Yes, and by a Blind Swordsman no less".


    "How is it that we haven''t found them yet? The Crimson Lord is getting impatient. If any more obstacles get in the way of the Descent of his Devil King, we will have a lot to deal with".


    "Keep the change".


    He said before walking away.


    Mila remained still for a few seconds, winking at the man before Nicho pulled her away.


    "Do not fool around during this mission". He said with an exasperated sigh as they climbed up the stairs.


    "Is that what you should be worried about? He just said that people come to the Festival a lot. It seems like our little mission of helping the System Uprisers and finding the Blind Swordsman may be in jeopardy".


    "Hardly...." Nicho said in reply.


    They got to the second floor where he walked through the third hallway, where a label stating


    Room 40 to 50.


    Soon, he stopped in front of a door with room number 45.


    "More people were just added to the mix....it doesn''t matter who comes. We just need to achieve our goals and leave".


    "You say that now, but the unpredictability annoys you. We aren''t aware of who will be there or what kind of people they will be. Worse-case scenarios must be playing in your head"


    Mila said as she walked towards the bed, jumping onto it and turning around to get a glance at Nicho.


    "Let''s not fret the small stuff. The festival begins tomorrow and so does our operation. Let''s just focus on the task at hand".


    "It is as you said....though, it would be a fool''s idea to go there ourselves". Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Agreed. The false identities have already been taken care of by the 8th. Let''s just finish the plan and go over our usual activities. The preparations for the descent of the Devil King seem to have been quickened".


    "Yes, with the Border Town lost, there''s no telling what other village or town will gain freedom from our control. We will secure them before they''re taken away".


    A moment of silence descended in the room, the two partners receding to their thoughts.


    The loss of Border Town was one thing, but their Lord''s decision to let it be until they found the identity of the Blind Swordsman was another.


    ''What are your plans in all this, Crimson Lord?'' he thought with a sigh as he walked up to a chair and took a seat.


    He sighed, measuring their chances in his head on the few weeks they planned on spending.


    Mila clicked her tongue, startling Nicho from his thoughts.


    "We don''t have all the time in the world to think on our seats, Nicho. We''ll trust the Crimson Lord as we always had and take back Border Town when he deems it necessary...."


    She looked up at the ceiling, a smile forming from her lips.


    "Just as you said, this festival....may just be more exciting than I imagine".


    Nicho''s gaze remained fixed on Mila, an unknown emotion swirling within his eyes as he blinked it away.


    It was for a moment, but he was reminded of a forbidden feeling he had once killed off.


    He sighed, tension brewing within his heart.


    ''.....All things should go well....''


    Despite being core members of the Red Peacemakers, it was evident that these two were by far different from their doctrines, an attitude worth testing.

 Chapter 267- Returning to the Class

    Back in the Academy, Raph and Elsie walked quietly towards their Lecture Theatre. Both had retreated to their thoughts a while ago, contemplating what to say to the other.


    A Lot of things had changed while they were absent, between themselves and perhaps even with their class.


    Raph though, had already assumed the worst from the get-go.


    It was already a pain to find out that the System Uprisers may try something during the festival, but he may have to worry about the System users in his class.


    "Hey, Hubby?".


    He turned back, the frown on his face slowly easing up.


    "Yeah?"


    Elsie glanced downwards, her fingers fiddling with themselves.


    "Anyone is welcome to the festival, right?"


    "Well...yeah, but only during visiting hours. There are a few events that don''t require public involvement"


    "Well....that''s one way of saying it" she said as she sighed.


    Raoh raised a brow for a moment, turning his head towards their building on getting to it


    They walked out of the shade into the front of the building.


    "Are you worried they might come looking for you?"


    Elsie''s expression hardened at the thought.


    "I don''t think my dad knows where I am. In fact, I bet his position as Chieftain will make him unable to come after me".


    "I see..." Raph sighed. "You don''t need to worry about that for now, Elsie".


    He rubbed her head a little, his smile widening.


    "When you''re ready, you''ll naturally go back, and if you''re not and they end up coming, then you face them head-on".


    Elsie''s gaze glistened with the rays of the sun, her ruby pearls looking into Raph''s.


    She had once hesitated to open herself to anyone, especially humans, but after that day....things had changed.


    Her once longed obsession over her mate had been transformed into something else. Something....worth testing out.


    She nodded her head.


    "You''re right. I''ll just focus on my task during the whole Festival".


    She skidded into the Lecture hall, leaving Raph at the front door. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    He hesitated for a moment, steeling his resolve before walking in.


    Classes were usually postponed during the festival. Thus, this marked the last day they would be in class together.@@@@


    He had only One job, and that was to organize his classmates and brainstorm events their class would like to do.


    A simple task right? Or was it really? Children tend to be difficult at the most crucial times.


    Elsie walked into their class first and the sudden increase in the noise from before caught his attention.


    The girls seemed excited to see her again, after what seemed like a long time.


    Raoh though, sort of dreaded what was about to happen.


    With a nod, he walked into the room, the loud noises that echoed within the walls drowning down on his entrance.


    At the back, the Great families sat with excitement, partly because they knew the difficulty he was about to face, and partly because the Festival was sure to be fun with Raph in charge.


    "Good Morning Guys!" Raph announced, walking up to the podium where the Lecturer''s table stood.


    The next sound he heard was a loud click of the tongue and the sudden arrangement in the class.


    The girl yelped in startelement as she stood up, Jane following after with a sigh.


    Both walked down slowly, their gazes fixed on Raph.


    "We did come up with a snack stand, but that was taken by Class One Bronze, then there was the Maid cafe that one of us came up with..."


    "A maid cafe?" Raph repeated, an image of Elsie in a maid''s dress flashing in his thoughts.


    He shook his head. "Taken?" he asked.


    "Yes," Alicia replied as they got to the podium.


    "We also thought of a play, also arts display, warrior combat display, scare house....and pretty much all the common events".


    Raph sighed, rubbing his temples. "So you''re telling me they''ve all been taken...and we''re the only class that hasn''t come up with a class event?" he asked.


    They both nodded.


    "We also haven''t distributed the participants for the Academy events".


    Academy events were different from class events.


    Academy events were usually carried out by the Academy itself, featuring Mage Combat, Warriors Combat, Alchemy Showdown and many more interesting events.


    The current Academy Event consisted of seven, five of which were carried out within a class and The remaining two were carried out against other classes.


    Class Events, on the other hand, were more like showcases a class does for the Academy, an exciting time to show off their skill, imaginations or even the hot girls in class.


    It was the usual setting for a festival in a normal Non-magical Academy.


    "Hah.... What a mess".


    Alicia shrugged. "I did come up with a few things but they....weren''t accepted".


    Jane''s head snapped towards her, a look of disgust written all over his face.


    "A Yaoi Cafe is not acceptable anywhere, Damn it!"


    Raph raised a brow. "Yaoi?"


    The class began to laugh, ever so quietly, but that just picked up Raph''s interest more.


    "What''s that?" he asked.


    They turned towards him, Alicia fiddling with her fingers while Jane sighed in exasperation.


    "....you know..." he muttered, pulling the tip of his index finger from both hands towards each other.


    Raph raised a brow in confusion and Jane sighed.


    "You know...how...a child is made right?"


    Raph nodded. ''Obviously....I did it....a few days ago''. His gaze shifted towards Elsie, who was also staring at him after hearing Jane''s question.


    They suddenly turned away in unison, their embarrassment palpable.


    "Ye¨CYe¨CYeah, so what of it?"


    A few members of the class noticed it nearly instantaneously and their intrigue was pulled.


    One of those would be Meadow, who sat quietly between her two bodyguards.


    "Alright...so instead of...you know...the woman''s...."


    Raph found this comedic for a bit since a son of the Holy Family was literally using descriptions to explain....the forbidden act.


    His head snapped in realization when the tip of Jane''s two fingers were brought together again.


    His head whipped towards Alicia, a clear sign of disgust on his face.


    "Ewwwww!!!"

 Chapter 268- Class One Gold Plans for the Festival

    "It¨CIt''s not that bad! I think it''s innovative!" Alicia cried out in protest, but the gazes she received from the two males beside her had given her second thoughts on her statement.


    "She''s right! What''s wrong with a BL Cafe?! You guys want to see us in maid outfits so why can''t we?!"


    Zara Leadia, a friend of Canary, asked, stumping her hand on the desk as she stood up.


    "Huh? What bullshit reasoning is that? Men don''t do shit like that". Gregory said with a click of his tongue.


    "Are you trying to label Maid dressing as a woman thing? How dare you?!"


    "The fuck are you talking about?! Men don''t wear maid costumes, that''s for women".


    "Bullshit! Are you a fucking misogynist?!"


    "Where did that even come from? Stop throwing a fit like a jobless baby you fool"


    And just like that, the class had been riled up by a significant, uninteresting matter, causing unnecessary chaos and noise.


    ''What?'' Raph thought in amusement as the sudden argument brewed louder in the class. Specifically the boys against the girls on this subject matter.


    ''Why the fuck is this even up for debate?''.


    He thought, amusement laced in his eyes as he rubbed his temples.


    He glanced at Jane, who was staring at him with a smirk.


    "Welcome back to your hell of a class, Class Monitor". He said, his smile widening deviously.


    Raph chuckled, glancing at the class as they ruled themselves up.


    "Enough!" He called out, and the noise died down just by a little. He sighed, turning towards Jane and the class.


    He sighed, exuding a bit of aura before calling out again.


    "I said ENOUGH!"


    A sudden force overtook the air in the room, causing the students to jerk in startelement and turn their gazes to the sources.


    Their conversations were sealed tightly behind their lips as all attention had now been fixed on Raph.


    Jane''s gaze flickered in realization at the sight, and so did a few others.


    ''Aura Force? Is that what he used?'' he thought in amazement.


    It wasn''t a difficult thing to master once you''ve reached a certain stage, but reaching that certain stage was difficult.


    "Alright. This Yaoi Cafe, or BL Cafe, as some of you called it, will be ruled out. It will be inappropriate, and the scores given to us won''t amount to anything".


    It was then it struck the students. Their class event, whatever it was, depending on how many visitors it attracts will get a score.


    The score will be added to their midterm exams. It was a process added a few years ago because of the difficulty of the Homeric Academy Exams.@@@@


    "That''s true....then do you have any ideas, Raph?" Alicia asked, her hand on her chin as a disappointed gaze exuded from her face.


    Raph ignored it and continued. "I, in fact, have an idea".


    This was something he thought on the fly, but an art display and warrior battle display were both good, but they would generally attract different kinds of audiences. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire


    If they wanted to win, they needed to choose Mages with the most likeable or highest mastery.


    ''Of course....we have one of those in the class''.


    His gaze landed on Ciara, who had been paying attention to her book more so than the class.


    Jane caught his gaze drifting to her and tapped him.


    He shook his head slowly with a sigh, but Raph simply raised a brow at him.


    "Ciara" he classed out, and the girl looked up at him from her book.


    "You''re our most skilful mage. Why don''t you participate?" he asked.


    She stared at him, her gaze flickering before she suddenly stood up, walked down the stairs and exited the class.


    ''..what a character''. Raph thought with a sigh.


    "Alright then, let''s get back to work..... don''t forget. Also, you can only participate in two activities at most. So be sure of what of your choice".


    The raised hands didn''t seem to subside even after his warning, so he selected them himself.


    "Canary, Timothy, Yon, Jonny and Aurora. You five will be our team. Jonny and Timothy take the offence, Canary and Aurora, defence and Yon goal protector".


    It may have seemed like he selected at random, but with his new ability to see the status window of others, he had been able to gauge the abilities of his classmates.


    He wrote down their names under the title Mages Ball and went on to the next one.


    "Treasure Hunting...."


    This was another team event carried out with seven Players and a mix of classes as well.


    As the name suggests, it was a treasure hunt in a territorial space created by the Academy.


    It tests skills, teamwork and effort.


    "Any volunteers now?"


    Yet again, a good number of hands were raised in the air and he was made to select.


    "Zara, Sonia, Rana..."


    When he called the last name, Rana Lana had nearly stood up to protest, as her arm wasn''t up but Meadow had stopped her.


    Raph noticed it instantly, a sigh escaping his lips.


    "I''m not just selecting those whose hands are up. I think you would be a great help in a treasure hunt, Rana"


    Rana stared at him for a moment, her displeasure suppressed carefully well.


    "I will do as you''ve instructed, but this requires seven members. Who else would be in the team?" She asked.


    Raph glanced at his side, the two people in particular staring at him with a raised brow and curious gazes.


    "Alicia and Jane. You two will also be in the team".


    "Huh?" Jane asked, placing his right hand on Raph''s shoulder. "Why?"

 Chapter 269- Class One Gold Plans for the Festival 2

    "Just because. As I said before, it would be a great help; we can put you in another team...but I think you will do well here".


    Raph explained. ''They need a leader, and he''s perfect for the job. With Alicia''s help, he should be able to do well''.


    "Don''t forget we gain not just points but resources as well". He pushed his arm off his shoulder and turned to the class.


    His gaze landed on two more figures, whose hands weren''t up.


    "Jonny, I may have to bother you with this as well".


    The boy tilted his head in confusion but nodded slowly in reply, without having a word to say.


    "Then finally....you really don''t stand out".


    His gaze had landed at the other end of the class. The male student sat next to Ciara but was hardly ever active in the class.


    "Ban Xen, I''ll have to trouble you as well".


    The boy flinched in surprise, his hands shaky as he placed them on the table.


    His insides were gnawing at him to protest, but for some reason, he just couldn''t. He froze in place, his gaze shaky from the sensation of having his whole class looking at him and his thoughts on high noon.


    "I¨CI don''t think...." he whispered, unable to respond.


    Raph sighed, well aware of his personality, but he wasn''t about to let a talent like him go unnoticed.


    His gaze flickered at the screen over the boy''s head.


    ''Level 50 Moon Knight''.


    Raph wasn''t certain how hidden professions worked, but he had seen a variety of them throughout his journey in life, both in this life and in his past.


    There wasn''t a general concept behind it, but hidden requirements that were fulfilled without the individual knowing about it. A strong conviction plus experience gives them a personal profession to fit their desires.


    So far, he could group the Knight Profession into Elemental, Non-Elemental, Beasts and Celestial Hidden Professions.


    One of those Celestial professions was the Sun and Moon Knight.


    ''I don''t deny that the diversity of the profession makes system-users generally unique''.


    The same condition went for warriors, who were usually combatants that made use of weapons other than Swords or swordsmanship that wasn''t heavily fixated on the Knightly way. That doesn''t make a Knight a warrior though. In a general sense, all knights are warriors but not all warriors are knights.


    ''...a good example would be the barbaric fighting style''.


    Mages, too, were given different hidden professions.


    With a satisfied nod, he turned away. "If you have something to say to me, then come find me after class..."


    Raph said as he wrote down their names under treasure hunting.


    ''Might as well make him a member of D. E. S''


    "Now, let''s move to the next Event. Monster Hunting".


    This was practically one of the scariest for some and probably exciting for a lot more.


    For example, the young man who wrote his name first.


    Raph smiled as he turned away from the board, closing the marker while Jane gave him a side glance.


    He ignored it.


    "Alright, who else wants to join in the fun?"


    He asked, his tone laced with a bit of excitement.


    Luckily, Raph wasn''t exempted from participating in the events as punishment, likely because the Student Body had eased his punishment but Elsie was a different case.


    She had willingly decided to join the Security Committee and that in itself exempts her from participating.


    The hands that were up were more or less expected.


    "Javier, Sophie, Chicken, Dina, Rizzo and Darell".


    Those were the names he chose to join him in the Monster hunt.


    One of them though, he had chosen simply because it was her first time volunteering to join in, and what was more? Her stats were....interesting.


    ''Was her name Sophie? She''s stronger than she gives off....is she hiding her abilities as well?''.


    Other than that, there was something else wrong with her status window, something he wouldn''t have noticed if he hadn''t experienced Neuj Rakarf.


    "Any problems?"


    Raph had to admit, he liked how smoothly things had progressed.


    He didn''t need to wait for the students to give the go-ahead before he went on to the next.


    They needed to fill up the whole thing and submit a form with their participants to the Academy Staff Room to get finalized.


    So, with that in mind, he continued until he was finally done.


    Raph stared at the board one last time, his gaze contemplative as he turned around.


    "Not all of us will be participating and some of us will be participating once or twice".


    "Or thrice in your case". Jane commented behind him, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips.


    They had reached a part where he tried to change Raph''s mind on a particular name.


    It wasn''t even his, but someone else. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    His gaze landed on it again, a slight discomfort growing within him as he turned to Raph.


    2. Koko Dreau.


    3. Felic Manhartten.


    4. Lucy Zachary.


    5. Sophie.


    WARRIOR''S RING


    1. Darrell Silvan.


    2. Jane Lucia.


    3. Rana Lana.


    4. Cricken Royce.


    5. Sasha Thrombone.


    MAGE''S AFRONT


    1. Raffaelo Jun.


    2. Tiara Gold.


    3. Meadow Swanstorm.


    4. Ciara Merlin.


    5. Alicia Berry.


    MIXED MAGIC AND SWORDS


    1. Raffaelo Jun.


    2. Javier Wright.


    3. Ciara Merlin.


    4. Mariam Aquarius.


    5. Marshall Lorientt.


    These were the people he could gather up within the given time based on abilities and IQ.


    There were a few of his classmates he didn''t add to the mix, well obviously because they weren''t exactly strong enough to make the cut.


    ''...They''ll perform in the class events though''.


    It wasn''t a must that everyone participated, particularly the skilful ones and these names were the available ones in his class.


    ''For now''.


    He could imagine how difficult it could be for their seniors to decide who would participate when they were all equally strong.


    ''...that''s when IQ comes in''.


    With a sigh, he walked out of the room, Alicia walking after him in hurried steps as the class riled back up to their conversations.


    Raph walked out of the lecture Theatre, his goal already set from the beginning when he felt a familiar presence.


    Stopping by, he turned around to find Meadow and Rana Lana walking up to him.


    "....Princess" he muttered as they caught up.


    "You seem to be in a rush.." meadow said, her gaze shifting towards Alicia, who stood beside Raph.


    Raph sighed, turning towards Alicia and nudging her to go ahead.


    She complied, taking the form with her as she walked away.


    "....is this about the mission?"


    ".....partly". She responded after a bit of silence.


    She turned towards Rana, her gaze urging the girl to walk away as well.


    Rana bowed in response and walked away.


    "It was a success if you''re wondering. Your brother, Plum Swastorm is alive and well. He resides in the capital".


    Meadow smiled wryly. "...I see; then you must have figured out my plan".


    "A revolt by challenging the throne"


    A brief silence descended between them before Meadow sighed. "Yes...though, now is not the time. I still need to get into an organization my father has been working on"


    "an organization?" Raph asked, his tone laced with curiosity.


    She shook her head in response. "nothing you need to worry about for now, Raph".


    Meadow held the helm of her dress for a moment, her next words slipping out before she could hold herself back.


    "Is there something between you and the Werewolf?"


    "Her name is Elsie, Princess and yes, there is".


    With that, he turned around to walk away.


    The wheels had been spun, and the chess board set. The next day would be the start of the 65th Homeric Academy''s Festival, one of the most exciting.


    Bonds Over Conflict.

 Chapter 270- Festival Begins

    And so the Big day had come, and with it were the jovial hues of youthful excitement and tension.


    The sky was as high as ever, with the ambient rays of the sun cascading down upon the Homeric Academy of Gifted Children.


    At the far corner of the Academy, where the gates stood was an open portal, visitors walking out in numbers as conversations of the events to occur were played on replay.


    News of the exciting events that occurred in the Academy had travelled far and wide, attracting visitors of every kind.


    Perhaps even Beyonders may find themselves drawn to the news of the events.


    Of course, some came to prove the rumours wrong. After all, the Academy had never let visitors in even during their festivals.


    The 65th festival came with a change and one major change would be the entry of visitors of every kind, invited and uninvited.


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    For what purpose you may wonder? Well, I hope to find out as well.


    On the other side of the School, in the cafeteria, the students were receiving their last speech from the Principal himself.


    This would be the second time Raph actually met the man, despite the far distance between them. It still counted.


    He was seated with his cohort, a palpable tension in the air as they listened quietly.


    "My Dear students! It is that time of the year, once again".


    Principal Dreau announced, his tone laced with tension and the palpable vibrancy hidden within the students.


    The festival was a time to express themselves, their moment to shine. The period where system users usually duked it out with the system users, but this year was different.


    "Bonds Over Conflict! Our motto for this year''s festival proves to show the humanity left in us. Sometimes humans tend to forget that we are the same. We serve the same goddess, we breathe the same air, and we''re internal copies of one another.


    System users and Non-system users alike are


    brethren of the same heritage. Let us foster that bond during our weekly activities and show the world we are more than just an Academy that fosters strength but Bonds also".


    His speech, short and concise, contained everything they needed to hear, but in the end, humans choose what or who they listen to.


    Raph was aware of this, so despite hearing the Principal''s speech, he couldn''t help but glance at the staff members who stood behind him.


    One in particular, the only one he was aware of but didn''t have the evidence to prove it.


    ''At least according to Mart Thrombone''.


    Professor Katherine Starblaze. There was no telling if the System Uprisers, as they were called, would act at the moment, but he certainly wasn''t planning on sitting on his ass until it showed up.


    ''With these eyes of mine, I shall see through all lies''.@@@@


    He chuckled at the thought. ''Or at least try to''.


    The speech went on for a few more minutes until the Principal finally dismissed the students.


    Now, it was all left to the students to make it a success, or at least try to.


    The first day was usually more or less the introductory phase.


    Class events are showcased in the Lecture halls. Thus, visitors are given entrance to Lecture Theaters, and visit the hall, the fields and the training hall.


    "Well, if you did that....then I''m guessing you''ve reached a higher level again," Jane said, his tone riddled with displeasure. "How far do you plan on going, Raph?"


    Raph stared at him for a moment then looked away.


    "Ever heard of the Sword Grand Saint?"


    Darrell and Jane glanced at each other before Jane replied.


    "It''s a legendary level never once reached before. It''s the 15th star isn''t it?"


    "Yes....but you''re wrong in thinking no one has reached it. The Grand Saint is akin to a demi-god.....a mastery of the Sword so perfect that the Mind Sword is mastered". Raph said, a smile on his face as he thought. ''The only man that reached it was the First Jun Patriarch...''


    Something he learned by chance after conversing with the KING OF SNOW progenitor.


    "The mind sword?" Darrell repeated a slight intrigue in his tone. "I see. Now I know why you strive to gain strength".


    A scowl formed on Raph''s face at the statement by Darrell.


    Just then, they had gotten to their Lecture theatres, the visitors coming in clear view as they approached from the opposite side, leading from the Visitors Hall.


    There was usually a fair distance of road between the Gate and the first building of the School, the Hall of Remembrance.


    They call it so because images and statuses of prestigious figures, who had made an impact in society while in the school were put there.


    After that was a fair distance of cemented road, covered by a roofing which was surrounded on both sides by cleanly trimmed fields.


    The Visiting Hall stood next, and a few meters at the opposite side of the road was the Staff Building.


    After the Staff Building were the first-year Lecture Building, then the second till the fifth, the cafeteria, and the training hall at the opposite side of it.


    Behind that would be the Hostels which were restricted from Visitors.


    Raph paused, his gaze scanning the incoming people before turning towards Darrell.


    "The reason I grow stronger is to protect....and kill whoever disrupts what I wish to protect".


    It was evident that Raph''s line of people he wished to protect would only continue to grow bigger and that was why he needed to grow stronger. Until he reached the very top of the chain.


    "Is that so....Now I sort of wish I was amongst those people you wished to protect". Darrell laughed out loud, tapping Raph on his back as he walked in.


    Jane followed next while Elsie remained next to him for a few minutes.


    "You good Hubby?" She asked.


    Raph''s gaze flickered as he shook his head, memories of his death in his past life replying in his head.


    He had forgotten the feeling for a long time, or more like he chose not to linger in it. The feeling of revenge, the hot sensation of anger that continued to push you through the edge.


    Was that really a path he was willing to choose?


    ''It doesn''t matter. What''s the point of revenge when the world is an endless sum of it. Protect what I have, kill who disrupts it, get stronger and then kill the stronger beings that will disrupt it....''


    What more did he need?


    With a pleasant smile on his face, he wrapped his arm around Elsie''s waist, pulling her into the building.


    The first line of visitors arrived, two familiar figures lurking within with unrecognizable faces.

 Chapter 271- Festival 2- Fluttering Snow

    The Class was noisy as it was boisterous, with students conversing with one another while a palpable tension hung in the air.


    Amongst these were a popular group in the class, or at least the second popular group in the class and that was Javier Wright and his cohort.


    His friends had been with him from the very beginning, and time would continue to bring them closer.


    They seated together, Yon Duke and Gregory on the desk while the others were on the chairs.


    Their gazes are fixed on the visitors approaching through their glass walls.


    "Did you see the rooster for the Abilities Art Display?" Yon asked, his tone laced with hesitation as he glanced at Javier.


    The young man frowned deeply in reply.


    "Using our abilities to entertain people? Pfft, what a disgusting thought"


    He muttered, an annoyed click of the tongue escaping his lips as he did so.


    "If it were up to me, then we would have simply done a battle showdown. What does he need an ability showcase for?"


    Auroras shrugged, her gaze scanning the room for their Class Monitor.


    "He may have a goal in this... mastery of our abilities can be used for destruction and creation...or something on that line".


    "Well, there were no elves, Aurora. We simply need to battle for experience so we can be thrown into the real world".


    Gregory interjected, a lingering sensation growing within them at the thought of it.


    The real world. What truly awaited these students after graduation? Politics? Army? What makes their senior colleagues and Lecturers so hellbent on training them.


    Javier had a few guesses, after all, he was different.


    The chosen hero of humanity. The System Hero of Mayura.


    He had a purpose in life, and that was to lead the way for all system users, paving their way until they attained victory in the war against the Devil King.


    He sighed at the thought, images of the past week replaying in his head.


    "Did you guys attend any of the meetings?"


    Just then, the group seemed to look around, their gazes apprehensive at his sudden statement. They turned towards Javier in unison, a knowing look etched on their faces.


    He chuckled, raising his hands in defense.


    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry...we can''t cast noise cancellation spells because it will be suspicious, let''s talk about it another time".


    Well, he had all the time in the world to talk about it, but at the moment, it was limited.


    ''The Festival is just a farce anyways...''


    His gaze shifted towards Raph, who was seated with Elsie.


    ''....we''ll take over this school once and for all''.


    The Homeric Academy had been under the guidance of Non-System users for too long. It wasn''t like they were suppressed or anything, but societal differences have caused a stir of conflict within them.


    Would their bonds be strong enough to overcome that conflict?


    Just then, Alicia walked into the class, her gaze scanning the people gathered as the noise quietened down.


    The tip began to freeze up from the intensity, but the stalk remained untouched.


    "Mastery is a common thing for a master. Be it magic or the sword....".


    Raph stretched out his hands forward, the cold energy wrapping around his arms and unto his palm, causing ice to form and harden into a sword.


    He grabbed the long sword and swiftly spun his feet on the ground, tracing his steps like a flowing stream.


    It felt like he was literally skidding on grass as his feet endlessly slid, with his sword movements coursing the skies in beautiful arcs of snow and ice.


    His sword streaked through the skies, cold energy exuding out of the tip, leaving a trail of ice in its wake.


    Snow began to form at the tip as his precise movements followed a stationary yet unpredictable manner.


    Javier stood in shock, his gaze lingering on his movements as he recognized the techniques, at least some of them.


    ''It looks like a mix....a mix of everything....a mix of martial arts and imperial footwork''.


    Raph suddenly swung his sword vertically into the air, a spark of flames igniting with the blade of the ice sword as he flowed seamlessly across the grassy field and swung his sword horizontally, casting an arc of fire and ice energy to spread throughout the fields.


    The sudden burst of ice caused nearly a quarter of The field to freeze up, while the flames sparked like fireworks.


    ''His Jun swordsmanship must be connecting everything into pieces....brick by brick....this is a method I have never seen before''.


    Javier''s gaze was glued to his actions, unable to blink or even look away at the sight.


    His desire to consume that skill began to swirl within him, and it intensified with every action Raph made.


    Raph suddenly stumped his foot on the ground, causing the field to shudder as the iced parts of the grassy field were pulled out from the stalk, rising into the air like pieces of ice crystals.


    "Where there is a root, there is growth...just as we leave a stump of us behind, our legacies shall be prolonged...."


    He pulled the mass of the ice crystals into the air, causing them to flow in the manner of his movements.


    It was like a show of swordsmanship, true and pure with effort and practice coupled with the Abilities of an individual, magic or sword.


    In this case, he used his Trait, showcasing the unity of his sword and ice.


    His steps were precise, with the flow of a wave and the ice crystals followed in its wake.


    His sword was his music staff, swinging and coursing through the air in a beautiful crescent arc of snow and ice.


    Every trail he left was basked in snow, and his movements left ice in its wake.


    Javier stood mesmerized by the sight.


    "Is this the level of mastery I must reach to get to his level?" he muttered, lost in thought. ''But even more than half of the swordsmen in the Uprisers are incapable of this.....flawlessness?''


    He had to admit, despite them being the same age, Raph was by far more skilled and most importantly, more talented.


    ''They say effort dwindles in the face of true talent''.


    A scowl formed on his face as he bit his lips and clenched his fist. ''No! I don''t care what or who you are, Raffaelo Jun! I will surpass you even If it''s the last thing I do....I swear on my dignity as the Hero!''


    The System Hero had sworn a moment of weakness would come back to bite him.


    The ice crystals were suddenly sent into the air, where they joined together and expanded, forming a crystalline image of a hexagon, rotating in the air before exploding into snow.


    The Visitors stood amazed, surprise and excitement etched on their expressions as Raph dropped the ice blade down, catching his breath while snow fluttered around him in heaps.

 Chapter 272- Festival 3- Ciaras retaliation

    There were two oddly standing figures amongst the Visitors who had their eyes glued to the scene. From the beginning up till the end, they had followed his movements like a hulk.


    One of them was a man with black slick hair and black eyes. He stood next to a female with blonde hair and blue eyes, and their attire was mostly between outdoorsy and corporate.


    They both stood behind the group of visitors, though they had a clear view of the Display.


    Just then, the girl looked up towards the man.


    "Son of the Jun household....he''s more talented than our sources make him to be".


    "Yes....in fact, he seems like an obstacle...if he had knowledge of us that is..."


    The man replied, adjusting his shades as a round of applause echoed in the air.


    Raph had just completed his display, with the stage left for the next Student. Jane Lucia.


    "Though, we did get a report from Gonzalo Jean on his hindrance at his Bastion".


    "Served him right. He took that wolf girl right under our noses and lost to her in the end".


    "Yeah..." the man sighed as their attention was drawn to a sudden ambient light that spread through the skies.


    Jane Lucia was seen floating in the air, an aura of flames dancing around him as his eyes glowed White.


    "Forget the Jun''s....the Great families are all obstacles. Their ability....they''re different and absurd".


    The girl sighed. "As you''ve said....and honestly"


    Her lips curled upwards into a devious smile.


    "I would love to put a hole in the heart of those Bitches..."


    The man glanced at her, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he turned away. ''Well, it''s exactly why we have someone working for us in the Blue Rose".


    The Red Peacemakers had an influence everywhere, or at least they tried to. There weren''t that many places outside of their grasp.


    "Well, we can accomplish that after we start with the Crimson Lord''s demand".


    "Of course....but with all these people around?".


    The girl sighed as they turned around to walk away.


    "It''ll be difficult to locate them".


    "News has been sent to them already..." the man muttered. "We just have to find the location within the time allocated".


    Subtle messages called for subtle actions.


    Finding them directly on the first day can cause a reason for alarm. After all, as much as the new rule concerning the entering of visitors of all kinds benefited them, it also served as a weak point.


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    If the Academy were smart enough, then they could use this as an opportunity to catch enemies or perhaps even unfold the undying cult of the System Uprisers.


    It was going to be a tiring Festival, but they made do with what they could grasp.@@@@


    "This is going to be slow huh?"


    "Very" The man commented with a loud sigh.


    Just then, they walked past five Students who were members of the Security Committee.


    One especially walked past the man directly, and that was Elsie.


    He was seated at the corner of the class as he always had, his gaze lingering on the ceiling as the sun''s rays permeated through the open roofing.


    ''Making the indoor roofs movable was a great choice''.


    He thought as he slowly drifted away from reality.


    Things had progressed smoothly, to the point where his Classmates were now excited about the Abilities Art Display.


    ''Kids....they get competitive over the most silliest things''.


    He thought as someone caught his attention.


    He blinked his eyes before looking down to find Ciara walking up to him. In her hand was a paper, and written on it was the Academy Event Rooster.


    "Oh, Hey Ciara". He called out as he waved at her.


    The girl stamped her foot on the stair platform and her hand on the desk as she glared at him.


    "What is the meaning of this? I had no intention of participating in any of this".


    Raph raised a brow when He noticed Jane and Darrell rushing into the class.


    "What seems to be the issue? You''re a member of this class, are you not?"


    "I may be...but I don''t participate in activities I don''t want to".


    "...well, unfortunately, you will have to".


    Ciara''s eyes narrowed down when Jane and Darrell caught up with her.


    "Raph, perhaps we can replace Ciara with someone actually willing to do it?" Jane asked.


    He glanced at them and turned away, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    "When I created the D.E.C, I didn''t think of adding quitters, but it seems you''ve chosen to be one"


    Her expression grew darker after his statement, but she remained silent for a few seconds, her thoughts reeling in.


    "You''ve got some nerve, Jun. I may have joined your little cohort, but I don''t remember agreeing to listen to your demands. You''re not the boss of me".


    She muttered in annoyance, turning around to walk away when Raph suddenly stood up, stopping her in her tracks.


    "I may not be the boss of you, but I am the boss of the class. I''ve given you an instruction, Merlin and you will do as such. Participate in those events; if not, I''ll teach you what happens when you don''t".


    She snapped back at him, her cheeks reddened from exasperation.


    "How dare you?! What makes you think you can talk to me like that?!"


    A sudden force shook her to her very core, pulling her to her knees as her gaze widened from the shock.


    She felt her words suddenly hang out from her mouth and her breath stopped for a second.


    Her heart began to beat ferociously from the sudden jarring force, a familiar sensation that nearly overtook her in place.


    "I can make you do it if I want to. Do you understand that, Merlin?"


    The familiar sensation crept into her skin, a vivid reminder of how she lost control of her body once before.


    Divine mana suddenly erupted out of Jane''s body as he stumped his foot forward, walking between Raph and Ciara.


    The force wasn''t cancelled in any way, but it had become a bit more bearable, giving her the leeway to breathe.


    "Raph....enough".

 Chapter 273- Festival 4- Incident at the Academy Portal Gate

    "Raph....enough"


    Jane said, his tone laced with urgency as Raph glanced at him. A cold shiver ran through his body as they met gazes, a creeping sensation of ice growing within him.


    He turned his gaze away in an instant, breathing quickly as Raph cancelled out the force.


    Raph sighed, slumping back on his seat and folded his hands in annoyance.


    A scowl was etched on his peerless white face, and his eyes exuded a cold malevolence.


    "You will participate, right?"


    Ciara breathed slowly, her hand around her neck as the crippling sensation exuded her. She looked up from her knees, beyond Jane and at Raph.


    Something else began to brew within her, Something palpable and suffocating.


    ''How...How is he so much stronger than me now?'' She wondered, confusion laced in her thoughts when she scoffed and suddenly ran down the stairs.


    "Ciara?!" Jane called back, but by then, she had rushed out of the class, the intrigued gazes of their classmate fixed on the scene.


    Jane turned back to Raph while Darrell sighed.


    "Wasn''t that a bit too much?" he asked.


    Sadly, there was no response.


    Raph seemed to be in his line of thought, as he wasn''t even paying them any attention.


    Jane frowned.


    ''Is this the group you wish to nurture, Raph? I did say the great families couldn''t work together....but this is just....''


    Exuding one power to assert dominance. This was a major reason why there was so much division within the Great Families and why they would rather leave one family to succumb to extinction than help.


    "If we don''t solve the underlying issue, then we will never be able to work together"


    He said, turning around to walk away.


    "Let''s go, Darrell".@@@@


    Darrell nodded, his gaze lingering on Raph before he joined Jane.


    Raph''s gaze flickered as he turned to them, a lingering sensation of anger slowly exuding out of his body.


    "Hah...what a pain" he muttered, clicking his tongue as he stood up.


    ''need some fresh air''.


    He was about to walk down the stairs when a familiar-looking petite figure came crashing into him from the side.


    He glanced to his right, his gaze lingering on the girl in his presence.


    ''Hah...the girl with the weird status''. He thought when she suddenly yelped and pushed herself away from him.


    "So¨CSorry about that". She muttered, her gaze flicking between Raph and the wall.


    "I was trying to grab your attention before you left....bu¨Cbut you were pretty fast"


    Raph stared at the violet-haired girl for a moment, a smile forming on his face.


    "You''re Sophie, right?" he asked.


    The girl fidgeted with her fingers, nodding her head in response. "Ye¨COh My, you know my name".


    She muttered in surprise.


    "Of course I do, I''m the Class Monitor".


    "Oh...true, true".


    At that moment, they both locked gazes as he walked past them, heading towards the Hall of Remembrance with purpose.


    "Miranda?"


    "He smells funny? I noticed your nose twitch"


    "Yes, I think I smelt explosive orbs on him..." She muttered, her tone laced with disbelief.


    "Hah...the worst kind of intruders....suicide bombers".


    Miranda muttered as she prepared to walk away.


    "Stay here and mark any more that come in, we''ll take care of this".


    The Security Committee did not have any sure method of communicating with each other over long distances, so they had to focus on hand signs.


    Her teammate at the entrance to the Hall was quickly notified by Miranda as she raised her hand in the air.


    By then, Yuiz, the team member she switched with, had gotten the memo.


    He glanced at the man in a robe approaching them and quickly stood in his way.


    "Excuse me, sir? You seem to be hot in that robe, can I ask you to pull it?"


    The man in the robe suddenly took a step back, a scowl on his face.


    "What are you doing to a visitor?! Is this how the Academy treats its guests?!"


    "It''s nothing like that, sir. This is just a procedure we have to go through to ensure the safety we offer once you get in".


    Yuiz replied with a smile on his face.


    Some onlookers approached, though they didn''t pay it any mind and went their way, but a few curious glances remained.


    "Nonsense! The Non-system users are mistreating me! The Academy has chosen to discriminate!"


    The man screamed out, his tone laced with hesitation and panic as he took hurried steps away from Yuiz while gaining more attention.


    "Is that true?"


    "What is the Academy doing about its students?!"


    "What absurdity is this?"


    Some of the onlookers seemed to have joined the protest, channeling the man''s taunts to themselves and exaggerating it to unknown lengths.


    Elsie watched from behind as her teammates closed in on the man while the Onlookers protested.


    "Hah, geez...this happens every time we let strangers in. What is the Principal thinking this time?"


    One of the guards said with the click of his tongue.


    "Well, we have the Security Committee for that but you''re right, things like these are only going to continue".


    The other replied with a sigh.


    Elsie''s ears twitched to the sound of their brief conversation. She lowered her head a bit, a smile spreading across her face at the thought.


    ''Oh.....this might actually be more exciting than I thought''.


    Just then, they heard the sound of a collision, causing her to turn their attention back to the scene.


    Now, Yuiz had tackled the man to the ground, pushing face against the concrete passageway.


    His teammates did the task of redirecting the onlookers away from the scene in an attempt to placate the situation, but it seemed like things were simply about to get out of hand.


    ''Shouldn''t they just kill him and get it over with?'' Elsie thought, when her nose twitched again, her eyes slowly bulging at the same time.


    Three more figures in black robes walked out of the Portal in unison, with purpose in their movement.


    ''....More?''.

 Chapter 274- Festival 5- Incident at the Academy Portal Gate 2

    Elsie was aware for a fact that they were going to encounter issues during their Security patrol, but never did she think she would have to be facing a situation like this


    ''Don''t they say be careful what you wish for?''.


    She wondered as the three figures headed towards the crowd.


    Her gaze shifted to Miranda, but her teammates were already occupied with dismantling the first.


    ''...this looks too planned for it to be a mere coincidence''.


    There was no telling if another might pop up, but she couldn''t let these people mingle in the crowd. It would only cause chaos in the end.


    "You two, watch the Portal"


    She instructed as a fog of darkness suddenly exuded out of her body.


    The Portal Guards were caught off guard, taking steps away from her as she suddenly spun with the fog of darkness and jumped into the air.


    The darkness consumed her, protecting her in a fog of black matter and streaming through the skies like water.


    It suddenly landed on one of the three Suicide Bombers, a stifled yelp escaping into the air as it did so.


    "Wha¨CWhat''s that?!"


    One of the visitors cried out in shock when the fog approached it in the process, startled by the sight of it.


    The nature of its appearance alone caused a stir of worry as the visitors were taken aback by the sight.


    The fog suddenly jumped into the air once again, streaming through it and startling the visitors further. But it was faster than their reaction and it had consumed another man in the black robe.


    The previous seemed to have been laid unconscious, the robe untucked, revealing a man with red glowing orbs tied around his body with a strap.


    Miranda and the others watched in surprise, while the man they contained grew in panic.


    "Wha¨CWhat is the meaning of this?! Is the Academy working with devils?!" he screamed out in shock when Miranda suddenly clicked her tongue and kicked him in the abdomen.


    "The audacity of this bastard". She cursed silently, her gaze shifting towards the visitors present.


    "Everyone stay as you are. This is merely a procedure to check for dangerous individuals".


    "Dangerous?!"


    "How?! Can the Academy provide proof?!"


    Miranda bit her lips in annoyance. It was ironic because these people were system users like her. The only difference would be she and her family had accepted their roles in society while System users like the Uprisers are fighting against it.


    ''It''s absurd...why is there division even within people of the same interest?''.


    They wished to cause distraught in the Academy from day one, or that was what she could come up with after observance.


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    "Quinta, Yuiz, dismantle this man''s robe and reveal the Orbs".


    Yuiz raised a brow in surprise while Quinta began to perform as instructed.


    "But....it could cause a stir?" Yuiz said when Miranda suddenly walked away.


    "Better they see it themselves than have to explain to them".


    She quickly followed the movement of the fog as it jumped into the air once again, leaving another unconscious man with the Orbs revealed.


    A visitor standing close to it at the time recognized it in an instant.


    "Those men are hiding Explosives!"


    He announced, and that alone was enough to escalate the situation.


    She turned back to where her three other teammates had dealt with the first.


    "Romi, tie these men up and take out the Explosive Orbs from their straps. We will question them later".


    "Yes, Vice Leader", the girl replied as she stood up from the ground and walked towards the other unconscious bodies.


    But just as soon as she got to the third, the Orbs began to vibrate and exude a malevolent crimson shade.


    Romi widened her eyes in shock on getting to it, surprise and confusion etched on her face as her gaze whipped towards Miranda.


    Miranda, noticing it as well, was suddenly caught in a spur of emotions as her hands stretched outward.


    "GET AWAY FRO"-BOOM!!


    "Vice Lea"-BOOM!!


    *****


    A shockwave swept into the skies, spreading through it like a carpet of smoke as the students of the Homeric Academy for Gifted Children turned towards the direction of the explosion.


    Raph was one of these students, as he was on the walkway leading to the Second Year Classes.


    Next to him was Sophie, and other students whose attention was caught by the sound.


    "Did that come from the Portal Gate?"


    One of the students asked, his gaze fixed on the skies.


    Raph raised a brow, curiosity lingering in his expression before he turned around and continued on his way.


    Sophie turned towards him and hurried next to him, confusion laced in her gaze as it landed on Raph.


    "It was at the gate, wasn''t it? Elsie should be patrolling that place at this given moment"


    Raph glanced at her, a moment of silence lingering between them as their gazes were locked on one another.


    ''Oh? She''s more observant than she gives off....''


    "And?" He muttered, turning away.


    Sophie raised a brow. "...and she''s your lover, is she not?"


    ''What? Lover? Do people still use that word now.....wow, seems like she might have an old concept in her head''


    "Yes, she is and Elsie is strong enough to ward off one or two explosions. Absolutely nothing to worry about".


    Some may say it was one of the perks of having strong females as one partner. They wouldn''t need to worry about their fate in battles because their strength wasn''t something that could be ignored.


    "I see".


    Sophie turned away, her gaze lingering on the fog of smoke that spread behind them as they continued on their way.


    Just then, the air seemed to warp as images of some of the Lecturers rushing towards the sight came into view.


    ''Oh....was this occurrence caused by something else''.


    She could count them, and they were all System users.


    ''Though, most of the staff members are....I guess it''s too early to jump to conclusions''.


    "Are you coming?"


    Raph''s voice pierced through her thoughts as she turned around to find him a few steps ahead of her.


    "I am" She replied, startled as she hurried next to him. ''When did I stop walking?''.


    Without hesitation, they continued on their way, unperturbed by the noise around them. Instead, they focused on their thoughts and themselves.

 Chapter 275- Festival 6- Class Two Gold

    Raph especially found Sophie amusing with each passing second.


    He wasn''t too sure what it seemed that made her stand out, but other than her dark mana and misinformed status, there seemed to be something else.


    ''I''ll find out all about it in the end''.


    He thought as a soft sigh escaped his lips.


    "Were you upset about the Rooster?"


    "Huh? No, not really. I''m a skilled warrior, you don''t need to worry about my fighting skills too much".


    "Well, unfortunately, I need to worry about everyone''s skills in that class other than the Great Families".


    Sophie scoffed, her gaze flickering with a malevolent lilac for just a moment.


    "Oh please, the Great families aren''t all that".


    Raph halted, a smirk spread across his face as their gazes locked on one another.


    "Care to prove it?"


    A tense silence ensued between them for a few seconds, time ticking ever so slowly as students walked by them.


    Raph flinched, his gaze flickering for a moment.


    ''What was that? Blood lust?''


    As their gazes were locked on one another, their inner thoughts seemed to have seeped out from their body.


    Raph had an easy time controlling what he really wished to do, but that wasn''t the same as Sophie.


    Sophie seemed to have exuded a dark mast of fumes around her, her lilac gaze glowing ever so slightly with the intensity of her thoughts.


    It was for a moment, but Raph could have sworn he saw her smirk, but all of that was subtly erased by her smile in the next second.


    "Oh please, Raffaelo, you''re the son of the Jun household. I wouldn''t stand a chance".


    Raph remained silent for a moment, his gaze stern and unperturbed, when a sigh escaped his lips, and he walked forward.


    "Let''s go then" He commented. "And it''s Raph, Sophie".


    Sophie remained motionless as well, a heavy sigh escaping their lips as she walked after him.


    "As you''ve said".


    They got to the Second Year Class as they wished, and went through the crowd of visitors lingering about.


    It seemed like one of the Classes had made a food stand, as luxurious cold treats and pastries were being served in the hallway.


    The number of visitors was in the double digits, with some holding pastries, cold beverages, ice creams, and even balloon toys.


    "Do they have the mind of a child or something?"


    Raph muttered after entering the building. His gaze first landed on some second years, blowing up balloons and shaping them into creatures you wouldn''t normally be able to use a balloon to create.


    It was a buoyant vibe, mainly focused on pleasing parents and their kids rather than actual youths like themselves.


    "This is...rather interesting though" Sophie commented.


    Raph nodded and headed towards the first class, Class Two Gold.


    Their class event seemed to be a display of some kind. An arts and equipment display.


    "Impressive" Raph muttered as they walked into their Lecture hall.


    Its construct was similar to the rest, but it seemed to have taken a complete makeover.


    He took a step to the side when He was abruptly stopped by a familiar energetic figure.


    "Is that you Raph?"


    The energetic voice and fluffy monkey tail that wagged behind him were a subtle reminder of the figure.


    "Rhett?!" Raph muttered in surprise, while Sophie glanced up at them. ''I forgot you were in this class''.


    "Brother, what did I tell you about disrupting people?"


    Brett walked down the stairs, his fingers adjusting his glasses as he did so.


    "I see you''re back, Jun. You could have done us a great deal by staying where you were".


    Raph chuckled in response.


    "How could I do that when I have many more to learn?"


    "Learn?!" Rhett screamed out in surprise, alerting the people gathered for a moment.


    "Hah, you must be joking. I only come here because my mother forces me to, you know" he said, a grumpy tone laced in his voice.


    Raph chuckled. "Learning isn''t the only reason why we are here. Connections matter as well".


    ''Hah...his mother''.


    Memories of Aria Son Goku came flashing in his memories like a truck smashing into a light pole. ''Hah.....can''t believe these boys were born from that Bitch Queen''.


    Everything he observed from her was suspicious, up till the last moment.


    "Oh...speaking of connections, did you know the princess resumed?" Brett said with a sigh, Sophie''s eyes bulging slightly at his statement.


    "the princess? Meadow has been in the Academy for a while now". Raph said with a raised brow, though his thoughts conflicted with what they were about to say next.


    ''...please no...''


    "Oh no, not Meadow. I meant Manita, the first princess".


    ''Fuck...not that bitch...''


    Raph felt an intense headache assault his head at the thought of the woman who caused so many issues for him in his past life.


    ''....I hope I don''t meet her in this life''.


    Sophie, though, was more interested in their conversation than she let off, and her presence seemed to have picked Brett''s attention soon after.


    "You, why do you smell familiar?" his tone was laced with suspicion as he turned towards her.


    Sophie''s gaze flicked towards him, a brow arched with curiosity.


    "I''m sorry, but how could I smell familiar to you?". She asked with a relaxed tone in her voice.


    ''Hah....these monkeys''.


    The Son Goku household was known for their lineage with the Monkey Deity, an old being that was once the king of monsters, and that included demi-humans with animal qualities.


    So, in a way, they also incorporated those qualities, and their mother was a fox, so their sense of smell was more advanced than many.


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    "I would like to know as well....brother, does she not smell familiar to you?" Brett turned to Rhett while Raph tilted his head, his gaze flickering between them and Sophie.


    Rhett sniffed the air for a moment, a slow humming escaping from his mouth. "It seems so, but there were a lot of people that day".


    Raph''s intrigue had been increased a bit after his statement. "What day?"


    Rhett stared at him, a smile widening across his face. "Have you forgotten already? The Rankings Battle"

 Chapter 276- Festival 7- Suspicions Arising

    ''The rankings battle?''


    With a subtle flicker in his eyes, he glanced at Sophie, a subtle thought forming in his head.


    "Yeah, but like I said, there were a lot of people that day. I''m surprised we could tell her apart even"


    "Well, she does seem...special in a way" Brett''s suspicious gaze remained fixated on Sophie until he turned towards Raph. "She''s in your class, right?"


    "Yes, she is. A skilful warrior apparently. But we haven''t gotten to the point where I needed to test her".


    He replied. ''Heck, I had not even paid her any attention until now...''


    He did have a suspicion of her identity now, but he couldn''t exactly point it out.


    ''Rhett assumed she was part of the Spectators since it would be difficult to tell their smells apart but Brett thinks otherwise''.


    He shook his head, pushing his thoughts out. ''I''ll have to find out more in my free time''.


    "Um, you guys realize I''m right here, right?" Sophie muttered, a wry smile on her face as the three boys turned towards her in unison.


    "Yeah, and so?" Brett muttered. "Raph, enjoy your time while you can. It''s a time of fun and enjoyment, and you won''t get many like this".


    "Yeah, and challenge us whenever you feel like it. I promise you I won''t lose a second time".


    Raph chuckled lightly. "We''ll see about that".


    The two boys walked away after giving each other a reassuring nod.


    Raph took that time to find Rita again, but it seemed like she had left her spot.


    ''Oh....maybe next time?''


    He wondered.


    "Are we leaving now?" Sophie asked, a sigh escaping her lips as she glanced at another painting.


    "Yeah, I guess we can".


    Raph turned around to walk away and Sophie followed after. A moment of silence ensued between them as they walked out of the class, stopping right in front of the next.


    "Is there anything you want to check out for yourself?" Raph asked.


    "Hmm...here?"


    "No, it doesn''t have to be here. I''m pretty much done with this, so if you want to check out anywhere, I would advise you to say it now".


    She looked up in contemplation until an idea sparked in her head.


    "I heard Class Three was doing a Warrior Bout as their Class Event. Do you want to check that out?"


    "A warrior bout?"


    Raph wasn''t really the type that went about checking other class events out in his past life, so he mostly heard of all these events by word of mouth.


    ''But the warriors bout? I wonder what that''s all about''.


    He was about to walk away when Sophie held his arm.


    A moment of silence ensued as they glanced at each other.


    "Aren''t you curious?" She asked.


    "....well, I am...but I have all the time in the world to figure it out. Besides, what you wish to tell me wouldn''t be what I want to hear".


    "No, I''d rather tell you the truth than lie to you".


    She said, a moment of pause ensuing between them as she pulled down her arm.


    Elsie''s brows furrowed, her thoughts reeling in as the Healing Mages walked away after patching up the team.


    "Can''t we change the rules? The academy wouldn''t let something like this happen again now, would it?"


    Miranda shrugged. "Beats me. The principal should have heard about this but he sent Junior Lecturers to take charge of the matter....it''s obvious that he shows no concern over this".


    "But the students, their security matters".


    Quinta laughed out loud. "That''s why we''re here, Elsie". He muttered. "It really doesn''t make sense, as you''ve said but it is what it is".


    "That''s not a reply you give to ascertain someone". Yuiz said as she punched Quinta lightly.


    "Well, the student body also wishes to make use of this as an opportunity".


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    Elsie raised a brow. "An opportunity?" She asked though she had gotten most of the gist of it by now. "The...System Uprisers?"


    A moment of silence ensued between them, the air turning serious around them.


    "Yes". Miranda replied as they watched one of the Lecturers approach them.


    They retreated to their thoughts as the woman smiled at them while she waved.


    "I see you guys are all patched up". Lecturer Fati, a member of the Faculty of Alchemy and Potion Making.


    "Well, only physically Miss. Fati"


    Lecturer Fati nodded in understanding as she folded her hands and sat next to them.


    "We''ve taken care of most of the matters here so you guys are free to join the Festival now"


    The team slowly glanced at each other before landing their gazes on Miranda.


    Miranda, in turn, slowly looked up at the entrance to the Hall Of Remembrance.


    "Well, I would love to but I imagine things wouldn''t be any easier today".


    "Oh? What do you mean? There wouldn''t be any more attacks today" Lecturer Fati said with a slight giggle.


    Miranda''s eyes narrowed at her statement while Elsie''s ears perched up.


    "I see, they wouldn''t be able to get in after this, huh?"


    "Yeah...just like I said. If they''ve sent five already and they failed to reach into the academy, then they should be aware that any more attempts would be futile".


    The group remained silent for a moment, and soon, Miranda stood up.


    "I see. Well, in that case, we should leave you to it".


    She turned to her teammates and, nodding her head, she walked up with them, following soon after.


    Elsien slowly caught up with her, a raised brow on her face.


    "She sounds suspicious".


    Miranda turned towards her, a smile spreading across her face. "I know, but we would be even more if we refused to not go".


    Elsie raised a brow. "We still are since we left without fighting back".


    Miranda shrugged, the rest of the team staring at them in confusion.


    "Sometimes, the obvious thing to do is the answer".


    They continued their way into the building, a bright luminescence soon transforming the room and igniting the portraits, weapons of old and the world around them.


    "I see".

 Chapter 277- Festival 8- Wrestling

    While they left, Lecturer Fatis'' gaze lingered on them, a suspicious glow within them as she stood up.


    She turned around and walked down the stairs, her arm folded with purple hair flowing with the wind.


    Her dark pupils landed on another lecturer who approached her.


    "Were you able to take care of the bodies?"


    "Yes....but that''s not something we should talk about in the open".


    "Well, I just had to confirm....those five left? Without any form of resistance".


    "You would think so as well, right? The students have gotten smarter now so we can''t be sure what they''re thinking".


    The dark-toned mana sighed, his gaze flickering as he looked up at the sky.


    "Reminds me of that student".


    "Raffaelo Jun?"


    "Who else? Let''s forget about them and do as instructed...the Executives should be around here so we should expand our search".


    "Oh, that rumor again. I thought Katherin told you to drop it?". She asked with a sigh.


    Lecturer Wisdom''s gaze remained fixed on her, unperturbed by her dismissal of his statement.


    "Does it matter whether or not it''s a rumor? Don''t you wish the court would act now?"


    Lecturer Fati remained silent for a moment, her thoughts conflicting with his statement.


    "Do what you want, Wisdom. Don''t just get in our way".


    She walked past him, their shoulders bumping into one another, leaving a tense silence between them.


    Lecturer Wisdom turned around with a sigh. His dark gazes scan the Portal.


    ''How do I find them? I need to prove to them that it wasn''t just rumors''.


    The System Uprisers, despite their deep roots in the academy, were limited in such a way, and that limitation came down to their weakness. But if they received help from outside forces, strong enough to rival the Great families then they could stand a chance.


    ''...and that''s why we need to find them first...''


    With steady steps, he closed the distance between himself and the other Lecturers, his thoughts swirling in as a goal was set in mind.


    "They better arrive".


    ****


    Raph and Sophie had gotten to the Lecture Hall Of the Third Years and were seated on the fields as people''s cheers filled the air.


    Their gazes and attention were fixed on the two males, who weren''t exactly dressed for public display.


    Both males were putting on boxing shorts and their fists were wrapped with white bandages.@@@@


    Class Three were known for their brutality in facing one another, and this was one of the main reasons why many had grown in strength.


    The current warrior''s bout was a sort of boxing setting, with a ring in the middle and a middleman acting as the referee.


    The match was mostly filled with pained groans, sticky blood and intense heat from the rays of the sun. Yet, despite all this, the class seemed to be having fun.


    Raph though, found the whole thing very strange.


    He turned towards Sophie, noticing her overjoyed expression as her eyes were fixed on the ongoing match.


    "Oh?" Raph muttered, his gaze widening in shock at the statement. At the same time, Sophie suddenly let go of his hand while she turned towards Timothy.


    "Beyond the north? For real? Such fighting skills exist there?"


    Her sudden question caught the boys by surprise, but they brushed it off as Timothy continued with his explanation.


    "Yes, and apparently there are more. The world is vast, and the techniques are endless....it makes one wonder what it truly means to reach transcendence". He explained. "Though, this one is called Wrestling....and reaching transcendence through wrestling should be farfetched".


    "Wrestling?" Sophie repeated, her eyes sparkling with interest.


    "Yeah, we did tone down the brutality and the barbaric nature a bit to make it suitable for the Visitors".


    Raph raised a brow as he stared at Timothy.


    There was a particular reason why he liked the Ninja, and that would be his intriguing questions and conversations.


    Each time he had a personal conversation with Timothy Ronin, he would leave full. And somehow find a breakthrough in his fighting comprehension.


    "Regarding transcendence, do you mean how it could perhaps be learning everything to reach the top or repeating one thing to reach the top?" Sophie asked with an intrigued tone.


    "Yes, just as you''ve said. Transcendence, in a way, separates you from humanity and the laws that bind us.....so how do you achieve it? By learning just one thing? Or by becoming a doer of all but a master of none?".


    He paused, his gaze wavering as he noticed one of his classmates calling out for him.


    "Oh, it seems like my turn has come".


    Raph flinched in surprise. "You won''t kill anyone, right?"


    Timothy chuckled. "That''s hard to reply to, Raph, but do not fret; I''ve been forbidden from killing my classmates".


    He walked away with the same subtle presence, something they wouldn''t have noticed if their gazes weren''t fixed on him. "Also, I believe True Transcendence is the incorporation of the basics and the Mastery of all....you can''t become transcendent by learning one thing. It''s too limiting".


    "Too limiting huh?"


    Raph muttered as his thoughts reeled in.


    ''Perhaps there is a way for me to reach the Grand Saint Swordsman after all''.


    While he contemplated his possibilities, Sophie''s thoughts reeled in and at that moment, her question popped out of her mouth before she could even process it.


    "The La Teuer wouldn''t lose to the Ronins".


    Raph turned towards her, causing her to shift on the grass, clasping her mouth shut in surprise.


    His gaze pierced into hers, and a moment of silence ensued between them. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "....you''re...you make me curious with each passing second".


    He muttered before a sigh escaped his lips, and he stood up from the ground.


    "But, I think I''ve spent enough time with you for the day. Enjoy your.....Wrestling?"


    He could have decided to sit around and watch the rest of the fight with his seniors, but that didn''t benefit him at the moment.


    ''I''ve observed what I needed from Sophie anyway''.


    His thoughts were muddled together as he walked down the field, ignoring the visitors who called out to him.


    With a sudden thud, his shoulder struck that of another figure, and a sudden shiver spread down his spine in the process.


    His gaze whipped behind him, his eyes locking on two unfamiliar figures with a similar expression to his. A man and a woman.


    ''Who the fuck are they?''.

 Chapter 278- Festival 9- The Kings Spy

    Raph had once heard of a saying, ''When a predator meets another, they avoid each other''.


    Well, in simpler terms, you could say both were aware of what sort of destruction could ensue if they were to strike at each other.


    Then again, you could say it was just a bizarre way of explaining how one avoids an enemy strong enough to offset their chain of command.


    Now, what does all this have to do with Raphs current situation? Or rather, the two individuals that had bumped into him.


    It was a primal instinct, perhaps their innate feral voices screaming at them to either attack or flee.


    Raph found this interesting, maybe frightening, as two individuals strong enough to cause this much stir within him shouldn''t have access to the Academy so easily.


    He took a step forward, his thoughts swirling in when the man with the black shades laughed out and placed his hands on Raph''s shoulders.


    "White snow hair and pale eyes that give the impression that they were blind! Raffaelo of the Jun household?!" The man asked with a chirpy tone in his voice, the eerie tension that ensued between them dissolving as he did so.


    Raoh raised a brow in confusion, his gaze shifting towards the woman who was looking away.


    ''I could have sworn I saw bloodlust....are women good at hiding their murderous intent now?'' He wondered, remembering a similar case with Sophie.


    He turned his gaze at the man.


    "Who are you? What are you doing in our academy?"


    "Hah? We were here for the festivities, of course! I heard they would be putting on a play, and my wife couldn''t help but just want to watch it!"


    His chirpy tone was boisterous as he laughed out loud.


    Raph watched silently, a deep uncertainty brewing within them.


    He narrowed his gaze and observed their status screen, and it hit him like a baseball.


    ''Their statuses are fake''.


    There was a specific manner he could tell one apart, especially after dealing with Neuj Rakarf. It was why he could decipher that Sophie''s was also fake.


    ''What? They''re suspicious and now they''re hiding their identities...should I report this to the Principal?''.


    A sigh escaped his lips as he took a step back and pushed the man''s hands from his shoulders.


    "Endeavour to ask before you touch someone you don''t know".


    He said with a stern tone, taking the man by surprise.


    "Ha! Ha! Ha! I did hear you were the most arrogant of the bunch, but don''t you think that was rude?"


    A smirk spread across Raph''s face.


    "Says the man with a fake status screen".


    His sudden statement sent a Shockwave through the two figures as they maintained their expressions firmly.


    The man sighed, his gaze wavering for a moment before it landed on Raph.


    "Do you have a problem with us? We''re simply here because the academy decided to be good for once. It would be best for you to watch your tone....if not, I can report you for assault"


    Raph shrugged, turning around and walking away.


    ''It''s things like this that get on my nerves....they''re suspicious, and I want to act now...''.


    He glanced back at the two figures.


    ''....but where do I even begin? Fighting them without a reason? It''s just a fake Status so it doesn''t necessarily mean they''re an enemy team....''.


    Her voice was like a melodic timbre, suited for the chore, yet used for anything but that.


    "Hah...Princess Manita".


    Raph muttered, recognizing the scent fully.


    ''The bitch that deceived me, and took my innocence as well.....though I was far from that at the time''.


    The princess was surrounded by four other students, three males, sturdy and twice as large as your average man.


    They were her personal Knights, Sir Clin, Sir Rugga and Sir Monson and the lady next to her, her personal maidservant and assistant, Glenda.


    ''Though, they are clearly not students...''


    These were men old enough to be his father and a woman old enough to be her aunt, and yet, they adorned themselves in the school uniform and walked around with the Princess like unglorified trophies.


    They stopped right in front of each other, their gazes scanning the others, or at least Manita did.


    Raph found this situation unfavourable and uncomfortable. ''It''s not like I can''t deal with them....it''s just two level hundreds and a tenth star night after all...''


    It was something else. ''Manita was the definition of a snake....she would curl you up and swallow you whole if she so needed to''.


    Something that earned her a quite luxurious nickname, the Queen of Scorpions.


    ''I have to tread carefully with this one....at least for now''.


    "I see you''re out and about for the festival?"


    "Yes, Princess. I enjoy festivities while I can".


    "Oh, that''s good....if I hadn''t none better, I would have assumed you didn''t since you follow that pretentious worm".


    Raph felt a bulge on his forehead at the statement. He didn''t need to think twice for him to realize who she was referring to.


    ''No wonder Meadow hates her, she must hear all sorts of atrocities from this one''.


    "Well, we all have roles to fill, and some may even be that worm".


    He replied, tone even.


    A frown formed on Manita''s face as she turned away. "You''re no fun, and I thought there was more to those looks".


    Raph laughed out loud, his hands scratching the back of his head.


    ''She''s probably wondering whether or not I''m supporting Princess Meadow. Sorry, but I don''t intend on spilling anything to you''.


    "What can I say? Looks don''t mean intelligence".


    His last statement was lengthened with his gaze eerily fixed on her.


    She scoffed, shaking her head and walking past him. "You''re an interesting fellow, Raffaelo. I can see why the King chose you to serve us".


    ''Hah....she''s really pissing me off''.


    These were usually statements that Raph would never let go unpunished, and now he decided to endure it for the sake of his alliance with Meadow.


    Manita just needed to get the least bit suspicious, and she would uncover much more than you would expect.


    ''It''s one of the reasons she lasted so long in my Past life...''.


    There was another reason though, one that had caused a major headache to his plans in his past life.


    On the surface, it would look like the King had affection for one of his children, and that was Javier.


    ''...but that isn''t the case; Manita was actually his favourite, and it earned her the nickname The King''s Spy''.

 Chapter 279- Festival 10- The System Heroes

    Other than the princess being the King''s spy, there was nothing noteworthy of her.@@@@


    She didn''t have talent in magic and thus, the number of her guards.


    ''Though, they share the same dislike of her as we all do''.


    Raph stared at their backs as they walked away, taking a mental note of the current affairs of the Academy.


    ''Princess Manita is back''.


    He thought as he turned around to walk away.


    ****


    Time continued to tick away as the series of Class events had commenced until it was nearly the period of closing.


    Most visitors had prepared to return back to the village, visitors which mostly consisted of students and children that is.


    It was the first day, so not many came, but the numbers were still quite appealing. If it were a social buzz, then the Principal would make thousands of gold coins in just the first week.


    Since closing time was on the verge of occurring, many had been forced to return unsatisfied. Especially those who arrived with goals in mind.


    While they found their way back to the Portal Gate and to their respective towns, Raph was busy, somewhere else.


    The Staff Building, unlike usual, had been full. This was a rare occurrence, but classes didn''t hold during the festivals so it made sense to find them all here.


    Raph was currently seated in front of Professor Cadwin''s desk, though the man seemed absent for some reason.


    He did not mind at first, but after the constant nuisance from the other staff members, he had to rethink his stance.


    Just then, as he was lost in thoughts while staring at the demonic bones in the man''s cubicle, the door was whipped open.


    He flinched for a moment, uncertainty dawning at him as he turned around.


    "Oh? Miss Katherin?"


    The haughty, fiery woman puffed out a sigh as their gazes met.


    She closed the door behind her, closing off the peeking glances of some others and walked towards the man''s desk.


    "You''ve got some nerve coming here. What makes you think you can come into the office of a lecturer whenever you want?" Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    She asked as she turned to the office chair and took a seat, folding her hands as she fixed her gaze on him.


    "Um, I actually just had something to report..." Raph explained, scratching the back of his hair at the same time. "It shouldn''t be an issue, really. Professor Cadwin is our Club''s Overseer".


    They remained silent for a moment after his response, her gaze narrowing down at his.


    "You told the front desk Lecturers that you wished to report something. What was it?"


    Raph raised a brow. "I wonder how that concerns you, Miss Katherin?"


    "It''s professor to you"


    "Hah.....Professor Katherin, I''m sorry but I''ll just have to tell him straight up". Raph said. "You never know if it might leak somewhere after all".


    In the end, he decided to report to the higher-ups of his findings, though he had to take precautions.


    There was no telling if Cadwin was one of them anyway, so this was technically killing two birds with one stone.


    "I see"¨C" Katherin?"


    The familiar voice of Cadwin pierced through the room as they turned around in unison.


    He thought before finding his way out of the Staff Room.


    As he did so, a few cubicles away from Cadwin was Professor Katherin''s office.


    She was seated on her office chair, legs crossed and arms placed on the table as she stared at a glowing orb on her desk.


    Standing next to her was Lecturer Wisdom, a questionable stare on his expression as he stared at the orb as well.


    The glowing orb seemed to have dimed back to oblivion when she turned towards him.


    "It''s a good thing I installed a mana orb in his office in that short time, huh?"


    Wisdom sighed. "How you did it is beyond me, Miss Katherin".


    The woman chuckled excitedly as she tapped the orb.


    "I think we learnt from last time that Cadwin isn''t on the same page as us when it comes to matters of the Great families and the system users".


    She said, her gaze glowing dark. "But two suspicious individuals with fake status screens?"


    "I''m only assuming, Miss Katherin but it could be them"


    Katherin sighed, knowing fully well what he meant by ''them''


    A few weeks before this moment, they had gotten a letter from their supporters. Well, a supporter, the Red Peacemakers.


    They were a shady bunch, yes, but their goals aligned with those of the System Uprisers.


    Though they didn''t want world domination, they did, however, want System User Liberation...or so they call it.


    "If your assumption is correct then two Executive members of the Red Peacemakers were nearly found out by Raffaelo Jun"


    "It''s not just that, though; if you ask me, it seems like Cadwin is ignoring the disparity of the situation".


    "Or, he doesn''t wish to raise an alarm, and he would take it to the Principal as he has always done".


    A moment of silence ensued in the room, a sigh escaping Katherins lips as she looked up at him.


    "How is the search for the system heroes?"


    Wisdom raised a brow.


    "Well, we''ve found a few of them. The Sword Hero, Javier Wright, the Water Hero, Ruffia Jones and the Magma Hero, Jay Arkfield".


    Katherin turned away. "On the letter sent by the Red Peacemakers, there was a notice?"


    "Yes, the Flame Hero, Cruz Dorion, though his whereabouts are currently unknown and the Physic Hero, Ziza Ruggard, though her stance is far different from ours".


    "Agreed...." Katherin sighed, tilting her head on her chair as she closed her eyes for a moment.


    "Do we have to go through with this?"


    Wisdom looked away, a groan escaping his lips.


    "It was the Red Peacemakers'' instructions, and with their help, we found two of them....even though it took us nearly ten years just to find three".


    The system uprisers had deep roots within the academy, and their search for the system heroes had been a tall dream until now.


    "...find the system heroes, prepare them for the advent of the Devil King and take control of the Kingdom afterwards...." She muttered as if taking a mental note.


    A moment of silence ensued afterwards until she suddenly sprung up from her seat.


    "Ensure our plans are carried out to a tee, we will give the Red Peacemakers the dead bodies of as many Non-system users as possible".


    A grin spread across Wisdom''s face as he walked towards the door. "As you wish, Cult Leader".

 Chapter 280- Festival 11- A Stormy Night

    And so, with the ticking of the clock and the rotation of the earth, night had come.


    The sun''s rays had been replaced by the luminance of the moon and its soft afterglow left a trail of white on the dark clouds.


    The once busy Academy had turned silent with the solemn of the night, tales of the events that unfolded once before palpable with its vibrant decors.


    The Lecture Halls had been adorned with ribbons and flags, signposts of their events displayed on the front of the buildings.


    This decor reached other buildings including the Staff Building and the Hall Of Remembrance, a vivid reminder of the festivities and occasion.


    A signpost had been displayed in front of the Hall Of Remembrance, showcasing the events to unfold once the day had come.


    On this monumental night, the students were fast asleep in their dorms, the activities of the day rendering them listless.


    These included students like Raph who had several things to do after the Festival had ended. Most especially, cleaning.


    His room was eerily quiet as it should be and the wind blew in, striking the windows in a melodic hue.


    The intensity of the wind suddenly picked up, the windows constantly banging on the walls of the building as a storm brewed in the skies.


    The dark clouds began to spin, casting a shadowy embrace upon the buildings while the moon''s luminance was cut off from the academy.


    This strange effect occurred suddenly, and with it came the howling of the wind as it spiralled across the pathway between the Hostels and Cafeteria.


    A hollow cry swept through the skies, causing a stir of the elements as raindrops prepared to descend on the earth.


    The sound escalated, cries of the wind shaking the foundation of the Buildings as the sounds of raindrops touching the earth rang through the skies.


    While this phenomenon occurred, Raph remained unperturbed, until he wasn''t.


    His eyes widened open, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as a lightning bolt streaked through the skies revealing masked figures hanging on his ceiling.


    His breath evened, and his thoughts calculated as the figures suddenly sprung at him in unison, revealing deadly weapons from their shadowy figures.


    He rolled over his bed, landing on the ground as he tilted to the left dodging a dagger by a hair''s breadth.


    He grabbed the man''s arm, pulling him to the sides and slamming him against another that approached from the other side.


    Their bodies collided as he swung both of them away, hitting the wall of the building and falling to the ground.


    His sudden action took the others by surprise as their gazes hidden behind a red ogre mask sparked into realization.


    "It''s just one of him. Circle round and take care of this".


    Another said, hanging from the ceiling with a tight thread.


    The others, a number Raph was yet to calculate, began to crawl around the room through the ceiling, a goal set in mind as the storm in the skies roared with a certain ferocity.


    In all, Raph remained calm, his moon gaze exuding a calm demeanour as he stepped back towards the wall.


    A dagger was suddenly thrown at him, its short blade forming a crescent arc through the air as Raph''s summoned sword struck it away.


    "Who sent you?"


    The man shivered, his voice chattering and his eyes dilated.


    "We-We didn''t know! We just took a job"


    "A job?" Raph muttered, his intrigue peaked by the man''s statement.


    "And what did you not know?"


    "We.....we were told to kill the person who stayed in this room with as many of us as possible". He stammered, his teeth clattering against each other as he continued. "If we knew you were this powerful, then we would have called it off no matter the money".


    "Hah.....interesting". Raph pulled his blade and, with a quick stab, took out the right eye of the man. "So you would have gone away with it if I hadn''t surpassed your expectations, eyy?"


    "Aargh! My eye!" He screamed out in pure agony and terror as it was suddenly frozen, preventing blood from oozing out. Alas, no one could hear his scream. The rain made sure of it.


    His body shook in fear, as it was pulled closer.


    "You have a lot of body parts I can cut off, you know? So, better tell me everything you know....starting from who sent you"


    "I-I really don''t know!" The man screamed again, heaving in pain with every breath.


    "Not good enough". Raph stabbed his sword into the ground and instead slowly inserted his right index finger into the man''s left eye.


    "Who sent you?"


    "Aarg! Aaargh!!" His ragged screaming as he shook his head in an attempt to tear off the pain was made for nought. Blood oozed out in trinkles and then in larger amounts as he felt his eye pop out of his socket.


    The agonizing pain that came next was nearly suffocating as it was frozen, yet again.


    "Just imagine what kind of pain you would be in once I unfreeze all this? Huh? Do you really want to suffer all that? Talk".


    Raph instructed the intensity in his eyes increasing as it glowed white in the darkness.


    "It was two people¨Ctwo of them! A man and a woman¨CI, I think they were"¨C


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    The man''s words were suddenly cut off as a blade streaked through the skies, passed through his open window and struck him through his head.


    The man''s body jerked in shock before all life left him through his lips and a surreal silence followed soon after.


    Raph remained fixed on his position, his gaze flickering with intensity as he stared at the man''s head.


    It narrowed down on the dagger, his brow arching at the symbol attached to the hilt of it.


    A few seconds passed, and his gaze sparked in realization before his head whipped to the window, his gaze staring into the distance.


    It seemed like he was staring into the sky for what seemed like a good minute but what he saw was ephemeral to the human eye.


    A smirk formed on his lips as his eyes narrowed, a cold hue exuding from his very being as he said.


    "I.....SEE.....YOU".

 Chapter 281- Festival 12-The incident at the Year Ones Hostel

    A FEW MINUTES AGO.


    Far away in the distance in the Stormy weather were two figures who stood on the roofing sheet of the Cafeteria building.


    Both were adorned in a black vest, and a red ogre mask hid their faces, and their gazes were fixed on the Year One Hostel.


    One held a binocular, his gaze wavering within it as he watched the scene unfold in utmost shock.


    The other who stood next to him had his hands folded, his gaze staring off into the distance as the raindrops cascaded down on them in an outpour.


    "How''s the mission going?" he asked, his interest pulled to his teammate.


    The man pulled down the binocular, letting out a quick sigh and sudden shaky breath as he turned to his partner.


    "Dead"


    His partner nodded in satisfaction. "as it should be, I didn''t understand why those two wanted us to send thirty of us over a single kid"


    "No....not the kid..." The man whispered as he held out the binocular for his partner.


    The man tilted his head in confusion and grabbed, a stale silence suffusing the air despite the sound of raindrops hitting the zinc roofing sheet.


    He pulled it up over his eyes and adjusted the direction to get a better view of their target.


    ''what is this fool talking about? All those Assassins sent are in their Level seventies; there''s no way one.....stud....''


    His thoughts were cut short as he spotted the student, but what he saw was a stark difference in what he expected.


    "who...who is that kid? Is that the kid?" he asked, as if trying to confirm he was seeing things wrong.


    "Yes.... Raffaello Jun. I just realized it after seeing his white hair and white eyes....he''s the one we were sent after".@@@@


    "What?! Those assholes! They screwed us over". His partner cried out in shock, his gaze wavering as he watched Raph slaughter his team like livestock.


    It was as if they, who were meant to be the predators, had been turned into.....prey?


    "What were the names of those two?"


    He tried to recollect the images of the people that sent them on the job.


    "They didn''t give us a name, remember. Just a job and a ridiculous pay..."


    "Fuck! Now we know why it was so goddamn expensive!"


    His partner sighed, shifting his head towards the direction as he lowered the binocular and pulled out a dagger from his cloak.


    "What are you doing?" the man asked as his partner aimed his dagger forward.


    "as much as we got screwed over, we can''t let our employers be found out....it''s a work code".


    The man watched as his partner pulled his arm back, a subtle amount of mana spreading throughout his body as he stomped his foot on the roof and flung the dagger forward with brute force.


    An explosion of power occurred as the dagger shot off into the distance, its goal already predetermined as his partner pulled the binocular back towards his face.


    He watched the dagger stab through his remaining Team member''s head, followed by their target''s sudden movement.


    "....what''s this? Can he see us?"


    His partner wondered, causing a slight worry to brew within the man.


    "What do you mean, can he see us?" The man asked.


    "We¨CWell, it seems like he''s looking right at us?" His partner muttered as he narrowed his gaze.


    "Say you..." Jane muttered under his breath, a bit of comedic hue in his tone as they glanced at him and back at Darrell.


    "It was just a story from my friend, Box. He stays in the room next to Raffaelo''s but apparently there was fighting last night".


    "Fighting?" Darrell repeated with a raised brow.


    "Yes. He said the rain woke him up and when it did, he could hear screams and the clashing of blades from the other room".


    "Huh..." Darrell muttered, his tone laced with surprise as he let go of the boy he held.


    The boy quickly adjusted his uniform, joined his friends and quickly walked away.


    Jane remained silent for a few seconds, a silent groan exuding his lips as he stood up straight.


    "They said fifty assassins"


    "Raph''s skilled but not that skilled" Darrell shrugged it off as they turned towards the end of the Hall, where Raph''s room stood.


    "Should we go check it out?"


    "The student council and staff members got involved. This isn''t a simple matter".


    "Yeah, and the rain last night was strange..." Darrell muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "It''s weird enough that a rain occurred in a territorial Space but an assassination attempt? That''s crazy....the school can get sued for this".


    "Maybe if the student had suffered losses". Jane said as they watched Raph step out of the room with Thalia and Tiffany.


    He was in his school uniform, and his calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the news they had heard.


    "He looks perfectly fine..."


    A moment of silence ensued around them until Jane suddenly sighed and turned around, ready to walk away but Darrell thought otherwise.


    "Where to?" He asked.


    "This isn''t any of our concern...we need to focus on the events to come. If you ask me, I''m sure Raph did or said something haughty that incurred someone''s wrath".


    "Huh?" Darrell raised a brow at his statement, though, he couldn''t refute it. ''That''s all true''.


    He muttered as he rubbed his temples with his fingers.


    Raph was one of the haughtiest people they knew, if not the haughtiest. It was possible he may have caused problems for himself along the way.


    "Let''s just make sure he''s okay before we leave".


    "Huh?" Jane was forced to his tracks as he spun around to give Darrell a quick look.


    "Who exactly are you feeling sorry for? Raffaelo Jun? That proud bastard?"


    Darrell sighed, his thoughts shuffling back in as he recalled the previous incident the other day.


    "....you''re not still thinking about..."


    "I''m not".


    With a subtle click of his tongue, he spun around and walked away, leaving Darrell in the spur of his thoughts.


    He glanced back at Raph, noting down his image.


    ''He looks fine....'' He thought as he turned around and walked away. ''...that''s good enough''.


    While they walked away, Raph paused in his conversation with his sister, his gaze shifting towards the end of the hallway where Jane and Darrell once were.


    A sigh escaped his lips as he thought.


    ''...what a pain''.

 Chapter 282- Festival 13- Backward District

    "Raph?". Thalia''s voice snapped him from his thoughts as he glanced back at her, his gaze lingering at the spot where they once stood.


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    Thalia trailed his gaze, a sigh escaping her lips.


    "Still haven''t made up with your friends?" She asked.


    Raph raised a brow in curiosity. "I didn''t tell you we had issues".


    "You don''t need to tell me these things for me to get an idea of what''s going on". Thalia responded as she patted his head.


    "Hm. Hm". Romeo gestured with a loud groan, grabbing their attention. "Let''s focus on this, shall we?". He said.


    "Yeah, this is more important than whatever scuffle you have going on with your little friends". Tiffany teased.


    Just then, three staff members walked out of Raph''s room, closing it shut behind them as they did.


    One of them, Lecturer Misa, a member of the Faculty of Advanced and Complex Circle Theology, whispered a spell as a magic circle appeared on the door handle of the room. She had pale pink hair and seductive pink droopy eyes that brightened her beauty.


    A snap echoed as she turned around to the people gathered.


    "I''ve sealed it for the time being since we will need to come back to inspect it".


    "Still not done with the inspection?" Raph asked, a tired groan escaping his lips.


    The second Staff Member, Professor Kazim raised a brow as a light chuckle escaped his lips.


    "It''s impressive enough that you killed thirty level seventy assassins but to think you would remain unperturbed after that, it is truly remarkable".


    Raph gave him a wry smile in reply, while the third lecturer, Konstantin Zi, a member of the Faculty of Combat and Physical Fitness, shook his head.@@@@


    "Don''t compliment him just yet, Professor. We still have other issues as to why these assassins came here as well".


    He was a man with well-combed brown hair and eyes, with sturdy glasses kept neatly on the breach of his nose.


    "What?" Thalia muttered, a raised brow arched perfectly on her face.


    "The Control Room was breached last night....a storm of that size shouldn''t have occurred at all".


    Konstantin explained, his gaze fixed on Raph.


    "If you ask me, I think this kid over here must have provoked them".


    Kazim sighed. "Provocation or not, we are an Academy that assures the safety of every member of this institution. Don''t be so shortsighted, Konstantin".


    The man clicked his tongue in annoyance as he looked away.


    "As you wish but it''s something we shouldn''t easily ignore".


    He adjusted his glasses and walked away, their gazes lingering on him as he did so.


    "The control room was breached?" Thalia repeated.


    "Yes, we don''t know the details but he was the one in charge at the time. It may seem like a clumsy excuse but he didn''t even sense when they had come into the room"


    "The Assassin''s that is?" Raph asked.


    "Yes". Professor Kazim replied with a nod. "But that isn''t what matters right now. The Control Room is something that only we, Lecturers and staff members, should worry about". He turned around to walk away while Misa walked next to him.


    The pungent smell of debris got to them soon as sounds of playful laughter echoed in the air.


    "Fuck this place, it''s so annoying getting used to the smell".


    Mila cried out in protest as she clasped her nose with her fingers.


    "It can''t be helped. This is where the Hyena Assassin guild chose to remain discreet so we must respect that".


    The Hyena Assassin Guild, a branch from the main System Assasin household, was known for getting the job done.


    How they did so was unnecessary since what mattered to assassins and their contractors was the end result.


    "You think they killed him?" Mila asked, her tone laced with disinterest.


    Choosing a backwater method like this wasn''t in her line of thought. After all, she would rather face them and end it rather than send others to do the dirty work.


    "They had a method of getting into the Academy and out. We don''t have that..." Nicho explained. "Despite it being their guild secret, we may get to learn it if we stick close enough".


    "Liar. Like you didn''t just tell them to send their most skilled assassins after a fifteen-year-old".


    "He didn''t seem fifteen now, did he?" Nicho whipped his gaze towards her, a raised brow arched on his face. "In fact, he seemed nearly older than us....we shouldn''t underestimate the Juns. They''re a household that we have failed to influence".


    His last sentence held a ting of mischief, a subtle reminder of their origin and their capabilities.


    "True....but I would be disappointed".


    Mila said, her tone dropping at the end of the statement.


    With that, their conversation ended as they walked through the roadway.


    This was a part of the Capital, not even known by the Nobles and Aristocrats, the Backward District.


    Here, criminal guilds were at an all-time high, making living conditions difficult for the normals.


    So oftentimes, the road would narrow down along their path and a dead body or two might be seen lying on the disorganized housing.


    Other than that, the place was practically bubbling with people, albeit conscious of strangers in the area.


    They walked through corner after corner and road after road until they got to a tavern far off from the normal buildings.


    A dark tavern with not a single worthy mention.


    It stood behind the other buildings, at the corner of the district where a vast forest remained behind.


    The two figures stood beside each other, their gazes on the small, unnoticeable tavern.


    "How did you say you knew this place?" Mila asked, recalling their conversation from the other day.


    "I said it was through an old friend....he''s dead, though". Nicho replied.


    "Huh? But you''re from Beyond the East. How do you know someone related to the capital?"


    "Did you forget all the conversations we had the other day?"


    Mila shook her head, a bit of blush on her cheeks as she looked away in embarrassment.


    "Let''s just get this over with".


    With her lead, they walked into the tavern, the creaking, broken door leaving one to wonder.

 Chapter 283- Festival 14- Wiped off

    As they walked into the building, a vivid drop in the temperature occurred as the people seated at their tables turned towards the two figures.


    All in black, with their face behind a mask.


    It was difficult to observe the mood of the room, or the people gathered as they were always stoic, like status.


    The duo didn''t pay it any attention and walked towards the counter, where a man stood at the opposite end, his muscular arms folded.


    "We were expecting you, Contractors". The man said, a low tone in his voice.


    Nicho pulled out a pouch from his storage ring and placed it on the counter.


    "How was the job? Did you get it done?"


    There was a tense silence that ensued between them, and the duo knew right away that something was up.


    "Contractors, you gave us a mission to get the student staying at Room 138, is that right?"


    Nicho raised a brow. "Was that his room number? I don''t know, I forget".


    "That student was Raffaelo Jun, did you know that?" The man asked, his tone growing with the tension in the air.


    Mila scoffed. "And so what if he is?" She asked.


    "You gave us a job without letting us know the student we were meant to kill, and I understand....but he was a member of the Great family".


    Mila stumped her hand on the counter, her gaze narrowed. "And so what if he is?"


    "Don''t you get it? Someone like that, if we had killed him then we would have been wiped off if they traced it down to us".


    "Then don''t get caught".


    The tension brewed like a whistling tea kettle, a hot conflict ready to brew.


    "How many assassins have been sent to the Great families and returned back alive to tell the tale?"


    The great families were powerful beings that they knew, but system assassins who had been given to annihilate one of them as a commission had experienced it beforehand.


    The true meaning of being a member of the Great Families.


    "...it just goes to prove that you are incompetent, no?" Nicho asked, a smile forming on his lips.


    "Incompetence? We lost thirty members because you hid the fact that you wanted a Great Family member dead! Not just any! But a Jun? Your commission was incompetent".


    "Says the man scared of a fifteen-year-old".


    Mila mocked, a playful sarcasm dancing at the back of her throat.


    "So what now? You lost your team so you want compensation? In fact, you''re the ones owing us compensation! How dare you?!"


    Nicho held back Mila at that moment, the tension reaching its climax at the same time.


    Nicho stood behind the man''s counter, pulling out his odachi as he swung it through the air.


    A sudden outpour of mana occurred as the wind around him propelled the assassins drawn to him.


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    He sliced his odachi through the air as a sudden tornado formed on the ceiling, sucking in the assassins that charged towards him like a vacuum.


    It began to increase in size, expanding at a ridiculous rate until it reached the blazing flames.


    On the outside of the building, the old tavern looked reasonably peaceful despite the conflict within, but that was changed as soon as a sudden light ignited out of the roof. It was followed by a sudden vibration and a loud explosion.


    The explosion curled on itself before recoiling out with a powerful wind pressure, reaching the vast forest and uprooting its trees.


    It spread through the district, causing unwarranted destruction as some buildings were blown out from the ground.


    The people of Lumbrica all felt the vibration through the ground, their gazes drawn to the source as screams of shock and fright pierced through the air.


    The strong wind pressure had reached nearly the whole diameter of the district, spreading and causing catastrophic destruction as the buildings were pulled out of their foundations and the roads damaged beyond sight.


    The sudden occurrence took the people by surprise as some were still found in the middle of the explosion, protecting one or two of their valuable goods or loved ones.


    This occurrence lasted for seconds, as the strong wind pressure blew with a furious tune while it dispersed into the skies until it died down with the sounds of the people.


    Their shocked expressions were drawn to the destruction, confusion laced in their gazes while the source of the explosion was sought out.


    While this occurred, two figures floated in the skies at the start of the explosion where they had once stood.


    Mila and Nicho stood on a floating carpet while the assassin that had conversed with them from the beginning was held by the collar by Nicho.


    The assassin had been staring down at the sight, his fright and shock palpable despite the mask.


    "Oh....what a shame, you got wiped off either way huh?"


    Nicho teased as he pulled off the man''s mask, breaking it into pieces before throwing it away.


    "Now, you have nothing" Mila said with a smirk as her gaze remained fixed at the sight below her.


    "Oh?" Nicho muttered as he pulled the man''s face towards him, the man''s anger palpable through his eyes. "weren''t you a member of the Ronin household?"


    "Was he?" Mila asked, her tone laced with curiosity as she glanced up at his face.


    "here..." Nicho turned the man around for her to view his face before turning him back towards him.


    "so, do you see the wrong deduction you made? You assumed all Contractors would be weak because they give you jobs to kill people they ordinarily can''t, right?"


    Nicho asked with a smile. He placed his free hand on the man''s face and carraced the man''s beard.


    "We were not".


    "So, should we get the information out of him now? Having to go to the Academy only during the day is boring and tiring".


    "Agreed.." Nicho said with a nod. "So, will you tell us that entrance method?"

 Chapter 284- Festival 15- Class One Treasure Hunting Begins

    Back at the Academy, things were a lot more livelier. Why wouldn''t it be? When the long-awaited Academy Events were beginning for the day.


    The skies seemed to cascade a brilliant colour of red and yellow across the clouds, exuding a touch of tranquillity and excitement upon the people in the Academy.


    The cheers brought life to the Academy''s buildings while the Visitors rushed to get a good seat at the start of the event.


    While this occurred, the notice board stood in front of the Hall Of Remembrance in all its glory, revealing the events of the day.


    On top was a well-designed written "Event", and below that were the two main events for the day.


    Treasure Hunting featuring Class Three, Two and One.


    Class One had their event in the morning, Two in the mid-morning and afternoon, and Three had theirs in the afternoon.


    After that was the Mages Ball featuring Class Five and Four.


    Both occurred in the afternoon with Class Four occurring first before Class Five towards closing period.


    Class One Treasure Hunting was naturally coordinated on their field where the visitors and some of the staff members came together for the speculation.


    Of course, some students came as well, after all, it was the first Festival Academy Event for the day.


    It wasn''t the only event occurring, as Class Events were still ongoing, and some visitors and students were walking about and checking them out.


    But the majority had gathered here for this exciting lineup.


    The visitors, staff members and students gathered on the fields in a circular form, revealing a satisfactory space in the middle.


    In the middle were the contestants for the Treasure Hunting in Class One.


    Tension and excitement were palpable in the air as the long-awaited events were getting into the preparatory phase.


    The Spectators present were divided so that the visitors and students stood apart from each other while the staff members were intertwined in the middle.


    Other than the Festival event occurring, there were other matters of concern and so, security had been uptight since the start of the day.


    Standing amongst the students were the members of Class One Gold, Silver and Bronze, their attention fixed on their representatives who were currently in the centre of the group of people.


    Raph was amongst these people, his arms folded and his gaze narrowed.


    He had been lost in thoughts for a while until a thug snapped him from his thoughts.


    "Hey Hubby".


    The familiar voice of Elsie reached his brain like a sugar rush as he turned around to get a glimpse of her beside him.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be....securing?" he asked as he perked her on her cheek.


    She shook her head. "We aren''t on duty right now so I decided to stop by....we haven''t really gotten the chance to talk today".


    Just then, a Lecturer walked up the field to the centre of the group. Where the three teams of Class One students were gathered, their bodies boiling in anticipation.


    "Well, it couldn''t be helped. Festival is one of the busiest times when you have a responsibility". Raph replied with a sigh.


    "True..." she muttered as she glanced at the participants of the Event. Her classmates especially.


    "I heard you started a fight with Jane and Ciara".


    "Started?" Raph repeated as he scoffed. "We reached a conflict and they wouldn''t listen...." He replied.


    Raph whispered as a soft chuckle escaped his lips.


    "Oh? You know it?" Elsie asked as her gaze flickered between the screen and him.


    "it looks like an interesting subspace....would have been nice if they had given us for Monster Hunting instead".


    Raph laughed out loud, catching the people gathered around him by surprise.


    Elsie raised a brow in confusion as she poked at him. "Why are you laughing?"


    "Ha...well, Elsie. The themed subspace doesn''t just apply to the environment....it dies so to the creatures you find in it....treasures as well".


    Elsie arched her brow in confusion, but it didn''t take long for her to understand what he meant.


    "Oh, so we would have faced Giant creatures if we were given the Giant RainForest as a subspace in Monster Hunting?"


    "Yes.." Raph replied, their attention drawn to the screen as a timer began to count down on it.


    "It''s about to start....good luck....Team Gold".


    He whispered to himself, a soft smile escaping his lips as they waited for the inevitable to begin.


    And so...the Spectators joined in with the countdown, and the once palpable tension had now descended.


    "5...."


    "4...."


    "3...."


    "2...."


    "1...."


    "HUNT!"


    *****


    AT THE SAME TIME.


    In the Giant RainForest Subspace, seven members of Group Gold stood under the shade of the tall trees.


    The site ahead of them and around them was green, and suffused in the air was the smell of nature. Thick in all its glory.


    Jane, Alicia, Rana, Jonny, Sonia, Zara and Ban were currently under the shade of a tall, green leaf, water dripping down on the mushy forest floor.


    The loud sounds of birds chirping and flies humming an uncomfortable buzz were evident in the air as they inspected their environment.


    Jane, standing in front of the whole group, was adorned in a cleric costume, white and golden with a symbol on its back revealing the crest of the Lucia household.


    A yellow sun with seven rays and a harp in the middle.


    His gaze was fixed on the sky, a damp weather hanging across the vast forest. But his attention wasn''t on the weather but the timer instead.


    After the countdown had disappeared, the timer was set there, revealing the set of time they had to find the list of items on their Treasure map.


    "Who has the map?" Jane asked as he turned around to face his teammates.


    Time was ticking and so was their path to victory.


    02:58:59

 Chapter 285- Festival 16- Class One Treasure Hunting

    Treasure Hunting, as the name implies, was an event for searching for treasures of different grades.


    Each grade possessed its own allocated points and the team with the most accumulated points got first place in the event.


    It was one played amongst each class to spark rivalry within them, and the process of doing so had seemed to work over the years.


    The treasures were divided into crude, advanced, expert, master and transcendent. Each is allocated with a different amount of points. Crude was ten, Advanced was thirty, Expert was fifty, Master was eighty and Transcendent was a hundred points.


    It was an obvious matter to select the high tier treasures since they bore more allocated points than the others but the difficulty in finding them was just as high.


    A themed setting explained the subspace they were sent to, taking the habitat and shape of any other form of environment.


    This keeps the excitement going for the Spectators as the choice was usually made by the Academy and not the students.


    It was done to keep the audience and participants unaware of the Subspace setting until the start of the event.


    In the staff building, a separate room was where the Control Room of the Territorial and Sub Spaces were being monitored and controlled.


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    It was a white room with an orb in the middle, on top of a floating basin of stale, black water.


    On the white walls of the room were large screens showcasing the different parts of the school, the people within it and the Treasure Hunting event.


    A group of staff handpicked by the Principal were found here, seven in number with specific roles to maintain the adequacy of the Spaces.


    The head of this control room was Lecturer Konstantin Zi who stood in the middle of the group of seven.


    The others were assigned to different screens showcasing different parts of the Academy.


    In this way, they can keep watch around the academy at all times.


    Konstantin felt a subtle pressure at the sight of the Subspace setting.


    "This is the issue with themed settings....I can''t believe the principal would choose the Giant RainForest as their first Subspace event".


    "I agree....it makes one wonder what else he has in plan".


    A member of his team spoke up, a sigh exuding from his lips as he did so.


    He stood in front of the screens which showcased the Giant RainForest and the participants within. Lecturer Filly Donal is an uptight man with an uptight expression.


    He stood next to a female in charge of the same screens as him. Lecturer Zitani Veleha, a pink-haired fellow with a chirpy expression.


    "Should we forget about the reason why the principal chose this and focus on ensuring their safety, first?" She asked as she glanced at her partner.


    "We can do both. If you ask me, the students don''t even need us to ensure their safety. They''re practically capable enough".


    Konstantin said with a bitter taste in his mouth as an image of a particular student flashed through his thoughts.


    "Are you still upset about the assassination incident?" Zitani asked with a giggle as she glanced back at her team leader. "We were all unconscious when it happened, let''s not dwell on it".


    "That''s the problem, Zitani. We''ve still not figured out the perpetrators despite being the Control Team and finding them has been even more difficult..."


    Konstantin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "And all this just because they wanted to kill the Jun brat. If they were going to get through our security, they could have at least finished the job".


    "We do," she said. She was wearing a brown alchemy robe and witch hat that fitted well with her features.


    Jane and the others turned towards her, their curiosity picked by her statement.


    "You do?" Jane asked with a raised brow.


    "Yes....those treasures....I can find some of them. Though, the transcendent.."


    She pointed at the top of the paper where a picture of a golden pendant was drawn.


    "The golden retriever. This is an equipment that appears after collecting a specific set of equipment".


    Jane''s surprise had increased after her statement.


    "How do you know this?" He asked.


    "Well..." Zara adjusted her glasses as she gave them a wry smile. "I guess this is why the Class Monitor put me in Treasure Hunting because I study these things a lot ... as part of my Alchemy curriculum".


    Jane remained silent after that while the others complimented Zara on her information.


    Now, things have taken a strange turn. The initial goal of a treasure hunt was to send unsuspecting individuals into a subspace to search for treasures they usually would never find.


    Though the subspace seemed large upfront, it actually wasn''t as the diameter was limited to just enough space to find them.


    "Alright, in that case.....which is the quickest to get from here".


    He handed the map to Zara and she received it with a nod. She glanced through it and turned around, observing the area around them.


    It was a few meters away from their starting points, with large tree trunks and evergreen leaves the size of a car.


    "There is one we can find".


    Zara suddenly changed directions and headed out into the open, away from the shades and into the pale sunlight.


    "Zara!"


    Jonny screamed out as a large shriek pierced through the skies while a large shadow suddenly suffused Zara in a heartbeat.


    She looked up, fear and shock flickering within her eyes as a green bird, the size of a bungalow slammed its feet on the ground and spread its wings.


    Its humongous, iron beak descended towards her when a gust of mana blew out from the side of the bird''s peripheral vision.


    In a moment of spur, Jane shot out like a beam of light, punching the large creature in the abdomen and surging a powerful force within his fist. A sonic boom erupted as the bird was punched away with the gust of wind, slamming into the large trees and falling to the ground with a painful shriek.


    At that moment, Jane grabbed Zara by her arm and rushed back to their shade, his golden energy dissipating as their once tranquil peace returned.


    Zara remained still, her gaze still flickering from the shock when Jonny walked up to her and shook her, snapping her from her thoughts while the others'' gazes remained fixed on the Giant bird.


    "Wha¨CWhat was that?!" She screamed out as she held onto Jonny, panting lightly while her senses returned to her.


    "A green hawk...."


    Jane replied as he grabbed the map from her.


    "This place doesn''t just contain treasures, Zara...it contains creatures too"

 Chapter 286- Festival 17- Class One Treausre Hunting 2

    A large territory with large trees, a humid atmosphere and exotic plants.


    Rain Forests were known for being home to a range of creatures and a giant RainForest wasn''t any less.


    If there were any differences, however, it would be in their sizes.


    The visitors gasped in shock at the sight of the hawk as it was smashed into the trees.


    Partly because of its sudden appearance and mostly because of how it was taken care of.


    Raph and Elsie watched in silence, tense at the sight before them when Raph felt a tap behind him.


    Without turning back, the figure poked his head to his side, a mischievous smile on his face.


    "I assumed you weren''t going to talk to me, Darrell?"


    "Hah? You already knew it was me?" Darrell asked as he pulled through the crowd and stood next to him.


    They were mostly surrounded by their classmates who were intrigued at the event but a few others were from other classes.


    "I can detect every living thing around me....it would be weird if I couldn''t distinguish your Elven mana from the rest".


    Darrell chuckled at his statement as he glanced at Elsie. "Hey Elsie, been a while".


    "....yeah" she replied with an awkward smile.


    "What''s Jane up to? They should be halfway through by now". Raoh asked as their attention was drawn to the screen.


    The participants seemed to have chosen different parts. The tree branches.


    They were large enough to be mistaken for a bridge and sturdy enough for all seven of them to land on them.


    Some were even in heavy Armour like Rana in her paladin Armour, but all that weight didn''t amount to much in the Giant RainForest.


    "He''s doing what he can. I''m sure you chose Jane to lead the group and Zara to identify the treasures and their hiding spots....the rest are mostly for defence and attack. They''ll be fine".


    "I''m not worried about them finding the treasures..."


    Raphs gaze shifted to the participants of the other classes, a slight intrigue in his expression.


    Everyone had a tale to tell and a story behind their strength, but what he saw right now with his eyes had left him puzzled for a while.


    The members of Group Silver included Ruth Balsey and Monica Starborne themselves.


    The others included Richard Drugge, Ivan Matarly and Natalya Skatewood. Two were mages, and one was a Priest, with Richard and Ivan being the strongest at level 30 and Natalya being their Healer at level 29.


    Now, these weren''t the bizarre occurrences that caught his attention, but rather the other two members he had just got to know of.


    Andrej Neubon, a level 50 Beast Knight and Tomaz Lonstar, a level 55 Warlock.


    Despite being a student in the academy and having a past life, he had not even remembered seeing these two in his set.


    ''If there were people like them in my Past life, then I should have known them....they''re too strong for their age to not be unknown''.


    He thought as he folded his hands, his thoughts reaching a deep contemplation.


    Elsie noticed his sudden change in mood, despite his expression remaining the same and endeavoured to ask.


    "What''s wrong Hubby?"


    He flinched and turned to her while Darrell narrowed his gaze, and remained in his position.


    "What do you mean?"


    "You seem lost in thoughts..."


    Just then, Andrej walked up to the front of the group, placing his hand on Monica''s shoulder and causing a sudden change in the atmosphere.


    The students gathered turned towards him in unison, glaring at him with furious expressions.


    The boy chuckled lightly and shifted away from Monica. Find exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I just wanted to ask, but won''t class Gold be aware of this too?" He said with a wry smile.


    He had droopy ash-coloured eyes, which seemed to go well with his Light brown hair, and a lax expression, which only further annoyed the others.


    "Didn''t I tell you, Andrej? We aren''t welcomed yet. We should remain good little boys like the Class Monitor said and stay at the back".


    Monica slowly turned her gaze to the blonde male with blue eyes, a scowl forming on her face.


    "If you knew that, then you should have stayed at the back". She said to Andrej.


    "Well, I would have if only you didn''t consider the Gold Class upstaging you once again. What if they are already aware of this information? ".


    "They''ve never upstaged us in the first place! And this is information their greedy hands could never get" Ruth cut in with a sharp tongue, her patience slowly running thin as she reached the Sword around her waist.


    Richard sighed, his gaze wavering between the people gathered.


    Unlike the image they were made to portray in public, the class members of Class One Silver were quite appalled with their existence.


    It didn''t matter if their goals aligned with theirs, or if they shared the same hatred towards the Great families and the Gold Class as they did.


    Both of these figures were introduced into their Class on a random day, causing a stir of resilience within the class.


    Alas, their opinions didn''t matter as it was ascertained by the Principal.


    "We don''t have all the time in the world, guys. Let''s just focus on getting the treasures..."


    Just then a loud tick sound like a digital clock echoed in the air.


    This caught their attention as they looked up at the sky and read the information written on it.


    This was the same magic used to project the timer in the air and served as a form of notice board.


    It read, boldly.


    Amount of Accumulated Points


    Class One Gold- nil


    Class One Silver- nil


    Class One Bronze- 500


    The group of seven stared in shock for a moment before Monica snapped out of the surprise and continued to lead the way.


    "Focus people! Let''s not get so focused on the Gold Class that we forget about the Bronze! They are as much of a threat as they are".


    Her classmates hurried after her, Andrej and Tomaz lingering behind them.


    "Class One Gold hasn''t started?"


    "Seems like it. They probably have a plan of theirs as well". Tomaz replied as they walked after the group slowly.


    "I''m thinking we might class with them, or should we slip up and go find him ourselves?"


    Tomaz chuckled lightly. "Why are you in a rush? We have two hours until the end of the festival. We can kill him within the time limit".


    Andrej remained silent after that, his thoughts reeling in as they hastened towards the group at the command of Monica.


    ''It''s only a matter of time now until our first goal....Jane Lucia''.


    A devious smirk hid beneath his expression as he lowered his head, while they followed the group to their next destination.

 Chapter 287- Festival 18- Class One Treasure Hunting 3

    Team Gold had gotten to their destination, north of the Giant Rain Forest, known for its dangers in numbers and size, but that wasn''t a reason enough to stop them.


    On the tall trees of the RainForest, they prepared their equipment while Zara and Iane went over their plans.


    "So we check here?"


    "Yes, we could..." Zara replied, her thoughts reeling in as she added. "....but that would take time, time we don''t have especially if the others know about it already".


    Jane sighed as he looked up at the sky, his gaze lingering on the score between the classes.


    He turned around to his teammates.


    "We''re splitting up". He announced.


    Their gazes flickered with surprise as they glanced at each other before turning towards him.


    "What do you mean, split up? We''re already here," Lana replied, but with the score sheet written clearly in the sky, she already had her response to her question.


    "Is it because of Team Bronze?" Jonny asked.


    "Yes, three of us will focus on getting the set of equipment while the rest of you will go after the others....if I''m right, the region with the most would be...?" His gaze flicked towards Zara and she flinched before responding quickly.


    "Oh, east and south. You''ll find a lot of experts to master equipment in the south, though, so I''ll suggest it.


    Check the bark of the trees, the roots as well, and perhaps even their leaves. It''s not difficult to find those".


    Jane nodded. "Lana, you''ll lead Jonny, Sonia and Ben; I''ll assume that Raph put you two in this group for a reason, so focus on the task and avoid trouble. This is a treasure hunt, after all, not a monster hunt",.


    Sonia smiled lightly. "Of course" she replied while Lana nodded.


    Soon the four turned around and jumped onto another tree branch, turning in the opposite direction.


    "Now then" Jane looked away from their disappearing figures towards the ground.


    "Where should we start?"


    Zara pointed towards a particular location and the trio headed there in the next second.


    It wasn''t long till they closed the distance and found their first equipment. An Armour, hidden beneath the bushes.


    "It''s a Master Ranked Armour, Trojan Armour".


    Zara explained as Jane placed it in his ring storage.


    At that moment, the numbers next to their name increased by 70 points before Zara led them to their next destination.


    "If I''m right, the gloves and swords would be placed in more ... .discreet place insusceptible to the elements". She explained on their way as they jumped from one tree branch to another.


    "Why do that when the armour was kept in a bush? Aren''t the tests of the equipment made from the same materials?"


    "Well yes....". Zara turned towards Alicia and she replied to her question. "...but the thing about blacksmithing and alchemy which has a similarity would be giving them unique properties and skills".


    Jane''s gaze flickered towards Zara, intrigued by her reply.


    "Do you know how to add skills to potions?"


    "Not necessarily skills, buffs and the likes, though; I''m capable of achieving already".


    "Hah....what degree do you have in alchemy?" He asked, his thoughts reeling in.


    Just as Zara assumed, their path to their destination was filled with obstacles in the form of giant creatures crossing their paths.


    They must have dealt with at least five by now, with Jane taking charge of the assault and Alicia serving as backup.


    Thus, the trio left a trail of ice and golden energy in their path, until they finally got to their destination.


    "The oak tree". Zara muttered as they stood on top of the last branch that separated them from the Large natural beauty.


    Just like they described it, this tree was large, its diameter twice as those of the others and its canopy spreading far and wide in the air.


    Underneath it was a temperature, humid and capable of sustaining any form of life.


    They needed to be careful here as the creatures found here were known for their practical capabilities that enabled them to survive for such a long period.


    "So, what now?" Alicia asked with a sigh, spinning her staff when a figure crossed her peripheral vision.


    "Oh?" Jane muttered as well on recognizing the figure or figures.


    Below them, on the mushy surface of the soil, were Team Silver, their gazes fixed on them.


    "You decided to stop us yourself?" Jane asked, a chuckle escaping his lips.


    "Do you find it that funny?" Monica asked as she gripped her magic staff tighter while Ruth pulled out her broadsword.


    "We know we want the same things, but there''s only one legendary weapon, so why don''t you just offer it up? It''s just a hundred points anyway...why do you want it?" Monica asked.


    "It''s not a matter of whether we want it or not...." Jane replied, a smirk crossing his face as he folded his hands. "Were the gold class, we need to prove that we were at least that capable".


    "What?" Monica muttered, a fit of rage boiling within her. "For a reason like that?"


    Alicia and Zara also seemed surprised by his statement but remained silent.


    "What do you mean for a reason like that? Did you think getting into the gold class was easy? Hah....I''m sure you would know since you couldn''t make it yourself even when one of your former classmates did".


    His words were filled with venom, enough to provoke anyone.


    "I heard you took thirty-first in the entrance exam? That must have sulked for you.....is that why you hate us so much".


    This asshole!" Ruth was about to lunge at him when Monica stopped her.


    Ruth turned to her to find her shaking her head.


    "Sadly for you, Jane, I have no intention of listening to your provocations".


    At that moment, Tomaz and Andrej stepped out in front of the group, a devious smirk plastered on their faces.


    Tomaz pulled out a piece of paper, a patterned inscription drawn on it and raised it in the air, his gaze fixed on Jane as his smirk widened into a grin.


    Jane raised a brow in confusion, turning his attention to the piece of paper.


    "Did you think a piece of paper would?" At the same time, he signalled for the girls behind him to go ahead with his fingers behind his back.


    Tomaz tore the paper and a sudden, familiar force of energy exploded into the skies and descended down on Jane in a sudden, drastic force. He was pulled to his knees as the force took a drastic hit in his energy reserves causing a nearly suffocating pain to engulf him.


    There was a reason why this energy was familiar as it was something akin to dark mana, black and opaque but this seemed more...impure, crimson, unnatural and most especially, demonic.


    Jane looked down at Tomaz and Andrej as the rest of Team Silver hurried away, shock evident in his gaze.


    "Miasma mana?"

 Chapter 288- Festival 19- Class One Treasure Hunting 4

    There''s been different forms of energy such as Aura, Mana, Murderous Aura or Killing Intent, Dark Mana, Divine Mana and now, Miasma.


    Miasma can be oftentimes referred to as Miasma energy or Miasma mana and it''s the source of power for Demons and Devils alike.


    It''s usually found in great amounts in Hades with little to no trace on Earth, but its properties make it toxic for particular energy types such as Divine Mana.


    So the situation right now, though unexpected, was rather understandable.


    This was a sight that caught many by surprise, including Team Silver, who had left the matter to Andrej and Tomaz.


    Luckily, on Team Gold, Jane seemed to be the only one pinned by the suffocating energy, with Alicia and Zara heading forward first. Though, the effect on them would have been diminished by a long margin.


    He had bigger fish to fry, and both were currently jumping upwards, on the tree where he was pinned.


    ''What an odd situation but why resort to using Miasma now....a highly concentrated one at that''.


    Jane couldn''t exactly be sure, but by the wave and deep shades of the energy, he could give the origin a guess.


    ''It feels like the Miasma of a high-ranking Devil''


    Devils were beings of intellects, stronger and more conniving than demons ever were and their concentrated Miasma proved so.


    Just then, Tomaz and Andrej landed on the branch, and a smirk formed on their lips as a mace appeared in Andrej''s hands.


    He grabbed it firmly and spun it through the air, a snicker escaping his lips as they closed the distance on Jane.


    ''Something is wrong here....''


    Jane was someone who tended to read the room on a normal basis, and right now, what he was reading wasn''t exactly positive.


    ''Do they want to immobilize me or kill me?''


    He wondered, though, despite his predicament, he already had his way out.


    Just as Andrej pulled his mace into the air, ready to slam it against Jane''s body, a sudden surge of golden mana poured out from his body, turning into a golden light that exploded like a flashbang.


    The sudden intense light caught the duo by surprise as they protected their sights from the blinding brightness.


    "I don''t know what you guys were up to, but that amount of Miasma energy can''t affect me in my full glory".


    With a sudden surge of energy and the drifting of the wind, he appeared like a ghost next to Andrej, his fist reaching for the boy''s face when a sudden crackle projected in the air.


    "7th tier spell: Lightning Fury"


    A lightning bolt crackled at the tip of Tomaz''s staff as a dragon''s head roared with the intensity of the lightning before shooting out at Jane at a drastic speed.


    Jane sidestepped and jumped away from the branch into the air, his gaze lingering on the sight as the lightning bolt struck the tree branch and suddenly exploded.


    The explosion was surrounded by miniature lighting bolts that streaked through the tree branches, breaking it from its roots onto the grassy plains.


    The collision of large wood on the ground echoed in the air as the duo were nowhere to be seen.


    "where did they go?" Jane thought when he suddenly felt a presence behind him.


    "We already knew you would retaliate, but come on? Aren''t you going to use one of your gods against us?"


    Andrej appeared, his mace spinning through the air as he growled furiously, his body expanding in size as a snarl escaped his lips.


    His transformation was quick and palpable, with a larger, fury body and build. A lion''s tail whipped behind his back.


    He growled as he pulled his mace down with a furious amount of power, but Jane turned around, his arms suffused with Divine mana and punched it away.


    BOOM!


    A sudden wind draft occurred in the air as both Jane''s fist and Andrej''s mace were sent back from the force.


    Andrej cursed out, a smirk on his face as Tomaz appeared in the air, upside down behind him, his staff aimed at Jane.


    There was a particular difference between Mages and Warlocks in the sense that Warlocks were known as the musicians of magic.


    Composing different spells and casting multiple of them all at once was one of their least greatest properties.


    Warlocks were generally the Kings of magic and their abilities proved it to be so.


    Around him were ice spears that brimmed with an icy hue and at the tip of his staff was a ball of flames that increased with each passing second.


    "7th tier Spell: Ice Glaive"


    "7th tier Spell: Flame Bolt!".


    The Fire shuddered and spiralled with intensity before shooting out like a lightning bolt with such fiery passion.


    By then, Andrej was out of the way, leaving Jane to face the full brunt of the attack.


    He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he folded his arms closer to his chest as a form of defence while enveloping his body with divine mana. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    ''Hah, shit! If only I could transform''.


    After the Rankings Battle, Jane had been forced to rely on just his Divine Mana which was at the 7th circle stage.


    He didn''t require mana to learn the stigma of stronger gods, but meditation instead. His mother had confirmed that even amongst their whole generation, he was the most talented when it came to that.


    His loss during the tournament had urged his mother to change his training regime so that he no longer had to meditate on more gods but rather his personal growth as a person.


    ''The Lucia household isn''t capable of using magic as well as others because of our mana properties but we''re capable of using it like Aura''.


    As the fire bolt streaked towards him, the air whipped with the sound of incoming glaives of spears, contorted with such precision that they left icy trails down their path.


    Tomaz though, didn''t seem satisfied with just this.


    He spun his staff in the air, a sudden gust of wind ensuing while rocks formed from mana.


    "8th tier Spell: Wind Giant".


    "7th tier Spell: Gravity Rock".


    The rocks suddenly projected towards Jane with the other spells, a trail of mana surging through as they collided with Jane in a brunt of attack.


    An explosion of ice occurred, and the firebolt blasted what should have been left of Jane before the rocks glued onto the spells cast. It stacked atop one another until a large disproportioned rock prison was formed.


    The wind grew in intensity, pulling the air around itself as it took the shape of a tornado that spiralled wildly.


    It grew fiercer and larger as Tomaz poured in more Mana Points into his attack, causing a hollow space in the tornado to form large crescent eyes and lips.


    With a slight grunt, he pulled his staff down causing the wind to descend on the rock prison, pushing it towards the ground and slamming it against the mushy surface with a loud explosion.


    Rocks scattered throughout the grassy land while the wind dispersed, causing further damage to the tree roots.


    Tomaz landed next to Andrej a few meters away from the collision, where the wind had dispersed. Their gazes lingered on the explosion, their hearts filled with a deep sense of longing.


    "You think that was enough?"


    "He''s a son of the Lucia household, I doubt it was".


    "They say they''re quite skilled. I would have preferred if we were sent up against Raffaelo".


    Tomaz glanced at Andrej, a sigh escaping his lips. "They sent stronger people for Raffaelo Jun and there was a reason for it. Jane is amongst the weaker ones in the group without the powers of the gods.....which he doesn''t seem to be using. Be glad we even get to help in our cause".


    Andrej clicked his tongue in annoyance as he turned to walk away. Several seconds had passed, yet their opponent remained unseen. Tomaz stayed fixed in his position for a bit longer, his senses sending warning signals throughout his body.


    ''He''s a member of the Great families nonetheless....I''m sure he has''¨C


    The wind whipped as a beam of golden light lunged out of the debris of rocks and ice.


    Tomaz suddenly shifted his head back where Andrej was, his gaze flickering with intensity as he stretched his staff forward.


    "Andrej! Behind you!"


    The young boy turned around in confusion when the golden light took shape, Jane''s body exuding out of its bright warmth. His clothes were stained with blood but the injuries seemed to have been gone.


    "Me? Weaker than the Jun?". His voice dripped with contempt.


    "How dare you".


    It sent a shiver down his spine as Jane smashed his fist into the boy''s face.


    A thrust of wind and energy occurred as Andrej was suddenly sent back into the forest, colliding against the branch of a tree with a powerful force.


    An eruption of wood and pain spread through his body as he was plunged deeper into the bark of the tree, forming a depression within.


    Jane turned around nearly instantaneously, his gaze locked on Tomaz.


    "Shit". Tomaz muttered when the wind surged around him before he felt Jane''s presence next to him.


    "7th tier Spell!"


    He cast a dome around him just in time as Jane''s fist crushed into the dome with a powerful surge of energy.


    The dome reverberated the force but stood strong, withholding its integrity and protecting Tomaz from the attack.


    "Dome of Protection"


    Yet, Jane''s fist had somehow lodged into the dome, causing a crack that was bound to grow.


    With a chill voice and murderous golden eyes, he stared at Tomaz as he said.


    "Come out, you son of a bitch".

 Chapter 289 - 289- Festival 20- Class One Treasure Hunting 5

    ''What''s this asshole saying? Why the fuck would come out?''


    Tomaz thought while he held onto his dome for a bit longer.


    It seemed like Jane''s hand stuck in the dome had begun to cause further damage, sending a spiral of cracks to spread through the dome.


    Jane''s expression was livid, his annoyance palpable as he poured out more Mana from his body.


    ''Just how much more can he emit?'' Tomaz thought in shock, his expression contorted while he backed away from Jane.


    Divine mana walked similarly to aura and mana in the sense that the more one emits, the stronger they get or the more skill they''re capable of casting.


    Jane was a 7th circle and had a lot more divine mana than those even within his family, so this much was practically nothing to him by now.


    "Out, I said".


    He pushed his fist further causing the crack to shatter within itself before exploding in a spark of shards of mana.


    In the next second, he closed off the distance between them, his searing gaze lingering on him as his fist was sent to his face.


    "JANE LUCIA!"


    Just then, Andrej appeared in the air, an empty glass veil on his hand and a drop of liquid running down his lips.


    His sudden scream caught the two fighters by surprise and pulled their attention towards him while he descended with a loud and powerful thud.


    The earth shook with the force of his landing, and the rocks upturned themselves at a diameter, causing debris to rise into the air.


    Tomaz bit his lip as he quickly retreated from the scene, his thoughts muddled by the situation.


    ''He took the veil''. He thought as he appeared on a tree not too far away. ''That idiot, what was he thinking?''


    As the smoke cleared, Jane''s sight returned and the figure which he stared at now was nothing compared to what it was before.


    "Hah? So what now? You upgraded?" he teased but there was no response, but instead, bestial growls had begun to project in the air.


    Jane''s gaze narrowed at the sound, his fists clenched in anticipation.


    Andrej, who once had human qualities, seemed to have been transformed into something else entirely.


    His features were bolder and larger, with more beast-like qualities.


    It wasn''t an easy thing to ignore, but his energy seemed to have transformed as well, and it was something noticeable as system users have only one source of energy: mana points.


    ''What''s going on? That thing he drank...did it really boost his abilities?''


    This was unheard of, but he couldn''t be sure if he was right or wrong; after all, it could have been a simple misunderstanding. The veil could have been a low-intelligence Potion or something else.


    Jane wasn''t one to jump to conclusions with initial coincidences, what he awaited was a definite answer.....and he got it.


    With a shift of the air and sudden afterdraft, Andrej, or what was left of him, appeared next to Jane.


    His body shook, a shiver running down his spine as his gaze widened in shock.


    He could turn around right now to get a glimpse of the monster, but would he be fast enough to stop this?


    Yes, he would.


    With a solid thud and eruption of power and energy, their fists collided, a sudden power struggle brewing between the two.


    Jane''s face lit up, excitement in his eyes. ''Oh.....and I thought this was gonna be boring''.


    *****


    Meanwhile, towards the Oak Tree was a fight scene for the books.


    Team Silver and Team Gold, at least two of them were going at it at a bizarre pace as some equipment was laid out for all to witness.


    The conflict was ongoing on one of the many aerial roots, with sounds of mana swirling and explosions of ice occurring.


    Alicia seemed to be at the lead while Zara supported from a safe distance behind.


    On the other hand, Monica and Ruth were holding off the two while the others were trying to get the Treasure.


    "You''re in our way, Class Gold".


    "Hah ... .if I got a Bronze coin for the number of times you''ve said that now, Monica".


    Alicia teased, her staff held firmly as ice shards materialized in the air.


    As a 6th circle mage, she was equivalent to a level 60 mage.


    There was at least a twenty-level distance between her and her opponents, making her a difficult opponent to fend off.


    "It''s annoying that Jane isn''t here to end it, but you''re seriously trying to take what is ours?"


    "This shitty attitude of the Non-System users. This isn''t your playground".


    Ruth cried out in annoyance as she readied her sword yet again.


    "Huh? When did I say..." Alicia scoffed, a smirk on her face. "The problem isn''t from us, Ruth. It''s you system users who seem to suffer from inferiority complexes. Is it that difficult to accept who you are?"


    An enraged sigh escaped Ruth''s lips as her gaze narrowed with intensity. She stomped her foot on the Giant tree root and lunged forward, intent in her movement.


    "Richard, Ivan, support". Monica instructed before the sky was filled with magic circles, spells preparing to be cast.


    "4th tier spell! Vineyard".


    "4th tier spell! Wail wind".


    Ruth landed with a loud thud, her broadsword forming a crescent arc through it as she pulled it towards Alicia with a slight grunt.


    At the same time, a sudden rush of wind formed around Alicia, startling her as tree vines protruded from the tree root and grabbed onto her arms and legs.


    ''This is getting dangerous''. Alicia thought, her gaze shifting towards the vines as the distance between Ruth''s sword drew nearer.


    At that moment, a blast of flames shot out from behind Alicia forcing Ruth back.


    Footsteps echoed as Zara stepped into the mix, a small Potion bottle in hand.


    She broke it and smashed it into the tree, causing green smoke to implode and spread throughout the area.


    The sound of crackling echoed within the green fog as Monica and her teammates coughed out while they retreated.


    A figure suddenly rushed out of the smoke towards the treasure, two more bottles of liquid held firmly in her grasp.


    "Natalya".


    The green haired rushed after Zara, her staff stretched forward as a beam of light ignited at the tip.


    "Oh no you don''t!".


    A whooshing sound echoed as flicks of ice shards swooped through the air towards Natalya.


    Natalya was forced to a halt and a spear stabbed into the root right in front of her. Its icy hue spreads throughout the surface.


    More was projected into the air like arrows before it rushed downwards towards Team Silver.


    "We need a dome". Monica cried out and Richard and Ivan stepped up, their staff spinning around as a dome formed.


    "5th tier Spell: dome of protection"


    Dome of Protection was a spell that could be cast at any level of mana circle mastery, though its durability is entirely dependent on its mana circle and the tier used.


    A golden dome formed over their heads as the ice spears descended down like a cloud of locusts. Some stabbed into the dome while many others bounced off but they had been completely immobilized now.


    Zara got to the Treasure at this point.


    A golden texture that hummed brilliantly, hidden beneath one of the tall aerial roots.


    She grabbed it and the light dimmed down, showcasing itself.


    With a satisfied smile, she read the information.


    [RUBY ARMOUR


    GRADE: TRANSCENDENT


    DURABILITY: 0/1000]


    ''That''s one down''. Zara thought as she looked up at the tree.


    She turned behind to find Alicia running towards her.


    "Above, we''re checking the leaves next".


    Alicia nodded in understanding as she waved her magic staff.


    "3rd tier spell: afloat".


    This was different from the past trees she had easily jumped over by applying mana to her physical properties.


    It was a subtle thing that mages could do despite being long-range dealers.


    The spell activated with them floating into the air and Alicia leading the way to the top of the tree.


    Monica and the others were still under the protection of the dome when this occurred but soon after, the rain of ice spears had finally ended.


    With an annoyed sigh, Monica glanced up at the score sheet.


    TEAM GOLD: 370.


    TEAM SILVER: nil


    TEAM BRONZE: 300.


    TIME REMAINING: 30:01:59


    They were getting behind, and they were doing so fast.


    "There''s still time, we can turn back and get the others..." Ruth said, her tone downcast.


    She knew better than to speak up when her Class Monitor was reeling in rage.


    "....it''s fine...". Monica glanced up at the tree, a scowl forming on her face as she did so.


    "Let''s split up".


    *****


    Outside the subspace, in the academy, something else was brewing.


    Visitors and students alike had noticed this particular veil that Andrej Neubon had made use of and waves of speculation on the drug had gone far and wide.


    Amongst those who were unaware since they left the scene were Raph and a few others alike, too busy to bother themselves with events such as these.


    Raph though, had his separate reasons for leaving the scene.


    At the moment, the white-haired was standing in front of the Lecturer''s Hall, a thought in mind.


    ''I wonder what Katherin is up to''.

 Chapter 290 - 290- Festival 21-A ticking bomb

    The Lecture Hall had never been as busy as it was now, with the constant movement of the Lecturers to and fro in handling the sudden situation.


    The reason for the commotion, though, Raph was about to find out.


    He walked into the building, locking the door behind him as the tension brewing within the walls of the Staff Building struck him like a baseball bat.


    He looked around in confusion, noticing the large screen in the middle of the building showcasing the Treasure hunt.


    ''They have one in here too?''


    He wondered as he walked up the lane towards one of the cubicles.


    There, a lecturer, a blonde female with blue eyes in a female suit, turned towards him in startlement, puzzled by his appearance.


    "Why are you here? Raffaello Jun?"


    Raph scoffed, his gaze shifting to the screen.


    "I actually came to see Professor Katherin concerning her pupils?" He stated.


    The Lecturer raised a brow.


    "We are on the case, Raffaelo. You don''t have the right to come over here just because you witnessed a participant breaking the rules".


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance and turned away before continuing her paperwork.


    Her attitude left little to take note worthy of but her statement did make him confused.


    He turned away and continued down the lane, ignoring her remark.


    He was going to find her anyway, so why let that bother him?


    ''What does she mean by breaking the rules...I''m more concerned about their origin....and their connection with the System Uprisers. Who gives a fuck about breaking rules?''


    Just then, an image caught his attention, drawing him to the screens.


    The magic screens were arts of magic crafts, that replayed the fight scenes and events that unfolded live.


    The image of Andrej showed vividly on the screen in his boosted transformation, causing Raph to narrow down his gaze at the sight.


    ''Hah....this is familiar''.


    The sight looked natural at first glance, but with his heightened visual prowess, and after taking a more detailed glance, he could tell it wasn''t.


    ''An artificial booster? But...that only...''


    It seemed like the clogs of time turned in his head as he recalled a past memory from his past life.


    A frown formed on his face at the thought, his gaze narrowing as he turned away from the screen and looked around.


    ''Oh, so that''s why here seems so....motivated?'' He thought in amusement as a light chuckle escaped his lips.


    ''Katherin will be the best suspect on how our students got that.....but for now, let''s have a chat, shall we?''


    His eyes suddenly flicked with a malevolent hue, a whitish glow shimmering within them.


    He looked around, focusing on the people around him as the image transcribed on his eyes transformed into a new zone.


    Humans seemed to be see-through, laying their internal flow out in the open for all to see....or, in this case, for him to see.


    He looked around for a while, noting down their energy flow and pathways while taking images on their status screen at the same time.


    ''I already know how Katherine''s mana flow looks like....now, all I need to do is locate''.


    Walking down the lane between the cubicles, he held his head high as he ignored the commotion around him.


    Why wouldn''t there be commotion when the staff were trying to offset the public from getting the news of one of their students resorting to that?


    A drug used since ancient times thought to be lost had resurfaced.


    This may seem like a little incident for the younger generations, like Raph and his peers, but the adults knew what this implied. And Raph did as well.


    After walking about for a while, he stopped at a locked cubicle, which seemed to have been alienated from the rest.


    His gaze saw through the hard exterior of the room, unable to lock its contents away from his grasp.


    There seemed to be mana blockage of some kind as what he saw after peering through the walls were magical circles with locks imprinted on them.


    He narrowed his gaze, strengthening it with aura as he peered further into the mana circle.


    It didn''t take a minute, but it broke, shattered, and gave way for him.


    A solemn silence suffused around him as a smirk formed on his lips.


    What he saw was a confirmation of his theory.


    ''Katherin will get in trouble, wouldn''t she?''


    In the room were four figures, three with familiar mana flow and one, he had never seen before.


    He walked over to the door, his hands slowly reaching out for the knob when a firm grasp clenched his shoulder, snapping him from his focus.


    With a sigh, he turned around to find the source.


    "Professor Cadwin, fancy meeting you here".


    "....Raph, this is the Staff Building".


    Professor Cadwin replied with a raised brow, his gaze flickering to the door.


    "What were you doing at Katherine''s door?" He asked.


    "Oh, nothing! You know...her two students seemed intriguing so I just wanted to find out more".


    Cadwin stared at Raph for a moment, as if trying to peer into his soul, but something like that would be more difficult than putting a tin can into a sardine.


    "find out about what?" His thoughts reeled in, but for some reason, he avoided jumping to conclusions.


    Cadwin was well aware of the stakes Katherin and his former childhood friends were going through to reach their goal. And a member of the Great Household finding it out wouldn''t be much help to them.


    Raph remained silent for a moment, reaching his hand for Cadwins and holding it firmly while it remained on his shoulder.


    "I hope, Professor Cadwin...that we are on the same page?"


    Cadwin raised a brow, a shiver running down his spine.


    "You''re a kid, Raph. Don''t talk like you''re all that. Why would I need to be on the same page as a kid?"


    "Hah...it''s nothing. Just, a lot of uprisers these days, don''t you think?"


    Cadwin internally sighed, a heavy feeling descending upon him.


    Despite his best efforts to control their activity, it wasn''t working as efficiently as he had hoped.


    "Uprisers huh? If anything like that was even possible, I''m sure the Great families would have whipped them off by now".


    Raph sighed as he took steps back while he dropped Cadwins arm off his shoulder.


    "Oh, trust me. We will".


    He replied with a smirk, his gaze shifting to the screen.


    "You guys should do something about that child, Andrej was it? What he used was a crimson puff wasn''t it?"


    Cadwins eyes bulged open in shock, his surprise palpable by the width of it.


    "Those things boost your power for a moment, but the after-effects are tedious.....other than the fact that they''ve gotten from the scales of a Demon King, of course".


    He turned around and walked away, a tune blowing from his lips as he did so.


    Raph had not accomplished what he came to do, but he at least confirmed a few things.


    ''Cadwin isn''t one of them....but he''s trying to defend them? At the end of the day, one must choose between a hard place and a rock....both will cause you pain; you just have to choose what kind of pain is worth suffering for.''


    Cadwin watched Raph walk towards the exit, and with a sigh, he turned the doorknob on Katherine''s door and walked in.


    The sudden intrusion grabbed the attention of the others by surprise, but Katherine''s chirpy voice broke through it.


    "Cardy dear, you decided to show up?" She said excitedly.


    "Enough of the bullshit. Your crappy student just used a Crimson Puff in front of the whole Academy". Cadwins tone was sharp and daring, a testament to his bottled-up emotions.


    "The principal has had enough, and he''ll handle the System Uprisers himself".


    Katherin laughed out loud while the others looked away in disgust.


    "Did he know? Well, that''s too bad".


    "You have to choose a side, Cadwin". Crown Bishop interjected with a distasteful tone in his voice. "Why do you warn us still?".


    Cadwin snapped his gaze towards Crown, a frown on his face as he clenched his fist in anger.


    "Did you not think for a second that I was bothered by all this?" He asked, his tone laced with repressed rage.


    "How many times do you think I''ve gone to the Principal for your sake? I am the reason you all are still here alive! Without me, this group would be dead!"


    A tense silence ensued, the individuals gathered in the room staring at him with insensitive stares.


    "Did we ask you?".


    Cadwin froze up in shock, the question hitting him like a thunderbolt as he bent his head low, his frown easing up into a wry smile.


    A tense silence ensued, his memories reeling in as his meeting with the Principal played out in his head.


    FLASHBACK


    A few days ago at the onset of the Festival, Cadwin was on his desk as he always was, busy with paperwork and the likes of Academy school works.


    The exams were three days after the Festival ended, and that was a whole different drama compared to the festival so he had been busy like every other Professor and Lecturer during this period.


    As he sat silently while taking a look over at a file, a distant voice rang in his head.


    "Cadwin, can we speak?"He flinched for a moment, then looked up.


    "Yes, Principal?"


    "Come here for a second. I need you to remind me why these Uprisers are still kept alive in my school".


    Cadwin sighed, a distasteful taste in his tongue as he stood up from his desk.


    "What did they do now?"


    "Sending a message to a Kingdom Wanted Cult Group was not part of the deal, Cadwin".


    Cadwin stopped in his tracks, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he held his head with the palm of his head.


    "Hah....they''ve done it this time".

 Chapter 291 - 291- Festival 22- The Staff Explosion

    It wasn''t long until Cadwin made his way to the Head Master''s Office, a different space within the Staff Building.


    With its remarkable scenery, floating books and long mahogany shelves containing books of all kinds, it continued to remain a tranquil sight to all those who gazed upon it.


    Cadwin stood next to one of these shelves, his hands behind his back as the Principal stared at him from his floating chair.


    "You''re here early".


    "Well, it was a matter of urgency I couldn''t linger on".


    Head Master Dreau narrowed his gaze as he took a sip from his teacup, an envelope in hand a sigh exuded from his lips.


    "Your make-believe camaraderie is cute, but you should know when to draw the line".


    Cadwin clenched his fists, unable to respond, his thoughts reeling in and a stir of untouched emotions rushing through his system.


    "I do not....know what you mean, Headmaster. Can we simply get to business?"


    Headmaster Dreau chuckled, flinging the envelope in the air. It was suddenly absorbed in a thin line of mana that made it whizz through the air towards Cadwin, who grabbed it as soon as it reached him.


    He glanced at the HeadMaster and then the envelope, scanning the content with careful movements.


    "....the Red Peacemakers?" Cadwin muttered slowly, confusion and shock palpable from his expression.


    "I thought as much. You''re no longer a member, so they wouldn''t let you in on their big secrets but it seems like they made an alliance".


    "An alliance? With those cults of demons? The same bastards that have been running rampant in the Kingdom?" He muttered in disbelief.


    This was indeed information he had never heard of and something he didn''t wish to hear of in the first place.


    It was absurd; concocting the number one Kingdom-wanted Cult was as much a death sentence as slandering an Aristocrat. It just didn''t make sense that his friends, who he had loved and adorned once, were going this far for their cause.


    "....but why?" He wondered.


    Headmaster Dreau scoffed, swirling his tea in his cup.


    "They are growing antsy, Cadwin. The System Uprisers have been kept in check thanks to your support from the shadows and my decision to turn a blind eye to it, but their cause has become stagnant".


    He took a pause, sipped his tea and turned to Cadwin.


    "When humans realize their dreams are going to be crushed under the weight of reality, one must decide whether to accept it or to go beyond or means to avoid it".


    A tense silence ensued between them, Cadwin lost in thoughts.


    It had not been long since he last talked to Crown and Katherin, and he thought for a second that they had somewhat calmed down, but this changed everything.


    He read through the paper, his breadth quickening.


    "They were asking for the aid of an executive?"


    "Yes, the Executives, despite being system users with a level cap, are much stronger than they seem. Mostly because they follow a Devil King that can break through that.....through its ungodly ways.....luckily, I intercepted it, but there''s no telling if they had not asked for one in the past".


    A heavy sigh escaped Cadwin''s breath.


    "What do you need me to do, Head Master?"


    HeadMaster Dreau glanced at him for a moment, his expression unreadable as he looked away.


    He swirled his cup of tea with the teaspoon this time, his gaze shifting upwards as a soft sigh escaped his lips.


    "Whatever the case may be, I want them out of my Academy. They pose a threat that I can not handle publicly....but if you talk to them or query them, then I will let them be".


    Cadwin stood in contemplation, his thoughts coming to a decisive conclusion, or at least attempted to on many occasions.


    "One last.....can I ask for one last opportunity for them to redeem themselves?"


    "One last?"


    Head Master Dreau snapped his gaze back at Cadwin, narrowing his eyes in annoyance.


    "One last?" He repeated, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Hah....Cadwin, you''re calm and decisive but your emotional attachment to these groups is exactly why you are where you are....."


    Cadwin flinched, unable to respond. It was like his words hung at the back of his throat, his head spinning as he contemplated what to do next.


    "It won''t be long since your group of friends ran out of chances anyways....one last time.


    If they publicly disregard the school, then I will handle it myself, so you better be ready to take responsibility for their action".


    A heavy fullness that had taken its roots in his chest seemed to have eased up a little, but he knew the grass was never going to get greener.


    This was a journey he started with three, on a conquest to find the legendary System heroes and bring equality to the world.


    There are System Nobles, but they are incapable of being leaders in high positions; why? It was a question of origin, and strength, something system users laced in either or both.


    "I understand".


    He replied, disheartened, his shoulders dropping by a millimetre, his thoughts holding the complexities of his emotions.


    "Good. You''re dismissed".


    Cadwin bowed slightly before turning back and walking through a door before disappearing from sight.


    He was teleported back to the Staff Hall, hands in his pocket and his gaze contemplating the white walls of the empty room.


    The glass walls accommodated the light that permeated through it, casting an afterglow of colours upon his figure in the middle of the room.


    It was like he found a moment of solace, a moment of truth and a factory decision.


    With a sigh, he turned around and walked out the door.


    FLASHBACK END.


    It was a short conversation with the HeadMaster, which held importance to his heart.


    He looked up from the ground, his fists shaking in rage.


    "This is wrong. We are not following the right path".


    "We? Who''s We?" Crown muttered, his tone laced with annoyance. He clicked his tongue and turned to Katherin.


    "Like I said before, we should get rid of Andrej, expel him even after the Competition. The use of Crimson Puff wasn''t part of the deal we made.....but it could at least get the job done".


    Katherine turned to Crown, her frown easing up.


    "I''ll just do that then. We''ll take care of him after he leaves the school premises".


    Cadwin chuckled, his voice interjecting their conversation as they turned to him.


    "Hah....geez...why do I even bother? You realize the Head Master sees all in the Academy, right. Your secret meetings, the influence you have on certain students, the spread of your Cult into the Student''s body.....he knows it all".


    Crown''s expression was one of contempt and annoyance. He could have easily gotten enraged, but this was someone that wasn''t worth the stress.


    "You should know when not to cross the line. The Headmaster isn''t all-seeing; if he were, then we would be dead by now".


    Cadwin''s chuckle increased in volume and length, a crimson glint in his eyes.


    "What makes you think you aren''t already?"


    Katherin raised a brow while the three other figures in her room glanced at each other before turning to Cadwin.


    "What are you talking about?" Wisdom interjected, intrigue and suspicion etched in his voice as he took steps forward.


    "Oh?" Cadwin walked backwards, his arm at the tip of his collar as he did so. "What does one do when the dogs they feed bite them?"


    They all remained silent after that, Katherin slowly growing uneasy as she stood up from her chair.


    "You kill them"


    He opened up his shirt, revealing an adult fist-sized red crystal implanted in the middle of his chest, glowing with a shady crimson.


    It pulsates with life, emitting energy that was unable to be stored properly.


    Suddenly, it stopped pulsating and the blinking light began to grow bright, turning into a hot shade of crimson blood.


    "Shit! A mana crystal!" Katherin screamed out in shock. "Are you craz"¨CBOOM!


    The world turned white as energy, large, wild, and ferocious, erupted out of the crystal in the blink of an eye, consuming the room in its afterglow of red before igniting the rest of the world in its crimson explosion.


    At that moment, outside the Staff Building, Raph had just arrived on the pathway back to his lecture when he heard a vibration spread through the floor.


    His gaze widened in shock as he snapped his head towards the Staff Building, witnessing a sudden explosion that erupted out of the ceiling of the building.


    ¨CBOOM!


    ¨CCRAH!


    A shockwave spread throughout, causing the windows to shatter and its delicate constructs to fall apart.


    Raph felt taken aback by the sight, the wave reaching him and pushing him back while he struggled back with his hands in the air.


    It was sudden, quick and decisive, causing a stir of confusion within him.


    ''What happened? Why was there an explosion?'' He wondered as he attempted to head back inside but a sudden intrusion got in his way.


    "Raffaelo Jun".


    A familiar voice snapped him from his thoughts, causing him to turn back to get a glimpse of the source.


    "Hah.....Professor Kazim, just in time...I think something is going on in the Staff Building".


    He said that though he could get a solid view of what actually occurred with his eyes, he decided against it, at least at the moment.


    Professor Kazim walked up to him on the pathway, his peaceful-like smile widening as he said.


    "Hah....don''t worry about that. It was just a scuffle between Lecturers".

 Chapter 292 - 292- Festival 23- Class One Treausre Hunting 6

    While the conflict ensued at the Staff Building, the Treasure Hunting was finally reaching its conclusive end.


    The Giant RainForest seemed eerily quiet from afar, compared to the conflicts that ensued within.


    Teams had fought against themselves to upstage the others'' treasures, with one side suffering drastic backlash and some others gaining a lot more than they were satisfied with.


    Team Gold, consisting of Rana and her team, were just returning from the other side of the Forest, their treasures hidden perfectly well within their subspace ring.


    It was an easy and quick role she had to play, and they had obtained a satisfactory amount to take them back to the first place.


    Their figures rushed down the greenery, under the shades of the tall, giant trees, their next destination set in mind.


    It was around there that a loud, sudden bestial scream caught them by surprise.


    Rana flinched, and so did the others, their surprise made palpable by their reaction.


    "It seems they''re facing as much difficulty as we did".


    "Technically, we really didn''t".


    Jonny replied, his thoughts reeling in.


    It had been a perfectly done job, as most of the members of the Treasure Hunting team had rushed off to the northern part because of the rumours of the legendary equipment.


    Of course, they did as well, but Jane''s leadership enabled him to see the bigger picture.


    Which was splitting up. It was well within their means because of the number of capable fighters within them, and that had played well for them.


    Team Bronze seemed to have avoided conflict altogether, focusing on the only objective of the game and, thus, the result of their high scores. Team Gold, however, didn''t linger behind them in any way; in fact, with them splitting up, it made things a lot easier to stack up points.


    Jonny glanced up at the timer, a smirk on his face.


    "Five minutes more, let''s make this count".


    He said when the bestial scream echoed through the forest yet again.


    This startled the group further and raised their intrigue to an all-time high.


    With solid steps and a sudden burst of energy, two out of the group increased their pace, nearly twofold, the others lingering behind them.


    "Oh, come on!" Jonny cried out in protest as Rana Lana and Sonia Locks, the petite Warrior with a mace charged forward in quick strides.


    "Anyone else wanna leave us behind?"


    He asked, sarcasm etched in his tone as he laughed a moment later, their steps echoing within the quiet forest.


    Far into the distance, the fight between Jane and Andrej was coming to its, or at least attempting to.


    A solid thrust of air erupted as Jane swung his arm upwards from below to the boy''s chin in an uppercut, a fearsome expression written on his face as he did so.


    "You sicken me".


    He said as the force sent Andrej reeling backwards.


    A few seconds later, Andrej shook his head, the pain receding as he charged forward with heavy steps.


    His movements were fluid despite his sudden large size, and his actions were as they once were. What made it different was his level of intelligence, something Jane came to realize in their scuffle.


    ''He keeps losing his touch with humanity....and becomes more and more like a Demon....what sort of phenomenon is this?''


    He bit his lips in annoyance, sidestepping the bestial figure as it slammed its fist into the ground, causing a shudder that broke it and depressed the ground into a crater.


    Jane groaned as he took a step forward, raising his leg in the air, suffused with Divine mana and swung it against Andrej.


    Three successive wind drafts occurred as he kicked Andrej on its knee, fluidly moving it next to its chest and then its head, causing a stir of pain and shock to spread through its body.


    Andrej recoiled from the last hit, his head snapping to the sides as saliva and blood dripped out from its mouth.


    Jane stumped his feet to the ground, golden energy suffusing him and suddenly erupting around them like a dome of light, piercing into the skies.


    The phenomenon caused a sudden pressure on Andrej, pushing his body into the crater further, and smashing him against the earthen surface of the RainForest.


    "Not hard enough, huh".


    He clenched his fist, a ball of golden mana ensuing around it and gripped his fist harder. The action caused a stir on his fist and the golden mana ignited like the exhaust fumes of a rocket engine.


    Shooting upwards in a golden glow.


    He groaned lightly as he swung his fist down on Andrej, a bestial scream ensuing as an eruption of power and energy occurred.


    BOOM!


    The force of the blow caused a burn scar of his fist deep in the flesh of its back as Jane placed his left hand on the beast to hold it steady and reigned down a barrage of punches with the right, suffused in ignited golden mana.


    Each strike was like an explosion of sound, a sonic boom occurring at every interval of his fist striking its flesh.


    This sent a drastic shockwave of pain through its body as it remained motionless on the floor, screaming out in pain of anguish.


    Tomaz stood away from the scene, his gaze flickering in shock as he watched the brutal scene.


    ''What? That was what they wanted us to face? Even with the Crimson Puff, he seems like someone difficult to face''.


    They often underestimated their opponents, and this time, it seemed like they did at a long shot.


    ''His mana keeps growing....does divine mana not run out? I was planning on attacking after Bestial Andrej tires him out, but I may have to retreat and escape immediately after the Test...''


    It had become evident, the moment Andrej pulled out the vial, that they would no longer be accepted in the academy.


    The academy was built on blood, and trained students strong enough to fight against a Demon King and the Devil King. They would rather eat with kingdom enemies than with demons and demonic humans, that''s just how strict they became.


    Demon Kings were known as the generals of the Devil King, and regional leaders of all demons in their territories in Hades.


    They were different from the Class King Demon, which was second to the Grand Demons, as they were a species whose existence wouldn''t be known until the coming.


    Crimson Puff, a drug gotten from a Demon King scale, was an example of testing the advent of the Devil King.


    This was simply because Demon Kings appearing on the mortal plane and causing chaos was a quick way of furthering the Advent of the Devil King.


    An issue the Academy would not want to be part of.


    Knowing this, Tomaz had prepared for contingencies the moment Andrej drank the vial, even if it meant failing their mission.


    ''He''s stronger than we expected anyways....'' He thought, pointing his staff at him.


    ''But we can at least try to take him out''.


    With a groan, the air sparked with mana, igniting a fireball that grew at a rapid speed while the ground grumbled as rocks formed.


    "JANE LUCIA!"


    The sudden scream pierced through the air, grabbing the boy''s attention.


    Jane was seen holding Andrej by his hair, his encased fist leaving gashes on its face.


    ''I''ll use all of my mana points! It doesn''t matter at this point! Jane must die!''.


    "YOU DIE HERE!"


    The Fireball grew fourfold as it was meant to, forming a shadow beneath its floating fiery image.


    It was shot out in the next second, its speed twice as it was despite its size and colliding with the spot Jane had been a few seconds ago


    "I''m not done yet!".


    Tomaz spun his staff around, the rocks gliding behind him and taking shape, while the sky rumbled as yellow lightning streaked through it with thunder.


    At the same time, the atmosphere around him ignited in blue as multiple blue flames erupted and grew in size.


    Jane ran down the smooth surface of the ground, his gaze shifting towards Tomaz as the lightning streaked down from the skies, a rumble screaming as it took the shape of a drake.


    CRACK!


    BOOM!


    A loud explosion ensued as the lightning struck the earth, causing a large crater to form at the same time.


    Tomaz searched around in confusion, his gaze flickering with intent as Jane was nowhere to be seen.


    ''Did he use his god-like abilities in the end...''


    "Above, you idiot".


    Jane''s voice shook him like a wake-up bell. He reacted as quickly as Jane landed on the ground in front of him, a thrust of air exuding as he did so.


    The Fireballs suddenly spun around as it streaked through down a curved path, leaving trails of fiery blue flame in its wake. All in a blink of an eye, spreading around Tomaz as it aimed for Jane.


    Time seemed to have slowed for Jane, his gaze shifting to the number of flames as he clenched both of his fists at the same time.


    The same ejection of golden mana occurred, and a golden light erupted from his body in the process.


    ''This is nothing''.


    He punched the first flame that came into vision, causing it to rebound and strike the sides, followed by a sudden and fiery explosion.


    "I must thank you both" Jane said when a hollow of golden light suffused around him, and a concentrated golden glow ejected from his fist like exhaust fumes. "It seems I have advanced".


    He said with a smirk as he traced down each projectile of flames in the air, colliding them with his fists and sending them reeling across the RainForest.


    Chains of fiery explosions occurred as he did so, his speed untraceable with the naked eye, and his accuracy sharper than an eagle.


    Jane was on a role, a golden role and he showcased that perfectly well.

 Chapter 293 - 293- Festival 24- Liphael the wondrous

    Explosions of flames erupted at different locations in the Giant RainForest as a Warlock and a priest fought with vigour and purpose.


    Two figures stood at the sidelines, their expressions laced with different emotions.


    Rana Lana found herself intrigued by Jane''s abilities and overall fighting still. It had been much more than she anticipated or expected, and her thoughts ended up becoming mesmerized by the whole situation.


    Sophie, on the other hand, couldn''t care less about his strength because, so far, he hadn''t showcased anything that had the potential of becoming a threat to her.


    ''It''s funny....he''s completely weak compared to when he used the abilities of the gods...''


    But growing once personal abilities were second nature, it was only right he thought of increasing his personal growth for a while. It didn''t stop her from coming to her conclusion though.


    ''He''s not my match if he doesn''t use the power of the gods...they''re so proud of''.


    So far, he had been able to use 30%, especially during the Rankings Battle, but now, she wondered just how powerful he would be if he used any higher.


    "Rana, Sophie? Why are you girls still here?"


    Jonny''s voice broke through their line of thoughts as they turned back to find their teammates running up to them.


    It seemed like they had finally caught up.


    "Took you long enough" Rana commented as she turned back to the fight scene unfolding.


    "We may be of no use to Jane in the end"


    Jonny and Ban turned towards the fight.


    "It seems so", Ban replied, a sigh escaping his lips as his gaze drifted away from the group with his thoughts.


    ''It''s a relief. I didn''t have to reveal my abilities as Raph postulated''.


    But was it? He would continue to be looked down upon in his class.


    ''Well, that isn''t an issue for me....for now though.''


    He looked up at the sky, the timer an evident reminder of the limit set upon the match and the points allocated.


    "The Bronze Class remained silent until the very end." He muttered, the others staring at him in bafflement.


    He flinched, the discomfort clearly written on his face as he turned towards them.


    "What?"


    "Nothing...it seems you''re not as introverted as you make yourself seem" Jonny replied while the others looked away, a loud explosion grabbing their attention.


    "We have five minutes left, let''s go help the others just in case they need our help."


    Rana looked up at the Oak Tree, signs of frost grabbing her attention.


    She strengthened her muscles, applying mana points to her physical build before charging up the tree.


    "Come with."


    "Hah! Not again!" Jonny protested as he rushed after them while Ban lingered behind.


    He stopped when he noticed Sophie''s lingering gaze on Jane, his brow arching upwards in curiosity.


    "Do you want to face off against him?"


    She flinched, snapping her head towards him with an unreadable expression, but a grin formed on it soon after.


    "You''re observant? What makes you think so?" She asked, teasingly.


    He shrugged and rushed after Jonny and Rana, leaving Sophie to her line of thoughts.


    Sophie chuckled wryly, her expression turning cold as she glanced at Jane.


    ''Wouldn''t this be a good opportunity?''


    She wondered, her thoughts conflicting with her actions.


    Meanwhile, Jane had just deflected the last ball of flames when the rocks gathered behind Tomaz formed a golem, its build cascading its shadows over Jane as its giant arms descended with force like a guillotine.


    BOOM!


    A sonic explosion occurred as its fist smashed into the forest floor, vibrations spreading throughout the forest as Jane appeared on top of the creature.


    A crater formed, bits of rocks flying through the air as he ran down the creature''s large arms.


    His fists were protected by an ejection of golden mana, Divine Mana in its physical form emitting twice as much at the usual speed.


    Jane ran down the arm, the golem shifting its gaze towards him as it suddenly swung his right arm over his left shoulder and slammed it down, a wind draft occurring soon after.


    Tomaz glanced up, a frown on his face as Jane appeared in the skies, spinning downwards with his right hand stretched out.


    His golden mana suddenly erupted with a sudden increase in mana, forming a projected portion in the shape of a sword.


    He swung down, his gaze exuding a golden glow.


    "Divine Sword."


    His arm sliced through the air, a sudden silence descending until a sudden sonic explosion occurred, pulling the golem to the ground as a crater formed below it.


    A slice mark suddenly ran through its rock-hardened body like paper, striking at its core and slicing the ground with a solid strike.


    Tomaz found himself in a bind as he was directly under the golem, protected by its size, only to be trapped as the rocks began to fall apart like sand.


    He groaned, escaping parts and bits of the rocks just in time, the collision raising dust and rock debris in the air as a result.


    He groaned bitterly, his resolve unable to fault as he turned around in search of Jane.


    "I refuse to lose like this" He muttered, pulling his staff into the air as a sudden charge of mana spread through his body in a bizarre flow.


    "Master Skill! War of the Flames!"


    Balls of flames erupted at the tip of his staff, his body undergoing a certain pressure from overusing his mana.


    The pain spread like wildfire, causing irreversible damage, but his rage made him stand strong.


    Jane appeared at the top of the rock debris, his Divine mana pulsating on his arms as it took the shape of two swords. His gaze flickered with intensity, a golden glow exuding golden mana as a frown creased his lips.


    "I don''t know who you are, but you''re clearly going beyond the rules....you intend on killing me?" He asked.


    "Killing you?!"


    Tomaz laughed out loud, his gaze intense as he twirled his staff around.


    The multiple balls of flames suddenly collided together, pulsating within as if it were an uncontrolled round mass of repellant energy.


    It brimmed with a fiery glow, liquid plasma dripping from its form.


    "That is our goal! Our path to home....you must die, Jane Lucia."


    Jane remained silent, a chuckle escaping his lips.


    ''Hah...what is this? Why do I suddenly feel so good? Is it because for once, someone wants me dead and not that useless son of a bitch, Jun?''.


    Jane wondered, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''It''s not an inferiority complex, I just hate the fact that he can go around with his shoulders high and have the power to prove it. Everyone has their demons to face, but why do Raph''s demons not consume him?''.


    His lips curled into a tight smile.


    "I must thank you..."


    Tomaz raised a brow, his confusion palpable, but his resolve snapped him in a second.


    "Die!"


    He swung his staff forward, the ball of molten flames rushing towards Jane within the blink of an eye but to Jane, it seemed like time had slowed down.


    A story played in his head, a story told from generation to generation, about the son of the Sun, who bathed in a rain of flames. The Son of the gods. The one who receives their blessings, and preaches their words.


    The scion of the gods, the Divine Son, Liphael the wondrous.


    A glow of divine mana spread through Jane''s body like molten lava, a golden glow glistening like the sun.


    His body was rapt in warmth, a distinctive warmth that would serve as his shield.


    It grew in intensity, erupting out of his body, suffusing his five senses with a tranquil flow of bliss and power.


    In the next second, the ball of molten flames crashed into him, expanding with a hissing noise as it erupted in a messy flow of lava and flames.


    The rocks melted under the heat and flow of the lava while the grass caught flames from the fire.


    It wasn''t mentioned so, but the use of fire magic in a forest was bound to cause troubles and it had soon done so, but the others didn''t seem to mind it.


    Tomaz fell to his knees, his breath haggard and disoriented as he looked up.


    "Yes...yes, I did it. I killed the son of the Lucia household!"


    A hearted laugh escaped his lips as he sighed.


    ''Now, we are one step away from obtaining the favour of the Red Peacemakers''.


    "You''ve defeated who?"


    The familiar voice came like a prickling needle to his body as he froze in shock, his gaze flickering about in intensity.


    He had not felt it until now, but a distinctive presence stood beside him, a golden glow diminishing on his body.


    ''No way....I didn''t even feel his presence''.


    Even with the light, it had seemed nearly imperative that he should have noticed him. But he didn''t.


    "You seemed excited until a moment ago."


    Jane was basked in an afterglow of golden light, which diminished in time.


    His clothes had been nearly burnt off from the flames and lava but he was perfectly fine, even much more than before.


    He grabbed Tomaz by his collar, pulling him into the air, and with a carefree smile, smashed his hand enveloped in Divine mana through the boy''s chest.


    The visitors who watched gasped in shock, while the students were left in awe. Their confusion on the event was palpable as they raised complaints amongst themselves until the screens were cut off.

 Chapter 294 - 294- Festival 25- Chaos and Foreigners

    The tension and silence that ensued after the screen turned off was palpable.


    With the visitors checking what they had just witnessed amongst themselves.


    Darrell and Elsie, who stood together at the Students group could clearly see the escalation of the situation.


    Staff members walked up to the group of visitors, a certain goal in mind as they led them away from the screens.


    "This is bad....killing a System user at a crucial time like this might have been a mistake".


    Darrell said with a sigh as palmed himself.


    "It didn''t matter. They all witnessed how he would have gotten killed if he had not fought back...it''s not a matter of who killed who. They''ve just been waiting for a chance to upstage the Academy".


    Elsie replied, a bitter tone in her voice as she clicked her tongue.


    "Wow..." Darrell glanced at Elsie as the students began to vacate the premises. "You read into it that much? Are you smarter than you make it seem?"


    She shrugged in response, their gaze drifting to the crowd of visitors.


    Just as Elsie had presumed, some began to fight back, their complaints piercing the air.


    "What was that?!"


    "A Non-system user just killed a system user! What do you have to say about it?!"


    "Is this how the academy treats Non-System users?! How dare you all?!"


    "Seated on their high horse for so long! These bastards think they''re all that".


    Elsie and Farrell looked away.


    This was a matter that only the staff and student body could control, without ensuing much violence.


    Luckily, it seemed like the student body grew knowledge of the situation and had arrived at that moment.


    "All visitors to the Remembrance Hall, please"..


    Phestus Greenhorn and the whole cohort of the Student Body had arrived just in time.


    The situation seemed to have eased a bit with their appearance, after all, Phestus was a system user just like them. Even better, he stood at the pinnacle of the student body as the president. He was one of the favoured figures amongst the visitors and their priced members of the Academy.


    While the students walked away, dispersing to different parts of the Buildings, the visitors were led to the Remembrance Hall. Especially those who were likely to cause a scene.


    One of the Staff members, Lecturer Tonia Goodlocks, a blonde with a delicately voluptuous figure, stood behind Thalia and Tiffany.


    She sighed, her hands folded as her aqua-blue gaze drifted to them.


    "We have a mess at our hands. Killing a System User won''t be smiled upon".


    Thalia adjusted her glasses as she scoffed.


    "You forget his ally used a Crimson Puff? What''s to say he didn''t have one....and it was a simple form of Self-defense.


    It was obvious that Tomaz was going for the kill."


    Tonia giggled. "You say that, but people think differently. If this continues, rumours might start spreading....we''ll have unwanted attention and maybe even journalists".


    Tiffany shrugged. "I don''t see how that''s the fault of the students. We''ve lived too long in this stupid inferiority complex so much that the System users are blind."


    She sighed. "It will take a while, but nothing more....we will end this matter eventually."


    Tonia glanced at her, her gaze flickering with intensity as turned away.


    The two girls were about to walk away, ready to join the others in controlling the masses when Tonia spoke.


    "Katherin''s missing".


    They froze on the spot, Thalia''s head snapping towards her.


    "Missing? I did find out about the explosion contained within the Staff Building. Did she have something to do with that?"


    "Technically not. It was Cadwin''s last chance to show them mercy, and they completely ignored it.


    Cadwins body was found with wounds and burn scars, but his life wasn''t in danger. As of Katherine and a whole other bunch of staff members....they went missing".


    Her statement spoke volumes, volumes that they would need to decipher.


    There was a total of seventy staff members in the Academy, all lecturing different aspects of the general courses.


    Tonia herself was a member of the same faculty as Katherin, magic Arts and Symbols.


    "How many went missing?"


    Tonia clicked her tongue and looked away, a slight discomfort in her expression.


    Her brows furrowed and she bit down on her lip.


    "That''s what amazes me..... forty-one."


    ''Forty-one? More than half the staff were a part of this group? How does that make sense?''


    "We would have to start opening up areas for staff employment...while we search for them. I expect the Student Body to cooperate as such."


    With a nod of her head, she walked away, the three other staff members standing afar towards the Remembrance Hall in wait for her.


    Thalia and Tiffany glanced at each other, a frown creasing Thalia''s face.


    "What now?" Tiffany asked.


    Thalia sighed. "I presume the System Uprisers are done hiding. Since they''ve disappeared, we now know which staff member was actually on their side."


    "But, forty-one?"


    "It doesn''t matter. They should also have students that are part of their Cult. We''ll have to share this information with the Class Monitors to ensure safety..." She stopped, her thoughts reeling in and so did Tiffany.


    It would have made things easier if they told the Monitors as they had said, but a lingering issue remained.


    ''What if they have Class Monitors on their side as well.''


    Thalia sighed as her gaze drifted to Rebecca who approached them, her hand firmly placed on her sword held around her waist.


    ''What a mess.''


    ****


    Two figures walked through the Gate at an auspiciously difficult time.


    They were stopped by the Gate Guards while two individuals in the Academy uniform walked up to them. Both in the Security hand badge.


    "Sorry, we won''t be taking any more visitors as of now. There''s an underlying issue at the moment".


    A Burly, aged man and a girl with silver-crystal hair and fox ears glanced at each other for a moment.


    Their intrigue perked by his statement.


    "Oh, what bad timing. And we were hoping we could see the young Master".


    The man said, his lilac eyes sending a shiver to the two students.


    "We apologize, but the Academy will be open as of tomorrow."


    The fox girl clicked her tongue in annoyance, her ears perked up.


    A scowl creased her brow as she placed her hand firmly on a katana tied to her waist.


    "Old man, why do you talk with these fools. We just have to beat the crap out of them and get in".


    She said, her tone laced with displeasure.


    The two boys gulped, intimidated by the strange purple aura that exuded out of her body.


    "We¨CWe can''t" one stammered.


    "It''s the rules, we''re already having difficulties controlling the situation as it is".


    The old man chuckled as he placed his hand on the girl.


    "This is not the north, and the Young Master will not be pleased by your action."


    Her ears perched down as she looked up at him.


    "He wouldn''t?"


    "Not at all". He replied firmly, a smile on his face.


    She sighed, dropping her arm as a bell rang, hanging neatly from the hilt of her sword.


    "So¨CSorry, may I ask where you come from?"


    One of the guards asked, intrigued by their presence.


    "Oh? Well, I think they call it....hah, Beyond the North."


    The two students and guards stood in shock, their gazes nearly bulging out as they thought in unison.


    ''did we dodge a bullet?''


    *****


    Meanwhile, Raph had just found his way to the Class One Lecutre Hall where Elsie and Darrell stood with some others on the patio in front of their building.


    He raised a brow as he looked around while he approached the group.


    "Where''s Jane and the others? It should have ended by now."


    Elsie and Darrell turned to him on hearing his voice, a vibrant smile etching on Elsie''s lips as she rushed up to him with her tail wagging.


    Darrell hissed, turning away as he spat out.


    "Ptui!"


    "Stop being such a hater, you dimwit."


    Raph laughed out, his gaze scanning through the students gathered.


    There were a few, with more occupying their halls, but it encompassed each member of the Class One arms.


    "What happened?"


    "Jane killed a student".


    Raph''s head whipped to Darrell, his gaze widened as his shock was evident.


    "Jane? Are you sure it wasn''t Sophie? She seemed like someone who could."


    "I find that difficult to accept, Raph."


    The familiar voice of a particular petite pierced through his ears as the group of people gathered turned to an incoming group of students.


    Their relief was palpable as they rushed up to their respective class members, Sophie and the others standing behind Raph.


    "Hah..." he flinched as he turned around, Elsie raising a brow as she glanced between them.


    "...creepy little girl, why did you sneak up on me?"


    A bulge of veins popped on Sophie''s forehead as a fierce frown crossed her face.


    "Huh? Care to say that again?"


    Raph froze, Rana and the others walking past them and stopping in front of Darrell.


    "What happened? When did they let you out?"


    He asked.


    "It was as soon as the visitors were gone, I presume. The student body took Jane with them, most likely for interrogation."


    "Interrogation? Who did he kill?" Raph''s question seemed to have drawn the other''s attention.


    "You...didn''t watch the whole event?" Jonny asked.


    "I had a suspicion about Tomaz and Andrej, so I decided to ask Katherin herself...so I left and didn''t get to".


    "Well, I''m sure it didn''t go well. One of them is dead, and the other, Andrej was taken by the Staff members and yet, no sign of Katherin. It seems they''ll be interrogating him for answers as well."


    Rana replied as she looked away, her gaze scanning the group of people.


    "Now, if you''ll excuse me. I have to go find my princess."


    They watched in silence as she walked into the building, the others soon following after leaving Ban and Sophie, who remained next to Raph.


    He turned towards Raph, a sigh escaping his lips as he scratched the back of his head.


    "I didn''t reveal anything as you presumed".


    "It''s all good....we have a situation much more dire than that. We would need you in the end to reveal your abilities".


    Raph got a premonition, a strong one, that this was only the beginning.


    ''What more does the System Uprisers have in mind?''

 Chapter 295 - 295- Festival 26- An apology?

    With the sun''s rays cascading its ambience upon the clouds, a tranquil morning came into play.


    The sounds of Students chattering as the third day of the festival came in earnest, and with it were the lingering conversations of the previous day.


    It had ended without any more issues, as visitors were calmed down before they were let into the Academy for the remainder of the Festival Events.


    Class Two and Three had their events as postulated, but not as much attraction was pulled here as it was with the Class One event.


    After all, there was nothing more to see, or at least that''s what went through the Visitor''s head.


    The other classes mainly used System users for their Treasure hunt, and unsurprisingly, it was only those actually interested who showed up for their events.


    Others didn''t, mostly because they had ''seen it all''.


    A Non-System user killing a System user had much more effect than most anticipated, but the Academy already had contingency plans for them.


    When it was revealed to Reporters the grotesque death of the System user, the Academy released a report stating his connection with the Red Peacemakers and how it was an execution by a Divine Son.


    The family of Lucia were strongly against demons, more so than the Juns and the Red Peacemakers had done nothing to placate their hate.


    It somehow reached them, causing strife between the Lucia household and the Red Peacemakers.


    Thus, it was resolved, though only subtly.


    The dissatisfaction from the public was evident, and reporters had even gone as far as entering the school premises, in search of appealing news for themselves.


    As such, tension rose in the air, a difficult period for most Non-System users.


    The events went as planned, with the rooster for the day stated.


    The Treasure Hunt would end on that day and would be quickly followed by the Monster Hunt of Class Three.


    Raph was particularly interested in the last event, but it seemed the day had other plans for him.


    "What did you say?"


    Raph asked with a click of his tongue as he looked up from his seat, Ciara and Jane standing in front of them.


    Darrell sat on the desk below them and watched silently while the class was rowdy with the conversations of their classmates.


    Elsie was nowhere to be seen, as such, it could be assumed she was on duty.


    "We want to apologize."


    Jane repeated with a sigh, scratching the back of his head while Ciara fiddled with her fingers, a shade of red on the tip of her ears.


    "It''s just an event, we''ll participate."


    Raph raised a brow, his gaze shifting towards Ciara.


    "What happened? Be honest."


    She opened her mouth but was unable to speak.


    Raph sighed and turned to Darrell, who flinched and raised his arm in the air.


    "Don''t look at me. I''m just as surprised as you are."


    "It''s a matter of trust....as it is, we should stick together instead of trying to fight and break us apart." Jane said, his tone dripped with hesitation and annoyance.


    Raph could tell, especially since he made it clear, but Jane wasn''t satisfied with the situation, or pleased in any way.


    "Did someone talk you into it or something?"


    He asked.


    "We heard about...the System Uprisers."


    He whispered the last word, his gaze flicking about the Class Hall.


    "You''re facing your own difficult burdens to do what is right....you''re not as dick-headed as you make yourself seem."


    Darrell suddenly whipped his head towards Jane.


    ''Isn''t he the same person who was annoyed when he was compared to Raph? I thought he had an inferiority complex or something...so what is it?''


    Darrell was just as confused as Raph at this point.


    "Alright, Alright. So you''re saying you''ll participate? I don''t know what came over you guys....especially you, Ciara but it''s all good."


    Ciara turned away. "It''s Jane who convinced me, don''t....don''t misunderstand."


    "I''m not misunderstanding anything." He said with a scoff as he turned away.


    "Anyways, are you guys going for any of the events today?"


    "Nah, not really. I''m going to the Training Hall with the Twins later. That Rhett bastard thinks he''s all that just because he has a god-like monkey forefather."


    Darrell replied with a bitter tone in his voice.


    Raph laughed in response.


    "Son Goku isn''t someone to be messed with. Their abilities weren''t vast enough, but I''m guessing they should have grown stronger by now....perhaps I should try them out as well."


    Darrell shrugged as they turned to Jane in unison.


    Ciara had left the room by now, her destination clear as day.


    "She went to the club room, right?"


    "Yeah. She, Mariam, Louis and Tiara seemed to have made that place their home. They go there every time they get..."


    "Louis and Mariam, huh?" Raph repeated, a sigh escaping his lips as he did so.


    He sometimes found it odd, or perhaps comedic, that the girl who once loved him so purely in his past life, was basically for someone else.


    ''It''s shitty....I was a second option for her, wasn''t I?''


    People don''t get the right to do things like that, and it''s our choice as human beings who have self-respect to walk away from situations like that.


    "Yeah, other than that. So you''ve upgraded huh?" Darrell asked, an excitement in his tone as he adjusted his position on his seat.


    "Nowhere as close to both of you, but I''m a 7th star Warrior now." He replied with a smile when Raph whipped his gaze towards him.


    ''The fuck? He was a 6th star in the Rankings Battle? And I lost to this fucker in my Past life''.


    He face-palmed himself.


    ''Oh....what a disappointment, I was.''


    "So, can you like.....use your god''s abilities longer now? Now that I think about it, other than Rhett and Brett....you also have a god-like ability."


    Darrell sighed. "It''s not just them. Mariam shows promise that she''s not even aware of. The Vinci household has a bizarre ability, but they limit their scope of imagination sometimes.


    The Techa household....I don''t know anything about them, honestly."


    Sometimes, the group tends to forget about the other Great families, mostly because they hardly ever interacted with them.


    ''....and partly because they don''t show their real skills until later in the future....''


    He shook his head as he looked away.


    "You''re right....in this time and age, we''ll need all the help we can. Let''s ensure everyone gets to their true abilities on time."


    Farrell and Jane glanced at each other without contusion.


    "What are you trying to say?" Darrell asked.


    Raph looked up at them, a smirk on his face as he replied.


    "I''m going to add more people to our Club. The DEC needs more members."


    They stared at him in bewilderment, their thoughts reigning in as they both sighed in unison.


    "Crazy bastard."


    *****


    The Academy was a construct built in a Territorial Space or otherwise a really large subspace.


    Most of its buildings were constructed through magic and Psychic abilities and many of its parts were built without the owner of the Academy even knowing.


    One such was the underground pipeway.


    A large area of space with iron pipes lining the walls of the underground structure.


    It stood under the whole length of the Academy, hiding secrets from the surface as well as the Academy itself.


    Far into the corners, within one corner of another was a larger interior, and in that large interior was a large number of known people.


    These were people once known for their teaching capabilities within the Academy, the Lecturers of the Homeric Academy of Gifted Children.


    They were gathered together, with four standing on a raised platform, Katherin in the middle.


    It seemed like they were in the middle of a discussion, an important one at that.


    "It has been decided." She called out, the people gathered turning towards her.


    There were a few familiar figures, some even members of the Control Room.


    The evident ones are Bishop Crown, Wisdom Matata, and a few others.


    "We shall search for the Executives sent to help us."


    "What? I thought we all agreed that it was fake?!"


    "What do you mean search? How long is it going to take? Our positions have been compromised, we need to attack now!"


    "Attack now!"


    The crowd was about to chorus, when Wisdom took a step forward, the side of his neck, revealing a row of veins.


    "¨CSilence!"


    The crowd went silent nearly instantaneously, while Wisdom gave way for Katherin.


    She sighed, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''It''s not like I don''t understand where they''re coming from. After all, we did compromise our positions....a lot of us weren''t even suspected until now.''


    The image of the explosion played out in her head and Cadwin''s expression when he did so.


    ''....I don''t want to cause him sadness....but my goal is my conviction.'' She looked up at the people gathered in the room.


    ''This was an inevitable choice.''


    "I understand that you are worried that we might fight a losing battle, but I will affirm you that there is an executive out there! Waiting for us!"


    She looked away, her gaze lingering on Wisdom beside her while Crown shook his head.


    ''Honestly, I don''t believe shit....but we need something to believe in right now, especially after that incident.''


    Even a Cult of similar-minded people can fall apart when a misunderstanding or conflict occurs.


    Pulling them into the same line of thoughts was their goal, and easing their worry was her duty.


    "Wisdom, let''s go."


    She ordered, walking down the platform while Crown took over to talk with the others.


    She ignored their cheers and laughter that ensued because it had become apparent that all that could be lost with the wrong step.


    Wisdom appeared behind her, a cloak handed over to her as they walked out of the enclosed space.


    "You better be damn, fucking right, Wisdom because I will fuck you up."


    Wisdom chuckled in reply, a smirk of satisfaction on his face as he looked away.


    ''We are coming, My lords.''

 Chapter 296 - 296- Festival 27- HeadMaster Dreau gets involved

    Back in the Staff Hall, the Staff members left after the incident were gathered around Professor Kazim. The tension in the room was palpable by their expressions, their ongoing conversations speaking lengths of their predicament.


    This was led by Professor Kazim, James Crockwell and Rona Watkins. Professor of Battle Arts and Imagery, and Alchemy and Potion Making.


    The other two were part of this Cult as well, albeit one being higher than the other.


    With the palpable tension, came one of the Staff members'' lingering questions.


    "Will the Headmaster get rid of the rest of us, together with the others?"


    A female lecturer, Misa Crowberry, is a black-haired beauty with a pair of glasses and an office outfit.


    "We shouldn''t be concerned about what the HeadMaster wishes to do for now...we should find a way to redeem ourselves. Obviously, they are our colleagues, and this has been happening for years...till we didn''t know of this until now."


    Rona said with a slight pitch to her tone. The baggy clouds beneath her eyes added a lethargic hue to her facial expressions as she attempted to pull out a cigar from her pocket.


    "I''m just as surprised....if not more than you, especially when it comes to Roland. He hadn''t shown himself much.....but this is rather unlike him."


    James stopped her, waving his finger and shaking his head at the same time.


    She clicked her tongue and turned away, her irritation etched on her expression.


    "Nothing''s going to be the same after what happened, you can at least let me smoke while I reminisce on it."


    Just then, loud footsteps echoed in the pathway between the Cubicles, attracting the attention of the Lecturers gathered.


    Kazim seemed to have looked around, just to be sure he had made his headcount as he stood up from his desk.


    With a sigh, he walked past the group of people and out of his cubicle, his gaze flickering with intensity as he did so.


    Freezing at the door, James and Rona raised a brow in concern.


    "Who''s that? Did one of the students step in here again?"


    "Students? You let students walk into here on their own accord? Tsk, Tsk."


    The familiar, yet subtle voice projected in their heads as the Lecturer''s gathered shifted on the spot. Rona and James glanced at each other before folding their hands as Nazim walked back into the cubicle.


    "Hah....so this is where the rest of you were. Interesting"


    HeadMaster Dreau walked into the cubicle, his mere presence taking what was left of the space around them.


    "Headmaster!" The Staff members choruses as they genuflected, remaining silent with his presence.


    He was someone who only showed himself on general occasions and never actually actively participated in Academy Events or Issues.


    Everything was resolved within the enclosed space of his Office, so having the HeadMaster out and about, came as a surprise to them.


    "Yes, never mind that." His gaze drifted to Nazim, a smile on his face.


    "So, what are your plans on catching those fiends? And where''s Cadwin in all this?"


    Rona furrowed her brow, a slight annoyance lingering on her expression.


    Head Master Dreau was someone proficient in a vast number of ancient magic. Finding out the situation and happenings around the Academy, under his roof would be as easy as pie.


    ''So what is he asking Cadwin for? Does he not know he''s in the Health Clinic?''


    The Health Clinic was a part of centres present in the Staff Room for injured or out-of-it members who needed time to recuperate.


    Just like many locations in the Academy, it was located in a subspace. A safety measure to ensure attacks weren''t targeted at them during their resting phase.


    "He''s currently occupying the Health subspace."


    HeadMaster Dreau looked around for a moment, a sigh escaping his lips.


    "You all must feel betrayed....confused and most especially, angered. These are people who were once friends to you, but they have proven not to be on the same page as us."


    He tilted his head, getting a headcount, himself.


    "Just because they were once Comrades doesn''t mean you have to spare them and you don''t have to get involved if you feel... different about it."


    His scholastic gaze left a lot to be talked about within the Staff Members as he was about to walk away.


    "Kazim, Rona and James come with me. We will need a definitive plan in finding where they are.....they are in this school but where?"


    His authoritative tone had somehow twisted the question into a command, and the group of three quickly complied.


    The others were left with their thoughts, one of them, the Head of the Control Room and a familiar figure. Konstantin Zi sat on the edge of the desk, two Lecturers turning to him. Filly Donal and Zitani Veleha.


    "We wait?"


    He shrugged in response. "We wait."


    With a sigh, the people gathered made themselves comfortable. It was a period that could as well be a test of their loyalty to the Academy, or to the so-called "System Uprisers" who seem to be working in their favour.


    Everything was based on moral conduct, and how much a person is willing to cross just to achieve their goal, no matter how little.


    A contemplative gaze was etched on his expressions, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''There must be a way.....there must be a way to catch them with the Control Room...''


    It was a difficult period for the Staff Members, especially since they would have to be on the edge of their seats at all times.


    Hopefully, they get their targets soon.


    ****


    Speaking of targets, two freely walked the roofed pathways of the Academy. Their facial features were different from what they used to be and they seemed to have dawned new clothing.


    It was a regular, commoner attire, but their laser focus on finding their goals had become apparent with the constant searching through the Visitors.


    Katherin was the woman walking in front of Wisdom, who remained behind.


    Wisdom seemed to be on the more lax side, as he enjoyed the view of the skies and the warm breeze that suffused them in a state of calmness.


    For a second, everything seemed to have been normal, as if they weren''t planning one of the Toughest Rebellions in history.


    "Wis¨CManak." She called out, and Wisdom, now with ash hair, turned towards her.


    "Yes, Morgan?"


    "Why aren''t you searching as well? We need to get this over with and soon."


    Wisdom shrugged. "This is a matter that will resolve itself. The Red Peacemakers and we are not that different, so finding them would be much easier than you think."


    She stopped in her tracks, snapping her gaze behind her at him, her glare adamant.


    He stopped, a frown on his face as his gaze narrowed.


    "I''m sorry that you lost your childhood sweetheart, Katherin but you seriously can''t still be upset by that?"


    She cursed under her breath, a crack in her voice as she gripped her fists.


    "You bastard." She muttered bitterly while Wisdom shrugged and walked past her.


    "Don''t be in a rush, whether you finish this up quickly or not, He will never take you back."


    She stared at him I''m silence, her inner turmoil nearly colliding with her thoughts as she walked after him.


    ''I''ve come too far.....to break down now.''


    They continued on their way, walking towards the Class Two Hall Building from the Cafeteria direction when a few familiar voices rang in their ears.


    "I''m telling you, Rhett and Brett aren''t a match for Jane yet. He''s mastered the abilities of the gods to a tee! Don''t you remember my battle with him? I wonder by technical default, you know?"


    A scoff projected in the air, three boys walking towards them from the opposite direction.


    "Oh, please. The Monkey King was known as a legend who caused Havoc in the heavens! You think some gods can stop him in his prime?"


    "Well, you did....and you were merely at the 7th star at the time."


    Jane''s voice was decisive as Darrell laughed out in excitement.


    "What are you talking about? That only happened because he wasn''t strong enough to master his ability and even with the Monkey King transformation, its abilities were limited."


    "That didn''t stop you from ''everything is icing'' everything, though."


    Darrell said, a burst of laughter piercing the air from both Jane and Darrell.


    "Hah! Hah! Very funny, guys."


    Wisdom and Katherin felt a subtle intrigue in their conversations, but their goal was more important than any of their self-interests.


    They shifted their gaze away in the opposite direction as they got closer, and walked by one another.


    A slight tension had risen as they approached, but it clearly disappeared now that they had walked past them.


    ''What was I so scared of anyways.''


    Wisdom thought, a snicker escaping his lips as they continued on their way.


    Just then, Raph stopped and glanced back, Darrell and Jane doing the same.


    His gaze landed on the two figures, aura infused into it and amplifying his vision.


    ''....what?'' He wondered.


    "Raph?" Jane called out, his gaze shifting towards Darrell''s before they both turned towards Raph.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked, nearly instantaneously.


    Jane had grown to admit a few things about Raph, especially after his conversations with the Student Body.


    One especially that was advised to him by both the Vice President and Treasurer was this.


    ''Always trust his judgement. He acts two steps ahead, almost like he sees it happening in certain situations....something like that might arise, so ensure you''re prepared.''


    Raph remained silent until he took a step forward.


    "Hey, you two!" His voice pierced the air, reaching the two figures that had walked past them a minute ago. His thoughts slowly reeled in.


    ''All this...incident with the System Uprisers, it didn''t occur at this time in my Past life but it did occur in the end.....''


    The two figures stopped, glancing at each other as the woman pointed at herself.


    "We?" She asked.


    ''.....there were a few people I saw causing havoc in the Dormitory that period....''


    Having a spoiled past life affected many of his decisions, including this one, but how it did, was left to him.


    He stopped in front of them, his hands folded, a frown on his face and his brows furrowed.


    "Who are you?"

 Chapter 297 - 297- Festival 28- Getting Caught

    "Who are you?"


    The startling question came at a sudden pace, too quick for the duo to come up with something tangible.


    But even still, Wisdom wasn''t going to let a 15-year-old stop them from achieving their goal.


    "Young student, isn''t that rude? We may be strangers here for the festival, but we are still adults."


    Raph kept his words to himself for a moment, Jane and Darrell appearing by his sides at that given moment.


    The tension and confusion were palpable, their anticipation of the next action reaching its climax.


    "I don''t think you get the question, ''stranger''." Raph teased as a sigh escaped his lips.


    He turned to the woman next to him, a particularly petite yet familiar body shape and, most especially, a fake status screen.


    ''It''s fake but their energy levels aren''t.''


    He thought.


    It was often possible to do such, change one''s status screen and not their energy level, or change both for investigations and spying.


    Both had their pros, but one was done by an amateur mage, and the other by a well-versed mage.


    Katherin scoffed.


    "Staring at me won''t give you the answers you seek, boy."


    She turned around, grabbing Wisdom by his collar.


    "My husband and I are simply here for the festivals, please don''t get in our way."


    Jane placed his hand on Raph''s shoulders.


    "Perhaps they were the wrong people?"


    "Yeah, they''re just civilians like the others, visitors here for the festival events."


    Darrell interjected, sealing the deal, or at least that''s how it seemed but Raph had other plans.


    "Come to me, Cold Steel."


    A chill ran down their spines as he clapped his hands together, a cold mist ensuing out of it while he pulled it apart.


    The cold mist transformed into his double-edged katana, a chilling energy exuding out of it.


    The duo noticed it instantly, turning around and raising their voices in protest.


    "What are you doing to mere visitors?!"


    Wisdom cried out.


    "Does your academy not have rules against violence with the visitors?"


    A slight chuckle exuded Raph''s lips as he approached them.


    "But that''s the thing, Katherin and Wisdom."


    His statement caused a stir of shock, for different reasons of course. Darrell and Jane found it surprising because of the news they had heard about the System Uprisers and their leaders. The duo were caught in their thoughts because of how he recognized them.


    "Who¨CWho are those people? You''re referring to the wrong people."


    Wisdom muttered, startled for a moment.


    "Hah....these fools. You still haven''t figured it out huh? My eyes...." He pointed at them, a smirk drawn across his face. "You just can''t deceive it."


    A gust of aura erupted out of his body as he charged at them without warning, exuding a chilling presence in the area.


    The duo, startled by his sudden appearance, had reacted far faster than they were supposed to.


    Wisdom spun to the front, his dark pupils shimmering with intent as he stumped his feet to the ground,


    The pavement rumbled, emerging upwards with a powerful force as Raph crashed into the large rock with a loud thud!


    "You have the wrong people," Katherin said, her tone laced with hesitation.


    Their plans seemed to have been caught right at the edge of it, especially when they had been searching for a way out of it.


    ''And now, this bastard?! This bastard wants to come in our way?!''


    Meanwhile, Jane and Darrell glanced at each other, as if confirming their roles.


    "I''ll go get the student council."


    Jane rushed forward first, a goal set in mind while Darrell watched him silently.


    A loud hissing sound and the crackling of ice grabbed his attention, his gaze narrowing on noticing the students and visitors stopping by to watch the scene unfold.


    ''These humans! They''ll stop to watch anything.''


    The young elf sighed before heading towards the opposite direction.


    He needed to divert their attention somewhere else, and probably get the Security team to help while at it.


    Just then, a tremble spread through the ground, rumbling throughout the school as Raph''s aura exuded with intent.


    He seemed to have sliced the Boulder away and charged at them, nearly knocking Wisdom out. The tremble was from his strike.


    Darrell groaned, turning away.


    ''He just acts impulsively when he gets a clue on something.''


    A sigh escaped his lips, as he began to drive the approaching students and visitors away.


    ****


    Meanwhile, two figures emerged from the Gate Portal, their expressions and gazes familiar, yet subtly different.


    The Gate Guards gave them a firm nod and welcomed them in while the Security watched them in silence, inspecting them in their own way.


    One of these was Elsie, who was caught up in her thoughts while she stood at the entrance to the Remembrance Hall.


    ''I could be out there, playing with my hubby, but here I am.....acting all ''Security girl'' with a bunch of unappreciated humans.''


    With a slight groan, she looked away, the sounds of the approaching figures perking her ears.


    "So, what now? Do we just search again?"


    A female voice asked, one with intent and suppressed strength.


    "We can, we can....or we can just enjoy the day?"


    The other was a male with a firm yet easygoing tone that exuded a lax yet powerful and formidable energy.


    "You must be kidding..." the female said while the male laughed in excitement.


    At this point, they had gotten to the staircase and begun to ascend to the main building of the Remembrance Hall.


    That also meant they were approaching Elsie.


    "...though, I do like the idea of having a little fun."


    "Exactly, we work all the time....what''s a little fun, huh?"


    Elsie giggled a little, her cheeks blushing red at their conversations.


    "So cute." She whispered as they got to the top of the stairway.


    Just then, their gazes locked onto hers, and so did hers, the male nearly tripping as they did so.


    She raised a brow in confusion and suspicion while they walked into the building.


    ''What was that all about?'' She wondered as she looked away.


    She couldn''t bother herself with the little things anyway.


    The two figures walked past Elsie with surprise etched on their expressions, Mila raising a brow as she turned to Nicho.


    "Wasn''t that the mutt?" She asked.


    Nicho nodded. "That mutt was in fact, the mutt."


    A sigh escaped their lips, their gazes turning towards the exhibition cases of formidable weapons with a portrait of their past owner.


    All these people were once members of the Academy, and they had proven their capabilities many times in it.


    "Now we know where one of our goods went."


    "Should we take her back?"


    Mila''s tone was rough, almost like a statement than a question but Nicho''s reply cut through those thoughts.


    "Why would we go and do that? Let''s focus on the goal first."


    She turned to him, slowly nodding away as she looked away.


    By then, they had gotten to the other side of the hall, a set of stairs leading to the walkway.


    They had approached it silently, their thoughts reeled in, when a sudden energy blast struck the skies, cascading down the clouds in a blue hue.


    The energy blast sent a wave of wind cascading down the atmosphere towards them, and a chill crept up their spines.


    Mila and Nicho glanced at each other, their surprise palpable as they turned towards the source of the energy blast.


    "Are they fighting today?"


    "That wasn''t in the Rooster and most especially, they don''t seem to be fighting to win.....but for one to die."


    Nichos'' brows furrowed, his tone pitched as he said.


    "Let''s check it out."


    ****


    The walkway was riddled with icicles and broken rocks as Raph approached the two figures from the sides yet again.


    The two had chosen to defend and evade the attacks, but they were being pushed back, and it was occurring fast.


    "What do we do? He''s not letting up?"


    Wisdom asked, his tone dripped with the urgency of the situation.


    "I do not know. This wasn''t in one of our plans, was it?"


    She asked though Katherin had been figuring out a backup plan since a while back.


    ''He''s not letting up, yes, but he''s also doing us a favour. We should approach somewhere the visitors can see us clearly, then announce our names.....it''s a dangerous plan but at least the so-called ''executives'' will see us coming.''


    It was an annoying plan. Katherin was a woman who never liked to rely on others to help her do her job. Mostly because people tend to disappoint at unforgiving times.


    ''....I can''t believe I''m actually believing in this fool. He better be right.''


    She grabbed him by his collar just as Raph closed the distance and suddenly teleported away, and their energy with it.


    Raph froze for a moment, his gaze following the trail of their mana.


    It took a bit over a second, and as soon as they appeared, his gaze trailed their energy to the spot, his body moving in a fluid motion in the next second.


    With a gust of wind and energy, he lunged into the sky and charged towards their direction in the blink of an eye.


    Wisdom and Mila had appeared in the Class Two fields, unoccupied by students but still close to grabbing the mass''s attention.


    "What are you doing? Running isn''t fixing anything."


    Wisdom protested as he pulled her arm away from his collar.


    "We aren''t. We''re just changing the scenery."


    Just then, the approaching figure of Raph descended from the skies to the fields with a loud thud.


    Energy and ice exuded out in the air from the force as he approached them from a crater formed by his landing.


    "You don''t let up, huh? Raffaelo Jun."


    Katherin felt a rare excitement as her body suddenly ignited in flames.


    She took a step forward, her lips curling into a wild grin¨Cdevoid of all that is good, with an intent, a mad intent.


    "Finally done hiding, huh, Katherin? I hope you are prepared to face the consequences of your action?"


    The Flames ignited into the skies, her gaze widening in excitement.


    "That''s Professor Katherin to you."

 Chapter 298 - 298- Festival 29- Punishment mismanagement

    ''She brought the fight to the field?''


    Raph thought as he swung his sword through the air, the tension palpable as he charged forward with a sudden surge of power.


    Katherin wasn''t any later, her body exuding waves of flames as she charged in right at the same time.


    A collision of power and energy occurred, wind and flames bursting through the air as the recoil pushed them back.


    ''She has a plan?''


    He couldn''t put it together nor decipher her reason for suddenly changing locations, but it was clear that the field was open and attracted more Spectators.


    ''But why?''


    He dug into his past memories as they clashed again.


    Fists suffused with flames smashing against Raph''s cold blade.


    Their movement was precise and their speed escalated with each passing moment.


    Each strike caused a drastic recoil of force, the field suffering the brunt of it as it descended into a crater with repeated energy slams.


    ''Never mind that for now. Is she actually fighting with me?'' He wondered as he raised a brow.


    His gaze peered into her, but just like before, what he saw was a fake status screen.


    ''In all possibilities, she could be level 100.''


    A sudden collision pushed both of them back, the force causing them to groan in pain as Raph swung his sword in the air.


    "It''s obvious you''re up to something, Katherin."


    His gaze drifted to Wisdom, who remained still behind Katherin the whole time.


    "And I don''t intend on letting your plans go just the way you wish it."


    Katherin scoffed. "What are you going to do about it? We''re clearly on par."


    "Par?" Raph repeated with an amused chuckle.


    He stabbed his sword into the ground, placing his arms over the hilt, a tranquil air blowing his hair in the wind as his aura suffused around him.


    Wisdom and Katherin glanced at each other in confusion, then at Raph, Wisdom walking up next to Katherin.


    Whatever Raph intended to do, it was going to threaten the life of his leader. He had to step up.


    ''There are many methods one can apply to the Aura Field Of Vision.''


    Raph thought as the air around him began to turn cold to his decree. A sudden and drastic drop in atmospheric temperature, and it was going down exponentially.


    Ice formed on the fields around him, pulling at the moisture and increasing in intensity as it began to spread.


    ''The physical manifestation of one ability, and the mental manifestation of it...''


    The Aura Field Of Vision was prided for its diversity in usage.


    It was the manifestation of a Jun''s trait in a physical condition that boosts their strength by a long shot, but the application wasn''t limited to just Physical or Mental.


    Katherin clicked her tongue, flames igniting as she pointed her arm at Raph.


    "If you think I''ll just stand and watch, think again."


    A ball of flames ignited at the tip of her fingers, five little flames, setting ablaze in a mirage of colours.


    She pulled out her other arm, taking the gesture of an arrow as the flames grew in length.


    The Fire sparked life against the world, liquid flames dropping to the fields and turning them into black dust.


    "Katherin, isn''t that a bit much?" Wisdom asked.


    She snickered. "Are you seeing what he''s doing? He most likely wants to use that."


    Many were aware of it, the ability that the Jun stands for in their epitome of power.


    "Let''s not take risks."


    She closed her eyes, counting the passing of time until she opened them once again.


    A tongue of flame ignited on her red pupil, its blaze dancing to the wind.


    "Transcendent Skill...."


    The skies rumbled, as she shot the projectile at Raph.


    "Tongues of Pain."


    Raph remained still, as if in a state of focus despite the incoming arrows of flames.


    His mind was at peace, and perhaps his body as well. The world seemed to move in slow motion as a cold breath exuded out of his lips.


    ''Everything is ice.''


    "Aura Field Of Vision; Negative Zero."


    The air stifled, patterns of ice forming as the atmosphere turned to snow and ice.


    The clouds above his head were not left untouched, as they fell to the field in large chunks of ice.


    It spread through the field, turning nature and the obstructs in his paths into statues of ice.


    The flame arrows crossed into his path, the power of its flames waning from the cold.


    It was still a transcendent skill, it was strong enough to resist Raph''s cold and pierce into his defence, but it had accumulated too much cold.


    Its effect was reduced by it.


    A wall of snow formed in its path, and the five arrows stabbed into it, igniting the world in an explosion of colourful flames.


    The ice spread with the wind, hitting Katherin and Wisdom like a tsunami, their bodies bearing the brunt of it as they shivered from its intensity.


    "Shit...what the tuck is this cold?!'' She wondered, her flames flickering with her intent.


    It blazed about in fury, but even her fiery layers of protection were unable to keep the cold from seeping into her bones.


    Wisdom was in a much worse state.


    His body had frozen over, turning into a fine statue of ice, confusion and pain etched in his expression.


    This was a situation that they expected, but much colder and grander and they underestimated it.


    She fell to her knees, Raph slowly approaching with his sword, his gaze fierce, ready to carry out the final judgement.


    Many visitors had approached the field, but despite them being nearly 400m away, they were unable to escape the cold.


    They watched in shock, perhaps confused at the situation, as they chattered amongst themselves. A little cold didn''t stop them from watching the match. They intended to see what occurred till the very end, but it was around this time that the Student Council finally showed up.


    They hung around the corner of the Fields, a pavement that led to the Class Two Lecture Hall, their numbers increasing as their interest was drawn to the fight.


    Two figures were also among these; their intrigue pulled to an all-time high.


    "That is the Jun''s son, is it not?"


    Mila asked, her tone laced with intrigue and a burning desire growing within her.


    "Yes. I wonder what they feed those kids. He''s just fifteen and see how much power he has..."


    "It''s the fact he can maintain that much power, and use it efficiently. For his age, that is difficult to do."


    Nicho nodded while he stared at the two individuals facing against the Jun''s son. His gaze narrowed, his breath evening.


    He nearly felt sorry for them, being weak in a world that is cruel to those who are.


    ''Maybe in their next life, they will choose to be something other than weak?''


    "Please, Visitors, this is merely a punishment for school offenders. Take your attention elsewhere while the Student Council and Staff Members handle the situation."


    An announcement was made, their attention drawn to it and a groan of reluctance spread through the crowd.


    Unsurprisingly, some wished to refute it.


    It was a scene much more interesting than a lot they had seen before, and perhaps even others.


    Nicho raised a brow. ''Punishment? A student punishing a lecturer? That''s absurd.''


    He thought, Mila, glancing at Nicho with a raised brow.


    She seemed just as confused as he was at their announcement.


    Just then, two little kids ran past them, their conversations sending them on edge.


    "My elder brother told me that they were part of a Cult!"


    "A Cult! No way! Is that why they''re being punished!"


    "Yeah!"


    Their childlike voices sent a snap of realization in the two figures as they glanced at each other.


    "Cult?" Mila muttered. "What Cult?"


    They hesitated, the crowd already moving away from the scene, while the Student Council led them.


    Tiffany appeared in their presence with a warm smile, her arm gestured for them to turn back.


    "Please this way." She said politely, their gazes turning to her.


    "Sorry, I heard they were a Cult. There''s a Cult in the Academy? Why has this not gotten out yet?"


    Nicho asked, his gaze narrowing.


    She giggled. "Those are matters of the school¨Cnow this way, please."


    She gestured again but they weren''t satisfied.


    With a last glance at Mila, a smirk formed on their face.


    They didn''t need an oathsayer to let them know now. They had found their targets.


    With a sudden surge of energy, Nicho charged into the fields, startling Tiffany and other nerves around her.


    "Hey! Mister!"


    She called out in shock but to no avail.


    Turning around with a startled expression and a raised brow, she locked gazes with Mila, footsteps approaching.


    "Tiffany, who was that?" Thalia asked, her gaze shifting to the scene as the figure intervened with an explosion of power.


    A shockwave sent them nearly off their feet, surprise etched in their expressions.


    They turned to the scene unfolding, staring at Raph and his new opponent, his katana stretched into the air.


    "What are you doing, Jun? Killing Lecturers is against the school rules."


    His voice pierced through the air, causing the growing confusion within Tiffany and the others.


    She furrowed her brows as she approached Mila, grabbing her arm.


    "You will have to come with me for questioning." She stated.


    Mila glanced at her arm and then at the girl''s face, her lips curled into a perfectly, crescent arc.


    She snickered. "This bitch."


    Her body erupted in a sea of flames startling Tiffany as the flames scorched her arm and pushed her back.


    She screamed in pain, her shock and surprise evident as Thalia grabbed her and stood in the way.


    Mila''s gaze grew cold, her lips turning upside down in a deep frown. ''Finally, I can let loose.'' She thought in amusement as she said.


    "How dare you touch me?"

 Chapter 299 - 299- Festival 30- Nicho and Mila cause a scene

    ''What?''


    Thalia was caught in the crossfire between the sudden outburst of the visitor and Tiffany''s defence against it.


    Until now, it seemed like things were going smoothly, maybe a bit too smoothly.


    Her gaze narrowed as Mila walked up to them, an aura of flames suffusing around her, and her expression cold.


    ''She looks dangerous.''


    She thought, her gaze drifting towards the visitors.


    Some were still there, led away from the fight scene by the others who were far ahead of them.


    ''It would have been better if Rebecca was still here....but..''


    She sighed, arranging her thoughts in order as she took a step forward, pulling Tiffany to her side.


    "Thalia?" She called out in surprise.


    "Call the others, and lead the visitors from here. It''s obvious this woman is going to resort to violence soon."


    She glanced at Tiffany, a flicker of intent in her gaze as she did so.


    "Let''s avoid any more complications so let me take care of this."


    "Oi!"


    Mila''s voice pierced through their conversation, pulling their attention as the air warped, their gazes widening in their presence.


    For a second, it seemed like she had teleported, her presence disappearing from their presence only to resurface above them.


    Flames danced around her fists, dispersing in the air as she appeared above them, her fist descending like a guillotine.


    An explosion of flames occurred in the process, her movements quickly and precisely, with a blinding light exploding out.


    Her lips curled into a frantic smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement as time slowed down.


    Thalia''s gaze drifted to hers, their gazes locking and her frown widening. She was not amused.


    With a surge of mana, she suddenly jumped into the air, grabbing Mila and pulling her into the air.


    An eruption of mana and power exuded from Thalia as she did so, jumping away from the range of Mila''s fists within that fraction of a second.


    Mila raised a brow, her fists curling into the air with a powerful thrust, an air force exploding and startling the crowd.


    "Amusing!"


    Mila twirled her body while in the air, her flames forming spirals of ribbons around, erupting in power and brightness with each passing second.


    She aimed at Thalia, her flames shooting out like the ejection fuel of a rocket, fast and precise, without room for escape.


    Thalia groaned as she was pushed, wind suffusing around her and dispersing the flames as she sprung into the air with Tiffany.


    "Find them."


    She ordered as she spun and threw Tiffany forward.


    Tiffany nodded, air suffusing around her as she descended to the ground.


    Though, most of what had occurred had reached the visitors, and the student body in the process.


    Priorities remained, taking them to safety. Thus, Thalia was left to her devices.


    She was fine with that, after all, she never got enough opportunities to truly test herself.


    Her mana spiralled within her, exuding a purple mixture out of her body.


    "I don''t know who you are, but you''re messing with the wrong people."


    She stated, her hands pointed forward as the skies sparked with mana, like fireworks ready to ignite.


    Mila raised a brow, her wild expression turning cold.


    ''Just now....she was at 6th circle, wasn''t she?'' She wondered, her surprise palpable as the mana suffusing Thalia suddenly exploded exponentially.


    The sparks streaked through the skies, rumbling with intent.


    "7th Chapter of the Jun''s Mage Arts."


    Her mana suffused through like steam, her gaze exuding an otherworldly hue as she pulled her arms to the sides.


    Lightning streaked through the skies in rugged thin arcs, her authority printed upon it. It ignited the skies in a purple hue, leaving Mila lost for words.


    Her thoughts reeled in, her confusion slowly easing away, and her smirk replacing the frown on her face.


    "I assumed the Swordsmen were the only threats within the Jun household." She laughed out loud in excitement.


    "Nice of you to prove me wrong."


    Her mana surged out, flames streaking to the skies in an unparalleled brightness.


    She threw her fist into the air, causing the flames to spread through it.


    They gathered around her fists, a brightening effect of fire and light occurring in the process, increasing ever so slightly.


    It grew linearly, reaching amounts in mere seconds, and soon, those flames began to spread to her arms, coating it in a surge of fiery power.


    "Transcendent Skill."


    Thalia ignored her words, controlling the phenomenon in the skies with much pre-determined focus.


    The rumbling continued as a purple Lightning took the shape of a dragon, bestial screams projecting against the world as she did so.


    "I don''t care what you have to say about us. Just die."


    The streaks of lightning began to spark in her direction, bestial screams projecting its presence in the world.


    "Climax Burst."


    "Ignis Flame Arcs."


    The world reverberated as lilac and crimson red painted the canvas of the sky, pulling the attention of all those in the Academy.


    Students, Adults, Children, Staff, Important figures and the commoners, everyone was drawn to the brilliance in the sky.


    It erupted, a sonic erosion erupting as streaks of lightning transcended against the natural phenomenon, and curls of flames, taking shapes of arcs, streaked through the air.


    The flames were a brilliant colour of red, shading its presence upon the surface, as heat emitted upon the surface of the ground.


    The collision was massive, twirling and spiralling within itself as it exploded, the atmosphere crackling, thunder shuddering, the wind quaking, and the earth depressing into a crater from the force.


    The startled phenomenon caused all those who stared at it to look away, startled by the air draft emitted from it, blowing through the Academy and their gazes away.


    While this occurred, Raph and Nicho were still stuck in a tight spot.


    Either had not moved forward to attack first, as if wary of the other.


    The sudden explosion had only made things worse, the air draft reached those who were closer to the source of the explosion. The force would have picked them up, taking them through the air in the process.


    "Hah...that''s my cue, you see."


    Nicho picked up Katherin and Wisdom, the crippling ice spreading towards him in the process.


    ''Should I be concerned he seems fine within my zone? This ice here should be powerful enough to freeze anyone.'' Raph thought as he waved his sword through the air, an arc of ice forming in the process.


    "And I would let you?" He asked, his sarcasm dripped in his voice as he charged forward.


    The sudden outburst of movement alerted Nicho, his gaze pulled to the source, his smile widening. He kicked the hilt of his sword behind him, the blade sprung out of the hilt, his katana twirling in the air as it propelled towards Raph.


    Raphs brows furrowed, their swords clashing and a surge of power occurring as he backed off.


    He charged in again, and the sword spun, slamming itself on Raph''s sword in the process and another eruption of power occurred.


    This time, he propelled himself forward, just as Nicho was about to retreat.


    "Everything is ice."


    He slammed his sword into the ground, a rumbling sensation spreading through as ice and snow mountains sprung out, striking Nicho in the process.


    "Glacier Spire."


    The force caused an airblast, his body slamming into the ground, a crater forming.


    Katherin and Wisdom slammed into the ground in the process, their screams of pain piercing the air.


    Raph jumped into the air, the air weaving against his body as he slammed into the crater where Nicho lay.


    His sword drifted in the air as he aimed it at Nicho''s chest.


    A sudden drift of the air caused his gaze to widen in surprise, as a wall of ice sprung from the ground, his sword piercing into the man''s chest and a loud explosion occurring behind him.


    Nicho''s sword was lodged into the wall of ice, a large depression on the wall of ice as it crumbled to the ground.


    Raph raised a brow, his otherworldly gaze fixed on Nicho, who returned the same expression.


    "Stabbing my chest isn''t enough to kill me."


    A sudden surge of the air occurred, the wind blasting Raph backwards and lifting Nicho from the ground. Raph slammed against the ice pillars, a slight groan escaping his lips.


    Nicho''s katana drifted through the air as he grabbed it, swinging it across in a clean arc.


    A surge of power exuded from his body as his gaze narrowed, a blast of wind and earth occurring as he charged forward.


    Raph clicked his tongue as he sprung out, their swords colliding as it did so.


    ''Nicho, damn it! All that diversion and for what?! I''m ready to escape, so grab them.''


    ''Oh, my sweet Mila. How nice of you to do a sudden sound transmission when I''m so busy with an opponent.''


    ''Just go to your left; I''ll open up a portal, so grab them both and let''s get out of here.''


    ''Yes, Dear.''


    Raph''s lips curled into a smirk as their clash continued, a crater forming as they descended down the field.


    Nicho tilted his head in confusion but, nonetheless, caused a sudden outburst of wind that picked up Raph and slammed him against the wall of the crater.


    At the same time, he had projected himself out of the crater, caused the wind to pick up Wisdom and Katherin and rushed into the air, just as instructed.


    He grabbed them by their collars, against their protest, when a streak of blue energy ascended behind him.


    The explosion of lilac and crimson was in the process of dying out, signs of Mila gone when a crimson portal opened in the mixture.


    Nicho spotted it easily and, with a satisfied smile, headed there with a sudden rush of mana and wind.


    ''Hah...these fools. In the end, we still got what we wan''¨C


    His gaze widened in shock as he felt a presence above him, his gaze drifting upwards in slow motion.


    ''Raffaelo Jun? How did he¨C?''


    Raffaelo appeared above him, his sword streaking down like a guillotine, his gaze fixated on the man and an otherworldly glow exuding from the depths of his eyes.


    "You''re not going anywhere."

 Chapter 300 - 300- Festival 31- Uprisers X Peacemakers

    The wind whisked with his presence, a cold chill exuding from his body as his sword, held firmly with his hands, coursed through the air in a fine thin line.


    Nicho wasn''t allowed to turn away, nor did he find the time to retaliate, but even with that, his quick thinking saved him at the last minute.


    Ice formed in the air, its crippling cold tracing the afterimages of his blade as it drew closer to its target.


    A cold indifference hid beneath Raph''s eyes, a steady cold breath exuding out and malevolent, glowing eyes.


    It sent a shiver down Nicho''s spine as he looked away. It was fascinating; the great families were known for unordinary abilities and a strength that could only be dreamed of by System users.


    So why do they go against this unsettling gap in power despite knowing the difference in abilities?


    Perhaps, it was thanks to the System. Despite it having a level cap, it provided growth varieties that the Non-system users could never attain.


    Despite all this, Households like the Jun still stood in their indifferent strength, though, slowly repressed by the King and his Aristocrats.


    He sighed, shifting his thoughts away as he propelled the wind around him.


    It pushed his body to the side, just as soon as Raph''s blade had struck the spot he once was, dodging the fine arc of Raph''s blade.


    With a smug, he propelled himself into the Portal just as it closed, leaving Raph behind, and his gaze filled with frustration.


    Raph sighed, dropping his blade down as he glanced to his left side while descending from the skies.


    "They escaped...."


    He muttered, the subtle streak of blood pouring out from the item he held.


    "But I at least took something."


    He landed with a loud thud, sounds of footsteps echoing on the field as a group of people approached him.


    The Student Body leads the others.


    "Are you alright, Raffaelo?"


    Phestus Greenhorn came into his line of sight, a sigh of reprieve escaping his lips as Rebecca followed closely behind.


    Raph turned towards them, a wry smile on his face as he pulled up the item, and the figure attached to the item.


    "We can get information from this one, right?" He asked.


    The others stopped, their gazes shifting between Wisdom, an unconscious mess, his collar held by an amputated arm.


    ''In that split moment....he took out his arm...''


    Phestus thought as Rebecca approached closer.


    ''They''re just as skilful as always.''


    With a sigh, he walked after Rebecca.


    Things had been made a bit more bearable now. A core member of the System Uprisers had been found, whole and healthy.


    Information was a vital tool in this mess and they had obtained a means of getting it.


    *****


    In the Kingdom of Lumbrica, at a familiar inn where two people had made their temporary abode, a pink Portal was opened in the air.


    A figure had rushed out of it, causing a loud thud that echoed soon after, and a slight groan.


    Mila stood at the door, her arm folded as she shifted her gaze upwards to the two presence now in her midst.


    A man, Nicho and a woman, Katherin.


    "That took you long."


    She commented as the man slowly sat up from the bed.


    The room was a two-bedroom, spacious quarters, with space furniture and bland decor.


    It was obvious that these two had no intentions of staying for long as the state of the room on their arrival had been maintained.


    The bed shook as a gust of wind rushed into the room, the sounds of the bustling hustle of the Market reaching in as it did so.


    The wind propelled Nicho upwards, a warm smile on his face as he dropped Katherin on the bed.


    Her body rolled over and crashed on the ground, a startled groan escaping her lips as she did so.


    "Be careful, she may be an important mem¨C


    Mila froze in her statement, her eyes bulging open as her gaze glued on his left arm.


    She groaned slightly, looking up at his expression. It had grown cold, a stark contrast to how it was once.


    His gaze was fixed blankly on it, a swirl of rage brewing within him.


    She smirked, amusement taking place with the curl of her lips.


    "He got you good."


    Nicho remained silent.


    The air filled with the dripping of blood from the stump on his left side.


    He placed his hand on it, circling a small ball of wind around it.


    "Raffaelo Jun, was it? Not bad....not bad at all."


    He descended the stairs, walked up to a chair and sat down. His thoughts reeled in while a tense silence hung in the air.


    Mila looked away, her smirk widening.


    ''It''s been a while since I saw him make that expression....Raffaelo Jun is in for a lot of pain after this.''


    She turned towards Katherin as the crimson-haired man stood up, her arms raised in defence.


    "Wh¨CWho are you? Why did you save me?"


    She asked, her tone shaky with uncertainty.


    It was expected. She had become especially wary considering her predicament.


    She was found out, in the most unprecedented way, and perhaps by one of the students they least expected.


    Then they had to fight to escape but were still somehow getting cornered by a single 15-year-old, and just when it seemed they had lost any form of a way out, a figure stepped in.


    Why did they do so? Or how they did so bothered her greatly, but she had to remain wary. After all, what she deciphered from the whole fight was how strong they were, despite being System users.


    "I understand why you could be on edge, but I would advise you to put those hands down. It wouldn''t help you in any way.....and aren''t you a mage?"


    ''I am, but I''m almost out of MP. I would rather save it up to escape if I realize I''ve been caught by the enemy.''


    She shook her head and slowly dropped her arms.


    "I¨CI would like to know...why you saved me."


    She muttered, her hesitation lingering still.


    Mila didn''t mind it, and Nicho was still busy healing the stump on his left side while holding himself back.


    "That''s alright. I''m sure you''ve heard of us....we were sent to assist the System Uprisers. I''m sure the deal was something related to the death of Non-system users within the Academy?"


    She mentioned the specifics, though not greatly, to get a better view of who she was dealing with.


    Katherin''s eyes widened, her brows arched as her gaze flicked with intensity.


    "The Sy¨CSys¨CSystem users, so you came in the end..."


    Her breath was shaky, as she felt the energy drain out of her at that moment.


    She fell to her knees, unbottled emotions resurfacing as a rain of tears ran down her cheeks.


    "Oh goodness! They''ve finally come."


    Contrary to her actions so far, Katherin had been weakened by the explosion caused by Cadwin.


    Emotionally and Physically, she was dealt a blow she thought she could never escape from, and her goal began to turn bleak.


    ''....but this? With this....we can do it. We can get back at the stupid academy and take over.''


    System superiority in society and defeating the Devil King. That was their Motto and the soul of their goals.


    Mila watched in silence, the soft whimpers permeating the tension in the room like a hot knife through butter.


    She smiled, a chuckle escaping her lips.


    "We''ve given a lot of organizations our help in the past, but this is the first time someone cried upon hearing our arrival."


    Nicho turned towards her, his breath evening.


    The wind surrounding his arm had come to its end, and the blood had dried out from his wound, leaving a dried-down cut.


    "You want to win in this, don''t you?"


    He asked, his tone even and cold.


    A solid indifference in his gaze as images of Raph flashed through his head.


    Katherin looked up, nodding slowly in response.


    "Good. We will give you that victory, and in return, you fulfil your end of the bargain."


    She remained silent, sitting next to the bed and evening her shaky breath.


    "Of course."


    She said, her tone even, her fiery passion slowly rekindling.


    "Good but no one touches Raffaelo Jun."


    Mila whipped her gaze towards him, a smirk on her lips as she watched him in silence.


    A pattern of veins protruded through his right arm, a firm grasp held on the hilt of his blade and a malevolent glow hidden beneath the depths of his eyes.


    This wasn''t something that could be observed by just anyone, but Mila herself.


    ''...Finally. This will be fun.''


    With clenched teeth, and dilated pupils, he said, his voice coarse and cracked.


    "He''s mine."


    ****


    The hand of time continued, and the Festivities for the third day had come to an end.


    With it, were the departure of the visitors and the increase in tension within the Academy.


    Students were busy shuffling about in their Hostels, having conversations about the fight events of the day.


    The Treasure Event and Monster Hunt that marked the beginning of a new event weren''t the hot topics of the day.


    No, it was news of Raffaelo Jun capturing and subjugating the members of the System Uprisers.


    This brought a great sense of amusement for some Students, as they conversed freely on the depths of the Jun''s strength and the fight scene in vivid description.


    While it brought unrest to many others, their hearts were torn apart by the news.


    One of which was Javier Wright and his cohort.


    This group of System users featuring the Sword Hero and a new member of the group, had a conversation that was both unsettling and suspicious.


    Javier''s voice pierced through the air, his gaze evening.


    "Katherin sent word. We will be beginning the operation soon."

 Chapter 301 - 301- Festival 32- Plans and Suffering

    Javier Wright, the white-haired male with a pair of onyx eyes, sat cross-legged on his bed, his chin resting on his arm while the others walked around his room.


    His room was located on the second floor, with two below and two more above.


    His gaze shifted between them, his lips curled upwards and then downwards, while images and conversations of the day reeled into his head.


    ''What a mess, this whole thing is causing unnecessary stress. Will Katherin be able to pull it off in the end?''


    The bizarre yet incomprehensible goal of attacking the System Users.


    It was ridiculous at first but after being introduced into the Cult, he couldn''t help but be pulled by their words. But now, all those were being questioned.


    ''Well, not by me since I''ve received word from her....but the others...''


    He looked up again, a frown creasing between his eyebrows.


    Standing by his window was Gregory, and a few inches away, resting on the wall was Yon Duke.


    On his bed, beside him were Aurora and Lucy and at the foot of his bed was the new addition to the group.


    A situation that arose thanks to Katherin a few weeks ago, though, from a different class.


    "Ruffia Jones." He muttered, grabbing the attention of the blue-haired girl.


    She had a distant expression, her gaze devoid of warmth or emotion.


    Her hair was blue and tied to a pair of pigtails, with its tip dyed black. Its length stopped just below her waist, with braids and bangs on her forehead.


    She raised a brow as she turned to Javier.


    "What is it?" She asked, disinterest laced in her tone.


    Javier frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion.


    ''What''s with this bitch. Since back then and now, she''s never given me an honest expression or statement. Everything about her....seems so half-assed.''


    "Katherin sent word. We will be beginning the operation soon."


    The room turned tense with his statement, their gazes locked on him as he sat up on the bed.


    "Katherin sent word? How long ago?"


    Lucy asked, her tone laced with hesitation. She narrowed her gaze while she stared at him, his gaze locking into hers and easily shifting away as it did so.


    "That''s not what''s important. We now have a mission, that''s what''s important."


    "A mission?" Yon Duke repeated, curiosity and confusion laced in his voice.


    The cohort had grown stronger with their stay in the Academy.


    Most had learnt the basics of what they''d been taught and somehow levelled up during their free days on the weekends.


    It was a bonding time for the group, as Javier had made it certain they stick together.


    ''....though, this wench makes it sickly. All my strategies and group plans....made useless by one bitch.''


    He felt disgusted simply by the sight of her, and perhaps a burning rage at the thought that continuously crept up in his head.


    ''A Water Hero? What nonsense! So you''re saying they''re others? Other Heroes chosen by Mayura other than me? What utter bullshit.''


    This was also the source of much of his inherent rage, though he had brought it upon himself to act normal, despite his disapproval.


    "Yes, a mission. We''ve been tasked with taking care of the Year One securities....the Golems and Magic Torrents especially.


    It seems like plan extermination will be carried out soon."


    The tension escalated, his friends glancing at each other when Rufia broke it.


    "So, all we need to do is take care of the defence and not kill them directly? That''s a simple matter."


    "It is....so, you will have to negotiate with the Year Three members of the cult to help you."


    She shook her head.


    "There''s no need for that, my level is more than enough to take care of those tin cans."


    Despite the hostel''s nature, the presence of a defensive manoeuvre when the lives of the students were at stake was precedent.


    This was one of many reasons why Assassins, who were majorly focused on stealth, were sent, and even at that, it was only done by well-vested Assassins.


    "I hope Miss. Katherin is okay.....we don''t even know what they''re doing with Wisdom. I hope she''s not suffering the same fate."


    Aurora muttered as she looked away, biting down on her nails as she grumbled.


    It was a difficult period, as decisions that would forever impact their lives were being made in this room.


    "She''ll be okay. She sent word, didn''t she? I''m sure she''s found the supposed visitors and has decided to carry out the plan."


    Gregory interjected.


    "Yes, I assumed so as well," Javier said with a sigh. "The school is already on high alert with her stunt yesterday. We can''t expect her not to pull another.....but perhaps she will be more prepared this time."


    They nodded, while Ruffia walked towards the door.


    "We''re done with the nightly meetings for today. I will go and take care of my end....so ensure you begin yours immediately."


    The cohort watched in silence as her footsteps diminished, her presence waning away from their radar.


    Gregory and Yon Duke glanced at each other, and then at Javier.


    "I hope you can tolerate her for a bit longer.


    We can tell you want her dead."


    Gregory said with a sigh, Javier remaining silent, his gaze glued to the doors.


    The two girls stood up a few seconds later, walking towards Gregory and Yon. They had a task, one that required them to act immediately.


    "When do we start? If katherin had sent word, then she must be getting ready to achieve her goal."


    Lucy asked as she glanced out the window.


    It was a quiet night, the moon''s glow cascading a cold ethereal luminance on the clouds of the sky.


    A beautiful canvas of the night.


    One would mistake it for being real, but it was in fact, merely just an imitation of the real thing.


    "We start now. Let''s go over the security we''re aware of....and start off from there."


    "We''ll have to be quiet as well. No one knows of our connection to the Uprisers yet, and there are many others whose position could be jeopardized if we don''t act smart."


    "Yes, it is just as you said. Not to mention the Control Room."


    We don''t know if they''re currently watching us or not."


    A moment of silence descended on the room; the cohort fixated on their thoughts for a moment.


    "Let''s not worry about the Control Room."


    Javier''s voice grabbed their attention, their gazes whipping towards him.


    "Just like with Raph''s assassination attempt, we have someone in there so they won''t see us coming."


    A smirk spread across his face, his onyx eyes, exuding a deep shade of black, untapped powers hiding beneath its depths.


    "Let''s begin."


    *****


    Late that same night, the Staff Building stood awake.


    Academy faculties ought not to be active during the night, mostly because it is past closing time and the Academy Staff and Students go to their respective homes or Hostels.


    But this night was an exception.


    The sounds of chattering and footsteps echoed, magical lamps of ambient radiance floating on the ceiling, serving as its source of light.


    The most empty cubicles had a few Staff who were on the edge of their seats.


    A clue, or perhaps a lead, had found its way to their doorsteps, albeit not a method they preferred but one that occurred anyway.


    Amongst the cubicles was a familiar one, though, an unrecognizable one.


    The walls were burnt to a crisp, and the interior was a messy pile of burnt papers, tables and other office appliances.


    It had undergone an extreme redevelopment, an explosive one to say the least.


    Though the walls had been burnt down, a new one had been formed. A dome to be precise, where three figures stood within it.


    Well, two stood, the third was tied to a chair, a bloodied rag tied over his mouth.


    He appeared half the man he once was, and his heavy heaving spoke volumes of the trauma he was going through.


    His feet shook, and his bloody fingers quivered.


    Blood continued to drip down from the open wounds while cut-off phalanges stuck out below his chairs.


    A scar had streaked across his face, and dried blood remained evident.


    In front of the chair were an iron table, pliers and old tools neatly arranged, dried blood and flesh sticking out like a mouldy stain on a clean fabric. It was a difficult sight to swallow, and even more difficult to endure.


    The two males, Kazim Nakhr and the Principal himself stood in charge of the matter, though their disappointed expressions spoke length of the scene.


    "Wisdom Matata, I must say. You are one tough man."


    The principal said as he stroked his beard, a click of the tongue echoing as he did so.


    "Don''t worry, Principal. He will give in, in the end."


    "I know he will." The principal said with a sigh. "But time is of the essence and prolonging it any longer can endanger us."


    He placed his finger on his beard, stroking it while they watched Wisdom in silence, hiding heavy breath piercing the walls of the Dome.


    Wisdom cackled, a thick cord hanging behind his throat as he spat it out, a crimson mixture of blood and flesh splashing against the floor as he looked up at them.


    "You won''t get a thing from me. I would rather die than help the Non-system bastards!"


    He screamed out, his body quaking from the force of his voice before panting heavily soon after.


    Kazim sighed, fatigue pilling up within his body.


    ''What a hindrance....though, it doesn''t matter.''


    He grabbed a saw-like object, walking over to Wisdom with measured steps.


    ''I have all day.''


    A piercing scream echoed the agony of pain and suffering projecting against the walls of the dome as the floor was painted with the crimson blood of their victim.


    The night was long and so will the pain.

 Chapter 302 - 302- Festival 33- Were under attack!

    Nothing ever lasted long, and that included this night.


    While the Head Master and Kazim continued to try and get answers from Wisdom, time was slowly running down and so was the upper hand they had somehow managed to obtain.


    The screams of Wisdom did nothing to fuel their answers but remained as an evident result of their failure to obtain coherent information from him.


    What could be done, though, as torture was an easily used method?


    By now, Wisdom was a skeleton of his former self, weak and fired. Blood drained out of every Fibre of his being, the icky crimson paint of flesh and blood-forming graffiti around his chair.


    Kazim had to take a few steps back, a saw on one hand and a hammer on the other.


    A distention could be clearly seen on Wisdom''s shoulder and his second limb hung hazardously from its position.


    The pain looked unbearable, and yet, he bore it.


    The HeadMaster sighed, rubbing his temples as he turned around to walk away.


    "Let''s give it a rest. We''ll deal with it like we always have. Kill him."


    He instructed, and Kazim nodded in response.


    A shrill cackle pierced through the air, stopping the Head Master in his tracks as he glanced back to the source.


    Wisdom shook and shivered, his eyes, bloodshot head with one hanging out by a thin fibre.


    He looked up, cackling with what little energy he had left.


    This was a triumphant time for him. He had stood by his word till the end, enduring pain that no man should have gone through.


    This was the loyalty that the enemy possessed, something they couldn''t exploit with brute force.


    "You must be disappointed."


    Somehow, he was still able to make a seamless speech. As if mocking the fact that he could talk, but not say what they wanted him to.


    He prided himself in this.


    "Rahbanz Dreau. You must be disappointed in yourself. Choosing to give us free rein because you favoured one of us? That must seem like a useless decision now."


    He laughed out loud, Kazim slamming him across the face with the hammer, a thundering blow echoing within the walls of the dome as he groaned in pain.


    Wisdom spat out blood, his lips quivering from the strike as his head laid limb, his breath ragged and shaky.


    "That hurt.....y¨Cyou bastard."


    He cackled, ignoring the searing pain, the burning sensation of blood rushing down from his lip, the feeling of pure torture.


    He ignored it all and lingered in the sensation of victory.


    Just then, they heard a clatter at the front of the Dome, the Headmaster and Kazim turning towards the commotion.


    A few familiar presences seemed to have made their way into the Staff Building, though they were currently hindered by the Staff.


    The HeadMaster raised a brow in curiosity while observing the students.


    ''The Juns came to see me?'' He thought with a slight intrigue in his tone as he tapped the dome, causing a door-shaped opening to form.


    He stepped out, the sounds of the commotion echoing loudly as he did so.


    "What seems to be the issue?"


    His voice was like a solid thunder, causing a stir that only led to peace.


    The commotion ended, and the few Lecturers present turned to him in surprise.


    One of them in particular, Konstantin Zi, stood out.


    He held Raph by his collar and attempted to push him back but stopped midway, thanks to the Head Master.


    "Thank goodness! Head Master. These students are violating the law of the Academy! We should punish them after sending them back to their Hostel."


    Konstantin commented though the HeadMaster didn''t give him face.


    "What does it matter? We are in times of danger where the rules of this place can be easily broken. Did one of you not break my rules by letting Assassins into this place?"


    Konstantin froze, clenching his teeth as he took a step back from the boy.


    The other Lecturers present, about ten all walked away from the three students, who had evidently broken the rules by coming out at night.


    But perhaps there was a reason for this.


    Head Master Dreau had this in mind, and that was simply the reason he let them go.


    "Why are you here, Juns?" He asked.


    Rebecca and Thalia stood out front with Raph in the middle and a bit behind them.


    The sisters glanced at each other and then at Raph.


    "We have a way of getting information out of him." She said,


    Head Master Dreau''s gaze widened in surprise, and perhaps intrigue.


    "I do not believe the Juns to be a family who lies so how do you suppose we do so?"


    Raph spoke out this time, taking a step forward.


    "We would rather discuss that in person."


    His concise reply pulled the Headmaster''s intrigue even more, their gazes locked on one another.


    Raph has his reasons like he always did.


    His eyes weren''t well known in the public as one of his major battle assets, and it was something he would prefer to keep to himself.


    As for the HeadMaster, it was his choice in the end to trust the Jun or not, and considering who he was.


    ''Of course, I''ll trust the Jun''s.'' He turned around and walked towards the door of the dome, a short instruction escaping his lips.


    "Come with me."


    The Lecturers were left baffled by the sight, but they had quickly dispersed to their activities.


    Konstantin, though, seemed very displeased at the turn of events.


    He stood next to the door of a cubicle, his arms clenching as he turned to walk away.


    "Senior Lecturer Konstantin?"


    A familiar voice rang in his ear, causing him to take a moment of pause.


    "What is it, Filly?"


    "It''s nothing. I assumed you were going with the Head Master?"


    Konstantin clicked his tongue.


    "That man doesn''t listen to anyone other than Cadwin, so why would I?"


    "But, the Jun''s are in there."


    "It doesn''t matter. Whatever they think they can do, the Headmaster and Kazim have already done. Just get back to the Control Room."


    He turned around a corner and walked into a cubicle, a sudden shimmer of light exuding soon after.


    Filly remained stoic, his gaze shifting to the dome as he peered into it.


    He couldn''t make out the images clearly, but it seemed like Raph had approached Wisdom and was currently placing his hands over his head.


    ''What is he doing? Should I report this?''


    He raised a brow and looked away.


    ''It''s nothing. He doesn''t have any mental abilities from the reports. It''s probably just a farce.''


    He walked towards the door, opened it and walked in, a brilliant blue light exuding around him as his body shimmered.


    ''Let''s get this over with, the pay this time was good.''


    *****


    Contrary to Filly''s thoughts, Raph was currently using his eyes to peer into the man known as Wisdom Matete.


    It was a silent process, and all forms of pain were momentarily forgotten by the man.


    This was his method of obtaining information, which the Head Master had doubted until now.


    HeadMaster Dreau was currently resting his back on the dome, his hands on his chin as he watched in silence and intrigue.


    ''That man and his Lineage is really something. An ability that peers into the mind?''


    A subtle image flashed through his head, and a low groan escaped his lips.


    ''That would explain that day. Michaelo will be proud.''


    "HeadMaster, the moment this is done. I suggest we ask the Lecturers to set up defences around the school."


    Rebecca broke the silence, Kazim and Thalia turning towards her as she walked up to the Head Master.


    "This isn''t a simple issue that involves one person but multiple. The students can be put at risk in times like this."


    "Is that not why you are here? The Student Body is meant to protect during those times."


    "We do what we must but we are limited. The Class Monitors have been tasked to protect their respective Hostels in the meantime but we are not certain that this will remain the case."


    HeadMaster Dreau sighed.


    "You''re saying we may have inside attackers?"


    "This is not a ''may'' but a fact. Katherin didn''t bring just those two students in but nurtured many others as well. That includes the System Heroes."


    The atmosphere in the dome seemed to have turned tense with her statement.


    Thalia''s gaze widened in surprise while Kazim''s turned serious.


    This was not news that should have been easily spread, nor known by the other students even if they were the student council.


    Headmaster Dreau hardened his expression, a slight irritation in his expression.


    "That is merely a myth. You shouldn''t take bedtime stories as a reference to real life."


    "The Sword Hero, Javier Right and the Water Hero, Ruffia Jones. The Student Body has only discovered these two, and we are set on monitoring them so it is best we are honest with each other, Head Master."


    Head Master Dreau sighed, turning his gaze away.


    ''They have his stubbornness and pride as well.''


    Pride that had been passed down through many generations. It served as an anchor for the abilities of the Jun household.


    ''Perhaps one may learn from them.''


    "Alright, we will do just tha¨C


    A sudden eruption of sound echoed, sending waves of shock through the people as the Staff Building shook from the vibration of the blast.


    The Head Master was cut short by the sudden and intense strike, and it was quickly followed by another, larger and more devastating sound.


    It permeated through their bones, sending symphonies of doom as the building shook to its foundation, a thin line drawing between its stand and fall.


    It had become evident now as the Head Master looked up at the ceiling, a loud voice echoing from one of the Staffs.


    "We''re under attack!"

 Chapter 303 - 303- Festival 34- The Precident of the Student Council

    A FEW MINUTES AGO


    A cold night, and a peaceful silence that lingered with it. It spelt harmony and stability that one could dream of obtaining without actually obtaining it.


    The wonders it brought were tranquil, as it was ominous.


    The night was a time of peace and calmness but with it were the activities of the night.


    Creatures, demons and people who use the cloak of the night as a shield, hiding them while they actively go on their tasks.


    This was one of such nights, and the peace that hung over the Homeric Academy for Gifted Children was bound to fall.


    At the gates of the Remembrance Hall, further to the Portal that opened during the day, a slight crack permeated through its space.


    Two pillars stood apart from one another, an empty space in the middle, serving as the conduit for the Portal to anchor on.


    That Portal was closed, but cracks, hidden from the depth of the naked eye, had grown.


    A shimmer of light exuded out of the space, followed by a low vibration as lightning streamed down like a waterfall, causing a slit through space.


    An arm stretched out and then another, pulling on the edges of the slit and widening it into a Portal, as two figures stepped out of it.


    Katherin and Nicho, their gazes devoid of emotion as they locked on the Remembrance hall, a vivid reminder of their goal coming into play.


    ''This night. We take their heads.''


    Katherin thought, a sigh escaping her lips as she steadied herself.


    The initial plans of obtaining the bodies through unforeseen deaths in the Festival had been hindered.


    It was time to take action directly or, in this case, indirectly.


    Just then, the slit shimmered as another figure stepped out. Mila in all her beauty and glory, her lips curled upwards in a devious smile.


    The slit closed shut, and with it came down the once silence of the night.


    "You recall the plan?" Mila asked, her haze turning towards Katherin.


    Katherin nodded.


    "Nicho takes care of the student''s bodies while I take you to our headquarters for a pre-meet-up."


    Mila nodded in satisfaction.


    "Nicho, any complaints?"


    He shook his head.


    "Just remember my warning when we see him."


    A black leather jacket adorned his features, his left sleeve blowing with the wind of the night.


    Pain was a futile thing for him, but a lost limb wasn''t.


    He may get a replacement when this is all said and done, but the embarrassment of losing an arm as a Swordsman was something he couldn''t back off. Never.


    The three figures walked towards the building, their bodies purposeful and synonymous in movement.


    Katherin looked up to the moon, stretching her wand through the air.


    ''What needs to be done, needs to be done.''


    She floated into the air, Mila and Nicho following after as a flying mat served as their flight means.


    They flew through the skies above the Academy, unbeknownst to those below.


    How could they? When an insider who wasn''t part of the System Uprisers nor any other organization was present.


    Neutral people who serve as middlemen were one of the most difficult to catch unless they had been seen in the act.


    Soon they flew their separate ways, Mila and Katherin going deeper into the skies, hiding within the clouds of the onyx canvas of the sky.


    While Nicho stood on the flying mat, above the Hostels, his gaze stern, fixated on the goal at hand.


    He sighed, pulling out his katana from its scabbard in a fluid, slow motion, the moonlight cascading down its silvery edge as he did so.


    He looked like a prophet of the moon, the darkness bestowing protection unto him.


    He formed a crescent arc through the air with the blade, his focus only growing as a cold sigh escaped his lips.


    "I see them."


    Non-system users had a way of detecting others like them, and with that, it became easy to differentiate themselves from the System Users.


    The system served as a conduit for them, blessing them with even information and deciphering abilities and Nicho was one to make use of all his abilities.


    "Do not blame yourselves for your death, for this is a judgement on the one who played the hero."


    With a bow, mana spiralled out of his body, a sudden cyclone exploding out in waves of wind that shook the sky.


    It was sudden and quick, without an ounce of warning.


    ''Security? What can security do when I am here?''


    "Transcendent Devil Skill; Cyclones of Colossus."


    PRESENT.


    A powerful wind shook the Hostels, sending tremors through the entirety of the Academy.


    The screams of the students could be heard through the wails of the wind, but it was silenced within it.


    The ground shook, cracks spreading out from the pressure, trees pulled from the soil, and the fields lost their green.


    It was a Stormy night, one that would be remembered by all and perhaps not by a few.


    Within the Hostels, the students stood awake, the sounds of wailing winds and powerful currents snapping them to their feet.


    It was a fright at first and then flight.


    They ran out of their rooms, quickly adding up in numbers in the lobbies, for what purpose? One wouldn''t know but what they all deciphered from the phenomenon alone sent them to panic.


    Soon, the wind had somehow permeated into the building, glasses bursting and cracking, the wind spreading like tendrils of darkness ready to consume all that was in its grasp.


    But this was the case for a few students and not for all.


    Specific students were caught in the wave of the wind attack, their screams and attempts to fight back proving difficult as time went on.


    Sparks and explosions occurred, colours of elements and abilities shot at the wind in an attempt to drive it off.


    But the wind continued to spread, its tendrils reaching out for its targets.


    Five students from Hostel One, Three from Hostel Two and Seven from Hostel Four and five from Hall Five.


    Despite their efforts, it seemed like the wind wouldn''t seize, and one figure stood in the midst of all that.


    Nicho, in all his fury, stood on the mat, unperturbed by the wind around him.


    He was focused on his goal, and perhaps on his side''s conquest if it were delivered to him.


    ''This is a done deal already. There was nothing to fear with my abilities here.''


    Or so he thought, but despite the powerful wind, strong enough to tear off a ship like paper or the strongest alloy like butter, someone had flown in.


    He frowned, his displeasure palpable as he turned towards the direction, his gaze narrowing at the sight before him.


    A long distance away, Mila and Katherin were still headed to the location of the System Uprisers.


    Katherin had often stopped to turn back, the sounds of thunder and storm raging through the skies causing a stir of shock within her.


    ''My students.'' She thought, but Mila, who she held by her shoulder, could clearly see through her worry.


    "Don''t worry about that.


    Nicho''s just making a clear message to them. He won''t attack who we''re not supposed to."


    She said, causing Katherin to jerk in a statement while easing her worry soon after.


    Mila turned away, pointed forward and said.


    "Simply take me to the location. There is much to do."


    With her instructions, she nodded and rushed forward, ignoring the sounds of tremors that echoed in the skies.


    ****


    A few seconds had passed since the start of the commotion in the Staff Hall, and many Lecturers were ready to step out to find what occurred.


    Some seemed to have actively gone out to put on their gear in their cubicles, prepared to face the danger that lurked in wait for them.


    The Headmaster, Kazim and the Jun''s were still in the dome; their patience, though, turned thin.


    HeadMaster Dreau had stood to watch the whole process occur, and time was slowly running out.


    The tremors and wails that occurred outside were a threat to his Academy, and he wanted to act now.


    ''But this information...''


    He couldn''t leave it to the hands of the students but the threat made him think otherwise.


    Rebecca, feeling his impatience turned towards the Head Master, while the others continued to watch over Raph while he locked in with Wisdom.


    "Don''t fret, Principal. The Student Council President is out there."


    Head Master Dreau raised a brow, his confusion palpable as he chuckled.


    "I am aware that he is but this is not a simple matter that he can solve on his own."


    Rebecca remained silent for a moment, her lips widening for a small smile.


    "You do not know the student that we have appointed as the Student Council President, Headmaster. It will do you well to learn from this."


    She turned away, her attention taken back to Raph.


    Head Master Dreau furrowed his brow, his confusion palpable as he turned away.


    ''I should watch?''


    He wondered.


    ''Perhaps I have been indoors for too long.''


    Rebecca smiled inwards, images of Phestus flashing through her thoughts.


    ''You''ve always wanted a stage, Phestus.''


    Outside the building, in the Stormy skies, stood two figures.


    One on a flying mat and another, floating in the skies.


    He was an embodiment of nonchalance.


    The wind meant nothing to him, as the appearance of the man who caused it.


    With folded hands, and a frown on his face, the President of the Student Council made his appearance.


    ''Now you have it.''

 Chapter 304 - 304- Festival 35- The President makes his stand

    The once peaceful night sky was riddled with the wails of the wind and the ferocity of a storm.


    The wind shook, propelling itself through the fields, shaking the foundation of the Academy to its core.


    It was like a Cyclone, a disaster brought on earth to cause its destruction, and yet, the buildings stood. The foundation of the Academy remained fixed to its ground, and the students were kept safe, contradictory to their predicament.


    The source of all this destruction stood on a flying mat, his right arm held firmly on a katana¡ªbetter still, an odachi.


    It glimmered with pristine malevolence, a silvery blade that cast a luminance in the darkness caused by the wind.


    Nicho was firm, as he was annoyed.


    A figure had found his way through one of his ultimate skills.


    Why wouldn''t he be annoyed? When an unknown figure had pierced through his domain without him realizing it until it was too late.


    What was worse was he was floating in the air, unperturbed by the powerful current of the wind.


    It left quite an impression, one that was nearly as high as Raffaelo Jun.


    The figure floated a few distance away, arms folded and his gaze glued on him. Flight magic was not difficult to learn, after all, it was an application of mana and wind, a basic spell for most adept Mages.


    But how he held himself while fixating on him was as unsettling as it was impressive.


    "I''m sure you are aware of this!"


    Nicho winced from the loudness of his voice. The figure had spoken with such volume that he had heard it clearly, despite the strong winds and sounds that occurred around them.


    Something he found even more impressive.


    Nicho was beginning to unconsciously grow interest in the figure, a wry smile forming on his lips as his thoughts reeled in.


    ''Hah, it seems like security is more than just magic and golems.''


    He swayed his odachi through the air, forming an arc.


    "But you''ve breached the parameters of the Academy and are disturbing the peace of this place.


    We ask that you must leave."


    Nicho chuckled. "Leave? But why would I?"


    His voice was just as thunderous as the figures, maybe even more, and easily permeated through the sound barrier caused by the storm.


    "Why? What a dumb thing to ask.


    You are causing harm to the students of this Academy, why else would we need you to leave?"


    "I''ve only come to take the pay for our services. This is nothing that the Academy needs to pay attention to."


    The figure remained silent, their gazes locked on one another as the figure adjusted his glasses.


    He seemed to have sighed from what Nicho deciphered from the distance between them.


    Then he saw it, a sudden explosion of mana that erupted out of his body like a water fountain.


    Large and bizarre, growing in intensity like a ferocious beast of the wild.


    Nicho laughed out loud. "You chose to fight? Do you not see what is around you? You are nothing to me!"


    The figure''s gaze turned cold, a dark mask casting over his face as he pulled his right hand upwards. He placed his thumb over his index finger and cracked it slowly.


    "I am the Student Council President of this Prestigious Academy and I will not let harm come to our students."


    He explained.


    "Even if that means....."


    His mana, a purple lilac with vivid dark edges erupted again, a sudden pressure blasting a small part of the storm.


    "....Resorting to violence."


    A powerful force shook the air, a pressure that could bend iron taking place in mid-air around them.


    Nicho felt his body churn from the pressure, his gaze growing fonder and his breath nearly seizing.


    ''What is this? What is this power?''


    He narrowed his gaze, peering into him but a blue screen appeared in front of his retina, a shocking message delivered to his cortex.


    [UNABLE TO VIEW STATUS! UNABLE TO VIEW STATUS!! UNABLE TO VIEW STATUS!!!]


    ''What?''


    There were often anomalies in the system; people who trained differently and experienced a newfound power were blessed to them by the System.


    It was this dynamicity that had given them reign in strength when they reached the top. But this only happened for those with talent and a longing for power.


    Phestus had an average of both, a longing that was fixated on a woman and a talent that was close to the average man.


    Yet, the system opened new doors for him.


    "Do you hear that?"


    He asked, his voice sending shivers down Nicho''s spine as the man looked up at him.


    Just then, bestial screams pierced through the storm, echoes of mighty beasts, cries of forgotten monsters and the tune of fury disasters.


    ''What? Nicho wondered when a glowing lilac light brushed through the darkness of the storm, its tendrils shrieking in pain as it retreated from the building.


    Nicho was as amused as he was surprised.


    ''They had a system user this strong amongst the students?''


    Hidden potentials were one of the most unpredictable, especially those with a longing that could last them their lifetime.


    As the lilac light increased in intensity, so did the pressure, and screams of beasts that were unseen to the naked eye.


    They were there, definitely. Adamant even, the sounds had made its way through Nicho, causing a growing adrenaline rush as he searched for the source.


    Then like a blow through glass, a summountable amount of energy emerged from the darkness behind Phestus, a terrific sight laid bare for all to see.


    Nicho''s eyes widened, his mouth nearly opening a gap.


    ''What class? Is this¨Cis this perhaps the legendary Divine Tamer Profession?''


    Protruding out of the energy were the heads of mighty beasts and monsters.


    Their maws opened wide, with rows of canine fangs the size of a pole.


    The roars and screams increased with intensity, a thunderous sensation bearing through the air.


    The energy emerged slowly, moving towards Phestus while he backed away from it.


    A tense expression plastered on his face as he said.


    "Transcendent Skill; The Doom of Monsters."


    The energy served as a Portal, holding down ferocious, large creatures that attempted to emerge out of it. It resembled a mural of some kind, but only this was real.


    Extremely real, in a ghastly, uncanny manner.


    The sight alone was vivid enough to send a shiver down the spines of those who caught a glimpse of the phenomenon.


    Students who were blessed enough to look at their windows were left in awe, the purple malevolent glow exuding a shade against the buildings around it.


    The strong wind current was like a breeze to the mythical phenomenon, screams of horrors filling the skies with shivering roars.


    Nicho was caught in a bind; his gaze sparkled with curiosity, and his odachi swayed in the air with purpose.


    He was amused, intrigued and intended to fight this man.


    "I don''t know who you are, but your presence deserves more than the restriction of this Academy."


    Phestus remained unperturbed by his statement, glowing lilac energy exuding out of his body.


    He was one of those whose fates had been changed since Raph''s regression.


    Once a former Alchemist, now a Divine tamer.


    That didn''t mean he was any less of an Alchemist, but his Mage abilities were on par with those of the same level.


    "Does it matter, Mr. Intruder? I choose to stay here and protect the students while your discontent system users cause unnecessary havoc. Life is simple when you try to play your part, but as much as I admit that rebellion is sometimes necessary, your form of it is idiocracy."


    A tense silence ensued between them, their mana spiralled within them, a surge of power exuding through the skies in waves.


    Phestus clicked his tongue and snapped his finger, and the monstrous creatures surged out of the Portal, lilac energy exuding out of their bodies as their maws widened open.


    Nicho''s flying mat rushed forward, his odachi swinging through the air, a thrust of invisible energy wave surging out and slicing through the giant monsters.


    They roared intently, but they were unperturbed as the energy collided back together and rushed towards him.


    A blinding light occurred, an explosion of unsurmountable power causing a trembling wake on the Academy.


    The buildings shook and nearly fell, the students screamed in shock while others remained stoic and critical.


    Managing their situation as supposed to.


    Those were the leaders of each class, or at least notable students of skills.


    The Staff Building wasn''t left untouched by the intensity of the fight.


    The Head Master could not count the number of times he had looked up after a sudden explosion.


    He had found this unsettling, his chest tightening at the thought of the building.


    ''She better be alright.''


    He thought as he looked away, his gaze landing on Rebecca''s.


    "Is that Phestus? Isn''t he an Alchemist?"


    Thalia turned back towards them in unison, intrigued by their conversation.


    "He is and he''s a damn good one at that.


    He''s been given the position of head Alchemist in one of the Merlin''s Magic Towers but his talent for alchemy didn''t stop him from reaching out for a different class. A different path."


    Head Master Dreau narrowed his gaze.


    "And this path is what is causing this unsettling sensation?"


    "Yes." She replied with a smile.


    Head Master Dreau had no response, but he was intrigued by her statement.


    ''A different path...''


    His gaze narrowed. ''That is the one thing the system users have that we don''t. They can change their paths.''


    He fixed his monocle and folded his hands.


    ''I will go over myself and see for myself what this path is.''


    His gaze shifted to Raph.


    It had been a while since he had started, and he was beginning to doubt his so-called abilities.


    "When will he be do¨C


    Just then, Raph''s eyes snapped open, his pupils shimmering with a malevolent white.


    A cold hue escaped from his lips as he breathed out and turned around, his gaze skimming through the people within the dome.


    A tense silence ensued, until¨C


    "I know what they''re planning."

 Chapter 305 - 305- Festival 36- The System Uprisers plans

    Headmaster Dreau furrowed his brows intensely while the Jun sisters approached Raph.


    He seemed stuck at the statement Raoh had made only a few moments ago.


    ''He knows what they''re planning? But how?''


    He wondered, his gaze fixed on him as he conversed with his sisters.


    He focused on his eyes, his intrigue growing slowly as he stared at it.


    ''Michaelo did mention how their traits give them different abilities.''


    His brows furrowed deeper.


    ''But wasn''t his ice manipulation his only trait?''


    Though he seemed fixated on his thoughts, time had not given him enough space to break it down.


    Raph''s voice pierced through his thoughts and he looked up to find the people within the room all staring at them.


    He sighed, shaking his head.


    "What is it? What did you see?" He asked.


    Raph scratched the back of his head, a shade of afterglow glistening within his eyes.


    "Well, for starters. They have a meeting place and it''s within the Academy."


    Kazim shrugged. "We figured that out already. Did you see something else?"


    "Firstly, what I see with my eyes is specific and follows a certain pattern. I generally can''t find what I want specifically but I get something close to it."


    Raph replied, a sigh escaping his lips as he continued.


    "With that in mind, while I saw their plans, I couldn''t see the location of where that plan was taking place."


    Kazim and the Headmaster groaned slightly. Their discontent evident, though, only temporary.


    "It''s good enough that you saw their plans. If we know what they''re going to do, then fighting back and defending should be an easier thing."


    "Agreed."


    "Well, other than their plans, I took note of the environment where their plan was taken out.


    It was a dark and humid cave, with pipelines and a crowd wearing cloaks."


    "Pipelines?"


    Head Master Dreau shifted from the dome, his gaze widening. "Are you certain?"


    Raph nodded.


    "Yes. I will go over the plans first and give in the other details of what I saw."


    Rebecca and Thalia nodded.


    "Do that."


    "Alright then..."


    Raph took in a deep breath, images flashing in his head as he began to recollect what he had watched and seen within the depths of Wisdom''s mind.


    "There was a crowd. A crowd in cloaks, not more than forty or there about and they all seemed.....perplexed, worried?"


    He stopped, his thoughts rearranging the words while the others paid rapt attention.


    "I''m not certain, but they seemed like they were in a rush. I''m certain this was something that occurred after the explosion in the Staff Building at the time. But the people were stubborn, and they wished for their leader to take charge and attack the Academy."


    "So, why haven''t they?"


    Kazim asked.


    "...they, they weren''t strong enough."


    A smirk grew at the side of his lips as he turned to him.


    "It was expected. The people who are protecting the Academy are powerful in a sense and the Headmaster has never showcased his power. They were wary of him and other students as well as Lecturers that would get in the way."


    Rebecca nodded.


    "As expected, what did they decide to do then?"


    "It seemed like they''re working with the Red Peacemakers."


    A pin-drop silence suffused the air, Head Master Dreau sighing deeply as he looked away.


    ''This isn''t a matter that should be handled with care. We can''t have any more people knowing about their involvement with the Red Peacemakers.''


    It would only affect the reputation of the Academy, as these were Lecturers that were from there.


    "The Red Peacemakers?" Kazim repeated, his shock palpable.


    Despite the prolonged silence, it seemed like Kazim was the only one with a vivid surprise.


    The others had either kept theirs to themselves or didn''t at all.


    "Why the Red Peacemakers?"


    "They struck a deal. Twenty bodies of Non-system users for two of their executives.


    Those executives will fight with them in achieving their goal."


    "That explains those two from the previous day," Rebecca interjected.


    "I assumed so as well. They must be the ones attacking the Academy as well. If they truly wish to obtain that number of bodies then they will resort to violence until they accomplish that goal."


    "Yes. Their initial goal is creating a world of System Users, a utopia where they rule over themselves and determine the fate of the Non-system users."


    "Absurd!" Headmaster Dreau cried out, his tone sharp and high, catching the people gathered off guard for a second.


    He seemed to have composed himself afterwards, his thoughts coming in order.


    "It''s an absurd dream, a goal they shouldn''t dream of obtaining.


    The goddess Mayura appointed them as the head Household to rule over them.


    It''s the reason the Great Families serve them to this day. What a useless goal."


    Raph nodded slightly. "I agree as well, Head Master, but that isn''t what they think.


    They want to completely overtake the Academy. Once they have the complete bodies, they move on to the next plan.


    Overtaking the Academy.


    They''ll start by using the Visitors as shields while introducing their ranks and other assassins into the Academy during the festival.


    By the time they attack, we would have been caught off guard."


    Raph folded his hands and continued.


    "The attacks are meant to weaken the Academy while taking their eyes off their real target."


    A moment of silence prolonged after, their intrigue pulled to its highest by his statement.


    Kazim sighed deeply, his thoughts arranged in order.


    ''If they wish to take over the Academy, it''s obvious who they will go after.''


    They didn''t need to think twice, and the Headmaster had already gotten the memo.


    He shook his head, clicking his tongue and tapped the dome.


    "Is it me?"


    Another moment of silence ensued before Raph completed his statement.


    "Yes, Headmaster. They wish to bind you to your domain, and kill you within it by your rules set in it."


    Headmaster Dreau furrowed his brows.


    ''My domain? Have they been studying my territorial Space? But that is impossible without the help of a specialist.''


    His gaze narrowed as he turned towards Raph. "Was there anything else?"


    Their gazes locked on one another, and a moment of silence ensued between them for a second, a smirk growing from the corner of Raph''s lips.


    ''He figured it out already.''


    "Yes, there''s a middleman within the Control Room who is letting these people in and out.


    He doesn''t belong to a society nor the Uprisers, but simply gets paid to perform tasks."


    Rebecca and Thalia''s gazes slowly widened with his statement while a frown grew across Kazim''s face.


    "Did you see the person?"


    Raph turned towards him, a curt nod exuding from his figure.


    "Only for a moment¨C


    "AHHHH!!!!"


    A sudden scream cut him off midway, their attention drawn to the source in a second, with prepared muscle movement.


    They were prepared to deal with any inside attack, after all, it was merely the least on their list.


    Luckily, it wasn''t an insider attack, but Wisdom suddenly heaved himself back to reality.


    He had been unconscious since the process started, and his sudden awakening baffled his senses severely.


    He groaned in pain, heaving and panting, sweat running down his forehead as he looked up.


    His gaze was constricted, his mind blurry, his attention shifting to Raph.


    "You¨CWhat did you do?!"


    His voice was a cold and cracked shiver, his throat reverberating with force at the statement.


    "What did you do to my head?!!!"


    He cried out, his body pulsating as he jumped on the chair, tilting it on the ground with a solid shove.


    His body pulsated, veins popping beneath his skin like a river line.


    "You¨CYou invaded my¨Cmy¨Cyou bastard Jun!"


    He continued to rain assault after assault with his words at Raph, who had turned away and focused on the others.


    "The one you are looking for, I can identify him but I do not know his name."


    Kazim nodded while the Headmaster turned around and opened a doorway through the Portal.


    "Why do we waste time? Take me to the man who is leading my Academy to ruin."


    Wisdom raised a brow, confusion laced in his gaze.


    Raph had turned back, their eyes locking for a moment before he winked at him and walked after his sisters.


    Wisdom was further left in a puddle of confusion, lost in thoughts at what had just transpired.


    "Where are you going?! Where?!"


    He cried out, jumping on his chair and shoving it forward.


    "Where?! Tell me, you bastards!"


    He cried out, shifting forward again, the chair suddenly tripping and tipping over, his body colliding on the ceramic floor with a thud.


    He groaned, blood draining down his forehead and previous wounds. Pain rushed within his body like electricity, but his determination remained unquenchable.


    He crawled his way to the wall of the dome, little by little, his groans echoing within the walls, his blood trailing his steps like a snail trail.


    It was a futile attempt but a stubborn one.


    He wished to know what he had seen, what he had taken.


    His memories had not just been watched and read like a video, but they had been assaulted.


    Illusions and strange shapes and changes in the contour of reality sent him into a spiral.


    His entire body had been riled up forcefully, a wretched command taking root in his cerebrum.


    As he reached the dome, he smirked, pairs of bloody teeth revealing themselves against the dome like a mirror.


    He used his head, and reached out to the dome, rushing to smash it open.


    "I will stop you bas¡ª


    PSSST!


    His body exploded into a pool of blood and flesh, intestines and viscera hanging on the roof of the dome.


    The only evidence of his being, scattered into bits of nothing.

 Chapter 306 - 306- Festival 37- The Staff set out

    The shockwave of the explosion ran through the Staff Building in a second, and in the next, silence resumed. Like nothing ever happened.


    The Lecturers present were all lined in front of the door, their gears locked and ready.


    HeadMaster Dreau and the others walked over to them with hurried steps, and the Lecturers turned their attention to the approaching figures.


    One familiar figure stood in front of the others, serving as the Leader.


    "Professor Rona Wittkins, I see you''re organizing the others?"


    Kazim said on getting there, Rona turned around on hearing his voice.


    She nodded curtly, her gaze shifting towards the Head Master.


    "What are your instructions. We''re prepared to go over to the Hostels right away to protect the safety of the students."


    HeadMaster Dreau nodded as he skimmed through the Lecturers gathered.


    "I see that."


    He replied, his tone detached.


    Rona raised a brow in confusion, perturbed by his reaction.


    ''Is he not interested in saving the students? When his daughter is one of them?''


    She wondered, but it seemed like her questions were about to be answered.


    "Go ahead and do as you''ve planned but before that."


    He turned towards Raph.


    "Is he here?"


    His question caused a stir within the Lecturers gathered, Rona especially.


    She and Kazim were the two Professors left in charge of the others, and they had made it a habit of checking the Staff to ensure they had no connection to Katherin or the others.


    Cadwin had been unconscious since the explosion while James Crockwell had been out of the Academy since a while ago.


    The other Professor, Roland Sunrise, had been nowhere to be seen since the explosion and presumed to be part of the Cult.


    "I''m sorry, Headmaster, but this is not a time to grow discord in the group. What exactly are you searching for?"


    Behind Rona were prominent Lecturers in their field, one especially standing out. Konstantin Zi. He had been silent the whole time, but his judgemental gaze had been fixed on Raph the whole time.


    ''What bullshit is the Headmaster pulling now? Could he not even rely on himself that he had to ask for the help of students.''


    His brows furrowed.


    ''The Juns especially. What a nasty bunch.''


    He clicked his tongue in annoyance when their eyes met.


    They locked on one another, a subtle discomfort growing within Konstantin.


    ''Wha¨CWhat''s this fellow trying to pull?''


    Just then, he looked away, his gaze meeting the Principal''s next and a cold shiver ran down his spine.


    His subtle yelp as he took a step back, hitting his workmates, sent the group into a short dismantlement.


    The man standing directly behind him held him just in time, his caring gaze locked on Konstantin.


    "You good, man?" He asked.


    Konstantin nodded and stood back up straight, baffled by his reaction.


    "That one."


    Raph''s voice caught the Lecturers gathered by surprise as they turned towards him.


    His right hand was pointed at Konstantin or appeared to be.


    "What do you mean?" Rona asked, her tone lingering with hesitation and confusion.


    "What is going on, Headmaster?"


    Headmaster Dreau''s gaze turned cold.


    He walked up to the Lecturers, startling them until reaching his target, Konstantin shivering under the intensity of his prestige.


    The Lecturers, despite their standings in the Academy, respected the Headmaster by a lot.


    He was someone who had instilled most of the rules and regulations of the Academy. Building it into the Academy, it is today.


    He gave them offers of well-paid jobs, offering them the opportunity to nurture great minds.


    They had grown to respect him, and in the process, without realizing it, they had begun to fear him.


    His uncanny presence and his habit of lecturing "stubborn" Lecturers into submission were well-known.


    As he was doing right now.


    He held an iron grip over the Academy and those within it. Students and Staff.


    Though, what one feels towards him grew to depend entirely on them.


    That''s why Konstantin, despite his dislike for the Headmaster, trembled before his presence.


    His gaze was locked on the ground, a cold shiver running down his spine while his hair stood on end.


    He was half expectant, awaiting a fate he had submitted himself to.


    But, surprising to him and startling the other Lecturers, the headmaster''s hand had not stretched out for him.


    No, it reached deeper and longer and grabbed the collar of the man known as Filly Donal.


    "Head¨CHeadmaster?!"


    The man protested as he was pulled out from the others, his hands stretched apart in protest.


    "Come with me, Lecturer Filly Donal. You have been suspected of having a hand in our situation.


    This matter will be judged by me and punished by the gods."


    He pulled him back, walking away from the group gathered with precise movement and speed.


    "Take care of the rest for me, Juns.


    I have urgent things to deal with so I expect the matter outside to be done by the time I am done with him."


    His voice receded with his footsteps. Determined footsteps reaching for the door at the end of the building.


    "I hope you have a god, Filly. Because only they will save you from me tonight."


    Filly''s protest ended with the shutting of the door, his complaints against the inhumane treatment ignored by all.


    The other Lecturers watched the scene unfold in silence, their thoughts reeling in.


    Kazim sighed and turned around.


    "Shall we?" He asked, startling Rona who had still been watching.


    "Hm? Uh, right." She replied, turning around and heading towards the door. But not without getting a glimpse of the Juns.


    Her thoughts reeled in and her focus drew to the task at hand.


    ''The Headmaster would not have done that without a reason.


    I only hope the others will trust his judgement when this is all done."


    The others seemed to have followed after, though, sluggishly.


    They still had the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the students. Or, at least, any responsible Lecturer did.


    The Juns lingered behind, their attention fixed on the door as Rona opened it with unexpected force.


    The scene before them was a ridiculous darkness swept by strong currents of the wind and powerful breeze.


    They shifted backwards, startled by the intensity.


    "It''s a lot worse than expected."


    "Yes, but it isn''t difficult to navigate.


    Follow my lead while we head for the Hostels."


    Rona walked out first, then Kazim and the Lecturers at a time.


    They headed towards the direction of the Hostels, the wind startling their movements and actions.


    Nevertheless, they walked through.


    The often explosions of sound and light drew their attention.


    Rebecca smirked at the sight while Raph and Thalia were left in bewilderment.


    "What class is he, sister?"


    Raph asked.


    They had followed the group of Lecturers, walking behind them in silence until now.


    Most of the Lecturers had often given them side glances, but the situation didn''t make enough time for them to satisfy their personal curiosities.


    "A Divine summoner."


    Rebecca replied, her tone a hushed whisper, memories of the past running through her head.


    The hidden dungeon that had opened up during one of her class events, locking Phestus and her in a cave crawling with demons and Devils.


    The hellish fight to survive and escape and Phestus resolve to protect her while fending off the demons.


    A small smile formed on her lips.


    "It was during a gate incident. He got it after we cleared it."


    "Gate incident?" Thalia repeated, surprise etched in her voice.


    Raph couldn''t deny he wasn''t surprised, though for a different reason.


    ''Since a while ago....no, even from the beginning of the festivals. Time is slowly drifting from the past I once knew it as.''


    How much change had he impacted? How much of a difference did he make for the series of events in his past to slowly mould into a new one?


    ''Is time so Volatile that a small change makes a large difference?''


    He could count out the changes that occurred, one by one, and little by little.


    Gates weren''t supposed to have existed by now, at least not yet.


    Gates were portals, linking the underworld to the mortal realm.


    Demons and Devils lurked within, making it their abode and System users ventured into it to clear it.


    When they do, they obtain vast and immeasurable gifts in return.


    ''It''s one of the reasons why we have special classes, ones unique to others.''


    They occur randomly, without a hint of a warning, usually from the carcass of a fallen devil.


    It didn''t matter how long it had died, but its presence would spark a gate, sealing those within from the outside until clearance was made possible.


    Raph sighed as his gaze shifted away from the sight above.


    The harmonious explosions and sparks of energy were a foretelling sign of the battle that commenced.


    A powerful feat that even Raph would need to think twice before intruding.


    It didn''t matter, though; their goal wasn''t the fight above but the fight below.


    They needed to secure the students and ensure their safety, and that was what they set out to do.


    "I presume that Katherin would have come back with the so-called executive?"


    Thalia''s voice broke through his thoughts.


    He glanced at her, giving a curt nod in reply.


    "Then, if this one is trying to achieve their goal of getting the bodies....the other one must be going to where the System Uprisers are headed."


    Thalia''s words sank, but it was expected.


    Rebecca had deciphered the same, and they were sure the Headmaster and Kazim had done the same.


    "I wonder...will we be able to go after them?"


    Raph mused, his gaze staring into the dark clouds, his thoughts reeling in.


    "Well, we''ll find out."


    Rebecca interjected, silence descending between them as they continued on their way forward.


    Time would tell now, who would emerge victorious in the end.

 Chapter 307 - 307- Festival 38- Hidden within a Space

    Meanwhile, at the edge of the Territorial Space of the Academy, the duo had made their way to a clearing.


    The skies were pitch dark, storms echoing loudly in tones of wails while destruction concocted in the air.


    A clearing presented itself, fields of grass and barren land, untouched by human hands.


    It was here this duo landed, Katherin slowly dropping Mila on the fields.


    "This place seems to be in the open. How have you made use of this site for so long?"


    Mila asked as she looked around.


    Farther away, there were fields and fields of barren land, laid waste without human civilization.


    Her brows arched in curiosity as she shifted her gaze away from it.


    She turned to the other side, and witnessed the same, her lips slowly curling upwards.


    "Must have cost a fortune." She said,


    Katherin sighed, a wry smile playing on her lips after.


    "There''s no fooling you, Executive Mila. Yes, as you presumed, this is a separate field as well as a separate Territorial Space."


    How Psychic magic worked was remarkable, and the things one could do with it were unimaginable.


    It wasn''t difficult to create a mini-space within a territorial Space but this was something that could have been easily achieved by a Psychic Mage.


    ''Or a member of the Control Room.''


    Katherin thought as she squatted and tapped the grass on the fields.


    Control Rooms in charge of the Territorial Space could remove or add an extra space to the major one.


    This was why selecting members of the Control Room was of high importance within the Academy and why insiders who could be distraught by the pattern weren''t accepted.


    "Alright then."


    The fields rumbled and the ground shook, a slow vibration exuding from it like an earthquake.


    She slowly stood up straight and backed off, Mila slowly following after as they watched the field part ways, a dark abyss hidden beneath it as it did.


    "Underground, huh?"


    "The pipelines to be specific. There''s a pipeline going throughout the Academy and we insisted it was crafted that way."


    "Oh, Why?" Mila asked, her curiosity perched as the vibration ceased.


    An open way was formed in the ground, and the path to their hidden meet-up Room was revealed.


    "Just as a backup in case of mind attacks. Of course, this was only a probability and we were never sure if it would come in handy.


    But it doesn''t hurt to be safe."


    Katherin jumped into the open way, Mila staring as she did so.


    A muffled chuckle escaped her lips as she followed after, folding her arms as she did so.


    "Interesting."


    The vibrations began, and the open way began to close with the fields closing in on itself.


    The beam of light that had somehow stretched into it began to dim, and Mila watched as it did so while her body descended a depth she wasn''t even sure about.


    ''Not bad. This might just serve as an adrenaline rush.''


    She turned away from the opening, the last beam of light extinguishing as it closed with a deafening thud.


    She let herself go with the gravity, relieving the excitement that played in her body.


    "How deep does this go?"


    She asked, her voice loud and echoing against the walls of the underground hole.


    Katherin looked up at her, a smirk on her face, though, not an obvious one.


    "About 40 feet. Give or take."


    Mila laughed out loud, her excitement palpable.


    "Interesting!"


    She cried out, shifting her gaze away from her, silence suffusing the air while they descended.


    It took a few seconds, and then a minute when a bright light illuminated the walls of the underground hole.


    Mila caught the sharp tint of crimson on the walls below.


    Her gaze shifted towards it, the tension slowly dying out within her. Signs of magical lamps illuminating the passageway as they reached the bottom came into view.


    Katherin looked up.


    "We''re about to land."


    She announced, though, Mila wasn''t the type to fumble in situations like this.


    A rigid wall came into view, then the pipelines, and soon the ground, earthen and pieced together with rocks.


    Katherin cast a float spell and landed evenly, Mila coursing down behind her and landing with a solid thud on the ground.


    An explosion of rocks and debris occurred on her landing, smoke emitting into the air as Katherin landed a few feet away.


    "You don''t take precautions on times like this?"


    Mila walked out of the debris, stretching her limbs and joints.


    She had a satisfied smile on her face as she walked forward, Katherin following after her.


    "Take me there."


    She ignored her questions, her gaze turning towards the shadows cast on the pipelines as footsteps echoed.


    "Oh, perhaps you don''t need to."


    Katherin furrowed her brows in confusion, but the solid footsteps that echoed throughout the walls of the Underground Way caught her attention easily.


    She turned towards the direction, her lips curling into a smile.


    "Who goes there?!"


    "Is there an intruder?!"


    "Has the Cult Leader returned?"


    A mix of emotions swirled within her as she watched her group members rushing towards them.


    Their weapons are armed and ready, and two figures walk out in the front.


    Crown Bishop and a blonde male with aqua-blue eyes.


    He stood with a Lance while Crown was dawned on gauntlets, their attention drawn to the two females before them.


    "Cult leader, you''re back?"


    Crown muttered, relief etched in his voice while the blonde male turned towards the other female, their gazes locking on one another.


    "And who is this guest you''ve brought into our meeting spot?" He asked, his voice wary while the others turned towards her in unison.


    Katherin sighed, her brows knitting together in annoyance.


    She floated towards the group.


    "I''m glad to see you all safe." She said,


    "So are we, Cult Leader but what is going on? The last time we heard of you was during the attack."


    She nodded in understanding.


    After all, she had been missing until the evening before when she sent a message to her students and her Cult.


    She needed to prepare them beforehand, for the right time to act.


    "This lady here saved me." She explained.


    The blonde stared at her and then the female, his voice a low timbre as he said.


    "Is she the one? The one Wisdom wished to find?"


    He asked, the question suddenly turning the mood pale.


    Katherin noticed this change, and so did Mila, their curiosity picked by it.


    "What''s wrong?" Katherin asked.


    Crown sighed, scratching the back of his head as he pulled out an amulet.


    "Remember when I asked each member to bear a life emerald?"


    A life emerald, an object of great importance and necessity in times of war.


    It links one''s soul to an emerald, where it signifies a single condition of that individual, death.


    A broken emerald laid on the amulet, a very familiar one in that regard.


    Katherin recognized it in an instant; her expression contorted to shock, then fear and, suddenly, immense rage.


    "They killed him."


    She said; it had seemed like a confirmation to herself rather than the others, her gaze narrowed as she grabbed it.


    "His death is simply the first...."


    Her tone lingered in the air, the group of Uprisers hanging on it with what little hope they had.


    "...and it will pave the way for our victory."


    She lowered her gaze, her eyes growing dim as tears swelled up.


    "This isn''t the first time they have taken one of us, nor will it be the last.


    We came together for that very reason."


    She raised the emerald into the air, her voice growing higher.


    "Justice for the System Users! Revolution of a world where we rule! Overthrowing those damn Non-system users who have looked down on us for so long!"


    The group stood strong, their hearts reshaping into something new, their goal lingering ever so lightly, almost in hand reach.


    They had feared they would not achieve their goal, but it seemed like all that fear was unnecessary.


    "Help is here! And we will seize Control of what belongs to us! This Academy is ours!"


    She raised her head high, Mila smirking behind as she watched the scene unfold like a play.


    "For the System Users! For our Uprisers! For rising to the top where we belong! For Revolution!"


    "FOR REVOLUTION!"


    The group chorused, their voice reverberating with the walls of the underground cave.


    It had been adamant now that their goal will and must come to fruition, and the Academy will watch it all happen on the front row seat.


    Mila folded her hands, her smile widening.


    ''I was right to come for this. Hah.....this will be fun....''


    She scanned through the people gathered, a pool of excitement brewing within her.


    ''...This will be a lot of fun!''


    A short giggle escaped her lips, anticipation vivid in the air around them.


    While plans brewed underground, a battle underwent above it, in the skies.


    Two powerful figures stood amid a dark zone, their gazes locked on one another, blood and sweat dripping down their forehead.


    Nicho had been panting, his blade shimmering with a brilliant aqua light, his gaze sharp and active with adrenaline.


    ''He''s strong.''


    He contemplated, his thoughts reeling in, but a proper reply to his thoughts had not settled in yet.


    Phestus, though, was extremely calm, lightning reverberating in the skies around him, large lilac beasts flocking him like honey.


    "Are you done? Because I have merely begun."


    The world shook, the skies growing pale lilac as a Portal formed, guttural and bestial screams echoing within the clouds.


    Nicho widened his eyes in shock, a smirk forming on his lips.


    ''The fuck? I have to use it.''


    He thought as he looked away, a sudden shift in energy within him as a gust of blue energy shot out of his very being.


    "I have to, so I may leave this place alive."

 Chapter 308 - 308- Festival 39- The Imperial Spy

    The mystical form of the Headmaster''s office had often raised questions to those who had seen it at least once.


    Floating books, chairs, tables and even rows of large bookshelves from regal wood.


    It seemed like a library one would see in a book of fantasy and fairies, perhaps a reality closer to theirs than they might think.


    Filly Donal was brought to this room once again, and perhaps unlike previously, he was brought here for a different cause.


    Not for a job employment but a job termination, maybe even a life termination.


    Now that, he couldn''t allow, or at least struggle against it.


    He was currently tied up on a chair, a similar iron structure as the one used for Wisdom.


    These ropes and iron chairs were made from the same content as sealing clubs and chains.


    They bound his mana output shut, rendering him unable to use even a fraction of his abilities.


    Not that his abilities would have helped in this situation.


    The Headmaster though, seated on a floating chair just opposite of Filly.


    A table between them while their furniture drifted extremely slowly in space, with no apparent destination.


    Filly had been bound neck to toes, but his mouth was left untouched, of course, to get information out of him.


    Though, Filly had no idea why he was being detained or what sort of information they required of him.


    In fact, he had already assumed it was a prank, a silly little outburst from the Headmaster to show off his authority over the Staff members.


    ''This is why I don''t fuck with the Vasal households. A bunch of two-faced bastards. They claim their loyalty is to the throne but here''s one.....acting for the Juns.''


    A frown formed on his face, his gaze narrowed as he watched Headmaster Dreau pour out some tea in a cup.


    "You''re more than you seem."


    He said, suddenly cutting through Filly''s thoughts.


    He raised a brow in confusion.


    "I apologize, Headmaster but I do not understand what you mean."


    "It is as I said. There is more to you than what meets the eye, but what that is, I can not pinpoint."


    He said, twirling the teaspoon in his cup.


    Just then, the furniture seemed to have floated beneath a dark mast, brewing energy above them.


    Filly felt it, sensed it, a tingling sensation creeping over his skin and he looked up to find out the source.


    His gaze narrowed, an image imprinting in his pupils but unable to take form.


    ''Is that a man?''


    "Filly?"


    The Headmaster''s voice broke through his line of thoughts, a sudden jerk escaping his body as he turned towards him.


    "Ye¨CYes Headmaster Dreau?" He replied.


    ''Why''s there a man on the ceiling? And why is he sealed? What is the Headmaster hiding?''


    "You have great observational skills too.


    It''s no wonder you''re a middleman."


    Filly raised a brow, his shock palpable yet his expression devoid of emotion.


    "Middleman? You mean between the Lecturers and the students?"


    Headmaster Dreau stopped the tea right before his lower lip, a smug expression growing on his face.


    "A middleman who lets people into the Academy.


    It is absurd. I never thought of you as one who was capable of doing such. Is your wife aware of this?"


    Filly''s gaze narrowed, a slight discomfort growing within him.


    "I''m single and not married. It''s in my Lecturer profile."


    "What is on paper is never the truth, haven''t you heard of that?" Headmaster Dreau dropped his cup after taking a sip, a sigh of comfort exuding from his lips.


    "Now, let''s start again. Tell me who you work for and why you have been helping the System Uprisers and enemies of the Academy for so long.


    If you don''t, your wife will bear the brunt of your inadequacy as a human. You will watch her crumble, mentally and physically, a tide of men waiting in turn while you watch."


    A cold shiver ran down his spine, his teeth clenching as a furious glitter sparked in his eyes.


    Filly felt fear and he felt rage, his body convulsing in protest.


    "Yo¨CYou will do no such thing! That is inhumane."


    "Inhumane? Inhumane is a word used for humans, but a betrayal who isn''t affiliated with anyone doesn''t fit in that category."


    Headmaster Dreau''s voice was like a whisper, sending signals of death to the man before him.


    With a slight grunt and an exasperated sigh, Filly said.


    "I¨CI''ll tell you everything."


    His chest suddenly grew tight, a slight discomfort brewing within. It was like a pang of pain, easily ignorable and he did so.


    "Good." Headmaster Dreau felt satisfaction, as Filly sighed and began his explanation.


    "Well, for starters. I am, in fact, affiliated with someone, but it isn''t the Red Peacemakers nor the System Uprisers."


    Headmaster Dreau raised a brow in confusion.


    "What?"


    Filly nodded, his breath easing as he prepared to continue.


    "Yes, I work for¡ªCOUGH!


    The slight pain he felt within his chest suddenly struck harder, like a hammer pounding against the chest.


    He coughed out, an expression of discomfort on his face as he attempted to talk again.


    "I work for¡ªCOUGH! COUGH!!


    It happened twice as much now, his expression turning into confusion.


    He attempted again, and it became worse, growing, spreading, and shifting from one part of his body to another.


    It felt like his body had been assaulted, discomfort growing from within and spreading throughout his body.


    Headmaster Dreau soon realized this wasn''t a mere cough as he dropped his cup and stood up, in the air.


    He walked over to the man, tapping his chest.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked.


    "I¡ªCOUGH! I can''t¡ªCOUGH!! breath¡ªCOUGH!!!"


    Blood suddenly gurgled out of his mouth, his neck pulsating as he raised his head into the air, choking, gagging, his eyes constricted and backwards.


    His body convulsed, fear, shock, surprise, anger, and all sorts of emotions running through his body.


    "Filly! Filly Donal! Filly!"


    Headmaster Dreau released the chains bound to him and pulled him away from the chair and onto the table.


    "Circulate your mana! Do it now!"


    Filly grabbed onto the Headmaster''s arm, their gaze locking on one another.


    Headmaster Dreau could see it, the fear that hid beneath his eyes laid bare as death came knocking on the front door.


    "The imp¡ª


    Silence filled the room as his arm dropped limply to the side of the table, his mouth left agape and his eyes swollen and wide open.


    For a moment, it felt like his soul was within the room, roaming without purpose, lingering for whatever reminisce it could grab on.


    Headmaster Dreau sighed, his thoughts recollecting the scene that unfolded.


    ''He was about to say Imperial, wasn''t he?''


    With a heavy sigh, he walked over to his seat and slumped over the chair, his head resting on his arm.


    ''The King had a spy within my Staff? You must be kidding.''


    Yet, evidence seemed to point that way, or at least what it seemed to be.


    ''Well, Tyson was always that way. Wary and suspicious of everyone around him.''


    He picked up the cup of tea, his gaze lingering on Filly''s fallen body, a begrudgingly feeling held firmly within his chest.


    ''Well played, Tyson.''


    ****


    Far away from the Academy, yet next to it was the Kingdom of Lumbrica, the capital of the Western Kingdom.


    It was ruled by the Imperial household, Swanstorm for many years, passed down to future generations.


    They had borne them all, righteous kings, tyrant kings, foolish kings, mad kings, joyous kings and grateful kings. The names were numerous and fitted the true nature of the King who ruled at the time.


    The current King, Tyrone Swanstorm, the Greedy King sat on his throne on this eerie night.


    His fingers tap the intricate designs of the golden armrest that bears the image of a swan.


    Like a dignified swan, they held regality in their names and their presence, and he prided himself in being the precipice.


    The top of the chain, the one who was born to rule.


    He often came to his throne at nights like this, sleepless nights where discomfort brewed within him.


    ''Something is wrong.''


    He thought to himself, his confusion hidden beneath a mask of indifference.


    He shifted on his throne, his head resting on the knuckles of his hand.


    ''Are my plans being inferred?''


    He looked up at the ceiling, the glass murals glowing with the moon''s luminance. Its afterglow permeates through the murals, causing an ephemeral, and celestial glow in the Throne room.


    The King basked in that shade, his unease slowly dying out when a sudden thud broke the silence in the throne room.


    His brows furrowed as he adjusted in his throne, footsteps echoing as a figure approached him.


    "What do you suppose you''re doing, Redrick? This is not the time to disturb your King."


    Redrick Jafar, first son of Dugu Jafar walked out from the darkness, the moon''s luminance causing an afterglow on his features.


    "It was a report of utmost importance. I assumed the King would have wished to know about it immediately."


    "A report?"


    The King raised a brow, a sigh escaping his lips.


    ''Perhaps this was the cause of my unease?''


    "What is it? Make it quick."


    "About ten years ago during my father''s tenure, you had instructed him to send one of your people to the Academy to serve as a watchman for you."


    "Yes, I remember. Rahbanz was a crafty fellow, even more so than Michaelo. I needed a leash on him at the time. What about it?"


    He asked, a yawn escaping his lips, his disinterest palpable.


    "His auto-defence mechanism was activated a few moments ago."


    The King froze, his gaze narrowing at his statement.


    He rose up from his throne, his interest peaked immediately.


    "Are you saying he was caught?"


    "I am not smart enough to presume, but the Court Mages have confirmed his passing, and the source of it was the auto-defence mechanism."


    His brows furrowed, his unease palpable.


    ''The mechanism only activates when the safety of the Imperial Household is about to be breached.''


    His thoughts reeled in, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    "Perhaps it is time I pay him a visit. It has been long since I saw a last classmate."

 Chapter 309 - 309- Festival 40- A Night to Remember

    The night was filled with many things: the group of Staff and the Jun siblings headed for the Hostels, the lingering chill and wind that hung in the air, and explosions of light and energy occurring in the skies.


    The multitude of events took place in a swift motion, each separated from the other yet interconnected, in one way or the other.


    The Staff carefully proceeded and had reached the Hostels by now.


    Walking along the tiled walkway, where the floating lamps shone brightly despite the strong currents of wind and firm darkness, their alertness was at an all-time high.


    It wasn''t expected that they might get attacked considering the situation above them, but it didn''t take much to be wary, and so they chose to do so.


    Raph had been following quietly for a while now, a thundering explosion grabbing his attention as he looked up at the skies.


    Colourful shades of lilac and aqua blue hung in the air, mixed motions within followed by sparks of energy and power emitting.


    It was a breathtaking sight, yet a thought dawned on him.


    ''Would I be able to make that much difference?''


    He wondered when the group suddenly halted, grabbing his attention away from his thoughts.


    Kazim and Rona glanced at each other, conversing for a moment before Kazim turned back.


    "We split here. In groups of four, go and check the respective Hostels. The Jun''s will do the same, go to your hostel and ensure the safety of your classmates."


    With a nod, the group split, their dutiful and expectant gazes changing to different directions.


    This left Raph, Kazim and three other figures for the Year One Hostel.


    "Shall we?"


    Kazim asked as he rushed forward, Konstantin following after, then and finally, Zitani Veleha.


    She had lingered behind, her gaze shifting towards Raph.


    He noticed it, turning towards her, a raised brow and contemplative expression.


    "Do you need something from me, Miss? You''ve been staring at me since a while ago."


    Her lips curled downwards, a slight expression of discomfort on her face.


    "Why....why was Filly Donal taken?" She asked.


    Raph''s gaze narrowed, his attention drawn to another figure who seemed intrigued by their conversation.


    Konstantin seemed to have peeked from the front, turning his head back.


    "He was suspected of being a spy, but with no affiliation. If he''s proven innocent, then the Headmaster will perform the necessary act that follows suit."


    They both remained silent, their attention shifted to the Hostel as they reached the door.


    At this point, they couldn''t bring their split concerns into play, as it may cause harm to their general goal, but that didn''t stop them individually.


    Zitani found it absurd, her thoughts reeling in as Kazim reached for the door.


    "As I thought." He muttered as he struggled to push it open.


    It creaked, squeaked and shifted but it wasn''t showing signs of opening up.


    "Even if we do get in, what then?"


    A Lecturer asked. She was the blonde female with blue eyes in a female suit, though, this time what was a female suit was now an Armour.


    All this while, the intensity of the wind remained unperturbed, shifting and wailing away while they struggled to maintain posture and balance in it.


    It was like travelling through a snow or sandstorm in the Arctic or desert region; only this was brought to them.


    "We''re here to ensure the safety of the students. Of course, some will be okay, but some others won''t. Most especially the enemy''s targets. Split up and ensure there isn''t any harm to any of the students, we can do at least that much."


    The lecturer, Cynth Logan, nodded her head. An expression of understanding written on her face.


    Kazim slowly walked back, a shimmering light forming a solid object on his outstretched hand.


    A war hammer formed, as tall and large as his figure, palpable and strong.


    He took a step forward, a slight grunt escaping his lips as he slammed it against the door.


    It shook, nearly giving in to the weight of the strike.


    Kazim breathed in, strengthening his muscles with mana and a brimming power emanating from his being.


    He swung it backwards, mana pouring out from the hammer and pulled it towards the door, an immense pressure emanating from the head.


    "We begin now!"


    ¨CBOOM!


    ****


    While the safety precautions were carried out below, the main event occurred in the skies, reaching a climax, or at least assumed a climax.


    Nicho was covered in burns and scars, yet a firm determination emasculated him like a capsule.


    "You''re tough, you know that?"


    He said, his smirk fixed on his face as his floating mat hovered over the air.


    He swung his sword through the air, a gust of blue wind surging out and slicing through a lilac energy Phoenix that screamed out as it charged for him.


    The collision of energy caused an explosion, yet the Phoenix flew through, screeching in rage, lilac orbs hovering over the air around him.


    "Shit, not again."


    His floating mat moved like a nimbus cloud, hovering away from his previous location as a lilac lightning bolt struck it, a tremendous amount of power and vibrations exuding from it.


    "You''re the tough one. Why not quit."


    A cerberus raged out from behind Phestus and charged towards Nicho in a frenzy.


    It roared an echo exuding from its maw, surging forwards in vibrant hues, colliding against the path Nicho once was as he drifted upwards, away from its area of effect.


    But even with that, he was not free from the danger zone, as a shadow cast below him, sending his hair standing on end.


    He looked down, his eyes wide open at the sight before him.


    Behold, a cyclops, half its original length with a vibrant lilac hue exuding from its being appeared, its maw wide open with a guttural sound echoing in the air.


    Nicho''s body tensed up in an instant, his flying mat unable to drift away from the danger and in the next second, the cyclops maw clasped shut, enclosing him within.


    While that occurred, Phestus remained unphased, floating in the very same position he had been since a moment ago.


    His arms folded with energy exuding out of his body, a large Portal hovering over his head, and mythical beasts roaming around him.


    His gaze remained fixed on the cyclops as it began to disperse into the portal, a sense of anticipation growing within him.


    ''That can''t be all. He seems like an important member and a powerful one at that.


    What else does he have to show?'' He wondered and a response was given in kind.


    A shudder spread through the skies, and an aqua blue tinted with red and black energy oozed out from the shut maw of the lilac cyclops.


    The energy, familiar yet alien, sent a shiver down his spine and his hair to stand on end.


    ''This....'' He thought to himself, a sense of clarity coming to him.


    A pulse wave exploded out of the Cyclops mouth, a sudden outburst of energy sending the Cyclops head backwards. It was quickly followed by another pulse wave, inhumane energy soon imploding against the lilac energy of the cyclops, disintegrating it from within.


    The energy oozed out like a faucet, permeating through the wind, and in response, the wind increased in intensity.


    It seemed like the strength and speed of the wind cyclone had increased twice as hard, and continuously did so over time.


    This was something that Phestus had witnessed and experienced first-hand, the pressure suddenly decreasing and the force of the wind increasing.


    It felt like his body was being pulled by the world''s nature, with a strong tendency to tear apart if not for his strong constitution and ability to use the abilities of his Divine Beasts.


    ''This is insane. What sort of transformation is he undergoing for this much change to occur?''


    He wondered, the pulsating energy increasing with each thrust of power.


    Below, the students and Staff alike felt the change in the air.


    The wind had suddenly become fiercer, the tendrils sturdier and quicker with a much faster and heavier storm occurring around the Hostels.


    The buildings were beginning to tilt; their sturdy structure, from years of maintenance and magical artwork, was beginning to crack, giving way to the force of the wind.


    But even with the increase in intensity, it remained fixed to the ground, strikingly against the wind.


    Above, Nicho''s energy exploded the cyclops, lilac sparkles of energy dispersing in the strong currents of the wind as his figure became evident to Phestus once again.


    A dark red ominous energy escaped his body like steam, his katana increasing in size and a newly formed arm crafted by the energy.


    A horn had formed from the right side of his skull and his eyes emitted sparkles of aqua energy.


    "Demonic gate unlocked." He stated, a newfound power running through his body as he locked gazes with Phestus.


    ''This is wonderful. I feel twice as powerful as before. The blessings of the Devil Lord were truly worth the pain.''


    System users were bound by the system, as it provided a quick growth path for them and a threshold they should never cross.


    So, how do the Executives of the Red Peacemakers, a Cult well known for its magnanimous tendencies and goals become powerful in the future Raph was once part of?


    Of course, that was through the Devil''s blessing or the Devil''s curse depending on one''s heritage.


    It didn''t matter to Nicho where it came from. What mattered was the end result and it had proved satisfactorily.


    "You seem to have a relation to demons. Are you perhaps part of that Red Peacemakers I have been hearing about?"


    Phestus'' voice broke the tension between them, his voice carried by the strong current of the wind.


    Nicho smirked, satisfaction evident in his gaze.


    "In the end, it doesn''t matter where I come from, but where you go when I''m done with you."

 Chapter 310 - 310- Festival 41- A Transcendent Night

    Phestus''s eyes sparked in surprise for a moment when a bright outburst of laughter pierced through the air.


    "Hah....just because you borrowed a power that doesn''t belong to you, you somehow think you''re strong enough to face me?"


    "More than enough."


    Nicho stretched out his odachi, a sudden outburst of wind bursting from his slight movement alone and a wave of wind slicing through an incoming lilac beast.


    "Do you wish to find out?"


    Phestus remained silent. This wasn''t a question that required answers through words but by actions.


    He shifted, raising his arms as he prepared his next line of attack when a blue-shifted in space within his peripheral vision.


    His gaze widened, his pupils whipping towards the direction as Nicho''s sword came flying down like a guillotine.


    "You''re slow."


    He muttered, an outburst of energy suffusing out of him as he smashed his sword against Phestus, a sonic explosion occurring as it blasted him away.


    A pulse wave imploded, a loud shriek reverberating with the Academy as the dark clouds dispersed from the force.


    For a moment, a blinding white light had appeared, as if day had come, but it was quickly absorbed by the darkness of the night.


    Phestus landed on the ground with a loud thud, a large crater forming as he grunted in pain, and an earthquake spreading through the earth.


    He heaved, walking out of it in a single motion when Nicho appeared in his midst like the wind he was.


    Nicho''s sword came flying down from the skies, a rumble of thunder streaking the skies as it descended with brute force.


    The air warped at the edges of the blade, while Phestus stood, evidently too slow to react, or so Nicho thought.


    A bestial streak screeched in the air as a ball of lilac energy rushed through the skies in a blur.


    It descended and grabbed Nicho by his trunk, hovering into the air within the next second causing an obstruction in his attack.


    Nicho groaned, struggling with the piercing talons as he waved his free hand, causing streaks of wind in the form of blades to cut through the energy-created Phoenix.


    It dispersed into nothing, its grip teasing until he was finally free, but at that moment, more creatures came for him.


    A Cyclops, half its full size, sprung its arms in the air, rushed forward towards Nicho and grabbed him, clasping him within its gigantic features.


    At the same time, a griffin of lilac energy flew into the skies, Phestus standing firmly on the back of it, dried blood at the corner of his lips.


    "Divine Charge!"


    The lilac portal shimmered as a ghostly figure emerged from it. It was as large as a cyclops, its limbs thin and frail like twigs.


    Its arms were spread apart, a mirror-like item held firmly by it.


    As it emerged, waves of winds sliced through the Cyclops dispersing the energy-formed creature while Nicho emerged like a meteor.


    He charged forward, the wind enveloping him as he swung his blade through the air.


    "Transcendent Skill! Demonic Wave!"


    The wind heeded his command, taking thin shapes like sword slices and exploding into a million numbers.


    It rushed towards Phestus, a loud whir noise projecting in the air as a result.


    The ghoul creature screamed out, a ghastly roar permeating the air as the mirror structure shimmered, revealing an image of ancestral bodies on its glass surface.


    It placed the mirror right in front of Phestus, absorbing the waves of winds projected towards him.


    This continued for a moment until it was all absorbed by the mirrored surface.


    The ghoul let out another shriek, a pained-filled roar that would cause one''s bones to rattle.


    The result was a bright lilac light reflecting from the surface of the mirror, growing in intensity as a beam of light shot out like a laser beam.


    An explosion of sound occurred as it beamed through the skies, casting a violet hue on the clouds as it streaked towards Nicho.


    He stopped in midair, slicing his blade through the air while pulling an amount of it towards him.


    "Master Skill: Overdraft."


    A strong dome of wind spiralled around him as the beam collided against it.


    An explosion of indigo runs down the skies, like fireworks during a carnival.


    The wind surged around, exploding in a flicker of a second.


    Its area of effect spread through the skies, reaching Phestus in a heartbeat.


    It dispersed, scattering around in plumps of clouds and air, revealing a figure and another a few meters away.


    One was a majestic demonic human in the process of transformation, and the other was a human protected by lilac energy.


    It took the shape of the shell of a turtle, but what protruded out was actually the Head of a dragon.


    ''still not enough?''


    Nicho wondered, a slight irritation taking root within him.


    He had heard of the difference in classes, even between those of the same Level, but, this was taking things too far.


    ''One would wonder if he isn''t one of those system heroes.''


    But surely, he couldn''t.


    ''We would have known if he was.''


    It was difficult to find powerful system users, people who became capable of standing against the Great Families.


    ''....truly a shame.''


    He thought a sigh escaping his lips as a surge of violent energy ignited from his being.


    By now, Phestus had been released from the Stronghold, the ghoul and dragon turtle hovering beside him.


    ''he''s transforming again?'' he wondered as their eyes locked.


    A second horn protruded from his skull and a tail emerged from his back. His features slowly grew thin with dark scales etched on his predominant features.


    The wind responded in kind, its aqua blue tint turning blood red as a laid shriek reverberated within the clouds, a thunder streaking through.


    "why not join us?" He asked.


    Phestus raised a brow, his mana swirling within.


    He had a feeling that he would require everything within him to fend off this one, and he was proving effective.


    A dragon emerged from the Portal, its form and might cast a dark shadow on the presence of the two men in the skies.


    Its symbolic roar, a triumphant scream of might, reverberated with its lilac-crimson body, a brilliant freckle of light within his eyes.


    "What a foolish thing to ask."


    Phestus scoffed. "Inviting your enemy to your side just because they are strong is a dumb thing to do."


    Nicho laughed out loud, his sword, strengthened by Miasma pointed at Phestus.


    "Maybe so, but we recognize talents whether they are foe or enemy."


    A gust of steam emitted from the tip of the blade, hot air forming streaks of slice patterns a ball of white concentrated air.


    It spun and enlarged, an intense force whisking away at the sides, a powerful surge strong enough to compress a Harbour of ships.


    This was the strength of the wind he controlled at the moment, and it seemed to increase with time.


    "Transcendent Skill...."


    The dragon hovered over Phestus while the others hovered by his sides, their maws wide open as beams of lilac light emitted and expanded into balls of energy.


    Guttural murmurs shook the skies while large balls of energy formed.


    "Transcendent Skill...."


    The balls of energy projected into beams, shooting out at the speed of sound.


    At the same time, the spiral of wind pulsated and shrunk on itself before exploding forward ferociously and expanding in size.


    "Demonic Titan Wave."


    "Trumpet of the Divine."


    ¨CCRACKLE!


    ¨CBOOM!!


    The projectiles smashed into each other in a Volatile mixture, spinning and twirling violently until a beam of white light imploded out, coursing the skies like a lightning beam.


    The force of the collision dispersed throughout the skies of the Academy, propelling a powerful wind that surged through the buildings and the people within.


    The teams of Lecturers and the students held onto themselves and firm objects attached to the floor, a surge of air picking them up and pulling them away from the Hostels.


    Their screams fell on deaf ears, as it was swallowed by the might of the explosion, light energy converting into wind energy in quick amounts.


    Once a dark night overtaken by wind storms had been calmed by this unparalleled draft of air, easily sweeping it away and dispersing into the skies.


    The violent and turbulent waves continued, while the beam of light expanded into the air, igniting the skies in a firework of white light.


    Phestus was secured in the grasp of his Divine creatures but Nicho felt the brunt of it, yet he was unperturbed by it.


    His inhumane physique was untouched by the phenomenon, and it only encouraged him to go further.


    ''Shall I release the last lock?''


    He wondered but a familiar presence appeared next to him, clasping his hands in hers.


    He turned around, a sigh escaping his lips.


    "Did you find them?" He asked.


    "Yes, and I think you''ve had enough fun. Let''s leave."


    Mila''s voice eased the tension within him, and his former thoughts were lost with the ease of his mood.


    "Fine then."


    As the light expanded across the skies, filling the Academy with a warm yet melancholic bright, the two figures disappeared into a Portal from the sight of none.

 Chapter 311 - 311- Festival 42- Incident at Homeric Academy

    They say rumours spread like wildfire and in the case of the Attack Incident in Homeric Academy, it definitely did.


    The previous night had ended with top-notch security from the Lecturers and the Headmaster.


    The Student Council also had a hand in ensuring the safety of the students until morning came. Of course, it extended to the day as well.


    Visitors were left in shock at some of the conditions of the Academy and the students as well.


    They came across strict security and a tense atmosphere in the Academy.


    With some pristine, yet ancient structures under reconstruction and a few plantations missing, it had become apparent that the incident wasn''t a mere confrontation.


    Students were frightened, and some were even traumatized by the incident. It wasn''t something that occurred often. Heck, it never did, but times were changing and daring individuals were being brought into play.


    One, of course, being the Red Peacemakers.


    The true nature of the incident was kept under wraps by those actively involved in it within the students and the Staff members, so information received by the visitors was limited.


    This didn''t stop their imaginations from widening, though, and the rumours that spawned as a result were interestingly off-charts.


    The cause or reason for the unprecedented disaster was unknown, even by most students of the Academy.


    What they were aware of was the appearance of a Storm, something that had been proven impossible unless created by members of the Control Room.


    It had become adamant that this Storm wasn''t one caused by an accident but a force to be reckoned with.


    The reason for the attack though, wasn''t well known.


    Some had hit the nail and gone with the reason that the Red Peacemakers were responsible for it and decided to attack the Academy by targeting the students who were weaker than the Staff.


    Some were far off and decided it was merely a test run by the Control Room to inspect how the Academy would act in times of crisis.


    And a few others who knew the truth were aware of the fact that specific students were being targeted, of which all were Non-system users.


    The thought alone had skipped a whole lot of them, but those who figured it out either kept it to themselves in fear of being wrong or to prevent chaos within the Academy.


    Amongst those who were aware of the truth were members of Class One Gold.


    Raffaelo Jun and his cohort, to be precise, as well as those who planned the whole thing, or a part of it anyway.


    Currently, time had proved itself impossible to adapt to and had reached noon.


    Most of the events had continued without fail, and the Festival had commenced as it always did.


    Class Events were still ongoing with fewer Visitors coming for this while a lot more stayed behind to watch the current School Event, Monster Hunting.


    The cohort was having private time in their club room, Raffael sitting cross-legged on his chair while the others assumed their usual seating positions.


    Most were lost in thoughts, and a few others, like Ciara, were more busy reading books on the second floor.


    Most of the events that had unfolded really couldn''t concern her unless they got in the way of her systematic life.


    Elsie wasn''t present in the room as she was on patrol with her team, checking Visitors straight from the Portal entrance before letting any in.


    With their minds lost in thought, Jane looked up from a book he had been reading, his gaze landing on Raph.


    "It''s almost time." He said.


    Raph glanced at him, a shimmer of light flickering in his eyes as he looked away.


    He turned to his left, his gaze landing on Mariam, Louis and Tiara.


    "You guys will be here, right?"


    Mariam glanced at Louis, then back at him.


    "Not sure. There''s an event we wanted to check out later."


    "Ciara will be here. Don''t worry about us and focus on the task at hand." Louis said with a slight shrug while the others turned towards him, expressions of shock on their faces.


    He looked away, a frown forming on his face.


    "Oh...sure," Raph muttered as he slowly stood up. "How many points did we get from the Treasure Hunt, by the way?"


    "Oh, that." Jane turned towards Raph. "It was 520, Silver got 300 and Bronze had 400."


    Raph raised a brow, intrigued by his response.


    "Silver was after the Legendary weapons weren''t they?"


    Darrell nodded in response.


    "It was a dumb thing to do. They could have chosen to be smart like Class Bronze and gone for the others but they will continue to clash with us if they try to attain the same things we want."


    "I see." Raph shrugged as he walked towards the door.


    Darrell grunted as he followed after him, the others watching in silence.


    "They can keep trying if they want. Might encourage them to get stronger to reach us."


    He had reached the door by now and opened it, stepping out while Darrell walked out after him.


    "Hah, a pipe dream."


    Darrell called out, their footsteps slowly fading away in the distance.


    Jane looked away, his thoughts reeling in while the others glanced at one another.


    "Who else was attacked last night?"


    They all turned towards him, their attention pulled by his question.


    "I thought it was weird. Those tendrils seemed hellbent on capturing me last night."


    Tiara replied, her tone laced with relief.


    "I assumed it was after the others as well until I was nearly captured."


    "Yes." Mariam nodded, a sigh escaping her lips.


    "Your question makes it seem like that occurrence wasn''t a mistake."


    "No, it, in fact, wasn''t."


    Jane dropped the book, his expression slowly turning tense.


    "There are a few things Raph is keeping from us, and the incident last night was just one of them."


    "What do you mean?"


    Ciara spoke up now, her head tilted downwards from the guardrails.


    "....The system uprisers are colluding with another organization. It was that organization that attacked us the other night."


    Mariam raised a brow.


    "But that doesn''t explain why they went after us."


    "It''s just a suspicion, but I believe the Red Peacemakers are after Non-System users."


    A tense silence occurred after his statement, their thoughts lining in order.


    "So, a dark organization is after Non-system users specifically and at the time, we were the closest thing to what it required."


    Ciara muttered slowly, her words correlating with the others'' thoughts.


    "Yeah, and there''s no telling if they won''t be back. They failed this time thanks to the efforts of the Student Body and the Lecturers but maybe not next time."


    With a stifled sigh, the students present in the Club room turned away, resuming their various actions.


    "Nothing can be done then, and if Raph has chosen to remain silent about it, then we should respect his wishes."


    Ciara said as she walked back to a sofa on the second floor.


    There, she sat and picked up a codex from the desk before her.


    "We will act when required to."


    Jane glanced upwards and then sidewards at the others.


    He had an inkling of a feeling that they would react this way.


    ''They''re beginning to trust Raph''s judgement.''


    Which naturally made him, Raph of course, their leader.


    ''Well, not that he hasn''t proven otherwise so far.''


    A brief sigh exuded from his lips as he turned the page on his book.


    "Alright then."


    ****


    Monster Hunting was a far cry from Treasure Hunting in many ways, and was perhaps one of the exciting events the Academy hosted.


    One could tell mostly by the cheers from the Visitors watching the Class Three Monster Hunting Event.


    Of course, it was coming to its end, with the score sheet hanging at the corner of the screen and the events unfolding with explosions and battles with fearsome creatures.


    Here, some students watched while far off, yet not so far off were the Students of Class One, standing on their field while preparing themselves for the Hunt.


    Three Arms, Gold, Silver and Bronze together on the field with other intrigued students and Visitors waiting for the start of the event.


    Raph stood at the centre of attraction, his persona serving as a reminder of the fight that occurred between a student and lecturer the other day.


    The side comments and gossip that had somehow permeated into his ears were of none of his concern.


    He had more fish to fry, and his brain was calculating it all.


    ''Something doesn''t add up.''


    He thought, his mind drifting while his other team members gear up.


    Every student was expected to have an Armour or a form of dress code for their class or profession. A mage was expected to dress as one and vice versa and this was what took place while they waited for their turn.


    ''The current series of events didn''t take place exactly as it did in my past life. ''


    Oftentimes he had forgotten because of how incoherent life had played out for him, but the timeline was changing. Something he was slowly losing grasp of.


    ''And it''s just the first year....there''s no telling what could occur in the future.''


    It was unprecedented that events would unfold differently, but was it possible to change time completely from the way it once was in the past? Then, he would find out.


    "Hey, Raph?"


    The familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he looked up.


    Darrell and Sophie stood in front of him, intrigued gazes etched on their expressions.


    He shook his head slightly and asked.


    "What is it?"


    Darrell remained silent, his gaze drifting away into the distance as a drawing excitement grew near.


    A small smirk played on his face as he replied.


    "We''re about to start."

 Chapter 312 - 312- Festival 43- Monster Hunt

    Raph turned back, the loud voices from an incoming crowd finally bringing him to the present.


    He sighed, turned away and glanced at the other arms present.


    Class Silver''s team consisted of Ruth Balsey, Witeria Wittfield, a level 30 Earth Mage; Fanny Don, a level 29 Healer; Fredrick Luckster, a level 30 Swordsman; Humo Eli, a level 30 Berserker; Nia Omi, a level 31 Swordsman and Rayler Kun, a level 29 Battle Mage.


    ''They really pulled out their fighters for this one.''


    Monster Hunting, unlike Treasure Hunting,, was a lot more dangerous, with a liability of irreversible injuries occurring.


    ''They tune down the difficulty level for us though, compared to higher classes.''


    His attention seemed to have gone noticed as Monica, the Class Monitor shifted at her spot and glanced back at him.


    They locked gazes for a moment, a brief tension ensuing before she turned away and continued her conversation with Ruth.


    ''It''s always so tense with those guys.''


    He thought as he attempted to walk away, bumping into a familiar figure in the process.


    "Javier?" He called out.


    The handsome white-haired fostered a brilliant smile, exuding his charm as he tapped Raph on his shoulder.


    "You won''t regret choosing me for this Event. I had assumed you didn''t like me, so I was taken aback at first but this proves otherwise."


    Raph raised a brow in curiosity, Sophie and Darrell taking quick glances at Javier.


    As usual, his cohort stood behind him, a fat distance off but not too far in case he required their aid.


    ''They stick like butter to each other.''


    Raph thought though he didn''t mind it.


    Strength in whatever way possible would be needed in the coming trials of the Demonic War. At least that, he could decipher.


    ''....but, would the date align?''


    The thought came crashing like a snowball as a frown creased on his face.


    Javier noticed it, and a wry smile formed from his lips.


    "I assume you don''t want me touching you."


    He said with a slight amusement in his tone as he dusted an invisible amount of dust from his shoulder.


    "You must have your reasons as do we."


    With that, he walked away, leaving Raph in a bundle of his thoughts.


    ''So do we?''


    He thought, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he looked away.


    ''Does Javier join the System Uprisers?''


    News and publications in the Academy were quite crude, and what he learnt from his past life was mostly from word of mouth.


    ''Even if he was....he could have hidden it quite well.''


    The tales of Javier Wright and his cohort from his past life had served as a starting point for System users and a form of encouragement for them.


    "Everyone, Gather Up!"


    The familiar voice of the Lecturer in charge of the event echoed around the fields, snapping him from his thoughts.


    He flinched, a sigh escaping his lips as he walked towards his teammates.


    ''Now is not the time to worry about my past-future but the current future.....though....''


    As they gathered, the number of visitors began to increase, indicating the end of the Class Three Monster Hunt.


    The excitement was evident in the air, as this brought more attention than the Treasure Hunt.


    "You good?"


    Darrell asked as Raph stood next to him.


    He turned towards him, a small smile forming on his face as he nodded.


    "I would assume so." He replied and looked away.


    Darrell raised a brow in confusion.


    ''You assume?''


    The Lecturer in charge of the events, thankfully, wasn''t a part of the System Uprisers. Shay Fay, an outgoing man with a bright personality was in charge of this.


    He was also one of the Lecturers who rushed to the Hostels to serve as security during the incident.


    He stood in the middle of the Contestants, including Team Gold, Silver and Bronze.


    "Are you done with your preparations?"


    He asked the contestants gathered.


    They nodded in response, some using words instead.


    "Alright then!"


    He spun around, his sudden movement grabbing the attention of the Visitors present.


    "Hello Once Again to the Monster Hunt!"


    The cheers in return were moderate, but Shay didn''t mind.


    ''It''s all about to change anyways.''


    "We shall begin in earnest but first, I will call out the rules."


    Raph tilted his head in amusement.


    The rules had been known beforehand, so stating them again would seem like a hassle.


    ''They already know the rules from the first Hunt.''


    He thought. ''Though, he''s probably doing it for the newcomers.''


    He looked away, drifting into his line of thoughts while Shay continued.


    "The rules of the game are simple.


    Kill a beast and get its tag. The tag represents the level of the Beast you''ve killed as well as evidence of that kill.


    Points will not be added when the tag has not been secured regardless of the kill being yours."


    He took a brief pause, turning his attention to the screens as they slowly blinked to life.


    It was evident that the Control Room were done working with the Territorial Space for their Hunt as well as preparing the transportation spells that would take the Contestants to the Space.


    He took a moment of pause, then continued with his earlier explanation.


    "The colour of the tags represents the danger level of the Beasts. The lowest begins at Blue and the highest at Red, but for your levels, we have decided to set beasts with danger levels between Blue and Yellow."


    ''Bummer.'' Raph thought with a sigh as his shoulders slumped down a bit.


    ''The colours starting from Blue represented Lesser Beasts, and the highest, Red, represented Mythical Beasts.


    Despite this being merely conjured by magic, the danger of facing off a beast would be as real as possible.''


    A part of him, despite his last encounter, wished to face off with something stronger and capable of bringing out his full capabilities.


    ''Perhaps I should test that out.''


    Just then, the cheers from the Visitors suddenly spiked up, snapping him from his thoughts.


    He seemed to have been deep in it for a while now, but his current engagement would make it difficult to keep that up.


    Darrell walked up to him, placing his hand on his shoulder.


    "We''re about to begin."


    Raph glanced at him and then the others in his group.


    It consisted of Sophie, Darrell, Javier, Cricken, Dina, Rizzo and himself.


    The latter two, Dina and Rizzo, were people he chose out of curiosity at the time.


    ''I don''t recall these two as much as I do the others....''


    He frowned slightly.


    ''In fact, there''s a whole lot of them that I don''t.''


    Those who tend to leave an impression are usually people with noteworthy features or those with absolutely none of them.


    ''In either case, they''re in between. I hope they prove themselves.''


    With a slight buzzer that echoed in the air, the Contestants disappeared in an instant.


    The cheers from the Visitors and students alike edged them on as the anticipated Monster Hunt of Class One was about to begin.


    The screens lit up to life, showcasing a vividly disturbing scene.


    The skies were dark and humid, and a red sun stood in the middle as an anchor.


    The ground was hard, rocky and red, while volcanic mountains stood on the edge across the vast landscape of the Territorial Space.


    It wasn''t long before the cheers turned to gasps of surprise, Lecturer Shay expressing his thoughts out loud through his actions.


    ''What is Konstantin thinking?!''


    He screamed out in his head, his eyes bulged open.


    Territorial spaces tend to influence the structural and biological function of the Beasts within that domain.


    In a territory brimming with fire and volcanic ash, one could only imagine.


    ''Damn it! Is he still pissed off?''


    He clicked his tongue and stormed out of the fields, the chattering of the students and Lecturers increasing with time.


    ****


    A brim of light shot into the skies as seven figures landed on a closed spot, jagged rocks forming a dome around them.


    Raph was the first to recognize the scene.


    "Damn." He muttered out loud, the others slowly taking the view in.


    "Isn''t this the Ask Skies-themed Territorial Space? I assumed it was meant for senior colleagues?"


    Rizzo spoke out with a subtle surprise in his tone.


    He was a Level 27 Mage with light blue hair tied to a bun and a sword-shaped staff.


    "Ash Skies?" Javier repeated.


    The group walked towards the gaps in the jagged boulders, poking their heads out for a closer inspection.


    It didn''t take long before they pulled themselves back and stumbled to the ground in shock.


    Raph glanced down at his three teammates, who did so.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Mon¨CMon¨CMonsters!"


    Rizzo screamed out in panic, but his exclamation didn''t seem to phase the other''s standing.


    Cricken quickly stood up, adjusting his leather Armour.


    "They''re everywhere out there. Is it supposed to be like that?"


    Raph''s gaze flickered with intrigue, and so did a few others, Sophie especially.


    She suddenly jumped onto the rock, landing on its edgy projection with relative ease, her scythe resting neatly on her shoulders.


    A brief pause ensued as they watched her in silence, but the sudden shift in her expression caused a startled tension.


    A wild grin plastered on her face, a glint of crimson sparkle in her lilac eyes.


    "Hah, Monster Hunting is the best."


    Her tone was laced with pleasure, one that was confusing, and startling.


    Raph stretched out his hand, preparing to stop her but the sudden outburst of wind as she charged forward cut him off in a second.


    "Shit!"


    He muttered, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he turned around at the others.


    "Well? Let''s go!"

 Chapter 313 - 313- Festival 44- Monster Hunt 2

    Ash Skies was the name of the Territorial given to it by the students because of the constant ashes that remained prevalent in the air.


    The volcanic smoke was harmful to once breathing, and the monsters that existed in that environment were just as tough.


    Konstantin snickered as he watched the scene unfold from the screen, while Zitani sighed outwardly.


    "You will get in trouble for this."


    "I welcome it."


    Konstantin replied abruptly and firmly, his displeasure palpable in his tone.


    The others present, three in number, remained silent and focused on their task.


    After all, the Control Room was one where the focus was necessary, not that the head abided by it.


    "You''re just as upset as I am with Filly''s dismissal, so why do you complain?"


    Zitani shook her head.


    "I¨C


    A scene unfolded in her head, stopping her midway in her reply.


    She recalled encountering the Principal at the beginning of the event where he had explained her husband''s circumstances and death.


    A frown formed on her face as she shook her head.


    "It''s not the right thing to do, and you increased the number of monsters present as well. You don''t think you''re being a bit childish?"


    Konstantin clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    "Childish? I''m simply teaching the brat a lesson. Those Jun''s think they''re all that but they really aren''t."


    "If they weren''t, don''t you think it would have been proven by now?" She replied.


    He paused for a moment, a shimmer of light emanating from a magic circle a few distances away from his centre.


    Lecturer Shay stepped out, his gaze landing intently on Konstantin.


    "What were you thinking?"


    Zitani turned around with a muffled tone in her voice as she said. "He wasn''t."


    "What do you mean I wasn''t?!"


    He cried out in annoyance as he sat up from his seat.


    "It''s a simple Event and he will clear it easily as he has always done."


    "It''s not him I''m worried about, it''s the other students.


    Lesser, Greater and Royal beasts are a lot more difficult to fight in this Territory."


    "Oh, you don''t need to worry about that.


    I set most of the lesser beasts to the Silver and Bronze Class."


    A satisfied smile formed on Konstantin''s face, leaving Shay lost for words.


    He rubbed his temples as he sighed.


    "Even amongst the Beasts, there are ranks. From the first to the seventh. Luckily, they''re aware that the lighter the colour, the lesser the danger level and vice versa, but it''s still risky.


    The Headmaster won''t approve."


    Konstantin slumped back to his seat, crossing his legs as he placed his hands on the hovering screens, resuming his task of inspecting the Academy through waves.


    "Fuck the Headmaster."


    A silence descended in the Control Room, the Lecturers lost for words for only a moment.


    It seemed like Konstantin would have his way this time, but something was amiss, and it caught Zitani''s attention first.


    For a short moment, Shay had decided to turn back since convincing Konstantin to tune it down was a pipe dream unless a higher authority arrived. He had turned around to walk away when Zitani''s voice stopped him, an amused smile forming on his face on hearing her question.


    "Are you sure you sent the Greater and Royal beast to Class Gold?"


    Konstantin had assumed a meditative position, his eyes closed while he performed his task.


    It is in this way he can focus on one thing while the others watch what he observes.


    His gaze tightened.


    "Of course I did. I sent a lot as well, about one hundred and twenty Greater Beasts of different ranks and twenty Royal Beasts in the higher ranks."


    Shay tilted his head sideways, his brows furrowed and his arm folded.


    "What?"


    "You heard me," Konstantin said as he turned to Zitani. "What''s wrong?"


    "well, more like what''s not wrong..."


    She pointed at the screen, and the scene which unfolded left the two men stunned for words.


    Explosions, and blisters of rocks scattered across the landscape as the cries of dying monsters ceased into oblivion.


    The sight of a girl in Gothic Armour, purple and silver, with a sickle and spike mace attached by an iron chain running through the horde of monsters left a strong impression on the people gathered.


    But it wasn''t just the girl. A charmingly handsome Elven prince floated in the air in a pristine silver Armour, two torsos exuding from his back like alter egos of his presence.


    One held a mage staff and the other a bow and arrow while a floating grimoire remained in the palm of his hands.


    He was responsible for the constant explosions and projectiles that spun through the air, causing most of the destruction en masse.


    There were three other notable fighters, of course, Raph exuding more destruction than one could possibly manage.


    While the other two, Javier Wright and Cricken Royce, though overshadowed by the outburst of the former three left their own standing impression on the battlefield.


    A brief silence ensued in the room, Konstantin watching the scene unfold with baffled eyes and an open mouth.


    "What....What sorcery is this?" He muttered.


    "How about the Royal Monsters?"


    "They don''t come until later in the event."


    Konstantin frowned, his brows furrowing deeply.


    The appearance of the Royal Monsters wasn''t of his concern right now; after all, the Greater Monsters were being killed like chickens.


    Regardless of their Rankings.


    ''That doesn''t make sense, 5th Tier Great Salamanders, 7th Tier Giant Cyclops and 7th Tier Lesser Drakes are in there! Those aren''t creatures they should be able to face so easily!''


    "If one should think about it, the Great Families should have far surpassed the Great Monsters and Demons alike by now."


    Zitani muttered.


    "True, though, not all ranks of Devil''s."


    Zitani chuckled as she whipped her gaze towards Shay.


    "The 7th tier Great Devil, Fountain Jokstar and the 6th tier Great Devil, Mummy Man would be difficult to face for anyone below a Master"


    Shay shivered, an image of the devils playing in his head.


    "fiendish creatures."


    "That shouldn''t explain this level of mastery though."


    Konstantin interjected, his tone laced with disbelief.


    "If they can fend themselves this easily against a horde of ten kinds of Beasts then there''s no telling how easily it would be to fight against the Royal Beasts."


    Shay chuckled, a sigh escaping his lips afterwards. He turned around to walk away, a smug expression on his face.


    "So much for teaching a lesson, huh?"


    He said as he walked towards the circle.


    A shimmering light exuded and he disappeared with the light.


    Leaving the others to their task while they watched the scene unfold.


    Zitani smirked, shook her head and inspected the other screens.


    "What a sight."


    Konstantin groaned loudly, slumping on his chair further with a frown on his face.


    ''How infuriating.''


    It was like he had prepared a grander stage for Team Gold to showcase their talents.


    Especially their prowess in defeating monsters.


    ''While those five massacre the horde of beasts, the other two focus on picking up the tags....''


    It was well planned, or at least seemed to be, and the points of Team Gold were quickly stacking up.


    He sighed, a spark of an idea igniting in his head causing his frown to curl up into a smile, one akin to serial killers.


    ''You think you''re so strong huh? Alright, let''s see what you''ve got....Raffaelo Jun.''


    He sat up and commenced his tasks, his tension slowly easing away.


    *****


    Meanwhile, just as Konstantin had assumed, the Visitors were currently going haywire at the site.


    Cheers of excitement and shock as the scene unfolded.


    Most were not even aware of the danger level of these creatures but merely judged by what they saw.


    They watched a little girl with an ominous weapon strike down a colossus, tall as a stature, with a rock-like body and molten lava stretching across his body like veins with ease.


    They watched as arrows of fire and wind were shut out into the horde of salamanders, scattering their numbers like fallen leaves. And finally, as if to test the true capabilities of his ice, Raph''s snow trait was tested to its limits, or what appeared to be.


    Long spires of ice and mountains of snow stretched across the battlefield of molten lava, freezing the hot surface into blocks of liquids.


    The sight alone caused a stir of wonder, a feeling of awe and a tint of curiosity.


    The visitors watched it all in excitement, most even forgetting the other classes that were involved with the Hunt.


    Of course, others who cared watched their Hunt play out, but most who craved entertainment focused on the ongoing massacre.


    While this played out for all to see, a few visitors found the sight disgusting to see.


    Two figures stood amid the crowd of people, their attention fixated on the screens, scowls on their faces and a brewing tension in their chests.


    One of them sighed heavily, his words coming out like poison needles.


    "It''s only a matter of time, Raffaelo Jun."

 Chapter 314 - 314- Festival 45- Monster Hunt 4

    Perhaps one wouldn''t be aware, but when people tend to make names for themselves, they attract all kinds of people.


    Some evil with bad intentions, and some others with good intentions that could last you a lifetime.


    When one should ask Raffaelo Jun how many he had made, comparing his enemies to his allies, what number would he say confidently?


    ''Merely a thought for bored narcissists.''


    An explosion of ice occurred as ice spikes stabbed into an incoming Salamander, shattering his spine and freezing it to death.


    Raph walked past it, swinging his sword across the air as fire fairies descended from the skies, their fiery spears aimed at his head.


    He slid across the hardened floor, ice tracing his steps as it ascended in the air, forming a slide of ice in his path.


    He jumped off, a burst of wind exuding as he lunged into the air like a stone from a catapult and spun his arms across the air.


    In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the five fairies who froze in the air, shrieks of pain escaping their lips as their bodies were torn into pieces by the subtle movement of the Ice Swordsman.


    ''Why should one care about who follows them?''


    His body crashed into a walking cyclops, a slow grunt emanating from the creature''s maw as its arms swung towards its face.


    Raph pulled himself from the dent on the Cyclop''s rock-like head and rushed upwards, dodging the incoming giant''s hand as a wave of air exploded out in the process.


    ''Just focus on yourself, and the rest shall be history.''


    He stabbed his sword into its head, a brimming chill emanating from the edge of the blade.


    "Everything is Ice! Glacier Spire."


    The cyclops had attempted to take a step forward, when a chilling cold exploded out of his body, causing cracks to form as it stumped its feet to the ground.


    A shockwave occurred, and its body exploded into bits, large spires of ice projecting downwards from his blade.


    He landed on the ground, stabbing his blade into a fire imp at the same time and ending its existence in a second.


    With a sigh, he looked around, his attention fixated on one particular figure in the Hunt.


    ''is this a Hunt or a massacre? And why are there so many monsters here?''


    Just then, a scream reached his ear causing him to turn by reflex.


    A spear had been thrust at him, but he easily sliced through it like butter.


    Lunging at the Volcanic Warrior in an instant.


    They were 5th-tier Monsters, well known and used by Beast Tamers for their corporation on the battlefield.


    They were similar to the Giant Cyclops in their structure as they were rocky and hard with molten lava running down their bodies like veins. What separated them was the size and the different manner they came in.


    Some were vested in fitted Armour and swords, others spears and a few others bows and arrows.


    Oftentimes, a larger entity amongst them would be present, willing to a double katana or Dadao. That represented the general.


    They were a full-class set of fighters with battle experience, which was showcased in the manner they fought.


    ''And would have been annoying to deal with if I weren''t passed the level of a Master and at the neck of being a GranMaster.''


    He easily brushed off one of their blades, sidestepping and slicing its head off with his double-edged blade katana.


    Trails of ice followed in its wake, freezing the fallen bodies as they shattered on impact with the ground.


    He quickly ducked, dodging a spear when he noticed an incoming kick from below.


    With startled movements, he grabbed its leg, easing the impact and used the momentum to jump into the air.


    He grabbed its hardened head, spun to its back and grunted as he smashed his legs into its back, a solid explosion of rock and air occurring as it shattered into pieces.


    Raph''s landing, though, was compromised with that action, and another was heading his way with his spear ready aimed for his vital spot.


    He had landed on the ground with a light thud and spun to the side just in time to dodge as the spear pierced the ground like sand.


    The impression of a face on its rocky head turned towards Raph in a snappy, eerie crack and attempted to charge at him when a long sword sliced through its neck and slammed its body away.


    It wobbled, falling to its knees and shattered into pieces of rocks.


    "Are you okay?"


    The familiar voice caught Raph''s attention from the fallen Volcanic Warrior.


    He slowly stood up giving Javier a nod of approval as he did so.


    "I''m good. How are the others?"


    Though he asked, he didn''t really require an answer.


    The scene unfolded right before him, and it was ending soon.


    The numbers of Monsters were diminishing at a fast pace, partly because they were more than proficient enough to handle it and mostly because one of them decided to let loose.


    "Just as you instructed. Those that are fighting will soon end and those who are picking have been doing so."


    Raph looked up at the sky, the image of the timer and score points evident for all to see.


    TIME LEFT; 00:49:57


    TEAM GOLD; 2,210


    TEAM SILVER; 852


    TEAM BRONZE; 572


    ''Oh...what?''


    His brows furrowed and a slight frown formed on his face at the sight.


    ''Why is there so much point on our side and not on the others?''


    He wondered as he looked around.


    His gaze slowly narrowed as his thoughts reeled in.


    ''So far, we''ve been facing Greater Monsters with not a sign of the Lessers...''


    It slowly dawned on him at this point, that this wasn''t a mere Hunt, but someone had fabricated the whole scenario to what it was now.


    ''Was our class being targeted?''


    It was a conclusion he wished to arrive at but he held back as no clear evidence had showcased itself yet.


    The points were allocated according to the Monster''s ranks and their Danger Levels.


    Blue monsters were lesser monsters allocated ten points for the 1st tier and twenty-two points for the 7th tier.


    Green monsters were Greater Monsters allocated with twenty points for 1st tiers and thirty-two points for 7th tiers.


    While Yellow monsters, which were Royal Monsters, were allocated thirty to forty-two points. Though, none had been sighted at the Hunt scene.


    His attention was drawn to Javier''s question, causing his earlier thoughts to be pushed aside.


    "Did you know she was that proficient?"


    He asked, his attention fixed on Sophie as she massacred through a group of lesser Drakes.


    Raoh scoffed. "I wish. If I knew she was that good, I would have asked her to join our club."


    Javier raised a brow. "There are many other proficient fighters so why her?"


    Raoh shrugged, his gaze drifting away to the others.


    Darrell had continued to cause en masse havoc with his large area of effect spells and arrows and Cricken was doing his own quite well.


    His skills with the war axe were made evident with his quick strides and powerful strikes.


    Then, finally, he spotted Rizzo and Dina; though unable to actively participate in the fight, they made use of their skills to capture as many tags as they could.


    ''They''re the sole reason why it''s that many....''


    He thought as he turned to Javier.


    "I like the way she fights. Brute, yet with a class of her own. She would fight demons and Devils alike well without faltering in her actions.


    I despise those who are not willing to kill demons or devils due to sympathy..."


    His gaze drifted to Sophie once again.


    "...and she has none."


    Javier remained silent for a moment, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Weird. Why judge a species when they have caused no harm? He makes it seem like being a Demon or devil in and out of itself makes them the bad guy.''


    His thoughts led to his next question, his curiosity getting the best of him as a shockwave of energy spread through the air.


    They turned towards the direction of the source, two cyclops charging towards them with slow yet powerful steps, leaving impressions large enough to form a pond on the ground.


    "Oh, I thought we had dealt with all of them."


    Raph smirked as he charged forward without hesitation, a burst of energy exuding from his being as projected like a bullet.


    Javier watched in silence, his question ¨Ca bitter seed¨C lingering at the tip of his tongue, unable to fester.


    ''What a shame. Now I truly know we can never see eye to eye.''


    He steadied his silver and golden long sword, his armour of pristine gold shimmering with brilliant light as he charged forward with explosive speed.


    Raph smashed through the first cyclops and burst out from its back while flinging his sword to the other like a spear.


    It slammed against the Cyclops head, a burst of rocks occurring as its head tilted to the side with force.


    It staggered yet remained strong, but that was easily fixed by Javier as his Longsword slammed against the lower part of its legs, smashing through it with brute force.


    It was a creature he was not yet strong enough to defeat with one blow but he was more than capable of rendering it immobile.


    At that moment, the first Cyclops fell to its knees as a steak of aura sliced through its head downwards like a laser beam.


    An explosion of rocks and energy occurred as it shattered into chunks of rocks.


    A beam of blue light blasted through the second cyclop''s chest as it tumbled to the ground, Raph appearing in the air at that moment.


    His sword was enveloped in a blue misty hue, vibrant energy dancing around it as he swung forward, an arc of blue energy slicing through the creature.


    He landed with subtle ease, Javier standing beside him with a startled yet amused smile.


    ''fuck.....he''s learnt aura control already? Just what level is he at?''

 Chapter 315 - 315- Festival 46- Monster Hunt 5

    While Class One underwent their Hunt, a few members of the class were busy elsewhere other than the field watching the Event.


    One of which was Elsie. On a brilliant day such as this, with the sun''s rays cascading down on the Academy, or at least what was left of it, Elsie was busy with her Security team at the Portal Gate.


    She was currently resting against one of the columns that held the Remembrance Hall firmly. Her gaze shifted around while she watched the Visitors that slowly came in.


    Security was tight, as was expected of it, and a lot more than just Elsie''s team were here to make sure of it.


    Team five which was there, seven and eight. Fifteen students were present, with two members of the Student Council, Thalia Jun and Romeo Gutz.


    This was a pair that was hard to come by and that was mostly because of their clashing tasks.


    Now, it seemed like the student council had decided to put down those tasks for now.


    She had been busy with her thoughts, with her nose on high alert and her ears perked up.


    They weren''t expecting a second attack, but one must be cautious and predictability from the enemy''s side was not expected.


    Though she felt that way, something else bugged her.


    ''Hah.....I haven''t seen Raph all day.''


    A sigh escaped her lips as she tilted her head against the column.


    Just then, familiar footsteps caught her attention as her gaze drifted away from the skies.


    "Miranda?" She muttered.


    "Is our little Missy missing someone?"


    Her tone dripped with playfulness as she climbed up the staircase, a few visitors walking past her.


    Elsie sighed.


    "He''s participating in the Monster Hunt today. I can''t believe I won''t be able to witness that."


    She grumbled slightly.


    "Don''t be so glum, Elsie." Miranda chuckled as she walked up to her, resting her back on the same column.


    A brief silence commenced between them while they watched the scene unfold before them.


    It was calm and subtle, the Visitors complied willingly with the searches and Magic scannings.


    It had become evident that the Academy was on the case of the incident, at least to the visitors but in a true sense....


    "The Headmaster doesn''t know what to do, does he?"


    Elsie''s tone came as a hushed whisper, causing Miranda to turn towards her.


    "What makes you think so?"


    Elsie remained silent for a moment, her thoughts lining in order.


    "I''m not one to judge or anything but from what I''ve witnessed, the Academy is being subtle about this incident.


    It''s obvious that those System Uprisers are within the Academy, so why is it difficult to find them?"


    Miranda turned away, tilting her head a little while her thoughts were arranged in order.


    "To be honest, I''m not certain as well. What we know is what the higher authorities let us know. In fact, I believe only a few people actually know of the true nature of the incident."


    She glanced down at the scene as Visitors walked past her.


    "This is merely to cover up, and make it seem like the Academy is in control of what is going on."


    A tense silence ensued after her reply, but Miranda broke that silence with her next statement.


    "We might have to vacate the Academy in the worst-case scenario or perhaps fight them in person.....but the best scenario? I fail to see one."


    Elsie had been staring at her while she replied, her gaze slowly narrowing at her statement.


    It was becoming apparent how difficult things were becoming in the Academy, and like she said, vacating or fighting the enemies were seemingly the only conclusions.


    With a stifled sigh, she turned away.


    ''Wonder what Ralph thinks about all this?''


    ****


    ¨CBOOM!


    A projectile flew through the air, whipping through the sound barrier like paper and slamming against the earth before a large explosion erupted.


    Screams of fallen beasts and burning monsters reached the air, cries for their fallen comrades as they died seizing to exist.


    One figure floated in all this massacre, his hands folded and a grimoire hovering beside him.


    He was adorned in pristine silver, eleven silver, one of its kind. Its allure and texture were one to covet, but the regality it held was not meant for all to adorn themselves.


    Only those of pure Elven blood and royalty could adorn this Armour, and it fitted perfectly for the Elven Prince.


    Darrell''s gaze scanned the area once more, his attention drawing nearer to his incoming teammates.


    "Oh. Are you done on your end?"


    He asked as his gaze landed on Raph.


    "Well, there''s not really much to do. Some had begun to retreat even."


    The reply came like a stab to the chest, as he looked around, a scowl forming on his face.


    "Damn it! We should have gotten them all!"


    He cried out in annoyance, causing Raph and Javier to freeze in their tracks.


    A wry smile formed on Raph''s face.


    "Relax, they''re not even real. They won''t give you experience, too, because they''re all weak."


    He glanced at Javier, his gaze flickering as the floating blue screen formed next to him.


    ''Oh wow...his stats are really interesting. A sword hero, huh?''


    He looked away, Javier raising a brow in confusion in the process.


    ''I just wanted to check if they gained these experience points they usually did during the war, but I guess not.''


    Darrell slowly descended when another figure approached them like a bullet.


    She whirled through the air, the breeze blowing her flowing lilac hair as she smashed into the ground on landing.


    "Hah!!! What a delightful event this is!"


    She cried out as she walked out of the debris slowly, the sounds of chains rattling against the ground.


    Raph turned to his left, where she approached from, while the others slowly gathered, with Cricken, Rizzo and Dina coming in from behind.


    "You enjoyed yourself the most." He said.


    "Of course I did."


    Sophie replied, a smile forming on her face, one that contrasted greatly with the blood stains on her lilac Armour.


    Her hair was coated in black, though; how it got there, they didn''t know, and they sure as hell didn''t want to find out.


    At least most didn''t.


    Raph raised a brow in curiosity.


    "There''s blood on your hair." He stated.


    She stopped for a moment, pulling her hair towards her gaze then let it go after a short hum.


    She shrugged in reply. "I''ll watch it off eventually."


    Raph''s gaze widened in surprise, his chest tightening up from her statement.


    Her sight alone left an impression on him, but now even her words did.


    ''Wha.....what is this weird feeling?''


    He wondered when Cricken joined in with the others.


    "What now?" He asked.


    Darrell looked up at the timer and score sheet, a subtle whistle escaping his lips.


    TIME REMAINING; 00:38: 05


    TEAM GOLD; 2,810


    TEAM SILVER; 1, 420


    TEAM BRONZE; 1, 100


    "We have over thirty minutes left though."


    "Yeah, but the monsters are retreating to the other side....though, only a few of them are left," Rizzo interjected, a slight grunt escaping his lips as he hurled a bag over his shoulders.


    The sounds of metal clicking echoed, a testament to the number of tags present.


    "Here..."


    Raph walked up to him and grabbed the bag, placing it inside his storage ring.


    "We should remain alert. Time isn''t over yet and perhaps the Control Room has another present for us."


    The others glanced at each other, their confusion palpable at his statement.


    "You must have noticed, but the monsters we''ve faced so far were all at the Greater level."


    "Oh..." Rizzo muttered, his gaze sparkling as if something clicked in his head.


    "You think the Control Room did this purposely? Dina and I noticed it during our picking, but I assumed it was a coincidence."


    Dina was an averagely looking female with a slender figure and ash burnt hair.


    She had grey eyes and tended to keep to herself, including in group events. She wasn''t well known for interacting with any of the females in their class and her way of life intrigued Raph.


    It was one of the reasons Raph had picked her out. She was a cautious individual, and her method of sticking to it caught his attention.


    "Oh, in that case, they should keep it coming.


    Those things weren''t anything to us."


    Sophie teased, a slight chuckle escaping her lips as the males glanced at her.


    As most of her background was unknown, Raph had wondered if he had made the right decision in adding her to the Event but now, he seemed to have more than just one question about her but there was no longer doubt.


    ''She''s mysterious.....''


    A subtle sensation flicked in his chest as he looked away.


    ''And yet, I had not heard of her in my Past life....''


    The thought alone caused his curiosity to increase.


    "We should plan our next movement. If you''re right about this then we should expect Royal Monsters coming after our heads.


    You guys may fare well with them but we won''t."


    Cricken interjected, his gaze distant as he spoke.


    He was an observant lad, and from what he could tell, things would only get worse from here.


    They needed a better strategy than just going in, if not, they might actually get eliminated and fall behind the others.


    Raph nodded in understanding.


    "Yeah, you''re righ¨CTHUD!


    Raph was cut off by a sudden vibration that spread through the earth. The group was startled by the occurrence as they turned towards the source.


    Raph looked up in confusion, his gaze easing at the sight as a shrill scream pierced the air in a guttural symphony.


    A smirk formed on his lips.


    "We resume the plan we had before.


    Kill the monsters and pick up their tags...."


    A slight chuckle exuded from his lips as he muttered.


    "These are nothing to me."

 Chapter 316 - 316- Festival 47- Monster Hunt 6

    The Hunt commenced once again, as it had been a few moments ago.


    Raph charged in, Sophie, Darrell and Javier following close by while Cricken and the others stood apart from them.


    The three males were nearly fed up at this point, their emotions a step away from revealing their ugly nature in their expressions.


    Though, one of them wasn''t one to suppress. Cricken was a young man of many traits, silent and observant as Dina and maybe even more so.


    He had ventured into the Academy in the pretence of protecting the princess while hiding his true abilities from his peers.


    His true goal and purpose, though, was known to only him, or at least should be.


    He glanced at the two males, his lips curled downwards.


    "Is this a Hunt composed by the Academy or by our enemies who want us dead?"


    He muttered, his bound dripping with sarcasm.


    Dina shrugged while Rizzo replied with a wry smile on his face.


    "Either way, we''re useless to them. They can take care of things here....we should focus on what we have been doing all this while..."


    Just then, a loud roar shook the air, and an earthquake spread through the earth.


    They turned towards the source in unison; their expressions alerted when the scene eased their worries.


    Far away, yet not too far, a large creature known as the Oni Rhino fell to its knees while drawing its last breath.


    These were monsters, capable of levelling hills and drying up ponds, and the four attackers were making work of them, though more difficult than the last.


    There were a total of twenty giants: five 5th-tier Oni Rhinos, seven 1st-tier Lesser Fire Jotunns, seven 2nd-tier Greater Drakes and a 3rd-tier Flame Man.


    The Rhino was the first to fall, and many more would come to its company.


    Cricken watched in dreadful silence, his gaze narrowing ever so slightly.


    ''The prince would not like this....the Great families are seemingly working together nicely and the class is getting stronger with time.


    How will he take control when the Princess''s allies are reaching strength far beyond their age.''


    Strength was oftentimes not tied to one age especially when they had reached an age of growth.


    Raph and his cohort were in that age, an age of spontaneous growth and development.


    It was frightening to think of what they could achieve when they reached adulthood.


    ''And yet...I am here to watch and only act when told to.''


    He felt a nudge on his shoulder, causing him to snap from his thoughts as he glanced behind.


    "What is it?"


    "We shouldn''t be left behind for too long. One of those deadly creatures could come for us."


    Dina replied though it seemed like her statement might have reached one of the beasts.


    At the corner of her eyes, two giant wings flapped about as they penetrated through Sophie''s rigorous chain bondage.


    "Watch out!"


    It screeched in the air, its throat vibrating with the sensation of its speech as it charged at the three males.


    It was as large as a double-decker bus, its wings spamming the entire length of its body and a sturdy tail dripped with spines.


    The spines spread across its back like a canvas, reaching its skull and forming two spiny horns.


    Its dark-filled eyes had a glint of crimson that glowed ferociously as its fangs stretched apart.


    "Shit, you just had to jinx it."


    Rizzo muttered as he spun his Mage staff to his front, pointing the tip at it.


    "Let''s defeat it together."


    Cricken charged forward without waiting for a response, his axes forming a deadly arc through the air.


    He slammed against the creature''s maw, using his leg to pivot himself over the creature as it stopped its charge abruptly.


    At the same time, four Fireballs ignited around the tip of Rizzo''s staff.


    "3rd tire spell; Flame Arrows!"


    The Fireballs warped, moulding into straight lines before protecting forward at a sudden speed.


    It blasted against the Drake''s face, its hollow screams reaching the clouds in protest as its wings flapped once and sent its body into the air.


    Dina blinked once and suddenly charged forward, a gust of wind trailing her action as she spun into the air.


    Her staff stretched forward towards the Drake as a ball of flame ignited within its maw, its dull gaze fixed on Rizzo.


    "Advanced Skill; Wind wheels!"


    The atmosphere around her reverberated like a rotating car wheel, gusts of wind rushing together to form a ball.


    It surged forward with lightning speed, slamming against the rugged structure of the Drake''s face.


    An explosion of wind occurred on impact and the ball of flames exploded in its maw, a pained shriek escaping its lips.


    At that moment, its gaze whipped to its side, fury dancing in the depths of its eyes as it glared at Dina.


    She gulped, landing with as much precision as she had flown and running away from the Drake''s sight.


    It growled and flapped its wings, a surge of earth levitating from the force of the wind as it attempted to charge after her.


    But that was put on hold as something tugged tightly to its tail, cutting its momentum and pulling it to the ground with a sudden loud thud.


    It smashed onto the earthen floor, its fury palpable as it attempted to wiggle its tail free from the human, but that, too, had proven futile.


    It whipped its head to its back, a subtle glare fixed on Cricken who grabbed onto its tail with the brute of his strength.


    His legs were tugged deeply into the ground as he pulled the Drake forward, pulling it into the air as a powered groan escaped his lips.


    "Aaaahhhh!!"


    He cried out, the Drake screaming in protest as it was pulled into the air and slammed against the floor at the other end, a powerful quake of earth and wind occurring on impact.


    BOOM!


    Cricken released its tail, the Drake seemingly unmoving on the ground.


    He panted heavily, Rizzo and Dina making their way to his side in the process.


    "Did that work?" Rizzo asked, his gaze flicking between the Drake and Cricken.


    "I would like to know as well..." Cricken replied in between deep breaths.


    The silence was unsettling and the Drake''s sudden pause in movement made them even more wary.


    A few seconds passed, and their unease slowly dissipated, replaced by a sense of fulfilment.


    "Did....Did we just defeat a Royal?"


    Dina muttered, her expression laced with mixed emotions as she stared at the body.


    She wasn''t the only one surprised, Cricken as well had found their situation shocking.


    ''In a normal sense, two Level 20s and a Level 34 can''t defeat a Royal, especially a Greater Drake.''


    He thought as they turned towards an explosion drowned by the cries of a dying beast.


    His expression darkened, and his unease slowly returned.


    ''They''re having so much difficulty in taking even one of them down....to the point that just three have been defeated so far, so, how?''


    Something rattled at the corner of his eyes, and a shadow crept over their heads.


    Dina realized it first, then Cricken who notified Rizzo.


    Their bodies froze, their chest-beating loudly as a subtle koo escaped the beast''s throat.


    ''Shit....how can I have been this stupid? Of course, the three of us can''t defeat even one of these Royals! They''re royals for a reason! All their strength is equivalent to a level 70 to a 100....''


    It was amusing as Royal Beasts were actually the third strongest from the weakest and the third weakest from the strongest.


    In a heartbeat, the Drake screamed, its maw descending towards one of their heads when a sudden surge of energy caught it by surprise.


    "Everything is Ice!"


    The earth shook as ice shards stretched throughout the landscape, slamming against the Drake and cutting it off in the blink of an eye.


    Cricken didn''t need to think twice as he grabbed Rizzo and Dina and charged away from the beast, a sudden outburst of flames escaping the drake''s maw as it screamed in pain.


    The ice spread thoroughly and increasingly, forming numerous thin pillars that lifted the beast into the air, the crippling sensation of cold exuding from its surface.


    It curved through the air and slammed it against the earthen floor, the crippling cold spreading through the skin of the Drake until it became a block of ice.


    The silence resumed, Cricken slowly shifting his gaze to the side as the others stood up.


    Their attention was now on Raph as he approached them, his sword resting neatly on his shoulder with a smile on his face.


    "Are you alright?"


    "Alright? We almost got killed! Forget collecting their tags, we have to survive first!"


    A wry smile formed on Raph''s face as he tilted his head slightly.


    "You''re right, and you might be endangered once more."


    They glanced at each other, their surprise palpable as Cricken turned towards him.


    "What do you propose we do then? We can''t help in this fight, and it''ll be dangerous to go after their tags, either. Not until you guys have taken most of them."


    Raph nodded slowly, casting a glance at the scene behind him before turning towards them.


    "What else can be done? You have to stick close to me as I stick close to you.


    Neither harm nor failure will come our way."


    Cricken''s gaze narrowed at his statement, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Wouldn''t one prefer if we were out of the way? How does he expect to fight and protect us at the same time.''


    Though, it wasn''t like it was an impossible task. A strong individual has both the power to fight and protect at the same time, but Cricken doesn''t know Raph''s current prowess.


    So he was half certain that Raph didn''t realize the weight of what he had just said.


    At a far yet not so far distance, two Oni Rhinos rushed towards them, their massive build sending pulses down the earth.


    They turned around in unison, Crickens gaze slowly hardening.


    ''I guess we''ll just have to find out.''

 Chapter 317 - 317- Festival 48- Monster Hunt 7

    A creature with a large build and height, the Flame Man, was a 3rd tier Royal Beast and one of the few Fire-type beasts that were hard to control.


    They were known as the Monks of the battle, remaining passive until the very end yet controlling the battle flow of their fellow kind.


    It was as large as a cyclops, even larger, tall and slender with rock-like bodies and a floating ball of fire in its eyes.


    It sat on the ground, crossed-legged, ignorant of the scene before him until a few moments ago.


    Its eyes quivered as it shifted to the sides, glancing at tall pillars of ice that ran through the battlefield.


    Two Oni Rhinos were caught in the depths of the cold, its piercing glow spreading deep within their bodies as they muffled in pain.


    It remained passive, shifting its gaze away. It was not time to act yet.


    While Javier and Raph handled most of the Oni Rhinos, the Greater Drakes were handled by the others.


    Darrell and Sophie to be specific.


    Darrell had shifted between long-range and short-range tactics. Sending projectiles against their bodies, whipping them with as much firepower as possible.


    Its sword formed traceable arcs, silver lights following his movement like a field as he slammed his sword against their hardened skin.


    He was having a lot more ease fighting them, though Sophie seemed even more relaxed.


    With one gone, there were six left.


    One had already fallen by the hands of Sophie and she was currently taking care of the others.


    With a whiff of the air, Sophie jumped over the charging Drake, spinning around as she descended into the beast''s back with incoming power.


    She slammed into it like a missile, an explosion of wind occurring as its body smashed into the ground, forming a crater.


    It squealed in pain, its maws opened as the second Drake flew downwards, blasting its fire at the unsuspecting Sophie.


    Like a third sense, her eyes whipped towards the direction of the Drake and her body rushed away in a heartbeat, dodging the incoming blast of flames.


    Drakes and Dragons were impervious to the flames of their own kind, making it easy for the first to charge out of the crater.


    Sophie though, wasn''t about to let her prey escape her grasp or change the momentum of their scuffle.


    She charged forward, jumping into the air as the Drake traced her movement, its flames causing dreadful effects on the ground.


    It melted the earth''s surface, brimstone and Sulphur permeating the air, yet Sophie had dodged the effect of the flames entirely.


    She charged upwards, slamming herself against the underbelly of the Drake, causing it to reel in pain.


    She threw the spiked mace of her weapon upwards, tugging the chain tightly as the mace spun around the dragon, over and over again until it was tied loosely onto it.


    The brunt of the weapon slammed against the Drake''s face, a pained scream escaping its maw in the process.


    The first charged after her, a hollow scream reverberating with the wind as its wings flapped ferociously towards her.


    Its maw widened, a blast of flames shooting out in the next second, but it had caught Sophie''s attention the moment it was out of the crater.


    She grabbed onto her chain, tugging it and pulling herself upwards and over the Drake, landing on its spiked back as the blast of flames struck the second.


    They may have been impervious to the burn, but the force of the blast was strong enough to push them away.


    The flames struck the Drake, a pained scream escaping its maw as its body was pushed to the sides from the force.


    Sophie had remained fixed to its back, her arm twirling the chain attached to her scythe as a smirk formed on her face.


    "The nerve of these mutts!" She muttered as she stabbed it into its back, running across its back towards its head and jumping off as the first flew past it, and blasted another round of flames at the spot she once was.


    The second screeched, the force pushing it downwards as Sophie landed, her chains held firmly in her grasp.


    These were enchanted chains, strong enough to hold with an infinite amount of length.


    She pulled on it tightly, a slight grunt escaping her lips as it pulled the Drake further.


    It resisted, flapping its wings with all of its strength.


    "You think you''re strong enough to resist me?"


    She muttered as she slammed her legs into the ground, a blast of dark violet mana surging out of her body.


    Her smirk widened, a mad glint flickering in her eyes as she felt a surge of strength through her veins.


    With a stump, she pulled the chain down and forced the Drake to the embrace of the earth in a split second.


    An explosion of sound and wind occurred as it slammed into the ground, bits of rocks surging out as a deep crater formed.


    She spun around, twirling and walking away as the first suddenly slammed into the spot she once was.


    ''They seem perfectly made for one another.''


    She thought, admiring their persistent synchrony in trying to catch her off guard.


    She tugged her chain upwards, causing the scythe to lodge out of its back and into the air, pulling a spike from the Drake''s back in the process.


    She spun to the sides, dodging the Drake as it charged towards her and kicked its underbelly with brute force.


    A surge of wind occurred as her legs, enveloped in dark mana, sent the Drake upwards, though only by an inch.


    It screamed, whipping its gaze towards her as a blast of flames shot out of its mouth.


    ''Shit!''


    She jumped upwards, dodging its effect but not fully as one of her legs was brushed by the flames.


    A stifled pained groan escaped her lips as she fell to the ground, rolling on the dirt and pushing herself back upwards.


    By then her scythe was back in her grasp, together with the spike from the second.


    The second had begun to ascend from the crater, its hollow screams reaching the skies as it regained focus in the battle.


    ''Oh no you don''t.''


    Grabbing the spike, she lowered her body downwards and stabbed it into her left palm, her expression twisting ever so slightly from the pain.


    ''5th Arcanus Spell, Thread of Life and Death.''


    An ominous, dark violet mana surged out of her palm into the spike, causing dark energy to envelop it and gradually turn it into dust.


    The second Drake suddenly froze mid-step, its maw widened open, a sound triggering to escape but seemingly failed to.


    Its body suddenly convulsed, lava surging out of its mouth, as its body tripped forward and slammed into the ground with a loud thud.


    ''One down.''


    The first cried out in fury, its rage palpable as it surged forward, slamming against Sophie in the blink of an eye.


    It pushed forward, dragging her along with it as it raised its head into the air and slammed it into the ground. Debris and softened earth formed a cloud of dust that raised in the air, subsiding as its movements stopped.


    Slow growls escaped its maw, its crimson pupils brimming with life as it glared at the girl who refused to give in.


    She had grabbed onto its horns, the handle of her scythe held firmly in her mouth.


    Blood dripped down her face, and a grin was plastered on her face.


    The spike from before had lodged out at some point and her left palm dripped down with blood.


    "Yes, this is how it should be."


    A blast of dark mana surged out of her body as she jumped slightly into the air, pulling her head backwards and then slamming her forehead against the Drake''s head as she landed.


    A sonic boom occurred, and the Drake''s body was pushed into the ground, a crater forming as pieces of rocks and debris ascended from the ground.


    The shock and pain were impossible to process, and the Drake felt a surge of pain through its head and body. Cracks formed on its head, spreading gradually and spontaneously.


    Sophie smirked a bloodied smile on her face, eyes brimming with power and madness as she slammed her forehead against the Drake once again.


    A pulse wave occurred, spreading through the battlefield as they descended further onto the crater.


    Bits of rocks and debris flew in their presence, sharp shards of boulders striking against their skin.


    The Drake was stunned, its vision blurred from blood and pain.


    It was inconceivable, perhaps difficult to understand why it felt so much pain from a mere human. The strength to fight back, to simply blast a truckload of flames at her was gone, masked by the pain and will to give in.


    Sophie perceived it. She had somehow perceived the whirlwind of pain the beast was going through and a frown formed on her face.


    ''Weren''t they meant to be copied? Why does it....feel so real.''


    Bothered by the uncertainty, yet willing to go on with her brutal assault, she raised her scythe in the air.


    "Rest in peace."


    And stabbed it into the cracked pieces on its head, power brimming in her attack.


    It pierced through like sandpaper, the Drake releasing a final cry before it crashed into the ground, permanently unmoving.


    Sophie glanced at it, a subtle frown on her face as she looked around, observing the scene before her.


    ''Something''s not right...''

 Chapter 318 - 318- Festival 49- Monster Hunt 8

    Into the battlefield, another member of the Great Families was having his beatdown with the Royal Beasts.


    Two 2-tier Greater Drake were flying around the Elven Prince, blasts of flames emitting from their maw which was countered by arrows of the same element.


    Elves with destructive nature abilities prided themselves in their fire power. Something capable of reaching a destructiveness rivalling High-tier beasts. Of course, this was only in its peak form, one which Darrell had yet to reach.


    But even as a 7th-tier Elven Knight, he was strong enough to face two of these at the same time.


    His Golden weapons represented unconscious clones of his, attached to his very being to serve the purpose of destruction. It consisted of two personas, unlike four. Forming the four Dharma weapons, well, two at the moment.


    One with a Mage''s staff and another with a bow and arrow.


    Silver-armoured torsos emitted from his back; arms grabbed upon their weapons while his floating Grimoire stood ready for his command.


    He was a walking magic cannon. Ready to shoot out at any given moment. And so he did.


    "Shoot it down!"


    His order was imminent, and without further ado, his two mirrored lookalikes stretched out their invisible string and spun their staff.


    Balls of flames and bolts of lighting cackled as the Drakes flew around him, rushing away as a lightning bolt struck out in a furious cracking noise.


    It rattled, the sounds of explosions reaching the skies as it streamed through the air.


    The balls of flames had more effect though. While the Drakes had escaped the brunt of the lighting, the flames weren''t so easily ignored.


    They traced after the Drake''s steps, following like ants to sugar until it struck them, an explosion of flames igniting on impact.


    The aerial beasts screeched in a fury, one charging in with a supersonic speed, an eruption of sound occurring with the flap of its tail.


    Royal Beasts weren''t known for having specific skills but a generalized fighting pattern that they all adopted.


    When threatened by an aerial foe, they chose to charge in, head first, their horns acting as spears.


    They oftentimes did the same when facing land foes as well, choosing to use their brute force over their flames and dragon-like features.


    This was what set them apart from real Dragons which Drakes are oftentimes mistaken for.


    However, the Drake had made a drastically wrong decision.


    "Chapter 8 of the Spirit Elf Magic..."


    His grimoire flipped open while in the air, changing from page to page until it reached a satisfying point.


    "Wind Superposition."


    An evident sound projected in the skies, like a thin shrill, one similar to that of a banshee.


    It curled, and surged, a wind so powerful that the Drakes were caught in the whorls of a Cyclone.


    It picked up the Drakes like twigs, stopping them in their tracks, spun rigorously and slammed them against the earth.


    The ground trembled and sunk deep, a crater forming in its place as cracks spread through the earthen floor.


    Lava spilt out, and the Drakes cried in pain, thin slices of wind striking at their bodies, leaving ghastly slice marks that caused their blood to ooze out.


    Darrell descended like a rock, his body permeating into the crater as he slammed his foot against one of the Drakes''s underbelly.


    A short cry escaped its maw, but that was quickly silenced by the lightning arrow that struck through his chest.


    The loud vibrations caught his attention, his gaze slowly drifting to his back as the shadow of the second Drake cast over his body.


    ''These mutts...I''ve killed so many of them they call me the Drake Hunter back in the Eastern Forest.''


    He clicked his tongue, shifting his gaze away as the Mage Dharma stretched his staff towards it.


    "Spirit Elf Magic, Chapter 1; Dragon Flames."


    The Silver Persona was suddenly enveloped in a ball of flames, a burning sensation streaming down its body as flames ignited at the tip of the Staff.


    The Drake widened its maw, flames surging out as it emitted a sudden blast, while the Mage Dharma released the blast of flames from its staff.


    Fire collided against fire, and an eruption of crimson light occurred on impact.


    The Firelight ignited the air, the skies and the ground, molten lava spilling from cracks on the earthen floor as it was cracking from the intensity.


    The Drake startled, took a step back, its flames continuously outpoured from its maw while Darrell glared at it.


    Their eyes met a semblance of life igniting in their short encounter.


    A frown formed on his face, and his brow arched with curiosity.


    "You''re....alive?"


    He muttered, his surprise palpable, yet the Mage Dharma had not dropped its firepower.


    Instead, he looked away, his mana surging out of his body in a wave and causing the flames to ignite even further.


    The blast doubled in size, covering the size of the Drake''s and pushing its flames back.


    ''In that case, I will make your death quick.''


    He thought as his grimoire flipped open to another page.


    "Spirit Elf Magic; Chapter 11"


    A crackling sound rattled in the skies as the clouds rumbled in an awakening.


    It felt like it suddenly surged with life, powered by yellow lighting that streaked through it like veins.


    It flowed around, spiralling like a hungry dragon, picking out in an attempt to strike the earth.


    "Call Of Lightning."


    On command, it streamed down in a frenzy, millions of lightning bolts curled over one another like serpents in a pit.


    It reached out, rumbling and crackling, a deep sensation of unease spreading into the air.


    If the others were busy with their own problems, then this would cause them to pause in their actions.


    The sight, yet beautiful, was darkly dangerous, telling tales of what was to come when it struck its prey.


    Raph had just frozen over the last Oni Rhino. His gaze shifted from the Flame Man to the dark clouds and falling lightning.


    He raised a brow as he cast a glance over to Javier.


    The young boy had received aid from Raph a moment ago after he had successfully taken care of one of the Oni Rhinos.


    Their attention was pulled by the sight of lightning streaming down from the skies.


    This was the same for the others in the team and the other teams as well.


    The reactions from the Audience and those who watched from the Control Room were similar.


    The sight that was familiar to some yet new to others was a stark reminder. A deadly reminder of what it meant to face one of the Great Families.


    As the millions of lightning bolts streamed down and struck the Drake, a terrible sonic explosion occurred. It forced some of those close to clasp their ears shut from the sound alone. This included Cricken, Rizzo, Dina and Javier. Even the other teams far away.


    Raph simply sighed as he folded his hands.


    ''What is he thinking of using something as powerful as that on a simple Drake?''


    He wondered, his attention shifting to the Flame Man.


    Despite its circumstances and the fall of its comrades, it had remained passive, simply watching until it felt the time had come.


    ''What a pain. Flame men were known as Beasts who could not be tamed, because they were the closest thing to being a peaceful human.''


    A human without conflict, without hope, without desire nor hatred. How can such a thing be a human?


    ''...well, that''s why it''s a beast.''


    While Raph ignored the effects of the collision, others didn''t.


    This included even the Control Room, whose screens were suddenly turned shut when the lighting struck the Drake.


    Turning on a few seconds later.


    They watched in silence as the streams of lightning danced through the Dake''s body, pulverizing its very being. It screamed in pain, its body slowly crumbling from the intensity of the lighting. Its scales seemed to burn from the inside, while it streaked out of its mouth, causing a cutting pain to fester in its throat.


    At the same time, the blast of flames struck its body, pushing it towards the edge of the crater until it slammed its body against the hard wall.


    Fire and Lightning ran through its body, a tremendous amount of pain brewing within it.


    Darrell simply watched from the sides while this happened, his thoughts slowly reeling in.


    ''This is the peace I can grant to you. One of true destruction. Pulverize from this world and may you never return as a Drake but a Dragon.''


    The beast continued to cry in pain, its eyes suddenly snapping towards Darrell, a silent speech between them.


    It continued for about a minute until it died down, its burnt body falling to the ground as it scattered to ashes.


    Darrell looked away as he floated upwards into the air, his gaze scanning the battlefield until it met an intriguing scene.


    The small fries were dead, and only one was left standing or meditating in its case.


    He watched as Raph walked up to the meditating giant, his weapon ready and a misty frost emitting from the blade of his sword.


    A smirk formed on his face as he folded his hands.


    ''Well, this ought to be fun.''

 Chapter 319 - 319- Festival 50-Monster Hunt 9

    Raph walked up to the Flame Man, his gaze fixed on the two pools of flames that served as the giant''s eyes.


    Words were not spoken yet actions were understood as the Giant slowly arose from the ground.


    It folded its hands, its head tilted downwards at the incoming presence.


    The pools of flames flickered, then erupted in size as if reaching out for a challenge


    ''Oh.....intriguing..''


    Raph thought as a cold shiver ran down his spine.


    This was not a foe had faced in his past life. They aided humanity in the fight against the demons. After all, beasts were far different from the spawns of Hell. They were actually sane creatures who didn''t wish for the eradication of humanity.


    Demons and Devils were quite particular in that aspect.


    As Raph walked up to the Beast, a solemn silence ensued between them, tension brewing in the mix.


    ''I wonder how well it will fare against me.''


    He had since made up his mind that he would defeat it. In fact, it wasn''t that he made up his mind but that he had already done so.


    ''All this is merely to respect their wishes...''


    After all, he had noticed since before that these were in fact, real beasts.


    He had kept up the act until now because they could face them easily but the fact that this was done against them just as a means to get at him...he found that utterly disgusting.


    ''The whole system is corrupt. People serve their interests in the long run and think they can act as they please when they''re given a bit of power.''


    That was stupidity but it was different if that power flaunted was one which you could prove.


    That wouldn''t make it stupidity but pride, and the Jun household had plenty of it.


    ''Enough small talk...''


    Raph thought with a sigh as he flipped his sword in the air, thin arcs tracing the tip of his double-blade katana.


    "I hope you''re ready for this! As I am."


    Without waiting a moment longer, a surge of aura emitted from his body, propelling a truckload of energy into his system.


    He lunged into the air with brute force, aura spiralling to the blade of his sword as two balls ignited beside him in the air.


    "7th tier Spell; Fire Gatling."


    The balls of flames warped, forming a spiral with a ball of flame, the size of a fist in the middle.


    He hovered in the air, above the giant''s head as the balls of flames shot out in the blink of an eye.


    Two small balls streaked through the air until they collided against the beast''s face, exploding into a mass of flames on impact.


    The force caused the Flame Man''s head to tilt backwards, though only by a little.


    Its right hand stretched into the air, reaching out for Raph when the spires formed another ball of flames and shot it out in unison. This repeated itself again and again, multiple times, increasing with speed like a machine gun.


    Little balls of flames were catapulted towards the Flame Man''s face, causing eruptions of fires that sent its head reeling back with each intensity.


    It quickly changed targets and swung its left hand over its face, blocking the incoming balls of flames from reaching its vision.


    At that point, Raph had easily manoeuvred himself in the air, tilting over the incoming giant''s hand in slow motion and landing on its hand in a subtle collision.


    He rolled over on top of it and jumped to his feet, running down its arm as it regained part of its vision.


    With a quick taunt, it pulled its hand in the air, swinging it violently to get the pest off of him but Raph jumped up at that given moment.


    The arm was gone and his body descended from the height of its arm.


    He changed the momentum, swiftly charging at its torso before colliding with a loud eruption of sound.


    The Flame Man staggered backwards in shock, its two pools of flames igniting further as it whipped towards the sight of Raph on its side.


    His leg was imprinted into the beast, a smirk on his face as he glanced at the beast.


    A moment of silence ensued between them before the thin lines of lava that ran through its body like spider webs glowed crimson.


    It surged with power and heat, causing Raph to curse as he jumped out of the imprint.


    At that moment, its body set ablaze, fire erupting around its body like an Armour, a second skin that just felt right.


    Raph was forced to the floor, his landing a bit ungrounded when a gigantic shadow was cast over him.


    He quickly looked up, his smirk widening into a grin at the sight of a giant leg coming down on him.


    The beast smashed its foot into the ground, causing a rise in debris and dust as a crater formed in a split second.


    A wave of wind and power surged out from the smash, its gentle gaze staring deeply as it looked around.


    Just then a wave of wind occurred, followed by a surge of energy as a slice sound echoed in the air.


    The Giant looked over at his second foot to find Raph running past it, a sudden shift in its balance occurring as it attempted to go after him.


    With confusion, it glanced down to find its foot split evenly from its legs, a sword slice at the edge of the cut.


    It glanced back at Raph, sending its fist towards him as it fell to one knee.


    The air seemed to compress at the knuckles of its earthen fist, its will burning in the form of a flame that surged through him.


    Raph stopped midway, halting mid-step and changed his destination altogether, charging forward towards the Beast in the blink of an eye.


    By the time the Flame Man had caught up with what he was about to do, it was too late.


    Raph lunged upwards, a crater forming from the force of his legs on the ground and propelled himself like a bowling ball towards its chest. He slashed his sword through the air, sending a wave of aura that sliced through the incoming blow while his body rushed past it.


    A gust of ice enveloped his body, taking shape, moulding and mixing together as it formed an Armour over his previous.


    He smashed against the Flame Man''s chest, a surge of wind and ice exploding out from the impact as the beast was pushed back with brute force.


    Its direction of fall was suddenly changed in an instant without him being able to act against it.


    With a loud thud, his body smashed onto the ground, causing a depression.


    This was a fight that was watched by all, perhaps out of curiosity or simply because they couldn''t act themselves.


    Sophie was one of those who watched out of curiosity from the corner, Darrell a few meters away who didn''t act for the same reason.


    The others had chosen to stay away mostly because they didn''t want to get close to the outside effect of the fights while the Visitors who watched from the screens were merely onlookers.


    Many other students had come up to watch on hearing the news of Royal Beasts entering the battlefield.


    Just as they had suspected, or perhaps not, Raph and his team had made quick work of them. And the last Royal was currently being handled by him alone.


    The sight alone was conflicting, spiralling different emotions and thoughts within them.


    Perhaps some saw him as a threat, others as a saviour, and maybe even as a show-off.


    Everyone was privy to their thoughts and only they decide how they truly feel about someone.


    But all that seemed pointless in the scene displayed before them.


    They simply accepted the truth and fact that had been served to them on a silver plate.


    One that Ciara, Mariam and many others had come to accept.


    Raph was far more skilled and more powerful than they had imagined, and perhaps even stronger.


    It made them curious about one thing.


    "Just what level has he attained to fight against a Flame Man so easily?"


    Ciara muttered, Mariam, turning towards her on hearing her question.


    Both, including the others of the cohort, had all decided to come to see the match, and thankfully so.


    This was a scene they would have wished they never missed.


    "Beats me...."


    Mariam replied, causing Ciara to turn towards her, startled by her reply.


    They glanced at each other for a moment when Louis suddenly interjected.


    "He''s at least a 9th star."


    His reply was short and precise yet held some heavy weight. It startled the two girls and Tiara who had joined them.


    Luckily, they weren''t surrounded by students but were at the back of the majority, so this was information that slipped only to them.


    Mariam''s gaze narrowed.


    "What makes you say so?"


    Louis shrugged. "That''s what it feels like."


    In silence, they turned away from him, and focused on the screen as the scene unfolded, reaching its end.


    Raph was seen stepping out from a depression within the giant''s chest, his body cladded in an Armour of frozen ice.


    He walked down to the head of the giant, a subtle frown on his face as he stared into the pools of flames that served as its eyes.


    The subtle giant''s gaze flickered, the intensity draining down as it lowered its head, giving way to its fate.


    ''Flame Men.....these are not creatures that should be killed.''


    He thought, a sigh exuding his lips as he stretched his hand up, his blade erupting in a gust of ice and aura.


    ''Yet, if he doesn''t fight then he will be made to kill.''


    With a quick movement of his arm, a crescent arc of aura surged out from his blade, slicing the Giant''s head into two, across its face.


    ''....Now then...''


    A moment of silence followed as he looked up at the sky, his gaze glowing with a malevolent flicker. An ethereal peerless white glint at the corner of his eyes.


    ''.....I can see you now, Konstantin Zi...''


    A smirk formed on his face, growing into a wild grin.


    "What now, Zi?"

 Chapter 320 - 320- Festival 51- Monster Hunt 10

    A FEW MOMENTS AGO.


    In the Control Room, the Staff currently in charge were having quite a fit while watching the scene unfold.


    Of course, for different reasons entirely.


    While Zitani felt responsible for their predicament, Konstantin felt reluctant to take any responsibility.


    The other staff members were doing their best to keep to themselves, attempting to leave the argument between their Head and assistant while they focused on their task. Or at least attempt to, but even that was proving difficult.


    "What sort of childish prank is this? You''re a grown adult! Why would you send real Beasts into a virtual world?!"


    Konstantin sighed, a heavy disappointment lingering at the back of his throat.


    He clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.


    "You pretend too much, Zitani. Now is not the time to act like you didn''t want this either."


    The woman stood perplexed, taken aback by his reply.


    "Wha¨CWhat nonsense are you saying?" She asked.


    "Your part¨Cno, Husband is missing and that Jun brat is the cause of it."


    The other staff members whipped their heads at the centre, their surprise evident in their expressions as they stared at Zitani and Konstantin.


    This was information that was privy to only a few members of the staff. It was Filly''s idea at first, but now, Zitani understood why.


    He didn''t wish to implicate her in his schemes and insisted she kept her surname.


    But all that would be sullied if their secret were to get out this way.


    "Enough with that excuse! You''re simply using a rumour to fuel your hatred for Raffaelo Jun. Everything you have done is for your sake. You truly wish for his downfall!"


    "Of course I do!"


    A moment of silence ensued in the room.


    Konstantin panting from the energy expended during the argument.


    His gaze drifted away from her to the screens, where the fight was unfolding.


    ''It doesn''t matter if they defeat it or not...''


    His gaze drifted to the scoresheet at the corner of the Screen.


    TIME REMAINING; 00:25: 09


    TEAM GOLD; 2,810


    TEAM SILVER; 2,023


    TEAM BRONZE; 1,950


    ''They''re catching up...''


    Though, even if they didn''t, he had assumed sending so many Royal Beasts all at once would have slowed them down altogether.


    Well, that was until now.


    The scene had unfolded to its last dance with Team Gold arriving on top.


    Raph had ended the life of the Flame Man and was now glancing directly at the screen, his peerless, pale, white eyes casting a malevolent glint at those who stared deep into it.


    He flinched, his fists tightening into a ball as he bit his bottom lip.


    At the corner of his eyes, Zitani was staring at him, a smug expression on her face.


    "Your plan failed....and I won''t deny I''m not surprised but I am glad that you will always be on the losing end.''


    He gripped his arms firmly, a sigh escaping his lips as he glanced back at the screen.


    ''What a fool. You think defeating a flame man will scare me?''


    He thought, a subtle smile forming on his lips. It curled into a grin, one that Zitani slowly grew wary of.


    She slowly walked towards him.


    "What do you think you''re about to do?"


    She wasn''t certain, but after spending so much time with Konstantin as a subordinate, she could at least feel when he was up to no good.


    He looked away and said. "Just watch."


    At that given moment, in the Territorial Space, the skies quaked, a terrible cry echoing across the landscape of the Ash Skies.


    The sky thundered, and an explosion of power and wind occurred, blasting through the canvas of the stuffy skies.


    Suddenly, the ground trembled, its large volcanoes erupting like water fountains into the air.


    Dread crept into Zitani''s expression as she whipped her gaze towards Konstantin.


    "Is there something wrong with you?!"


    She rushed over to him and pushed him off the Control seat, startling his focus.


    He fell to the ground with a loud thud, the other staff quickly losing focus and rushing towards the Head of the Control Room.


    "What are you doing Zitani?"


    "This could lead to a direct punishment from the Headmaster!"


    "Exercise restraint, Miss Zitani."


    They warned as they surrounded Konstantin, a stern expression on their faces as they stared at Zitani.


    Her brows furrowed in confusion and slowly turned to annoyance.


    ''Did these idiots not see what he did?''


    She wondered when Konstantin slowly stood up, his laughter breaking the tension in the room.


    "It''s too bad Zitani, you''re too late to stop me."


    He walked past his staff and Zitani towards the screen, his arms spread out as a loud and shrill cackle escaped his lips.


    "Now, it is time for your descent!"


    A guttural roar echoed in the air, causing quakes and lava to explode out of volcanoes, startling the teams present in the Territorial Space.


    Some of the spilt lava had struck the beasts around the area, some even threatening to strike the students if they were not careful. But these were merely the tip of the Iceberg for those who were farther away from the cause.


    Into the distance, we''re Team Gold, and in the skies, directly above them, they could make the shape of what streamed through the air.


    It was this creature who caused the phenomenon of explosions and earthquakes.


    Something Raph had faced more than once in his past life, though, never unscathed.


    It was also something Sophie had once wished all her life to face directly and their current expressions betrayed the horror that was on the others.


    Darrell knew this phenomenon well, as did Cricken.


    The others were mostly startled, knowing fully well that whatever was about to descend was not a Royal.


    "Is that what I think it is?"


    Raph screamed out in excitement, as he spun his sword through the air.


    Lightning streaked the skies while thunder pounded a vibrant beat into the atmosphere. It was a duo that worked well together, serving as a natural disaster for all those who witnessed it.


    The creature that flew within was the cause of the lightning as it was of the lava that had begun to encroach the lands.


    It spread wide and far, reaching Team Gold who quickly took cover on top of the Fire Man''s body.


    The lava had begun to rise, forming a pool of hot liquid, ready to envelop all who fell in its steamy grasp.


    Sophie stood next to Raph while Darrell and the others stood behind, their gazes fixed on the creature as it suddenly descended like a missile. It slammed into the land covered by lava, an eruption of sound and fire occurring on impact as a feral roar streaked the skies.


    "Is that a dragon?!"


    Raph cried out in excitement, startling Javier and the others.


    "Yes, it is a dragon. We should wait for the Control Room to send us back.."


    Cricken replied, though his statement seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.


    His gaze shifted to Javier, and Javier''s shifted to Darrell.


    Darrell turned towards them noticing their expressions, one of worry.


    He shrugged and turned away.


    "Beats me." He muttered, though his stance in the matter was since portrayed. "I''m sitting this one out."


    Sophie giggled at his statement.


    "I''ve always wanted to fight a dragon." She said, causing Raph to pull his attention towards her.


    His smirk grew into a grin.


    "So have I."


    A sudden and powerful roar, one that exuded both power and regality echoed in the air, causing the ground to quake to its intensity.


    The Dragon, large as half a skyscraper, with Armour-like scales and glowing red skin,, was one of ephemeral built.


    ''5th tier Legendary Beasts, Lesser Dragon.''


    A lesser Dragon was different from a Higher Dragon with a single difference, and that was its ability to talk and reason like a human.


    It was just as powerful as any Higher Dragon but without the intellect and ability to act or think like a human. Including the polymorph ability.


    Now, here was the difficult part.


    "Can we defeat a legendary beast?"


    A cackle escaped his lips as he took a step forward, Sophie following after him.


    "Like I care," Sophie replied. "I just want to sink my teeth into it."


    Darrell raised a brow, his lips curling downwards as he stretched out his hand.


    ''On second thought, this is dumb and crazy. I should stop them.''


    "Hold on now¨CBOOM!


    They lunged forward together, a sonic explosion occurring as the body of the Flame Man tilted upwards from the force of their jump.


    The wind warped causing the lava to rise and the people aboard to rise as well, cutting Darrell off in a second.


    For a moment, it had seemed like he was on top of the Flame Man''s body, but in the next, he found himself nearly ten feet in the air, his hand still stretched out when he attempted to call out to them.


    ''What?''


    He thought, quickly floating in the air and turning around.


    Unlike him who could fly, some others couldn''t and would fall into the stream of lava.


    He quickly turned around and rushed to their aid, placing them back on the Flame Man as they cried out in surprise.


    With a thud, Rizzo and Dina landed on their backs, a pained groan escaping their lips as they sat up.


    Javier and Cricken landed with much more ease, landing on their feet, while Darrell landed a few feet away from them.


    Darrell''s gaze widened in realization as he walked towards the direction of the Dragon.


    "They just left to fight a fucking dragon?"

 Chapter 321 - 321- Festival 52- Monster Hunt 11

    The news spread like wildfire!


    Visitors arriving were rushing towards the scene and those who were already at the field watching the Event were locked in for an exciting fight!


    This was an unexpected scenario that had reached many ears, including the Staff, Student Body and the Security Team.


    At the Portal Entrance, Elsie had noticed the sudden shift in the air.


    Like the visitors were rushing towards a particular spot, or a brewing excitement that lingered with their expressions.


    She noticed their smiles, giggles and the conversations they had with one another but she couldn''t make clear of it.


    She had been resting on the same spot, her attention drifting from one visitor to another until one of her team members came rushing up to her.


    "Elsie! Elsie!" He called out.


    "Wha¨CWhat''s wrong, why are you running around, Yuiz?" She asked.


    Yuiz panted for a moment, his gaze etched with uncertainty, confusion and a bit of shock.


    "Your team....your team, seems to be facing a Dragon..."


    Elsie tilted her head, confusion laced in her expression as well.


    Whatever information he had tried to relay to her, she had not received completely, or well at all.


    "What do you mean, a dragon?"


    Just then, Miranda walked up to them, pulling on Yuiz''s ear at that moment with a stern expression on her face.


    "You should be at your post-Yuiz!" She muttered, her annoyance evident.


    The young boy rubbed his ears, glaring at her in protest as he walked back to his post.


    Miranda was his senior, and the team held a certain respect for her that made them hardly protest at her harsh treatment on certain occasions.


    "What was that about?" Elsie asked, her curiosity evident.


    Miranda sighed, scratching the back of her head.


    "Well, I''m sure the Student Body is on it already so you don''t need to worry yourself about it."


    "Worry myself about what?"


    Elsie repeated, her question pressing for answers.


    Miranda sighed yet again.


    "A dragon was summoned during the Hunt, and it''s got its eyes set on Team Gold."


    Elsie''s gaze flicked open for a moment but then narrowed before returning to its normal condition.


    "Oh, it''s just a dragon."


    She muttered, changing her focus back to the incoming visitors.


    Miranda shifted slightly, her confusion palpable.


    "I said it was a dragon, a real dragon. A lesser one but nonetheless, these are beasts that can only be defeated by those in the level 100s and not even all of them can do that."


    "Well, Raph is an exemption.."


    A smirk formed on Elsie''s lips. "A lesser dragon can''t defeat my hubby. Period."


    Miranda shifted slightly, her confusion palpable.


    She had attempted to ease her worry, but instead, hers had been eased.


    It was surprising to find her so confident in Raph''s survival while many of the students didn''t.


    She turned away, turning her attention to the Portal Gate as a thought crossed her mind.


    ''so, are his sisters worried or not?''


    *****


    News had reached the student body of course, and they had all set out to watch the event unfold. Or at least some of them.


    This included Rebecca and Tiffany. Phestus had gone to see the Headmaster as this was an event that had gone out of hand.


    Tiffany and Rebecca were walking along the roofed walkway along the Lecture Theaters, their attention drawn to the en masse of people rushing to Class One.


    "Oh, this is a mess, definitely. I can''t believe the Headmaster let someone easily influenced by his emotions be in charge of the Control Room."


    Tiffany muttered as a student brushed past her.


    He stopped midstep, turned towards them, bowed as he apologized and resumed his hasty steps to the Class One Event.


    "The Headmaster makes mistakes too. It is easy to leave things for your subordinates when one can do it themselves."


    "But he''s not part of the System Uprisers so his subordinate chose wrong?"


    Rebecca shrugged. "Maybe they did."


    She replied.


    Soon they had reached their destination, and the scene startled them to a halt.


    Visitors and students were present from the start of the Lecture theatre to the field which was situated behind it.


    More screens had popped up in the air, giving a better watching view for the enlarged number of people that had come to see it.


    The number of people seemed unnatural and perhaps would be none as the first of its kind, as this drew the interest of almost every person present within the Academy.


    Tiffany whistled, her attention slowly drifting to the screen.


    "Seems like your brother is gonna get famous today."


    Rebecca scoffed in reply, a small frown forming on her face. "It was only a matter of time."


    Tiffany''s gaze narrowed her reply, surprise laced in her expression as she turned to get a better view of Rebecca.


    She studied her expression and then looked away.


    ''As usual, I can''t tell what she''s thinking.''


    People often showcased their thoughts through their emotions and expressions. Rebecca wasn''t one of those people, keeping herself and her thoughts behind a constant mask of indifference.


    It was one of the few things that labelled her different from her other sisters, including her brother.


    At the moment, her thoughts reeled in as they watched the fight unfold.


    ''A dragon this time...last time it was a Mountain Baby. I''m not surprised but he should at least come back alive.''


    Unlike her mask, her heart revealed what she truly felt, and the worry was palpable within.


    Only a few people could observe what one felt inwardly, and sadly, Tiffany wasn''t one of those people.


    In the screen, two dots were seen flying through the air, a gust of aura and dark mana enveloping their bodies as they slammed into the dragon''s skins.


    The Dragon was seen on top of a large Volcano, the entirety of the Dragon taking half the height and diameter of the whole Volcano.


    A cry of excitement reached the skies from the Crowd as they watched an explosion of power and energy exude from the impact.


    ''What''s going through that boy''s head?'' Rebecca wondered her focus entirely on Raph.


    In the Territorial Space, Raph and Sophie jumped off its body in unison, a gust of ice surrounding Raph''s legs as he landed on the heated surface of the Volcano.


    Sophie landed next to him, her boots clouded in a gust of Dark mana.


    They had the same thought as the Dragon''s condescending gaze slowly landed on them.


    ''It''s skin is so tough!''


    The Dragon roared, its arms swinging in the air as it slammed against the spot where they once were, the two figures running across the top of the Volcano. Rocks split, and Lava exploded from the impact as it rushed down the Volcano while the mighty figure glanced around in search of the figures.


    Raph glanced at her, and she at him, a subtle message passing between them as Raph suddenly turned directions. He charged forward, his sword stretched out towards the Dragon.


    "Aura Field Of Vision!"


    A smirk grew across his face. ''ice vs fire! Now this is an event worth testing my abilities.''


    "Negative Zero!"


    His body warped in the air as a sudden cold descended on the Volcano.


    His body was enveloped in a rush of aura as ice spread down to the rock and lava, spreading and turning the hot liquid fire into cool ice.


    It stretched towards the Dragon as Raph crashed into its chest, its sword plunged into its skin as ice crept onto the hardened scales of the Beast.


    It screamed, not out of pain but out of annoyance, its angry gaze landing on Raph as it attempted to slam its body against the Volcano.


    Pillars of ice and snow emerged from the ground, the air dropping in temperature at a rapid pace as it slammed against the Dragon, pulling its figure up into the air.


    This was nothing to it, as it easily slammed the pillars of ice and snow. Its maw widened open as a blast of flames emerged and struck the air, increasing the temperature to what it once was.


    At that moment, from the skies, a figure cladded in lilac landed on the snout of the Dragon, an explosion of sound and energy occurring on impact.


    The force caused the Dragon''s snout to shut and pushed its head to the ground as it slammed against the frozen lava.


    Sophie appeared over it, dark mana rushing over her body and weapon as she spun the chain around and rushed away from its head.


    The dragon forcefully jerked its head at the same time she jumped away from it, Raph quickly appearing at the side, his sword stretched upwards in the sky.


    "Chapter 9! ARROGANT SURGE!"


    His aura quaked as he swung his arm down, an unparalleled amount of invisible force falling down with it as it slammed against the Dragon''s head.


    A throbbing echo and implosion of sound and energy occur on impact.


    Blue energy descended on top of the Dragon''s head, an invisible force pulling it down while the atmosphere warped, mixtures of colours forming from the impact.


    It was like a rainbow of doom, an unparalleled force sent to crush its foe and it was doing a good job at it.


    The Dragon cried out, its rage evident as it pulled its head up, its maw widened as a gust of flames blasted out at Raph in fury.


    Raph quickly jumped out of the way, landing on the frozen lava as he ran across the top of the Volcano, the incoming blast of flames making its way towards him.


    This would have been a difficult fight if he were alone, but someone who he had suspected to be on equal footing with him was fighting next to him.


    And she had proven herself on many occasions.


    She appeared with the wind, her scythe tearing into the side of the opened mouth of the Drake, her chain taunt as she fell to the sides of the Volcano with a loud thud.


    Its flesh at the corner of its lips was bound to be soft as no evident scales were found there.


    A wicked grin plastered on her face as she lodged her foot to the roughed structure of the Volcano, pulling the chain and the head of the Dragon with it.


    "Come over here!"

 Chapter 322 - 322- Festival 53- Monster Hunt 12

    With a solid thug, the Dragon''s head was pulled to the side of the Volcano, a guttural growl escaping its maw as it pulled its head back in protest.


    The strength within the petite body of Sophie was absurd, and perhaps unreasonable for most who watched the fight unfold.


    It made them more curious about the girl than the boy, who was expected to showcase a bit of the prowess he did at the moment.


    Nonetheless, the scene was observed as breathtaking, their conversations caught short with each passing moment.


    From their quick and synchronized fighting to their remarkable strength in handling the Dragon and its abilities. It left an impression on the students and Visitors alike.


    A loud thud occurred, rock and stones breaking apart from the collision of the Dragon''s head to the side of the Volcano, its enraged crimson gaze locked on Sophie as she pulled back her scythe.


    A smirk was plastered on her face, growing from the corners into a tight grin.


    "You can do better than that, surely."


    It arose, its sturdy figure basking in the growing steamy hotness of the Lava as it erupted out of tiny holes formed on the sides of the Volcano.


    A thick groan reverberated in the air, the Dragon''s throat trembling from the sensation of its own voice as a blast of flames shot out from its maw in the next second.


    Sophie rushed out of the way, lunging into the air as the blast of hot flames slammed against the Volcano, melting the hardened surface and causing more lava to spill out.


    Its throat vibrated, a low coo exuding from its maw as it traced her movement, blasting flames in a concentric line.


    While it did so, Sophie continued to dodge the incoming blasts, Dark mana continuously enveloping around her body like an Armour.


    She spun around, jumping from Boulder to Boulder while the Dragon traced her steps until she had reached the other end of the Volcano where Raph stood awaiting her presence.


    She smiled when his image caught her attention from the corner of her vision before she lunged past him, jumping over his head.


    The Dragon''s fire breath had traced even that, rushing towards Raph like a fountain of hot doom.


    He stood firm, his hands grasped on his sword as he stabbed it into the air, a blast of wind and ice erupting out from the tip and colliding against the Dragon''s breath.


    "Everything is Ice."


    Ice crept from his skin to the surface of the Volcano, quickly spreading like cancer and freezing the spilling lava that erupted from the melted walls of the Volcano.


    A cold blast of ice, snow and wind exploded out of the tip of his sword, slamming against the Dragon''s breath in a tight rope.


    The Dragon gradually walked forward, its heavy steps covering distances apart, and its fiery breath unceasing in size and mass.


    The heat evaporated the ice, melted water and lava mixing together as it slid down the Volcano.


    Each step pushed Raoh backwards, his blast of ice slowly getting overtaken by the Dragon''s breath.


    That was when Sophie appeared at his side, her Spiked Mace pointed forward as a surge of dark mana formed at the tip.


    It reverberated with the air, spinning into a dark ball of mass, imploding within itself before exploding out in a blast of fury.


    ''7th Arcanus Spell, Voodoo Bomb.''


    It blasted against the incoming flames, mixing with the blast of ice and increasing in mass, equal to the blast of flames.


    Raph glanced at her, a small smile forming on his face as he stepped forward, his brows furrowing deeply.


    The surge of ice increased and so did the blast, striking against the Dragon''s blast of flames.


    Flames vs Ice and Dark Magic, this was what was occurring, unknowingly to Raph but knowingly to Sophie.


    Dark Magic had been since cast off the rules of Magic as it was ancient and uncontrollable, but the Arcanus was a household of Dark Magic and the Occult.


    Control was their middle name when it came to Dark Magic.


    ''Still, I can''t reveal more than I have already, the rest will be up to our prowess.''


    She thought as she took a step forward together with Raph.


    The attacks seemed to cancel each other on collision, liquids of ice and lava emitting to the ground from the centre while Dark mist emitted from the collision.


    This occurred for a few moments, until the Dragon suddenly swung its wings open, a powerful wave of wind striking out from the force. It startled the duo backwards, offsetting their abilities and reducing the output by a bit much.


    It suddenly flapped its wings, pushing itself into the air and then slammed back to the Volcano, an explosion of wind and energy occurring in the shape of a wave.


    It slammed against the duo, blasting them off the Volcano while the ice shattered away from the strength of the Dragon.


    The pieces of the walls of the Volcano were startled further by the Dragon''s force, causing the structure to capsize, fallen rocks smashing into the pool of lava while the contents spilled out like a fountain.


    Hot lava poured into the pool, bathing the Dragon''s skin in a hot bath.


    Its gaze, crimson and enraged, was fixated on the two figures who were thrown into the air.


    Raph groaned slightly, his gaze drifting to the ground, only to find a pool of lava waiting for his fall.


    He breathed in and then out, a surge of energy exploding out of his body as he flung his sword into the ground.


    "Everything is Ice! Glacier Spire!"


    The lava quaked as a heap of ice froze over its surface, long pillars of red crystals of ice Protruding into the clouds as they both smashed into the frozen pool.


    Broken ice and steam emitted from their collision, blue energy clouding their vision and the vision of those who watched them.


    Far in the distance, Darrell stood worried, his steps an inch close to rushing into the battlefield.


    "Where are those damn Authorities, Damn it! This is getting too risky!"


    Javier stood behind, his arms folded, a quiet glance at those around him and the scene unfolding.


    ''This is good. This is good for us. I do not know what beef Raph has with the Control Room Head, but I am sure glad he does.''


    Cricken was a lot more concerned for different reasons, his thoughts reeled in, though he could barely create any conversation with himself.


    The fight in and out of itself was unimaginable, and the two involved were strong enough to get bounties on their heads.


    ''This doesn''t make sense. He''s fifteen! He''s fifteen and he''s doing well against a Legendary Beast! A legendary!''


    He cried out in his head, his expression indifferent as compared to the chaos within.


    Rizzo and Dina were more excited than scared. Indeed, the battle was a difficult one, but the scenery and how they fought was one to both learn and gain excitement from.


    "Hah! There they are!" Darrell cried out when the blue energy subsided revealing the two figures who had been hidden a moment ago.


    It seemed like both were fine, though their Armour was dented, fatigue was slowly creeping up in their actions and most especially, they were running out of energy.


    Darrell frowned. ''This is the first time I''ve ever seen him run out. He''s a 9th star, and they have energy worth of the first to the eighth, meaning he can continuously produce Aura for at least 120 hours without rest.''


    But how they made use of their energy determined how much could be expended.


    Attacks after attacks, especially the heavy ones, took a cup full of energy and perhaps a bowl if more power was expended.


    ''What is he planning on doing now?'' Darrell wondered as they watched in silence, anticipating either the end of the fight or a stop in it.


    Just as Darrell had presumed, Raph was, in fact, running out of energy, and so was Sophie.


    Both were currently having a staring contest with the Dragon, not a single motion escaping from either of them.


    They stood on the hardened floor, broken ice and frozen lava by their sides threatening to spill out, yet froze the moment it did.


    "What now? Its skin is thick and wide attacks won''t work on it."


    Sophie said.


    "Yeah, I was thinking of changing targets..."


    His gaze shifted from the Dragon to its feet, a small smile growing from the corner of his lips.


    "Let''s go for its legs."


    Sophie nodded, a sudden outburst of Dark mana exuding from her body.


    "Are you ready? You''re Aura doesn''t seem to be keeping up."


    Raph chuckled. "I noticed."


    Within him, all magic circles began to twirl, spinning with power causing his Aura stars to start vibrating with the same frequency.


    Mana surged out from the circles and was quickly absorbed by the stars, increasing its force of vibration by twofold.


    Energy crawled through his body, exploding out in a gust of Aura, enveloping his armour and sword.


    Sophie''s gaze widened in surprise, and so did many others who saw this phenomenon occur.


    It seemed a few people like Darrell had forgotten, an ability that aided him in times like this, granting him four-fold to fivefold the power when in troubled times.


    With a step forward and a cold breath exuding from his lips, he muttered.


    "Resonance."

 Chapter 323 - 323- Festival 54- Monster Hunt 13

    ''What did he say? Resonance?''


    Sophie thought as she watched the sudden surge of energy exude out of his body.


    ''How is this possible?''


    She wondered when his gaze caught her off from her thoughts.


    A grin was plastered on his face, his flowing white hair dancing with the wind caused by the flow of his aura and his peerless pale white eyes grabbing her attention.


    She felt a pang in her chest, an unexplainable sensation that made her heart beat over twice, yet lingered without pain.


    "Shall we?"


    She whipped her gaze away, turning to the Dragon instead.


    "We shall."


    With a sudden explosion of sound, Sophie launched herself into the air, the Dragon tracing her movement with its eyes as she hovered over its mighty figure.


    Her Spiked Mace and scythe spun with such speed that it appeared as a blur, her focus fully landing on the Dragon as she threw the mace at its snout.


    The Dragon shifted its face to the side, dodging the mace as it landed on the rubble of a Volcano.


    Its walls had fallen, and its size was half of what it once was, the Dragon taking most of its width with its body.


    It stretched its head forward and bit into her chain, tugging it with a simple nudge of its head.


    Sophie yelped in surprise as she was pulled forward in the blink of an eye, the Dragon suddenly widening its maw as a blast of flames prepared to roast her alive.


    ''Now is a good time, Raph!''


    A loud grunt pierced the air as an explosion of light caught the Dragon''s attention by the corner of its eyes.


    Its mistake of focusing on one of them at a time was made prevalent with their fighting style. Both had made themselves a threat to its wellbeing, and each deserved its full attention, yet it was constantly divided time and time again.


    It was with that short moment of respite that Raph had used to get to its left front leg, its sword slammed against its hardened skin.


    ''Tough as a nut.''


    He thought as a blast of aura exploded from the back of the blade, pushing its edge into its legs.


    It groaned in protest and aimed the blast of flames at Raph instead, only for Sophie to smash right into its snout. The force sent a vibration of shock and explosion of sound that pushed its head to the side causing the blast of flames to miss its target by a Longshot.


    Raph groaned, a cold hue exuding from his being as he said.


    "Chapter 10! Bottomless Surge! Absolute Zero!"


    Aura spilt out of his body in large amounts as five dragon heads formed around the blade, pushing it further within.


    A beam of blue light exuded from the collision, an eruption of sound and energy occurring as gravity pushed the Dragon towards the ground.


    It pushed the blade further while an impenetrable cold spread through its limbs, growing like cancer across the hardened scales.


    He groaned still, his sword suddenly slicing through the Dragon''s limb like butter, a wave of energy spreading out and colliding with structures in its path.


    It left a trail of brisk ice, breaking apart with a simple touch of the wind. Falling apart into a dust of ice.


    The Dragon cried out in protest, its body suddenly tipping over as it lost contact with the rubble of rocks formed from the remains of the Volcano.


    It slammed against the surface of the rubble, sliding into the Lava while its cries died down in the pool of hot liquid.


    Raph panted lightly as he watched the scene unfold before him, Sophie suddenly landing next to him with the same fatigue evident in her expression.


    Both glanced at one another, giving each other a nod of approval.


    Raph glanced back, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Well, I don''t expect this to be enough. Lava is practically the best home for Dragon, so I am frightened at what it would do when it comes out.''


    After expending much energy, it was time to admit that he wasn''t near the level of a Dragon yet.


    ''If it weren''t for Sophie, forget even slicing its limbs off, would I be able to get that close to it?''


    His thoughts seemed to be showcased by his expressions as Sophie caught on after glancing at him.


    "We have our answers now, at least." She said,


    Raph glanced at her, a small smile on his face as he nodded.


    That simple motion seemed to spur an effect in her chest, a tightening sensation that seemed far too alien to be comprehensible.


    She looked away, shrugging off the feeling when the pool of lava rumbled.


    They took a step back, Raph quickly forming a shield of snow and ice around them as a blast of hot lava exploded from the pool.


    It slammed against the shield, giving way for wings to spread into the air and a mighty roar to shake the skies.


    Raph had grabbed Sophie at the time, waiting out the surge of wind that dared to push them aside as the beast took into the air.


    He finally let her go after a few moments, his gaze quickly shifting to the skies as he noticed the Dragon''s figure.


    Sophie took a few steps back, startled by his action and trying to comprehend the sensation that overwhelmed her at the time.


    "Oh shit! Oh shit! Shit!"


    Raph cried out, startling her from her thoughts and pulling her attention back to the present.


    "It''s going for the others!" Raph muttered in annoyance as he whipped his gaze towards her.


    She glanced at the skies, confirming it was, in fact, going after the others.


    "We won''t catch up if we go after it together, so launch me first and then come after me."


    She said, her gaze drifting to the others who were still on the Flame Man.


    It seemed like they had noticed their predicament as well and Darrell was quickly putting a shield in place.


    Without wasting further time, Raph grabbed her by her arm, spun around a few times and with aura enveloped on his arms, swung her into the air.


    An eruption of energy occurred as she was launched half the distance between themselves and the Dragon.


    When her momentum was beginning to decline, she pressed her knee against her abdomen and swung it back, lunging forward like a missile, straight towards the Dragon.


    Raph quickly launched himself after her as soon as she was gone, their goal evident as they headed towards its direction.


    ''Darrell, quickly set that shield up!'' He thought, his gaze landing on the Flame Man and the people on it.


    Darrell''s grimoire floated next to him while the others took cover behind him.


    "Darrell, do whatever you''re meant to do now!" Cricken protested as he watched the Dragon close the distance between them in horror.


    Death was many things, but death by a Dragon''s flames was not one way to die, and he absolutely refused to at the moment.


    "Relax, it''s not time yet," Darrell said with a wry smile on his face when Javier grabbed onto his shoulder, panic evident in his gaze.


    "Are you crazy? What do you mean it''s not time yet?"


    "It''s just as I said. Dragons fire their breath at a specific time and momentum. Just simply stand behind and watch, okay." He replied, his relaxed tone taking them by surprise.


    Javier''s gaze contorted, his right brow arched while his left furrowed.


    ''There is something wrong with these people! Who the fuck do they think they are?!''


    It was too late to start a time-consuming spell by the time he looked up once again.


    The Dragon had covered the necessary distance and was now hovering a few meters away from them, its maw wide open.


    A blast of flames shot out in the next second just as Sophie smashed into its underbelly, a shockwave occurring from the collision.


    It pushed the Dragon to the side, a sudden outburst of pain spreading through its body, but its flames didn''t cease to exude out.


    At the same time, Darrell''s shield was cast around them, a glowing golden pillar of light exuding from the shield. An image of a female in a golden robe formed around them, holding the pillar of light like a staff, her mouth glowing golden with ethereal energy.


    The blast of flames struck the pillar of light, its fiery energy absorbed quickly by the tall pole. The flames passed through the pole, reaching the lady and emitted out of her mouth within a second, blasting back at the Dragon in a golden, crimson, fiery light.


    The golden flames blasted at the Dragon, pushing it back as a stifled roar escaped its maw.


    It wasn''t one of protest or rage, but one of genuine pain as its crimson scales burned from the golden flames.


    Darrell watched in silence while the others were left in shock, some even having their mouth hanging open at the sight.


    A smirk grew from the corner of his lips as Raph and Sophie landed at his sides, a subtle force spreading across the Flame Man''s body due to the impact.


    He said silently.


    "Spirit Elf Magic; Chapter 102; Gaia''s Rebellion."

 Chapter 324 - 324- Festival 55- Monster Hunt 14

    Raph turned around, his gaze jumping between the burning Dragon and the Elven Prince.


    His brows furrowed as he whipped his gaze towards Darrell.


    "The fuck is that?!"


    He asked, his tone laced with curiosity and shock.


    Darrell laughed out loud, his grimoire slowly closing as it floated to his grasp.


    At that moment, the golden pillar of light dispersed and so did the golden lady.


    He glanced at Raph with a smile.


    "The Elven Grimoire holds helpful spells, does it not?"


    Raph glanced at the grimoire and then Darrell.


    ''Was it always this powerful in my Past life?''


    He wondered, his thoughts reeling in.


    He wasn''t exactly one who wished to make friends with members of the Great Families in his past life, so his information on the Elven Prince was limited.


    What he did know was his destructive nature abilities were one in a million, even within the Elf clan, and he became quite the ruler in the future.


    ''There is much to learn even now.''


    He turned away towards the Dragon, a sigh escaping his lips as they watched it crash into the pool of lava, its cries echoing in the distance.


    The others remained distant from the three, their thoughts accompanying them while they watched in silence.


    At that moment, Rizzo looked up at the sky, his gaze landing on the timer and score sheet.


    TIME REMAINING; 00:07: 37


    TEAM GOLD; 2,810


    TEAM SILVER; 2,545


    TEAM BRONZE; 2,550


    His lips curled down.


    "The match is almost over and they''ve nearly caught up."


    He said.


    The others turned towards him, intrigued by his statement as they glanced at the score sheets as well.


    "Too bad those royal beasts didn''t count."


    Dina interjected.


    "The Royal Beasts? How about a Legendary one?!" Rizzo commented with a chuckle.


    It had seemed like the Dragon had finally been put down, or at least that was what they had assumed.


    Cricken had his doubts but Javier and the others were certain of its death.


    Of course, Raph, Darrell and Sophie would beg to differ.


    Their attentions were fixed to the pool of lava, their expressions tense, expectant of the worst-case scenario.


    This startled their teammates, as they walked towards the trio.


    "Isn''t the Dragon dead?" Rizzo asked, grabbing Raph''s attention.


    He shrugged in response as he said.


    "Dragons aren''t exactly one to die to flames even when it''s stronger and hotter than there''s."


    "Well, I wouldn''t say that. Those flames that were redirected back to the Dragon were infused with Gaia''s blessings. That makes it at least twice as powerful?"


    Darrell interjected, his gaze fixed on the pool.


    Sophie glanced at him and then at Raph, a smirk forming on her lips.


    "Then why are you still checking?"


    "Jus¨CJust because, you know."


    He clicked his tongue in protest and looked away, turning around from the spot it had dropped into.


    The others chuckled, though their worries weren''t placated in any way.


    Raph tilted his head slightly, his arms folded. His gaze hardened for a moment, a sense of dread slowly creeping on his skin.


    His gaze suddenly flickered, a malevolent hue exuding from its calm elegance as it peered into the pool of flames.


    ''Oh...I can do this now?'' He wondered when his expression turned dreadful.


    He suddenly turned towards Darrell.


    "Fly."


    He instructed, rushing towards Rizzo and Dina and grabbing them by their waists.


    They yelped in surprise as he rushed towards the end of the Flame Man''s corpse.


    "What are you guys waiting for?! Move it and fly!"


    The others didn''t waste a single movement as Darrell grabbed Javier and Cricken, jumping into the air while Sophie easily lunged with them in unison.


    At that second, just a fraction of a second later, something slammed into the Flame Man''s corpse.


    The corpse tipped over like a log of wood, its body bursting into pieces of rocks as the Dragon''s head protruded out of the pool of lava.


    Its maw was widened, its gaze crimson and burnt scars etched on the scales on its face.


    A wretched guttural roar reverberated in the air as it screamed out in rage, its wings flapped in a single motion as it emerged like a bolt of lightning.


    Its roar coursed through the skies, a thunderclap exploding from the force as a cracked and trembling voice shook the void.


    "HOW DARE YOU, HUMANS!"


    Raph widened his eyes in shock, a cold shiver running down his spine as he hovered in the air. Aura exuded out from his body, aiding his land on a stump of a Volcano, the others following suit.


    His gaze whipped towards Sophie and Darrell by his sides.


    "Did I hear that right?!" he asked.


    "YES, YOU DID, YOU BUFFON! YOU CALL ME HERE AND MAKE JEST OF MY BEING! DO YOU WRETCHED THINGS NOT KNOW WHO YOU ARE MESSING WITH!"


    Again, its voice cracked and hollow, causing their spines to rattle, their bones to shake and their bodies to quiver.


    Raph felt a pang in his heart, a deep emotion that spurred into something more. Something dreadful, something startling. It was fear.


    ''Wha¨CWhat the fuck?!''


    He cried out in his head as his gaze traced the movement of the Dragon, its presence hovering over their heads with prime aura exuding from its very being.


    ''Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!''


    He groaned bitterly, his hands gripping his blade, his body threatening to move yet stayed unmovable.


    ''Move damn it!'' He cried out in the head as the Dragon slowly widened its maw, a ball of flames surging out within its throat.


    "Raph! We have to get out of here!!"


    Darrell cried out, the atmosphere suddenly rising in temperature at a rapid pace.


    The rock they stood on began to melt in place, and the lava began to rise.


    The crimson flames turned the skies red, Sulphur and brimstone emitting out from the ball of flames.


    "ALL WHO DARED ATTACK THE DRAGON KING! DIE BY MY FLAMES!!".


    Raph groaned, a sudden pang of pain exploding from his lips as he bit into it, his thoughts spinning in overdrive as his body acted before his brain processed it.


    "EVERYTHING IS ICE!!"


    He screamed out, aura exploding out of his body as his aura stars shook with such magnitude that his body vibrated from the force.


    His mana surged out from the circles, erupting from his heart and surrounding his body like a second skin.


    Power surged through his body, blue energy exuding out from the depths of his eyes as he swung his blade in the air.


    "ABSOLUTE ZERO!"


    The blast of flames shot out in an impulse, the crimson bright blinding them in a pool of red light.


    Burning hot rays emitted from the flames before they had even escaped their maw.


    It rushed towards Team Gold, burning all in sight, crisping sounds echoing in the air. The burning rage of a Mythic Dragon descending on their heads.


    It was too late to run, too late to hide, as the team of seven gave way to their fear, death knocking on their doors.


    Then¡ªSILENCE.


    The world turned black to Raph, though, not because of what you would imagine.


    For a moment, his thoughts had halted but after a few minutes, it began to spur into his mind.


    ''Hah? What happened? Did we, did we die instantly?''


    He wondered, his unease growing as he slowly opened his eyes.


    What he saw though, wasn''t what he expected.


    They were still in the Territorial Space, together on the stump of the Volcano.


    Its diameter was half the first Volcano they had fought on. Just large enough to carry their weight easily. The contents, though, were dried up.


    A part of it had melted from the brunt of the flames but it seemed like those flames never got to land.


    With a raised brow, he turned towards Darrell, who seemed just as surprised as he was.


    That was when he quickly did a head count, and a sudden shimmer surrounded their body during the process.


    A sigh escaped his lips in realization, and so did the others as their confusion was eased out by the sudden shimmer of light.


    ''They came just in time.'' Raph thought, images of the scene that unfolded just a few minutes ago playing in his head.


    Unlike before, the Dragon was gone, transported to another territorial Space or back to where it was taken from.


    The image of the Dragon emerging from the pool of lava, and its frantic effort to get back at them began to thug at his chest.


    The sensation surged in him like a tide, causing his body to freeze up, unable to act, unable to think.


    The fleeting motion of life passed through his pupils. It was dreadful.


    He shivered a bit, his fists gripping tightly against his sword as he dropped it down.


    Soon, their bodies warped out of the Territorial Space, moving through the beams of light as the timer, set, blinked constantly.


    The same beam of light struck into the skies, deeper within the Space.


    There, Team Silver finished their Hunt, pulling their weapons away from fallen creatures.


    Beasts that ranged between the Lesser Class and the Greater Class.


    Ruth Balsey glanced up, her brows furrowing when one of her teammates walked up to her.


    "The Headmaster must be involved."


    She frowned.


    "Too bad. That Dragon looked like it was going to do us a favour."


    "It also affected our Hunt, Ruth. Let''s not forget that we owe Team Gold our lives."


    Humo Eli stated, adjusting his shades as his pink flowing hair hovered in the air with the beam of light.


    He folded his hands, placing his pair of iron kamas by his sides.


    "Your futile attempt to hold a grudge against them is the dumbest thing keeping this Class from progressing."


    Ruth clicked her tongue, as she was about to snap at the boy when the light blinked, taking his figure away from the Space.


    She cursed as the light did the same for the others.


    "He''s such a prude." She muttered just as she disappeared.


    This occurred throughout the Territorial Space, halting the event from ever completing and sending the group back to the Academy.

 Chapter 325 - 325- Festival 56- The Greedy King Arrives

    With a beam of light, the fifteen contenders appeared in the middle of the Field, their battered and bruised armours falling off their bodies in quick succession.


    Raph was first, his battered onyx Armour falling off with ease as he stretched his muscles.


    Sophie came next, her calm mask replacing the range of emotions that was once plastered on her face.


    The battle had gone well, at least until the end.


    The scene seemed to have left quite an impression on Team Gold, leaving them mesmerized and taken aback.


    Their expressions were clouded in a mask of indifference, their thoughts spinning in overdrive at the scene.


    On multiple occasions in that instant, they had seen it not twice or thrice but multiple times. Of course, that describes the number of times their lives flash before their eyes.


    Elsie dropped her weapons, her gaze shifting to the sight around them.


    It seemed the others had noticed as well: Darrell and Javier, Cricken and Rizzo, Dina as well, and, of course, Raph.


    The Crowd seemed to be hailing Team Gold.


    A bunch of people, large enough to fill up a stadium was surrounding them, their presence overwhelming the mix of emotions within them.


    "I don''t know what happened but Team Gold fought the best!"


    "That was an exciting match! The Academy knows what it''s doing!"


    "Did you guys notice?! System and Non-system users fought together in harmony! Conquering the battlefield as they came!"


    "The Dragon can''t even be defeated by a single level 100! This is an incredible match-up!"


    Words of encouragement exuded from the crowd and even students, something many had never witnessed.


    Raph chuckled at the sight, their attention shifting to the floating man in the air.


    His calm yet encouraging expression was etched on their minds.


    ''The Headmaster must be glad.''


    He thought of recognizing the man with the monocular.


    He heard slow footsteps beside him and turned towards the source.


    "Sophie?" He muttered.


    "The battlefield seems to be the easiest place to join hearts." She whispered, her attention drawn to the Visitors more so than him.


    "Because when humans have a common enemy, they drop all differences and work together to stop it."


    A smile formed on her lips, a tired and small one as she glanced at him.


    Their eyes locked, breaths pacing, hearts clashing and minds joining.


    It felt surreal, a familiar sensation that Raph could recognize quite easily.


    He blinked once, then twice, and looked away, scratching the back of his head.


    ''Damn...this is bad.''


    The result laid bare on the screens for all, a subtle yet meaningful difference.


    TIME REMAINING; 00:03:16


    TEAM GOLD; 2,810


    TEAM SILVER; 2,670


    TEAM BRONZE; 2,650


    *****


    Over at the Portal Gate, news of the victory had reached the Security Team.


    Well, news tends to change form depending on who was telling it, and information could be added or cut out.


    In this case, one couldn''t exactly tell but Elsie got the impression that they had survived a dragon successfully.


    She was at her post when she heard this news. Resting on one of the columns that supported the Remembrance Hall with relative ease.


    Miranda soon joined her, excitement etched in her expression.


    "Did you hear?! Your class was able to win against a Dragon!"


    Elsie smiled with a smug, as she reciprocated a reply with a slow nod.


    "Of course. This is my hubby we''re talking about. This much is expected from him."


    She giggled lightly, turning her attention to the gates when a commotion arose.


    "what''s that about?"


    Miranda furrowed her brows as she turned towards the gate, her eyes widening in shock at the scene.


    Sophie noticed her sudden change in expression, her gaze shifting between Miranda and the people surrounded by Knights at the gate.


    "Wha¨CWhat is it?" She asked, her worry palpable.


    Miranda remained silent, her gaze narrowing and her brain processing what she found impossible.


    But with much delay, and their slow and precise approach towards the entrance of the Remembrance Hall, it was made evident.


    She muttered as low as she could.


    "The King is here."


    Visitors that passed through the gate, together with Thalia of the Student Body had quickly entered the Academy''s premises first.


    Thalia, especially, seemed to be in a hurry, her glasses threatening to fall off with each stride she made.


    Her thoughts reeled in, clashing with one another.


    ''What''s that man doing here?! Does the King ever come here in person?! What is he thinking?! Is this man here for us again?! Why does he never leave us alone?!''


    Each question brought room for more, and her head was toggled with them.


    ''I have to get to Rebecca and Raph immediately.''


    While she rushed into the Academy, the Visitors rushed in for different reasons.


    This was information even more saucy than the news of Class One surviving against a Dragon.


    "The King has arrived!"


    "The King is here?!"


    "The King has come to watch the events?!"


    News spammed with the wind, chaos ensuing slowly as it reached the visitors gathered in the Class One field.


    Their expressions slowly shifted, their attention easily pulled away from Class One or any other event.


    Now, the Visitors wanted to get a glimpse! Just a glimpse of the man who sits on the throne.


    Of course, news reached Team Gold, their expressions turning to that of confusion, especially Raph.


    His lips seemed to curl downwards and a new emotion took place in his chest. Hatred.


    "What''s that useless man doing here?"


    His eyes widened at the statement; his gaze whipped towards Sophie, who still stood next to him.


    Her expression seemed to have darkened, her lilac eyes showing shades of black, her fists clenched tightly into balls and her lips curled into a grin.


    Not the type that one would make if they were excited or happy, but one of hate.


    ''Oh? This girl..'' He thought to himself when he heard an eruption of sound above him.


    He looked up, noting that the Headmaster was gone.


    ''Well, whatever he''s here for. I hope the Academy will handle it with the right precaution.''


    As news had reached the whole Academy by now, and it had been confirmed to be actual news and not a mere rumour.


    Two figures were contemplating on what to do next, though what they contemplated on was highly different and clashing even.


    Within the crowd of people who had come to watch the Event unfold, two familiar figures had joined in on the fun. Mila and Nicho.


    As they were part of a Cult that had grown to degrees, changing their physical features, mana readings, and even status screens was an easy thing with the right artefact.


    While Nicho was contemplating what to do next depending on Mila''s decision, Mila was deciding whether or not she should go visit the King.


    The two were locked in their usual heated arguments, yet their conversation wasn''t loud enough to grab attention.


    "Let me go. That stupid King should have a word or two from me."


    "Are you crazy? Do you realize how many powerful individuals are within the Academy? We agreed to wait till backup arrives."


    "Hah shit! You and this backup. You know, just last night, or was it not? You had the most exciting match of your life! Didn''t you!"


    "Hah geez, Mila. You''re not a child. You need to know when to act."


    Mila suddenly whipped her gaze towards Nicho.


    The figures they took this time were clashing, with Mila being a male and Nicho being a female.


    "What''s so childish about teaching the King a lesson?"


    "I didn''t say it was childish, I meant that it isn''t the right time for that. Let''s just go back to the base and await our people. They''ll be here soon."


    A moment of silence descended between them, Nicho sighing heavily as a result.


    He was well used to this by now. Once she makes up her mind, she goes with it.


    It''s one of the reasons that makes her both easy and difficult to work with.


    "Be back soon. And avoid revealing your true identity. We can''t risk it."


    She snickered, her presence disappearing from the crowd in seconds before she had even offered a reply.


    Nicho sighed, tilting his head downwards and walking into the crowd.


    ''I should get the backup prepared if she''s about to get captured.''


    There was a reason why the Executives, despite their powerful nature, worked together in groups.


    It was so they could be there for each other, in case one was about to be captured or killed.


    Their nature to always be there for one another was one of the reasons why it was difficult to apprehend this group.


    *****


    The King had indeed arrived, in all his adornment and glory.


    He was surrounded by eighteen knights, all at the level of a hundred or higher if they were Non-system users.


    Basked by this mighty protection and the weather''s intricate designs, he had arrived at the Homeric Academy.


    With steady steps, he walked down the stairway, his battalion of Knights making loud noises with their armoured suites.


    He stopped mid-step, his gaze shifting upwards as a smirk formed on his lips.


    "you still have that bad habit of meeting your guests while flying, Rahbanz."


    The Headmaster remained motionless for a few seconds, his thoughts reeling in, his expression hardening and a question daring to slip.


    But this wasn''t his former classmate, this was the King. He had to hold his tongue; if not, his head would be gone and for the justification that he slandered the King.


    "Come down here, you futile mutt."


    Something snapped within the Headmaster, his gaze narrowing and his chest-beating rapidly as adrenaline shook his body.


    "What do you want, Greedy King?"


    The King smirked, a look of satisfaction imprinted on his face.


    ''Just what I needed.''


    He stretched his hand forward.


    "Get that Sland¨COI! OI!! OI!!!


    The ground quaked, and the knights quickly pulled out their weapons from the sheaths as their attention was pulled to the skies.


    Far above the Headmaster, a figure stood, a mighty demonic presence fostering in the hearts of those who watched the scene.


    The King''s gaze narrowed as he grabbed onto his Knights while the atmosphere trembled from its unparalleled demonic surge of energy.


    "You Filthy, Greedy King."


    The figure stated, a cackle escaping his lips as dark red energy oozed out like lightning from his body.


    "I have come for your head."

 Chapter 326 - 326- Festival 57- Mila attacks the King

    A tense silence ensued between the clashing tide of groups. The King and his Knights, the Headmaster of the Academy and Mila of the Red Peacemakers.


    A group of three with clashing ideologies and unsettled debts, yet in the face of an enemy greater than them, they work together.


    Well, at least two in this case.


    The Headmaster stared at the figure with a distant guard, his gaze fixed on the bolts of demonic energy that emitted out of his body.


    One could tell from a single glance.


    ''That''s a demonic contractor?''


    He had an inkling of an idea that they had somehow gotten into his school, but now they revealed themselves whenever they felt like it.


    The subtle disrespect didn''t bother him, though; after all, his timing was more or less perfect.


    "It seems like we have trouble at our hands."


    He commented, his gaze shifting towards the King as a frown formed on his face.


    "It seems so, but that doesn''t change what you said."


    "My King, oh gracious King. What is a mere blunder between classmates, and why focus on unnecessary taunts when the enemy of the Kingdom lies in our hand."


    The King raised a brow.


    "Our hand?"


    "Hah, I apologize." The Headmaster said with a smug smile on his face, his eyes closing into a slit. "Your Hands."


    The King gestured for his Knights, a subtle satisfaction on his face by his response.


    ''Idiot. If he acted like this then we wouldn''t have had so many problems in the past.''


    "I decree, My Knights, that you take that heinous creature down, this second."


    "HAH!"


    The figure cried out, a sudden outburst of energy, dark, murky and crimson. It erupted around her body, suffusing the air like ink in clear water.


    The skies were tinted with its shade of crimson as bolts of energy struck out of her body.


    Her hands suddenly enlarged, armoured scales stacking on top of her smooth surface, Radiant red energy oozing out from its form.


    She walked downwards, taking steps mid-air, a smug on her face and a devilish glint within her eyes.


    "Heh Heh."


    He chuckled when her body warped, descending in the blink of an eye.


    "Transcendent Skill; Demonic Fiery Flares."


    A crimson light ignited around her as she descended, erupting into a beautiful five-petal shape, its edges stretching out like tendrils towards its targets.


    ''Transcendent, right away?''


    The Headmaster thought, mesmerized by her boldness as he floated over them, standing between the way of the incoming flames and the King''s group.


    "10th tier Spell; Mana Gates."


    To his command, an outburst of mana exuded from his body, enveloping the group below, and taking the form of a dome.


    It appeared in an instant, like the walls of a castle, shielding them within.


    The blast of flames descended like comets, slamming against the walls of the Dome, and erupting into a large blast of flames.


    Some of the tendrils of flames struck the stairway, slamming against the columns and causing uncalled destruction, the fire spreading rapidly.


    The visitors who had come to see the King were quickly making their way out of the area of the flames. Thalia and other members of the Student Council led them away from the scene.


    Their cries of protest and shock as the flames struck around them easily caught the attention of the Headmaster.


    He turned towards the King as he said.


    "Your people are in danger, should we not take this somewhere else?"


    The King looked up, his expression turning to one of disgust.


    "The people? Focus on the one who leads them."


    The Headmaster smirked, expectant of his reply.


    He turned around as he faced the incoming contractor, her body enveloped in flames.


    ''He never attended classes while in the Academy anyways.''


    The King, like some of his kids, were people who didn''t take training seriously. What they did instead was foster their tactics and strategies, neglecting their need for physical growth in power.


    With a trembling scream, Mila slammed into the Headmaster, an outburst of energy and flames occurring on impact.


    She snickered, her strength pushing her forward while an invisible shield stood in her way.


    "Hah! You must be the Headmaster I hear of! What did they call you? The Protector? The Shield of the Army? Well, none of that matters!"


    She twirled in the air, stumped her foot against the shield and erupted a blast of flames against it, fire and light exploding in the process.


    He shrugged, shifting away from the bright light when a loud thud echoed in his ears.


    "How dare you mutt!" The King''s voice echoed as the sounds of iron rattled away.


    He quickly shifted down, his eyes narrowed at the sight before him.


    Mila had gotten through his defences, penetrating his dome as she charged at the King, pushing through one knight after the other. water


    One of such Knights swung his battle axe with relative ease, cutting her off as the stairway cracked and shattered from the intensity of the force.


    Mila easily dodged that, a scaly, bulky armoured tail Protruding out of her back in the process.


    She snickered, curling round the axe and moving forward as two more charged in, their spears aimed for her head.


    "Master Skill! Pole of Liberty!"


    They choruses as a golden light emitted from their spears.


    A surge of energy, profound and blessed, struck out from the spears, suffusing the air in the golden afterglow as it struck Mila or attempted to.


    Her body curled down just at the moment of impact, causing the spears to slip past her and slam against the stairs.


    She suddenly twirled sideways while jumping into the air, sending her fist into the man at her right and her foot against the one at her left.


    An explosion of energy occurred on impact, their bodies sent away by the mere force of clash as she charged forward in the blink of an eye.


    One after the other, they stopped her, and one way or the other, she skidded out of their grasp, a step too quick for them to grab.


    But with each step she came closer, the slower she became.


    More and more Knights surrounded her, their weapons, obstacles to her goal, poking holes at her set pattern to get to the King.


    She growled and hissed, her tail often slamming them away, but they closed in, faster and quicker. With more precise control of aura and swordplay.


    The King stood at the far back, his gaze narrowed as he watched her in silence.


    He looked up at the Headmaster.


    "What are you doing? You see it struggling so capture it!"


    He called out and the Headmaster, giving the King a single glance, charged in within a second.


    Mila groaned on noticing his presence, attempting to slither off when he grabbed onto her, spinning in the air and slamming her against the ground with brute force.


    "Don''t think I let you pass because you thought you were skilled enough."


    She groaned lightly, her masculine features deceiving the latter as she threw her legs upwards in an attempt to rid him.


    He took a step back, dodging it and pulled her into the air, slamming her onto the ground on the other side.


    With a deep grunt and flicker of annoyance in her eyes, she exuded an outburst of Miasma, causing the Headmaster to shift away by impulse.


    There was no telling what Miasma did to the normal human, and from studies, none were ever revealed to be good.


    The Miasma spread around her like a dome, causing the others to shift in an attempt to avoid any effects.


    Just as they did, Mila prepared to charge in again, an outburst of flames surrounding her arms when a voice resounded in her head.


    "Roundup. You''ve taken too much time, say your goodbyes and get down here. If not, they''ll track us easily."


    A sigh escaped her lips, and an unpleasant expression etched on her face.


    Just then her gaze landed on the Headmaster, who raised a brow out of curiosity.


    Something fell off when she suddenly charged forward at the King, an outburst of Miasma as she pulled out a katana from the back of her waist.


    The Headmaster clicked his tongue, raising his arms in the air.


    "10-tier Spell; Wall Force."


    She rushed past the group of Knights before they could react, five quickly reaching out for their King as soon as she passed them.


    "I should at least go with your head."


    She said when a sudden vibration caught her off guard.


    She had closed the distance between the King and herself in an instant, her arm stretched out for his face when a sudden force descended upon her like a war hammer.


    It smashed her against the ground, blood choking out of her mouth as her head nearly went blank.


    ''What? The fuck is this force? It''s easily handling my first transformation!''


    She wondered when something smudged on her head. Something that spewed a vast amount of rage within her.


    Her eyes dilated, and a grunt escaped her lips on realization, the subtle cackle of the King reaching her ears as he pushed his foot further on her head.


    "Filthy demonic contractor. Thought you could get to me, huh?"


    He chuckled as he suddenly kicked her across her face, just as a beam of light struck her figure.


    "A return beam?" The Headmaster muttered in shock as he rushed towards her.


    Mila glared up at the King, a crimson hue suffused in the depths of her eyes as her body disappeared with the light.


    "You will pay for this, you Filthy King!"

 Chapter 327 - 327- Festival 58- Future Events

    The King clicked his tongue in annoyance as she disappeared from their sight, his gaze flicking with a hint of annoyance.


    He walked down the stairs, his Knights quickly lining back in order.


    "That Demon contractor came here to fool herself it seems." He said, his tone laced with venom as he turned to the Headmaster. "The very thought of a demonic contractor touching me disgusts me and this occurred within your domain. It makes me wonder if it is right to leave you here to lead this Academy."


    The Headmaster''s gaze narrowed, his expression a mask of indifference.


    "Worry not, my King. That was a matter that we had nearly checked out.


    I admit I made mistakes, and therefore worthy of your decree, but my persona in the Academy is necessary."


    The King stared at him, a blank expression on his face as his thoughts reeled in.


    Perhaps he wanted to make things easier for himself and get it over with, but for some reason, he decided to play the long game.


    A smirk formed on his lips as he turned away.


    "I see. Maybe you''re right. You are needed for this Academy to strive. The Dreau have taken the duty of leading the Academy in every generation.


    It would be a disgrace if you were removed during your tenure."


    With a light cackle, he walked down the steps, his Knights leading him away from the broken parts.


    Crisps of flames remained in the atmosphere, the columns burning from its intensity.


    Some had reached inward, blocked by Romeo Gutz and a water spirit, hovering behind him.


    It continuously supplied water to the Hall, putting out the flames before it could consume too much of the construct.


    The silence, subtle and daring lingered in the air as the Headmaster watched the King walk down, his thoughts reeling in.


    "My King." He called out.


    The man stopped, his head turning in his direction, a frown on his face.


    "What is it?"


    "May I ask why you are here?"


    The King glanced around, then locked gazes with him.


    "Well, if you must know, I have two children who are in this Academy and I intend on bringing the third soon."


    The Headmaster raised a brow, curiosity on his face.


    "Are you referring to the Second Prince?"


    "Yes. My daughters seem to be doing well, so I have come to watch their event."


    The King turned around to walk away, leaving a subtle tension within the Headmaster.


    His brows furrowed as a stifled grunt escaped his lips.


    Now was not the time to let the King walk around the Academy. He was a ticking time bomb who could explode on any of his students at any moment.


    With a sigh, he hovered into the air and floated towards the King, landing in front of him.


    "You dare stop me?" The King asked as his Knights took out their weapons, some dented, some fine.


    The shirt scuffle with Mila had left a marked difference on the Knights, though, they endured it all for their King.


    "I am not stopping my King, but here to offer a better idea."


    The King raised his brow, his curiosity picked.


    "Speak."


    "The King''s time is of the essence, and yours especially shouldn''t be used for mere children to grasp your presence."


    The King nodded.


    "True, True. If it were so easy for anyone to gaze upon me, then I wouldn''t be as glorified as I am now."


    "Exactly my King. So why don''t I take you to the Control Room where all is shown."


    "the Control Room?" the king repeated, disappointment laced in his tone.


    The Headmaster picked it up nearly instantly, his gaze flickering in confusion.


    "Yes, My King?"


    "Why the Control Room and not your office?"


    The Headmaster froze in place, though for a fraction of a second, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''....hah, I might be in a bit of difficulty.''


    His office was privy to even most of his trusted allies, and he had a valid reason for that.


    "Hah, My King. My office may seem like a cage to your worldliness. Why would you waste your time there?"


    "Nonsense." The King said with a click of his tongue, walking down the stairs and passing the Headmaster.


    His Knights followed in place, the rattling of iron echoing in the air.


    "take me to your office."


    With a sigh of discomfort, the Headmaster followed the match of Knight and the King, his brain readjusting to the circumstance.


    He bit into his lips, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''I can''t keep him for long. I should call Kira Merlin for now.''


    He walked away with the group, leaving the mess behind for the Student Body to complete.


    At the moment, he had a much more difficult task than the others, which was entertaining the King.


    *****


    With a sudden grunt and the hiss of flames, Mila crushed into the underground pipeways, curses escaping her lips as she stood up.


    "Fuck it!"


    "Shit! That was fucking shitty!"


    She cried out, her body warping to its female form.


    A voice echoed across the iron pipes, grabbing her attention.


    "Welcome back, my dear."


    "Don''t you! Don''t you dare!" Mila whipped her head towards Nicho, his smug smile causing a stir of annoyance within her.


    "I couldn''t use most of my abilities because it wasn''t the right time! Okay!"


    "Hah? If you knew that, then you shouldn''t have rushed in."


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance, stumping her boots on the iron pipe as she walked away.


    "Don''t get on my nerves, Nicho."


    "I have good news."


    He said, suddenly cutting her off.


    She stopped midstep, her haze whipping towards him.


    "Well, out with it"


    Nicho''s lips curled into a smile as he folded his hands, his odachi resting between them.


    "Backup will arrive this evening."


    "Oh. Then how do you plan on getting them in?" She asked, tilting her head. "You mentioned it once before, but do it again"


    The man sighed, taken aback by her statement.


    He had recalled seating her down just for the explanation alone, and he was certain she had gotten at least forty per cent of what he had said.


    ''But was she even listening at all?''


    "I told you. We use an artefact. It''s a one-time use, so we''ll have to make do with what we have."


    "A one-time use? For how long?"


    Nicho shrugged. "It opens for two hours and will let us get in and out easily within the time frame. The issue is what we do once we''re within the Academy."


    "You''re saying, this is our only chance?"


    "Yes. We''ve been underground for far too long.


    The moment we attempt to escape or find a way out, we will be cornered.


    We either attack the Academy tomorrow or we don''t."


    A tense silence ensued after his reply, Mila''s thoughts reeling in.


    "I see....but we don''t have to attack the Academy. That''s the System Upriser task. We''re simply here to take the bodies of the Non-system users.


    After that, we have nothing to do with them."


    Nicho chuckled as he walked towards her.


    "That''s the thing. We need to be done with that task in two hours, if not, we join the System Uprisers in their....uprising."


    Mila clicked her tongue in annoyance, her gaze shifting away as they walked into the distance.


    "We don''t have to do shit for them. They''re all a bunch of wussies anyway.


    Waiting for a saviour to come assist them in a war they started."


    Nicho laughed out loud.


    "A deal is a deal though. We either help them or not, but I will go with whatever decision you make."


    "Then I say we go home and leave the System Uprisers to uprise themselves.


    Why do we need to stay here for so long? I''m pissed just thinking about the fact I couldn''t even harm the King."


    Nicho laughed out loud, their conversation dying out from the walls of the Pipeline.


    As their figures disappeared in the distance, one appeared from a corner, entering the spot where they once were.


    A sigh escaped her lips, her arms curled tightly into a ball as she glanced at the spot where they disappeared.


    ''The Red Peacemakers, are going to betray us?''


    *****


    While all sorts of series of events occurred within this timeframe, Raph and his cohort were busy with something else.


    Back in the Club room, they were done with the Activities of the day.


    Some, like Darrell, used this opportunity to recuperate his sore body and mana while Raph stared out at the window from his chair.


    His thoughts reeled in, his processing on hyperdrive as the line of events rushed in his head.


    ''So far, we''ve had inside attacks from two members of the Red Peacemakers and a cult of Uprisers that are soon to cause chaos, yet not didn''t cause one till they appeared.''


    He couldn''t deny that the events so far no longer aligned with his past life, as changes he had never expected occurred in series.


    ''The appearance of a dragon, the visitation of the King and the high number of visitors from far and wide.''


    He had gotten a lot more popular as well and would continue to do so in the outside world.


    ''What were the things I changed? Well, for starters, I did bring the long-forgotten First Prince back from the dead.''


    His thoughts reeled back.


    ''Hah....perhaps my alliance with the second princess who was supposed to be dead by now?''


    And all the way back to the Great Family Battle.


    ''Perhaps coming out first place? Father''s death? Elsie''s appearance? Gonzalo''s defeat?''


    The more he thought, the higher the number of changes he realized he made.


    With a sigh, he lowered his head as he came to a conclusion.


    ''I no longer have future events on my side.''

 Chapter 328 - 328- Festival 59- The Headmaster Converses with the King

    To be more specific, the little events that had taken place in his past life were changing, and perhaps even major occurrences could be influenced later in the future.


    ''Yeah, so far, every major event has occurred. The Battle of the Great Families, and now the Homeric Festival.''


    Even though it wasn''t taking place exactly as he recalled it, the fact that it did occur remained and that he still had an advantage over it.


    His brows furrowed, his gaze staring into the distance.


    ''Does it really matter if I have an advantage or not?''


    He wondered, his lips curling downwards.


    ''Yes it does....as a Regressor, perhaps it is my duty to set things straight...especially when I have an advantage over it.''


    He never got the chance to sit down and go through the past events, and now that he did, he realized how much influence his changes had made on the timeline.


    Time ought to move in a particular manner, but oftentimes, an abnormality comes in and hinders it, causing chaos within the timeline.


    ''But those are speculations, are they not? Why would time need to be in a specific manner? Aren''t there postulations of another world out there?''


    The very thought caused his intrigue to stir.


    His gaze flickered as it landed on Jane only to find them staring right back at him.


    A moment of silence ensued between them, an awkwardness threatening to descend when Raph raised a brow and broke the silence.


    "What?"


    He asked.


    "Oh, it''s nothing..." Darrell replied, dragging his last word. "You just seemed to zone out for a second there. You good, buddy?" He asked.


    Raphs gaze flicked open as he shifted his head away from them.


    "It''s nothing. Just wondering if there are, in fact, alternate universes."


    He said, his tone lingering as Ciara suddenly poked her head over the rail on the second floor.


    Her crimson eyes sparked with intrigue, and a tint of excitement as she glanced at Raph.


    "Did you say alternate universes? What gave you that thought?"


    Darrell and Jane glanced at each other, expressions of confusion etched on their faces.


    "But why would we need more than one universe?"


    "The gods don''t rule more than one universe. They rule one and that is this one."


    Ciara suddenly clicked her tongue, her annoyance laced at the end of the sound as the people present in the room turned to her in unison.


    "You guys know nothing. If there is magic and Dragons in our world, then what makes you think there can''t be a possibility of alternate universes?"


    She asked, a bitter tone at the end of her statement.


    Raph shrugged.


    ''I simply wondered since Regression was possible.


    Perhaps a change I have made has led us to a different outcome, something that had happened in a different universe....''


    He shook his head, erasing the thought from his mind. The last thing he needed was more things to think about, other than what was laid before them.


    "I understand your point, Darrell, Jane but I think I''ll go with Ciara on this one."


    Jane whipped his head upwards, his frown palpable.


    "Mages are supposed to be realistic. What do you mean by the possibility of an alternate universe existing? Are you saying there might be multiple versions of me from different worlds?"


    Ciara nodded rigorously.


    This was a conversation that didn''t seem to pique the interest of the others.


    Mariam, Louis and Tiara who hardly ever showcased their interest in the Club Room.


    "And you''re being too much of a religious fanatic. Don''t rule it out just because your scriptures don''t say anything about it."


    Jane''s mouth was left agape by her statement as she suddenly puffed her cheeks and walked away, resuming her studies.


    This left Darrell in a chuckling state as he tapped Jane on his back.


    ''One is an atheist and the other a fanatic...wow....you''ve got your work cut up for you, Jane.''


    Raph giggled as he stood up.


    The others watched as he headed for the door; Louis had been speaking up since a while ago.


    "Where to?" He asked.


    Raph stopped, his gaze landing on the two couples who sat next to each other.


    He shrugged. "I have cleaning duty. Remember?"


    "Oh, forgot you got punished. Do you ever do it?" Darrell asked.


    Raph nodded, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as he replied.


    "Every day."


    With that, he walked out, leaving the rest of the group to their own devices and perhaps their thoughts as well.


    Raph felt a truckload of responsibilities weigh on his shoulder as he headed out.


    He could tell, even without his past memories, that school life was about to get more difficult.


    *****


    In the fabricated world of the Headmaster''s Office, two men sat on a floating chair, tea cups in their hands and a tray of scones on the table, floating in their presence.


    The ambient nature of the headmaster''s Office remained the same: large numbers of books organized yet seemingly scattered all around the floating, high shelves.


    The intricate designs of the roof, ceramic tiles and white walls cascaded in flower patterns and hovering books.


    Just like any other day, his office was a picture book taken right out of a magical-themed novel.


    He was currently on edge, his gaze fixed on his guest, the man known for his Greed, and suffocating pride, the King.


    With the quiet nature of the room, it had seemed like both had nothing to say, but with time, the Headmaster found the urge to ask his questions.


    "Do you still require me to refer to you as my King?"


    The King chuckled.


    "You make it sound like I''m not, Rhabanz."


    The Headmaster sighed.


    "We are former classmates...My King, I know when you are up to something and coming here wasn''t merely to see your daughters."


    The King shrugged, sipping his tea and relishing the warmth that lingered on his tongue.


    "Maybe you''re right. I do not need to see my daughters as I can see them whenever I want."


    The Headmaster tilted his head.


    "Then what is it, Tyson?"


    The King looked up at him, a tense silence brewing between them, their gazes clashing with each other.


    It seemed like they were silently watching each other, but these men were at war, a mental war.


    "Manners, Rhabanz. You are no longer worthy of referring me to my name."


    The Headmaster scoffed.


    "And Michaelo?"


    The King''s gaze narrowed, his brows furrowing deeply.


    He wasn''t one to take words lightly, and the mention of Michaelo, one of the few people he hated as a student, didn''t suit him nicely.


    "Watch it, Rhabanz. I will not repeat myself."


    The Headmaster tapped his finger on the desk as he looked away.


    "You realize you stopping me from coming for the Battle of the Great Families wasn''t a great choice."


    The King''s gaze narrowed, his eyes closing into curved slits.


    "It was necessary at the time. Kira Merlin and Michaelo Jun were there. Did you want the gang to get back together so bad that you would be upset over a mere order?"


    "A mere order?!"


    The Headmaster repeated, his voice rising.


    His gaze widened for a moment, his disgust and anger palpable as he sighed, releasing the tension within his body.


    "That order lost us a Man of Valor."


    The King suddenly slammed his fist against the table, the teacup snapping into pieces, and the air filled with a brewing storm.


    "Man of Valor? Who? That wench that refused to bow to me? A Man of Valor? Are you stupid, Rhabanz? Do you realize I can kill you with the flip of a finger?"


    The Headmaster rubbed his temples, his gaze laced with disappointment.


    "Always flaunting his power when on the losing end. It''s good to see you haven''t changed, but it''s such a pity as well. It shows you haven''t learnt."


    The King suddenly stood from the chair, the Headmaster quickly casting a spell that held him firm. The King slammed his arm against the table while under the spell of the Headmaster that kept him from falling.


    "One more time, Rhabanz. I dare you to talk to me that way, one more time."


    The Headmaster remained silent, his words lingering at the back of his throat.


    His thoughts reeled in, and he indeed wanted to tick off that dare.


    ''This bastard.....just you wait.''


    He looked away, a sigh escaping his lips.


    "I apologize, my King. It seems I may have stepped out of line."


    The King slowly sat back down, his head resting on his arm as he looked down at the floor.


    He tilted his head when a bizarre reflection caught his attention, and he glanced up instantly.


    At that moment, the Headmaster grew tense, yet he remained silent.


    His gaze traced the King''s as he looked around the white ceiling. For a moment, it seemed like the King was lost in thoughts, but then, he glanced back at the Headmaster, shaking his head ever so slightly.


    "Take us down. I''ve had enough of you in one day."


    The Headmaster raised a brow in surprise.


    "I had assumed you had come to instruct me or something thereof?"


    The chairs and tables descended slowly as he asked his question; their gazes locked on one another until they touched the ground.


    The Headmaster stood up, his steps heavy and regal as he headed for the exit, the Headmaster quickly rushing after him.


    "I have checked all that I needed to check, and confirmed my thoughts."


    He said, his lips curled upwards.


    ''It doesn''t matter whether or not he''s found out about my spy. I have more from where that came from....though....''


    He glanced back at the Headmaster, a cautious expression etching on the latter''s face.


    ''...what is he up to?''

 Chapter 329 - 329- Festival 60- Battle Partner Zoned

    Cleaning up wasn''t as difficult as some students had made it seem, or boring even.


    In fact, it was rather insightful and perhaps adventurous. After all, it wasn''t every time a junior got the chance to walk into every Lecture Theater of the different classes....every day.


    It was difficult alone going into a class two years higher than tours without permission, not to mention going to one three or four years higher.


    That alone set out the Sanitary Committee as a group of very well-trusted students sent out to serve the Academy and its students.


    Raph on the other hand, wasn''t part of the committee, but rather someone sent here as a punishment.


    It sort of separated him from the others as one of those who didn''t intend on getting the task.


    Of course, he didn''t; after all, he had also lived with the subtle stereotype that sanity was a disgusting task.


    At the moment, in Class Three Lecture Theater, Raph was picking up debris, literally all sorts of refuse the Visitors and Students could have dropped down.


    He held a trash picker and a garbage bag, picking whatever he found and placing it into the bag.


    A group walked behind him, doing the same task as he was, four in number.


    One was the assistant of the Sanitary Committee, Rudia Silviet, a Class Three student and Level 50 Mage.


    She had black hair and black eyes, her hair tied into a pair of pigtails that cascaded down her back.


    She was one of those who were hardly recognized, perhaps a ''side character'' you might say, but Raph had come to appreciate her.


    Just then, the group froze, Rudia glancing upwards where Raph was.


    With a sigh, she glanced around, staring at the others before turning back to Raph.


    "Hey Raph, we''re about to go take a break. You in?" She asked.


    The white-haired stopped midstep; his trash picker stabbed into an empty can of tuna.


    ''Who the fuck eats tuna during an event?''


    He wondered as he glanced at her.


    "Nah, I''m good. I''m going to finish up my rounds and get to the Cafeteria.


    Haven''t had lunch yet."


    He replied with a smile.


    Rudia nodded, staring at the others as she nudged her head towards the door.


    "Come on, let''s go." She instructed.


    "Take care, Raph. We''ll be back."


    "Try not to overwork yourself, you hard worker."


    A female teased as the others chuckled at her statement.


    Raph gave a wry smile as he watched them leave.


    ''They''re a lot more united than I thought.''


    He looked away and resumed his task, eager to leave once he was done.


    With the last footsteps gone in the hallway, he quickened his pace, exuding a bit of aura through his veins to fasten his movement.


    One after the other, refuse after refuse, he continued to pick them out.


    ''One would be surprised by how much trash they leave behind during festivities.''


    Festivities were a time of celebration. There will be food, snacks and all sorts of exciting events that tend to leave heavy trash behind at the end of it all.


    ''Perhaps we should start putting up a sign which says to take your refuse home and enforce it.''


    He sighed at the thought. It made no sense.


    Just then, a footstep echoed in the Lecture Hall, his ears perking up.


    "Back already?"


    He asked when the individual replied with a familiar yet surprising tone.


    "Back from what?"


    He froze, his head whipping to the back as a smile threatened to form.


    "Oh....Sophie, what are you doing here?"


    His question was laced with both hesitation and excitement, a warm sensation threatening to brew.


    The petite lilac hair walked from the door to the lower desks, placing her arm on the table as she looked up at him.


    "Was just walking around and remembered I''ve seen you cleaning. Decided to check up on you."


    Raph tilted his head. "Check up on me?" He repeated as he resumed his task. "Well, as you can see, I still have a lot to do."


    A subtle silence lingered afterwards, which Sophie broke with her statement.


    "I know."


    ''She knows? What does she know?'' He wondered as he gulped hard.


    The lingering sensation that grew in his chest was all too familiar and, quite frankly, unnecessary.


    ''Why do I need to grow feelings for another when I have one beautiful, vicious girl for myself.''


    The thought alone caused his brow to furrow.


    ''Vicious? Do I like Elsie because she''s vicious?''


    Images of Sophie''s battle style and her brutality on the battlefield caused his heart to skip a beat.


    Thus, confirming his postulations.


    ''What? Am I into crazy? Is that what you''re saying?''


    "So, did you find out why that Legendary Dragon evolved to a Mythic?"


    Her sudden voice invaded his thoughts, whipping him forcefully to reality.


    He shook his head as he glanced at her.


    "So¨CSorry, what did you say?"


    "The Dravon that evolved. Did you find out why it did?"


    "Oh, that," Raph said with a sigh as he rubbed his temples.


    He slowly resumed his task, his thoughts reeling in.


    "It seemed the Dragon that was teleported to our Territory during the event was actually undergoing an evolving rite. That was why it was captured in the first place."


    "Oh," Sophie said as she walked over to the podium in front of the class, jumped over the desk placed there and sat on it.


    All the while, Raph watched in silence.


    ''Cute.'' He thought.


    "Well, dragons are known for staying hidden during their evolving rites. Such a shame it was captured during that process.


    And it called itself the Dragon King?"


    "Hah, that. We weren''t even able to confirm it since it was sent back to where it came from.


    Hopefully....it was joking at the time."


    Sophie giggled in response.


    "Hopefully? Are you saying you won''t be able to take down a Mythic Dragon if it came down to it?"


    He raised a brow, a smirk on his face.


    ''This girl...''


    He had come across Dragon on multiple occasions in his past life.


    They were mostly on their side and controlled by Beast Tamers but at the time....


    ''....at the time I wouldn''t have had the guts to face them.''


    With a scoff, he looked away.


    He had come a long way since his Regression and he had to admit, he had matured both mentally and physically.


    ''I should be proud.'' He thought.


    "Oh, so¨Csorry, did I strike a cord?" She asked, her expression turning milk with concern.


    He glanced at her and whipped his gaze away.


    ''The fuck?! That''s cheating!''


    "No, you didn''t. Even if I may not be able to right now, a Mythic Dragon will be nothing to me once I achieve the strength I wish for."


    Sophie tilted her head, her intrigue peaked as she playfully guided her legs in the air, kicking them around.


    "I see."


    She muttered when a thought crossed her mind.


    "Oh, and what happened to him? The Head of the Control Room, that is?"


    Raph chuckled lightly.


    "Well, he was captured, for instance, and we''ll probably not hear of him for a while."


    "Why?"


    "Well, he''s been detained by the Headmaster. He''s acted up for too long anyways and all in the name of hating my family."


    He scoffed, poking his trash picker into another can, though of a different commodity.


    He tossed it into the bag and looked around.


    He nodded briefly and turned around at Sophie.


    "I''m done."


    He said as he walked down the steps of the Lecture Hall, reaching for the door.


    Just then Sophie jumped off the table and podium at the same time, nearly missing her foot on landing and crashing into Raph as he reached the bottom of the stairs.


    He easily caught her, preventing her from falling, his arms wrapped around her waist in the process.


    For a second, they froze in place. Hearts thumping, blood rushing and adrenaline filling into their body.


    The feeling was all too familiar for Raph but only begot confusion for Sophie.


    The white-haired sighed heavily, pushing her off lightly. He scratched the back of his head, turning his direction towards the door and headed forward without a single word.


    But Sophie couldn''t have easily worked away. That feeling was new, alien and it aroused her curiosity. She wanted to feel more, experience more and perhaps find out what it was.


    In a swift motion, she stepped forward and grabbed his hand, her question shocking his very being.


    "Don''t you feel that?"


    He stood awkwardly, silence ensuing between them as they stared at each other.


    Her lilac eyes brewed into his whitish, nearly non-existent ones.


    Searching, and perhaps, leaning in to find a response, but Raph couldn''t be easily seen.


    He wasn''t see-through, and she was over twenty years too young to see through him.


    ''Technically, this is all child abuse, since my mental age is far older than there''s.''


    He pulled his hand away.


    "I do feel something. It makes me crave fighting with you once again on the battlefield."


    He replied with a smile, a subtle one, deceiving and convincing.


    "Oh..." She muttered, stumped by his response.


    She took a step back, a pang in her chest, one that left her in an even more confused state.


    "I....I see."


    Raph nodded and turned towards the door.


    "I''ll be on my way now, Sophie. If you ever need me to train or anything, you know where to find me."


    Her response came late, in fact, it didn''t come at all.


    He left as quickly as he was done with his statement, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Damn? Did I just.....Battle partner zone her?''

 Chapter 330 - 330- Festival 61-The gates open!

    Soon, the end of the day had come and with it was night. The calm darkness invaded the light of day, and the moon took the place of the sun, its luminance spreading across the expanse of the sky.


    The night came with the modifications of the plans of those who had reached out to use it for their benefit.


    Including the Duo from the Red Peacemakers.


    The Academy was silent, the subtle footsteps of Staff members walking about the Hostels, serving as Live watch guards for the students.


    The previous night had sent a message to all, and it was one they would like to not repeat.


    It left many students awake and on their guard, edging on their beds for when the tendrils of a Storm will reach out for them once again.


    The perpetrators of the incident were still currently in that Academy, their location null to even the highest of Authority.


    When it came down to it, one would wonder if the Academy was truly handling the situation properly.


    Was this truly the best way to go about a Rebellious Siege in their own domain?


    It was juvenile, perhaps sluggish in the manner they chose to handle it, but with no leads on them, they were stuck at a dead end.


    Perhaps they could go through the Territorial Spaces, or even walk around the Academy grounds until they were located, but that was a process they couldn''t count on.


    Mostly because it had been done once before, and found futile, but it didn''t stop them from being cautious.


    Standing guard, for now, was their best bet and choice, at least till a reasonable solution came up.


    One that the Headmaster would have to crack down with the other Major Staff members.


    While they handled their matters on top, something else was brewing below, on another Territorial Space, a conflict was about to brew.


    In the underground pipes, loud footsteps echoed, and a pair and a short whistle of an old-school song echoed with it.


    Their figures were basked in darkness as they approached a corner, the glow of light cascading down their figures as they stepped into the corner.


    With precision and a fixed goal, the duo made it into an opening.


    An empty one that led further to different parts.


    The whistling continued until Mila snapped back at Nicho.


    "Quit it with that tune!" She cried out, startling the man.


    He raised a brow, his expression widened in surprise.


    "Oh, be calm, Mila. It was just an old melody from my hometown, Beyond the North."


    "Well, I don''t like it and don''t tell a woman to calm down.


    We''re about to begin a serious mission, you shouldn''t be so lax about it!"


    She said, snapping her gaze away from him.


    "Especially after what happened last time."


    Nicho shrugged.


    "They''re powerful people within the Academy. It''s okay to admit we might have underestimated their forces."


    She clicked her tongue, her rage palpable when they turned a corner.


    Just then, the louder chattering of humans echoed against the iron nature of the Pipes, reaching them easily.


    It sounded like chaos, with complaints and shouting, the sound one would hear from a mob with different interests.


    This startled Mila on hearing it closer, her gaze shifting towards Nicho.


    This time, his expression turned different, firmer and more serious.


    He walked past her and headed first, his hand gripped tightly on his odachi.


    On turning on the last corner, they walked into the open space, where the members of the System Uprisers stood prepared.


    "What do you mean, trust them?!"


    "Why should we listen to you?!"


    "They''ve betrayed the Cult! I say we go our way!"


    The chatter and protests from the Group were far from welcoming.


    Nicho felt a strong sense of hostility in the air on working in and so did Mila as she lingered behind him.


    It seemed like they were protesting against something or someone.


    A raised platform stood in front of the group where Katherin and Crown stood, their expressions laced with confusion at the reaction of their Cult.


    Someone else stood next to them, a young girl in the Homeric Academy Uniform, from Class Silver.


    An aqua-haired with a particularly guilty expression.


    Nicho could analyze all he wanted but he would continuously end up with the same discomforting result.


    ''Did they find out about our decision?''


    He glanced back at Mila, her expression just as guarded as his and was prepared to turn back, but by then it was too late.


    A figure in the group finally noticed their presence.


    "Over here! The traitors!"


    The Cult whipped their gazes to the two figures, their expressions blank with indifference and soon, the Cult charged at them.


    Nicho clicked his tongue as he rushed forward, pulling Mila with her when a dome formed on the entranceway of the open space just as they rushed out of it.


    The members collided with the Dome, their confused and enraged gazes glaring at it and the people who rushed away from it.


    "What now?!"


    Crown asked, walking up to Katherin, who held the Shield in place.


    "I have to talk to them. There must be a way to work things out without any form of conflict."


    Bishop Crown sighed as he rubbed his temple. A familiar figure walked up to them with an executioner blade hanging neatly on his back.


    "Let us come with you, Katherin. These people are dangerous."


    Katherin turned towards the familiar presence, shifting her gaze away nearly instantaneously.


    She seemed more focused on controlling her enraged Cult members than a former colleague.


    "Now is not the time, Roland. Get back to your corner like you always have."


    "Don''t take my indifference as disinterest, Katherin, Crown. I want this to succeed as much as you do."


    Crown raised a brow.


    "Are you really? Then stay in your corner as instructed. You will do us more good that way, but..."


    He turned to Katherin.


    "I agree with him. They could kill you in protest. I get that they are powerful but they are only two.


    It is exactly why they ran when we rushed at them."


    Katherin cackled, her right arm holding her mouth shut in startlement.


    The others flinched in surprise, Crown especially.


    "You must be joking. Did you not see what Nicho did? We didn''t even know the Student President was that strong until now.


    And Mila? She escaped the King and the Headmaster in the same space.


    Do you think we are capable of such feet? When we barely have the bare minimum to keep ourselves together?"


    She glanced at them, her expression darkened.


    "Think straight, you fools! We need them for our plans to work! It''s exactly why Wisdom lived his life. Isn''t that so?"


    Roland tilted his head, and Crown looked away, his thoughts spiralling within his head.


    "You do realize they intended to betray us?"


    Roland asked, his gaze shifting to the bystander who had remained silent until now.


    "Isn''t that so, Water Hero?"


    The girl flinched and nodded quickly, shifting her attention away from them.


    Crown sighed and walked up to Katherin, pulling her by her arm.


    The sudden thug brushed off her focus and the dome gave way, causing the angered Cult group to spill into the pathway.


    Cries of shock and pain escaped their lips as they did so.


    "We come with you or you don''t go at all."


    Crown stated while Roland walked closer.


    She glanced at them both, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she accepted her fate.


    "So be it."


    The group of three seemed to have come to a consensus, with Ruffia Jones standing behind to watch the scene unfold.


    She stood in silence, yet her thoughts reeled in.


    ''These are the people that want to lead a society where the System upholds...?''


    With a silent hiss, she turned around to walk away.


    ''Nah, I don''t think so.''


    *****


    While the System Uprisers were on about their own crisis, the executives of the Red Peacemakers were about to complete something that could either add to it or diminish it.


    They had reached a separate part of the Pipelines, below the rest.


    Mila stood at the exit, a large open pathway, while Nicho worked on a tool, a golden one with intricate contraptions and master engineering.


    The silent air was filled with the subtle hums and vibrations the tool made as he worked on it, opening it bit by bit into an oddly shaped tool.


    Mila watched in silence, the subtle hums of screams reaching her ever so slightly.


    She felt a cold shiver down her spine, her gaze whipping towards the door.


    "We could have easily killed them, you know."


    She said with a matter-of-fact tone, her gaze narrowed.


    "Leave them be. There may still be a chance to negotiate."


    "Yes, they still need us.....and they''re helping though, little may still be of importance."


    "Exactly. We want to get this done in one night so I asked Katherin to get us the room numbers of certain students....students that are all Non-system users."


    Mila''s gaze sparked into realization.


    "I see. That way, we can easily target the ones we want without wasting much effort.


    That is a good idea."


    "Would have gone well if someone had not heard our conversation...."


    Mila remained silent, her brows furrowing in displeasure.


    A few moments passed and Nicho stood to his feet from the task he had set himself to complete.


    "Oh, you''re done? What is it?"


    Mila asked, her gaze lingering on the foot-stool-like object.


    Its curved, golden edges and mirror-like surface left a deep impression on her.


    Nicho glanced at it and then at Mila, a smile on his face as he stepped on it, causing a swirl of mana to surge out from the tool, taking form into an oval portal.


    He nodded in satisfaction, Mila''s eyes bulging open ever so slightly.


    Nicho glanced back at her again and then at the artefact when a foot stepped through.


    "...this is our gate to success."

 Chapter 331 - 331- Festival 62- Raid on a Rainy Night

    Mila watched in silence as a group of masked figures stepped into the pipelines, each an embodiment of darkness itself.


    Executives were known to be in charge of certain parts of the Red Peacemakers'' many business-like ventures.


    After all, money was a necessity in keeping an organization as big as it''s running for as long as possible.


    One of those making ventures was a Mercenary Corp, one far to the North, rather popular in the area.


    The Dire Human Corps. An ominous group of powerful individuals, consisting of mostly men run the organizations Beyond the North.


    Nicho was in charge of such an organization as it served as his contribution to the Cult.


    As the masked figures stepped into the pipelines, they fell on one knee, one in particular standing from the rest.


    "We greet the Rhakar of the North. The Dire Wolf of the Mountains, it is our pleasure to be in your presence once again."


    A satisfied smile plastered on Nicho''s face as his gaze slowly drifted towards Mila, their eyes locking onto each other.


    He looked away as she scoffed.


    "Morris, it''s been a while. You may stand."


    The group stood up slowly, more figures stepping through the Portal, and quickly filling up the space they had occupied.


    "How are the Crops thriving?" Nicho asked.


    "Never the same in your absence but it is going as planned."


    Nicho nodded in satisfaction.


    "Well, then. You must have gotten my message. Did you prepare all that was required before setting out?"


    Morris nodded, his expression hidden by a black mask.


    "As instructed, we came with explosives and locked up our base. No one will know of our absence today."


    "Wonderful," Nicho muttered in satisfaction as he stepped back, his gaze turning to the direction of the opening into the space.


    There, three figures stood on guard, their expressions masked in a form of indifference.


    Morris stepped out immediately in front of Nicho while Mila watched.


    "Enemies?" He asked, his deep, hutched voice sending shivers down the three figures'' spines.


    They instinctively took a step back, but Katherin seemed insistent they remained in that vicinity.


    "No, not yet," Nicho replied while Mila walked forward.


    "The nerve. Did you not chase us all the way here? Why have you returned?"


    Karherin shook her head while Crown and Roland stepped out in front of her, his fists and the other''s executioner sword readied.


    "You chose to betray us. I see no fault in that."


    Roland, I interjected, his gaze sharpened, and his lips curled into a frown.


    Mila tilted her head towards him, a cackle escaping her lips.


    "And who is he? Your minion speaks?"


    Nicho sighed as he rubbed his temples, his gaze shifting from Mila to Katherin.


    "You came to negotiate, did you not? Well, start talking."


    Katherins lips quivered before she began, her thoughts reeling in at the same time.


    "Your preparations make me believe that you wish to take care of your end of the deal today, and then abandon us once you are done."


    Mila giggled. "Obviously." She said,


    The others glared at her, while Katherin continued.


    "But, how do you expect to do this quickly? That artefact...I recognize it. It''s the Golden Jumper, locked away because of its broken use.....but it seems it has just one more jump before it falls apart."


    Morris stepped forward, a sudden outburst of dark, ominous aura exuding from his body when Nicho pulled him in place.


    "Control yourself." He said.


    "She speaks too much, why do we let her live?"


    "She isn''t done with her point. Let her finish."


    The man groaned slightly, his head tilted towards her, his horrid, ominous pressure exerting an invisible force over Katherin.


    She felt the pressure easily and would have reeled in fear of it if not for her circumstances.


    The man''s appealing height and massive build made it even more difficult for one to look without feeling any form of fear.


    She looked away, snatching her gaze away from the horrific man and continued with her statement.


    "There must be a way for us to still have a purpose for you. We know the Rooms of certain Non-system users! This will make it easier for you to be done with your task on time.


    That way you can make it before the Golden Jumper breaks down."


    The edge of Nicho''s lips curled up in a smile as he folded his arms in satisfaction.


    ''Right into our hands.''


    It didn''t matter what grand goal this group had. The fact that they didn''t have enough powerful people to make it happen remained, and the fact that it would require a lot more years before they did also remained.


    As a result, they had no other choice but to depend on the same set of people who would betray them in a heartbeat.


    "Fine, then just as you''ve said. We target the necessary people. Twenty in total.


    We form teams, and we capture them, dead or alive."


    Katherin nodded as Crown and Roland slowly dropped their guards.


    "We work together with you to capture them, but at the Sametime, we attack the Academy, and cause as much destruction as we can."


    "Destruction is a breeding house for chaos and chaos causes instability. Once the Academy''s foundations have been torn off, the people who are System users would call out the change of the Academy...."


    "...and we, the System Uprisers, will send our figures who have been chosen to lead our future empire."


    Katherin explained.


    This was the details of their plan summed up in the process to make the people present in that space aware of what was ahead of them.


    Nicho tilted his head, his gaze meeting Mila''s as he nodded.


    "Deal. A plan is a plan."


    *****


    The three figures walked down the Pipelines back towards the Cult.


    A tense silence ensued around them, not just because of the ensuing battle that was about to take place but also because of their personal dilemmas in the matter.


    A destiny they are unable to control because they lack the power to do so.


    Katherin bit her lips at the thought, it sickened her.


    ''Our empire will be built, and I will use my bones to carve the foundation if I have to.''


    "Are we seriously going to trust them?"


    Crown broke the silence as their footsteps echoed against the ironwork of the Pipelines.


    Roland glanced back and nodded in agreement.


    "I was going to ask the same, but feared you two might hate me more."


    Katherin remained silent as she cast a glance at her two subordinates behind her.


    "Who said anything about trusting them?"


    Crown and Roland glanced at each other and then at Katherin, their gazes sparkling with curiosity.


    "Then?" Roland asked.


    "Then? We start by being patient....and then..."


    Her explanation began, slowly and controlled so that her voice remained a whisper, clear enough for her two subordinates.


    Each statement sent a shiver down their spines, and a remarkable expression to etch on their faces.


    This was a plan that hung on the thread of chances, but the System Uprisers have taken too many to back off now.


    Be it by tooth, or nail, they would achieve their goal, presumably now.


    With a silent nod, the two figures smiled at each other at the end of her explanation.


    She turned around, her steps echoing as the others followed after her.


    Katherin''s gaze was a mask of indifference, her thoughts reeling in as her gaze drifted upwards.


    ''Even the weak bite when they''ve been messed with for too long.''


    *****


    As the dark clouds cascaded over the Academy, hovering with a melancholic timbre, a cold breeze swept through it.


    The Hostels stood amidst the breeze, as the clouds thundered with raging might.


    Students looked out the window, some awaking from their slumber from the might of the thunderclap.


    Soon, lightning bolts streamed across the skies, like a paintbrush against a white canvas, plastering unspoken art upon the world.


    The clapping of thunder and the streaming of lightning bolts acted as a wake-up bell, many rising to their feet from the noise.


    This sudden startlement sent even the Staff in a stir as some walked out of the Hostels just to stare at the skies.


    A man had done so, adorned in an Armour of silver, his sword placed neatly across his waist.


    Walking out from Hostel Two, a female in a short gown, wrapped tightly against her ghastly features. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, her gaze drifting upwards as well.


    "A Storm? Who''s in charge of the Control Room today?" She asked.


    The man glanced at her, and then back at the Clouds.


    "Zitani Veleha."


    "Oh, her."


    "I wonder what she''s up to....she''s going to wake everyone at this rate." The man stated.


    "Hm, true..." the woman replied with a hushed tone.


    She turned around when she felt a drip of water on her shoulders.


    Turning towards the sky, an incoming pour of tiny droplets stood vividly in her sight.


    "Rain?" She muttered, silence suffusing the air as the droplets rushed against the earth, the soothing sound of a downpour piercing the silence.


    The sudden change in weather took many by surprise. This was an odd situation, one that would cause many to rise from their slumber.


    As if alerting them to something.


    Well, no one really thought that deeply about it, but a few who had thought of it, stood by their windows. Their gazes locked onto the glass panels that shielded them from the downpour of rain.


    Raph was one of these students, taking the rain as a sort of warning, his sword was already prepared in his hand.


    Blood pulsated through his body as a rush of adrenaline pumped his heart twice as fast as usual. Yet, he remained in his position, casting side glances around.


    ''What is it? Who is coming? Who is it this time?'' He wondered when he felt a shift, a pull and then numerous thuds.


    A sigh of relief exuded from his lips, his eyes glowing malevolent white as he turned around slowly, casting its depths upon the invaders.


    "One must wonder.....how do you lot keep doing that?"

 Chapter 332 - 332- Festival 63- Raid on a Rainy Night 2

    The sudden change in atmosphere was palpable to many, and that included many who were at the female side of the Hostel.....well, the females.


    One in particular, Sophie, had been seated on her bed, cross-legged. A brief yawn escaped her lips as the rain started.


    Her eyes were droopy, and her brows creased into a frown.


    She slowly stood up from her bed, her oversized white nightgown falling to the ground with her subtle steps.


    Walking up towards the window, she closed the glass lid shut, another yawn escaping from her lips. She placed her hand on her forehead, a tight headache ensuing.


    ''Hah, shit. Who the fuck started that rain storm? It''s fucking annoying when you wake someone from their sleep you know.''


    With an annoyed click of her tongue, she jumped back onto her bed, the rebound shaking ever so slightly from the effects of the spring.


    She remained motionless, trying to drift back into the comfort of sleep. Or at least try to.


    For a few moments, her concentration was perturbed by the rumbling thunder and the frequent bright light from the light of the lightning.


    Her concentration was invaded, time and time again until suddenly, her gaze snapped open.


    Her pupils shifted sidewards and her body lifted up the bed in a fluid motion as a longsword came crashing down on her furniture.


    With a loud thud, the sword collided with the bed, smashing its construct into bits of wood.


    Sophie had watched this all occur from the sides, her body tilting sideways in the air while her pupils traced the shiny blade of the long sword.


    It felt like the world had moved in slow motion with the depths of her gaze, and in the next, it resumed its usual speed, nearly twice as fast.


    A leg curled through the air, reaching for her figure as it aimed a kick towards her abdomen.


    Still in the air, she moved instantly, her arms and legs blocking the path as a stifled groan escaped her lips on the impact.


    It slammed against her defence, sending her body flying against the walls of her room with a loud thud.


    "This one''s awake?" One asked.


    "It seems so. They called her Sophia, but all her databases were left blank."


    "Huh? Is the Headmaster of this Academy even sane? Letting an unknown child into the school?"


    "It''s the flexibility of the Academy that makes it so popular and exactly why people without a past can enrol so easily."


    The group of five masked individuals conversed with one another as they approached Sophie.


    One was particularly large, his muscles and size taking much of his appearance.


    Two others were of a relatively average build and the last two were females.


    Sophie watched their actions carefully as she rose up to her feet, placing her hands against the wall.


    A throbbing pain invaded her senses, sending a swirl of emotions into her body. This slowly encroached on her brain, clouding her judgment.


    ''Hah shit....what is this, now?''


    She wondered as her gaze slowly dropped down, fatigue clawing at her senses.


    She groaned as she clasped her hand on her forehead, attempting to resist the pain.


    The figures stopped midstep, their confusion palpable.


    "Did you hit her too hard? She seems oddly in pain.." A female asked.


    "I was wondering the same." The Burly man replied as he stretched his hand forward.


    "Their bodies were asked of, dead or alive, so it shouldn''t matter."


    He was about to grab onto her when the violet-haired man suddenly grabbed onto the man''s outstretched arm.


    A moment of silence ensued between them as she slowly tilted her head towards them.


    "can''t a girl get her sleep?"


    She asked, tightening her grip suddenly and sending a shiver of pain down the man''s arm as he fell to his knee.


    "What''s going on?! Get back up!"


    A female asked as she approached the man.


    "Yes, quit acting up and get her."


    One of the males interjected as he grabbed onto the Burly''s man''s other arm.


    The male and female pulled onto him, but to their utmost surprise, he was nearly unmovable.


    They stared at each other and then at the girl.


    "Who are you guys anyways? Intrusion into the Academy is an offence, isn''t it? Are you amongst the staff or not?"


    Sophie asked as she clicked her tongue, her annoyance growing with her impatience.


    ''I need sleep....hah shit, I really need sleep.''


    Her head snapped towards her bed, the sorry sight of her broken bed driving her headache to near insanity.


    "Hah....these bastards. I don''t care if you''re the Staff or not, now...:


    A surge of dark mana exuded out of her body, bursting out in large amounts.


    The group of five watched in confusion and startlement, backing off away from their comrade at the sight.


    "this energy. This is dark mana."


    "dark mana at the tenth circle....she''s strong."


    "Strong? Wasn''t the plan to go after the weaker Non-System users?"


    The other female asked, her question sending panic to the others as a single thought rang through their heads in unison.


    ''have we been set up?''


    The Burly man screamed in pain as the sound of bones grinding against flesh echoed, Sophie''s grip tightening on the man''s arms.


    "A mere level 80? And what did you think you would be capable of doing?"


    She flung the man with relative ease into the air, his figure floating like a leaf at the sight of her comrade.


    And in the blink of an eye, she slammed him into the concrete wall, a surge of energy exuded from the strike as his body busted through the walls.


    The sound and breeze from the rain permeated the room, raindrops flooding the ground as she stretched her arm towards his head.


    "Shit! Don''t just stand! Attack!"


    A male asked as he charged forward, a burst of energy exuding out of his body while the others pulled out their weapons.


    In perfect synchrony, a girl shot out an arrow in a split second, causing Sophie to look up instantly.


    Her body warped through the air as she disappeared from the spot, an arrow of earth slamming against the floor as an explosion of sand occurred.


    "She''s gone!" she screamed out as the others looked around.


    Their gazes warped from side to side as they attempted to trace her movements, but her body was a blur. Inconceivable to the normal eye.


    "MASTER SKILL! NASCENT GLOW!"


    A male screamed as a shining white light exploded out with such brilliance, igniting the room in a white light.


    The others looked away when they heard a scream, one that was muffled out in the middle of her outburst.


    The light still shone, but another scream soon pierced the air, the sound of slicing and cutting etched in their ears.


    Blood splashed out like a fountain, and bodies trembled and fell to the floor with a loud thud, yet the bright remained. Taking their sight with it.


    "Stop the skill! Stop it!"


    "Hurry!"


    The male groaned as he deactivated his skill, the light immediately dying out in the process.


    He looked around, his gaze shifting from the Burly man who remained seated on the ground next to the large hole in the wall.


    His breath piqued up, panting heavily as he shifted his gaze to the next figure, a female who had been standing next to him.


    "Where are the others?" She asked, her tone laced with panic.


    "That attack was supposed to blind her, not help her!" The man retorted, his head whipping about in search of her.


    "I know, but where are they?"


    The man''s sudden pause in action as his head was tilted in the sky stuck vividly in her central vision.


    Her body tensed as she looked up, raindrops slapping against their tight, black bodysuit.


    Her breath piqued, her body shivering at the sight. She took a step back, tripping over a concrete block and falling over as she continued to crawl her way back.


    "H¨CHow did¨C


    What beheld her was a network of chains, wrapped tightly across the ceiling like a spider''s web.


    Long and short laces hanging down like projections from a well-knitted sweater.


    There are two comrades hung from the chain, beheaded, with blood pouring out from their necks like an open tap.


    It splashed against the floor, its crimson hue filling the room.


    She seemed fixated on that, but the Burly man and the other man seemed focused on something more.


    In Between the two dead bodies was the little, lilac-haired girl they were sent to detain, hanging onto the network of chains like a spider prepared to capture its prey.


    Her purple eyes glimmered with such malevolence that one would tremble at the depths of the gaze.


    It glowed in that darkness, as her figure adorned in her once pristine white nightgown was now the colour of a red moon.


    The two men stood frozen in place, their panicked expressions palpable.


    The Burly man sighed inwardly, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Does the Rhakar know? Does he know of the trouble that awaits us?''


    If their speculation was right, this little lilac girl was just one of their fears tonight.


    A team of twenty were sent to capture twenty students, but will they return with that twenty or better still, their lives?

 Chapter 333 - 333- Festival 64- Raid on a Rainy Night 3

    The rainfall seemed to have completed its purpose, or at least completed the purpose most had assumed it was.


    Of course, that was waking up the students.


    Most were already on their feet, but a few stragglers were stuck on their beds, ignoring the sound of the rain, the lightning bolts that screamed the skies and the continuous thunderbolts.


    Sleep was important to certain people, as the night was a time of rest.


    Though the rain persisted, they remained asleep, until something else came knocking on their front doors.....or at least, the back ones.


    One such student was Elsie, who had been lying on her bed, asleep and still.


    She was in night shorts and a crop top, and her body was sprawled across the bed, in an uneven, disorderly manner.


    Even with that, her expression was calm, and her breathing was even as she delved easily into sleep.


    This continued for a few more moments until her ears perked up and soon, her body.


    At the same time, a loud thud shook the Hostel''s building, causing her body to tense up as she jumped out of her bed.


    She ran across her room and reached the window where she opened the panel and poked her head out in the rain.


    Another loud thud erupted, its strength lesser than the former.


    With a raised brow, she closed the glass panel of her room and walked back in, a yawn escaping her lips as she stretched her slender figure.


    Her thoughts reeled in slowly.


    ''It sounds like my room neighbour is facing an attack.''


    She looked at the side of her room, where the noise erupted from the next room. Standing silently, her ears twitched from time to time, as if she was inspecting what went on by listening to what was going on.


    ''...she seems to be in control, I don''t hear her breathing getting disorderly or anything....and must especially...''


    Her nose twitched ever so slightly, the familiar, pungent smell reaching deep into her brain forcing creases to form on her scalp.


    ''The smell of death is strong, but none belongs to her.''


    For a few moments, she remained still, her thoughts slowly processing the unfamiliar information her senses kept picking up.


    Her ears acted like antennas and her nose was like a metal detector, detecting changes within the atmosphere with relative ease.


    So, at one point, it didn''t take long for her to lift her head up to the corner of the room and stare deeply at an empty space.


    Her expression was dark, with a frown on her face and her crimson gaze glowing ever so malevolently.


    She couldn''t see them, but she could hear them and, most especially, smell them.


    "Come down."


    She stated as her fists clenched tightly.


    Her gaze jumped to the side of her bed, at the drawer that stood next to it.


    There were gauntlets resting in the space between her bed and the drawer.


    As she took a step forward, a heavy thud echoed across the room, and the area she had been staring at warped as five figures revealed themselves.


    "She saw us?" one asked, a female with a high-pitched tone. She stood in front of the others, their expressions masked by a black face mask.


    "No, this one seems to be a Beastkin. I believe she smelt us."


    "Smelt? A beastkin with a particularly good nose? I thought dogs were the best at that?"


    "Never mind the nose. Didn''t you witness her ears twitching? I believe she heard us."


    One after the other, they approached from the corner of the room, their figures, a dark tint in the quietly peaceful abode.


    Elsie glared at them, her lips curled into a smirk.


    ''they''re all at least at the 8th circle, but I don''t believe these are Non-system users....''


    Her thoughts reeled in as questions popped up one after the other, her confusion growing with each question.


    "Who are you? Why have you come here?"


    She asked.


    "Meaningless question from a girl that''s about to die."


    "I agree. She seems dangerous. The fact alone that she is a beastkin should make us wary.....we should all be careful."


    Another interjected, one that had remained at the back of the group.


    "Oh please, she''s an 8th circle.....and we''re all within Level 80, what could she possibly do?"


    It was difficult, yet at times when one emits energy out of their figure, it becomes gradually easier to learn of their energy levels.


    This was especially so for those who were of equal or lesser levels.


    Elsie could easily whiff out the energy they emitted in the air, and her hair stood on end on realizing their energy level.


    Five level 80s stood in her presence, their aggression towards her ever so palpable.


    What could she do against five others of the same level as her?


    Well, one would have to find out.


    With a sigh, Elsie took a step back, her energy slowly emitting from her body.


    "so, none of you will tell me what you want from me?"


    The five figures remained silent, one rushing forward in the next second as he replied.


    "you will find out after you die."


    Like a breeze, his figure appeared next to Elsie, a surge of mana emitting from his body as a katana swung through the air, its blade forming a crescent arc in the night.


    Elsie easily dodged, tilting her body backwards as the sword sliced past her.


    The man swung his foot up and aimed a kick for her back when she spun around and grabbed onto his incoming feet.


    The force pushed her into the air, forcing her body to spin horizontally while she landed a few feet away.


    "Funny you should mention that."


    She muttered as an outburst of crimson mana erupted from her body.


    It surged through, her gaze glowing pitch red in the darkness as her body lunged out like a bullet.


    The man was caught back by surprise as he stepped back, two of his counterparts joining in from the sides nearly immediately.


    One held a chain and the other a shield as she rushed against them.


    Her body smashed into the incoming shield, an eruption of sound occurring as a loud thud occurred on landing.


    She growled, her fangs emitting out of her mouth as she grabbed onto the shield and pulled it up with the man, swinging him against the wall of her room.


    Just as she did so, a thin metal line caught the corner of her peripheral vision as she traced it, the spinning motion of the line taking her full attention.


    Her body spun with the movement, the sound of metal clicking as the line wrapped around her and nearly clung to her skin.


    By the time the line grew taut and threatened to wrap her tightly, she had pounced into the air, her crimson gaze recognizing the object.


    ''Chain?'' She thought as she landed on all four, her gaze etched on the encroaching figures.


    "Whew....this one seems tough."


    One of the masked figures stated as he approached the one on the chain.


    "She even avoided your chain and shield combo, what do we do now?"


    Another asked as they readied themselves and their weapons for the second bout.


    "Obviously, we charge in again."


    The one behind stated as the four figures charged at Elsie, each following a different route.


    While two ran through the sides, one ran straight up and the other from above, all intending to close in on her and encircle her into a corner.


    Elsie observed their actions readily, watching their movements like a hawk. And soon, closed the distance between them, a heartbeat away from reaching her, when a dark, ominous energy crept out of her skin.


    It moulded into a ball in her chest before exploding out in a dark, vicious shadow-like form, causing the four figures to retreat instantly in panic.


    "What was that?!"


    One cried out as they looked around in shock, the darkness creeping throughout the room and enveloping what little light had permeated the room.


    "It''s spreading! The darkness is spreading?!" Another cried out in shock, their fear and shock palpable when one of them shifted his head to Elsie.


    "The beastkin! She''s gone! Where is she?!"


    She cried out when a subtle, yet dumbfounding darkness suddenly absorbed her sight, plunging her into a world of nothingness.


    Silence descended in the room, their bodies tense as they remained fixed on their spot.


    Nothing was in sight for them. Not the walls, not the beds, not the floors and especially not each other.


    It was like each had been plunged into a world of silence, yet, the subtle rattling of the bed, the ticking of the clock, the shifting of their movement as they stepped on the floor. Each and everyone was more than palpable; it was realistic.


    Serving as a reminder that they were, in fact, in their target''s room.


    "Now them."


    A voice echoed in their ears, resounding louder with a lingering pitch that nearly sent them panicking in fear.


    They shifted on the spot, their confusion adamant in their action.


    "Whe¨CWhere are you?!"


    "Show yourself you mutt! Stupid beast!"


    Another cried out, their footsteps echoing as they made short steps back, unconsciously encircling one another until their backs struck each other.


    "G¨CGale?! Is that you?!"


    "Be¨CBerthy??!"


    "Be quiet, you fools! You will give out her name!"


    "So¨CSorry, Boss."


    The female replied, her eyes constantly blinking as if attempting to perceive the things around her with her vision.


    "Wha¨CWhat do we do? We can''t see anything?!"


    One asked, the tension and fear etched in his voice.


    "You can''t, but I can."


    The voice, familiar yet strange, sent a chill down their spines as their bodies acted instantly.


    Attempting to get at the girl who had somehow made her way behind them, but it was too late.


    The sound of flesh ripping projected in the air as a gust of blood erupted like a fountain.


    The sound of falling liquid reached their ears, sending the group of masked figures into a state of shock as their bodies froze midstep.


    A light thud echoed, causing the group of masked figures to glance down at the source, their tension palpable.


    A cold, low voice shook their ears at that very moment, sending waves of panic through their system.


    "One down."

 Chapter 334 - 334- Festival 65- Raid on a Rainy Night 4

    The female shrieked, her body shuddering as she took quick steps backwards, tripping over herself and hesitantly rushing backwards as her gaze lingered at the object that had rolled next to her foot.


    With a sudden movement,.the others were quick to act, one suddenly rushing forward as a bright light sparked between his palms.


    "Enough, you mongrel! My mana has charged up!"


    He proclaimed as a brilliant light ignited the darkness, sparkling their vision back to normal.


    "Master Skill! Nascent Glow!"


    He proclaimed, a glow of light erupting from the darkness, driving it away from the room.


    For a moment, their visions returned, and their heads spun about in search of their target.


    One of the males tripped over and fell clumsily, his head tilting at the object that stood in his way.


    "Shi¨CShit! She''s killed Rilo! She''s killed Rilo!"


    He screamed out as he stood back up in haste, his head spinning to the left when a sudden shift in the air pulled his attention.


    A loud growl pierced the air as Elsie jumped into the lightened area, her body a whisp in the air as she lunged towards the man who cast the skill.


    Her Claes emerged, her body slowly tensing from the volume of mana that poured out of her body.


    "Dark Wolf Technique! Semi-shift!"


    An ability that enabled her to take the form of a human while her characteristics of a Wolf are amplified twice as much as normal.


    However, the overall effect was half of what she would achieve with a full shift.


    Her body was swift, and her movements precise.


    She emerged into the light in the blink of an eye while the masked figures still focused on recovering themselves.


    By the time they noticed her, she had already closed the distance between them and the man who summoned the skill.


    "You''re a Healer right?! You''re the most annoying here!"


    Just before she could land her claws on him, one of the males charged forward, a burst of energy erupting from his body.


    "Protect the Healer!"


    He announced as his body slammed against Elsie, a slight groan emanating from her lips as she smashed into the walls.


    She shook her head, a wind tide suddenly forming in the room as she looked up at the sight.


    "Master Skill! Rippling Winds!"


    The female proclaimed, a burst of green mana forming on her palm as it shot out as a blast of wind.


    Elsie groaned, her body suddenly submerged into the wall, and the traces of darkness that remained from the glow of the light upon the furniture of her room.


    She submerged into the darkness, pulling her entire being with her, temporarily removing her presence from the naked eyes.


    "Where is she?!"


    "She phased through the walls!"


    "What is even that?! How is she able to do that?!"


    Their confusion was palpable and understandable. After all, Dark Step was a technique mastered by the Darkpelt tribe. A tribe with an immense affinity for the darkness attribute.


    Elsie might have recently surpassed her limits and gained the ability to control Darkness just like the rest of her family, but that didn''t mean she didn''t learn the techniques.


    Most, if not all, major families had techniques or abilities that were specific to them.


    The Jun household had the Jun Chapters, the Merlin household had the High tier Magic and many other families possessed theirs.


    This was no different for the direct lineage of the Werewolf tribes.


    The Dark Wolf Techniques.


    Elsie ran across the wall in her dark form, moving like a shadow against the surfaces hindering the light.


    She flowed with such speed that the figures weren''t aware of her movement.


    They were completely lost in her sneer, unable


    to truly get out despite the light present.


    With relative ease, she flowed through the wall and arrived at the other end, behind the female. She then lunged with a fluid motion, claws out and fangs bearing down, thirsty for blood.


    The other figures turned around, their bodies screaming in alarm at the danger. They screamed out in protest at the sight, stretching out their arms to warn the female as she slowly turned back as well.


    With widened eyes, the female came face to face with an angered Werewolf, her claws digging into her flesh in the blink of an eye.


    Screams and snarls pierced the air in the next second as slashed her claws across her chest once and then again.


    The force pushed the female''s body backwards as Elsie suddenly increased the intensity and speed, Dark auras emitting from her fingertips.


    Each slash left an ugly laceration on her skin, blood festering out in large amounts as it was repeated again and again, forcing her body into the air.


    Elsie continued, her growls ferocious and her gaze stained with blood as she slashed away at the woman''s chest.


    The others watched in silence, their gazes bulging open at the sight of the silhouette of their target''s body slicing through their partner etched blatantly on the wall.


    ''Wha¨CWhat is this brutality? How dare she?!''


    One thought as he charged forward in quick strides, reaching his hand out to grab Elsie.


    The werebeast glanced at him in a fluid motion, her fingers emerging from the back of the female''s motionless body.


    Their gazes locked, and in the next second, Elsie''s body warped through the air.


    ''Shit!'' He thought as he held his hand upwards to block the incoming attack, but sadly, Elsie rushed past him within that second.


    His body tilted backwards, his head snapping in realization as he attempted to grab onto her.


    ''She''s after the Healer, goddammit!''


    He reached out, his body screaming at him to grab onto her, yet her quick reflexes and movement made it difficult to do so.


    The Healer seemed to have noticed as well, his body tilting backwards and his arm raised in the air as he prepared to shield himself at all costs.


    Luckily, they were not alone.


    The last male who had been standing behind came charging in from the sides, at a blindspot Elsie should not have noticed.


    A sledgehammer came down from the air, held firmly in his grasp, an outburst of mana exuding from his body.


    "die, you mutt!"


    With a swift motion, he slammed the hammer down, attempting to clubber Elsie with the force.


    But Elsie had sighted him from miles away, her nose and ear twitching with each passing second.


    Her body continued to remain active, ready to counterattack any incoming danger as long as she was capable of containing it.


    And so, as the hammer came down, so did her body as it was slowly, yet, quickly absorbed into the shadows.


    ¨CBOOM!!!


    The hammer struck the ground with such force that it shook and vibrated.


    Cracks and bits of stones emerge from the relapse of the force.


    The male looked up and around, his hair standing on end as he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.


    ''Where did she go?!'' He cried out, his gaze darting around as he turned back towards the Healer.


    "Stay close! Without your light, this darkness will eat us up once again.


    The last thing we need is you getting killed."


    He instructed while the latter quickly rushed up to him.


    The other male who had attempted to attack also walked up to them, rounding themselves and facing their backs on one another.


    Now, they have only themselves to win this fight.


    "This was supposed to be a capture. Why has it become a fight with our death on the line?"


    "Our lives were always on the line. We just didn''t know it would be on the line today."


    "Quit your yapping! This bitch is cunning and utilizes the Dark! She''s definitely a Werewolf of the Dark affinity. We can not fall prey to her taunts."


    A cold laughter pierced their ears, their bodies moving about in a quick motion.


    "Where are you?!"


    "Show yourself!"


    They cried out, anger revolving deeply within them, while the lingering sensation of fear remained.


    She was still an entity that could kill them at a moment''s notice.


    One of the males cursed under his breath, a bad taste lingering behind his throat.


    ''It is times like this when we envy the Non-system users....but we will win this.''


    "Why don''t we retreat?" The Healer asked, his tone laced with hesitation, but his question was answered quite abruptly by their target.


    "Retreat? What makes you think I would let you do that? Right now. You either die, or I die...."


    Her voice was a cold hush, one that caused their hair to stand and send a chill down their bones.


    It was a frightening situation for a band of strong men such as themselves, but their opponent had proven difficult to apprehend.


    "Dark Wolf Technique...."


    Her voice causes a stir in their emotions, their swords striking into the air with no apparent target.


    "Dark Clones."


    A figure warped through the air, causing one of the masked men to slash at it.


    A burst of laughter echoed as a result as another image flashed through the air.


    The next male slammed his hammer at it, but another round of laughter burst into the air.


    And yet, another figure flashed into the air, and then another, and another.


    This continuous and spontaneous process occurred again, and again.


    Causing the three men to glance about, their heads spinning in confusion at the multiple warps in their presence.


    "There''s too many!"


    "Shit! Which is the real one?!"


    The male with the sledgehammer clicked his tongue, his arm resting on the hilt of his weapon as his thoughts reeled in.


    ''Forget which is the real one. We don''t even know where the real one is!''


    Suddenly a claw slashed through the healer''s right arm, a pained groan escaping his lips as a splash of blood erupted from the wound.


    He fell to his knee as he held his right arm, or where it was supposed to be.


    The ball of light diminished until it flickered silent while a loud muffled exclamation of pain escaped his lips.


    "My arm!!!"

 Chapter 335 - 335- Festival 66- Raid on a Rainy Night 5

    The other two glanced at him, their confusion and shock etched in their quick movements when the light cut off.


    "Shit! Turn it back on, Healer!"


    "What do you mean, turn it back on? His arm is gone!"


    The last two argued while the Healer whimpered, his body shivering from his arm forcefully pulled out of its socket.


    Now, the darkness they had so depended on was gone, and the swift movement of the clones of their target still lingered in the air.


    Despite their best efforts to stay together and face their target, they were now in utter disorderliness, barely waiting for their death to come knocking on their door.


    A female cackle pierced the air as the second male suddenly let out an ear-piercing scream, the sound of flesh ripping at the same time.


    The Healer suddenly lifted his left arm, the bright light flickering back to life, returning their visions once again.


    One of the other masked males was standing, his shield held out in front of him, and the other was on his knees, holding onto the socket of his left arm.


    Blood spurted out in great amounts as he groaned in pain.


    The other two glanced at each other, the masked male with the shield nodding in satisfaction when a subtle blur in the air took shape right in front of him.


    His eyes bulged open at the sight of flesh and blood spurting out as he watched their target stab her claws into the body of the Healer within a second.


    The Healer''s screams reached him easily as he attempted to slam her away, but his movement seemed to be a fraction too late compared to what she did next.


    A low growl erupted from her mouth as she opened it, revealing two pointed canines that sent a shiver of fear down the Healer''s body.


    She bit it into his neck, impulses surging out from the side of the bite into his body, sending waves of pain to assault his senses.


    The Healer quivered in shock, falling to his knees as she bit out a whole chunk of his flesh, half of his neck gone in the process.


    Blood and flesh splurged into the air, mixing in inhumane contents as it splashed against the ground and the people around them.


    Elsie jumped away from the body in the next second, just as the masked man''s shield slammed against the Healer, sending his body reeling into the air.


    It crashed onto the ground, rolling over until it came to a forceful stop on a table.


    The Healer''s mouth was clouded with blood as a pool of crimson formed around him, his eyes drifting into the welcoming hands of death.


    His eyes were still widened open, shock and pain etched in whatever life was left in his eyes.


    The ball of light dimmed once again, until it turned dark, as his last breath escaped his blocked lungs.


    The last man spun around, his shield placed heavily on his chest.


    His shock was palpable, and the fear etched with his startling movements.


    He whipped around in search of her, his breath shaky from ragged breathing.


    "Co¨CCome out you bitch!"


    He cried out, while his other partner continued to whimper in pain as he stood up.


    "We¨CWe need to sti¨Cick together. We should send a notice to the boss!"


    The masked male with the shield whipped his gaze towards his partner or the source of the voice where he heard from.


    The darkness had descended once again and taken away their sight, and this time, it was there to stay.


    "We can''t even escape her?! How do we notify the others?!"


    He exclaimed while the sounds of movement perched on his ears.


    He tensed up and turned around, swinging his shield with him in a frantic attempt.


    It swung in the air and struck nothing; the force, though, pulled him forward, an inch away from his partner.


    It was at that moment that his entire body screamed at him in dread.


    Whipping his gaze back to the source, something flashed through the air and clung to his partner.


    His gaze blurred, his vision hazy as he blinked repeatedly to get rid of it.


    ''Shit! Shit! What''s happening?!''


    The room was soon filled with the low snarls of an angry Werewolf, not one or even two, but multiple.


    Clone after clone lunged onto his partner''s body, clawing their way onto his skin and biting into his flesh.


    The following noise was his pained-filled cries and choked proclamations as he attempted to fend himself against them.


    The more he resisted, the higher the number of clones that clung to him.


    Of course, the masked male with the shield did not understand what was occurring as his vision was currently useless but the sound more than told him what was going on.


    With a last brutal attempt, he charged towards the noise, a battle cry escaping his lips.


    "Come at me you mutt!"


    At his command, a blur in the air appeared in his midst, Elsie taking root in his presence as she slammed into him with brute force.


    A thud occurred, pushing him back and sending his body into the air.


    He crashed into the ground, Elsie landing next to him and running after his rolling body with all four of her limbs.


    Her body was like a blur in the darkness, completely part of the concept the darkness provided.


    One could often confuse darkness and shadow, and perhaps the night but one must remember that each thrives in the other.


    Shadow thrives in darkness and darkness thrives in the night.


    Though different, with darkness bringing mostly misfortune, when it comes to the concept of that which is opposite of light, all are held accountable.


    This means that the shadows provide a source of darkness for Elsie to control and manipulate to her will.


    All that matters is her energy level present to control only a miniscule of the vast Darkness that plunges the earth.


    The Darkpelt tribe were known for that, and as a direct lineage from the Chieftain, hers was especially potent.


    This made it relatively easy for her to manipulate darkness to a certain extent. One which can be improved with time and training.


    As she made herself subdued into the shadows that were in the darkness, it made her speed and strength relatively higher than those who were as strong as her.


    Making it possible to defeat five of those who were on the same level as her.


    While the former was being devoured by a barrage of Elsie clones, the other was staggering to his feet as he felt a sudden pressure on his neck.


    In a split second, his body was sent into the air and smashed against the hardened floor.


    An eruption of sound and vibrations spread across the impact.


    He coughed up blood when he felt two pools of crimson balls stare deeply into his soul.


    "Who are you people? Are you part of the System Uprisers? Have you come in search of us, Non-System users?"


    However, she had a hunch that the barrage of attacks she heard from all over the school was coming from similar rooms.


    Rooms she may have unknowingly marked out on coming to the Academy.


    ''I wanted to know those who were System Users and Non-system Users at first.


    Simply out of curiosity.....but I guess I should thank myself for doing that.''


    The man coughed out again, blood splashing over Elsie''s face as his bloodied lips curled into a wicked grin.


    "I''d rather die than reveal anything."


    Elsie giggled.


    ''As expected....but, the answers I want. I will get them in the end...''


    Something told her that what was going on was much bigger than just her.


    These were the same set of people that attacked her room neighbour, and she was sure of it.


    Could she prove it? Well, yes, her nose could trace out something that all the masked figures seemed to have.


    "Fine then."


    She said as she pulled him into the air, her hand firmly grasped over his throat as her claws dug into his flesh.


    Blood dribbled down, and pain exploded in his body as he grabbed onto her arm, slamming and striking against it to pull it out.


    He groaned as a burst of mana erupted from his body, surrounding his shield as he pulled it up and attempted to slam it back down.


    His mana erupted into a gust of flames that surrounded his shield, forming a second skin that glowed within the darkness.


    ''Master Skill!...Shield Bash!''


    He said, ready to end it with his last attack but as his shield descended, Elsie''s body began to move.


    The air whipped across his body as he was swung with insane speed, much faster than his intended skill.


    He felt a trembling pain as his body was suddenly slammed against the wall of the room, sending a quake down the wall. His eyes bulged out as he was forced right through like a butter knife.


    She smashed him through the wall of her room and into the hallway, a relative amount of crimson mana ensuing out of her body in the process.


    ''Hah.....I was right next to the wall?''


    He wondered in confusion, his body spinning in slow motion while the grip on his shield loosened.


    "Die then." were the last words he heard before a loud thud occurred as his body slammed against the ground, followed by a quick and powerful snap of the neck.


    His body lay still, his shield still held unto his grip while Elsie slowly stood to her feet.


    At the same time, the darkness within her room vanished, and the clones dispersed into nothing while a carcass of a human body fell to the ground.


    Lumps of flesh and a pool of blood formed around it, holes and bite marks etched on its motionless body.


    She glanced at the glowing shield, her thoughts reeling in as she picked it up.


    ''I didn''t use the gauntlets in the end...''


    She thought as she grabbed onto the shield, the flames standing still without burning her.


    ''I guess his death doesn''t mean his skill gets deactivated?''


    She looked around, her head stopping at the side of her room where a familiar figure stood, a grumpy expression etched on her blood-stained face.


    Elsie chuckled.


    "Hah....you must be Sophie, right?"

 Chapter 336 - 336- Festival 67- Raid on a Rainy Night 6

    A FEW MINUTES AGO.


    Sophie jumped across the ceiling, using her chains as leverage as the Burly man swung his longsword at her in a frantic attempt to get to her.


    She curled around like a serpent, dodging his incoming attacks while the other masked female prepared a spell.


    "Master Skill; Bright Flare."


    Balls of blue flames erupted in the air as they projected towards her, slamming against the roof as she dodged with relative ease.


    "she''s not coming down!"


    "Well, keep at it!"


    The Burly man replied as he suddenly lunged higher into the air, his head reaching the top of the room as he swung his longsword at her.


    She clicked her tongue, jumping over it while pulling onto a chain and rushing past him in a flash.


    She swung the chain through the air, the iron lace tugging onto the neck of the Burly man as she descended to the ground.


    The man''s gaze whipped towards it but before he could attempt to pull it off, Sophie tugged it fiercely, forcing it onto his throat and pulling his body higher into the air.


    He gasped in shock as the chain strangled him, his breath shaking as his body kicked about in the air.


    "You Demon!"


    The other male cried out as he charged out with a katana.


    It swung through the air, Sophie easily dodging it as it swung past her.


    She charged forward, slamming her petite figure into him and pushing him further into the wall of her room with a rugged crash.


    His body smashed against the concrete of the wall, webs of cracks forming and spreading from the impact while Sophie held tightly onto the chain.


    The Burly man continued to struggle in vain in an attempt to set himself free when more blue flames erupted in the air, filling the room quickly with an aqua hue.


    Sophie''s gaze whipped towards the Female, a cold tint etched in her lilac gaze, like that of a hungry predator.


    With one swift movement, she lunged at her, just as soon as the flames projected towards her.


    The female rushed out of the way, dodging as Sophie landed on the spot she once was, a sudden ball of flames striking her at the same time.


    Fumes formed as more landed on the same spot, and Flashes of explosions occurred in the room from the collision.


    The male quickly pulled himself from the wall while the balls of flames struck at her and the female quickly walked up to him.


    By that time, the Burly man had stopped moving as the chains were still tightly taut around his neck.


    ''Till the end, she didn''t let go?''


    The male thought, his body shivering from the thought.


    They headed towards the hole in the wall.


    "We escape?" The female asked.


    "Yes, we escape. What sort of dumb ass question is that?!"


    The male clicked his tongue, ready to jump out together, when something clung tightly against his ankle.


    He tripped and nearly fell over, the female holding onto him as the sensation reached further and grabbed his leg.


    He glanced at the female in confusion and they turned back in unison, their bodies flinching at the sight before them.


    Their two comrades'' dead bodies had fallen to the ground and both seemed to have crawled towards them.


    Their flesh peeling as a lilac energy erupted from the depths of their bodies.


    It exudes as lilac energy waves, their once soulless eyes now filled with the same violet light.


    "Th¨CIs this what I think?!"


    The female asked, her shock palpable as the skeletons of the two bodies peeled out of their skin while they climbed onto the bodies of the last two survivors.


    "Forget it!"


    The male screamed as he kicked at the skeleton, the rackety man of bones easily breaking off from their climb.


    He did the same to the other and grabbed the female as they jumped out of the hole in unison.


    "Where are you going?"


    The rattling of chains pierced their ears as it suddenly shot out of the hole towards the two figures.


    It reached for their necks, wrapping around it as it was pulled taunt by Sophie.


    Their bodies stopped mid-air, their voices choked by the chains as they slammed against the wall of the Hostel.


    They cried out in protest, their words coming out as choked noises while they attempted to pull it away with their arms.


    At the same time, Sophie stood behind the hole, her purple gaze on the perpetrators of her interrupted sleep.


    She pulled the chains with relative ease, pulling the two figures back into her room in the process.


    "The nerve of these bastards..."


    She cursed as she pulled it with a single swoop, causing their bodies to plunge into the air and back into her room.


    She swung the chain back and sent their bodies smashing into the walls at the other end of her room.


    Her thoughts reeled in.


    "Who gave you the right to disturb me? Come into my happy place and destroy it? Were you two sent on a suicide mission? Because you chose the wrong day for that."


    She tugged her chain, pulling their bodies away from the wall and back to the floor.


    "Now, how do I punish you lot?" She asked, her voice laced with displeasure, rage and growing fatigue.


    She yawned, as she stumped her feet on the female''s feet, the sounds of bones crushing echoing in the process.


    She screamed out in protest, her lament quickly shut off as Sophie smashed her fist against the back of her head.


    -POW!


    Blood splattered as it smashed into the ground from the impact.


    The male''s eyes widened in shock at the sight as he suddenly kicked his body frantically in an attempt to escape.


    ''What was that sound? From her head??! Did she just smash her head open with just her fist?! What the fuck?!''


    His head was in overdrive, his thoughts trying to whip out an escape plan.


    But Sophie''s sudden thug on the chain caused all that to cease in a second.


    His body was swung into the air towards her.


    She stretched her arm and grabbed onto his neck and in a fluid motion, slammed his body into the ground.


    His body froze in place, the shock of the impact and the running blood from the back of his head snapping him back to reality.


    His eyes wavered, his mouth quivering as he said.


    "Wa¨CWait! Let me¨Cme, let me tell you why we are here! Do¨CDon''t you want to know why we were targeted?! This is important information!"


    Sophie tilted her head in confusion.


    "Do you think I cared about you coming here to attack me? No, no no, you fool."


    Her condescending stare sent a shiver down his spine, his mouth hung open for a quick breath.


    "Just, next time you want to attack me.....don''t do it when I''m asleep."


    She tilted her arm, dark mana erupting out of her body as she smashed her fist into his chest, the sound of flesh and bone grinding under her fist projecting into the night.


    The man cried out from the pain, the irresistible urge to end his life himself crawling into his brain.


    Sophie''s fist suddenly smashed straight through his skin into his body, as she went for his heart.


    Her gaze slowly met the masked man''s, one of her arms squeezing into his heart while the other went for the mask.


    As she pressed onto it tightly, she pulled out the mask, her lips curling into a mad grin at the sight of the agony on his face.


    His eyes twitched, his lips quivered and blood oozed out from his mouth as he held onto Sophie''s right arm, trying to pull it away in a futile attempt.


    "in your next life. Try not to wake me up."


    She squeezed tighter until his heart popped like a balloon, blood and organs splashing within his body.


    His body came to a stop and she slowly stood up, pulling her arm out at the same time.


    Silence filled the room once again, the stench of blood filling her nostrils as the wind from the hole in her room permeated without restraints.


    ''Finally, some peace....though...''


    Glancing back at her bed, a shirt sigh escaped her lips.


    ''...I can''t sleep here tonight....''


    She glanced outside, through the hole on the wall.


    ''and this rain....and the attack...it seems there are others...''


    She sighed as she took slow steps towards her door, her head tilting when a loud explosion caught her attention.


    Her gaze shifted to the room next to hers.


    ''Oh....doesn''t that room belong to that wolf girl?''


    As she opened her door, she felt a sudden vibration and then an eruption of sound as rock and concrete flew around while two figures emerged from the room next to hers into the Hallway.


    She raised a brow at the sight, watching quietly as the girl ended the life of another masked figure.


    A few moments passed and the girl turned towards her while holding a glowing, fiery shield.


    ''Oh?'' Sophie thought as their eyes met the contact. The girl blinked once before piercing the silence with her question.


    "Hah....you must be Sophie, right?"


    Sophie nodded silently.


    "And you''re the beast girl, Elsie, huh?"


    Elsie nodded in reply.


    They glanced at each other for a few moments before a sudden vibration caught them off guard.


    Their eyes bulged open as they glanced at the next room after Sophie, a familiar angered voice piercing their ears with powerful intent as they said.


    "High-tier 7th Spell!"

 Chapter 337 - 337- Festival 68- Raid on a Rainy Night 7

    "High tier 8th Spell!"


    A sudden shockwave shut out from the walls of the wall, a blast of energy occurring with it.


    The two females stood with their guards up, their fists in the air as if taking cover for what was to come.


    "Mystic Flames!"


    The familiar tone was pitched with an angered evil as a sudden fiery explosion blasted the walls of the room into smithereens, five figures blasting out of the room with it.


    The five figures smashed into the other wall of the Hallway, their charred bodies falling to a crust, crashing against the floor.


    The blast of the flames lingered as flames surged out of her room, spreading like cancer around the burnt-down concrete rumble.


    Elsie stood in shock, her eyes widened when she met gazes with Sophie.


    It seemed like the latter was just as surprised as her, though her expression masked that surprise.


    Just then, a figure floated out from the charred pieces of the room, cracked concrete falling to the ground in her presence.


    Her crimson gaze, similar to Elsie''s yet missing that beast slit pupil that Elsie possessed, glowed with fury.


    Her head whipped towards the two girls, causing both to flinch at the spot. However, it was mostly due to surprise rather than fear.


    Elsie especially had always known that Ciara Merlin was a room away, though her expectations didn''t lead her to think she would also be attacked.


    ''What am I saying? She''s a member of the Great Family...''


    She thought as she looked away, a small sigh escaping her lips.


    ''.....then my theory must be accurate.''


    The three girls stared at one another for a few moments, their expressions masked by indifference.


    Ciara tilted her head, her gaze shifting between Sophie and Elsie as her lips pursed out as she attempted to speak.


    "What''s going on?!"


    "Fire?! There''s a fire in the hostel!"


    Female voices pierced the air, cutting her off as she looked around.


    "I will handle the flames. Stay away from it."


    She announced, though, that the startled room neighbours had something else to say about it.


    The hallway was located on the third floor, which was the second to the highest floor.


    Most of the girls below and above should have been aware of the conflict that underwent in their fellow classmates'' rooms.


    And that instilled fear in most of them. After all, a fight of that proportion wasn''t one most students in Class One could face.


    A few moments in, Ciara began to recall the lingering flames.


    It flowed towards her like a stream, compressing into two balls that floated beside her until all of it was gone.


    With that, the confusion from the incoming room neighbours was solved a little at a time.


    Elsie glanced around carefully, her nose and ears twitching ever so slightly as her thoughts reeled in.


    ''There are about ten to fifteen girls in this Hallway...they must be confused about what is going on...''


    And just as she said, most were.


    As the three girls slowly came together, so did many others who had found the courage to step out of their rooms.


    Most were classmates from the Silver and Bronze Arm but one figure stood behind the group, her gaze lingering on Elsie was a classmate from the Gold Arm.


    Ciara slowly floated down, her arms folded as she said.


    "Elsie Darkpelt, right?"


    Elsie nodded. "yes, Ciara....and this, do you know her?"


    She asked, tilting her head towards Sophie.


    "Sophie?"


    Ciara asked as she glanced at Sophie as well.


    The petite girl nodded in reply, her sour expression etched on her face.


    Sophie frowned deeper and turned towards the charred bodies at the other end of the Hallway.


    "I''m guessing you were attacked too?"


    Ciara and Elsie glanced at it in unison while the other girls slowly looked around to hear the question.


    An attack in the Hostel, something that had been thought to be impossible had been proven yet again on this rainy night. And the girls were not pleased by the thought.


    They slowly formed small gist groups as they inspected the area, unconsciously giving room for the three girls to converse.


    "Yes, they did.....on a night like this where I could have gotten enough sleep."


    Ciara replied, her tone laced with annoyance.


    Sophie turned towards her, nodding her head approvingly.


    "I agree."


    Elsie though, tilted her head a bit, her ears perking up.


    "not a morning person?" She asked.


    Ciara and Sophie clicked their tongues in unison, turning towards her as they nodded to her question.


    "It''s not even morning! It''s late at night! I could have gotten so much sleep by now."


    Ciara replied with a bitter tone in her voice.


    "it gets worse.....the fight I had destroyed my bed. Those idiots have not only disturbed my sleep but also ruined my precious bed!"


    "Yes, I agree as well. My room isn''t even usable after that explosion."


    The girls sighed in unison, Elsie giggling inwardly at the sight.


    ''but you two are mostly the cause of that.''


    She thought as her gaze drifted back to her room, her expression turning grim.


    "I believe they were after us for a reason, dead or alive but I couldn''t get enough information out of them."


    "It''s not just the reason. We need to know how they attacked so specifically..."


    Ciara interjected while Sophie shrugged.


    "Isn''t it obvious?" She asked.


    Turning towards the other females around them and their classmate, Tiffany Rudia, who walked towards them, Ciara''s lips curled into a frown.


    "They were after Non-system users? And from my guess, they got our room numbers from the System Uprisers..." Ciara replied.


    Sophie shrugged again while Elsie nodded.


    Tiffany had joined them by now, bowing as soon as they noticed her.


    "E¨CExcuse me..." She said,


    "Tiffany? I didn''t know you stayed on the same floor as me."


    Elsie commented with a smile, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''Well, I mostly paid attention to those two so I didn''t actually notice her.''


    "Oh, that''s alright. I think we should get down to the ground floor where the lecturer in charge of the female side is waiting.


    You girls can report what...."


    She glanced around once. "....happened here."


    "yes, we could....but what can they do about it, that we can''t?"


    Sophie asked with a hushed tone.


    "Yeah, if they''re truly after Non-system users, then they might go after others that we know."


    Elsie interjected. "....and there''s nothing much the Lecturers can do if they launch a surprise attack as they did with us.


    We should go check the others for ourselves.....especially since....I know all their rooms"


    Sophie flinched as she turned towards Elsie, the others doing the same with suspicious gazes.


    "How do you know that?"


    Elsie looked away for a moment, her thoughts reeling in as she shrugged. "I can''t smell them." She replied.


    The others slowly glanced away; their suspicions, though they lingered, died down slowly, as Sophie said. "...true."


    "So others like Alicia Berry?" Tiffany asked while Elsie nodded.


    "There''s Tiara and Mariam as well. And others are liable to get attacked tonight so we should check on their safety."


    The others were Non-System users who had an inkling of doubt that they wouldn''t be strong enough to fend against the attackers.


    Perhaps they may fight till backup arrives, but ensuring a clear victory would be difficult, if possible at all, for them.


    The girls remained silent for a few moments, contemplating their thoughts when Tiffany found something odd.


    "So, you guys aren''t going to check the others? Just Non-system users?"


    The trio glanced at each other as if confirming their response.


    "Those masked figures wanted us dead or alive....and they didn''t attack anyone on this floor other than the three of us.


    I believe it''s safe to assume so."


    Ciara replied when Sophie walked past the group.


    The girls glanced down as she walked past them. They watched her walk back into her room and walk back out with her weapon clung tightly to her grasp.


    A scythe with a short handle attached to an infinite-expanding chain which was attached on the other end to a spiked mace.


    "So we''re working together to take them down right? Let''s hurry and do so.....I still have to catch up on my sleep..."


    She yawned tiredly, stretching her limbs in the process.


    "And I won''t get sleep if these things keep happening around."


    Tiffany watched in silence as Elsie nodded and walked back into her room as well.


    Soon, she walked back out, both of her battle gauntlets held with her left hand while she fiddled with the fiery shield.


    She stared at it for a moment and turned towards Tiffany.


    "Here, use this..."


    Tiffany flinched for a moment when she suddenly passed the shield, surprise etched on her face om noticing the flames didn''t affect her.


    "Is this alchemy?" She asked in amazement.


    "Um, no..." Elsie replied as she put on her battle gloves, its metal nature glistening with the night air. "It was one of the masked figures but he couldn''t use it in the end. I''m guessing it''s a skill that doesn''t deactivate even after their death."


    "There are skills like that?" Ciara asked in surprise, walking towards Tiffany as she placed her arm on the shield.


    Her reaction was just as startled as Tiffany''s, though with a layer of intrigue.


    "These....skills that come with being a System user must come in handy.."


    Tiffany chuckled shyly. "You would think so..."


    However, she thought differently.


    ''Skills don''t compare to the family techniques passed down within Non-system families....especially the great ones..''


    A sigh escaped her lips.


    Sophie''s chain suddenly struck the ground with a heavy thud, sending a vibration through the ground.


    It startled the girls present, all who were present as they turned towards her.


    She glanced at Elsie as she swung her mace, a glint of excitement sparkling in her eyes.


    "Let''s go hunt down some creeps."

 Chapter 338 - 338- Festival 69- Raid on a Rainy Night 8

    While conflict ensued in both the female and male sides of most of the Academy Hostels, one was threatening to brew in a different location.


    On a rainy night, the moon''s glow cascaded down the heavy dark clouds of the night while thunder shuddered across the expanse of the skies.


    Lightning streamed through it in the symphony; the Head of the attackers remained holed up in the Pipeline.


    At the same location as where the Portal had been opened, masked figures could be seen walking about while a large imprint of an orb floated in the middle.


    It exuded blue mana and flickered with speckles of blue light, cascading a blue hue on the walls of the Pipeline.


    On the orb were different wavelengths representing the various members and groups within the attackers.


    Led by the three figures who stood around the ball, all with their arms folded, their expressions were laced with confusion and suppressed rage.


    Nicho had his attention on a particular small wave that had been blinking in front of the orb.


    It suddenly cut off, and his expression grew darker.


    "Why are they dying like flies?"


    He whipped his head towards the next man, a large figure that had first stepped past the Portal.


    "I do not know, Rhakar, but this is something that I find hard to believe.....we may have sent the smaller fries, but they are no easy feat themselves."


    The male replied while Mila giggled beside them.


    "It doesn''t matter if they are the small fries or the biggest ones. We are losing, and we are losing terribly."


    "Yes, I see that."


    Nicho muttered with an annoyed tone in his voice as he glanced at her, shaking his head and looking away.


    "It doesn''t make sense. Were all the Non-System users threats?"


    They remained silent for a moment, Mila slowly casting a glance at Katherin who walked into the space.


    "Excuse me....we''re about to proceed with that..."


    Mila tilted her head.


    "Have you already set those explosives in place?"


    Katherin giggled as she folded her hands to get next to them.


    She glanced at the orb as well as she nodded in reply.


    "Yes, we have. I believe the explosives will take most of the minds of the Lecturers away from the students.....especially if they don''t want a fire spreading."


    "Are you dumb?" Mila whipped her head towards her. "Did you not see that rain? I don''t know who came up with that, but most of the students woke up to that disturbance....and it will get in the way of the flames."


    "Well, the explosion should be large enough to start a flame that wouldn''t be so easily quenched."


    "Hah, what a dumb thing to say. Is this how you''ve been leading your Cult? Through dumb ideas?"


    "What?" Katherin took a step forward, her gaze narrowed in rage when Mila closed the gap between them in a fluid motion.


    Within a blink of an eye, her arm was on Katherin''s shoulder, and her katana was placed neatly across her neck.


    Katherin flinched in shock, her pupils dilated as they shifted towards the blade placed on her neck. She bit on her lip, her anger palpable, yet she remained still. Fixed on the spot.


    "You wanna fight?" Mila asked. "Cause I''ll give you one."


    Nicho turned towards the women with a sigh.


    He grabbed them apart in the next few seconds, his voice low and husky.


    "Focus on the task at hand you two. You can fight after we''ve accomplished our task for the night."


    He sighed again as he walked back to his former position, arms folded when he noticed another wave disappear.


    He frowned bitterly.


    "What is going on? Do we need to send more people?" He asked.


    "I do not know if that is the best idea....after all, we have yet to send people to the other targets from the higher classes."


    Nicho remained silent while Mila and Katherin glared at each other.


    The former walked towards her partner after a smirk formed on her face.


    "Are you scared they won''t be able to face the Non-system users from the higher classes?"


    Nicho glanced at her, shook his head and turned back.


    "My men are from the north....but even the higher, more experienced Non-system users may give me a headache..."


    "Yes, I can assume."


    Mila said an image of the scenery she experienced during the fight between Nicho and the Student President.


    "So, what do you say? Those students that we went for must be tough to beat since they''re killing your men. Why not send the stronger ones....."


    "It will take too much time!"


    Nicho interjected, his thoughts reeling in as he clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    He tilted his head one moment at a time, figuring out a solution from the information processed in his brain.


    ''Should I go down myself? I wanted to ensure the Portal stayed open....so I have to remain here.''


    He flashed his gaze to the side where the mirror Portal stood.


    A few more come through every few seconds.


    Mila watched in silence until a sigh escaped her lips as it curled into a grin.


    "How many have you lost?" She asked.


    The large man glanced at her and replied.


    "About twenty-six...and counting. Some seem injured as their wave patterns are a lot weaker than the healthier ones."


    "I see."


    Mila tilted her head for a moment, her gaze flickering between the orb and Nicho.


    "....send more. You have men from level 90, right?" She asked.


    Nicho glanced at his subordinate and then turned behind.


    There, groups of seven were formed, led by another man of worthy build.


    He nodded silently.


    "You want to go down yourself?"


    Mila giggled in response. "Was that obvious?"


    "You''ve been itching for a fight...."


    He glanced at Katherin and then at her.


    "And it will help both the Red Peacemakers and the System Uprisers once we get the twenty."


    Mila stared at him for a while longer.


    "Don''t you think we should go to the other classes? Class two and three have some especially high number of Non-system users....:


    She glanced at Katherin.


    "...according to our source that is."


    Nicho raised a brow, his gaze landing back at Katherin. A frown formed on his face as he looked away.


    ''Hah.....where we set up?''


    He wondered as he nodded his head.


    "Yes, you can borrow my men for now. Do what you think is best for this operation."


    Mila''s grin widened in satisfaction, akin to a devil who just made a contract with a naive human.


    "Good."


    She looked up at the large man.


    "Morris was it? Come with me. And bring everyone from the 90th level above."


    She turned around towards the exit, her shoulders grazing against Katherin in the process.


    "We need to be smart and quick....so I suggest you begin with those explosives, Katherin."


    Katherin turned away, sighing heavily.


    ''How dare her?'' She thought as she watched the masked figures slowly step out of the opening.


    One after the other, emptying the room to much of her surprise.


    For a few seconds, she simply stood and watched until the last figure stepped out.


    Then, for a few more, she glanced back at Nicho and then turned around towards the door, though she was stopped mid-step by a sudden chilling voice.


    "Katherin."


    She froze midstep, her body suddenly screaming at her from dread. But in that dilemma, she readied herself and turned around to the source. Where Nicho stood with his gaze on her.


    "Yes?" She replied.


    Nicho remained silent for a moment, then spoke out.


    "It seems like the room numbers you gave us belonged to strong fighters."


    She laughed out, attempting to hide her nervousness within.


    "Of course. There are strong fighters even within the Class One class. All of whom are Non-system users, suitable for your cause."


    He remained silent, his head tilting to the sides and his gaze narrowing.


    His expression caused her to shiver in fear, her gaze darting about while she tensed her body in protest of the imaginary cold that seemed to assault her.


    ''We¨CWe did nothing wrong! They asked for Non-system users! And we gave them Non-System users! We did absolutely nothing wrong!''


    Her gaze locked onto his, and her chest suddenly grew tighter, as if the last air within her lungs were squeezed out of her.


    Her thoughts lined up, trying to make comfort of the situation.


    ''...so why does it feel like I''ve been caught?''


    "Katherin."


    The familiar voice broke the tension in a heartbeat as Nicho and Katherin turned to the door, their attention on a familiar aqua-haired female.


    "Rudia?" Katherin called out in pleasant surprise. A chuckle escaped her lips as she continued towards the exit.


    "We will begin the explosions then, Nicho. Continue to watch over the scene."


    Without turning back, she walked out, Rudia glancing at Nicho before following after her.


    Katheirn''s thoughts reeled in as she did so.


    ''I''ve come too far to let someone stop me now....and besides. In the end, I gave them the rooms to the Non-System users.''


    Nicho watched in silence, an annoyed groan escaping his lips as he turned away.


    He pulled out an object from his pocket at the same time, an artefact that was yet to be distributed in society.


    Nicho glanced at it in awe, nodding briefly in satisfaction at the magic engineering of the piece of artwork.


    It was a round, cellular-like device, with intricate patterns and designs of engineering that let it slide open.


    He did so and tapped it, a voice projecting into the air from the object.


    "What is it now, Nicho?"


    It was Mila''s.


    "Change of Plans."


    "Oh? What now?"


    Nicho paused for a moment but then continued, his tone dripped with venom, and a grin plastered on his face.


    "Attack everyone on sight."

 Chapter 339 - 339- Festival 70- Raid on a Rainy Night 9

    In the dark hallways of the Class One Hostels, footsteps echoed across the walls of the spacious construct.


    The sound of raindrops striking the walls and the thunderclaps that came with the streams of lightning persisted, remaining a forever canvas to the scene unfolding.


    The moon''s luminance still stood in its glory, cascading down the heavy clouds, serving as a form of semblance for all.


    While the light was unable to reach the hallways, the magical lamps which floated just below the roof served its purpose to the letter.


    Providing an ambient source of light for the girls who rushed down to the next floor.


    With Elsie in front, the others followed suit, their expressions indifferent as they trailed their steps to the staircase.


    On getting there, Elsie stopped abruptly causing the others to take a step back in surprise.


    They turned their gazes towards her as some protested with exclamations while Sophie and Ciara walked next to her.


    "Why did you sto¨C"


    Ciara stopped mid-sentence as her eyes narrowed down at the scene before her.


    In turn, Sophie giggled as she said.


    "This....is probably the work of the Mermaid girl, isn''t it?"


    Down the stairs to the second floor was a pool of water, large enough to fill the entirety of the floor. Yet, it remained stagnant, staying only on that floor.


    This precise control of water was something impossible to achieve for a human, and that brought up their conclusion easily.


    "Mariam was attacked as well..."


    Elsie muttered.


    "And then there''s Tiara. We really ought to hurry, Mariam and Tiara are both at the 7th circle. It''ll be difficult to defeat five opponents, a circle higher."


    "Agreed..."


    Ciara said with a sigh as she took a step forward.


    Descending towards the first flight of stairs and reaching the second where the water stopped, she placed her hand into the blue liquid.


    The other girls glanced at the sight, their surprise palpable while Tiffany watched in silence, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''....After today, the Non-system users might be viewed in a different light.''


    Ciara sighed as mana slowly seeped out of her body, an outward flow of it reaching her palm as her wand formed mid-air.


    She grabbed onto it and pointed it at the water with her other arm as the pool of water began to twirl.


    The sound of rushing water echoed against the walls of the second floor, filling into a small ball in her palm.


    In seconds, the water began to decrease, twirling and rushing like flowing water down a lake to a waterfall.


    It soon reached a minute and then several minutes, but with patience and a steady supply of mana, the water was absorbed into a small ball.


    Elsie and the others descended with careful steps, stopping next to Ciara.


    Her gaze was etched on the small ball of water and so was Sophie''s.


    "How do you fit so much water into that ball?"


    Sophie asked, and from the other girls'' expressions, Ciara could tell they were curious.


    Her brows furrowed as she unconsciously stepped back. Her shoulders shrugged a bit, before she blinked, looked away and then turned towards them in one motion.


    She sighed.


    "Um, it''s just....mana convergence and size distribution. We will be taught later in the Academy."


    "Ohhhh..." some girls chorused as Ciara looked away, taking a step down to the second floor.


    A light tap echoed as she landed, her slippers striking against the traces of water that remained.


    "What now?" Sophie asked.


    "Well, I had an idea...." Tiffany interjected as she descended the stairs.


    "Why don''t you three go check for Tiara and Mariam....and Alicia as well, if you don''t mind.


    We''ll go over to the ground floor so we won''t be in your way if a fight breaks out."


    Tiffany was an Alchemist, someone who had intricate knowledge and a continuously active mind.


    It was easy to read the room for her and tell who wasn''t important in a time like this.


    Taking up the temporary leadership position to give tasks was an easy thing for her, and knowing where their positions lie helped her in making those decisions.


    Sophie and Ciara nodded in unison while Elsie tilted her head.


    "you have a point and you have the shield. Just strike it on the enemy if you encounter one."


    Tiffany nodded.


    With that, the girls separated.


    Sophie, Ciara and Elsie headed towards Mariam''s room while Tiffany led the others to the ground floor.


    As they headed towards Mariam''s room, Elsie occasionally glanced at the doors, her ears and nose twitching at each passing moment.


    "I don''t smell anyone else. You think she was able to do that without alerting her flatmates first?"


    "I think she did. Knowing Mariam, she would never have done something like that without confirming the safety of the others...."


    Ciara replied.


    The three remained silent after that, rushing towards their target, across the Hallway.


    Just like the former, this Hallway was also endowed with Magical lamps. And they shone brightly despite the load of water from before....though, they were tools that turned on automatically in the dark.


    A few seconds later, they stopped at a door; Elsie attempted to push the door open when a force held it closed.


    Ciara glanced at Sophie while Elsie raised a brow.


    She groaned as she pushed it with much force, causing it to push in while a rush of water splashed on the trio. It closed right after.


    The three girls stared blankly, water dripping down their hair, faces and nightwear.


    Slowly, it grew darker and Sophie slowly tapped Elsie back.


    Elsie complied and gave way for the petite female as she spun her mace around.


    ''That mermaid girl better be safe! So I can kill her!''


    She groaned lightly as she swung her mace on the door, a blast of mana bursting the door open as the girls dispersed in a matter of seconds.


    Immediately a large amount of water burst out from the door, slamming against the walls of the Hallway and rushing across the sides in great amounts.


    The three girls had safely reached the ceiling, besides the rush of water.


    Elsie clawed herself, Sophie used her chains and scythe to attack herself and Ciara simply levitated.


    They watched the pool of water rush out in seconds, emptying out the room''s contents with it and familiar-looking black figures.


    Elsie''s gaze narrowed as she whiffed the air.


    ''Somethings gone....''


    She thought, her eyes peeled on the door.


    ''....one....two.....three....''


    After the last figure was spilt out, the water came to a still.


    The girls landed immediately and walked in, Ciara grabbing a lamp with her as they did so.


    "Only three bodies flowed out."


    Elsie said.


    "I noticed...."


    "So did I..."


    As they walked into the room, or what was left of it, their breathing caught.


    They glanced around for a bit, taking separate parts within the room.


    Ciara glanced around for a bit until she looked up, narrowing her eyes when she noticed glitters.


    ''Traces of magic....'' She said, floating into the air in the process. ''....it''s a return scroll...''


    She said as she tapped it, a magical circle forming from the glitter of mana.


    Elsie and Sophie walked towards her, Sophie sniffing the air as a sigh escaped her lips.


    "She was captured."


    "Well, that''s not good. And if she was, then Alicia and Tiara wouldn''t be any different...."


    They remained silent for a moment, Ciara slowly descending as she placed her finger on her chin.


    "You said you knew the other room numbers right?"


    Mariam flinched, her gaze darting about.


    "Hah, Hah, yeah, I do."


    "Then go check the others, and you too, Sophie."


    Sophie raised a brow in curiosity.


    "What do we do, though? They''ve most likely been captured by now. Shouldn''t we return to the Lecturers and let them know?"


    Elsie and Ciara glanced at her for a moment, then themselves before Elsie giggled lightly.


    "The Lecturers won''t be quick to act....and from the looks of things, they have their hands tied. Let''s do it because we can....we''re strong enough."


    She explained, her thoughts reeling in as well.


    ''You especially, Sophie. I can''t read her mana level despite being an 8th circle....that can only mean she''s either a circle or two higher than me.....why is someone as strong as her trying to hide her powers?''


    Sophie shrugged.


    "Alright, we''ll do that then."


    She turned around to leave, Elsie walking after her soon later.


    She waved at Ciara as they left, leading Sophie left of Mariam''s room.


    Ciara watched in silence until she heard a thump.


    Her body jerked as she spun around, pointing her wand forward in a frenzy.


    "Who''s there?!"


    She wasn''t one to get frightened in the face of enemies, but startlement was a different case.


    Her eyes bulged open as she stared at the window.


    A male stared at her from the locked glass panel of the window. His crimson gaze acted as pools of fire while his body was drenched in the rain.


    His expression was dreary, and his features familiar.


    She dropped her wand as she tilted her.


    "Louis?"

 Chapter 340 - 340- Festival 71- Raid on a Rainy Night 10

    The girl''s side of the Class One Hostel wasn''t the only side having drama with masked figures, as they were a bunch of males who were having issues of their own.


    However, these were issues that were either already solved or in the process of being solved.


    Outside, in the rain, the boys'' side looked extremely peaceful as compared to the holes and broken walls on the girls'' side.


    Well, mostly because something else took the place of a hole on the ground floor, while the upper floors were mostly fighting carefully.


    Until, of course¨C


    WHIRL! BOOM!


    A beam of golden light shut out from one of the rooms out into the open arms of the rain and back into the room.


    It was followed by a loud and sonic explosion, sending vibrations down the walls of the building.


    A beam of light shut out from the descending walls of the room, taking the form of a golden-haired boy with golden eyes.


    Around him was a surge of golden light and on his neck was a stigma.


    ''Mother must understand, right? This is not a situation I can compromise!''


    He thought as he eased his flight, controlling it to a frightening stop.


    As he stared at the rubble of concrete that fell, he found three blurs rushing out towards him, their masked presence serving as a reminder of his predicament.


    ''Assassins? After me?!''


    He wondered as they charged at him, one forming a sword of flames, another a spear of water and the last, a bow of lightning.


    "Seize him!"


    "Yes sir!"


    The masked male with the bow eased his flight while the other two rushed out with sonic speed, swinging their weapons across the skies in unison.


    "You can''t seize the divine son!"


    Jane announced as his body phased through the air, crimson light igniting from his body in rapid amounts.


    ''Sun God, Apollo.''


    He thought as he phased behind the duo, his arms widened as beams of light formed in the air.


    "Sol Flair!"


    Beams of golem fire rushed out at the masked duo as they flew across the skies with great skills.


    Dodging and evading the beams of fiery light as they flew across the rainy night.


    Just then, the rattling of lightning echoed and a bolt was shut out from the bow of the third masked figure.


    Jane glanced back, his fiery golden gaze remaining unperturbed as he flew through the air.


    The bolt of lightning suddenly ran through the sky, making a devilish U-turn towards him.


    ''A marking spell! It has been a while.''


    He rushed through the skies, rain and wind striking his fiery features, disintegrating into vapour on contact.


    The vapour formed a sort of mist around his body, occluding his entire figure from the attackers.


    One suddenly appeared in the air in the blink of an eye, his water spear growing turbulent with rising mana.


    He plunged it downward, a vast amount of mana pouring out of his body as the water twirled and erupted to the sides, forming a Lance with a rotating blunt.


    He swung it down with strength, groaning loudly in the process as Jane''s gaze caught his.


    In that split moment, time slowed, or appeared so to Jane.


    He spun around and swung his fist at the tip of the Lance. A crimson, ambient glow burned in his fist as it exploded into a fiery rage.


    With brute strength, he slammed it against the tip of the Lance, time resuming as a sonic explosion occurred on impact.


    The two figures were immersed in a blinding white light, energy surging from their attacks when the Lance of water began to boil.


    The man yelped in pain, as he released the weapon, the blinding light consuming him as an explosion of fire occurred soon after.


    Black smoke and crimson energy erupted in the skies, Jane flying out of the dreary mixture while the masked male fell from it. His body was covered in burnt scars.


    Jane smirked at the sight, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''Did he think his skill would win against the powers of a god?''


    He wondered to himself when a blur appeared in his presence. It was followed by a loud rattling noise as a lightning bolt streaked through the skies.


    With subtle ease, he faced the masked figure with the fire longsword with the golden fire of his.


    His fists were coated in Mystic Flames. Flames of the God, Apollo which welded so much power when compared to that from magic.


    And each impact it made with the sword made from fire proved so.


    The masked man grunted in pain when a blast of flames occurred after an impact, his arm swinging into the air in the process.


    Jane''s gaze narrowed as he charged in, only to stop midway, forming a ball of fire in the process. He twirled upside down, blasting the flames at the incoming bolt of lightning, an eruption of flames and lightning occurring on impact.


    ''The archer times himself well...''


    He thought as his gaze landed on the masked man with the lightning arrow.


    A sudden aura of golden flames shot out of his body as he charged at him in a heartbeat.


    The man with the fiery sword, seconds too late to catch up.


    With a grunt, he kicked his legs behind causing a sonic boom that pushed himself forward.


    "Use that skill!" He exclaimed while the masked man with the lightning bow nodded as he aimed his bow at the sky.


    He pulled out a lightning bolt and sent it to the skies just as Jane closed the distance between them.


    "No skill will save you from me."


    Jane proclaimed as he swung his fists forward, a blast of golden flames ensuing in the process.


    "Solar Fury."


    "Master Skill! Lightning Barrage!"


    As the blast of flames, large as a tank projected towards the man, thin lines of lightning fell from the skies.


    Jane''s body jerked, his pupils shifting towards the sky at the sight while a subtle chuckle escaped his lips.


    "Hah, just my lucky day."


    He muttered as he charged away from the male, the blast of flames striking him just as he escaped a bolt of lightning.


    Thunder clapped, and the intensity of the rainfall began to rise.


    Still, the golden flames burnt with ambient light, taking similarities to that of the sun.


    The masked male with the sword of flames glanced around in shock, his pupils darting about its socket in search of his target.


    ''Where did he go?! Where is he?!''


    The clouds began to hurdle up in the skies, blocking the luminescence of the moon while spoke and golden crimson flames burnt.


    There, he found his partner fall, unconscious and burnt to a near crisp.


    ''The golden flames?''


    The man thought, recalling the words of his target.


    He cursed under his breath.


    ''Why would the Rhakar target a son of the Divine Family?!''


    A family is known to worship and speak with the gods and in return, be favoured enough to use their abilities.


    Even the pros of being the Divine Son reached the north. It was a name difficult to ignore, and it had become apparent so.


    ''He''s merely just at the 7th star....so how?''


    The sky thundered, and a lightning bolt suddenly struck down.


    His body tensed and acted immediately, descending from the brutal effects of the natural phenomenon.


    His thoughts reeled in as he searched for his target, but it proved futile.


    Each time he attempted, rain and clouds would get in his way, and the face masks didn''t seem to make things any easier.


    His confusion was only rising, and unease began to settle in his judgement.


    He glanced around, and yet, his target was nowhere to be seen, but just when he had thought he was gone.


    Something bright and glorious rushed from the front.


    His head whipped towards it, his eyes bulging open as two pillars of flowing, golden flames rushed towards him.


    "Rising Flames."


    He raised his sword to the air and blocked it, the impact sending his body reeling back as he grunted in pain.


    Tendrils of the flowing flames passed through his fiery sword and scorched his skin, causing a breathtaking pain to assault him.


    His skin was burnt on impact, turning black, the more he was exposed to it.


    Still, he refused to give in, blocking it as firmly as he could.


    With his focus on the flowing flames, Jane appeared behind him and placed his arm on the man''s shoulder.


    The man jerked, his body growing tense when a sigh escaped his lips.


    His thoughts reeled in while he stood in place, his strength giving in and causing the rushing flames to spread even higher.


    ''So this is the power of the gods....strong enough to fight against us despite the difference in levels?''


    When comparing the difference that one would have to overcome between the 7th star or circle to the 8th star or circle and the Level 70s to the Level 80s, one would realize that experience and understanding differed.


    This was mostly because the Non-system users were not given the leisure of ''levelling up'' as the Non-system users.


    Meaning, they needed to reach a common understanding, an inspiration, you might say.


    To reach the level of Swordmaster or Mage.


    Jane had yet to reach that level of understanding, and thus, there was an indirect gap that was difficult to fill between a 7th star or circle and the level 80s.


    Though, Jane made up plenty by borrowing the powers of the gods.


    With a subtle nudge, his arm erupted in flames, iridescent colours painting the sky in an artistic hue.


    The man''s body was immediately enveloped in such flames, burning with intent while he remained alive to watch it all crumble.


    He chuckled lightly, perhaps to his predicament or the irony of the situation, but this was an unprecedented occurrence that even his authorities would have to think twice about.


    ''Well, I leave it all to you...Rhakar Nicho, Morris.''


    With a last breath, his body crumbled to ash, drifting into the air with a peaceful semblance.


    Jane watched in silence for a few moments, staring at the Ash that remained in the palm of his hand.


    His gaze narrowed.


    ''In the end, we are nothing but ash.''

 Chapter 341 - 341- Festival 72- Raid on a Rainy Night 11

    While the Divine Son hovered over the night skies, the downpour of rain continued in great amounts. The constant rumbling and Flashes remained adamant, and most especially, a gnawing feeling bit at him.


    His gaze narrowed as he placed his hand on his chest.


    ''....why do I feel like this is only the beginning?''


    He wondered when a sudden wisp in the air caught his attention.


    His body flinched in surprise but was masked well by his indifference.


    For a moment, the rain fostered his sensitivity, blocking his ability to sense people by their energy patterns


    But that was soon overcome, and recognizing the familiar figure, a smile found its way from his lips.


    "Attacking from behind now, are we?" He asked as he turned around towards the figure.


    The figure smirked in return, his Elven ears perking up in pleasure.


    With arms folded and body cladded in silver armour, the Elven Prince seemed to have made his entrance.


    "Wouldn''t that be great?"


    Silence descended between the two, their gazes locked unto one another for a moment. Their thoughts reeled in, drowned by the persistent rain into focus.


    Darrell looked around, his head turning towards their Hostel.


    "Those masked figures attacked me as well....it''s a lot of mess from what I''ve observed."


    "Yes, I agree," Jane said with a sigh.


    "Though, I am surprised by how Raph hasn''t destroyed....any part of the Hostel''s property."


    "Yes, I was thinking the same." Darrell scoffed.


    "Have you seen the girl''s side though? Especially those two, Ciara Merlin and Elsie Darkpelt....they were not messing around."


    Jane chuckled lightly. "As expected of the Gifted Child. Ciara was one born for great things."


    Darrell shifted his gaze towards Jane, his brows furrowed while a smirk tried to play on his lips.


    "Don''t say anything."


    Jane said after noticing his expression.


    He shifted his gaze and floated down, towards their Hostel.


    "Where to?"


    "We should check on Raph. For some reason, I don''t have a really good feeling about these attackers.....the System Uprisers or the Red Peacemakers. Which do you think is attacking us?"


    "I assumed it was a joint effort.


    The Red Peacemakers wouldn''t know the specific rooms of Non-system Users."


    Jane froze on the spot at his statement.


    Whipping his head behind, conflicted thoughts spinning in his head, he asked.


    "They''re after only Non-system users?"


    "Well....after my observations. I concluded as such. The vassal families are no different.


    The Headmaster will have to get involved to protect the Students especially since his daughter is likely to get attacked."


    Jane raised a brow, his confusion palpable as he resumed his descent.


    "But why? Why are they after us?"


    Darrell shrugged, following after him.


    They headed towards a particular destination on the ground floor.


    The Hostels were placed side by side, blocked from one another by concrete fences.


    The large buildings rested on a well-proportioned land, surrounded by lush green carpet grass.


    The duo landed on the grass, their attention fixed towards a window a few feet away.


    "This is his room?"


    "Yes," Jane replied and walked forward.


    They got to the window with careful steps, Jane slowly reached out for the glass panel when Darrell held his shoulder and stopped him.


    With a raised brow, he glanced at him.


    "What?"


    Darrell remained silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on the window.


    "....it''s quiet....I don''t feel or hear life from it either."


    Jane glanced back at it and then at him.


    "So?"


    ".....and it''s cold."


    Jane opened his mouth to respond but stopped mid-way, his head snapping in realization.


    He took a step back and erupted a blast of golden flames from his body, the stigma burning brightly in the night.


    He walked forward and touched the wall, a searing heat emanating between it.


    "If anyone asks. We tell them it was the masked figures."


    Darrell chuckled in response and watched silently.


    Soon, Jane''s hand had phased through, while the wall began to melt with relative ease.


    It oozed down, opening up a hole in the process.


    It became large at some point and the contents of the room came into view for the two, though the sight caused them to step back in shock.


    Jane''s gaze especially, was especially shocked when cold air flowed through the hole into the rain.


    A crackling sound echoed, spreading and increasing while small pellets of raindrop crystals fell to the ground.


    Jan took another step backwards at this point, protecting himself from the cold breeze.


    "Well, we see why he didn''t destroy the walls of his room," Darrell said with a chuckle.


    At this point, he had nothing more to be surprised about when it came to Raffaelo Jun, but it couldn''t be said about his friend.


    Jane caught a glimpse of a figure, motionless and frozen.


    He easily recognized it as one of the masked men, though, his body was entirely made of ice.


    As if he had been frozen from the inside out into a sculpture of pure ice.


    It sent a shiver down his spine, a reminder of the depths of Raph''s abilities.


    Glancing around, he found the other figures.


    All in a standing position, as if they had just made their appearance before he had made this beautiful, yet chilling creation of ice.


    With their bodies at the heart of it.


    "Should we leave? There''s no sign of him here. He might have gone somewhere else..."


    Jane remained silent for a moment, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''I wonder where he went to. If either of the two groups are really going to show up tonight, then he would search for them....''


    "Yes, let''s leave. We''ll search for him while observing the situation."


    "That sounds like a plan."


    Darrell turned and walked away, his head resting behind his arms while Jane lingered behind.


    He glanced around one last time, taking in the chilling sight of ice spread throughout the entirety of the room.


    Frost and cold air lingered in the room.


    ''If I walked into this....I might actually just freeze to death in a couple of seconds...''


    Though, his sun god would have protected him far longer. He was referring to himself, without it.


    He looked away and walked after Darrell, putting his thoughts aside.


    This was a night that had more in store, other than the masked attackers.


    He wasn''t sure just what could happen next, but preparation was key, and he wanted to grab a front-row seat in handling the intruders.


    ''In all....I hope no one dies from this.''


    *****


    The Class One Hostel was practically busy at this point.


    With the rain, it was difficult to hear what was occurring, but when one observes, one would notice the chaos within.


    Students were rushed towards the lobby of the Hostel and asked to be seated in a circle while the Lecturers surrounded them in an attempt to protect them.


    While a few others patrolled the rooms to find other students and perhaps, the attackers as well.


    It was a tense situation where everyone had to be on guard, but with most aware of the enemy''s targets, the tension was a bit repressed.


    The situation couldn''t be called the same when compared to the other Hostels though.


    The senior Hostels, like the Class Five and others, were also aware of the situation, or at least got a sense of it.


    Most were up and about, cautious on what to do next.


    While some wanted to find their way to the other Hostels to check for their safety, a few others remained indifferent to the matter.


    After all, the attackers might just widen their list of targets.


    Knowing this, a lot of unresolved tension was left palpable in the air. Reminiscent of a night when soldiers prepared for war.


    Amongst the seniors was the Student Body President, Phestus Greenhorn.


    In a spacious room, much larger compared to the others, with three sets of beautifully intricate windows.


    The raindrops plopped on contact with the glass panels, filling the transient silence with an ephemeral tune.


    Until the young man arose from his queen-sized bed, his gaze hazy from sleep.


    He rubbed it once, and then adjusted his figure on the bed when a figure arose with him.


    "Awake already?"


    The familiar female voice projected in the room, embodying power and beauty.


    The well-crafted artwork of the furniture stood in place; woven carpets cladded on the floor while a high ceramic ceiling stood in place above.


    The young man yawned as he glanced at the figure, silence filling the air between them as moonlight brightened their view.


    It showcased Rebecca''s features in the moon afterglow, basking on her aqua-blue hair and eyes. A delight to see at once sight.


    Phestus smiled.


    "I think we''ve ignored them for too long.


    I feel a horde of them coming....we must be ready."


    Rebecca sighed, stretching her arms for his face. She cupped them, softly drawing a line on his cheeks with her fingers. Carefully and playfully.


    "Like it''s our first time doing so." She teased, a smirk on her face.


    He chuckled as he slowly pulled himself away, drawing away from her while he stood to his feet.


    "I know you don''t mean that."


    She shrugged, pulling the blanket over her softly opened skin.


    "You''re going to get the Headmaster? What makes you think he''ll act now?"


    Phestus grabbed a coat by a hanger, pulling it over his figure in a swift motion. His eyes remained fixed on Rebecca.


    "Perhaps because his daughter is a Non-system user as well? And those people won''t be satisfied with a bunch of freshers."


    He stopped midstep, casting her a glance, with a playful smile on his face.


    "No harm intended."


    She giggled as he turned away, his figure warping into space.


    Rebecca stared at the empty space where he had occupied a few seconds ago, stifling a laugh as she stood up.


    ''It''s about time we stop their rampage.''

 Chapter 342 - 342- Festival 73- Raid on a Rainy Night 12

    Class Three. The third year of school life is when the maturity and complexity of life for students transform from junior to senior.


    This is a year where students attain growth, reaching the 70th level, and working their way to the top.


    It''s also the year with the most number of Non-system users. Spreading between the Gold and Silver Arms.


    This, in and out of itself, made them special in many ways and a piggy bank to the Red Peacemakers who were after Non-system user bodies.


    Amid the ensuing night, while chaos brewed, footsteps echoed along the plains of the Academy.


    Figures cladded in black approached the Hostel Buildings from behind. A part of the Academy that was hardly inspected because of its vast fields and lack of infrastructure.


    One could say that it was the perfect place to attack the Academy, though, at night and most preferably during a storm.


    It was an open field, tall grasses reaching beyond the eyes. The rustling sounds that ensued from the field were camouflaged by the rain, masking their scent and movement.


    Mila led this troupe of attackers, her blood boiling and muscles tensing for some actions.


    Her pupils glowed in the dark as mana surged through her body continuously, providing warmth and energy in the cold.


    A few seconds had passed since they left the hideout, and the view of the Buildings had come into play.


    She looked up, glancing at the structures and fixed her gaze on the one in the middle, her thoughts reeling in as she increased her pace.


    ''Third Class, it is.''


    Just then, the large masked male rushed up next to her.


    "Where do you wish for us to go?"


    Morris asked, his husky tone snapping her from her thoughts.


    She cast him a glance before turning back to her target.


    "Separate yourselves. Ten teams charge at the buildings on my right. Attack on sight.


    Burst through the front door, teleport with your artefacts, open a Portal, and burst through the ceilings. I don''t care how you get in....just cause as much destruction as you can."


    Morris turned his attention away, glancing at the building in the middle.


    "Oh, stay away from that one. As well as the fourth and fifth....I presume you brought that?"


    She asked.


    Morris glanced behind him and whistled lightly.


    In turn, a figure rushed next to him, his steps measured and paced with Morris and Mila.


    "The Sealing Scrolls?"


    "Good. As much as I hate to admit it, the 4th and 5th years will be difficult to deal with.


    Seal up their buildings until we''ve taken care of the rest."


    Mila ordered while the masked male nodded and lounged past them, changing directions in the process.


    Morris watched for a while, his thoughts reeling in as he spoke.


    "The third year won''t be a problem?"


    She scoffed.


    "What can a bunch of level 70s do against us?"


    With a sudden grunt, she jumped forward with full force, a sonic blast occurring in the process.


    Morris watched in silence as she covered the distance in the air and crashed onto the roof of the middle building.


    He groaned.


    "Team 7 to 14, go assist Mila Jack."


    "Yes Sir!"


    They chorused as they dispersed while he headed towards his destination with the rest of his team.


    With a sigh, his thoughts reeled in.


    ''May we come back bearing fruits? For the goddess, Gaia watches over us.''


    His body warped into the air, and the others quickly followed in haste. Time was ticking and so was their patience. It was either now or never.


    Mila, who was the most aware of that, didn''t wait to be told what to do next.


    Landing on the roof of the Third year''s Hostel, she smashed her feet onto it, a subtle vibration causing the roof to crack and give way.


    Her body descended into the fall, crimson flames igniting around her body as her body evolved in the process.


    The world turned black, debris and stones rushing with her descent until a sudden crash echoed, followed by a startled scream.


    Vision returned to her once more, her gaze darting about until it landed on a female in a nightgown, a smirk spreading on her face.


    "Who are you?!"


    The girl asked as she sat up from her bed, grabbing a wand by her bedstead.


    Mila charged in a flash, flames bursting out from her movements as a cackle escaped her lips.


    She crashed into the wall, the girl pulling her cover upwards, blinding the incoming attacker and causing her to bash into the concrete wall.


    The girl crawled over and ran to the other end of the room, pointing her wand back at the woman.


    "What are you doing?! My father won''t be pleased by this!"


    "Father?" Mila asked. "Why would I care about your father''s pleasure?"


    She walked out of the rubble. Her body was smeared with dark energy as it transformed into her vicious form.


    Her arms enlarged, cladded with scale-like armour while an armoured tail stretched out from her back.


    She whipped it about as horns popped slowly from the top of her skull.


    "Are you in any way related to Rhabanz Dreau?"


    She asked, her nose twitching ever so slightly.


    The silvered-haired beauty widened her silver eyes at her question, her brows furrowing soon after.


    ''How does she know my father?''


    She wondered when a loud thud echoed, her gaze tracing it to find a masked figure standing next to her.


    ''When did he?''


    The male swung his fist at her in the spur of the moment, her body tensing as she backed away, pulling her wand in the process.


    "8th tier Spell: Mana Shell."


    Mana erupted from the tip of her wand, expanding and rotating into a dome, a hexagon in shape formed around her body.


    It increases in size, covering over half the space in her room.


    The masked male slammed his fist at the dome sending a ripple to spread from the impact to the rest of its body. It then returned back to its point of attack, building momentum and power as it exploded in a blast of flames.


    The force blasted the masked male to the wall of the room, ash sticking to the wall in the process.


    This was quickly followed by sudden and rhythmic thuds, causing her to whip her gaze about in confusion. Her expression grew grim in the process.


    "Who¨CWho are you guys?!"


    She asked, startled by the sight before all.


    Her room was riddled with masked figures, an aura of dread wrapped around them.


    They stared at her with hungry eyes, ready to pounce on their prey.


    She stepped back slowly with her wand stretched forward while a sigh escaped from her lips.


    "You....you''re the attackers that have been rampaging in our Academy for so long, huh?"


    Though she may have asked, she didn''t actually require a reply.


    It was adamant by the aura they emanated, and their murderous intent towards her.


    While she was focused on processing what was ensuing, Mila was more concerned about...more important matters.


    She walked towards one of the masked figures, grabbing his attention from the girl.


    "Why are you here?" She asked, her voice low and harsh.


    The man flinched but remained indifferent as he replied.


    "Here to hel¨CAHHH!!


    A sudden crimson light erupted in the room, crimson flames bursting out of her palm as she grabbed him by his neck.


    He was cut short in his sentence. His words were replaced by pained screams that filled the room with palpable tension.


    Felicia''s eyes widened in shock, her body tensing as she turned around, backing away from the sight.


    ''To her own subordinate? That monster.''


    She pointed her wand at the wall of her room, controlling her circles within and ensuing mana out of her body.


    ''It''s doable...'' She thought when she heard the scream die off.


    Soon, Mila''s voice projected in the room, loud and imbued with power, startling the masked figures.


    "Get out of here, this instant!"


    Without taking another minute, the group of masked figures disappeared, leaving the room empty for the two females once again.


    The tension remained even after they left.


    Mila''s breathing takes up most of the sound in the room.


    The sound alone served as a reminder of the foreign presence in her room, and the danger that gnawed at her.


    Felicia needed to escape.


    Suddenly, Mila twirled and glanced at her, a smile on her face.


    "Sorry about that. You saw a rather ungodly sight."


    Felicia scoffed.


    "I see one right now."


    Mila chuckled as she walked up to the front of her hexagon dome.


    She clenched her armoured scale fists, her gaze darting between the girl and the wall.


    "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Felicia glanced back at her and then turned away as a surge of water formed at the tip of her wand.


    "8th tier Spell; Ocean Beam."


    The water split into tiny droplets of liquid, dispersing in the air around her.


    At the same time, Mila growled as she clenched her fist, swinging it against the dome with brute force.


    A thunder-like sound occurred, causing the room to shake from the intensity.


    It shook the dome, spreading around in ripples, sending waves of high frequency through it.


    Felicia screamed out in shock, but her resolve remained adamant.


    The droplets of liquid glowed blue, mana swirling from within as the intensity caused them to vibrate in place.


    Then, they burst; the sound of liquid popping echoed in the dome while an intense, thin blue beam shot out from its contents.


    ¨CBOOM!

 Chapter 343 - 343- Festival 74- Raid on a Rainy Night 13

    The concrete wall busted open like a nutcracker as the beams of water blasted through it.


    Blue and black smoke mixed in the shockwave, a rattling sound spreading through the walls, sending vibrations all around the Hostel.


    Its magnitude was so intense that it had destroyed part of the wall of the Hallway opposite her room. Indirectly, from the impact of the explosion.


    Soon, Felicia emerged from the debris, her breath tightened from the smoke as she coughed out loud.


    Taking slow steps to the other end of the hall, doors swung open, startled voices of her Flatmates reaching her ears.


    "What''s going on?!"


    "Isn''t that Felicia''s room?"


    "Felicia?"


    Out of the females that stepped out, only one seemed to have grabbed her attention entirely, as her gaze whipped towards her left, a sigh of relief escaping from her lips.


    "Monica."


    She rushed towards her friend in an instant when a sudden explosion of fire blasted through the walls behind her.


    Her gaze widened in shock as she was left vulnerable to the effects while she continued to head towards her friend, her body seemingly moving in slow motion.


    Monica Lorientt glanced at Felicia and then at the figure masked in flames that emerged from her room, her body pulsating with energy in the process.


    Her eyes narrowed, a fiery intensity sparking within as she suddenly bit down on her lips, a scream of rage erupting from her lips.


    "AHHHH!"


    Her body warped towards the figure, a burst of aura surging from her movements as she bashed into Mila.


    "How dare you harm Felicia!"


    Slamming her against the wall with brute force.


    ¨CBOOM!


    An explosion of rock and energy occurred as Felicia whipped her head towards the direction they had gone.


    ''What is wrong with her? Why go head first into a battle against an opponent you do not know?!''


    She wondered as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. Hesitation in her movements as she headed towards the direction.


    "Look for the Lecturers! Get them to call our seniors! Now!"


    She charged into the hole in the wall in the next room, while the other girls glanced at each other before heading towards the exit.


    Speed was in high demand, and they knew it.


    Felicia charged through the room, glancing at the rocks and pebbles along the path to another hole in the wall.


    It was at the other end, opened to the exterior of the building and into the elements. Raindrops reach into the room with a strong wind.


    She cursed under her breath when a sudden vibration sent the Building quaking. She froze in place, her gaze whipping towards the sky as crimson flames shot out into the skies, a hazy warmth permeating in the drastic cold.


    Felicia swallowed, her head turning towards the source of the blast.


    "Monica!"


    Her gaze narrowed on getting to the hole, her gaze darting about in an attempt to trace the movement of the two girls caught in a brawl.


    Their movement was a blur, with constant sonic explosions as their fists and feet struck one another.


    Monica''s enraged screams as she was locked in an unsettling brawl with the Demonic contractor were a delight to the eyes. But Felicia got a panging feeling that she wouldn''t be enough to stop the Woman she faced.


    Just then a solid thud echoed, like the vibration of an iron gong when a metal bat is slammed on it.


    The force slammed Monica backwards, sending her body to the grass field around their Hostel Building. A pained groan escaped her lips.


    "Monica!"


    Felicia jumped down in a heartbeat, a sensation of thrill flowing through her body as her hair stood on end.


    Her gaze dilated as a wisp sound caught her attention, causing her to shift to the side where a ball of flames was projected at her.


    With a slight grunt, she pulled her wand, swinging it in motion.


    "8th tier Spell: Wall of Protection."


    A beam of light shut out in the skies, descending in front of her figure as she landed, and blocked the incoming ball of fire.


    An explosion of crimson red occurred from the impact.


    She rushed up to Monica as the latter stood up, slight groans escaping her lips as she did so.


    Felicia flinched in shock when her eyes landed on the condition of Monica''s left arm.


    It was battered, with blue and black colouration mixing in uneven colour while it curved in a remarkably impossible side.


    Despite the grave injury, Monica seemed composed, easing out the pain by breathing slowly.


    Felicia bit her lips at her condition as she quickly pulled her hands over the injury, a green light forming on the palm of her hand.


    "Are you crazy?! Did you think you could face her?!"


    She asked, her tone laced with worry and concern.


    Just then, another explosion of flames occurred, pulling their attention.


    They looked up in shock, shades of crimson and orange painting the skies in a malevolent hue.


    It sent a pang of dread into Felicia when Monica suddenly shoved her lightly.


    "This is exactly why! That bitch thought she could harm you, but I won''t let that happen."


    Felicia''s expression grew sombre, emotions threatening to swirl within.


    "Not this time, Monica. We need to get you out of here."


    She pulled her up, putting her good arm over her head as she turned towards the hole.


    Her goal was simple¨CEscape.


    But....would Mila let that happen?


    Well, by her question, it was evident what her response would be.


    "Off already?"


    Her voice sent a shiver down their spines, their gazes snapping to the back when footsteps echoed in the air.


    The burning of grass crackled and the smoke began to fill the clear night sky.


    It was ironic that despite the rain, flames still worked.


    This was a principle of magic that was yet to be taught, but Magic control on the level of using flames, even under rainy conditions, required great Mastery.


    As her footsteps echoed louder, Felicia was forced to a halt. Her brain performing in overdrive in an attempt to make do with the situation.


    ''She''s not someone we can face together....even if we are both of the 8th star and circle.


    This monster will kill us if we try to retaliate.''


    She bit her lips, a shiver running down her spine.


    Monica watched in silence, her hazel-nut eyes dimming darkly as she suddenly pulled away from Felicia.


    "What are you doing?!" Felicia cried out in shock as she attempted to grab onto her.


    "you''re still as indecisive as ever, Felicia. This is why your father won''t take you seriously."


    Felicia felt a bulge of veins pop up on her scalp as she glared at Monica, an enraged tone in her voice as she said.


    "Hey!"


    Monica giggled in response.


    "don''t think too much about it..." She slowly glanced back at her, and a smile formed on her lips.


    "...let''s take care of her together, Princess."


    It was like a touch of white light suffused Felicia, pulling her into an embrace of warmth and calm on hearing her statement.


    Mana poured out of her circles, filling her body with newfound energy, one that was purposed for a fight and not flight.


    She took a bold step forward, walking up next to Monica, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''This is dumb. I''m not even done healing her arm and she''s not with her weapon, so we''re basically at an overall disadvantage...''


    She glanced down at her attire and then at Monica''s, when warmth suddenly rushed up to her cheeks, causing her to turn away in surprise.


    "Monica?! What are you wearing right now?!"


    "Hm?" Monica raised a brow as she glanced down at her attire, her eyes bulging open slightly at the sight.


    "Oh..." She muttered when a cackle pierced the air, pulling their attention away from each other.


    "I think you''ve had enough time for recess."


    Mila slammed her crimson-scaled gauntlets together, a spark igniting from the force of the slam.


    A smirk was plastered on her face, her gaze darting between both girls.


    "I knew the 3rd years were filled with Non-system Users, but this is just too good to be true!"


    She suddenly lunged at the figures, flames erupting from the force of her jump, emitting into the air like fireworks in the night.


    Monica groaned slightly, attempting to raise her arms in defence when Felicia rushed up to the front.


    "8th tier Spell! Dome of Protection!"


    A bright, white light ignited in the air as a dome, white and golden formed around the two girls.


    It sparked with a regal magnificence that thwarted Mila''s sudden charge.


    Mila smirked as her body recoiled in the air, pushed up by the speed of her own momentum.


    "Nice one."


    She muttered when Monica suddenly charged out from the dome, aura surging from within her body.


    "Lorientt body form! Centurion Charge!"


    Her body was basked in a muddy-coloured aura, power brimming from her muscles as she lunged into the air, slamming into Mila in the blink of an eye.


    A blast of air occured from the impact sending Mila''s body backwards, a pained groan escaping from her lips.


    "This again?"


    She muttered, annoyance laced in her tone when her arms ignited in crimson flames, brimming with energy.


    "Master Skill! Demonic Fire Light!"


    It brimmed with dark intensity, growing in an unparalleled surge of firepower that stretched into the skies.


    Monica grunted deeply as she suddenly pulled Mila up into the air, spinning across the grass fields with relative Mastery and slammed her against the ground.


    A loud thud occurred as the earth shattered from the impact.


    She panted lightly, her grasp still held firmly onto Mila''s.


    ''I won''t let her...'' She thought when the dark flames suddenly ignited once again. Causing her to let go and jump out of the way as Mila jumped back to her feet.


    She threw her fist slowly towards Monica, sending a burst of warning signals into her system as she raised her arms in an attempt to block.


    A few moments passed, but nothing happened.


    Monica''s gaze widened in realization as she dropped her arms and turned towards Felicia, her arms stretched out as Mila changed targets in the spur of the moment.


    With a blast and explosion of the air, the dark crimson flames burst out of her fists, surging through the air towards its target in a frenzy.


    Felicia backed away in shock, tripping over om herself as she watched the might of the flames take her vision with a wisp.


    ''No! No!!'' She thought as she looked away, bracing herself for impact, when¨C


    "7th Chapter of the Jun Mage Arts: Volcanic Burst.

 Chapter 344 - 344- Festival 75- Raid on a Rainy Night 14

    "7th Chapter of the Jun Mage Arts: Volcanic Burst."


    The ground trembled and in a fiery display of power, lava erupted from the soil, exploding like a fountain into the air in a heartbeat.


    It emerged from different parts of the ground, painting the night skies crimson, with imminent heat that brewed from it.


    Mila was forced to a halt as she was nearly consumed by the flowing lava.


    Her gaze widened slightly in surprise as her head spun to the left, searching for the source of the spell.


    Locked in the process of it, the ground trembled below her feet, pulling her attention to the harm at hand.


    With skillfulness and quick reflexes, she jumped backwards, dodging an incoming eruption of lava that emerged from the spot where she was once.


    The fiery display of liquid flames caught the girls by surprise, Mila especially as she was continuously pushed back, away from the girls and the Hostel Building at large.


    With a slight grunt, she formed a dome around her, lava erupting right below her in bountiful amounts, a step too late in avoiding it.


    The lava projected into the air, spilling over to the sides while Mila emerged from it within the dome.


    With steadied breathing, she looked up at the Hostel, her expression growing grim.


    Her thoughts reeled in as she located the intruder in her showdown.


    A sigh escaped her lips as she clicked her tongue in annoyance.


    Felicia and Monica glanced up at the building in unison, their surprise palpable by their expressions.


    It grew even more so on recognizing the figure.


    Felicia especially, as her body tensed down.


    "Thalia?"


    On the third floor of the Class Three Hostel, where a hole was formed on the wall of one of the girl''s Hostels, Thalia Jun stood. Her fingers adjusted her glasses as she glanced down at them, a condescending expression on her face.


    "You''ve found quite the catch, Monica, Felicia."


    Monica cursed out as she stumped her feet to the ground.


    "Why are you here?!"


    Thalia shook her head, throwing a weapon into the air.


    Monica, recognizing the weapon, caught it immediately and swung it around. A smirk plastered on her face as she did so.


    She glanced back up in the process, scoffed and slammed the butt of the weapon on the ground, a slight tremor occurring on impact.


    "Nice of you to get my Lance."


    She said as she looked away.


    Thalia nodded slightly, her gaze shifting to Felicia and back to Monica.


    "Huh.....intriguing choice of clothing."


    Monica blinked lightly, glancing back at her with a frown.


    "These aren''t for your eyes."


    "What?"


    "She¨CShe means she feels most comfortable with what she''s wearing!"


    Felicia protested with a startled tone in her voice, grabbing both of their attention.


    Thalia tilted her head slightly, her thoughts reeling in for a moment before she sighed and shook her head.


    "Your call."


    Then she turned to Felicia once more.


    "You too....prepare yourself."


    Felicia raised a brow in confusion, her lips parting open to reply when a familiar voice cut her short. Pulling her attention away from Thalia and back to Mila.


    "Are you seriously ignoring me, right now?" She asked.


    Thalia turned towards her, a deep frown forming on her face as she hovered into the air.


    "Mila Jack, executive of the Red Peacemaker and a Devil Contractor. You have come to harm us and this is something that I can not allow."


    "Thalia Jun, you prick of the Jun household. Do none of you not know when you''re not wanted?"


    "It can''t be helped. Whether or not you do not require our presence is of no concern to us. We simply deal with those who are foolish enough to antagonize us. At the moment, you are that fool."


    Mila chuckled lightly, her lips curling into a smile then suddenly, busted out in a fit of laughter.


    Her hands rested on her face as she did so.


    "What bullshit is that? So, are you going to deal with me? You think you''re strong enough?"


    She laughed some more, her cackle piercing the rain while the seething sound of lava mixed with it uncannily.


    "Do you doubt my strength?"


    Monica glanced up at Thalia and then at Felicia, her smile widening.


    "Are you ready, Princess?" She giggled lightly as she looked away, pulling her silver Lance to the front as aura spewed out of her body in great amounts.


    Felicia sighed while she scratched the back of her head.


    ''This is escalating too quickly....a fight between her and three of us? A level 10 vs two 8th circle mages and an 8th star Knight won''t be easy on our end.''


    "Doubt it?" Mila cried out in intrigue. "What could three girls at the 8th level possibly do against someone like me? Haven''t you seen by now the difference in strength between levels?"


    Thalia scoffed as she folded her hands, her wand held firmly in her grasp. It was a replica of a mirror-like crystal, white and reflective, with mana surging within.


    ''Who doesn''t?'' She wondered.


    The level dynamic was quite intricate, yet adaptable as a certain number of fighters were expected to equal a level higher than them.


    It was in this way that determining a winner between a single fighter against a multitude was made.


    It was expected that three 1-star (or 1-circle ) would equal one 2-star (or 2-circle), four 2-star equal one 3-star, four 3-star would equal one 4-star, five 4-star equal one 5-star, five 5-star equals one 6-star, five 6-star equals one 7-star, ten 7-star equals one 8-star, five 8-star equals one 9-star, and seven 9-star equals one 10-star.


    However, the problem was that this manner of comparison was merely theoretical.


    ''Meaning there is more to a battle than just energy level.''


    The energy levels of the previous level add up to give the former and ascend as such, with increasingly raw power and strength.


    Thalia shook her head.


    "If it were set in stone that two 8th circles and an 8th star couldn''t defeat a level 100, then one 8th star killing a level 100 would be deemed idiocracy."


    Mila raised a brow while the two others sighed in unison, Monica glaring at Thalia as she did so.


    ''Always finds a way of showcasing her brother.''


    "What are you trying to say?" Mila asked, her tone laced with curiosity as the impending tension began to fill the air.


    "It''s simple really...."


    Thalia waved her wand, a magical circle forming below her feet as it glowed a mystical blue, mana surging from her body as her hair hovered in the air.


    "....Mila Jack. Today is the day you die."


    At that moment, it felt like something visibly snapped within her, like a veil uncovering a dark secret.


    A secret that caused a sudden large outpour of mana that surged within her, filling her body with intense strength.


    ''Mana can''t be used to strengthen the body but cast spells....but application and moderation in dealing with mana matters.''


    Mila widened her eyes in shock, and so did Monica and Felicia as the latter two glanced up at her, their surprise palpable with their expressions.


    ''She''s a 9th circle?!'' Mila wondered in shock as a blast of fiery power erupted from her body like a missile.


    It filled her body, surging through her core as she blasted into the air, fumes emitting from the edge of her figure.


    "Thalia Jun! Face me!"


    "With pleasure."


    The sky trembled, numerous numbers of magical circles forming in the darkness, bringing light into the sky.


    Its intricate Symbols and letters spun within the circles as her eyes pulsated with white-bluish mana.


    "7th Chapter, Volcanic Burst."


    The lava that spilt on the floor began to float into the air, swirling into a ball beneath the thousands of magical circles, glowing with ethereal might while Mila hovered over them.


    Her eyes bulged open in shock as she looked up, the blinding light from the circles casting a white net over her eyes, like the sunset on a sunny peak.


    For a moment, it was like she was blind and in the next, the beams consumed her.


    Like beams of light, the lava burst out from the circles towards her in thin lines, filling the air with a fiery glow of white and crimson.


    Soon the sounds of explosions and eruptions filled the air as white and crimson painted the black canvas of the night. The shockwaves that occurred were strong enough to plummet buildings and so captivating, that both enemies and allies stopped to watch.


    Mila flew with all her might, her body forming a wisp in the air as she dodged the incoming beams, a step ahead of each as they collided with each other, and exploded like fireworks. One that would very much spell the death of most.


    The girls watched in shock from below, Felicia especially.


    Monica glanced at Felicia for a moment.


    "Can your family do that?"


    She clicked her tongue and whipped her head towards her.


    "Huh? How about the thing that Rebecca does with her sword? Can your family do that?"


    She shrugged. "Fair enough."


    "Monica! Felicia!"


    Thalia''s voice echoed in the air, sending a slight shiver down their spines as they looked up at her.


    "Time your attacks. Mila Jack is a foe who has a contract with the devil. We do not know which it is, and what level of transformation she will get to. So always be on guard....and protect each other."


    She bit her lips as her pupils darted about, tracing the movements of their foe, a subtle Plea in her voice as she said.


    "....and perhaps tonight. We shall kill an Executive.

 Chapter 345 - 345- Festival 76- Raid on a Rainy Night 15

    On a Rainy Night, while the wind swirled in the skies, a black canvas stood in place, beams of crimson and blue exploding with might.


    It was a cascade of colours, imbuing a solace as raindrops fell to the ground.


    In that explosive nature of the streaming beams, a figure warped through the air, red flames pouring out of her body as she escaped the hellbent beams of lava that exploded on impact.


    Her movement was swift and untraceable with the naked eye, yet a female floated a distance away. Her gaze darted about as she traced her movements like a high-vision camera.


    Her lips curled into a tight grin, her fingers dancing on her wand as she waved it in the air, causing the beams of lava to increase in intensity.


    She groaned, annoyance lingering at the back of her throat as her pupils darted even faster. Her thoughts reeled in in the process.


    ''She''s too fast! I can''t hit her.''


    Just then, a figure''s body whisked into her line of sight, her gaze slowly shifting to the source when the figure flashed past her in a heartbeat.


    ''Monica?''


    Monica growled as she slammed into Mila in midair, her silver Lance brimming with intent as she stopped the Devil Contractor in the air.


    There was a mad glint in her eyes as she pushed her Lance forward while Mila blocked it with her arms, a frown forming on her face.


    "Not so much of a threat now, huh? Are you?"


    Mila clicked her tongue in annoyance, pushing the Lance away with brute strength as she suddenly twirled in the air and swung her leg across the air.


    An explosion of power occurred as her leg struck Monica on the side of her body, a solid thud ensuing from the impact.


    Monica groaned in pain as she was slammed away, her body descending to the ground when a blue rectangular dome formed below her. It suffused her body as she emerged into the dome and stopped her fall. Startled for a moment, she turned her gaze to the side.


    "Thanks, Felicia."


    A breeze in the air blasted as Felicia zoomed past her, her wand pointing at the rectangular dome below while square-sized mana shields formed in the air.


    She charged towards Mila, turning the direction of her wand towards her as mana surged within her.


    "8th tier Spell; Moving Blocks."


    The square-shaped mana shields increased in numbers, filling the sky with a hum as it spun around before rushing towards Mila.


    Mila clicked her tongue as she stretched her arms forward, power surging from her form as a blast of flames emerged and spread out.


    "Master Skill; Heat Wave."


    A blast of flames, crimson and ambient exploded from her body, spreading through the clouds as it consumed everything in sight.


    The beams of lava and square mana shields were quickly consumed by the flames as they threatened to reach the girls as well.


    "Take cover!"


    Felicia cried out as a dome formed around her, and Monica did as well. A slight grunt ensued from her lips as the fiery wave blasted past her.


    The night was filled with an intense bright, one that blinded the girls at that given moment.


    Mila glanced about, her fiery gaze searching for them as a smokescreen from the heat wave formed in the air.


    At that moment, a swift figure emerged, appearing in her presence before she could turn.


    Her Lance slammed against her scaled limbs, a spark ensuing from the collision as Mila pushed the lance away.


    "Have you leant nothing?"


    She swung her fist at Monica and a split second later when a blue shield appeared in front of her fist, blocking it.


    Her gaze widened in surprise as Monica was suddenly boosted into the air.


    Her body swirled, spinning over Mila''s head as she slammed her Lance onto Mila, aura bursting out from the attack.


    "Lorientt Body Form! Commander Slam!"


    Mila cried out in pain as she plummeted into the ground, falling into a garden of trees that stood in front of the Hostel Buildings.


    Each Hostel Building had a path which led to a larger one that would further lead to the Cafeteria and other parts of the Academy.


    What existed around the pathway? That would be a garden of trees.


    The exact size of one of the sides of the Garden of Trees was equivalent to two of those Hostel Buildings. It encompassed the pathway leading to the Cafeteria, which was approximately a kilometre.


    Its trees were mostly short, with clear grasses and easy pathways that made it one of the few popular places in the Academy.


    Especially for its calm and quiet nature, making it an open ground for students to approach and use.


    However, all that was about to go up in flames with Mila crashing into the lines of trees planted across it.


    A row of fallen trees was seen slowly burning from the flames, as it quickly spread to the others. Mila was at the end of it, standing to her feet with an enraged expression.


    She glanced into the air, her gaze landing on Monica, who had a grin on her face, an amusingly mocking one, as she descended to the ground.


    ''How dare she...''


    She thought as she attempted to charge at her.


    At that moment, a shadow was cast over her head and grabbed her attention instantaneously. She looked up in shock, a startled expression on her face as she groaned and attempted to evade the massive construct.


    Thousands of square-shaped mana shields combined together like a unit in a hive, forming a giant hammer that hovered her head with great purpose.


    Felicia floated right above it as more shields flew past her, adding to the units of the hammer and increasing its strength. She waved her wand down and the hammer descended.


    It crashed down to the ground with a deafening explosion. Wind burst out from the impact and put out a part of the flames. Mila walked out from the other side, harmless and filled with rage, as she stretched her arm forward towards Felicia.


    Balls of fire erupted in the air around her when a figure suddenly appeared below her, her body lowered and her blue eyes casting a net over Mila.


    She froze in place for a moment, her lips curling as she took a step back while the balls of flames projected towards Felicia.


    ''What does she think she''s doing, fighting me with just her fist?''


    Thalia was the figure that had appeared in her presence, her body lowered as her fist was stretched towards Mila.


    Her gaze filled with intent as her thoughts reeled in.


    ''She''s probably mocking me because mana can''t be used by a mage for physical combat.''


    She covered the distance between them and slammed her fist at the side of her face, a solid crack ensuing from the impact.


    A gust of wind erupted as Mila''s head was whipped to the side. Her sense of reasoning with it.


    ''What?''


    ''Mana can be used for combat as well. Its adaptability makes it much easier to use than aura...''


    Thalia closed the distance once again and sent the back of her elbow at Mila''s face as she spun around.


    ''....augmenting my body with mana doesn''t give me as much power as aura but it gives enough to inflict severe damage.''


    An eruption of power occurred on impact as the force of her slam pushed Mila''s body into the ground.


    ''And now....''


    Thalia grabbed Mila''s collar, ready to finish it off when the latter grabbed her arm with hers.


    Thalia looked up at her, their gazes locking onto one another for a split second.


    ''Shit.''


    "Master Skill: Fire Light!''


    The world around her exploded in flames as crimson and ambient rays shun in the night.


    Mila smirked with bloodied teeth, rage brewing in her eyes as the flames suddenly exploded out of her body with a deafening sound.


    -BOOM!


    Trees scattered and uprooted from the ground, swallowed by the flames from the explosion while a smokescreen of crimson formed in the air. Monica and Felicia stood a distance away.


    "Felicia?" She called out, her tone laced with startlement.


    The latter shook her head as they watched a figure jump out of the smoke, her body enveloped in fumes.


    She landed away from the two and the smoke and turned her head towards them in a heartbeat.


    "One down," Mila said as she rushed after the two girls, a burst of energy occurring as she did so.


    "Felicia..."


    Monica called again as she held her Lance up and charged forward, a gust of wind ensuing from her movement.


    Felicia nodded as she caught a glance of a blue dome in the smokescreen from the explosion.


    She flew towards Mila as well, pointing her wand forward as the square mana shields rushed passed her towards her target.


    Monica and Mila slammed into each other, mana and aura exploding from the impact as they did so.


    Mila easily overtook her strength, grabbed Monica''s Lance and swung her into the air.


    The latter groaned in shock, her head glancing down as her body hovered in the air. They locked gazes with each other for a second, a palpable tension between them.


    Before she was pulled to the ground and slammed into it with a deafening cry. A square mana shield suddenly rushed forward and slammed against Mila''s shoulder. A pained groan escaped her lips as it did so.


    Startled, she turned around when another slammed against her other shoulder, causing her to reel back.


    She groaned in annoyance, when another struck, and then another and finally, a rain of it crashed onto her.


    She groaned in pain, enduring the brunt of the blow each mana shield had on her body.


    Despite their small size, they carried enough force to take down a duplex in a heartbeat, and one was more than enough to carry out that task.


    Despite that, she held on, easily, her body strengthening itself as dark crimson energy poured out of her body.


    "You should be thankful! You''re making me use Miasma which I hardly ever use."


    "It doesn''t matter what you use."


    A familiar, irritating voice pierced through her ears as a figure appeared next to her like a gust of wind.


    Mila''s gaze whipped to her side, her shock, palpable as Thalia raised her hand into the air and stabbed it into one of Mila''s scaled arms.


    Both looked up at each other, their gazes locking onto one another. One was laced with confusion, and the other, with purpose.


    "You must be aware that spells can be formed at the tip of a wand, right?"


    Mila''s eyes widened in realization, but by then, it was too late.


    "9th tier Spell; Lightning Drill."

 Chapter 346 - 346- Festival 77- Raid on a Rainy Night 16

    Bolts of lightning streamed out of the tip of her wand, invading Mila''s body as it exploded into a shockwave.


    It spread through her body like an electric eel in a pond, ravaging within as an ear-piercing scream escaped her lips.


    Thalia jumped out of the way as the streams of lightning exploded, striking the ground and the area around Mila. It ignited sparks that grew into flames, spreading and blasting out like fireworks.


    A distance away, Thalia landed next to Monica and Felicia.


    Their gazes fixed at the sight as the consuming yellow lighting sparked life into the air.


    Felicia was left startled by the sight, her gaze flickering with intensity as she turned towards Thalia slowly.


    ''She cast a spell within her?''


    She thought, a scoff exuding her lips soon after.


    ''That''s impressive.''


    "How long will this go for?"


    Monica''s voice pierced through the air, pulling both girls to the side where she stood with her Lance ready.


    Its silver texture glowed ambient with the lightning bolts while the ragged spearhead rose high to the skies.


    Her body was boiling with adrenaline, her lips curled into a tight grin as her peerless white teeth shimmered in the night.


    "It shouldn''t be long. Something like that would ordinarily kill a person."


    Felicia replied, her gaze slowly turning towards Mila as the lightning began to dim down.


    "...but in her case, I presume it might make our situation worse."


    "That''s what we should go for.


    Devil contractors have a demonic form, one akin to the devil they had signed a contract with..."


    "What? You think we can stand a chance against something like that? We''re barely tied as it is."


    Felicia spoke out with startelement in her voice.


    Thalia shook her head, her head straight while her gaze remained fixed on her target.


    "Does it matter? We fight and we survive. We kill this....woman that came to kill us first.


    Don''t think of a scenario where we lose.....even if the odds are far apart."


    "Well"¨C "Ha! Ha!! Ha!!!"


    A cackle pierced the air, filled with malevolent intent. It caught the girls off their conversation and pulled their attention back to the source.


    Felicia and Monica immediately readied themselves, their eyes slowly widening in shock at the sight before them.


    Mila''s body quivered with pain, lightning sparks emitting ever so often.


    It remained a palpable stigma to her figure, roaming about within her body continuously.


    The pain was unbearable, and perhaps even more so as part of her body had been scarred by the brunt of the lightning.


    Her scaled armoured limbs broke to pieces, fried by the intensity of the attack while smoke emitted from half of the surface of her face.


    Crimson bolts of energy shot out of her body into the air, her teeth baring out as rage filled her pupils. Transforming it into two pools of crimson.


    Thalia frowned at the sight, hardly because of the Miasma that emitted from her body and more so, because of the effect of the lightning.


    ''Half her body? Did she....somehow control the lighting to spread to only half of her body?''


    The thought alone seemed simple, but controlling a spell cast by another was more difficult than breathing in space.


    Because it was from another, alien to the body.


    It wasn''t meant to be controlled, but with Mastery....severe Mastery, that is. It was possible to do so.


    ''I assumed she was a Fire Battle Mage but what class is she really?''


    A sigh escaped her lips.


    ''Does it matter? It''s going to be a demonic class, anyways.''


    Mila took a step forward, her body suffused in a blast of dark crimson energy.


    Bolts of it streamed out of her body like lightning.


    Her scaled, armoured limbs cracked as the sound of bones moulding echoed in the air. It shifted from the side position to her back while two human arms formed in its place.


    The outstretched human arms reached for her waist where the Bolts of Miasma sparked with intensity.


    She stretched her arms into it and pulled out her katana, her gaze sparked with a mad glint as it fixed on the girls.


    "I don''t use my Katana unless I find you worthy. You should be pleased with yourselves. This night shall be marked as the best day of your life."


    She pulled out her katana from the sheath, its eerie blade glinting with a lustre as the Miasma pooled onto the blade.


    Bolts sparking out of it and her body.


    Scales began to form over her skin, covering the entire body like a suit of armour, and hardening with the flow of Miasma.


    The rush of energy that came with it was profound, nearly blinding her in her own pool of pleasure.


    The wave of newfound power caused a sonic blast that shook the earth, forming a crater below as rocks bulged into the air.


    Her lips curled into a tight smile as she said.


    "2nd Demonic Gate Unlocked."


    *****


    While the fight brewed in the Garden of the Forest, many more confrontations ensued elsewhere.


    Despite that, many parts of the Academy remained unharmed and untouchable.


    One of those was the mystical office of the Headmaster, its floating furniture and shelves marking its esoteric sight.


    The Headmaster sat on one of those furniture, legs folded and his fingers placed intricately on the handle of his teacup.


    A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he took a sip, the hot fumes emitting out of his mouth as he did so.


    He had his eyes set on three large screens.


    Each shows a part of the Academy undergoing some sort of confrontation or the other.


    His gaze didn''t seem to wander to the rest but remained drawn to the one in the middle.


    One that displayed the fight in which his daughter was actively participating.


    For a while, he seemed entirely focused on the scene as it unfolded, but that stopped when a presence appeared on his radar.


    He sighed as he dropped his cup of tea, adjusting his monocle as the chair rotated to his back.


    "Student President...do what do I owe this visit?"


    A distance away, on a magic circle that stood in the vast expanse of the Headmaster''s Office, Phestus Greenhorn stood in place.


    He was adorned in his pyjamas and bathing robe, a lethargic expression on his face as he yawned.


    "What sort of question is that, Headmaster? Our Academy is being attacked right now? Isn''t that enough reason?"


    The Headmaster chuckled as the chair floated back towards its former position.


    "Has there been any loss on our side?"


    Phestus tilted his head a bit, his thoughts reeling in as he narrowed his eyes.


    "Not any that I am aware of but why does it matter? This is a problem that can be easily resolved with your intervention.


    I assume the System Uprisers have a plan as well. Knowing fully well that winning would be difficult."


    The Headmaster scoffed, picking up his cup of tea a moment later.


    "Mariam Aquarius, Tiara Goldin, Alicia Berry, Marshall Lorientt and Timothy Pheran.


    These are the names of the students I have seen them capture."


    Phestus froze in place, surprise evident in his expression.


    "Then...why have we not gone after them? If you know they are go¨C


    He stopped mid-sentence, his thoughts spinning in overdrive as a scowl formed on his forehead.


    "...do you have a plan?"


    The Headmaster''s lips curled up, satisfaction etched in his expression.


    "What is there to chase? They have a transport Scroll that immediately takes them to their hideout..."


    His gaze wandered off to a screen where a particular image played.


    There, a scene of masked figures rushing through the tall grasses behind the Hostel towards the building came into view.


    Phestus tilted his head towards it, intrigued by the scene.


    "Where are they coming from?"


    "The same place they are taking them to....a Territorial Space...cut off from ours."


    "Territorial Space?" Phestus repeated, shock etched in his voice.


    "How did they manage to...."


    His gaze narrowed in realization. Then a sigh escaped his lips.


    "So, how do you intend on catching them? I can see you have decided not to act because you don''t wish to scare them off."


    "That''s the short version of my plan but yes....if we appear now and take charge of the situation. They will simply run back to their hideout, and take their captives with them."


    Phestus remained silent for a moment, folding his hands as he walked forward, towards the hovering screens.


    His thoughts reeled in as he did so.


    ''Isn''t that leaving things to chance? What makes him think they won''t take them now?''


    "Phestus."


    He flinched as he glanced up at the Headmaster with a raised brow. "Yes, Headmaster."


    "What else can you observe from these masked figures?"


    He turned back towards the screen and watched the events that took place.


    Most were occurring at the year one building, but some could be seen making their way to others.


    A small number were seen surrounding the last two higher Hostel Buildings.


    ''What are they up to?''


    He wondered when he observed their movements. It seemed oddly familiar, yet rushed.


    A chuckle escaped his lips in realization.


    "They''re desperate."


    "Exactly. Desperation calls for mistakes and whatever plans they have. We will interfere and take them down tonight."


    "Yes, but we still have to figure out their hideout in the meantime. If their desperation is prolonged then there is no confirmation that we wouldn''t be affected as well."


    "Oh, no. I''ve made plans for that. And that plan is on her way."


    Phestus looked up in confusion.


    "Who?"


    The Headmaster chuckled, a low hum reverberating down his throat. He flicked his finger and ignited a flame to life, beneath his cup of tea as he replied.


    "Just an old classmate of mine."


    His smirk grew wilder.


    "Kira Merlin."

 Chapter 347 - 347- Festival 78- Raid on a Rainy Night 17

    In the dark hallways of the Year One Hostel, footsteps echoed along the floors of the lobby.


    It bounced on the walls, reverberating with each step as two girls rushed through it.


    Their loud footsteps were followed by sharp thuds caused by the continuous opening and closing of the doors as they ran through them.


    There was no form of hesitation in their action, but subtle carefulness as they checked each and every room.


    One after the other, they opened and closed until they got to the end of the Hallway.


    There, a wall stood in place, blocking any further movement and halted their search.


    A window on the wall trembled with the falling raindrops while its glass panel banged with the tranquil wind.


    Elsie glanced through it for a moment, her arm stretched forward for the panel as she closed it shut.


    For a moment, silence descended, perfused only by the subtle sounds of rain.


    She sighed as she glanced back at Sophie, who had been standing behind her, her weapon kept close to her chest.


    They stared at each other for a moment, thoughts reeling in.


    "Shall we turn back?" She asked.


    Sophie nodded. "We didn''t find anyone here, including Tiara Gold. Perhaps we should."


    Elsie sighed as she glanced away from her, her gaze landing on a particular door.


    It was the third to the last, just before the wall at the end of the Hallway.


    "She was captured as well."


    "Yes, that''s the best conclusion but we will find out faster when we get to the others."


    They turned around and headed back to where they came from, walking leisurely compared to before.


    "I don''t see Ciara."


    Elsie glanced at Sophie once more, before looking away.


    "Yeah, I haven''t been able to sniff her out for a while now....and that was just a few moments after I picked up another scent."


    Sophie raised a brow in curiosity, her lips slowly opening as she turned towards Elsie.


    "Your nose must be pretty sharp.....your ears too, but it''s impressive even for a wolf. It makes you akin to a dog, though."


    Elsie giggled at her statement, a wry smile forming on her face.


    "Well, we werewolves do have ancestral ties to the Dog Clan."


    "Oh really?"


    Sophie muttered, her tone laced with intrigue.


    "Hasn''t the dog clan nearly reached its extinction? I heard they were down to only a few scattered members in the Beast people community."


    Elsie groaned slightly, tilting her head upwards as she glanced at the ceiling and then slowly nodded.


    "You could say that, but there are other beast-folks other than the Dog Clan that are undergoing a population crisis....."


    Her voice dropped slowly in the next statement.


    "...and Humans are the cause of most of it."


    A sigh escaped her lips and her eyes slowly closed on saying it.


    Sophie remained silent, speaking out only in her thoughts.


    Most were aware of the cruelty that Beastpeople faced when encountering Humans.


    They were regarded in most countries as a lesser species because of their akin nature to animals and beasts.


    ''But I beg to differ.''


    Life was all about evolution and survival.


    Naturally, the one best suited for survival will survive, while those who are not will have to evolve to survive.


    ''Beastpeople are one of those who simply evolved to survive.''


    Her gaze narrowed at the thought.


    ''Humans sometimes fail to realize a lot of things....and most of us...seem to have privilege issues.''


    "Well, it doesn''t matter now. You have people like Raph. He''s a human and he treats you better than most."


    Elsie chuckled.


    "Yeah, Raph. He''s simply the best. Strong, skilled and handsome..."


    Her lips curled into a smile.


    "...and that smile...he''s so cool! And literally cool since he uses ice and snow. Oh, my goodness, he looks so cool when he''s using his traits!"


    A squeal suddenly escaped her lips, excitement palpable in her tone and expression as she clasped her mouth shut.


    Her gaze shifted towards Sophie, who had already been staring at her.


    An awkward giggle escaped her lips as she unclasped her lips.


    "So¨CSorry, I sort of got carried away there. But like you said, Humans....some of them are truly wonderful people."


    She glanced away after that.


    ''Just, we, beast people tend to meet the bad ones most of the time.''


    Sophie giggled and looked away, raising her arms towards her face. She stared at her palms.


    "I''m glad. You''re right about those qualities of Raph....he is strong. Strong people are reliable....and dependable and the fight with the Dragon was truly....it felt..."


    She froze, unable to complete her statement.


    She grabbed her chest, the right side, pulling it tightly as her vision grew blurry. A wave of emotions spiralled into her, pulsating, beating and flowing.


    The unnatural phenomenon grew slightly and further increased her confusion. Anger, sadness, anxiety and fear intertwined in a helix, further fueling it.


    She tilted her head slightly, stopping in her tracks as she attempted to decipher the complexity of her emotions.


    ''What is this....odd feeling I feel towards her?''


    Elsie stopped as well. Turning around towards her with an intrigued expression.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Sophie looked up.


    "Oh, it¨Cit''s nothing. Just...."


    She stood up straight, shook her head and walked up to her.


    "Let''s hurry and get to the lobby downstairs. There''s no one here."


    Walking past her, Elsie turned around as she did. Slowly following after her lead.


    *****


    A few moments later, with the duo increasing their momentum, they had reached the beginning of the Hallway.


    The stairway that led down and up the Floor series.


    Sophie still led the way with Elsie occasionally glancing around to observe the surroundings.


    This continued until a rhythmic thud caught their attention.


    It was a familiar sound, one of feet walking up the stairs.


    In an instant, the duo readied their weapons, only to be faced with an unexpected and unwelcome figure.


    In a fiery red nightgown, a crimson-haired rushed up the stairs, nearly tripping over the chairs as she met eyes with the duo.


    What the figure saw at first wasn''t two girls in night dresses roaming around the Hostel like her but something far different.


    Mana poured out of their bodies in bits, like fumes from an exhaust pipe. With crimson bloodlust entwined within it.


    The duo were surrounded by darkness, with the magical lamps faintly lit, casting a dark shadow on the wall of the Lobby.


    For a moment, it felt like she was staring at two pairs of sinister eyes, one akin to a red moon and the other a mystical lilac hue.


    It was ethereal, yet malevolent and their striking features as they held out a defensive position sent a shiver down her spine.


    Her breathing hitched up before it ceased and an ear-wrenching scream shook the building.


    "G-GO-GHO-GHOOOOSTTTT!!!!"


    The duo stepped back in shock, nearly tripping over themselves as the girl fell to the ground.


    She curled her figure into a tight ball, holding up a longsword as she cried out.


    "St¨CStay away! St-Stay away right now!"


    After regaining composure, the duo glanced at one another and the trembling girl, Elsie tilting her head with her eyes strained.


    "Ruth Balsey?" She muttered.


    The crimson-haired girl froze. Her head whips forward at the two figures once again.


    A moment of silence descended between the three, as Ruth slowly stood to her feet. Dusting her figure with utmost diligence.


    She glanced at the two girls again, opened her mouth, closed it, clicked her tongue, frowned and walked past them in haste.


    "Ruth?" Elsie called out as she grabbed onto her just before she walked past her while Sophie choked down a laugh.


    "Where are you coming from? Where are you going? Aren''t the others downstairs, so why are you here?"


    Ruth slowly glanced back, her gaze narrowing as it met Elsie. She pulled back her hand, a sigh escaping her lips.


    "You Filthy Non-system users. I heard these attacks are because of you lots."


    Elsie tilted her head in confusion.


    "We are not the cause."


    "But they did come here to capture you, did they not?"


    "Well, yes but"¨C "But nothing! I could be in my room right now, sleeping but guess what? I''m busy dealing with your mess!"


    "if you just did a better job at not existing then perhaps we wouldn''t even find ourselves in this situation!"


    Elsie took a step back, flabbergasted by her statement while Sophie remained silent and watched.


    She opened her mouth to speak only for a scoff to come out instead.


    ''Why do they discriminate even amongst themselves.''


    It seems that oftentimes, humans act as their own weaknesses.


    She shook her head in disappointment, her gaze slowly tracing away when it froze at a particular spot above the hallway.


    Her lips quivered, and her pupils constricted.


    ''What? Since when? I didn''t even smell them coming...''


    She wondered as a palpable tension brewed within her. Ready to burst out at any moment as adrenaline surged within her body.


    For a moment, it felt like she was the only one who witnessed the scene before her, but no, at the same time, she noticed it, and so did Sophie.


    However, her reaction was different.


    While Elsie''s adrenaline surged and powered her for what was to come, Sophie remained calm, cold as a snake.


    Their attention shifted back to Ruth as she rambled on.


    "You know, I heard they were only after you guys so I don''t need to worry about myself.


    Serves you maggots right. Especially that bastard son of the Jun household. It''s best if they kill you all, take you out of our hands."


    She panted slightly, exhaustion adamant by her expression as her gaze shifted between the two girls.


    She frowned, noticing their attention drawn away from her and focused on the ceiling.


    "How dare you...." She mumbled as she spun around to leave, enraged by their action, but just as she did, her body froze.


    Above them were masked figures watching in silence. They stood on the ceiling, their heads bent towards them. Their numbers were unclear, their presence imperceptible¡ªyet their murderous intent was undeniable.

 Chapter 348 - 348- Festival 79- Raid on a Rainy Night 18

    Tension ensued in the Hallway as the girls held onto their weapons, beads of sweat forming on their scalps as their gazes were fixed on the Masked figures on the ceiling.


    Their shock was evident, but their ability to react to it was commendable.


    Despite their circumstance and the sudden change in their situation, they were rather prepared to face them head-on.


    Though the ability to come out of it alive was an entirely different subject.


    Ruth, on the other hand, had already exempted themselves from the situation.


    Her devious smirk as she stared at the figures gave away too much of her emotions. Satisfaction and Joy entwined in a sadistic helix as she shifted to the side.


    "Here they are! Two Non-system users right here."


    She glanced at the two girls, her smirk widening into a devious grin.


    ''Serves them right, bunch of loose¨C


    Ruth was cut off as the sound of the blade slicing through the air echoed in their ears. It was followed by a gut-wrenching sound projected in the air as her eyes widened in shock.


    Elsie and Sophie took a step forward, hands stretched towards Ruth, surprise evident in their expression while the latter glanced down at her chest.


    A curved blade stuck out from it, chains rattling as it was pulled back by one of the masked figures.


    Like a rag doll, her body was pulled into the air, blood splattering out of the cut like a fountain as she was thrown against the wall.


    BAM!


    With a solid thud, her body struck it and crashed to the ground. Blood was flowing out of her chest and forming a small pool around her.


    Her body quivered, her eyes widened in shock as it dimmed into oblivion. Her lips flinched, and confusion suffused into her brain, causing a question to spark again and again.


    ''WHAT? WHY? WHAT? WHY?! WHY??!''


    A pained groan escaped her lips as she attempted to speak, before her body grew still.


    Elsie''s gaze quivered at the sight while Sophie frowned. Her lips curled downwards as her gaze shifted to the Masked figures above.


    She was enraged and a bit startled by their action, but it wasn''t because of Ruth''s sudden death.


    No, it was something else.


    She sighed as her thoughts reeled in.


    ''They killed a system user.....they''ve changed tactics.''


    "Now that the worm has died, shall we get to the main course?"


    One of the masked figures said, his tone deeply masculine and his build large and bulky.


    He stood at the centre of the group, upside down with his foot anchored on the ceiling.


    In a tense silence, the duo were locked in a staring contest of some sort. One that threatened to be the end for the duo.


    Elsie flinched as she took a step back, glancing at Sophie by her side.


    "Run?"


    "Run!"


    "Attack!"


    Elsie and Sophie charged out of the Hallway in the blink of an eye as the sound of footsteps echoed against the walls.


    It was too dark to count, but the number of attackers they could count this time was more than just five.


    In fact, it was quadrupled that and could be more! And all from level 80th and above! That was suicide.


    And this duo were keen enough to know when they were outmatched.


    They ran down the hallway to the stairs, crashing against the wall as a blade blasted a hole through it just as they escaped.


    Another incoming short blade sliced through the air and made a ridiculous curve around the turn, reaching for the girls in seconds.


    Sophie reacted instantly, turning around and striking it away with her scythe while Elsie placed her hand on the support and jumped off.


    Sophie groaned as she caught sight of the masked figures coming after them and quickly did the same, descending down a flight of stairs at a dangerously high speed.


    With a solid thud, Elsie landed first, attracting a bit of attention as the sounds of girls screaming out in shock reached her ears.


    She looked up as she rushed forward, catching a glimpse of the rest of the girls and a Lecturer.


    "Attackers are coming!" She warned as Sophie landed right after her.


    A solid thud vibrating through the floor of the lobby as she pulled her scythe and spiked mace to her side, crossing her arms in the air.


    With a groan, she pulled it forcefully as the stairs quaked, trembled and pulled out from their foundations.


    Cement cracked, tiles splattered, and iron bent, as the sound of falling stairs trembled in the air, sending a shiver down the spines of all those who witnessed it.


    Sophie rolled over the way as it crashed into the ground, at the spot she had just left.


    Sand, debris and dust encroached the air as the solid scattered in bits on crashing, a subtle vibration sending a blast into the air.


    Silence hung in the air as the lecturer walked up to the girls, concern etched on her expression as she pulled Elsie to her side.


    "What was that? Why did she do that?"


    She asked.


    Elsie glanced at her for a moment, then shifted her gaze to the lobby where the students were kept together.


    Girls and Boys sat in a circle with five Lecturers standing guard around them.


    The glass doors that led to the exterior of the Building were locked shut, and two of those Lecturers stood there in place, ensuring it was locked shut.


    ''Hah....they seem to have this under their control.''


    "I asked you a question!"


    She snapped from her thoughts as she looked up at the Lecturer.


    "Professor Rona. You are hurting me."


    The Lecturer glanced down at her arm, sighing subtly as she pulled her hand away.


    Just then, Sophie walked up next to them.


    "Attackers are coming, and I thought it would be better if I made things more difficult for them."


    The Lecturer, Professor Rona, nodded with a sigh as she glanced at the rubble.


    The stairs were damaged now, nearly beyond resemblance, but it was for a good cause.


    "They made their way into the Hostels with so much ease....How?"


    She muttered as she looked away. She raised her hand in the air, signalling for a Lecturer ahead.


    "Lecturer Sasha Tani."


    Elsie raised a brow as she glanced at the incoming Lecturer, caution brewing within her.


    ''Sasha Tani? She wasn''t part of the cult?''


    She wondered as Sasha got to them.


    "You called?"


    "Yes. Get the System users out of here...I think taking them to the Staff Building would be a lot safer."


    "Agreed." Sasha nodded in agreement when Elsie nudged Professor Rona from her coat.


    The latter glanced at her with a raised brow.


    "What is it?"


    "They''re not just after System users....Or I presume they aren''t."


    Sasha froze on the spot while Rona scoffed.


    "What do you mean?"


    "It''s just as she said. They killed Ruth Balsey a while ago. They must have changed tactics."


    The two Lecturers glanced at Sophie now, who had been watching the rubble of dirt for a while.


    Though they might have narrowly escaped danger once, there was no telling if they could do it again.


    "Ruth Balsey is dead?"


    Sasha repeated, her shock palpable as some students whipped their attention towards them.


    A chatter began as the information spread like wildfire.


    "Keep it down, you!" Rona struck her lightly as a sigh escaped her lips.


    "Calm them down."


    Sasha groaned lightly as she turned towards the chattering students.


    The tension that had somehow settled before was beginning to rise once again. If they didn''t handle the situation properly, it was possible they could lose entirely.


    Rona knew this quite well, and she did her utmost best to keep them calm at all times....but this?


    "What do you mean they killed Rona?" She asked, her tone hushed and low.


    "It''s as we said. They sent a curved blade right through her chest when we thought they were planning on attacking us both.


    We ran as soon as they charged at us."


    "Ran?" She repeated, startled by their statement.


    Elsie is a beatman at the 8th circle. She must be powerful, and Sophie was someone who could keep up with Raph while facing a Dragon. And they ran?''


    The thought alone made her swallow.


    "How many?"


    Elsie flinched, glancing at Sophie when her nose twitched.


    Sophie noticed it instantly, narrowing her gaze at it.


    ''How does it even function? She smells them now, but not before?'' She wondered.


    "About four or five times the number initially sent to us....and these are a lot stronger than the former. At least five or seven levels stronger."


    Elsie replied, her attention drawn to the rubble now.


    Rona gasped, her shock swallowed quickly by a mask of indifference as she looked away.


    ''What? That''s at least twenty or twenty-five Attackers from at least the level 80.''


    This was a tough one for the Lecturers, but....


    She glanced at the girls, then at the students hurdled up. There, two familiar-looking boys were seated with the others, indifferent to the situation around them.


    ''Thank goodness they came searching for Raffaelo at the time....''


    She narrowed her gaze.


    ''...because at this point. Even the Lecturers might be targeted.''

 Chapter 349 - 349- Festival 80- Raid on a Rainy Night 19

    With a curt breath, she turned back to the girls.


    "How long do you think it''ll take before they show themselves.


    You''ve barricaded the way down here through the stairs...."


    She glanced at the door.


    "So they''ll have to come through the front door?"


    Sophie shrugged.


    "If there''s anything we''ve learnt from these people. It''s that they adapt to the situation, and someone gives them instructions based on the situation.


    They must have chosen to attack system users as well for a similar reason.


    So, if you ask me, they will attack from anywhere at any time."


    "Yes, I was wondering why they would attack us specifically, knowing fully well that we were quite strong.


    If anything..."


    Elsie tilted her head at her statement while Sophie and Rona glanced at her in unison as they retreated to their thoughts.


    It seemed like somehow, they had come up with the same conclusion, though, saying it out loud without proof would most likely do more harm than not.


    That was their reasoning at the moment.


    Professor Rona clicked her tongue as she glanced back at the other Lecturers.


    ''I need to give instructions before they attack.''


    Though Elsie''s sudden flinch as she pulled her fist in the air in a stance crossed out her plan.


    "Elsie?"


    Sophie muttered as she readied her scythe.


    "They''re coming."


    BOOM!


    A blast of energy swept through the lobby as the rubble of dirt and rocks blew apart. Its pieces crashed against the wall of the Lobby and the glass doors, causing a startling scream to exude from the students.


    A few thought, were fully aware of their predicament as well as the cause of it. They were given direct instructions as they remained undercover within the group of Year One students.


    Amongst them were Javier Wright and his cohort.


    They sat in the middle of the mass, circling around one another, back against one another, and silence ensued around them.


    Despite the commotion that swirled around them, they remained unyielding, masking their emotions in a mask of ice.


    Communication was nearly unattainable at this point. After all, there were people around, and a Psychic mage wasn''t among them.


    Sending a mental message was a pipe dream for the cohort.


    Despite that, communication, though difficult, was still possible.


    Javier sighed inwardly at the commotion that began, his gaze narrowing as he caught a glimpse of two males standing on their feet.


    Darrell Silvan and Jane Lucia.


    He sighed when Yon Duke tapped him.


    "What''s the plan? Things are getting dicey here, and you heard from her what was going to happen next."


    He whispered, pulling near to the former.


    In this way, they communicated, their voices masked by the chaos around them.


    "Are you stupid? We can''t do anything right now. We have to wait till the explosives go out."


    Javier replied, his tone hushed and silent, enough for the others not to get a glimpse of what he said. Of course, other than his group of friends.


    He nodded, turning his attention to the scene that unfolded as a sigh escaped his lips.


    Javier shook his head, sighing as well.


    He understood the emotions his friends could be experiencing at the moment.


    The uncertainty that came with their decision, and perhaps even the hope that all may go well.


    ''This is the System Uprisers for damn sake...''


    He thought, attempting to assure himself of the situation.


    Well, he could contemplate and fight over his thoughts on the issue, but his personal feelings on the whole matter seemed to contrast.


    ''Perhaps this whole thing is just one dumb rebellion.''


    Maybe he viewed the whole matter from one side of the coin, or one angle, while ignoring the rest.


    Yes, the System Uprisers had a hand right now. After all, they had checked most of the problems that could occur.


    ''The Senior Hostels are most likely going to be sealed. The principal hasn''t shown himself yet, but what can he do against two executive members of the Red Peacemakers?


    Back up was called in as well....so what could possibly go wrong?''


    The deeper he contemplated, the bigger his confusion and, therefore, his doubt became.


    ''Why does this whole thing feel rushed? I understand the need to take over the Academy and with the Red Peacemaker''s help. It will be possible to achieve it...''


    But when it came down to it, what were truly the chances of them winning?


    His thoughts reeled in, spinning and pooling out a response from the set of events, scenes and facts he came up with. But in the end, nothing came out, not a response and not a solution.


    With a sigh, he pulled himself away from his thoughts and focused on the scene at hand.


    ''Go with the flow for now....depending on how it goes.....''


    His gaze narrowed, his brows furrowed, and a slight frown formed on his face.


    ''We change sides.''


    *****


    With the attention of the students drawn to the sudden outburst of dirt and debris, the Lecturers acted immediately.


    They rushed next to Professor Rona, pulling out their weapons and gear, ready for the battle.


    Five were present, Professor Rona being one of them. The others were Sasha Tani, the only mage and three fighters. One knight and two warriors.


    At this point, a battle was bound to commence.


    A tense silence ensued in the room as the students muttered amongst themselves, fear gripping onto their hearts rapidly.


    The intense adrenaline sparked their fight-or-flight mode and prepared them for the inevitable.


    Of course, this emotion was devoid of most. After all, these people weren''t after them. They were after the Non-system users, so why should they?


    With that, the complex mix of emotions and anticipation lingered in the air, while the tension continued to grow with time.


    Professor Rona took a step forward after a few moments of silence, pulling out eight conical flasks of glowing liquid.


    The silence remained palpable for far too long, and the discomfort she felt from it only made her restless.


    With a grunt, she flung the bottles into the dust particles, pink and purple light igniting in the air as a sudden explosion of flames blasted out from the mixture.


    It crashed onto the ground, spilling its contents out onto the earthen floor before sparking into life and exploding with a brilliant light.


    Energy busted out from the dust, dispersing it in an instant as it revealed two masked figures.


    Their arms stretched forward as an emerald energy shot out from the two.


    It ignited as weapons appeared into the air with a poof sound, encircling the air within the blink of an eye.


    Professor Rona cursed under her breath as she took a step back, pulling her arms with her as she attempted to draw them away.


    "Get back." She ordered just as soon as the masked figures projected the weapons towards them.


    "Master Skill: Blade Frenzy!"


    The surge of weapons rotated in the air with a sharp ring as it projected at them like bolts of lightning. Too fast for the common eye to catch up with.


    ''Shit, I''m too late!'' Professor Rona thought when she felt a presence slip out of her back.


    She glanced at her sides, her gaze widening in shock as she watched Sophie and Elsie charge forward. Their gazes filled with intent as their weapons clashed with the incoming projectile, slamming it away from the air and against the wall and floor of the Hallway.


    Professor Rona clicked her tongue in annoyance. She pulled herself forward, pulling some of the Lecturers with her.


    "Attack them! They''re only two!"


    The two Lecturers, two males. One with a dark complexion and a berserker armour, the other fair in a light armour. A giant shield and mace held in his grasp.


    They groaned as they charged forward, mana bursting out of their figures, pulling a surge of power within them.


    They smashed the ground and lunged forward in the blink of an eye, covering the distance with the masked men who remained silently in place.


    They stood right below the hole where the stairway had once been, their attention entirely hidden behind their mask.


    It was best to assume they were focused on the incoming Lecturers, but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    With a solid thud, another masked figure crashed into the ground, his height twice that of those who presented themselves in the lobby.


    His next movement was swift and empowered, contrary to his size. He exuded mana from his body as he shot himself towards the incoming Lecturers.


    "Master Skill! Dino Charge!"


    The surge of crimson mana grew wilder and larger, taking shape of a tyrannosaurus Rex that cried out with intense force. It caused a sonic boom that erupted the walls of the lobby, and burst the glass doors open.


    At the same time, the multitude of masked figures came down from the hole in droplets to swarm the lobby.


    Instantly, they all charged forward, dispersing in different directions towards the students.


    While the large masked figure closed the distance between himself and the Lecturers.


    Professor Rona''s gaze darted about as she attempted to charge after the rest, while hesitating to go because of the incoming bulk of a man.


    She cursed under her breath, her lips curling into a tight grin as she pulled a flask, a glowing red one.


    "I''m gonna have to go to Hell first before I let you near my kids!"


    She screamed as she lunged past the two Lecturers and towards the Bulky man, her right arm stretched forward while the other held onto the bottle of liquid.


    "Aaaarrghh!!" She screamed when¡ª


    BOOM!


    A sudden, searing wave of blue energy detonated from the impact¡ªa shockwave of biting cold howling outward, scouring the hallway with an arctic gale.


    The air itself seemed to fracture as the blast rippled through the corridor, frost crackling over walls, the chill clawing deep into bone."**


    The shockwave slammed the students into the ground and sent the Masked figures scrambling for cover.


    While some had prepared themselves for the incoming impact, many had not expected the might to be so powerful.


    The crackling sound of energy and biting crippling cold pulled their attention to the scene, their gazes locked onto the cause of the blast.


    The Burly man and Professor Rona froze, their clash cut short.


    Perched on the man''s shoulder like a spectre, a white haired boy loomed, his double-edged katana a whisper from slaughter.


    Frost curled off his skin¨Cnot just cold but the quiet before an avalanche.


    The Burly man tilted his head up, his breath turning to ice in his throat on recognising the figure. The name came out half curse, half disbelief:


    "Raffaelo Jun, was it?"

 Chapter 350 - 350- Festival 81- Raid on a Rainy Night 20

    Professor Rona''s gaze narrowed, her thoughts reeling in as she backed away from the scene.


    Behind her, the two Lecturers stood beside her while the other two walked up to them.


    "How long has he been with us?"


    "We''re not sure. We didn''t realise he was here until now."


    "Was he even here the whole time? We did a headcount multiple times and confirmed his missing presence."


    "I agree. Maybe he arrived at the same time as them?"


    Professor Rona glanced at the glass door, her gaze drifting between its once hefty ridges and the broken pieces of its glass on the floor.


    ''No....I agree he might have come in at the time that energy was dispersed. The glass broke thanks to that, and he could have easily walked through.''


    She glanced back at the fight, a cold chill creeping up her spine.


    A cold chill wrapped around them in the hallway, creeping on the floor and ceiling.


    A magnificent glass of ice formed in the process.


    ''Why do I doubt that? He''s timing...it''s too precise.''


    While the Lecturers contemplated the situation, some students had already made their moves.


    Darrell and Jane sprang up in action, the former opening up his grimoire while the latter basked in golden energy.


    "Stop gawking and prepare your shields! The enemies are right in front of us!"


    He exclaimed, grabbing their attention. Including those of the attackers.


    The assault resumed with a heartbeat, the masked figures closing in on the students with one of them striking down his weapon on a group of girls.


    They squirmed around, their frightened voices reaching the ears of those around them as a spear was brought down at them.


    "What?"


    Jane cried out in surprise when a gust of wind pushed the masked figure back.


    Glancing to the side, closest to the Lecturers, Elsie and Sophie stood. The former, with her arm stretched forward, a gust of wind swirling around it.


    "Protect everyone. They will kill both System and Non-system users!"


    Professor Rona was finally able to get her wits back together as she glanced at the Lecturers.


    "Scatter round. Join the students. Protect everyone."


    They nodded and dispersed, rushing to different corners of the Lobby while the masked figures were pushed back by the wind.


    Soon, a struggling scuffle commenced.


    One where one side protected and the other attacked.


    The Masked figures, which had reached the numbers of twenty-five and more, were outnumbered by the students, who were ninety-five, but only a handful of them could actually fight back.


    The attackers were at the level of 80 to 90. Nearly three to four times that of the students gathered, with a minority on the lower side.


    On the other hand, the number of Lecturers present was five, and all were at the 70th to the 80th level.


    Where their defences were lacking greatly, depending on the much stronger students seemed like the best option.


    This left Elsie, Sophia, Darrell, Silvan and a few more to take the stage.


    Amongst the few were members of Princess Meadow''s cohort.


    A group of three remained at the back of the group, observing the situation at hand.


    Perhaps it was because of the absurdity of their circumstance or the difficulty in finding a way out alive, they had brought it upon themselves to ensure the safety of their Princess.


    Meadow was practically cornered behind her two bodyguards, Cricken and Rana.


    Surrounding them were the bustling students, who struggled to back away from the invaders as they chipped at them little by little.


    A gruesome sound of blood splattering and a body flipping away caught their grasp.


    It was followed by the ear-shrieking screams of a girl as tears streamed down her face. Her expression basked in dread.


    Above her was a masked figure with a sickle, one that had impaled her friend a moment ago.


    He whipped her body away and swung his weapon towards her, when a blast of golden energy erupted from the crowd.


    The energy blasted the standing figures, pushing them back by a strand while a pillar of light shot out into the air.


    "Spirit Elf Magic; Chapter 102; Gaia''s Rebellion."


    A flash of light reached into the ceiling, projecting through it like an ethereal figure.


    It took shape, forming a pole grasped in the hands of the goddess, Gaia.


    A golden deity in robes of silk, surrounding the students in her motherly warmth.


    The chaos decreased for just a moment, as the students were given a moment of reprieve.


    While the dome pushed a lot of the Masked figures back, a few more were still present within.


    The next sound that echoed was that of a whip as a blast of energy shot out into the air.


    The screams ensued once again before a spear warped through the air.


    It stabbed through the chest of the whip-wielder and drew him away from the students and the dome.


    Stabbing him into the wall of the Hallway in the blink of an eye.


    Meadow''s gaze narrowed, her arms clawing at her scalp as she curled into a ball.


    ''Too much!''


    A panging headache bit at her scalp, tightening around her brain like a crown of thorns, poking and knudgung at it.


    The thoughts were numerous and negative, calling at her, screaming at her. Fighting its way through her psyche.


    It bit at her thoughts, cutting her thread from the present and pulling her into a world of mental doom.


    ''Too much! The thoughts are too much!''


    She was no longer capable of listening to the thoughts as the thoughts invaded her instead. In a toxic mixture of sensory overload, it echoed within her brain.


    Rana had been focusing on the scene unfolding when she felt a nudge on the hem of her pyjamas. Glancing behind her, she suddenly wrapped her arms around Meadow, startling Cricken who sat beside her.


    "What''s wrong?" He asked as his gaze shifted between Meadow and Rana.


    Rana opened her mouth to reply when she was stopped by Meadow, who slightly pinched her without Cricken observing such.


    Her ability in mind reading was none to a few, and Rana was one of those few.


    Knowing this, Rana sighed inwardly.


    ''Not even her parents know...and now, even Cricken. Why does everyone around my Lady want her dead?''


    She shook her head.


    "She''s just feeling nauseous. This place is too tight for the Princess."


    Cricken shrugged, glanced around and turned back to her.


    "Do you see any more space to run to? We''re trapped. We must remain till the Lecturers and the great families settle the matter."


    Meadow grunted as she pulled herself up and grabbed onto Cricken''s collar.


    "I don''t care what excuse you have today. Act your worth and help with the defence. Now."


    Cricken raised a brow in surprise, a mask of indifference on his face as he stared at her.


    For a moment, they were locked onto one another, emotions clashing, authorities clashing.


    Cricken sighed.


    "Is this an order from the Princess, or a request from a classmate?"


    "Cricken?" Rana called out while the princess pushed her back, her eyes laced with intent, yet the suppressed pain revealed itself in her features.


    "It''s a request. Raph and the others may be able to help in this matter, but not enough.


    We need to get the students out of here while fighting them back.....we need you."


    Cricken clicked his tongue as he stood to his feet.


    "As you wish, Princess."


    A spark of light ignited in his grasp, and a poleaxe formed within it. In a single step, his body lunged into the air and past the dome of golden light.


    Rana watched his departure carefully before turning to the Princess.


    "How about Princess Manita?"


    Meadow scoffed. "That bitch wouldn''t spend a day in the Academy unless it''s an order from father."


    "So, what now, Princess?"


    Meadow remained silent for a moment, her head arranging the line of thoughts that invaded her.


    The Chaos did not just surround her¨Cit crawled inside, violent and cloying, until her thoughts were no longer her own.


    The terrors that went through her classmates'' heads on nearing death continued to pour into her mind like flood water. Their panic seeped through the cracks of her focus.


    ''Someone save us!''


    ''I don''t want to die!''


    ''Goddess be with us.''


    Their thoughts clawed at her, foreign and frantic, twisting her own into grotesque shapes. It was like being trapped in a crowd of rebelling peasants¨Ca hundred voices shrieking different lines, yet all chanting the same raw, animal fear. Over. And over. And over.


    She gasped in shock, absorbing the raw emotion that mixed with those thoughts, making peace with it. Or at least trying to.


    She glanced over at Rana.


    "We wait for the seniors. They are more than enough to put a stop to this nonsense."


    With the ending of her statement, a malevolent red light shone on her eyes, sparking her curiosity towards the source.


    Rana squinted as well, as she raised her arm over her face, protecting herself from the infrared rays.


    Confusion arose in the Lobby, students gasping and turning around, their gazes etched on the broken doors.


    There, a crimson light permeated through, its source unknown, its purpose unknown, yet it remained unsettling and adamant.


    Its presence was felt, but what it brought with it was something more, something irksome. Something that screamed for dread.


    With the confusion rising, a sudden sound erupted. Not from the students, the attackers, or the defenders, but from outside.


    The sound was like a whale call, a sonic hum, a harbinger of misfortune.


    It rang again, and then again, and for the last time, before a loud explosion erupted.


    Its sonic wave swept through the Hostels, nearly uprooting it from its foundations as it quaked from the after-shock.


    The students screamed in shock, while the attackers snickered behind their masks.


    Raph glanced back, his glossy white eyes painted by the tint of the crimson colour, his gaze narrowing at the sight.


    ''A transcendent seal....'' He thought when a chuckle pierced his ear.


    With a frown, he glanced back down at the man he had subjugated with his landing.


    It wasn''t that they were still stuck in that same position because it felt cool, no, the Burly man was simply unable to push him off. And Raph was having a ball of a time stumping him to the floor, slowly and painfully.


    A cold chill crept out from his lips.


    "What''s funny?"


    "Oh....it''s nothing...but, you may not want to expect help from those seniors of yours."


    He chuckled even more, but Raph remained unperturbed, cold even. Without a care in the world.


    ''Oh, so that''s what they sealed.''


    He swung his double-edged katana into the air, its blade forming a crescent arc that flickered white light.


    His voice was cold as he said.


    "We never needed them."

 Chapter 351 - 351- Festival 82- Raid on a Rainy Night 21

    ''What''s that?''


    Meadow''s thoughts seeped through her consciousness, her gaze hazy as the crimson light painted the walls of the Hallway in an irksome sight.


    Her mind was muddled with the invasion from others, and now, confusion began to brew.


    One that built discomfort within her.


    She glanced at Rana, her chest tightening.


    "What is that, Rana?"


    She was a princess, perhaps different from the rest, but knowledge of certain principles would be unknown to her.


    Rana glanced at her Liege, her expression squeezed, fighting the fear that attempted to grip her.


    "It''s a sealing scroll....a transcendent by the amount of power exuded from it."


    ''Sealing Scroll?'' Meadow muttered in her mind, alienating herself from the tendrils of darkness that made her deaf mentally.


    ''Sealing....oh no...''


    Then it happened¨C fear. Chest gripping, knuckles whitening, throat burning fear.


    "What are they Sealing? How¨CHow are we going to survive this if the¨Cthey....are they?"


    She grasped her head, her mind muddled with mass information, thoughts that weren''t her own and then thoughts that were hers.


    "Ca¨CCalm down, Princess. We have the Juns, the Silvans, the Lucias, the Son Gokus....we have them all. We will be fine."


    ''What? Is this girl stupid?!''


    She looked up at Rana, her expression twisting. Confusion, frustration, annoyance, mixed in a palette of colours. One without synchrony but disorderliness.


    ''Why would I leave my life for these people?! I''ve fought myself, all my life. I have been alone since the beginning and now! You want me to leave my life to those...fools? Power...hungry mongers who don''t know what''s right other than fighting?!''


    She sprang to her feet, startling her guard.


    Rana shifted slightly as she slowly arose as well, her confusion palpable.


    "I''ll be damned to let anyone define where I end tonight."


    Meadow muttered as she took a step forward, pushing a girl away as she struggled to find her way to the door.


    "Princess?!" Rana called out, her tone laced with hesitation, confusion. She took a step after her liege and quickly walked after her.


    It was her duty to protect, and she would serve it till her dying breath.


    Her gaze traced Meadow''s movement, a smirk growing from the corner of her lips.


    ''Hmm.....this is exactly what I love about her.''


    Despite that, the sudden distortion in space that occurred right above their heads didn''t leave room for them to prepare.


    Rana whipped her head up in shock, her body flinching as the masked figure descended like a guillotine.


    He held a war hammer, his attention entirely focused on Meadow as he descended.


    "Princess!"


    Rana ran through the students, their subtle proclamations escaping her ears as she pushed Meadow away.


    The latter turned around in shock, her gaze widening at the scenery before her.


    Meadow''s eyes met Rana''s¡ªwide, shocked¡ªa breath before the hammer split the world in two.


    It descended at a ridiculous speed, yet it seemed to move in slow motion, taking the space that separated itself from the two girls in a second and clawing its way to Rana''s skull, a powerful energy exuding with it.


    -BOOM!


    "RANA!"


    In a single swoop, the hammer rained down, and crimson liquid erupted into the air like a fountain, flesh and bones crumbling under the weight of the hammer.


    Her body jerked as she landed, dangerously onto the body of another student.


    One who took the opportunity to scream in shock as the students ran away from the masked figures.


    The man whipped his hammer in the air to the sides, ready to slam against another child, when a bolt of lightning streaked through the air.


    Colliding with the man and slamming him against the wall of the Hallway.


    It was followed by a sound, so electrifying, and so loud, that its intensity reached the students.


    Strings of lightning ran through the man''s body, sending impulses of yellow down his figure.


    It encroached its very being, burning him from within as a tearsome scream escaped his lips.


    His body charred alive, sending a silent warning to those who watched it.


    As the students were partly distracted by the electrifying sight, another exclaimed, his voice deep and loud.


    "EVERYONE, OUT OF THE BUILDING!"


    The students didn''t need to be told twice, nor did they need to be begged to listen.


    In a stampede, they rushed out of the Hostel Building, with panicked screams projected in the air despite the rain.


    Their footsteps were like a drum band, striking the floor of the lobby and all those unfortunate to remain on it without mercy.


    Escape was the only goal¨C the only way to gain a level of sanity in this mess, and they took it with open arms.


    While the students rushed out, Darrell remained at the door, his arms folded as he observed them with careful eyes.


    His gaze shifted from the door to the ethereal image of the golden lady.


    He stretched one arm forward as a flicker of light ignited within its palm, and his grimoire appeared.


    It flipped open, its intricate pages moving like rushing water until its purposeful chapter.


    "May Gaia''s mercy dwell on us, as we ask for her tender love.


    For she prospers with us in light and darkness."


    He glanced up from the grimoire, a smirk forming on his face.


    "Rise, Oh Guardian of Earth."


    The Hostel shook, a tremble running down the foundations of the Year One Academy. Its intensity accumulated, dispersing with arrhythmicity, quaking with a subtle vibration. Akin to an earthquake.


    Those within the Lobby would glance up, startled and glance back down to focus on anchoring themselves from the vibrations.


    While those who observed it from the outside would wonder what went on in the Year One Hostel Building.


    Yet, despite all this, the vibrations continued to project.


    Then, like a mechanisation crafted by man''s knowledge, the golden lady arose.


    Her pole of light ignited with such brightness that the skies were painted with its golden hue.


    Her steps measured and purposeful as she emerged away from the Hostel and out into the open.


    The students who rushed outside were soon enveloped by this same light that they had left behind to escape.


    Shocked by the phenomenon yet grateful for its purpose.


    Darrell smirked in satisfaction at all this, his gaze tracing the movement of the golden lady as she walked away from the Hostel.


    His grimoire closed, then a subtle pang struck his chest.


    He gripped it, sighing deeply as he looked away.


    ''Does that spell always use this much mana?''


    A sudden quake and explosion caught his attention, his gaze whipping in that direction.


    There, he found the Lecturers, Jane, Elsie and Sophie, fending off what seemed to be the rest of the attackers.


    He had ensured none were present within the Golden Lady before it took off. It was also practically impossible to get in without his consent.


    With that, he decided to focus on the next task at hand.


    "Shall we, then," he said with a subtle groan as he walked towards them.


    He had not covered the distance between the battle scene and himself when something-or someone-caught his peripheral vision.


    Glancing behind, his brows furrowed.


    "Princess Meadow?"


    A few feet away was a princess on her knees, blood smeared on the palms of her hands.


    Her head sunken, her shoulders limp, her body....convulsing slightly.


    Darrell remained still in his position, his gaze growing soft at the sight.


    ''Before...''


    A memory flashed in his head. An image of the masked figure he had shocked to death with his grimoire. The man who slammed his hammer on a student and killed her.


    ''....shit....''


    He sighed deeply, resting his head on his palm as he walked up to her.


    "Princess Meadow..."


    Silence.


    She remained, ever so silent.


    Unperturbed by the world around her.


    He didn''t need to think twice to know she was weeping, and the reason so, was made evidently clear.


    He groaned again, this time, glancing behind before turning his attention fully on her.


    "Princess, I understand your grief, but now is not the time. We must evacuate this very moment!"


    He stretched his hands towards her when she slapped his hands back, the stinging sensation from her slap lingering on the back of his hand.


    His face grew dim.


    ''Well, this is unexpected. Is she losing her cool?''


    Princess Meadow slowly stood to her feet, spun around and walked towards the exit.


    All in a swift motion. Silence suffused between the two while she did it, causing Darrell to retreat to his thoughts.


    He watched in silence, his gaze tracing her movements, and carefully observing her condition.


    He couldn''t tell.


    Whatever it was that she went through, she went through alone, and he was unable to tell it apart.


    Her cautious steps, her sunken head, her whitened, clenched knuckles. It was obvious she was upset, or perhaps saddened. But to what degree¨C to what extent was she going through?


    ''...though, why should it matter to me? She already shut me away from her life, years ago.''


    Despite his conclusion, for some reason¨C or perhaps a reason. He still wanted to know.


    "Princess Meadow."


    She froze mid-step, her body swaying in motion.


    His gaze narrowed at the sight, a flash of memory of the little girl he once knew all those years ago.


    ''....how much has changed.''


    She was always this way. Introspective, withdrawn, lost in a world too far for those around her to reach.


    Perhaps in a world that only she could burden¨C


    ''Or perhaps not.''


    "I know how much Rana Lana meant to you....But, I assure you, Princess. It''ll be better."


    A moment of silence remained, perturbed by the beating of the rain on the buildings, the trees, the grass, and the plane around them.


    The loud footsteps of the withdrawing golden lady, each sending vibrations down the earth.


    The fight that remained in its climax, mana and aura surging in intensity, explosions and power exuding all around.


    Yet, that moment seemed precious.


    Meadow scoffed and walked forward, her back turned against the world.


    Darrell chuckled.


    ''I thought so. We had already promised never to act like we knew each other....but this is just like you.''


    His gaze shifted to the side, and it suddenly widened¡ª unrestrained.


    The world seemed to come to a slow trinket, as a white haired boy was chased by a Burly man, their energy exuded in space.


    Bruises and cuts lay on the Burly man, while the white haired boy remained unphased, his emotions locked in a frozen cooler.


    The problem wasn''t the fight itself, as it was expected they would brawl.


    No, what made Darrell suddenly launch at them wasn''t the fight, but the direction of the fight as they neared closer and closer to the unsuspecting Princess.

 Chapter 352 - 352- Festival 83- Raid on a Rainy Night 22

    Sparks of gold ignited in the air, traces of a battle yet to unfold as the tension in the air grew palpable.


    With it were two figures basking in the moment, one a reincarnation of ice and the other a Burly bull charging at its prey.


    The scenery unfolded with such artistry that Darrell was frozen in place. Eyes bulging from the powerful energy that emanated from them, yet appreciative of the beauty of the scene.


    He couldn''t stay lost in the sight, though, after all¨C Princess Meadow was in danger.


    His gaze whipped back to the girl, and his body bolted forward, mana surging from within as it pushed him forward like a beam of light.


    He rushed forward, his speed suddenly igniting in meters per second at a rate unfathomable to him.


    His goal was evident¨C save the princess.


    While he rushed forward, Raph''s pupils suddenly flickered, his body moving at such a speed that his awareness was deceived into believing it was in slow motion.


    Glancing to his side, he caught a whiff of the incoming Elf, his expression remaining fixed, unchanged by the sight.


    Then he glanced to the other side and caught a glimpse of the Princess.


    A groan escaped his lips, and he glanced back at the incoming masked male.


    His large shoulders reached for him at an impossibly fast rate.


    It was ironic. His speed was contrary to his size, something that would be physically difficult to achieve.


    ''But then again....mana or aura makes the impossible happen.''


    Suddenly time released as Raph stumped his foot to the ground, a whisk of his shoulder striking Meadow while Darrell flickered past him like the wind, grabbing Meadow with him.


    A skid echoed as the Burly man slammed his shoulder into Raph, a palpable shockwave igniting from the impact as he pushed forward with a roar.


    The ground trembled as Raph drilled his leg into the tiled floor, his body resisting the force, yet unable to achieve it completely.


    He was pushed to the other side of the Hallway in mere seconds, his feet dragging on the tiles, scraping away the structure and leaving a foot trail to the end.


    In a loud thud, he was slammed against the wall, an explosion of energy occurring as they charged through it. A blast erupted as they broke through it into the open, raindrops beating on their bodies immediately.


    One would think the Burly man had achieved his goal, but sadly, not this one.


    Like a bullet train off its tracks, He charged right through the ceramic fence separating the Year One Hostel from the Year Two''s with a solid thud.


    Cement and rocks erupted from the impact as they passed right through.


    In the same manner, he increased momentum, picked up Raph into the air and further slammed him into the next Hostel, a shockwave exuding from the impact.


    A blast of energy occurred, then a tremor phased through the walls as they forced their way into the Year Two Hostel, silence following after.


    The rain continued to pour down from the dark clouds, thunder singing a mellow hum while lightning ran through the skies.


    The intensity remained lax, setting the theme for the night continuously while the sounds of the rhythmic explosions were swallowed by the rain.


    The Year Two Hostel, which was once filled with darkness,, was suddenly flooded with light¨Cnight light, and gasps pierced the air as two figures emerged from a pile of rubble.


    "Raph?"


    Raph, who was one of them, glanced back, his gaze narrowing at the scene before him.


    "Rita Vinci"


    Before him stood the Year Two class, all in a similar situation to them a moment ago.


    Five Lecturers stood apart, well, four, as one was missing.


    The students here seemed to have faced fewer deaths, from what he presumed, as the lobby''s floor was piled with the dead bodies of the masked figures.


    A few more still seemed active and were hanging on the walls, their actions frozen by the sight as well.


    Amongst the fighters from Class Two were Rita, and all Class Monitors and Deputies, a few others as well, including the Son Goku twins.


    ''Oh? What a sight.''


    Raph wondered as he glanced up at the white and black Centurion guarding the students who weren''t defending.


    It was an artwork right from a drawing book, intricate patterns and designs that made it suitable for reality.


    An armoured creature with four arms, body suited crafted, reptilian armour and a pair of great swords on the upper arms.


    It took the majority of the space within the Lobby, reaching the ceiling.


    Its malevolent helmet exuded a menacing glare as two white gems glowed with an ethereal glow. Serving as its eyes behind its visor.


    Its size and absurdity, yet intricately crafted armour, only leads to one conclusion.


    ''It must be one of her paintings.''


    A sudden eruption of the rubble of Cement and rocks occurred as the Burly man launched out of it.


    Bits of stones and rocks rise into the air in the process.


    He stretched his arms in the process and grabbed Raph by his throat, pressing his body over his as he pushed him into the rubble with a thud.


    "You think you can get distracted in a fight against me? Huh, Raffaelo Jun?!"


    "Raph?!"


    Rita''s voice permeated the air once again, tension and shock evidently exuding from it.


    It was followed by a hum of chatter within the students, their tones filled with the startled turn of events.


    Despite that, Raph focused on the task at hand.


    With a gentle push, he arose from the debris and placed his hand on the Burly man''s.


    Their gazes locked onto one another, and a palpable tension ensued when a chill sound was heard in the air.


    The Burly man glanced down at his arm, his muscles tensing at the sight, before turning back at Raph.


    "Stay back for a second, would you?"


    The air crackled as a snow pillar erupted from his palms, ice forming in the mixture, tall and large and exploding in amounts as it pushed the Burly man away.


    It slammed through the walls, its size taking a large chunk away from the hostel as it reached into the air, growing with rapid energy like cancer.


    Reaching into the skies, it solidified, jagged icicles and snow mountains reaching for the fence and into the Year One Hostel.


    Slamming against the roof of the Hostel and pulling at its roof as it stretched towards the sky.


    Cold wind emanated from the peaks of snow and ice formed at the end of the frozen mass.


    It''s frozen build twitching with the subtle movement of the breeze and rain.


    Silence descended in the Year Two Lobby, their shock palpable from their expressions as they stared at the frozen mass. It''s large construct casting a dark shadow over their heads.


    Rita Vinci had been staring at it as well, together with a Lecturer who approached the former.


    A subtle quake echoed, and their attention was drawn back to the figure who caused it.


    In a bask of cold energy, Raph walked out of the rubble, a crippling, cracking sound echoing as ice formed on his palm.


    He glanced at it, sighed and looked up at the two.


    "Professor Kazim, Rita, Rhett, Brett, and even you, Carl Dunham. Nice to see you are all fine."


    Rita chuckled.


    "Yeah...same here. You¨CYou look fine. Were you attacked as well?"


    "Oh, I was."


    Raph replied with a groan as he stepped forward. His arm rested on the back of his neck as he did so.


    He glanced at the giant Centurion, then at the students behind it.


    "You''ve protected even the students, Rita. You''re doing quite well."


    "Psh. WE protect ourselves. Not only Rita.."


    "Really?" Raph muttered with a raised brow as he glanced up at the ceiling.


    "Then why are they still there?"


    They flinched as they turned to the ceiling, their gazes landing on the masked figures.


    For a moment, it seemed like they had escaped their situation, or perhaps, too startled to continue.


    Well, for a while, all had frozen in place and had simply been watching.


    Why the students and Lecturers did that was...well, understanding.


    But why the masked figures did so was confusing.


    "They stopped?"


    Professor Kazim muttered, his gaze flickering in confusion. It wasn''t simply that they stopped. It seemed like they were frozen, as if an invisible cold force had frozen them in place.


    This further escalated his confusion, but without getting a reasonable conclusion, he was pulled away from the sight by a sudden sound.


    Raph clapped his hands together and gained their attention, once again, including Professor Kazim.


    "Leave here....take some people and evacuate the Hostel.


    It''s obviously not safe, but the Lecture theatres should be. We''ve evacuated the students at our side, so do yours immediately."


    The group hesitated for a moment, Rhett taking a step forward when Brett held his arm.


    They were both donning their staffs, Brett''s a silver and Rhett''s a golden.


    The former glanced at the latter, while the latter shook his head in reply.


    It was a subtle message between them with both sighing in resignation.


    They walked away, heading towards the exit in unison, while the students turned towards them in confusion.


    A muffled conversation was brewing within them.


    Raph watched in silence as the Class Monitors of the other classes quickly went after them.


    "This way!"


    One of them cried out, Forziz Luke, Class Monitor of silver.


    The startled crowd of students hesitated, their gazes lingering on the masked figures who remained on the ceiling.


    Their confusion was palpable, and their goal had been slowed down for a bit.


    Rita shook her head and glanced up at the armoured Centurion.


    "Protect them."


    She said, her voice loud and projected.


    The creature nodded, turning its body behind the students at the masked figures.


    "Now go"¨C" WHAT ARE YOU IMBECILES DOING??!"


    A voice thundered in the air, sending a shiver down the spines of those who had ears to listen.


    Their bodies flinched as their heads spun while a sudden explosion occurred.


    Glancing up to the source of the commotion, their confusion grew. And with it was an intoxicating fear.


    "Oh no..." Rita muttered, her gaze flickering as a shockwave phased through the frozen mass.


    Bits of ice and snow broke apart from the impact as the shockwave occurred again.


    Its intensity rises at a rapid rate, a pool of dark green mana surging from the source of the commotion.


    It occurred again, louder and firmer, destroying bits of the frozen mass, turning it to grinded ice.


    "ARE YOU SCARED?! SCARED OF A MERE BRAT! YOU FOOLS! KILL!!!!"

 Chapter 353 - 353- Festival 84- Raid on a Rainy Night 23

    "FIGHT YOU FOOLS! FIGHT!!"


    His voice thundered in the air as the sound of glass breaking projected with it.


    Bits of ice and snow launched into the air as the Burly man slammed his way through the frozen mass.


    A green energy exuded from his body, hovering over him like a skin as he charged within it. His fist collided with the frozen crystalline structure, reducing its size with each strike while heading back to the Year Two Hostel.


    The ground rumbled as chunks of large ice descended, slamming against the solid ground with a subtle quake.


    The sudden vibrations and explosions grabbed the people''s attention, their gazes widening in bafflement as they watched the scene unfold for a moment.


    While it brought dread to the students and staff, it brought something else to the few others dressed like him.


    The masked figures felt a rejuvenation from his outburst, his orders acting like an energy pill, refilling their drive, their purpose, their goal.


    What felt like a wall which had been built between them and their prey now seemed like a fence that could be threaded through.


    And they acted on it with such speed.


    An explosion of flames occurred as one of the masked figures stretched his hand forward, a Mage.


    The flames twisted into balls that launched at the unsuspecting students.


    Rita''s gaze flickered with intensity, a frown forming on her face as she groaned and took a step forward while pushing her arm into the air.


    "Go!"


    The Centurion creature moved like a machine, its great swords swinging into the air like pivots launched at the incoming flames.


    While the attack commenced, Raph glanced at the Burly man and back at the others.


    "Go, now!"


    The group immediately charged away, leading the group of students to the door while the Son Goku twins held the lingering attackers back.


    Their goal had been made tight, difficult to fully achieve, as the masked figures, adamant on achieving their goals, rushed after them with multiple attacks.


    "Master Skill! Blinding Flames!"


    "Expert Skill! Viper''s Surge!"


    "Expert Skill! Charging Wave!"


    "Master Skill! Ocean Rise!"


    The lobby trembled as the sounds of footsteps echoed on the floor while energy erupted from the Masked figures as they chased after the incoming students.


    A blast occurred as a fountain of water surged out from the lobby''s floor, launching against the ceiling and breaking through it like sandpaper.


    It was followed by a spark of flame that ignited with a brilliant, white light. A surge of fiery light that erupted through the lobby, startling the escaping students, yet unable to stop them.


    Some protested while a few more fought on, their respective Class Leaders standing behind as the incoming skills launched behind them.


    Mayo Flimenarian, class Deputy of the Year Two Bronze Class and Guardian, took a step forward, her armour rattling against her skin as she slammed her great shield into the ground.


    With a ferocious roar, her body ignited in a pool of purple mana, power surging within her body as her shield began to glow with an ethereal hue.


    "MASTER SKILL! WALL OF THE CALVARY!"


    The energy suffusing the shield exploded with a lilac light as it expanded in size, filling the space between the students and the incoming attacks.


    It formed a lilac wall, large and adamant, violet energy surging from it as she clenched her teeth tight. Expectant of the incoming impact.


    The surge of water slammed against the shield, a terrible quake permeating through the walls and the ground as cracks formed around it.


    The impact caused a subtle rebound of the shield, but none that she couldn''t handle as she held onto it with her entire might.


    At the same time, the blast of fiery light collided with the shield, permeating through it and erupting out in a sudden fiery shockwave.


    It sent some of the students spiralling on the ground, uprooting their feet from it as they crashed with a sudden force.


    Mayo remained adamant, her feet planted despite the explosion when Carl Dunham and Amelia Locks walked up next to her.


    Amelia, Class Monitor of Year Two Bronze, placed her hand on Mayo''s shoulder as an ambient energy erupted from her body.


    Her hand rested on the great sword that stood neatly in front of her silver armour.


    Her gaze was sharp and filled with intent as they waited in anticipation of the incoming attacks.


    With the fiery light gone, multiple emerald heads shut out like vines towards the shield, their slender, yet massive heads slamming against the walls with Rugged force.


    The impact was sudden and immediate, clashing against the wall in one second and forcefully breaking it into bits of energy shards in the next.


    It reached out for the students, casting a shadow over their heads as they descended with high numbers, green gas emitting from its maw in the process.


    The students dispersed immediately, and the emerald snakes slammed against the spot they had just left.


    Their bodies suddenly bulged out on multiple spots before exploding in a blast of green gas.


    As the students landed away from the attack, their hands reached for their noses while the gas dispersed.


    A sudden and sharp shockwave occurred, its force and intensity blasting at the walls and windows with a sudden¨C BOOM!


    The students were sent slamming against the wall of the Lobby, cries of protest exuding from their mouths in the process as another sonic blast erupted.


    Stringer and twice as fast, pushing them further into the walls before blasting them away, and the walls around the lobby with it.


    The building shook, its foundations stolen from it as the cracks spiderwebbed on the ceilings, chunks of Cement littering the ground like fallen scabs. The boulders and bits of rocks fell like meteorites, slamming against the floor and causing further cracks that spread like cancer.


    It vibrated with the intensity of the building, bits of rocks falling apart while the walls began to give in to the weight of its structural size.


    The shockwave ended, and the students fell to their feet, their gazes whipping towards the ceiling and walls.


    Immediately, the Masked figures dispersed in the darkness, leaving the students to face their unprecedented fate.


    Carl Dunham''s gaze widened in shock as his head darted about in the building, his gaze landing on Rita while the other Class Representatives stood to their feet and retreated.


    He stood as well and hurriedly made his way to her while the building continued to vibrate, its structural function slowly falling apart with time.


    With a pull, he grabbed her from a pile of rubble.


    "We need to leave now!"


    Turning his head again, his gaze landed on an impossible sight. Two figures locked in a deadly hand-to-hand duking it out despite the situation.


    A smirk formed on his face, growing into a wide grin when he felt a tug on his sleeve.


    Glancing down, Rita pushed herself to her feet, a sharp sigh of relief exuding from her lips.


    "The Lecturers have evacuated?"


    "Not all of us."


    Walking towards the duo, Professor Kazim and two others rushed in to aid, with signs of wear and tear on their body armour.


    She nodded slightly as she glanced at Raph.


    "We need to help him."


    "Help him? Rita, the building is falling apart. We need to leave." Carl said, his tone laced with surprise. "You don''t even know him. Why would you want to help him? That''s not like you, Rita."


    Rita glanced at him, their gazes locked onto each other for a moment.


    Her lips curled down in a frown, and her brows furrowed.


    "And who are you to know how I act?"


    He froze in place, a subtle strike in his chest. One that didn''t feel physical yet left a physical wound.


    He opened his mouth to speak when she cut him off.


    "Take Carl. Take the others...."


    Glancing at Raph, she said, her tone etched with conviction.


    "I''ll stay here and fight with him."


    Professor Kazim raised a brow in confusion. "Stay here?"


    For a moment, he remained silent. The groan of shifting beams, a deep, wooden protest as the structure began to unsettle.


    The distant, metallic whine of a nearby pipe from the walls of the building as jagged cracks ran through it in a zig zag.


    The building groaned like a dying beast, dust raining down with the bits of rocks and boulders as they slammed against the floor.


    The sound, mixing with the raindrops from the outside, made a synchronised tune, one that sang songs of destruction.


    His gaze intensified as they remained on Rita''s.


    "Don''t be dumb, and let''s go."


    With that, he turned around to walk away. His attention temporarily focused on escaping when a creak sound was projected in their ears.


    It was followed by the trickling of water and the falling of concrete over Professor Kazim as he froze midstep.


    Glancing at his figure and then the ceiling, his body flinched as a metallic pipe gave in, causing an incoming large boulder to descend in a heartbeat.


    It cast a shadow completely over his figure, reaching towards the others as well.


    "Professor Kazim!"


    Carl muttered as he charged forward, only for the armoured Centurion to come into place and slam the boulder away with a quick, fluid motion.


    The boulder smashed against the floor, blasting into pieces of stone and dirt.


    The armoured Centurion then raised its arms over its head, leaning in and shielding itself from the incoming boulders and rocks.


    Professor Kazim flinched and glanced back.


    "Go, I''ll catch up."


    She stated as their eyes met. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still, but in the next, Professor Kazim scoffed and walked away.


    The two other Lecturers followed his lead while Carl hesitated.


    "Rita?" He muttered, his gaze lingering on her as she pushed him back.


    "Go." She ordered. "I can be of help to Raph, but you''ll simply be in the way. So....do me this favour...okay?"


    He stood still, his body jerking, pupils dilating, lips quivering. Saying something wouldn''t help in this circumstance, and he knew.


    But leaving her to fight wouldn''t suit him well either.


    "I-I-I can help to¨C


    He was cut off as his body was picked off the ground like a rag doll.


    A startled expression etched on his face on recognising the Armoured Centurion as it charged out of the collapsing building.


    He cried out in protest, but by the time he could retaliate, the Armoured Centurion had busted through the wall and emerged into the outside.

 Chapter 354 - 354- Festival 85- Raid on a Rainy Night 24

    The Year Two class weren''t one of many noteworthy mentions, but the few they had were capable students in their various fields.


    One could say they were the typical master of all.


    With no distinctive speciality, they had students from various classes. Each class sufficiently makes up for their lacking numbers in Non-system Users.


    Thanks to that, their year did not attract attention, but one which averted it and thus, became an easily underestimated year amongst the others.


    With that in mind, Professor Kazim Nakhr had been made speechless for a while.


    He had expected as much from the Son Goku twins, but definitely not from the Vinci.


    After all, they were one of the households that couldn''t even make it to the second stage of the Battle of the Great Families.


    Now, he stood beneath the armoured Centurion crafted by Vinci''s artistry and mana, his gaze locked on the crumbling building of Year Two Hostel.


    The groans and twisted murmurs of pipes and iron that exuded as the concrete slammed against the ground echoed in the air. It mixed with the rain as the droplets struck down on them in sombre timbers.


    The tension was palpable, an air that felt stale suffusing them while he watched in silence.


    Besides him was the Assistant of the Year Two Gold Class, Carl Dunham.


    It was expected that the Son Goku twins would lead this year as they did the previous year, but because of an incident, they were voted out by the class.


    ''Now that I think about it. The incident never got out....why did the class vote them off?''


    Speaking of the twins.


    He glanced to his side, his gaze flickering as it landed on two poles, golden and silver.


    The ancient patterns that aligned down the poles, casting a shimmering effect from them. It caused them to glow and left a big impression on him.


    The Lineage of the Legendary Monkey King, Son Goku.


    ''These two....''


    He raised a brow as he looked up to find them sitting atop their starves.


    They watched the fall of the building as well, dark shadows cast over their faces in the night. Yet, their figures cast a shadow behind them, the ominous silvery, white moon glowing with regality.


    "Rhett, Brett?"


    The twins flinched and glanced at him, their tails slowly dangling down their lower backs.


    "Why didn''t you stay behind? You could have fought on par with Raffaelo Jun much more than Rita."


    With a slight frown, they looked away.


    An evident sigh exuded from Rhett''s lips.


    "It''s as if our mu"¨C "Rhett!"


    Rhett flinched as he was cut off by his younger twin.


    Whipping his head to the side, his head twitched backwards, startled for a moment.


    "So-Sorry, Sorry."


    He muttered as he looked away. Revealing Brett''s stern expression as he adjusted his glasses.


    Just then, a sudden explosion occurred. A shockwave spread from the source and erupted into the air as it blasted the wind in all directions.


    The rain trembled, swaying with the intensity and for a moment, it ceased as the breeze dispersed.


    Resuming immediately after it stopped.


    The people gathered glanced to the side, and there, an ice spike, the size of a hill and twice as large as the Hostels, busted through the air.


    It seemed to multiply, its diameter expanding with each addition until it struck the roof and reached further into the air.


    The air crackled around it, the brilliant icy crystal glowing with a mystical blue as the raindrops froze on contact with it¨C Both that landed on or around it.


    Carl chuckled slightly.


    "She''ll be fine." He said.


    Though it sounded more like a reassurance to himself than to the others.


    A hidden history seemed to linger between the two. Something that those smart enough would have noticed.


    Turning around, his gaze widened slightly as he caught sight of the giant walking lady.


    She had covered a certain distance away and was quickly approaching the cafeteria.


    With a slight groan, he rushed after them.


    "Professor! The others are on their way! Let''s go!"


    The armoured Centurion shifted his head from the crumbled building to the boy, and back to the building.


    It spun around and jumped into the air, grabbing Carl as he landed just before crashing down.


    In a single motion, he charged forward, the others lingering behind for just a second.


    The twins jumped down, grabbing their staffs before launching themselves into the air like a catapult.


    Transport for them was a lot easier compared to others, as they had properties or qualities to make up for it.


    As the students left, the two Lecturers rushed after them while Professor Kazim lingered.


    Unlike the others, he had a much heavier responsibility considering their circumstances. Being a Lecturer, professor and one of the core protectors of the Academy, the situation he found himself in was rather uncomfortable.


    Yet, seeing as how the fight went on from the effects, he could tell his help wasn''t all that was required.


    "Still....the principal may not approve of this."


    With a sigh, he prepared to turn only to stop mid-step as a sudden ball of water descended at a rapid speed.


    He jumped backwards, the projectile striking the spot he once was and erupting into a surge of water that dispersed on impact.


    A small explosion occurred, the surge of water running down the pavement as he landed a few distance away from it.


    By now, the building had fallen fully, leaving only crumbling pieces that lingered with a few frozen from the after effects of the battle within it.


    The air was once again filled with the serene sound of raindrops and thunderclaps.


    Leaving the Professor in a state of surprise as he glanced around. His thoughts reeled in as a conclusion dropped within them.


    ''The rest of the attackers?''


    There were four more¨C four that had collapsed the building and would have, or perhaps should have, headed to the escaping students.


    ''Did my presence make them reconsider?''


    Just as he thought, the air warped around the pavement, a few distance away from him and the Year Two Hostel, and the four masked figures appeared.


    A slight chuckle escaped his lips.


    "What are you doing? I thought you were focused on attacking Non-system users?"


    The masked figures remained silent as they slowly encircled him. Their bodies oozing traces of mana, power swirling within them.


    Professor Kazim frowned, his brows furrowing deeply into a tight nut.


    ''They''re not answering...'' He thought. ''These four are at level 90, and I''m at 95....Can I win?''


    He bit down on his lip, adrenaline surging within him as his body grew hot.


    ''Well....''


    Mana surged out of his body, a brief wave dispersing from his body as it did so.


    He walked forward, stretched his arms and legs apart and let a grin form on his face.


    This was a death match¨C one that wasn''t looking too well for himself.


    The Great Families and other Non-system user families were usually blessed with their family techniques. Tools or unexplainable phenomena that gave them an upper hand against System Users.


    This was the same for certain System Users, but not all were lucky enough to fall under this category.


    Sadly, Professor Kazim was on the latter.


    A Warrior veteran from the army who retired early because, unlike his peers, he was considered ordinary.


    ''Well, today might just be my big break.''


    His pupils dilated, darting about to trace their movement.


    In a split second, he charged in, a burst of ambient mana surging from his body as his physique bulged with power.


    Muscles toned within his silver armour, tendons gripping with power as veins pulsated across his skin.


    Professor Kazim was a Marble Guardian, and it possessed qualities which differed from most. Today was his time to showcase it all.


    ''Besides, I''ve let those students carry too heavy a burden for too long.


    The Teachers must do their part.''


    With a surge of power, he charged into one of the masked figures, a see-through ambient energy shield forming in between them as he clashed.


    A sonic explosion erupted from the impact, concentric waves of energy dispersing from the collision.


    The masked figure snarled in pain, bones cracking within his arm as it pressed against the shield in a desperate struggle.


    The others flinched for a moment before charging at the Marbled knight in unison, mana surging as a skill was prepared to counter the Guardian of the Academy.


    Professor Kazim scoffed, a wild grin forming from his lips as it curled up like a python to its prey.


    He felt them vividly, clearly, and distinctively. They closed the distance between themselves within seconds, reaching him with murderous intent.


    ''I wish you luck, kids, as I wish myself.''


    ¨CBOOM!


    *****


    The Year Two Hostel, though fallen to its foundation, still had a part of it that remained on its feet.


    Undeterred by the loss of its foundation, nor the fallen parts of its construct, it remained like an ancient pillar, firm and strong.


    Well, this was only because of the crippling ice that spread on it like moss.


    Frozen, glowing blue crystals that shimmered with an aqua light like the mist from a frozen cooler.


    It held the walls of the lobby and spread upwards to the first and second floors, providing a narrow yet high stage for their scuffle.


    Shards of ice spikes emerged from the corners of the Lobby, breaking through the walls and encroaching on the outside.


    Remnants of a chilling battle left unperturbed by the falling building.


    At a corner of the building, sparks of blue and green emitted in the air, an onyx-haired girl standing behind with hesitant eyes.


    Her fists clenched into fists while a paint brush rested tightly within her grip.


    Her chest rose and fell, her breath hitching in curt gasps as her gaze narrowed in rage.


    She cried out for the millionth time.


    "Let me fight with you! You Son of a bitch!"

 Chapter 355 - 355- Festival 86- Raid on a Rainy Night 25

    Emerald and Aqua sparks flew in the air as the tension grew thick, energy pulsating in concentric waves as the walls reverberated with intensity.


    Ice crept with a silent plea, stretching across the expanse of the building held from crumbling with the rest.


    The serene sight of ice spikes and snow scattered across the lobby, or what was left of it, was striking.


    And at the edge of it, Rita Vinci stood, her gaze tracing the movement of the fighting hurricane, her paintbrush held firmly in her grasp.


    She had been standing still for quite a while, following their fight with the movement of her eyes while preparing herself in anticipation for an opening.


    But for a while now, since she arrived, she had not spotted one


    The absurdity pricked at her scalp, sending a headache that she held by rubbing her temples.


    With a subtle sigh, she relaxed her arms, folding them and stretching her legs forward slightly.


    She couldn''t keep screaming at them. She wasn''t even sure if they felt her presence, let alone heard her.


    It was openings like this where one could rush into the battle and aid their ally, but with the situation having a comedic turn.


    She would simply be a hindrance.


    So she thought.


    A loud explosion occurred, an impact energising the walls as it rattled, ice cracking and sawing down as a cobweb crack traced down it.


    The surge of power pushed the Burly man away, his body floating in the air akin to a fallen leaf before slamming into the wall with a loud thud.


    The building shook, and the ice shattered, giving way to the demolition while Raph descended from the air.


    He panted slightly, aura exuding from his body, and his double-edged katana soaked in dripping crimson.


    For a moment, he had been entirely focused on the wall as it caved in, closing the crater formed from slamming the man away.


    But at some point, his sense of perception came to him as his gaze flicked to the sides.


    Their eyes met, and his brow raised in curiosity.


    "Rita?"


    She hesitated, her lips parting, then closing, parting again soon after.


    "Hey, Raffaello."


    The white haired boy pushed her comment aside with a wave of his hand as he landed on a raised, frozen platform.


    It was like a hill, short and curved at the tip, but providing enough room for walking.


    It was here Rita found herself waiting for an opening¨C well, failed to find an opening.


    "Call me Raph." He stated as he walked up to her. "Why are you here? And not with the others?"


    Her lips curled downwards, a scowl creasing on her forehead as a stinging glare exuded from her face.


    Raph froze mid step in confusion, his arm scratching the back of his neck.


    "Wha¨C What''s with that face?"


    She clicked her tongue and looked away.


    "I came to help....but clearly, you don''t need it."


    She turned around to walk away while Raph watched in silence. A chuckle escaped his lips, echoing against the frozen walls before he clasped it shut.


    Rita whipped her gaze back at him.


    "Is it funny?"


    He chuckled again, this time, looking away slightly.


    "No. I apologise. It wasn''t."


    Silence suffused the air between them for a moment, their expressions a stark contrast to one another when she scoffed and continued to walk away.


    Raph remained still.


    After all, it was a lot better if she did leave.


    ''It''s a shame, though. I could hardly see the Vinci household fight in both lives....


    I heard it could be quite beautiful.''


    A sudden eruption of sound pierced the air.


    A shockwave spread through the ice as the rest of the Building shattered in a heartbeat.


    It was like an echo, erupting loud and clear, snapping at their ears with a sneer.


    Raph groaned while Rita staggered, nearly tripping to the floor.


    The building suddenly shifted, a groan of protest screaming from the walls as the concrete gave in to gravity.


    It broke, shattered, thin lines tracing across the wall like an ant trail, spreading its destruction to the rest of the standing construct.


    Dirt and sand fell, bits of rocks protruding from the holes, while large ones broke off with a thunderous crack.


    Raph cursed within, his gaze shifting towards the crater, searching for his attacker.


    ''He''s gone.''


    In a swift motion, his body warped in the air as he launched forward like a bullet.


    He grabbed Rita as a rock slammed the spot they escaped from, rushed across the frozen platform and jumped into the air.


    Space lay bare between his feet and the ground while Rita was held firmly in his arms.


    A blast of aura washed over him, and ice sprang from the foot of his leg, projecting towards the ground and anchoring on it.


    It prolonged, shimmering ice forming a descending slide as he slid down it.


    The wind whisked his hair behind him, whistling in his ear as his body sped down the slide at a rapid pace.


    Rocks and dirt are descending with drastic force, slamming against the ice slide and breaking apart on impact.


    Its sturdy construction resisted the collapsing building and stood strong as he headed to the other side of the wall.


    There was a small opening that sparkled, reflecting the luminance of the moon against his eyes.


    His focus had been entirely fixed on it as he propelled forward, but a sudden explosion of sound and energy as a body pulsed into the air like a rocket caught the edge of his periphery.


    He glanced at his side, recognising the Burly figure of the masked male as he rushed towards them, a dome of green energy wrapped around him.


    Sending a surge of power that crept along his skin like veins.


    The sight caused Raph to scoff as he glanced down at Rita.


    The girl had curled herself tightly in his embrace, eyes closed and arms up, while her hair drifted in the wind.


    "Rita." He called.


    The girl flinched, an eye opening as she looked up at him.


    "You wanted to fight with me, right?" He asked, his lips curled in a tight grin.


    Rita remained silent for a moment, but in a heartbeat, her aura seemed to change.


    Mana propelled within her body, surging power from within.


    A smile formed on her face.


    "Yes?"


    Raph turned to the Burly man, and she raised her head a bit, getting a better look at the incoming missile.


    "Well, here''s your time."


    With a slight grunt, he lifted her into the air and propelled her forward, the smile never leaving their faces as his body sped off along the slide, leaving the Artistic girl behind.


    The mana surged from within, dark, yet beautifully woven as she propelled her arm forward, making light strokes of her paintbrush in the air.


    The Vinci household.


    A household of artists and the masters of vast communication.


    They were known for learning a vast number of languages over the years, speaking different forms and even improving them.


    With their skilful and precise work in craftsmanship and woodwork, it was evident that their talent wasn''t just limited to drawing.


    They possessed different forms of expressing their arts.


    An evident, common one was through the paint brush. Though not limited to a brush. A pencil, a palette, a carver, whatever form of applying paint or drawings enabled them to showcase their artistic abilities.


    Another form was the use of words¨C verbal. An extraordinary form of applying words to form art.


    This was a power possessed by a few of the Vinci household, indicating the peak of art.


    The three other forms were the use of symbols, hand communication and body language.


    Different in its own manner of expression, yet similar in the


    When the Vincis fought, those around them would often stop to appreciate through beauty, for they were the Artists of the Battlefield.


    Rita Vinci, one of the direct Lineage, was one of these artists, and this was her stage, prepared by Raph.


    Such a gift¡ª


    "Can not be wasted."


    With a subtle stroke of her brush, a symbol formed in the air, a line of patterns and strokes, indecipherable to the common eye, yet a world of mysteries to the Vincis.


    "Vinci Book of Arts; 4th Symbol; The Night of the Blooming Rose."


    Her mana swirled as four flowers bloomed around her, sketched in black and white, vibrant and regal.


    Projecting in the world with petals that floated across the air.


    Contrary to the black and white of the flowers, these petals were of a more vibrant colour.


    Pink and lilac, exuding an elegant grace as they hovered around her.


    The flowers enlarged, completely obscuring the path of the charging Burly man, yet he had come too far to stop his progression.


    With a solid thud and an explosion of ink, he collided with the flowers, wet ink erupting as the flowers splashed into a mystery of colours.


    The Burly man groaned as he pushed forward, sticky elongation of the ink clawing at him and pulling him back as he did so.


    The frighteningly tight struggle was captivating as it was suffocating.


    The ink spread like serpents, reaching for his limbs, stretching and spreading across his body, enveloping him in an ichor of thorns.


    He groaned bitterly, veins bulging out of his neck as he propelled his body forward. A struggling attempt to set himself free as the elongation cut off, bit by bit. One after the other, setting the man free with each passing second.


    At that moment, Rita appeared above him, a vibrant hue of colours exuding from her body, and mana surging within as she drew a symbol in the air.


    "Vinci Book of Arts; 7th Symbol...."


    Her face grew pale, and her lips curled into a frown.


    "...Sword of Mona."

 Chapter 356 - 356- Festival 87- Raid on a Rainy Night 26

    A high density of colours swirled in the air like rainbows, surging upwards over the man''s head as it combined, mixing, twisting and curling in a palette of harmony.


    It took shape, its length sturdy and elongated, forming a giant blade the size of a statue.


    It cast a dark shade over the Burly man as he looked up, his teeth glaring out in rage.


    His arms finally set free from the taunting black whips of the inks as the blade descended for a powerful slice.


    It slammed against the man just as his arms were over his head to block the strike, the impact sending a concentric shockwave in the air.


    It pulsed through his body, rattling his bones as blood oozed out of his lips, trickling down to his chin.


    In a fury, he pushed it away, a groan escaping his lips as he did so.


    Mana warped around him, green energy forming a dome with a bull''s horn projecting from the top.


    His gaze whipped to Rita as she descended, his arms curling into a fist as he charged at her.


    At that moment, the giant sword made an impossibly twisted curve in the air, swinging its blade in the air like a thin thread and bringing the brunt of its force against the man in a sudden quake.


    The Burly man groaned in pain and shock, a pulse wave igniting from the impact as he was sent back to the ground.


    He crashed into it, an explosion of rocks occurring as a crater formed.


    The walls trembled from the force, groaning with intensity as water pipes protruded out of rocks, wood splinters sticking out from their corners.


    Destruction near its peak.


    Rita had a moment to glance around, her expression easing with the intrusion of her thoughts.


    ''Should we keep fighting in here? We could get buried alive.''


    A whiff of the air blurred past her, and with a spin of her head, she sighted Raph making his way to the ground.


    ''They don''t care?''


    Raph crashed into the ground with a loud thud, ice crackling as a mist of frost exuded from his body.


    The ground cracked, irrational tears tracing across it as the Burly man jumped out of it.


    Their gazes locked at that moment, a blur of tension following as they charged at one another at a sudden speed.


    The world quaked, energy outflowing as concentric shockwaves protruded from their impact.


    The Burly man welded a small shield on one hand and a flail on the other. Its spiked mace head is twice as large as an average human''s head, with an extended chain bulging out of the Silver rod.


    He swung his weapon through the air, white arcs tracing his movement as it collided with Raph''s double-edged katana, a swirl of energy exuding from the impact.


    They struck again and again, their speed shooting up like an accelerator on an automobile, their feet anchored to the ground, and their hands a blur to the eyes.


    They moved with the precision and skills of a Warrior and knight.


    Their weapons were an extension of their thoughts, their vast battle techniques and experience exuded in the flow of their movement. Each strike, each swing leading to a greater cause¨C one of victory.


    Raph was like a flowing dragon, his footwork etched with the hard work of his deep understanding and training, his swordsmanship quick, precise, powerful. Taking the weight of the swordsmanship of the Jun household, which represented strength, consumption and precision.


    The weight that followed the strength of the swing of his sword was no joke, and the finality of every action shattered the fighting style of their opponent.


    Giving way, making openings for the consumption of their opponent.


    This was how the Jun swordsmanship worked, the three swords of the Hexagon. Strength, Precision and Consumption.


    The Burly man was unaware of this and simply fought with his own understanding. The northern battle style. Warped, transfigured, evolved time and time again in the north with each passing win in a battle.


    He was the epitome of brutality and strength, his flail swinging majestically with an irksome tendency to break bones.


    Yet, he was being fought back, pushed back, consumed by the very thing he had sought to brutally defeat.


    ''What is this? This manner of swordsmanship? Why can I not find a way through?''


    The Jun household was known as the Knights of the North, battle-worn fighters born with the superhuman gift of the gods. Or so the story went, but truly¡ª


    ''They are not of the north!''


    His flail grew heavier, sturdier, and precise.


    Sparks of aqua and emerald igniting in the air, concentric waves of air pulsed within strikes, blood and body burning within, energy suffusing through like hot lava in their veins.


    He groaned, veins popping on the side of his neck, muscles clenching, tendons tearing. He wanted to win¨C Brutal and savage! That was his calling.


    The sparks flew, their weapons clawing, moaning with a desperate plea as they struck against one another, their desperate attempt to cleave in the other revealing itself as ear-tearing screeches! Metal against metal.


    The fight from afar was captivating, eyes-bulging, brain-stimulating and most especially, too fast.


    Rita descended in the air, her feet planted on a rectangular boulder as it coursed through the sky, the wind sliding along her skin.


    Her hair was waving behind her, and her dark night dress was hovering with intensity against the agitating wind.


    It whirled, reaching her knee, and sliding back down, hovering around her as she kept her gaze locked on the battle below.


    ''They''re locked in again.''


    After watching it occur more times than she could count, that was the word she used to describe it.


    Their bodies moved in blurs, weapons colliding, silver lines tracing their blades and mace, energy pulsating with each strike.


    There was no space.


    ''Oh fuck it! How am I supposed to help if you keep locking in?!''


    For some reason, she suspected Raph was fighting purposely on equal footing with the man.


    After all, there was much more strength that he had revealed, perhaps made use of in the past.


    ''As someone who watched him in the Battle of the Great Families, I find this highly difficult to believe.....why is he fighting on equal footing?''


    Suddenly, a shimmer of light sparked in her eyes, her gaze narrowing as she caught a whiff of Raph glancing at her mid-battle. A smirk on his face.


    Her eyes bulged open in shock.


    ''Did he just glance at me? While fighting like that?!''


    She giggled as she jumped off the boulder, hovering in the air and cartwheeled mid-air.


    ''What a way to disrespect your opponent, Raph.''


    She giggled as she whipped her paintbrush in the air, black colour plastering around it.


    "Come here, my soldiers!" She said with a smirk on her face.


    The air around her warped, a sudden poof of smoke forming as a Japanese-styled sliding door formed.


    Long palm branches and storks painted across the wooden structure as it surrounded her like a shield.


    "Vinci Book of Arts: 4th Painting: Legion of the Four Armed Warrior."


    A ting rang in the air as the doors slid open, assuming the function of a Portal as a white light hid behind the doors.


    Silver armoured figures, Centurions of Valour, shot out from the white light, their magnanimous size threatening to break the small-sized doors.


    They stretched their arms forward as they emerged out like zombies, a blinding light striking against their silver armours.


    A spear, silver, regal, filled with the intensity of the light, glowed with magnificence.


    It''s ethereal beauty showcased in the artistry of the spear''s design. It was large as a pole, a steel beam, exuding a glinting brilliance.


    Each pulled their weapon back and, in unison, swung it through the air. It rippled, cracking the sound barrier as it projected at the fighting duo within half a quarter of a heartbeat.


    Raph smirked at the Burly man as his body warped in the air, dispersing like the wind and appearing next to Rita in the following second.


    The latter whipped her head towards him, her gaze widening slightly as her mouth hung open.


    ''How fast is he?''


    The man''s face twisted in confusion as well, his jaws opened slightly as he stared at Raph while the descending projectiles whipped through the air.


    With a startled, yet measured movement, he ran across the dirt on the ground, a metallic ring erupting as the first spear slammed into the ground. It immersed within, causing a crack that spread like wildfire across the ground.


    The man twirled to the left, jumping away as another crashed on his former spot, the ring erupting in his ear as he winced in pain.


    He shook his head, landing with a sudden thud and pulling himself back up as another struck the former position, the ring echoing even louder. Projected by the former two.


    It was like the war cries of a trumpet in a battlefield were played again and again, each louder, sturdier, firmer and stronger than the last.


    The spear would recoil on slamming the ground, reverberating with its own intensity while the cracks spread even more.


    The earth slowly gave way to the brutality of its treatment.


    The man continued to run across the crumbling earth, dodging and evading the incoming spears, barely evading the corrosion of sound that followed.


    Rita and Raph hovered in the air, controlling their descent when Rita glanced around and turned to Raph.


    "We can''t keep fighting here! The building is giving in....it will collapse to its finality soon."


    Raph scoffed, pulling his arms across his chest to his shoulders.


    "Stop worrying about meagre things."


    Ice crept in his fist as he gripped it tight, aura revolving violently around it.


    ''Everything is Ice.''


    He swung his arms across the air, a chilling breeze sweeping through the crumbling building as ice manifested to life. It climbed itself, crawling upwards on the walls while pulling the weight of the building.


    The building staggered, rocks suddenly hung in the air as the ice spread like cancer, locking them in a tight, frozen formation.


    It continued, warping, shimmering, and crackling until it froze the collapse shut in the process.


    Rita glanced around in shock, her shoulders jerking as a wry chuckle escaped his lips.


    She turned towards Raph as they landed on a raised frozen platform, a cold steam exuding from the edge of his lips as they rushed after the Burly man.


    He muttered quietly.


    "Eternal Frost."


    Yet she heard it vividly.


    With a smile, she glanced away as her thoughts reeled in.


    ''He''s so fucking cool! Literally!''

 Chapter 357 - 357- Festival 88- Raid on a Rainy Night 27

    With a groan, the Burly man smashed through the frozen wall, escaping the brunt of the falling spears as he emerged into the open once again.


    Rain trickled down his vest, sticking his clothes to his skin.


    A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he raised his arms to his face and tore off the mask.


    Slowly, his chest rose and fell, shoulders jerking slightly with it as his gaze darted to the side.


    At the side, the crumbled building held. A part of it stood with frozen dignity while the other was a rubble of dirt and rocks.


    His attention wasn''t on the state of the building but on his opponents as they leisurely ran out in unison.


    Raph led Rita into the opening, his gaze locking with the Burly man''s as a palpable tension ensued between them.


    With a smirk, he said.


    "Let''s go, Rita. Corner that man."


    "Yes, sir!" She said with a smile as her paintbrush sparkled with a primal white hue.


    With the wind, his body blurred past her in a heartbeat, her pupils blinking as he closed the distance between them and the Burly man within that moment.


    He appeared like lightning, swinging his leg through the air as he aimed for a kick across the man''s face. Aura ignited around him, flowing to his right leg like a fiery blue light.


    With widened eyes, the man pulled his arms to his face, a vast pool of mana forming a dome in their midst.


    Raph''s leg collided with the man''s dome and arm, cracking the shield from the impact as the air crackled from the intensity.


    Lightning collided with rock and split it in two with a frightening force, sending tendrils of doom into the man''s body.


    A concentric pulse ignited, and the man was sent back into the vast plains behind the Hostels.


    Blood splattered from his mouth as he rolled, gruesomely, on the grassy plains. Dirt and stone assaulted his mouth as he groaned in pain, stopping right after he jumped off the ground and landed on his two feet.


    With a grunt, he looked up, his gaze widening in shock as Raph closed the distance once again.


    His sword traced a thin crescent arc in the air as it descended with impending doom.


    The man''s face contorted, his pupils glowing crimson as he pulled his flail into the air.


    With a sonic boom, weapons clashed, and his body pulsed with the wave of the collision.


    He groaned as he was pushed back, his mind riddled with the intensity, mesmerised by the collision as he nearly tripped on himself.


    ''What?! What is this power?!''


    He rushed in once again, leaving no room for second thoughts or recollection of events, his sword swinging from below, whispering a deathly hallow to the wind.


    The man raised his shield, igniting his mana around him, enforcing himself with strength as the dome formed once again.


    "I am the shield that guards the Rhakar! I shall not fall!"


    Like a stone, a monument of great reverence, the man stood strong.


    His shield raised in the air as the blade struck it with a metallic ring, an impulse blasting in the air in waves, igniting a hollow screech within his ears.


    Blood trickled down, yet he stood.


    With a furious groan, his flail collided with the blade, trembling force and quaking sounds erupting with each strike.


    Mighty strikes that sent thrills into the air, vibrating the very air around them with the intensity of their strikes.


    His body screamed, muscles tensing, tendons clashing, yet he fought! Striking again and again with the speed of his opponent.


    Each subtle change in Raph''s form was quickly followed by the Burly man''s vibrant change. His brain made quick work of his movement as quickly as he could.


    This wasn''t a fight he ought to lose! Not against a Jun of the North. A foe their Rhakar sought after.


    ''I shall present his head as an offering to him! This is a fight with a distinctive ending! And that ending is my victory!''


    Without pause, without hesitation, he commenced his entourage of strikes. Sending explosions of sound at every turn, every curve and every movement.


    The Burly man could see it¨C a path to victory! One carved by his very hands.


    Soon, he was beginning to overcome his opponent, overwhelming him with his mighty size.


    Raph was beginning to slow down, unlike the Burly man. His strikes were growing weaker, more defensive, and a bit awkward.


    It was a subtle change. One that would have been difficult to trace if they weren''t a veteran of battle, and the Burly man was definitely that.


    With a sparkle of light in his eyes, he leaned in and increased his intensity, preparing to completely overwhelm him in his fit of Barrages.


    ''I knew it! The Jun are not so strong! He can''t even keep up with me in the end! Ha! And the Rhakar was worried? About some mere brat.''


    A grin formed from the edge of his lips, a glint of scarlet within his eyes as his gaze locked onto Raph''s.


    His cold, distant, unperturbed eyes, white and peerless, as if one were blind.


    That was the only way to describe it.


    There was no telling if Raph was actually feeling the change in his form as they fought or the fact that the Burly man had in fact become faster than him.


    It simply revealed nothing, like a blank canvas waiting to be painted.


    ''Then I shall paint you red! The colour of the blood that you shall spill!''


    With a sudden wave of power, he swung his shield and flail into the air, mana rushing to his veins as they popped out of his skin.


    A glow of emerald ignited at the brunt of his weapons, a struggling groan exuding from his lips as he held it in the air.


    ''Master Skill¨C


    His pupils suddenly constricted as his head whipped to the side.


    At that moment, his world had come to a standstill, a motion too slow for him to act. Yet, something, someone, was moving within that time frame.


    Like a flowing dragon, Raph curled his feet to the sides, spinning with relative ease, manoeuvring to a side too far to reach, and too sudden to process.


    His sword held high in the air, a blast of aura shooting out of it¨C Aura Blade. His lips curled into a smirk.


    The man''s thoughts reeled in.


    ''Hah? I was played.''


    Time released, and Raph swung his blade through the air in a thin, nearly invisible line across his back, blood splashing along the diagonal cut like a fountain.


    The man''s arms were still stuck in the air, a heave releasing from his lips as the pain slowly encroached on his brain.


    He groaned, gritting his teeth bitterly as he forced himself into motion. Swinging his weapons across the air towards him, a sudden blast of air flickered in his peripheral vision.


    His pupils darted to the side as a white foamy giant fist descended from the air like a war hammer.


    In confusion, his attention pulled fully to the fist as he raised his weapon to the air, a sudden thrust of energy and eruption of sound occurring as it crashed against his dome.


    With a staggering force, his body trembled, and a crater formed below his feet, rocks and stones piercing against his skin as he descended with a sudden force.


    A groan of pain escaped his lips as he looked up, pulling his flail back while pushing his shield forward.


    ''What sort of contraption is this?''


    Above him was a white creature made of foam and snow. It stood tall at a mighty peak, larger than the centurions drawn before.


    It had fingers and claws, yet its face was that of a snowman, plain white with the traces of its facial features drawn across it with a scarlet hue.


    The crimson paint dripped down from its lips, forming jagged teeth and criss-cross detentions while its eyes were shimmering rubies.


    On the top shoulder was Rita Vinci, her attention fixed on the man as a fearsome cackle shook the air.


    Dark and low, like the guttural sound of an ancient beast, taking the form of a clown. It escaped the closer mouth of the Snowman, and with it came a sudden force that pushed the man further into the crater.


    With a grunt, he cried out in pain, his flail igniting with an emerald hue as the spiked mace suddenly doubled in size with the outburst of mana.


    It tripled, then quadrupled, and repeated the same procedure six more times until the spiked mace was half the size of the huge creature.


    He groaned as he swung it across the air like a fishing pole, mana burning through his veins. A tense sigh hissed between his teeth.


    ''Master Skill¨C''


    His body jerked. Muscles locked. Eyes flared wide as his head snapped sideways¡ª just in time to lock gazes with the white haired boy.


    ''....you have got to be kidding me.''


    In a blur, a thin crimson slash split the air, Raph surging past them, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The man stood frozen, his brain lagging behind his body''s betrayal.


    His gaze dragged towards the scarlet spray, tracing it back to the source¡ª and his face twisted. Rage and Pain detonated in his veins all at once.


    His pupils slid sideways, tracking his own severed arm as it spiralled through the air, blood arcing like a macabre fountain from the stump.


    His breath ceased at that moment¨C a scream threatening to escape, but even pain wasn''t given the benefit of a leeway.


    The Snowman grabbed him off the ground and into the air, its fingers gripping the entirety of his figure other than his head.


    He yelped in pain, gritting tightly as he was swung into the air and flung across the expanse of the field with a sonic boom.


    A propulsion of the air occurred as the force sent him crashing into the ground. He rolled against the hard dirt and grass like a log of wood, unable to control his fall.


    One arm stretched out, gripping tightly against the grass and dirt while blood flickered with the weight of his movement, splattering like spray paint on the grassy plains.


    He groaned and heaved, his chest rising and falling. Breathing ragged and unstable, a complexity of emotions swirling within while he skidded uncontrollably. Suddenly, he was forced to a sudden halt by a spike of cold ice.


    ¨CSLASH!


    It emerged from the ground and stabbed into his shoulder like a stake, holding him in place as a hundred others emerged and stabbed through him within seconds.


    Frozen by the pain and cold that encroached his skin from the spikes of ice, his consciousness ceased.

 Chapter 358 - 358- Festival 89- Raid on a Rainy Night 28

    A subtle silence descended as the sound of the raindrops projected into the air. It swallowed the tension that hung as Rita and Raph approached the frozen body of their opponent.


    The rain beat in perfect synchrony, washing over the tall grass and vast plain.


    It dropped on the two figures, sipping into their nightwear as the fabric clung to their skin. Cold, which should have been a problem, was solved through the internal control of energy. Mana or Aura suffused around to warm the body, inside out.


    This way, most of the students aware of this were nearly impervious to the cold.


    Well, most, other than Raph. The cold air from the rainy night was merely a pygmy to the freezing cold he was subjected to every day.


    His trait was a part of him, and it affected certain resistance, including cold.


    When the duo got to the frozen body, Rita''s gaze winced, her brows furrowing as a frown formed on her face.


    ''He''s dead, alright.''


    She thought with a playful tone at the end of her thought.


    The man''s body hung in the air, firmly held by the pointing stakes of ice that shimmered with a blue ethereal light. It sprawled over it, its left arm stretched to the other end while its legs parted ways.


    Frost emanated from the ice and encroached on the man''s body. Spreading its cold plate of ice against his body.


    It crusted his body in jagged patches, emerging at different parts of him while it extended to the whole of it.


    Her frown grew into a smile.


    ''He died by our hands? Raph and I, working together.''


    Her gaze shifted sideways, where she found Raph observing the body as well.


    She looked away instantly, her lips curling wider.


    ''Yup, we worked together alright.''


    While she giggled within, Raph seemed to have his attention focused on something else.


    ''Hah? Does he die, just like this?''


    He wondered.


    ''Then again, Demonification isn''t an easy thing to accomplish. There''s a reason why they call them the Executives.''


    A slight frown formed on his face as a flash of memory recurred in his brain.


    He froze, his thoughts spiralling as he took a step back.


    ''Why am I suddenly reminded of that day?''


    The image replayed, blurry, yet vividly. The imprint of his decision lasted more Dire than he presumed.


    ''Yes, I made a mistake that time, but who would have thought my father dying would be a cause just to keep me in check for changing certain events.''


    It was ironic.


    The very people he set out to protect were targets. Targets that became so due to his actions. Actions that set a death flag on those close and around him.


    It was a subtle guess, but he wasn''t sure of it. After all, nothing else had been taken away from him.....yet.


    He stood puzzled for a moment. His line of thought rearranged itself when a voice broke through his focus.


    "Raph?"


    Glancing to his side with a sudden snap of his head, he returned back to the present.


    Rita flinched, taking a step back from the shock, her lips hanging open in hesitation.


    They stared at each other for a moment, a glint of spark searching for something within.


    "Yes?"


    He replied with a sigh and turned towards the frozen body.


    "How much mana do you have left?"


    Rita glanced at him with a raised brow.


    "What do you mean?"


    "We still need to take care of the intruders. I''m sure most of the Classes have more or less handled the small fry, but the executives are still....out there."


    "True, true," Rita replied as she nodded her head.


    She slowly turned back, her gaze landing on the standing snowman, its elegant coldness casting a white melody to the rain''s symphony.


    "Well, I used quite a lot on that guy. He''s one of my masterpieces, so I''m glad I was able to bring him to use today.


    I have....around half of my original. Enough to create two more of that snowman."


    She replied, her gaze shifting back to Raph.


    He nodded slightly.


    "Good, we might need it."


    Turning around to leave, He swung his sword for a moment as it dispersed, his thoughts reeling in.


    Those people who killed my father at the time. It''s about time I start looking for them.''


    There were a few things Raph had left behind, most of which were left because of his lack of power at the time.


    Something he had much more of now compared to the Battle of the Great Families, but not enough so that he could attack the Red Peacemaker''s base and return alive.


    There was still much training to do.


    With that thought, a scowl creased his forehead as he walked slowly. Rita was trailing behind him like a shadow.


    ''Is there.....is there a connection between the Red Peacemakers and the 7 Greater Sins.''


    His brows furrowed even deeper as his muscles locked, forcing him to a halt.


    Rita jerked abruptly as she bumped into him, a slight groan escaping her lips as a result.


    She took a few steps back, her head shifting up as she caught the gaze of the white haired boy.


    Her lips curled down.


    ''Is his back made of metal?''


    A stale silence hung between them, without precedent to end. It simply stood and remained adamant, serving as a wall that hindered the two.


    Rita was aware of this wall. An invisible force that pushed her away from relating to one of the few people she actually found interesting.


    Her lips parted, then closed, before they parted again.


    "I have two questions and a request. Do you mind if I ask now?" She said, her tone low and high-pitched with a subtle, wry smile on her face.


    It was evident that this was her first time trying to charm someone into agreeing to their demands¨C not that they were.


    Raph nodded, a chuckle escaping his lips when the atmosphere around him suddenly took a wild turn.


    His eyes narrowed, and his head whipped forward.


    In confusion, her gaze blinked for a moment as it fixated on his face.


    ''What? What is it?'' She wondered, curiosity etched on her face for a moment.


    She attempted to turn around, but mid-step, her expression grew dry. Eyes flared open, lips quivered, and muscles tensed as a pricking sensation grew on her skin.


    It clawed at her from within, subtle sounds of doom whispering into her ears.


    With slow steps, she commenced and got a better view of the source of the strange discomfort that grew within her.


    Instantaneously, her face contorted¨C fear and shock spiralling its way within her as it reached within.


    Her eyes were unable to tear away from the bolts of black-red energy that exuded from their dead opponent''s body.


    Roaming around like a ravaging snake.


    It streamed through like lightning, rushing on and within his body, forming dreaded arched lines around it.


    The ice began to crack into pieces, and the frozen stakes melted with the fiery impact of the energy as it rushed into his body like adrenaline.


    For a moment, he remained still, unable to comprehend the energy that flowed within him. How could he, when he was dead? But then, his fingers twitched.


    Rita gulped bitterly, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''Isn''t that demonic energy? Why does he have demonic energy? Wasn''t this a power given to their executives alone? What is...what is going on?''


    A hollow chuckle echoed in her ears, and her eyes returned to normal.


    She glanced up and met the stare of her partner. Confusion finding its way to her expression.


    She remained silent for a moment, as if calculating her thoughts first before presenting a statement.


    Yet, she seemed unable to do so, and simply blurted out what came first.


    "He''s undergoing a demonification process. Should we be here? You know how dangerous it is to attack them during that process."


    Raph remained silent for a moment, his thoughts lining up in order.


    ''She''s right. Attacking them will cause a village to nationwide explosion depending on their level and amount of demonic energy.''


    He glanced at the man yet again, a sigh escaping his lips.


    ''Seeing as it''s bolts of demonic energy and not just the wave....he must have quite the handful of it.''


    His brows furrowed as he stretched his hand in the air.


    "Come to me, Cold Steel."


    The raindrops gathered in his grasp, cracking and trembling under the cold pressure as it stretched out to form his steel sword. The double-edged katana.


    A crispy blue energy exuded from the cold blade as a breath of frost escaped his lips.


    He glanced at Rita.


    "I''m going to fight him after the demonification."


    Her brain froze. Her lips quivered shut, and her pupils constricted for a moment.


    This wasn''t a battle meant for anyone to venture into. It was meant for specific people, those capable enough to stand against the weight of their opponent.


    After all, Demonification was a process akin to a human transforming into a devil. It was expected that a human who goes through the process will experience a vast boost in overall abilities, reaching twice or nearly thrice that.


    She frowned slightly, a shaky gasp escaping her lips as she rubbed her temples.


    ''Let''s think this through. This man was a Level what? He felt like a 9th star, so was he at level 90, and now, after his transformation, we will have to face a foe nearly twice as strong as his previous self.....''


    She glanced at Raph, looked him over and clicked her tongue.


    ''That''s insane.''


    Raph chuckled at her reaction as he approached the man, his eyes lingering on the flying bolts of Miasma as the energy poured out in vast amounts.


    It suffused him in a deep crimson cloak of darkness, filling his veins with unfathomable, demonic power.


    It fixed his bones and healed its wounds, reached out to his right stump and outgrew a scarlet fiery one, filled with the destruction nearing to descend.


    The suffocating energy enveloped his entire being in a ball of vast power, filling the cracks and holes caused by his battle.


    Raph watched with silent contempt, aura surging out from his body in slow waves.


    Rita flinched at the sight, her head snapping in a realisation.


    "Raph, may I ask my first question?"


    The white haired boy glanced at her for a moment, his white pools of bright light staring deep into her soul.


    "Sure."


    Rita sighed, nodding slowly as she asked.


    "You''re a 9th star...from what I''ve heard. So, I expect you to fight with such.....but, how many have you been using thus far?"


    A tense silence hung between them as Rita grew hungry for a response.


    He glanced away, shrugging as he replied.


    "Just five."

 Chapter 359 - 359- Festival 90- Raid on a Rainy Night 29

    Miasma. Energy from the depths of the Demonic Realm, fostered through the countless carnage of demons and Devils alike.


    A power vested within the darkest of creatures, dwelling in irksome gifts that bode destruction.


    It was once called the power of doom. As it bore strength far superior to that controlled by humans.


    Aura, Mana, Dark Mana, Divine Mana, and Killing intent paled before the full brunt of the Demonic energy, Miasma.


    Humans capable of using this energy were termed Demonic Humans. Humans are capable of surviving a contract with the forces of the Demonic Realm.


    Devils and Demons, alive, subjected themselves through inhumane sacrifices to get their consciousness to the mortal realm. Whispering sweet nothing into the ears of subconscious humans, pulling them to a world of no return.


    It granted them strength, one that far surpassed the humans, yet it continuously pulled them further away from humanity.


    Casting their consciousness into a hollow depth, one infinitely beyond with no form of return.


    This way, Demonic humans were slowly turned into Demons.


    This was one of the major flaws of this contract, including its failure, which led to the creation of Human-Demons. Humans transformed into demons, losing all form of self-awareness in the process. Becoming just as sentient as the demons that originated from the Demonic Realm.


    ''To be honest, it''s a dumb contract.''


    Raph thought as he suddenly surged past Rita, picking her up from the ground as a bolt of Demonic energy sliced through the air like a whip.


    It crackled with intensity, surging out of the Burly man''s body as it floated into the air.


    The mist of Miasma that suffused around him was thick, obscuring the moonlight from reaching within as his body underwent drastic transformations.


    The bolt of Demonic energy snapped in a rage, whipping through the air uncontrollably, as a hollow screech permeated the air.


    The range increased with each outburst of Miasma that snapped out of his body, pulsating the air, picking it up as a cyclone.


    The wind surged around it, spinning violently in concentric circles, pulling the plants and dirt with it.


    The crackling of the Miasma as the bolts shot out and the furious wind that swirled with it formed a cyclone of sorts. Energy projecting out of it in a malevolent hue.


    Raph floated across the wind like a surfer, easily controlling his motion along the path while evading the bolts of Miasma.


    Rita glanced up at him, her eyes blinking for a moment.


    A scoff escaped her lips as her thoughts reeled in.


    "Raph? Can I ask my second question now?"


    Raph looked down at her, his arms gripped tightly around her in a bridal style.


    "You must be kidding. We''re in the middle of something right now."


    "Well, seeing as how his transformation is taking much longer than needed. I figured you would have enough time to answer my question."


    He stayed silent. His gaze shifted away from hers as he jumped along the cyclone, a sudden bolt of lightning striking his former position.


    A sigh of relief escaped Rita''s lips as she glanced back at it, her muscles locking.


    Tension spread through her chest like ink in clear water, and her lips quivered.


    ''This is getting dangerous. Can we really fight this thing?''


    One may wonder what the pretext of a demonic human is. Just how strong were they really?


    Well, for instance, a 10th star fighting against a fellow 10th star who underwent the Demonification would lose by an odds of 100 to 1. And that 1 was simply if they were lucky enough to have the first strike.


    ''Why''s he still facing a level 90 who''s about to become twice as strong?''


    "Ask your question, Rita."


    With a slight frown, she glanced back down, her eyes narrowing at the scene that unfolded.


    The Miasma sprang out from the ball that surrounded the man, slowly and easily dispersing with the wind.


    A strong premonition grew within her, one that led her to hold her paintbrush a bit firmer.


    "You''re going to fight that man, right? I''m guessing you already know this, but this sort of phenomenon only takes place during a final transformation. How do you plan to defeat that?"


    Most Demonic humans, especially the powerful ones, usually had three locked gates, representing their connection to the Demonic Realm and the amount of Miasma they were allowed to wield.


    Though the amount differs, the complexity works the same.


    The higher the gates, the stronger they become, the thicker the Miasma and the closer they are to demons.


    They may as well decide to fight against a King Demon. One that was at least of the 5th tier.


    These were creatures that needed at least four to five 10th stars or circles to defeat, theoretically.


    Thankfully, these demons and Devils didn''t invade Earth until there were a lot more Grand Masters at the time.


    Now, I believe we might need a Saint or better still, a Grand Saint to win the scuffle during the Demonic War.''


    "Well, for starters.."


    He muttered, his gaze shifting between hers and the Burly man. His head suddenly flinched, his lips curled downwards as he surged through the air in a blur, emerging out of the cyclone and landing a far distance away from it.


    With an explosion of force, he landed on the earth, dirt and grass exploding to pieces from the landing.


    Rita gasped in shock, her gaze shifting back to the cyclone that suddenly dispersed, thinning out into a crimson line.


    A whistling noise echoed in the air, like that of a laser beam as it exploded in concentric circles, erupting a fearsome wind with it that uprooted the grass and dirt.


    Her eyes widened slightly, her body quickly curling into Raph while he fell to a knee and enveloped himself in an aura.


    Immediately, the burst of wind surged past them, a terrible hollow noise permeating through their ears as the wind threatened to pull them from the ground.


    Raph grunted as he held himself firmly to the ground. Unmoving, still, fixed to his position like a monument, a statue of protection, while clasping Rita close to him.


    His eyes shut close, teeth biting against his lips while his thoughts reeled in.


    ''Has it been so long since I fought one? Why does their energy seem stronger than before?''


    Memories of his past, which had served as a boon for so long, were quickly getting used up. Becoming more and more difficult to trust in, within perilous times such as these, but the foundation of it all remained the same.


    ''Is there a weakness in defeating a Demonified Demonic Human? No, not so much. Most humans who were incapable of withstanding the power self-destructed on their own, and those who were capable, yet, became insufficient to retain the full brunt of the Miasma, also self-destructed.''


    Either way, it went downhill for people who were incompatible with their energy.


    ''But those who bear the whole brunt of it and remain standing even with the third gate unlocked...''


    His line of thoughts came to an abrupt end as the wind suddenly ceased, a gracious, yet malevolent stale air picking up while the raindrops froze mid-air.


    It dispersed, scattering like sakuras along a busy road.


    Then, it resumed its motion as the still air dispersed.


    Rain fell once again, descending in trinkets and drops, draining the students, Lecturers and attackers alike in its blast of cold hue.


    Raph looked up slowly, his eyes opening as he felt the wind gone.


    A silent chuckle escaped his lips, his muscles tensing as a palpable tension brewed within him.


    ''This is the third gate, alright....full body transformation.''


    They were akin to twice the strength of a regular level 90 or 9th star/circle. Meaning that the vast amount of power and energy that brewed within the Burly man was more than enough to flatten the Academy.


    ''It''s crazy enough that a subordinate was compatible with the energy....I wonder if the so-called ''Red Peacemakers'' are even aware of this.''


    A power meant for the Executives was wielded by a subordinate.


    Luckily, Demonic Humans are as strong as they are sparse. The executives should have been the only common ones in the Red Peacemakers, but after this, we might have to reconsider.''


    A loud crunch broke the tense silence, a crimson-emerald glow exuding with a mystic hue in the rain.


    Raph felt his throat run dry, his skin pricking as his hair stood on end.


    A tension brewed within him, muscles locking, skin precipitating, pupils constricting.


    His danger signal blurred like a fire alarm, screeching in his brain as adrenaline pooled into his system. A burn stretching his veins, setting him for the fight to come.


    His lips split in a fanged smirk¡ªthe kind he wore before gutting his father''s killers.


    "Hey, Rita..."


    His voice was a low timbre, enough for her to flinch alert, but incapable of alerting their incoming attacker.


    "Yeah?"


    "About your question from before, prepare yourself..."


    Rita raised a brow, her eyes narrowing as she looked up at him. She slowly released her grasp from him in the process, tension building within her.


    "Prepare myself for what?"


    "What else? Death."

 Chapter 360 - 360- Festival 91- Raid on a Rainy Night 30

    "Hm?"


    A spark of crimson light emitted from her pupils, her lips curling into a tight grin as peerless white fangs revealed themselves from the corner of her mouth.


    She tilted her head to the side, arms folded, shoulders squared, while the world burned scarlet in her presence.


    "Oh? Nicho''s so in trouble~"


    She whispered, her tone dripping with intense sensual pressure, a gust of warm air escaping it.


    Her gaze narrowed as she spun her head to the side, expanding her view. Her attention was drawn to the three girls, wasted, tired, and lethargic. Stuck in a piece of the earth left unscorched by the fiery lava that boiled the rain.


    Steam puffs escaped into the air like a steam engine, toothed mists forming in her view.


    It served as a blanket, a covering of some kind that hindered the view of others into the carnage and destruction caused by the flames.


    Amongst the three girls were Monica Lorientt and Felicia Dreau.


    Their bodies lay on the floor, unmoving, still, yet their gazes remained plastered at the Demonic being before them.


    Rage and fear mixed in unbiblical colours within their expression.


    Monica bit down on her lips in fury, her arms jerking while her spear lay next to her, broken¨C shattered.


    A tale that told much to be unspoken.


    Felicia expressed a sort of the same expression, only hers was laced with fear that quickly encroached on her.


    A being, thought to be ancient, dead, was standing in her presence, wings flared, tails dangling, and the Devil''s beauty intertwined in her demonic features.


    ''This is a losing battle. Why am I up against a demonic human? There''s no way a 9th circle and two 8th stars and circles could harm this thing.''


    She blinked once.


    ''What gave us the right to think we could?''


    Her anger didn''t just brew within. It seeped, slowly and thickly, an ichor of malice to the source of their predicament.


    Not the demonic human who cried blood¨C but the human who wished to stop it.


    ''That bitch...''


    She thought, her anger flaring out in fiery tongues.


    Her head slowly tilted to the sides, where her gaze shifted past Monica and towards the girl on the last, unburnt platform.


    ''Thalia Jun. I wonder what is going through your head, this very second. I hope you doubt yourself. I hope that your ego burns with the flames that will kill us today.


    You creature of a forsaken family, FUCK YOU.''


    The snarl of rage that ignited in her eyes was a spark of crimson that stretched through her silver pupils.


    It was tangible. Enough for Monica to shiver with goosebumps and snap to her sides with a startled expression on her face.


    They locked gazes, remaining silent until Felicia glanced away.


    "So, what do you girls think about my proposal?"


    The voice of their attacker rang in their ears, snapping their thoughts as they turned towards her.


    Monica''s face twisted in confusion, and Felicia remained unperturbed, her expression a blank canvas.


    While Thalia remained composed, she had a firm, stoic expression on her face.


    Unlike the others who were on the ground, she was on her knees.


    Her wand served as a stick which supported the weight of her body with ease.


    Her thought process was a bit different from the others, and so was her conviction.


    Just like her siblings and many others before her, she remained pompous, even in the face of impending doom.


    It was an interesting sight, one that Mila relinquished with delight.


    Her eyes closed in a slit, her burning scarlet lips adding a sensation to her little expressions.


    Her body was an Armour of reptilian scales, cascaded with rock-hard, Ruby crust and edges.


    Her tail swayed with the air, its flat plates lined with the onyx metals, a primal energy exuding from it.


    The scales climbed up to her neck, where they stopped, leaving her face and head, which was the last bit of humanity left in her transformation.


    Her scaly-hard plated wings sprang a wide expanse of the air, reaching a width quintuple her body size.


    A pair of horns projected from her scalp, reaching the air with a mystifyingly long height.


    Her entire being exuded primal energy, a force to be reckoned with, Miasma flooding her veins, replenishing that energy with each given second.


    She was a walking machine¨C one that spelt death for those who crossed paths with the Fiery Demon.


    Thalia''s expression deepened for a moment, a great disgust hanging in the back of her throat.


    "What fool would join the Red Peacemakers? That is a club meant for worms. That is beneath me."


    Monica whipped her gaze towards her, her lips quivering, and eyes flaring in shock.


    "Are you crazy? Now is not the time to go all Jun with her!"


    "Proud Bitch."


    "Felicia!"


    Her head snapped at Felicia, her expression deeper and even more contorted.


    Her shock was evident with the twist of her lips and quivering eyelids.


    This was not a conversation she thought she would hear when she went to bed last night.


    A cackle pierced the air, the silent night shimmering with its malevolent hue while the steam poured into the air.


    The girls turned towards her in unison, their heads tilting slightly.


    Thalia''s gaze narrowed.


    ''This is merely her second transformation¨C yet, she''s already twice as strong as an average level 100.''


    Typically, System and Non-System users could be measured with a basic system.


    A basic set of rules guiding the ranking process.


    A typical Level 100 is expected to split mountains, cause tidal waves, and phenomena that could spell doom for a small city or large village.


    But an atypical one was far superior to the usual.


    These were System users with special classes, higher stats or even a different Level-up tree that set them apart from others.


    These were beings capable of splitting slopes of mountains, carving their name with lightning in the skies, raising oceans into the air and writing their name in history.


    Capable individuals who stood side by side with Non-system users and fought on par with stronger beings.


    ''She was far from typical from the moment she came to face this Academy, so this makes matters worse.''


    But did it mean she was done? No, far from it.


    ''I wouldn''t be a Jun if I accepted defeat with so much ease.''


    Her lips remained thin, straight as a line, but then, they curled upwards slightly.


    Mila caught her sudden shift in mood and raised a brow.


    "Do you have something in mind that makes you smile, Thalia Jun? I would like you to share it."


    Thalia remained silent, the others slowly tensing with the stale silence.


    It startled them, causing a deeper pressure to brew within. One that awaited a response as adrenaline surged into their veins.


    Monica glanced at Thalia.


    ''Don''t tell me. After all this time?'' Her brows furrowed. ''She has a plan?''


    Thalia parted her lips open for a moment, her gaze never leaving Mila''s.


    "I''ve seen the weight of your abilities and the strength you possess with your katana is formidable."


    She glanced at the katana that plunged into the mounding lava she stood on.


    After all, that weapon caused the fall of the Garden.


    The whole expanse had been turned into a breeding ground for flames and lava, a puddle of hot lava forming at different parts.


    It''s once greenery, serene was gone, replaced by hard, rocky ground with plaster of lava and flames surging out.


    It was difficult to miss at any point, and would attract untold attention if they remained here.


    Just then, the ground shook, and the girls turned to the sides, the steam hindering their sight from going further behind.


    It shook again, and then again. Rhymically and quickly, surging past them with a gigantic force.


    Their confusion was palpable, with Mila even raising a brow in curiosity.


    Thalia thought differently, though, as she peered into the steam, she easily caught sight of the cause. ''Hah.....they''re evacuating the students to the theatres...''


    She glanced away. ''Either that or the cafeteria. Not bad, Raph. Not bad at all.''


    She groaned as she pushed her wand down, pushing her body to her feet with a slight aching throb in her limbs.


    The others flinched as they resumed her attention on her, easily losing interest in the cause of the earthquake.


    It didn''t seem to approach them after all. Though Mila had a churned curiosity hanging in her depths.


    ''Not now.'' She concluded, her intrigue now plastered on the aqua-haired girl.


    "What are you doing? Has the result of your negligence not been made clear enough?" She shifted her head to the sides, showcasing the scene before them.


    "You can not defeat me."


    Thalia chuckled¨C sudden and brief.


    It sent the girls spiralling back, their shock evident as goosebumps ran down their skin.


    ''What?'' Monica thought, her shock palpable, intense dread brewing within her as the tension arose. It reached within her system, clawing its way in the form of adrenaline-surged energy.


    ''That bitch thinks our situation is funny? Ima kick her stinky ass!'' Felicia glared, her arms jolting as she gripped it into a tight knuckle.


    Mila seemed just as startled as the others. She was one to boast her abilities, but never had she underestimated an opponent.


    After all, even the weak have their moments. A motto such as that had driven her nearly all her life, and she had made it a habit of keeping it as such.


    "What''s so funny?" She asked.


    "Hah....sorry, I just thought of something. That''s all."


    Thalia giggled slightly, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''All those years ago, when I thought powers were nothing but a vessel for violence. I see now why I was wrong and why you wished for us to learn strength, Raph.''


    Her hands stretched forward, raw mana surging within her body.


    "Haven''t you heard of the Jun''s trump card?"


    ''Wha? What trump card?'' Mila thought, her expression growing weary as she pulled her katana from the molten lava.


    "AURA FIELD OF VISION!"


    ¡ªBOOOOMMMMM!!!


    A void formed, a quake deep and subtle spreading into the expanse of the world¨C it screamed, swallowing reality in uncertainty. Cracking the world like glass.

 Chapter 361 - 361- Festival 92- Raid on a Rainy Night 31

    A black and white screen erupted in the air, encircling the world around until it dispersed, returning its vibrant colours to life once again.


    It served as a void, a black hole of some sort that took the colour from reality, warping it in strands of black and white.


    Then just as it appeared, it disappeared, taking its colour with it and returning the world to what it once was.


    The phenomenon was imperceptible to others, but Thalia felt it, in and out¨C her bones and skin crawled with the sensation of what had happened. What was to come.


    It was a subtle change¨C no, there was no change.


    Everything had remained as it were, Thalia standing in the same position as before. Her arms stretched as before, her gaze and expression, just as before.


    Yet, Mila got a subtle sense of a presence¨C one too minuscule for the eyes to perceive.


    Something was amiss. Something drastic enough for her to take a few steps backwards.


    This was an ironic situation for her, as she had been an impervious force.


    Controlling flames like a sun god and wielding magic as the Battle Mage she was.


    Her tales of destruction were represented by the barren land, the lava that bent to her decree.


    Even that remained the same, despite the proclamation Thalia had made.


    Her lips curled down, and her brows furrowed. She ground her teeth, her gaze etched on Thalia as she slowly adjusted her position, standing still with remarkable resolve.


    Her thoughts reeled in while her rage began to fuel once again.


    ¡ªThis was no easy win, or one Thalia would make easy for her.


    ''What''s going on? She used the Aura Field, no?''


    Memories of the conversations that slipped through her ranks and reached her.


    The tales of the destructive and remarkable abilities of the Aura Field of Vision.


    ''An all-out attack that changes world laws and phenomenon....bringing their traits into reality.''


    Who didn''t know about it? In fact, it was so well talked about that it was one that many tried to integrate into their skills. Thus, creating many knock-off versions of the real thing.


    ''Who doesn''t know about their trump card? But....a world phenomenon is supposed to occur...perhaps the air turns cold or the flames turn to trees. Even lightning runs down the earth like an earthworm! Anything compared to this still silence....what did she do?''


    What she couldn''t see, she felt and that only increased the pressure within her.


    The worry that something was amiss, broken in the moment.


    Her brain cracked, running like an old automobile on the brink of ruination, yet a deciphered conclusion was far from reach.


    She sighed, glancing at the two girls who lay on the ground, their confusion just as palpable.


    Then she glanced at Thalia.


    "What? Where you bluffing? For a moment, I thought you were going to call hell on earth?"


    There was one thing everyone knew about the ability¨C Aura Field of Vision.


    That was its ability to appear in distinctive, different forms with one''s perspective, but its ability to evolve.


    ''Meaning with each deeper understanding of their trait or traits, and integration of their Aura and fighting prowess....their field of vision gets stronger.''


    It was sickening. A strength with too many possibilities. A growth capable of swallowing nations.


    ''There''s a reason the Jun household was always banished from the kingdom when they bred too many.''


    She shook her head, snapping her thoughts away.


    Right now, she needs to kill the girl, lest she die first.


    With that in mind, her body pulsed, a crimson ichor fluid running down the creases across her scaled armour.


    It shimmered with brilliance as a surge of flames erupted from her body, her katana''s blade glowing scarlet with fury.


    Felicia and Monica squealed, pulling themselves to their feet with distinctive effort, yet unable to do so.


    What was to come was dangerous! It would spell death if they remained!


    Their thought process differed, yet it aligned greatly as their lives flashed before their eyes.


    Yet, Thalia remained unmoving, still as a rock.


    Her expression was shielded by the mask she made. Her glasses shimmered with the scarlet afterglow.


    She locked gazes with Mila, a subtle tension between them.


    It went on for a few seconds, their eyes sizing up their opponent one final time, and in the next, all hell went loose.


    Mila''s body tensed, and the muscles locked.


    All that was left was an outburst of speed in Thalia''s direction, a premeditated strike coming next, but just as she prepared to launch, a sudden shadow cast over her head.


    Her eyes bulged open, shock palpable as the flames ceased and her arms flared into the sky.


    She groaned in pain, a tremor quaking through the air as an agonising crack spread through her body like jagged worms.


    The air trembled around her, and then it landed.


    ¡ªBOOM!


    A quake erupted, a gust of wind sweeping through the air in concentric circles, blasting the steam into oblivion and revealing the scene before all.


    The girls remained flat on their bellies, jaws agape as they stared up at the sky, the object''s shadow casting a mighty glance at their presence.


    They turned to Thalia in unison, her position taking them aback.


    Her right hand was stretched forward, her index finger pointing down to the ground, while blood dribbled down her nose.


    Monica gulped and Felicia scoffed, flabbergasted at the scene.


    ''Where did she bring that thing from? It dropped from the skies?! Literally out of nowhere?!''


    Before them was a hill, broad and large, rocky and earthen¨C a rocky ridge.


    Laces of grass and trees hovering in the air at the top, while the grass spread like moss across its rocky texture.


    It impaled the air, twice as large as the Hostel Buildings, taking a remarkable width, half the size of the Garden.


    Pieces of rocks rolled down the surface, boulders trembling from the weight.


    The tremendous size now hovered over Mila''s head, an inch close to collapsing on her.


    The female held on for dear life, her teeth baring out as veins popped from her scalp.


    The strength she exuded was remarkable, holding the full brunt of the ridge with head-cracking resilience.


    Yet, she was breaking. Slowly, unavoidably. Her body crumbling from within.


    ''Whe¨CWhere did this come from?! And why is it so heavy, damn it! Bu¨CBut I can destroy this! This is easy compared to what I went through!''


    She raised her arm in the air, a battle cry piercing the air like an alarm clock, while the rock rose further into the air.


    The girls gasped in shock, the colours draining from their skin while they watched in horrifying silence.


    Their souls sank within their bodies.


    Felicia especially found this absurd, a step away from believing it was merely a dream. Her thoughts were playing games in her mind.


    ''What bullshit is this! Where the hell is my father?! What is going on?! What?!''


    Thalia though? Thalia scoffed.


    She raised her index finger upwards, a smirk on her face and then turned it downwards as a second hill, twice the size of the first, enclosed the space around them.


    Its shadow cast over the entirety of the Garden, a trembling quake erupting into the air as it descended. It crashed onto the first, trippling its size and forcing Mila to her knees, a terrible pain erupting within her as she screamed.


    Blood busted through the cracks of her reptilian armour, like trinkets of holes made in a submarine under high pressure.


    The carapace began to crack open, shuddering under the weight as her arms trembled, a silent decree screaming from them.


    A decree to escape.


    Felicia squealed as she suddenly stood up, a newfound power brewing within her.


    In shock, she glanced at her arms, folding her fists into a ball as she glanced at Monica.


    The same phenomenon played out.


    ''What? Our mana and aura have been replenished. But how?''


    They had run out of energy for a while, including their mana and aura, which left them gasping at the foothill of death.


    It was nothing short of a miracle¨C or a Jun.


    Glancing to her side, her gaze narrowed as she watched Thalia smile, her eyes pulsating with an ethereal aqua blue energy.


    A light intensity that surged with malevolence.


    She turned away, slowly, a sigh escaping her lips.


    "You have a plan, don''t you?"


    Monica flinched as she glanced at Felicia and then at Thalia.


    Thalia turned towards her, slowly, her smirk fading away.


    A tense silence remained, the pained screams of their opponents reaching their ears.


    "Yeah....I suppose you could call it that."


    Felicia nodded.


    "Alright. Take the lead, we''ll support."


    The aqua blue squares formed around her, spinning about in preparations for the inevitable.


    Monica smirked, a scoff escaping her lips as she punched her fists together.


    "I must be dreaming. Is Felicia Dreau supporting a Jun?"


    "Shut up."


    She giggled while Thalia watched them silently, her thoughts reeling in as she sighed.


    She glanced at Mila, her enraged gaze locked on hers, tension brewing within them.


    "Alright then. Let''s kill an Executive."

 Chapter 362 - 362- Festival 93- Raid on a Rainy Night 32

    A FEW MOMENTS AGO.


    Running along the pavement between the Hostels and the Cafeteria were Class One and Two. Class One was further ahead than the latter, while the golden lady remained in between.


    Their presence was masked in the subtle arms of the Golden Lady, her steps sending slight quakes along the path. Leaving a trail of giant footings along the way.


    Her presence brought a feeling of comfort to the Class One students as they headed to the target location¨C the Lecture Theatres, as it had proven to be one of the last safe places within the Academy.


    Behind the Giant lady were Class Two, their attention mostly subsided with the presence of their class monitors and Deputies.


    It was a lot better to trust leaders who had been put in that position through their votes. That way, a capable leader was a norm, and as such, their trust in them was evident.


    Behind them were the Son Goku twins, Carl Dunham and the two Lecturers who had been with Professor Kazim at the time.


    For a while now, the two Lecturers had been turning behind, observing their environment for intrusions or, better still, the Professor who went missing.


    "Still no sign of him?"


    "none that I''m aware of."


    The second lecturer replied, Lecturer Chan. He was a man under Professor Kazim. A Lecturer from the Combat and Physical Fitness Faculty.


    "He must have encountered more attackers and is holding them off."


    "We assumed as such."


    Carl muttered under his breath, his tone low and rough.


    A sigh escaped his lips, images of his moment with Rita playing in his mind.


    At that moment, Brett glanced down from his puff of cloud, a frown forming on his face.


    "You realise you two are nothing on paper?"


    Carl shook his head, his expression turning cold as he looked up at the twins.


    Rhett flinched for a moment, a subtle confusion on his face as he glanced down.


    "I wasn''t talking to you, Brett."


    "Oh, please, you''re literally begging for someone to talk to you. You''ve been sulking like a baby since we left the Hostel."


    Carl clicked his tongue in annoyance, snapping his head to the side.


    "Yo¨CYou won''t understand."


    Rhett raised a brow, glancing at Brett.


    "Why''s he sulking?"


    Brett glanced at his elder twin and shrugged, pulling off his glasses as he looked up at the sky.


    He rubbed the corners of his eyes, water dripping down slowly.


    "I won''t be surprised if we all go home later today. We''re all in our nightwear in the rain, we''re basically asking for a cold."


    He glanced down, cleaning the lens and placing it in his pocket.


    A deadpan silence descended amongst them, pierced by the occasional quake from the walking golden lady.


    Their thoughts were spiralling within them, locking them away from reality while they pondered on the events thus far.


    ''Things are escalating quickly...and the so-called System Uprisers are yet to show up.''


    His lips curled down in a frown.


    His gaze flickered as he glanced up.


    Silence remained, rain beating on the cemented pavement, draining the students, and enveloping them in a cold summit.


    It poured with intensity, thunder claps occasionally ringing in the air. Less intense and fewer than before, but it remained. Persistent.


    Brett seemed to raise his brow, confusion spreading on his face like ink.


    "Hey?"


    He muttered after a few moments of silence, causing the group to slowly turn to him.


    Carl groaned slightly.


    "Do you have more to say to me?"


    "Um, no...not really. But I do have a question."


    His statement caught him aback, and many others as well, as they glanced around.


    Carl shook his head.


    "What is it?"


    "We¨CWell, I never pull my glasses unless I''m in the hostel or at home, so am I seeing this right? There seems to be a floating....mountain?"


    The group winced at his question.


    A subtle chuckle exuded from Carl''s lips as he slowly turned towards the direction he glanced at.


    Instantly, he froze midstep, stopping in his tracks while the Lecturers gasped.


    "Wha¨CWhat is that?!"


    The chattering erupting from the students caught Carl''s attention, too, as he glanced at them.


    Their attention. Had been drawn to the sight a few distance away, one that was just beside the pavement, left of it.


    His expression squeezed, confusion and startlement intertwined in perfect harmony as he darted his head about.


    "Gu¨CGuys?! Steam? There''s a fight going on over there?!"


    The twins halted as well, the cloud dispersing as they landed on their feet.


    Rhett rushed to the end of the side of the pavement, his eyes flared open in excitement.


    "Wow! Is that magic?! What sort of Earth spell is that?!"


    "Um, brother...that sort of magic should be difficult to conjure without a pool of mana. It had to be someone from the 10th circle or a level 100."


    "Don''t be stupid, all of them have been sealed. Only the fourth and fifth years have such powerful entities."


    Lecturer Dyer said with a sigh.


    He was the second lecturer who had been with them at the time.


    His arms folded.


    The March to the Cafeteria came to an unprecedented halt as the students stood to watch, but the golden lady commenced hers. Walking past the students and heading to the cafeteria.


    Some of the startled students wasted a few seconds of observing before hurriedly running after her.


    The purpose of her summoning was yet to be fulfilled, and as such, she continued on her way.


    Those who remained only lingered for a few seconds before resuming, but those who lingered longer remained until a second hill formed.


    A ridge of magnanimous size, stretching towards the pavement, casting its dark shadows against it.


    Some students screamed in shock, falling flat on their bottoms as they walked backwards.


    Soon, they had quickly run after the others, too startled to remain.


    Carl Dunham, the Son Goku twins and the two Lecturers were amongst the few that lingered more.


    Rhett whistled loudly, his head nearly falling over as he tilted it upwards to get a better glance.


    "That thing is as large as the mountain back home."


    Brett scoffed. "It''s not nearly the size, but it''s equivalent to the weights Dad uses."


    "Hah!" Rhett muttered in agreement as he nodded.


    Carl''s face twisted slightly, flinching at their statement.


    ''Scary.''


    He turned around towards the Lecturers.


    "Can we leave? It''s obvious that whatever is going on there would be too much for us to handle."


    The Lecturers nodded.


    "I''m assuming it''s one of the Great Families responsible for this."


    "But which? Adam Teras definitely wouldn''t involve himself unless it endangers his life or pets, Jang Kang Lin is still yet to resume, the Vassal households have no such power....and Thalia Jun...."


    Brett explained, his expression slowly easing after his statement.


    "Thalia Jun?" Rhett repeated.


    "What do we know about Thalia Jun?"


    Lecturer Dyer turned to Lecturer Chan.


    "She graduated from the Institution of Law at an early age, but she had no ridiculous status like her siblings. She was the calmest among them, especially during the Entry Test."


    Chan shivered, a cold, shrill running down his spine.


    "The Entry Test. We don''t talk about it, but you''re right."


    Rhett and Brett glanced at them in silence, images of a past best forgotten flashing in their heads as they looked away.


    ''Yeah, best forgotten.''


    Just then, a gust of air caught their attention.


    A breeze, strong and precise, with the subtle flow of mana and aura. A rush of adrenaline and the sudden appearance of a vast number of people, which caught them by surprise.


    They turned in alarm, their gazes landing on the presence as it eased up on immediate recognition.


    "Jane Lucia? Darrell Silvan."


    Jane, Darrell, Cricken, Elsie, Sophie and Meadow.


    These were the five students who appeared in their midst, their expressions weary, gazes tired, nightwear torn from their brawl.


    A subtle aura emanated from them, bloodlust gained from the countless opponents faced along the way.


    Yet, they stood firm and strong, and the tension of the battle was washed away with their victory.


    The Lecturers glanced at Meadow in unison, their expressions turning thin.


    "Princess?" Lecturer Chan muttered, hesitation laced in his tone as he attempted to step forward.


    Meadow held her arm out, inciting him to remain in his position.


    She glanced further away, her gaze landing on the walking Golden lady.


    "Let''s go, Cricken."


    The boy nodded, picked her up and rushed after the other students, leaving the others behind.


    Darrell watched in silence, a stiff chuckle escaping his lips.


    "Now that that''s over....should we start searching for the missing students?"


    "We can, but we don''t have any leads."


    Jane replied with a shrug.


    Darrell froze for a moment, a scowl creasing his forehead as he glanced away.


    "You realise a princess is missing?"


    Jane raised a brow. "Two."


    Darrell tilted his head in confusion. He raised a finger, counted silently, then raised a brow in realisation. "Yes, two."


    "Yes, and so are many others."


    Jane replied with a sigh.


    He glanced at the Lecturers.


    "It would be best if the Lecturers go with the students. We from the Great Families will handle this..."


    He pointed at the flying hills.


    "...and start the search for the missing students."


    Lecturer Chan glanced at Dyer, hesitation lingering in their expression.


    "We can stay...."


    "You could but with all due respect. You both..."


    He glanced around at the other Lecturers.


    "And a few others will merely be a hindrance to what we must do. Please understand that this is merely a duty that we must fulfil, and not children playing the hero."


    With a slight frown, the Lecturers glanced at him.


    They remained silent for a few seconds, but then walked away, silently.


    The others followed suit, walking towards the Cafeteria when Chan stopped.


    He glanced back at them.


    "Where''s Professor Rona?"


    "She''s with Professor Kazim. We met him locked in a rather one-sided showdown, so they''ve evened¨C or outnumbered the odds.


    They''re fine."


    He tilted his head for a moment, nodded and turned away.


    With the Lecturers leaving, Carl felt a subtle pressure spring up while he remained.


    He glanced at the students gathered, the pressure brewing even further.


    "Hah! I guess I should be on my way as well"


    "Oh, not you, Carl. You may not be strong, but you wouldn''t mind students protecting you, and we need all the help we can in finding the missing students."


    He went silent.


    ''Alright. That didn''t hurt at all.''


    "Do you even know who went missing?"


    Jane glanced at Darrell, their expressions growing cold.


    They glanced at him and replied.


    "Sort of."


    Sophie walked past them, her attention drawn to something else that didn''t take part in their conversation.


    Her body screamed from within, adrenaline that surged to an all-time high.


    It empowered her, clawing at her from within.


    ''Is that what I think it is?'' She thought, a silent decree as her lips curled into a smile.


    ''A demonic human, huh? Delicious.''

 Chapter 363 - 363- Festival 94- Raid on a Rainy Night 33

    "Hey Sophie, you good?"


    Walking towards her was Elsie, a yawn escaping her lips.


    Sophie flinched, glancing at her with a subtle yelp.


    "Ye¨CYeah! I am. Is there a problem with that?"


    Elsie raised a brow.


    "Relax, Sophie, I won''t bite you."


    "Ye¨CYeah." She muttered in reply, a wry smile on her face as she chuckled.


    "So we split up."


    Darrell''s voice pierced the air, cutting through their conversation.


    They turned towards the boys as the conversation commenced.


    "Yeah, I see it no other way," Jane said with a shrug.


    "This bastard! You realise Ciara''s missing as well, right?"


    "Oh, don''t bite. Ciara is her own person. There''s no way she''ll be defeated by the likes of them."


    Darrell''s brows furrowed deeply, a repressed rage dying within as a flash of images of Ciara played in his head.


    He sighed, face-palming himself.


    "True."


    "Good. So, Carl and Darrell, go look for the students..." He glanced up, his gaze on the twins seated on their starves.


    His right brow arched.


    "When did you guys get up there?"


    They glanced at each other and shrugged in response.


    Jane sighed. "Is there something you two wish to do? Go carry it out now."


    Rhett tilted his head while Brett stroked his hand on his head, draining the water from his hair.


    "Raph is fighting that Burly man from before."


    "Hubby is?"


    Elsie repeated, her tail wagging in excitement, while the twins turned to her in unison.


    Their expressions grew dark.


    She flinched, glancing away while the others watched in confusion.


    "Anyways. He''s facing that man with Rita, so I''m guessing things should be fine over there..."


    Brett muttered when Elsie suddenly jumped into the air, her body turning into a wisp of darkness before trailing away with remarkable speed.


    They stared in surprise, the dust of her speed laced in their midst.


    "Does she even know where she''s going?"


    "Well, Werewolves do have a keen sense of smell when it comes to their mate."


    Rhett scoffed and Brett chuckled.


    Jane''s face twisted slightly at their responses, but she paid no heed to them.


    After all, the Son Goku twins were one of the few families referred to as ''abnormal.''


    He turned towards the others instead.


    "Well then. How about you, Soph¨C


    He stopped mid-sentence as he glanced at the spot where she was a few moments ago.


    "She''s gone?"


    He muttered in amusement, a wry chuckle escaping his lips as he dropped his arms.


    ''She keeps surprising me each time I see her.''


    "Since the girls are gone. I guess Jane and the twins will go with the others, and Carl and I will go in search of the missing students."


    "You know where to start?"


    Darrell held his chin.


    He groaned for a bit in contemplation before raising his arm in the air.


    His grimoire formed, its pages flipping with the wind while kept away from the outpouring rain by a mist of white light.


    He glanced at the page for a bit.


    "Yup, I can start by getting a bit from them. Maybe a piece of cloth or material....it''ll be easier from there."


    "And how are you going to do that?" Jane asked with a raised brow.


    A moment of silence descended, Darrell slowly scratching the back of his head as a sigh escaped his lips.


    "...the Hostel wouldn''t do, right?"


    "No. Going back is a fool''s errand." Jane said blankly.


    "I©\I¨CI get it, alright. Sheesh." Darrell sighed as he turned around. He walked towards the cafeteria with drooped shoulders, grumbling to himself in protest.


    The others stared at him in confusion, following him slowly, but questionably.


    "Where to?" Jane asked.


    "The next best place I can see an item which belongs to them."


    His expression contorted slowly in confusion, but then¨C


    "The Clubroom?"


    "Yes."


    "Oh."


    The others followed quietly, their gazes occasionally shifting to the floating hills.


    A lingering question hung behind their throats, Jane especially. Though choosing to remain silent was more of a choice.


    After all, there were only a few things a group of people could achieve with a small group.


    Though Carl thought differently.


    "How about the floating hills?"


    A deadpan silence lingered in the air after that. Their thoughts reeling within them while they commenced on their way.


    Jane sighed, evidently, loud and clear. A gust of cold air escaped from his lips as he did so.


    With a relatively plain voice, he replied.


    "Leave it."


    *****


    Thalia had a verdict, an inkling of an idea¨C a plan, or better still, a way out.


    One she concocted along the way, her final attempt to defeat Mila.


    A few moments ago, she had come up with a certain conclusion and a remark to that conclusion. That remark involved her trait, one that was yet to reveal itself.


    Its properties were known to a few, including Fiona and Gloria, but not to the others, and the full brunt of her trait was known by only her.


    Keeping it a secret from her siblings wasn''t her intention, nor was it her plan. It was just a predicament that occurred due to her lack of understanding of her own traits.


    Something a sibling of hers encountered in her past life.


    What was her trait? Well¨C YOU SEE NOTHING.


    Simple as the name, yet eventually more complicated than that.


    It enabled her to keep things hidden, under wraps from the naked eye.


    This included spells, mana and aura traits, the spells of others....and a lot more she was yet to comprehend.


    It was a stark contrast to her younger brothers, the I SEE YOU trait, which enabled him to peer into others.


    Her trait did the opposite, yet not completely.


    It hid itself from others, including any object, animate or inanimate, of its choice.


    Of course, like every trait, her ability to make use of it was proportional to her strength and the strength of what she designated as "UNSEEN."


    Aura Field Of Vision is the physical manifestation of their traits in a natural¨C uncommon phenomenon.


    One that affected the physical world in many ways, representing the nature of their traits.


    With that in mind, Thalia had brought up a plan in mind¨C a theory that could lead to her victory, and it weighed heavily on her traits.


    ''In a way, I guess not telling anyone about my trait or using my Aura Field of Vision thus far has come to my aid.''


    She glanced at the struggling demonic woman in her presence, her cries turning to sweet melodies that rang in her ears.


    It clouded her mind, a subtle pleasure ensuing from her pained, filled cries.


    ''Hah....why...why does this sound so sweet?''


    She wondered, her muscles locking, blood pulsating within her veins, energy igniting with feral might.


    Her cries sent shivers down her spine, a crazed pleasure that ignited goosebumps on her skin, sending an electric wave down her spine.


    "Hah..."


    She muttered to herself, clasping her mouth shut as her chest rose and fell, cheeks flushing, while her pupils dilated.


    Monica and Felicia glanced at her in startlement, pulled by her sudden statement when their eyes flared open.


    They glanced away instantaneously, their cheeks glowing with a shimmer of scarlet.


    "Th¨C Thalia, what''s the plan?"


    She flinched from her thoughts, shaking her head and snapping herself back to reality.


    "Ye¨CYeah, about that."


    She glanced at the scene again, this time with a much clearer mind.


    Monica and Felicia lingered in their thoughts for a moment, Monica especially, as a panging question lingered within it.


    ''Was she getting off from that bitch misery?! What?!''


    While they were locked in a tight situation, Mila seemed to have her own predicaments to deal with¨C a mountain load of them.


    Holding it wasn''t an issue, it was when she had to do so for so long that it became a deterrent to her.


    One that she had begun to prepare a plan for, her mind settling on a sound conclusion while her body gripped itself tightly.


    The hills threatened to flatten her, and with a simple mistake, even one at all. It would be more than possible.


    At this point, it was best she came up with a plan, a turnaround at this point.


    ''Turnaround?! Absurd! How does it make sense that a simple skill....one such as the Area Field Of Vision could turn the battle so much in her favour?!''


    The same question festered again. Like an open wound refusing to heal, it perturbed her brain.


    ''What is her trait?! How¨C How did she make these hills appear?!''


    Her question rang again and again, but no response, no reply to her rational question, came to be.


    Instead, she chose the next best thing.


    With grinding teeth and blood-sunken eyes, she muttered with deep resentment bearing down on her throat.


    "Third Gate Unlocked."


    A beam of Miasma shot out from her body like a catapult, projecting into the skies, splitting through the hills in the process.


    A sudden outburst of power poured into her muscles, feeding her with unparalleled strength as she lifted herself to her feet, anger shrouding her in crimson cloaks.


    An outburst of flames instigated from her body, burning her from the inside to the outside, power flowing through her veins like molten lava. Hot and tick, a Tarr of life that opened a door to victory.


    The girls shook on the spot, their expressions twisted into shock.


    "We need to do something now! While she''s transforming into her third form!"


    "Are you crazy?! That''ll cause a self-explosion! You want her to destroy the whole school and take us with it?!"


    "I¨C I don''t know, Monica. I just want a way out of this nightmarish battle."


    Thalia clicked her tongue as her eyes narrowed, her arms stretched forward.


    "Stop whining. It''s expected she would go for the third transformation. It''s the only way out of this."


    "What?" Felicia raised a brow.


    "Yes...stay calm. We''ll strike when a moment of vulnerability comes."


    She muttered, but just then, a flash of onyx-lilac ignited past her peripheral.


    Her eyes widened slightly as a gust of wind shook the air.


    Her pupils traced the movement of the wind, watching as a girl, small and petite, yet wielding a power that far surmounted her small body, emerged from the end of the wind, wisps of air tracking her movement.


    The girls widened their eyes slightly as they watched the girl suddenly slam her foot against Mila, a surge of dark mana erupting from her body as Miasma shot up into the hill.


    It glowed red with intensity, spreading through like a hot, steamy laser beam, turning the boulders to molten lava.


    The hill quaked, a loud groan as pools of molten lava broke out of the hill, large droplets falling off to the ground. A loud hiss pierced the air on its impact.


    Thalia glanced up, her frown deepening while Felicia squealed in shock.


    Large droplets of liquid lava dropped from the hill like rain, and they fell towards them at a high speed.


    With its deep warmth reaching for the girl''s death, Felicia screamed at the top of her lungs.


    "DO SOMETHING YOU FUCKING BITCH!"

 Chapter 364 - 364- Festival 95- Raid on a Rainy Night 34

    As the molten lava descended, a fiery glow cast over the earth, blinded by the might of the hill that stood in the air over it.


    The hill dispersed, hot, liquid lava descending in place, basking the earth in crimson fireworks.


    Dread gripped the heart of the girls as they watched in silence, tension brewing within.


    Felicia, especially, watched in tense silence, her heart beating terribly quickly while the lava descended at an easily deceivable speed.


    She glanced at Thalia, noticing her unperturbed expression, and that fear slowly declined, turning to fleeting emotions that would be soon put out.


    The same occurred with Monica, her expression a bit firmer than Felicia''s.


    Thalia had pulled her weight through many occasions, and even now, she was doing the same.


    The mana and aura refill? The sudden increase in their strength and the will to fight again.


    This was all given to them by the daughter of the Jun household.


    It became apparent now, evident that despite her proud demeanour, she had become someone they would heavily depend on.


    Especially in the upcoming brawl.


    Thalia''s shoulders raised for a moment as she glanced back, noticing their sudden calm demeanour akin to hers.


    A chuckle escaped her lips as she locked gazes with them before glancing away slightly.


    A smile formed on her face.


    ''I''m glad you decided to trust me...''


    Raising her arms into the air, she clapped once, and the lava that descended with all its hot mess disappeared. Silence.


    The girls sighed, unable to keep to the change of events that had occurred so far. There was only so much they could be surprised about and any more would just be expected.


    However, Felicia did come up with a sound conclusion on the sudden appearance.


    ''Does her trait act like a pocket dimension?''


    She wondered when a sudden crack in the atmosphere gained their attention.


    Drawn to the scene, the girls groaned as they charged towards the ongoing fight.


    Thalia floated into the air with Felicia behind her while Monica jumped into the air with a swift force, covering large distances before crashing on solid ground.


    Steam began to rise again as the raindrops met the lava, which festered along the earth, rising into the air and forming patches of smoke that began to stand in their way.


    Ignoring it, they charged in.


    The hovering square boxes of shields spun with vigour before rushing out first, covering the distance faster.


    Further away, the lilac-haired girl was stuck in a hand-to-hand brawl with the fully transformed fiery demonic human.


    Their hands clashed against each other, thunder-like sounds, clapping against the earth while the earth cracked.


    Their force sent vibrations that brewed deep into the earth, a force that caused a crater to form beneath them.


    They descended with sudden force, Mila''s face twitching in annoyance as she suddenly grabbed Sophie by her hair.


    "Hey?!"


    She pulled her into the air with a quick tug and slammed her against the earth.


    Sophie landed on her two feet like a cat, descending further into the crater while her lilac gaze shimmered with a malevolent hue.


    Sophie charged forward, nearly closing the distance before she was tugged into the air again, pulled down with a sudden taunt and nearly punched in the face when a square shield slashed through her scaled armour.


    A whirling sound, like that of metal banging against metal, echoed, the force causing her hand to shift back as her head whipped towards the direction of the source.


    It was followed by a second and then a third before multiple came wheezing through the air.


    It struck her arms back and then reached for her neck which she escaped with a swift turn of her neck.


    With a sudden shift, came a bigger hit as Sophie rotated mid-air like a gymnast, ignoring the pull on her hair before slamming her legs against her scaled face.


    Mila shrieked in pain as dark mana oozed out of Sophie''s legs, an exploding force pushing her head even further.


    She groaned as her gaze forcefully turned towards the girl, her eyes peering at her while her head descended to the ground with a solid thud.


    Her thoughts reeled in at that moment as they locked gazes.


    ''Who is she? She''s dangerous.''


    A sudden whiff through the air and Thalia was right in front of her, a thrust of mana surging through her body as her leg spun through the air. It moved from behind her to in front of her, and locked against Mila''s abdomen before kicking her away like a football.


    A blast of mana occurred from the impact, the air crackling with intensity as she spun in the air, smashed against the ground, and skidded for a few more feet before crashing against the edge of a pool of lava.


    With a slight groan, she dipped her body into it, descending further within the warmth of the boiling lava.


    The girls watched in silence, their gazes shifting from her to the lilac-haired next to them.


    Sophie glanced up, a slight frown on her face.


    "I didn''t need your help." She muttered, her gaze flickering with intensity.


    The girls glanced at each other for a moment, their thoughts reeling in before Felicia scoffed.


    "Who is she?"


    "I was just about to ask the same. Young students these days, are they always this pompous?!"


    "It''s absurd, I tell you! Absurd. I thought the Juns were enough, but a nobody?!"


    "Yeah, who are you? What class are you from? Speak, child."


    Sophia winced slightly, her arm stretched towards the back of her head as she rubbed it slightly.


    ''What?'' She wondered. ''Why are they reacting so much?''


    "Sophie." She replied.


    Thalia raised a brow, her silence adamant while the others commenced lecturing her on the basics of seniority and the manner of talking to one''s senior.


    "Are you in my brother''s class?"


    Thalia asked, her question, easily breaking the line of questions.


    Sophie glanced at her, tilting her head to the side.


    ''Why would I care who her brother is?''


    "I don''t know who you are referring to." She said,


    "What?! Do you not know who this is?!"


    "The queen of Year three?! The daughter of the greatest Swordsman household?! Are you serious right now?!"


    Thalia shifted back, her gaze landing on them, a scowl written on her forehead. A lingering form of disgust pestering to reveal itself in her expression.


    "Can you not?"


    She asked and the two went silent, scoffing as they glanced away. Folding their hands in unison.


    Thalia nodded and turned away while the girls glanced behind her, turned to one another and stifled a giggle.


    Thalia stared at Sophie for a moment, her thoughts reeling in.


    "Raffaelo Jun."


    Sophie flinched, her cheeks blaring scarlet as she glanced away. Her lips quivered shut, and her eyes darted apart, searching for nothing in particular while staring at nothing in particular.


    She groaned slightly, a high-pitched one that caught the girls by surprise.


    "I¨CI do know him. I¨CI''m sorry, I didn''t recognize you, Thalia Jun. I¨CI apologize for my discourtesy."


    Thalia raised a brow and the girls behind hung their jaws open.


    They stared at her for a few more seconds, contemplation hanging in the balance.


    ''What?''


    ''The fuck?''


    The corner of Thalia''s lips curled upwards.


    ''He attracts people just like him.''


    Just then, a sudden burst of lava erupted from the pit, their gazes quickly snapping to the source.


    "Sophie, I permit you to fight with us, but be in motion. You are yet to learn the basics of team play in battles but I hope you''re capable of doing such."


    "Yes ma''am."


    Thalia glanced at her once more, her expression easing.


    ''She''s a 10th circle Dark Mana Warrior....this will end quicker than I anticipated.''


    Coming out from the puddle of lava was a newly reformed scaled armour of the fiery demonic human, Mila.


    A carapace of crimson-scaled armour lined her body, reaching her face and taking the form of a raging dragon.


    She held onto her katana with one free arm and stretched her claws with the other.


    A glowing, molten surge of lava erupted from the blade of the weapon, dripping down to the earth and scorching what little remained of it.


    Her presence took the life of whatever was left of the soil and earth, transforming it into a scarlet-earthen soil of solidified nature, brimming with lava that erupted at every turn.


    The brimming hot nature swallowed the rain, ceasing any drop from landing throughout the Garden while leaving a gust of steam in the air, obscuring all sight.


    Thalia, though, could see clearly, her vision basked in green and red, targets and non-targets locked and triggered.


    This was her domain¨C Her area field of vision.


    She had full control of the properties around this area, something that most may have skipped in mind as nothing seemed to have changed.


    But Mila was different.


    As she basked herself in the ethereal flow of Miasma and lava, a certain reminder remained.


    ''This is not my domain. Whatever she did....she can do again, but even still.''


    A gust of energy erupted around, a sudden tear in the clouds in the skies, blasting the rain away from the area.


    The simple gust caused a severance in the sky, rendering the clouds that hung over their heads and clearing the skies once again.


    The rain ceased to fall, and silence remained once again. Yet, away from the Garden, the rain resumed.


    ''Absolute power takes all! Isn''t that right, Juns?!''


    With a sudden surge, the world quaked, and a power so absolute reached for the skies while a tremendous force shook the earth.


    A walking earthquake charged towards the girl¨C begging for carnage and blood.

 Chapter 365 - 365- Festival 96- Raid on a Rainy Night 35

    Cold, dull blue pupils flashed open, a spark of crimson exuding from the surface as a weary sigh escaped his lips.


    His hands were folded, his body resting on one hip, while a magic communicator dangled by its antenna at the end of his finger.


    In his presence was a large orb, glowing and mystifying, with dots of red glowing with primal energy.


    His gaze shifted from time to time, tension brewing within while the sounds of chattering pierced through the air.


    It snapped him from focus, causing him to cast a side glance at the masked figures, subordinates from the north yet to be given a task.


    It flickered with intensity as it shifted to the Portal, which stood a distance away. Glowing with pulsating waves of magical energy, mana at its finest.


    His thoughts lingered, his tone growing rough and grim as he said.


    "You lot must have all the time in the world for you to converse so much."


    The masked figures snapped their attention towards Nicho, standing and arranging themselves in order.


    Their expressions wore a mask of concern, guilt laced between them.


    "We apologise, Rhakar. We haven''t been given a task to complete and have been awaiting orders from your second-in-command."


    Nicho stared at them for a moment, his head tilting slightly as he turned to the floating, glowing orb.


    At two corners were two glowing crimson dots, firmer and stronger than the rest.


    It represented an allure, a connection¨C Demonic Energy, Miasma.


    With a click of his tongue, he muttered.


    "Morris won''t be coming back."


    His eyes narrowed to a slit, a tense silence hanging in the air at the end of his statement.


    The masked figures glanced at one another, confusion etched behind their masks.


    "Wha¨C What do you mean, Rhakar?"


    Nicho glanced at them, his frown deepening while a scowl formed across his forehead.


    "Leave. Join arms with the System Uprisers. The explosions have nearly been set up completely.


    They will set it off once the students find an abode within it."


    With a curt nod, the group of masked figures rushed out, haste rendered within their movements as they did so.


    They bolted through the entry, a familiar aqua-haired walking past them with careful precision.


    Nicho focused on the orbs while they left, his thoughts reeling in while a weary sigh escaped his lips.


    ''Things are getting dicey...''


    He thought to himself.


    ''The students are resisting stronger than before....our initial goal of striking the weaker Non-system users had been completely made futile.''


    Just then, slow footsteps made their way behind him.


    His attention slowly drew by it for a moment, but it only lingered for a moment. In the next, he ignored it and focused on lining his thoughts.


    ''The Headmaster hasn''t struck, and the higher classes have remained lenient within the seal.''


    Well, while the Seal Scroll was of the highest tier, a transcendent one, it wasn''t certain if a student with a special class could find a loophole and escape.


    ''Better still, one of the Great Families act up..''


    But only a few of such were actually members of Class Four and Five.


    He sighed heavily, his thoughts muddled in puddles, scattered and pieces, unable to connect the dots.


    His eyelids shut closed for a moment, giving a leisurely break from the tough battle ahead.


    "Is that Morris? He was a demonic human as well?"


    His eyelids shut open, his pupils whipping to the side at the girl who stood next to him.


    His thoughts froze, lips parting open slowly.


    "Ruffia Jones, was it?"


    The aqua-haired glanced up at him, a smirk plastered on her face.


    "You called?"


    Nicho stayed silent for a few seconds. He turned away, arching a brow in the process.


    "Aren''t you supposed to be with the System Uprisers?"


    Glancing at the orb, he tapped it slightly, stroking its ethereal surface as it spun.


    It revealed a bunch of tiny dots stuck together, blue in colour.


    Ruffia scoffed.


    "So that''s where they went." She muttered under her breath, her tone laced with a venomous playfulness.


    Nicho glanced at her once more, a slight groan escaping his lips while his thoughts reeled in.


    ''This girl...something about her...''


    "Eh, forget about them. They have Javier."


    She glanced up at him again, her gaze sparkling with an irksome delight. Frightening yet beautiful all at the same time.


    Her lips were a thin line drawn across her face, a smile too devoid of emotion.


    ''Was she always this way?''


    "Do you want something, child?"


    He studied her for a few moments.


    "I know what children like you seek, but you must realise that you are worthless to me as you are now."


    Her smile faded. Faltering for a moment before her head tilted away.


    "I know. Mila is still your partner."


    "I see."


    ''Just as I thought, she is trying to jump ships.''


    While it was a dick¨Cmove, one may need to consider circumstances and better still, evaluate their chances.


    Ruffia Jones was a Water Hero, one of the Heroes chosen by Goddess Mayura, a descendant capable of bearing true control of water.


    ''one that could even rival the mermaids.''


    He glanced to the side, the far side where the pipes bore rust. Brown, decayed iron that trembled with slight movement.


    Projecting the sounds within the room with minimal frequency.


    Behind it was a silhouette, a figure or figures tied together, unconscious for what it was worth.


    These were students who, unlike the others, were unable to bear the brunt of the five-member squad attack. They were captured and teleported here by his men, who went back to capture the rest.


    ''Five.....''


    Those were hardly the number they required.


    It was far from enough. And amongst them was the mermaid princess, Mariam Aquarius.


    ''Ironic.'' He thought as he glanced back at Ruffia Jones.


    "You do have potential, but I''ll be damned to take you just to toll away my years."


    He turned away.


    "Leave. Go join your Cult and finish what you started. If you are incapable of even that, then what purpose would you serve with us?"


    She stood frozen, her expression basked in dark tints that outlined her features.


    Her brows furrowed, a deep scowl etched, and her lips curled down.


    She remained unmoved in her position as Nicho resumed his task. Swiping and tapping on the crimson dots.


    "Hah..." he sighed. "Soon, I will have to go there myself."


    But he couldn''t. After all, Mila would require aid if she were cornered...


    His gaze flicked to a crimson dot. One that glowed fiercer and larger than the rest.


    ''Third transformation.'' He thought as he glanced away. ''This Academy is doomed.''


    Just then, his head twitched, eyes flaring open for a second, while Ruffia suddenly spun around, her head tilting upwards, glancing at the ceiling.


    Their expressions grew dim, silence tracing slow steps in the air.


    For a moment, they remained in those positions, but in the next, Ruffia''s voice tore through the silence.


    "We were found?"


    "Impossible. It must be one of your people messing with our plans again."


    "I do not believe it could be them. If it were, they should have easily found their way by now, but it seems like they''re.....searching?"


    Nicho sighed. "Check what is going on and if they are indeed invaders, kill them and bring them to me."


    "Then I could jo¨C"


    "If you succeed. I will personally join you in my ranks and make you an executive of the Red Peacemakers."


    She paused mid-sentence.


    Her eyes bulged in delight as her lips played a smile on her face.


    She turned around in silence and hopped her way out of the room, leaving the Rhakar alone in his thoughts.


    He stood and observed in silence, his arms folded for a moment when a thought crossed his mind.


    "A demonic hero?" The left corner of his lips curled up, a half smile playing on his face.


    "That ought to be good."


    ****


    "Do you even know where we are?"


    A loud thud, a metallic ring and a sudden vibration echoed along the pipe work of the underground pipelines as a male voice pierced the air.


    Footsteps echoed along the path, sending tremors along the way that echoed with a slight Frenzy.


    "You were the one who dragged me here. You tell me."


    Suddenly, the male spun through the air, his body twisting like an ancient snake, as a dagger appeared at the neck of the girl.


    She whimpered, taking a step back in startlement.


    "Relax, Louis. We will find her, you just have to follow my lead."


    Marian stated, her crimson eyes igniting slightly, only for the knife to dig deeper, scarring her flesh as crimson blood oozed out.


    "Lo¨CLouis?!"


    "Shut it." He said with a deep, cold tone. Indifference etched in his expression while he held the knife.


    His body clung to her, holding her firmly and sealing all forms of escape. Something precious had been taken away from him, something he wished to find immediately.


    And what better way than a Merlin? A family of mages with countless spells.


    "You''ve been saying that for the past hour, and we''ve been walking for quite a bit, don''t you think?"


    "Ye¨CYes, I think so, but I wasn''t expecting a sub-territorial zone within our zone. Something as delicate as that needed caution when phasing through, if not we would alert the enemies."


    "You''ve alerted them already."


    Their eyes flared open as Louis released Ciara, his gaze stretching far within the Pipeline.


    He clicked his tongue as he took a step forward, his body warping in space as it drifted through the shadows like a sentient being of darkness.


    Ciara gasped slightly as she clasped her hand around the wound, vibrant mana suffusing around it as it began to heal.


    ''Finally. A clue.''


    She thought as she rushed ahead, pivoting herself forward.


    ''This whole thing has been suspicious! Why would the Red Peacemakers have a sub-territorial zone, and how did they gain access to it?''


    She racked her brain for a response, but slowly lost interest in it as a sudden yelp pierced the air.


    She bolted even faster, a whirl of wind supporting her movement.


    I''d better stop that boy! He''s on the verge of a killing spree, and even that could get scarier than the attackers.''


    Reaching the end, she skid across the path, coming to a halt in the presence of Louis and the source of the voice.


    He had apprehended a female, an unfamiliar one. She was adorned in robes, a ceremonial one, yet slits were present for better flow of movement.


    She stared at her for a moment, her gaze scanning her features, then turned to Louis.


    "Who is she?"


    Louis shrugged, wielding his dagger closer to her throat until warm blood trickled to his fingers. He replied without sparing the girl a glance.


    "My ticket to finding her."

 Chapter 366 - 366- Festival 97- Raid on a Rainy Night 36

    Within the pipeways of the Underground Pipelines, the sound of footsteps bounced against its iron surface as three figures walked quietly.


    Low, distant moans escaped from within the Pipelines while Ciara glanced around in curiosity.


    For a while now, they had been walking in a straight path, led by Ruffia to a spot, not certain nor confirmed but simply stated.


    In a way, they were being led without any distinctive proof other than words.


    Something Ciara would usually stand against, but with the threat the assassin boy posed, she decided to go against a principle. Which irked her greatly.


    Her thoughts had been spiralling within her head on their path, a deadpan silence hanging between the trio until she looked ahead.


    In front of her was Louis, and in front of him was the girl that they found¨C Ruffia Jones, she called herself.


    Her eyes narrowed to a slit, her lips parting out as she asked.


    "Sorry, what did you say your name was again?"


    Louis slowly glanced back at her, his expression masked by indifference while Ruffia giggled.


    Ciara''s face twitched slightly, a brow arching while she shifted to the side.


    ''Something about the way she talks and laughs makes me uncomfortable."


    "Oh, don''t worry yourself about things like that, Ciara Merlin. The great families aren''t expected to know of us, little ones."


    Louis glanced at the girl, his lips curling in a frown as he grabbed her by the hair and tugged her.


    A swift motion that caught both girls off guard.


    "W¨CWhat is it, Louis La Teuer?!"


    Louis stood silent, their feet banging against the iron in fluid motion, filling the stale silence that hung around them.


    "You answer the girl when she asks a question, and none of that bullshit you''ve been doing. Understood?"


    Ciara''s pupils dilated for a moment, bulging out slightly and shifted back in place.


    ''O¨COkay?'' She thought.


    With a thug, he pushed Ruffia away, causing her to trip, nearly falling to the ground flat on her face. Her figure, though, kept up with the motion just in time and balanced.


    "It''s like I said before. I''m Ruffia Jones, a member of Class Three. I''m a level 60 Water Knight and I was captured.....just like the rest..."


    She paused, turned around and pulled down her sleeves, causing the latter two to halt mid-step.


    Ciara sighed, stroking her face with her hand.


    "You don''t have to show us that scar every time you reiterate that story. We understand. You escaped, and luckily, we found you while you were running away."


    Ruffia nodded once and turned around, commencing their march.


    They followed after her, Louis glancing up at the pipeway, his dull crimson eyes flaring with a shade of deep scarlet.


    "How did you escape?"


    "The number of enemies within has dropped. I assumed they sent most of their subordinates above to capture more students. Poor souls, the dread that awaits them if they''re captured."


    She glanced back at them.


    "We must find them, first!"


    Louis'' gaze landed on hers, emotionless, stale.


    Just like it had always been. The expression that never left his features¨C the sole reason for his loss of touch with the wonders of humanity. The longing of wanting to express oneself freely.


    All that had been lost to him as a son of the Assassin Family, the La Teuer.


    Stripped of emotions since birth, he had fostered a life of his own by building mental and physical strength.


    Yet, that fleeting emotion he once gave up on had been returned to him by something¨C someone very unexpected. A mermaid.


    The key that opened the lock to the profound joy and love that brewed within him.


    A sun that cascaded her warm radiance onto his shallow life. Ripped from a darkness beyond into a gracious warmth, one that enveloped him with such happiness.


    It had been taken from him...deprived of him. Stolen by beings who do not know of the warmth she serves.


    His expression hardened, fierce flames igniting in the depths of his gaze. A dance of death flickering with brimstone and fire.


    ''I will get her back even if I have to grind my enemies'' bones¨C and if it doesn''t suffice, then I shall grind mine.''


    "Out of curiosity, how did you guys find this place?"


    Ruffia''s voice snapped him from his thoughts, his head slowly rising from the ground while his pupils darted holes in hers.


    She shivered, glancing away as they continued on their way.


    Ciara hummed slightly.


    "I guess you wouldn''t know if you were captured, huh?" She muttered.


    Ruffia nodded, and Ciara remained silent.


    She glanced up at the top of the pipeline.


    ''Unforeseen circumstances...'' She thought to herself.


    That had been the play since she was forced to search for Mariam Aquarius.


    Of course, facing Louis was completely possible. Doing it without casualties, though, would be like a man who ran through flames bathed in wax. Casualties would be expected. Death was even a possibility.


    ''Not to mention finding the others. I''m sure Mariam wasn''t the only one captured.''


    She sighed inwardly. ''It wouldn''t be a bad idea to save those kids.''


    She glanced at Ruffia Jones, her gaze narrowing once more.


    "Ruffia, were there others aside from you who were captured within Year Three Hostel?"


    "No, none that I''m aware of. I was outside the building while it happened. Why?" She glanced back when they reached a corner. A path leading further ahead.


    There was a descending slope ahead of the pipeline, serving as a meeting point for multiple pipework that opened into it.


    Reaching there, they came to a halt, Louis and Ciara glancing down in silence while Ruffia glanced ahead.


    Ciara''s brow furrowed.


    ''How did the principal not know about this?'' She wondered. ''Well, it is a very well-hidden layer.


    Something like this popping out just at the moment of the appearance of the Red Peacemakers makes it even more impressive.


    The detailed structure and how it was hidden.''


    A territory within a territory.


    A sub-territory.


    That was the name most would give to a phenomenon like that, and it explained it perfectly.


    Just then, Ruffia pointed ahead where an opening led further in, shadows and darkness cobwebbed at the end of the path.


    "That way. If we go through there, then we''ll end up in the layer of the Red Peacemakers."


    Ciara glanced at Ruffia, her brows furrowed.


    ''How about the System Uprisers?'' She wondered.


    If a space like this had been hidden so well until now, there was an off-chance that this was in fact the secret hideout of the System Uprisers.


    ''Well, it would make sense, but none of them has shown up....only the Red Peacemakers strike now.''


    And while they expected a confrontation with the System Uprisers, the Red Peacemakers had proven too difficult to face.


    "Are you sure?"


    Louis''s voice cut the air like a hot knife through butter, his presence basked in the hollow shadows.


    The girls squealed in startled, while standing beside him, shocked by his sudden question.


    Ciara gasped slightly.


    ''How...how does his presence keep fading when he''s walking right next to us?''


    In a fluid motion, Ciara watched Louis pick up Ruffia and jump into the air, covering the distance in a blink of an eye and landing at the other end.


    He turned around on landing, dropped Ruffia and glanced back at her.


    "Come on over."


    Ciara nodded as a wand formed in sparks of light in her grasp, a wave of mana flowing within her. She floated over the distance, reaching them and landing a few spots over.


    Glancing at Louis, they nodded in unison, then glanced at Ruffia¨C Their eyes turned cold.


    She raised a brow, curiosity etched on her face as Louis walked away from her, edging closer to Ciara.


    Ruffia''s expression tensed, her mouth growing dry as she gulped slightly. She took a step back only to land slightly on the curved surface of the pipe. Her back pressed upon it.


    She glanced at it and then at the duo, her eyes flickering with intensity.


    "Wha¨C What''s wrong?"


    The duo remained silent, a tense silence growing between them while their gazes locked onto each other.


    The darkness that surrounded them was stale, it caused their crimson eyes to glow with a torch of venom. Pure superiority oozed out of their bodies as they stared at the girl.


    "You see this?"


    Ciara asked as she pulled out an aqua blue handkerchief from the pocket of her nightgown.


    On it was an embroidery of a mermaid with a triton, the symbolic signs of the Aquarius.


    "This belongs to Mariam Aquarius, one of the girls who was captured that night."


    Ruffia chuckled wryly, her brow arched in confusion.


    "Why¨C Why does that matter?" She asked. "It''s not like we can find her with a piece of her object or anything..." she chuckled louder, her pupils darting between the two figures before her.


    Their expressions remained still, unmoved by her words¨C and then it dawned.


    "I''m from the Merlin household, Ruffia Jones. I, of all people, would definitely have a spell to locate a missing person with a piece of them.


    We have all magic, anything that is considered comprehensible.''


    Ruffia''s gaze slowly flared open in realisation, her jaw hanging open as a shiver ran down her spine.


    ''Shit.''


    Ciara raised her wand to the air, a beam of light igniting from the tip as a streak of lightning bolts surged from it.


    "Who did you think you were deceiving?"

 Chapter 367 - 367- Festival 98- Raid on a Rainy Night 37

    Tension had never been at an all-time high as it was at the moment.


    The moaning of distant Iron pipes laid out a slow hum in the silence that hung in the air, a gruesome sentence festering to take place within it.


    Ruffia was cornered, her actions laid bare for all, her purpose unravelled, but her cause remained unknown.


    Ciara stood a fair distance away, her thoughts reeling in as she contemplated deeply on the thinking process of the former. The cause and effect.


    What purpose did she serve in all this? Was she truly a member of the Red Peacemaker or simply a spy of the System Uprisers?


    Was she sent to stall time? Take them further from their purpose and lead them to an unavoidable doom.


    ''Well, she was certainly doing a good job at it.''


    Since a while ago, she had noticed they were moving further and further away from their target location.


    Her spells worked like a beacon, with her wand acting as the receiver.


    She simply had to tap into it to get the necessary information, and it was necessary to do so with the mind.


    As a Merlin, her magic wasn''t limited to the four elements, but all forms of magic. Psychic magic as well. Though it was her lowest affinity, it was enough to find the Sub-territorial space and the missing Mermaid princess.


    How Ruffia had not put that in her plans, though, confused her.


    A slight frown formed on her face when she noticed Ruffia''s slowly composed demeanour. Her once shaky body was slowly calming, and her gaze held no fear. Only a mask of indifference encroached on her with steady steps.


    Her frown deepened as she took a long step back, putting down her wand as she tilted her head in confusion.


    ''This isn''t good. She''s not supposed to be composed. I made sure to corner her most unexpectedly....so why is she composed?''


    Louis suddenly walked forward in a blur, appearing next to Ruffia in a quarter of a heartbeat. His hand clawed her neck and slammed her body onto the Pipeline, a creak spreading from the vibration as it rattled. A slight shock phasing through.


    Ruffia coughed, her arms wriggling as it clamped onto his, a stiffening attempt to set free.


    "Why did you lie?"


    Ruffia''s gaze darkened crimson, her pupils filled with intensity. A slight rage penetrated her system.


    She glared at him, revealing her gritted teeth as she struggled to reply.


    "Why you ask? Now that''s the dumbest thing you could ask a liar. Obviously, I wanted to lure you elsewhere...."


    She muttered. "Sadly, I was caught."


    Ciara remained silent, her unease growing with each passing second.


    She glanced around, tilting her wand around as mana spun within her.


    "8th tier Spell: Dome of Protection."


    A sudden tremor spread through the air as a blast of mana shut out from her, filling the space around them and forming a dome.


    Ruffia glanced at her through sheer force, unable to move an inch of her head.


    "Wha¨CWhat are you doing that for?" She asked.


    "You''re not the only one here. I figure you were part of the System Uprisers, but I have a feeling you''re not."


    Ciara glanced up at Louis.


    Their pair of crimson eyes met at one point.


    "Kill her."


    Within a short breath, he tensed his muscles, gripping tighter as Ruffia gasped even louder.


    Her chest rose, and her skin paled. Her pupils slowly rolled over her head while her mouth hung open, grasping for what little air remained for her.


    As he prepared to claim her life, his body froze, his gaze darting to the wall behind her.


    His eyes narrowed in slit as he jumped back, a sudden barrage of sword slices phasing through the iron pipe with relative ease. Like hot iron through butter, it schemed through it, evading Ruffia while tracing the edges Louis had evaded.


    Ruffia fell to her knees with a loud gasp, her hands grasping her neck as she coughed out in frenzy, blood slowly running through her pupils as tears flowed down.


    A wheeze sound projected into the Pipeline from behind her as a grunt pierced their ears. A sudden thud echoed as a kick busted through the wall.


    The iron creaked as it trembled, falling to the ground in pieces with a loud clatter.


    Ciara sighed outwardly as she took a step back, Louis slowly doing the same while a man walked into the opening.


    Her lips curled in a frown as mana swirled outwards from within, a surge of power running through her veins.


    "So this is your reason for staying calm."


    Ruffia slowly panted as she turned to her side, her brows furrowed in rage while Nicho dusted his attire.


    "How did you know I wanted you to lead them here?" He asked, his gaze fixed on his attire while he dusted dirt and grime off.


    His disinterest in her circumstances was palpable, causing her anger to boil like a volcano.


    "I figured it out." She replied, gritting her teeth through repressed rage as she stood to her feet.


    Ruffia was furious, but she wasn''t dumb.


    Knowing fully well her standing with Nicho was more than enough reason to expect such treatment. Though experiencing it was a lot different from expecting it.


    ''Well, this is a lot better than sticking with the System Uprisers.''


    "You simply figured that I would want you to lead them here? I''m impressed."


    He stated, his attention shifting towards the two intruders.


    ''Did she really? Since before, her behaviour and attitude have been in contrast with how she acted with the Uprisers. What is her drive in all this?''


    He wondered as he looked over the intruders once, then sighed out loud.


    "The La Teuer and the Merlin household. As much as it would please me to capture you both, I must admit that it would take a ridiculous amount of time to do so."


    Ruffia scoffed as she folded her hands, dissatisfaction laced in her expression.


    Though Nicho couldn''t care less about her reaction to how he handled things.


    So far, she had been merely a pawn he had used to lure the intruders to a different location.


    Far from their quarters, but interlocked by the pipes to make things easier to get to them.


    Either way, connected pipes usually have a straightforward pattern when you break through the walls.


    Getting from his control quarters to other parts of the pipeline was an easy matter he could handle with a slice or two of the Sword. But Ruffia''s ability to lure them to the exact spot he found most sufficient, now that he did not expect.


    With a slight frown, his thoughts reeled in.


    ''Perhaps I should take her to the Red Peacemakers. Though knowing her drive first is necessary.''


    "We''ve come for Mariam Aquarius."


    Louis said as he took a step forward, his right hand held out in the air.


    The darkness seemed to warp at his control as a dark dust encircled around his palm, rushing within like dust and shimmering with crimson sparks.


    It solidified into a dagger, one crafted with obsidian. Hard and smooth, with a curved blade that sparked at the tip, enduring tales of flesh cut with its beak.


    "I don''t care who you are or what faction you come from. The Red Peacemakers mean nothing to me, but her safety is everything. So, will you let us go and save her, or will you get in my way like a fool?"


    Ciara''s eyes bulged slightly in surprise as she stared at Louis, her thoughts reeling in.


    ''That''s the longest I''ve seen him talk for.'' But then, her right brow arched with curiosity, a slight confusion etched in her expression.


    ''Do the La Teuer act because of others? Is this what love does to people?''


    Nicho busted out in a fit of laughter, his demonic arm placed over his abdomen as he arched backwards in motion.


    His body pulsed with each laugh, one that sent shivers down their spine.


    An uncanny sensation grew within them while they stared in silence.


    The laughter bounced against the iron structure of the groaning pipelines, giving way to a vibration that spread throughout.


    It caused Ciara to raise her shoulders up and point her wand at him, a beam of light igniting at the tip.


    The sudden beam ignited a golden light against the darkness in the interior of the Pipelines.


    Causing the executive''s laughter to cease. Suddenly and eerily, like a sudden clap of the hand.


    His pupils shifted towards them, fixed onto their features, his lips curled downwards as a surmountable calm overtook him.


    "You pups must think you''re worth something just because we chose to let you go."


    Ciara scoffed.


    "Oh, please. You chose to let us go because we''re strong enough to warrant that. If not, you wouldn''t have captured Mariam. And even that was a wrong decision on your part."


    Nicho frowned, his odachi glowing with a menacing glint at the edges of its glimmering blade. Calling for blood and flesh.


    It lingered in the air as he held it with his human hand, a little gift from his old-time friend, Raph.


    "Do you think being a part of the Great Family makes you great? You are all merely children under the guise of a hero. Leave this be, and I may not need to kill you to keep you here.


    You know too much as it is."


    A chuckle pierced the air, a startling and muffled one that caused their skins to crawl.


    Their heads whipped towards Louis¨C the source of the laughter, Nicho slowly narrowing his gaze as he stared at him.


    ''I lost track of his energy flow for a moment there. Murderous intent, was it? The La Teuers truly live up to their names.''


    Louis'' shoulders flinched slightly, his muffled laughs coming out in slow hums.


    Ciara shifted away slightly, caution growing within her.


    "Wha¨C What''s so funny, Louis?"


    She asked while Nicho and Ruffia glanced at her with puzzled expressions.


    She ignored it, after all, even more than them, Louis''s laughter creeped her out the most.


    "Oh, it''s nothing," Louis said as his gaze shifted to Nicho''s face, then slowly trailed to his right arm. A fragment of its former self¨C a crimson, demonic arm pulsed neatly, fixed to his body.


    "I was just thinking about what you said, and found it ironic. After all, you lost that same arm to a kid of the Great Families...."


    His lips curled into a grin, one that dripped with venom, akin to a Devil.


    "Did you not?"


    Nicho licked his lips dry, a suffocating ball of mass growing within him.


    He scoffed, looked away and then turned back to Louis.


    His gaze remained unfazed, masked by an emotionless sculpture, but then, he saw red.

 Chapter 368 - 368- Festival 99- Raid on a Rainy Night 38

    The sizzling of the rain hummed in the air, footsteps echoing within it in a symbolic clash of natural and unnatural.


    The cast of darkness hung in the air, moonlight withheld by the foaming clouds, the rumbling of thunder reverberating within it.


    Lightning roamed through it, spreading its volt-filled tendrils to the canvas of the sky, igniting a bright white light with each shudder.


    While the rain poured down over the Buildings of the Homeric Academy for Gifted Children, a Melo hue stood in place.


    Darkness and irksome, palpable to the senses, creeping over the student''s skin like spiders on a freshly killed meal.


    They had crossed over from the Cafeteria and were now headed in earnest to the Lecture Theaters.


    The Lecturers led at the front, the students lingering behind them and a few selective others remained behind.


    This included Jane Lucia and Darrell Silvan, as well as the few others who had been with the group since before.


    They hurdled along the pathway, running in straight, ordered lines under the protection of the fenced walkway.


    It was along this path that Jane looked up, his gaze darting about with caution.


    A glow of golden exuded from his body in his grasp, shimmering with a primal energy.


    His thoughts reeled in.


    "We''re headed to the Lecture Five theatre, right?"


    Darrell whipped his gaze from beside him, his brow arched before turning to the direction Jane stared at.


    With a slight nod, he replied.


    "I guess it would prove to be the best place to hide the others since it''s the closest."


    "Yes, and it''s big enough to encompass everyone....protection wouldn''t be easy especially now."


    Jane muttered the last bit with a sigh causing Darrell to look away with a slight twitch in his expression.


    "Sorry, I had to cancel out the spell. I was running out of mana at a rapid pace....there was only so little I could do."


    "No, I''m not blaming you, but the golden lady would be such a big boon for a group like us."


    Just then, the duo halted in their tracks as the groups of Class One and Two students came to a stop ahead of them.


    They lingered for a bit, their attention drawn to the patio in front of the first lecture theatre, Class Five.


    The Lecturers walked into the rain with hurried steps, their loud voices and conversations dying in the rain before getting to the students.


    They approached the door, hurriedly unsealing the lock and opening it.


    With a signal from a Lecturer, the students rushed their way into the building, organized by some of the Lecturers who stood beside the door.


    While they walked in, Darrell and Carl Dunham walked out of the group. Further away where Jane lingered. Their gazes locked onto one another.


    The plan had already been set, and the motion began a long time ago. So now, it was all about playing the right cards and getting the tasks done.


    Knowing this, and still knowing that the dangers and uncertainties which lingered around the corner made Jane unsettled.


    His gaze narrowed at the feeling.


    ''Why the hell am I feeling this way? Why should I care if a Silvan dies?''


    He wondered as he pulled his right arm up in the air, sticking his thumb out while folding the rest.


    He turned around and walked after the retreating students, the Son Goku twins being the last.


    ''Well, I care about this Silvan.''


    Darrell sighed outwardly as he glanced at Carl.


    They stared at each other for a moment, contemplating, deciding, and perhaps rethinking, but in all, their decision had been long set.


    "Shall we?"


    Carl nodded as he glanced at the students one last time.


    An image peered through the corner of his eyes, a visual representation of a student that hung at the door, two in fact.


    He narrowed his eyes into slits, peering deeper and the image came into play.


    Forzlz Luke and Florjin Quirin, stood at the door, their hands waving in the air before retreating to the comfort of the building, Shutting the door behind them as they did.


    He lingered for a moment, his lips curling downwards, hesitation pulsating within his veins. But with a sigh, he turned and bolted after Darrell.


    Their decision was set. Now their roles must be played.


    *****


    Under the Class Five Lecture Theater was a pale darkness shrouded in the warmth of crimson flames. The crimson flames burnt from the magic lamps that hovered at the top of the wall, casting a silhouette over the students and Lecturers that were present in it.


    The interior and sizes of the Classrooms were akin to all other Lecture Theaters, a Caborn copy that stood in value instead of name.


    The thought alone that this Building belonged to the last class within the Academy begged for caution, and it raised the tension even more.


    Startled, scared and uncertain, the students lay around the lobby in circles, sticking to one another, their cohort or a close friend.


    Anyone who could help them get through the night.


    The chaos had gone long, and for a moment, this building served as their sanctum of peace....a moment of respite.


    Jane stood a distance away from the other students, his back against the enclosed walls of the stairway leading to the second floor.


    The Son Goku twins sitting on the last step below him.


    He scanned the room for a moment, arms folded and attention fixed as he did so. For a while, he was transfixed in the moment, lost in thoughts and drifting further away from the present.


    ''Those two should be fine. Darrell is capable enough to protect himself and Carl if it comes down to it.''


    Navigating through his thoughts, he began to unravel the past events leading up to this very moment.


    ''The Red Peaxemakers are insistent. It''s commendable enough that we''ve lasted this long without losing too many classmates.''


    His brows furrowed deep in thought.


    ''So what of the System Uprisers? They''ve been silent, this whole time, no?''


    His gaze shifted slightly to the side, a certain figure snagging at the periphery of his vision.


    With a flinch, he identified it, a slow hum escaping his lips.


    "Javier Wright? I didn''t even realize he had been here this whole time."


    Rhett glanced up at him with a raised brow.


    "You know the System Sword Hero?"


    Jane raised a brow, confusion evident in his expression as he glanced down.


    "Sword Hero?"


    Brett whipped his gaze towards Rhett with his jaw dropped open.


    He raised his hand in a blur, a sudden chill rippling in the air as his arm grabbed the side of Rhett''s head and slammed it against the wall.


    A shockwave spread through the building, the students screaming in surprise.


    The Lecturers rushed out of the Class Five Gold classroom in a rush, their shock was palpable as their gazes darted about.


    "What''s wrong?!"


    "What''s going on?!"


    "Is everything alright?!"


    The questions hung in the air with no evident reply. Instead, an eerie silence took place.


    Jane''s face contorted in a stroke of deep confusion, his mouth parted open slightly.


    His gaze was fixed on Brett who slowly pulled his hand from the impaled concrete wall.


    Rhett slowly shoved his head out as well with a thump, a sigh escaping both of their lips as they dusted their figures from the debris and dust.


    A rather discomforting silence hung as the students glanced at them, Jane twitching slightly behind them.


    He glanced at Javier once more, whose attention was also fixed on the twins.


    ''System Sword Hero?''


    His gaze shifted to the group of friends that surrounded him, his eyes narrowing at the sight.


    He raised his head as a heavy sigh escaped his lips.


    "There is nothing wrong. Everyone back in place, prepare yourselves. There might be another attack, there might not.


    We will find a new plan."


    Walking through the group, the chattering of the students commenced once more; their subtle dissatisfaction with his statement exuded in their protests.


    He ignored it and headed to the Lecturers.


    "I apologize, Lecturers but may I join in?"


    He asked, his gaze flickering as it shifted to the Lecture Hall behind them.


    The door hung open, and within, a faint glowing emerald shimmered across the roof.


    ''What?''


    A Lecturer suddenly walked over his path of vision, snapping him away from it.


    He looked up at the Lecturers, his expression twisting slightly.


    Confusion laced first, taking small bridges away from his expression, startlement next and then realization finally. It played out in a swift synchrony before reaching a mask of indifference.


    ''These aren''t the Lecturers we came in with, are they?''


    The Lecturers had decided to meet in the classrooms where a plan would be concocted for future decisions.


    It was supposed to be one method of finding a way out of this mess, but again and again¨C


    ''These people are just out to get us.''


    "What is the issue, Lucia? We Lecturers can handle it alone."


    "Yes, turn back to your classmates. Let us, the Lecturers take charge this time."


    Jane glanced at them for a moment, his thoughts suppressed in a fit of control.


    He took a step back and shrugged.


    "Well, if you say so, but let it be known a child of the Great Family wanted to take charge and lead us to safety."


    He walked past the gathering of students, Javier and his cohort included. Their gaze met at the same point as he walked past them.


    He sighed inwardly, his thoughts reaching a consensus.


    ''Something''s up.''

 Chapter 369 - 369- Festival 100- Raid on a Rainy Night 39

    ''I''ve never liked that golden prick.''


    Javier folded his arms as his gaze traced Jane''s movement, his lips curled downwards while his eyes narrowed.


    ''Compared to the other righteous fools of the Great Families, this one actually acts like the arrogant bastards that they are...''


    His lips formed a thin line as a deadpan expression encroached on his face.


    He glanced away, an image of a certain white-haired flashing through his thoughts.


    ''Never mind, there''s one that takes the icing on the cake.''


    "You think he caught on?"


    His ears twitched slightly as he glanced up at Yon Duke, their gazes meeting at one point. A sigh escaped his lips as he rubbed his temples, fatigue laced at the crux of his eyelids.


    "Please, not now, Yon Duke. We''ve come this far now. You seriously think one of them is enough to ruin our plans?"


    "Well...perhaps if it was someone else, but Jane Lucia is one of their smarter members."


    The cohort nodded silently in agreement as their gazes unconsciously shifted to the golden-haired boy who stood at the stairway.


    His arms were folded, his eyes shut behind his lids and his head tilted slightly downwards.


    Suddenly, he released his arms and brought them together, clasping his palms together in a silent prayer.


    The movement sent a chill down their spines as they looked away. Their attention was now fixed on the Lecturers who were now inside the Class Hall.


    Gregory hummed slightly.


    "Do they even have a plan? Time is ticking and if Jane gets even a slight suspicion before it sets off, then matters could get dicey."


    Javier scoffed as he looked away.


    "It doesn''t matter to me if they succeed or not. What matters is our part in the redemption of our kind. Simply trust in the process for now, then we shall do as we please if things turn south."


    A moment of silence resumed between them as they retreated to their thoughts.


    The hum from the chattering of the students lingered in the air, filling the silence with juvenile energy.


    The stale air and clumped space crawled on their skins, a tingling sensation filling the tip of their fingers.


    With a yawn, Aurora and Lucy glanced around, familiar faces catching their attention.


    Side eyes weaved past them, continuously in disharmony as the hum began to ascend into something more.


    Just then, a whisper reached their ears sending a flinching jolt through their bodies.


    "They''re the ones, right?"


    "Hah....the ones we''re planning on capturing?"


    Aurora tilted her head in confusion, her gaze darting about the sides as she walked around in a single spot.


    Her cohort glanced at her with intrigue, their expressions laced with confusion and startlement while they let her commence her act.


    Aurora gasped as she turned around, her gaze meeting that of many others whose attention seemed to be fixated on them. Like a star show in a circus, they grabbed attention that oozed both good and bad intent.


    At every side, and every corner, her gaze would land on another''s, a swirl of motion cascading around her in blurs. Twisting and manifesting in shapes that haunted her.


    With a slight grunt, she was suddenly yanked by Yon Duke, his eyes narrowed to a slit.


    "What''s wrong, Aurora?"


    She gasped for a moment, her chest rising and falling as she breathed in slow breaths.


    "They, they''re Watching us?"


    She replied, her statement twisting into a question that puzzled even her.


    Her brows arched as Javier spun his head around.


    His lips curled deeper and his eyes shut as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He opened them as his gaze met Jane''s, tension hanging in the balance.


    For a moment, Javier lost himself in the depths of the golden pupils that shimmered in the darkness.


    A golden light pulsating with such holiness that it shuddered him, sending pulses of doubts within him.


    It pulled him in, calling him into its godly sanctuary, reaching with benevolent arms towards his cold-stone heart.


    In a shudder, he glanced away, his lips quivering for a few moments as he placed his palm over his face.


    "He knows."


    The cohort glanced at him in unison and then at the golden-haired boy.


    He was still in the same position with the same posture. Arms together and body tilted forwards, but his head was facing them contrary to his body.


    And he simply stared.


    "Wha¨C What makes you think so?" Gregory asked.


    "He''s using a stigma. Look at the left side of his neck, and you see the golden tattoo. I don''t know what god it is, but it''s surely going to be a problem."


    Glancing at his neck, what revealed itself was a golden ibis bird, wings spanned across while a quill''s feather was held neatly with its right leg.


    The sight deepened their confusion as they looked away.


    "What is that? I''ve never heard or seen that one."


    "That''s the thing with the Lucia household. Their abilities are as absurd as the number of gods they serve."


    Javier sighed inwardly as he glanced at the door to the Class Five Gold classroom.


    The Lecturers, whoever they were, had made use of the room to decide what they did next¨C a form of counsel, but only temporary in its trying times.


    ''Katherin had inferred they would do this and added it to the plan, mid-way.''


    The manner of communication so far had been fixed to letters, teleporting letters sent from Katherin to her students who bore her insignia.


    In this manner, she was able to telepathically and physically communicate with them.


    ''After I sent her the news of the Red Peacemakers suddenly changing their plans and attacking all students, she went along and amended hers as well...but will it be enough?''


    Turning to his cohort, he nodded slightly.


    "Let''s go to the classroom. The Lecturers in there are no longer the same, but even that will be difficult for Jane to decipher."


    Lucy tilted her head slightly in confusion.


    "Didn''t you just say that he already knew?"


    "No, what I meant was he was suspicious of us. He''s confident that we are not on their side, but whether or not he saw through the Lecturers is a whole different thing."


    "Why does it matter if he knows them or not? The Mana Bombs are soon to set off. We only need to escape while the situation gets out of hand."


    Gregory said with a hushed tone, their bodies surged with adrenaline as anticipation pumped within their vessels.


    Their bodies could tell even before their brains had made a decision.


    What came next was conflict.


    In silence, the group of five glanced around the students, their eyes narrowed as they inspected the area.


    Just as before, they all stared at them¨C Class One and Class Two. System users and Non-system users alike.


    Suspicion brewed like ink in clear water, spreading venom in their bodies that surged power from within.


    Javier scoffed at the sight, his thoughts reeling in, recognizing a few students.


    ''We''ve come this far with the notion that the Lecturers alone fill the ranks of our Cult...''


    His brow furrowed as his head whipped to the door to the Gold class, aura erupting out of his body in a single wave.


    His cohort did the same, bodies charging towards their targets in one synchrony. Their teeth bared, blood pumped, and bodies erupted with a surge of feral power.


    "They''re escaping! Get them!"


    Jane''s voice cracked through the air and in a flash, movements exploded like a race car on a race car track.


    The air rippled as mana and aura erupted in a vibrant hue of colours. Energy cascaded through the air like a flowing rainbow, only this one didn''t mean new beginnings.


    In a frenzy, the students screamed as they rushed to each other, closing the distance between themselves and the cohort in a flash.


    Class One students jumped into the air and grabbed Javier and his cohort, one by one, pulling them to the ground with a sudden shock.


    The fall was followed by a sharp retaliation as the cohort screamed and fought with their fists, slamming and striking back in a fit of rage.


    "Let me go, you bastards!" Lucy, the first to fall, cried out as the five students dragged her against the ground, pulling her away from the group as she fought back in futility.


    Soon Aurora was grabbed, Yon Duke standing behind in protest.


    He whipped back and pulled her arm just as a group of students, four familiar students, grabbed onto her other arm.


    "Sophia! Zara! Stop this nonsense!"


    Aurora cried out while Yon groaned as he pulled her away from them.


    "Stop what you fucking traitor?!"


    "Yeah! Jane told us you were part of this whole mess and it turns out he was right!"


    Just then a group of males bulldozed into Yon with their shoulders, a tremor spreading through his body as he was whipped back with a terrifying force.


    He fell on a group of students who grabbed him, locking his arms and legs and preventing him from further movement.


    Fits of movement surged from his body in protest as he wriggled with waning effort.


    He groaned, yelled, screamed and bit down on those he could, fury boiling in the depths of his eyes at the condition he found himself in.


    With a click of his tongue, he whipped his head towards Javier who ran through the crowd.


    "Javier!" He called out when a fist met the edge of his chin with a brutal twist, blood and saliva busting out from his lips as he groaned in pain.


    Glancing up, his gaze met those of Ban Xen, a twisted enraged expression laced in his face as he suddenly landed his fist onto his face once more.


    "Youuu¨Cuuu eeevil bastards! Siii¨C iiding withhh ttthe demons!"


    He said with quivering breaths as he slammed again and again, tears streaming down his eyes while his teeth chartered within.


    Javier glanced back with weary eyes, annoyance crawling in his expression as he whipped his gaze away.


    He groaned, images flashing through his brain in photographic surges.


    ''A part of the Cult stays in the students but Katherin had instructed in the past that I keep it hidden until the battle against the Devil King.''


    A blur flickered past his peripheral as a group of students pulled Gregory with a snap yank, a loud cry of protest reaching his ears as he landed with a violent thud.


    Soon, a swarm of second years had taken full control of him, ceasing his movements in the blink of an eye.


    Javier watched it all in silence, his body moving with panicking speed while his insides churned at him from the sight.


    He sucked in the air as he turned away and screamed at the top of his lungs.


    "Oh, Brethrens of Mayura! Rise, we have come to proclaim our right"


    Silence.


    A sudden and bizarre silence overtook the room as he got to the door.


    He reached out for the knob and grabbed it, halting in his tracks, his ears twitching for the signs, the signs that he so desperately wanted to hear.


    A second passed, then another, and then another and soon, he was well past his anticipation length, saliva gulping feverishly down his throat.


    He slumped his shoulder, anticipation dead, but then¨C all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 370 - 370- Festival 101- Raid on a Rainy Night 40

    Chaos. That was the only way to describe what went on in the next few seconds. In its primal, raw and distinctive form, it took control.


    Unfixed emotions sprawled out like a tube of paint, spraying unglorified horrors onto the walls in cascades of crimson. Shades of Grey cast over their expressions as they twisted in the agony of explosions and eruptions, screams and cries filling the air with an uncanny hue.


    Like a synchronized choir band, the chaos played, harmony and destruction taking turns in its sadistic pleasures.


    Students screamed, and students fought, rage, pain and confusion contorting in desperate pleas as they charged into each other.


    One after the other, their eyes dilated like an abyss, continuously swallowed by a whole entity. Their bodies were taken by the source, consumed with eternal gluttony while their wills were vanquished in a sinking sand.


    Javier stood at the door in utmost glee. His body shivering at the sight that befell him.


    Classmates and seniors turned against each other in a sharp curve, like a crescent Saber blade, striking at one another with precision and decisiveness. Not an ounce of caution, realization or even hesitation.


    Friends turned against friends, factions against factions, blood against blood as the room was filled with the intense clash that ignited like a ball of flames.


    Javier felt a pang in his chest as he watched the scene unfold, allies he had never known and enemies who proved to be difficult.


    The distinctive line between those who stood for the Cult without realizing it and those who stood against it, through and through.


    His gaze swept through the lobby, his gaze flickering with such intensity that it begot madness.


    A silver glint glowing with a mythical hue in his pupils.


    One after the other, he recognized them. Allies who had been hidden until now. Fate, utterly taken from them and controlled by his iron hand.


    His shoulders jerked, as a small chuckle escaped his lips.


    A mental image played in his head as his lips quivered. A chuckle escaped again and then again before it erupted into a fit of laughter. One that was drowned in the cries of combat that exuded in the space.


    Around him was a sight to behold, flames erupting into life and water surging from thin air.


    Flames shot down students, and water blasted them back; whirls of winds and sudden tremors traced the earth.


    Cracks of spiderwebs spread like cancer as boulders emerged, slamming against students like crushing spiders.


    Swords and weapons clashed, shields went up, explosions surged, and eruptions of shock waves and energy impulses convulsed.


    And all forms of attack had been blocked away from him, giving Javier the leeway to observe as much as he pleased.


    His gaze had been peeled on the scene that unfolded when a figure jumped into his peripheral.


    He whipped his body in the direction of an explosion of movement, his sword forming from a freckle of silver light as he swung it through the air.


    A crescent arc traced the edge of the blade as it stopped at the nick of the female''s neck, who gasped in shock.


    "Ja¨C Javier?" Aurora said with a startled tone, her voice breaking into bits as she shivered, her eyes flickering with intensity as they met his.


    Fear gripped her heart with a clawed hand, grappling at what little strength that mustered within her.


    Javier clicked his tongue, pulled his blade away and turned around, while Aurora fell to her knees with a loud gasp, her chest rising and falling from the tension.


    She glanced up at Javier, her expression twisting. Confusion, expectations, fear, and perhaps hope all mixed in a palette of colours to give her distinctive features.


    "Sto¨C Stop this." She said, carefully selecting her words as she did so.


    Javier remained fixed to his spot, unmoved, unbothered.


    He seemed confined in his own world, a world that called for him, one that truly sorted the mysteries of his heart.


    His gaze darted about, watching as students stabbed one another, cast spells against each other and downright wrestled them to the ground.


    It was an utter, and chaotic sight. Filled with the intense bloodlust that began to fill the air with a scarlet hue.


    Blood and visceral projected into the air, and crying students with missing limbs crawled their way out of the mess while the emotionless puppets struck on with desperate attempts to get the job done.


    His jaw clenched and his body pulsed with intense energy. The beating of his heart began to accelerate, escalating far higher than the average man.


    ''Yes, yes. This is it.'' He thought, his skin crawling with excitement as he stood in the mix. The air felt like a firecracker, surging nerve cells into action as his hair stood on end.


    With a subtle glance to his left, two other familiar figures rushed up to him.


    Battered and bruised, with panic evident in their gazes. They panted haphazardly, wheezing in between as their chests rose and fell.


    Yon Duke glanced up first, his face, a distorted mixture of blue and black, swollen bits around the corner of his temples and eyes while blood dribbled down from his lips.


    Gregory was a lot better in conditions, but his listlessness was evident in his eyes. Tired, confused and afraid, dancing ballet in his expression.


    "Where''s Lucy?" Javier asked with a carefree tone as he glanced away.


    The scene now was more captivating than the sight of his friends who were alive and well.


    Aurora glanced around while Gregory and Yon stared at Javier.


    With a sudden click of the tongue, Yon stood straight and grabbed Javier by his collar, pulling him into the air and slamming him against the door in a swift motion.


    The others glanced in shock, though, none retaliated.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you, Javier?! We were captured! They stopped us. We would have died."


    Javier''s gaze shifted from the scene to his friend, his dark, onyx eyes pulsating with primal energy as they stared into the depths of Yon''s.


    It felt like souls were connecting, minds of contracting origin dwelling on a path of consciousness that made peace to both.


    "But you didn''t." He stated. His tone, brief and low. Startling darkness exuded from it.


    Yon dropped him, a sigh escaping his lips as he took a step back and fell to his knees.


    The Chaos lingered around him, explosions and cries screeching at his brain through his ears.


    Uncut displeasure and plees that spooked him.


    He shivered.


    "Javier, this is wrong. This is not the way of the Cult. Turning students against each other? That is suicide, massacre. It goes against our beliefs. System users are killing system users."


    Javier whipped Yon a stare so deep it nearly caused the latter to split in half.


    His insides churned and his heart missed a beat as dread spread like ink in clear water.


    His arms folded as he looked around and turned to him.


    "We are one. Those who are with us will fight with us and those who are not with us are not of us. Just because we share the same goddess, Mayura does not make us one.


    They chose to follow the path of those....fools, hypocrites, The Bullshit family. They are enemies, just like the rest."


    His friends glanced at him in utter horror, a mixture of regret and dread laced in uncanny amounts. Unable to settle for one, they were left with none.


    Only a void that vegan to grow fonder as the walls of the Building shook with the deaths of their fellow students.


    Unable to speak, unable to give in and yet, unable to step down, the trio stood in silence.


    Javier scoffed as he glanced away, just when the door behind him opened with a swing and an arm stretched forward and grabbed his shoulder.


    In startlement, he spun like a loop, longsword surging with intent as it slashed through the air.


    It stopped, froze, mid-step. Just next to the arm of the man who walked out of the door.


    Gazes locked, expressions withheld and a single notion at hand.


    "You''ve made it, Javier, our hope."


    "Mister Sylvester. I see you arrived on time. Where is Katherin?"


    The man''s gaze narrowed, his scarlet eyes glowing with a hollow shimmer as Javier pulled his arm away from him.


    "Don''t push it, kid. She is still your master."


    He scoffed.


    "What kind of master picks another ''hope''? Where is that bitch anyways? Ruffia Jones has failed to show."


    "She has better plans. Stop your childish talks and come in. The explosives will set off in thirty seconds. We must leave."


    "Hah, leave? With whose permission?"


    A voice permeated through the air, one with familiarity and bearing a foreboding presence.


    It caused their eyes to bulge open, a sharp, electrifying shock that caused their hair to stand.


    Their jaws hung open while their bodies froze in motion as their eyes guarded their gazes on the source of the voice.


    With quivering lips, Javier smirked.


    "Jane Lucia." He said in a startled tone, his gaze fixed next to the door.


    There, a few feet away from the door and the group, with his back resting comfortably against the wall, arms folded and golden eyes shimmering, was Jane.


    A stigma of an ibis bird with a quill''s feather on one limb glowed with a primal gold, holiness exuding from it while another glowed on the dorsum of his right hand.


    A golden serpent wearing a jester mask, one slit in the middle with one side dark, shimmering stars glowing and a demonic frown. The other side was white with fiery comets and an angelic smile.


    Its contrasting nature easily attracted their gazes, further pestering the confusion that laced their eyes as they simply stared without moving.


    A tense silence hung between them, adrenaline surging in their system in preparation for the unknown, while Jane remained unbothered by their conducive wariness.


    He sighed as he shut his eyes closed, a sudden pulse wave erupting into the air as a terrifying silence consumed the space.


    Chaos ceased, blood froze, movements halted, expressions unmoving and bodies stopped, hooked by time.


    The group widened their eyes in shock, beads of sweat forming on their forehead as precipitation took its form.


    Javier licked his lips, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''shit...what did he do? What did he do? What has he done?! Oh, for fuck sake.''


    Jane glanced at him at that moment, their eyes meeting at one point, sending a volt of shock down his spine as he took a step back.


    ''Hah....fuck.'' He thought as Jane rested his head on the wall.


    "See, I was just wondering," Jane said with a raised brow as he glanced at the stigma that burned bright on the back of his palm.


    "Ever heard of the god, Loki?"

 Chapter 371 - 371- Festival 102- Raid on a Rainy Night 41

    ''What?''


    Javier''s face twisted, confusion and irritation, mixing in a palette of colors as he took a step back. His gaze fixed on the figure before him.


    His lips twitched by the corner, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.


    "A god called Loki? Why would I know that?"


    The Lucia household was known as the divine household. A household that worships and serves the goddess Mayura, but recognizes tons of other gods from their past travels.


    These were gods from different religions, continents that had risen and fell, nations covered in sand, castles swept by storms.


    A past so far gone that tales of its mysteries lingered in the corners of the earth. In the far beyond of each border.


    These gods served them no help during the Demonic Age, the times when powerless humans were gifted the power of the System.


    Only Mayura did so, and as such, became their one true goddess. Their reverence of worship, the being that showed the light, the way and the truth.


    ''And now he asks this? Like I could care about a foreign god?''


    The question puzzled him, but alas, a response festered at the back of his throat, threatening to release at any given time.


    Jane had proven to be a hindrance, a difficulty that seemed unpredictable.


    There was no telling what he could do, or what he was capable of doing, especially with the powers bestowed to him by the gods.


    ''Time seemed to have been paused. Which god is it? Is it the sun god Apollo that he used during the Battle of the Great Family? Which is it?''


    Sigmas that were alien to him registered to his memory book as of that moment. As such, without the knowledge of who they were, or what they were capable of, he was forced to take the slow route¨C the safe one.


    "I do not know him and have never heard of him." He replied after a moment of silence.


    Jane chuckled, a startling one that sent a shock down their spines, electrifying sensations that crept over their skins.


    "Yeah, you''re right. This is a god known to a tribe, beyond the East. A faraway land touched by a civilization whose whereabouts have been lost to time."


    He said softly, raising his arms in the air as his fingers danced around a flowing golden energy. Threading it like silk as it wrapped around each.


    "He was known as a Trickster, a sad god with a sad history. Every one of them has a story to tell, stories that even rival Mayura."


    Javier felt a pang in his chest, one that bloomed into uncanny rage. Spreading and ravaging through his system as his brows furrowed down, and lips curled into a frown.


    "Don''t speak of the goddess with that tone." He stated, his tone deep and brief. A hushed hue in the air.


    Jane glanced at him from the threads of gold on his finger, a tense silence dancing between them.


    Conflict threatening to brew, with muscles tensing and blood pumping.


    The others simply watched in silence. Gregory, Yon Duke and Aurora basked in their own thoughts, gazing more within themselves than outwards.


    What bothered them grew deep, forming sores, wounds that would linger even after they healed.


    Images played, voices screamed and the smell of iron assaulted them. Forcing them to relieve the horror that was frozen in time.


    Javier scoffed, loudly as he clenched his fists.


    "Why does it matter what those gods went through? And what does that have to do with what is going on now? This is a rebellion. We take what belongs to us."


    Jane''s eyes narrowed to a slit, a smirk playing from the corner of his lips as he glanced at the scene before them.


    The subtle movement shook the cohort and lecturer as they turned towards the direction he did.


    "You call it rebellion, but I call it a tantrum...and if you think you are winning.."


    He clicked his fingers together, a snap of wonder exuding a shimmer that warped the space.


    Effect and motion twisting the students and the environment.


    Javier''s gaze pulsed, flickering with intensity as he shook his head. He felt a subtle ease in his eyes, like a powerful weight had just been released from it. A fog which clogged his vision cleared in an instant; a vision which he had thought could never betray him opened to something that felt utterly impossible.


    Aurora gasped, Yon shivered and Gregory slumped over.


    The lecturer felt his skin prick, beads of sweat tracing down his limbs while his arm remained on the knob.


    The edge of his lips twitched, teeth bared as his pupils darkened at the sight.


    Javier simply stood and stared. Too startled to speak and too furious to act.


    What stood before them were the students, alive and breathing.


    Chaos sewn tightly in a crack, evaded and outwritten. In fact, it was like nothing had ever happened. Reality blurred before their very eyes, rewriting what played out in their heads like a scriptwriter.


    They blinked once. Twice. Thrice.


    Unable to speak and unable to contemplate, they simply watched in silence. What felt real a moment ago was now surreal, a distant flicker of images and videos played, envisioned within them. Forcefully sewn together to form a representation of what they thought was reality.


    But now? Now that the veil had been raised from their eyes, casting the scales that blocked their vision.


    They saw it now, the true reality.


    Javier slowly glanced at Jane, licking his lips. An emotion too contorted to describe with simple words exuding from his features.


    "Wha¨C what is this?"


    He asked, his thoughts reeling in, spinning in overdrive. Attempting to claw at the present and make sense of what had occurred.


    ''I saw it happen! No! I made it happen! The members of the Cult who don''t know they are. I sealed their fate by pronouncing the code. The code that ceases their consciousness and takes full control over their body.''


    He frowned.


    ''I did that. So what the fuck is this?''


    Jane''s smile never dimmed. Never let out, sticking to his face like a symbiote.


    He rubbed his golden hair, its shimmering brilliance dancing in the thrill of darkness.


    The cascades of crimson swept over the walls from the magic lamps.


    He glanced at the students gathered.


    Their gazes fixed on the group of five, expressions firm. Hardened. Angered. Furious or at least half of them.


    A Lot more, a number that far surpassed half but not enough to completely overwhelm them.


    ''Though, if I was a step too late then it would have been overwhelming.''


    The stigma of the golden ibis bird with the golden quill feather glowed with primal energy.


    Exuding a godly hue that shimmered outwards into the world, flickers of golden light danced at the side of his neck.


    The god, Thoth. A being of remarkable brilliance.


    Unlike Loki who was a jester of sorts, Thoth was a philosopher, a being who saw through the minds of mortals. He represented order, knowledge and divine wisdom.


    Peering deeply, mentally, digging the dirt that clouded the mind, and revealing the truth buried within memorials of sand.


    Speaking into the minds of others was child''s play for the deity, showing them the truth, cascading information that could only be shared through thoughts. All these were possible through the Philosopher god, thoth.


    Coupled with the theatrical god, Loki who represented trickery, chaos and inevitable change, pulling out a reality that only played out in Javier''s head was an easy task.


    Of course, this was the same as the others.


    An image too real, with flickering lights of explosions, metallic iron that lingered at the back of their throats, nauseating smell of blood and flesh.


    As students scrambled against each other in eternal chaos.


    That was how it had seemed. It played out in a way that felt most real; in fact, it should have played as such.


    The students had indeed turned against each other, only a pygmy away from stabbing at each other''s throat. What stopped them was the abilities of Thoth, which Jane had made use of.


    Inserting his will through their minds, festering a whole which anchored himself to their realities and in that spur of a moment where they had turned against each other. Ready to strike, he had simply frozen them.


    Now, they stood within the mix of students. Bodies held within time, a distant reality from what actually went on.


    Their consciousness had already been stolen by Javier with his command. Leaving enough room for Jane to easily intercept with his godly abilities.


    Standing in awkward positions, some pulled out weapons from thin air, weapons that fell to the ground from the imperceptible gravity.


    The students who were awake¨C fully, had stood a distance away from the frozen students.


    Their expressions twisted, enraged by the scene that played out.


    They, too, saw what could have happened if Jane had not intervened¨C the reality that escaped them with just a single motion. A motion that Jane had acted out, stopping their horrific fate right in its tracks.


    "This? This is merely the result of your failure." Jane explained. "Everything that had happened had happened, but in a reality that is far from ours. Instead, what I did was show everyone what would have played out in that reality if I had not acted."


    With a sigh, Javier glanced around.


    "So you''re saying the image I had built....has been ruined with your simple action? The abilities of that god you so adore?"


    Jane shrugged.


    "See it for yourself."


    Waving his hand dismissively, the students who remained conscious began to march towards them, encircling them within their claws.


    Weapons emerged from thin air, a whip of mana surging within their bodies as they glared at the cohort of four.


    Lucy was still nowhere to be seen, at first, but as Aurora whipped her gaze to the side, her expression twisted in dread.


    Lucy lay on the ground, still, unmoving, scars and cuts traced across her skin. A group of Year Two students emerged from that corner, closing in on the group¨C students who turned their back on the school.


    Javier calculated, his thoughts reeling in overdrive as he stepped back. His body tensed, muscles bulging as he gripped his sword firmer.


    His gaze narrowed down the students, observing, noting. While his brain searched for a way out.


    ''shit....this wasn''t part of the plan.'' He thought when Lecturer Sylvester walked past him in a sudden blur.


    His steps echoed in the tense silence, his body pulsing with energy while his gaze held firm and distant.


    Staring at the incoming students, disinterest laced in his face. He sighed, folding his hands together, his movements grabbing the attention of everyone in the lobby.


    Jane arched a brow in confusion, tension ensuing within him as he gripped his fist, taking a step forward.


    "Master Javier. Now is not the time. You are the light that shall show us, System users the way. Your safety is paramount to my existence."


    A crack, something awfully and woefully loud erupted into the air, a sudden surge of mana swirling within him.


    It grew in intensity, surging with extreme rage, blisters of light peeking through his skin, cutting the very fabric of his existence.


    Jane frowned, his eyes narrowed as he charged towards the figure in the blink of an eye.


    "For the Glory of the System."


    -BOOM!

 Chapter 372 - 372- Festival 103- Raid on a Rainy Night 42

    The air ripped, energy erupting like a fountain, destabilized energy, volatile to the sensations in the air. Sensations that were imperceptible to the human skin. Prickling only when its flammability was made known to the world.


    The world itself cracked, flares of light erupting from his skin, breaking it into pieces as the might of the light enveloped the room with a blinding aura.


    Panic spread through the students like cancer, expressions contorting in realization as they whipped in different directions, turning to their heels in a desperate attempt to escape the tendrils of death.


    Jane watched the whole thing play out as his arms stretched forward, golden energy shooting out of his body as a sonic impulse blasted from his body.


    The world suddenly slowed, step after step, coming to a near stop¨C a movement that seemed to play in slow motion.


    The locks of flames flowed with careful speed, creeping against time¨C a dreamlike drag motion that spread as Sylvester''s body exploded in bits.


    Chunks of burning flesh splattered frame-by-frame, diverging from its roots as it began to disperse against the world.


    It crushed the floor, uprooting the ceramic tiles like plated scales, shredding through the interior while blasting all around in a torpid tempo, easily traced by a turtle.


    The force shook the air, invisible forces reverberating with intensity like the vibrations of a gong, loud, forceful and surging. Spreading with creeping steps through the Lobby of the Lecture Theater.


    Jane moved with precision and haste, his body twice the speed of the slow world, yet, inconsequential to the true world. His will adapted to the world powers revealing itself in wisps of golden energy that exuded him.


    He bit down on his lip hard, his expression contorted, twisted in the agony of bearing the stigma of the gods.


    As a Lucia, he was blessed to use three to four different gods'' abilities in thirty minutes every three hours.


    Understanding his abilities and an increase in divine mana aids in increasing the total amount of time he could salvage for himself, but as of now, it remained the same.


    The battle with the five attackers had involved a single god, Apollo, the sun god. Including Loki and Thoth, Jane was beginning to reach his limit. And he was meeting it fast.


    Three hours had not collapsed before he began to make use of their abilities and the energy expended stacked with the amount he lost now.


    Using different abilities from two different gods in unison was only possible for those well-vested in the blessings of the gods they used.


    But it came at a cost, a cost that added to the lethargic feeling that gripped him with time. His mana was being consumed twice as much as it was supposed to, and the more he used it, the faster he expended it.


    At the 7th circle, he was far limited, Divine Mana wise and thus, he could only bank on his pure understanding to keep him going.


    Using the abilities of Thoth to control the minds of the students and the lecturer, who was in the process of self-exploding, was a trembling task, and Loki''s ability to warp reality, pulling strings of trickery into the eyes of many, made the primal energies to clash together.


    The force was surgical, large and fierce, brimming with intent that pulsed through his vessels.


    His veins hummed with a silent plea, golden energy burning through them like lead, holy power exuding from his pores in cascades of primal light.


    He groaned in pain, his body visibly quivering from the force, the stacking power beginning to take a toll on his body.


    He could feel it within, cells exploding from the torment of divine power. Humans were not meant to store this much brilliance of the gods and he knew it.


    ''I have to do this quickly.'' He thought, a decree sent to his body as he closed the gap between himself and the exploding man.


    The explosion still commenced, albeit, in microseconds.


    The eruption of the floor as debris rose, shattered tiles and broken ceramics flying in the surge. Vibrating, glowing energy, volatile to the touch, crackling the air with such intensity with a loud buzz.


    Everything played as it was meant to, only a lot slower, enough to be stopped.


    Finally, he had gotten to the man, his arms clapping together in silent prayer as a dome formed, oval and large, sharp raw energy, cosmic waves exuding from the edges.


    It expanded in a second, enveloping Sylvester and the spreading explosion in a tight knot.


    In the blink of an eye, he jumped into the air, flying through the air until he tore through the ceiling like a missile, pulling the dome containing the man and spreading an explosion into the air with the same speed.


    Immediately, time commenced as such, startling students stumbling to their feet, Javier blinking in realization, and many more turning in their direction.


    "Lecturer Sylvester has been contained! Go after the rest."


    Amelia Locks with hassle nut hair and deep brown eyes that exuded diligence from her figure. Her sword pointed at Jane and his cohort, serving as the spearhead of the raging students.


    In a battle cry, they rushed forward, the air ripping with their rageful charge.


    Javier clicked his tongue, his body whipping towards the door as he swung it open.


    "Get in." He ordered, causing his mesmerized cohort to flicker back to reality.


    They had stood for too long in a filth of their own thoughts, spinning their head in overdrive in an attempt to salvage the situation.


    So far, things had settled in a rather unpredictable manner, but it stayed true nonetheless.


    They had betrayed the Academy as they had planned, and they were going to tear it from the roots upwards.


    So what was the hold-up? What made them halt despite the incoming mass of students. Despite the cries that sent a shudder down their spines, their ears rattled from the vibrations that phased the air. Their eyes watered, beads of salty liquid running down while their skins pricked with the guilt and fear that buried deep within their heart.


    They were second-guessing.


    Javier walked past them and entered the classroom. His gaze darted about, silently judging the situation. It flared open slightly then glanced away, his attention fixed to his cohort.


    "Get in here, already! Do you wish to end up like Lucy?!"


    It was a mystery alone that they had survived but Lucy hadn''t, but then again.


    She and Yon were one of the few who were captured by second years. Though, she had not survived the brutal beating laid upon them by the group.


    ''Well, it is futile thinking about it. Neither worrying nor seeking vengeance will make her come back....and sadly, she isn''t worth it.''


    Javier thought with a frown, his gaze shifting to the incoming students.


    Only a second remained before they would get into striking range. In fact, projectiles had been sent into the air, whipping through it with uncanny speed.


    The destruction that bore fruit with each passing second.


    Javier groaned bitterly, his arms stretched forward as he grabbed Yon and Gregory.


    The latter two shook in shock, their heads turning towards him as he suddenly pulled them inside with brute force.


    "Javier?!" Aurora screamed, turning towards the door when a bolt of lightning struck the wall above her.


    Sending a sudden shrill down the concrete¨Cglass structure as it shook.


    She squealed in shock as her arms grabbed onto the knob, exuding a force that tried to pull the door open. Sadly, it grew futile.


    "Javier, please!"


    She looked up, watching as the boys cried out in protest as their bodies landed on the tiled floor with a loud thud.


    Gregory quickly stood to his feet, crawling back up as he rushed up just as Javier fought with Aurora for the door.


    "Shit! Javier! Aurora is still out there."


    "This is a battle of the fittest. Katherin doesn''t expect us all to come out of it alive. Just us three are more than enough."


    Gregory''s face twisted, lost in the sickness of his own choices.


    He raised his arm in the air, a sparkle of light igniting as a shield took shape.


    Its metallic hinges brimming with a broken artistry of fine work.


    It hummed in the air, vibrating with the flow of mana that surged through its tense, solid, metal form.


    He swung his giant shield through the air, slamming it against Javier and forcing him away from the door.


    In a swift motion, he pushed through the door and slammed his shield into the ground.


    "Master Skill!!! Valor''s Guardian!!!"


    -BOOM!


    Mana blasted out of his body as a dome, taking the form and shape of an ancient wall sprang into life.


    It slammed into the ground with a thud, drilling its thick imprint against it as projectile after projectile struck it with a desperate force.


    He groaned in pain, strained from both mana and activated skill as it took a heavy toll on his body. Veins popped out from the temple of his head, muscles locking on itself, clenching deeply within his arm as he growled in fury.


    His gaze darted to the side, meeting the soft gaze of Aurora as she retreated into the class.


    "Hurry."


    Without looking back, she closed the door, leaving the hefty male to struggle with the incoming rain of assaults.


    His gaze wandered, brows knitted and lips twisted.


    ''This is fine. This, this is a fate that I can accept. I wish to accept this.''


    Memories¨C fun and not played in his head, images of his friends, his cohort and Javier ringing in his skull.


    It left a smile on his face, a genuine, pain-stricken smile that wavered lightly when a blast of water smashed through his shield.


    His shield shook, and a vibration swept through it, trailing down his skin to his arms and legs.


    It hummed in a violent force as another projectile was sent. It was quickly followed by another, and then multiple attacks on the level of expert and advanced, thrown at him like a rapid Gatling gun.


    He resisted. Painfully. Firmly, like a wall built for the single purpose of protecting, one laced with the fate to stand.


    The attacks definitely struck. Hard and concise, spreading through the wall, rattling its glowing dirty brown form and tripping his focus. But it stood.


    Until¨C


    BOOM!


    A sonic blast shook through the air as a figure landed in a beam of light, golden energy exuding from his very being as he growled in tempest fury. It swept through the room, blasting the students back as they hit the floor while the wall shook with a violent hum.


    A power so sublime, so pristine, an energy from another world¨C otherworldly exuded him in amounts as his eyes glowed with a golden hue.


    Gregory looked up in shock, his dull eyes meeting those of Jane''s glowing, golden ones.


    Tension hung in the air as a finality crackled within it. Jane took a step forward, his arm stretched forward while the primal energy spread to his fingertips.


    "This is futile. You cannot shield yourself from the gods."

 Chapter 373 - 373- Festival 104- Raid on a Rainy Night 43

    A few minutes ago, Jane had streaked for the skies at a drastic speed. A ticking bomb timing down in his grasp, a second¨C flicker away from exploding in his face.


    The air whipped past his face, a cooling effect running down his limbs, a breeze cleansing off the sweat that beaded on his forehead.


    The holy energy that exuded from him in a golden glow remained ever so palpable¨C without a hint of a reduction in the way powers collided within him.


    He groaned in pain, his flight faltering to a sudden stop as he pulled his hands into the air.


    The dome of the exploding man floated past him in a blur, taking to the skies without an ounce of patience.


    He had only one goal¨C get that thing away from range. In the fastest, quickest way possible.


    And he made sure it went through.


    Like a ball of mystifying light, the dome shimmered in the sky, a silent hum escaping its edges as it reached heights, climbing and stacking away without a caution of step.


    The Territorial Space had been one built with the powers of a Psychic, controlled and limited by the hands of the Lecturers in the control room. But other than that, it was an endless space, revelling in wasted potential that was never tapped.


    It also meant that as much as it was endless, it was restricted.


    The sky stood in the air, clouds hovering in delight, sun and moon taking turns in its cascade of day and night.


    Time flowed as it should, but what played out above that? Above the brilliant blue skies, hazy dark clouds, raining storms, thunder that shuddered and lighting that ran like dragons? What ended it?


    Well, Jane wasn''t about to wait to find out.


    In a sudden motion, he turned around, bursting downwards in a fit of motion, exploding with a sonic boom as the dome flickered into oblivion in the sky.


    The result?


    An explosion that ripped through the air, sudden, calculated, expanding. Consuming the skies in a quake of wake.


    The rain shuddered to a frightening stop. Halted by the explosion that boomed with the hollow hum of an ancient blue whale.


    Loud, troublesome, uncontrolled. An energy-riddled explosion that sounded like an alarm horn from a fleet of angels.


    These were always how it went.


    Self-explosion was an act with many consequences. The eruption of mana from its circles out into the heart, rushing it explosively into the human system.


    Reaching vessels, veins, and arteries, scattering through the body in hurried steps before leaking into the cells.


    Chemical reactions that took place within it¨C anabolic, catabolic, all forms mixing with mana or aura in an uncanny hue.


    A scary force that breaks skins, blisters flesh and crushes bones. All in a matter of seconds, just to relay itself as one supersonic, excruciatingly loud and dangerous explosion.


    Of course, this depended on the level of the person. The higher, the more power the self-destruction that followed. The lower, the less powerful.


    As it should be.


    ___


    Jane exploded down the skies, as quickly as he ascended. Reaching speeds that he usually wouldn''t. A strain to his form, his pristine figure. One that hurt. Badly.


    Yet, he clenched his feet, locked his jaw and descended with a rapid acceleration.


    Behind him, the tremor erupted, a shudder running down his spine. Startled, yet unperturbed.


    ''As expected from a self-explosion.''


    His gaze blinked once, a sudden thrill phasing through the air.


    He glanced around in confusion. Eyes darting about, his head settling into realization as he increased pace.


    ''The explosion stopped the rain?''


    For only a bit. Just a moment.


    The explosion spread far and wide, its shockwave spreading like tendrils of doom, reaching down with a hurried hunger.


    It swept the clouds in motion, stretching even further, hands wide, enveloping all that stood in its way. And that included Jane.


    Like a comet, he enveloped himself with golden energy, a form of glow that protected his body with the force of the wind that swept past him with the descent.


    Loki and Thoth were powerful gods¨C remarkable even, but speed wasn''t exactly their forte and the height he had ascended to get that thing away from the students¨C the school buildings weren''t helping matters.


    A sudden quake shook, pushing him downwards, faltering his flight. A sting that pulsed him away, distracting him from his descent.


    He lost control and began to fall instead, spinning around carelessly, a desperate attempt until he caught himself again.


    In another sudden quake, a shudder that vibrated not just through the air but through its molecules. Reverberating with much force, threatening to rip through the space, he was pushed yet again.


    This time, the buildings had come into view, clouds cleared from the sky and his descent now was clumsy¨C forced back into his control.


    His arms flared about the air in a hurry, body tensing with the weight of gravity as it took its sweet time with him. Tolling away with a wicked grin.


    He forced his body into control yet again, a breath away from the roof of the Class Five Building, and another force blasted downwards, larger, firmer, stronger.


    BOOM!


    He crashed through the hole in a hurried frenzy, his body coiling in a forced spin as he landed with a sudden, powerful quake.


    A shockwave spread through the lobby as it blasted the students backwards.


    Bodies flew about in a haphazard frenzy as the ceramic roof cracked and then shattered.


    It rang like a gong, pieces of hardened clay screaming in the air, scratching the surface of the air in a shrill.


    It projected in his ears for just a second, his gaze sweeping up as it met the eyes of Gregory Rockinson, a satisfied sigh escaping his lips.


    His gaze flickered for a second, casting a long glance around, noting down the large reflective, brown wall that stood in the way.


    A virtue of reverence, their last step towards securing their pitiful lives.


    Jane scoffed, golden energy erupting from his body, pain masked by the godly flow of excellence that exuded from his very being.


    The shards of ceramics flickered down in a burst, like raindrops cascading down the earth, reflecting the shades of gold around the lobby.


    A hollow cosmic energy took root within as the students slowly stood to their feet, aghast by the sight before them.


    A son of the Lucia Household, the Divine son, promised son of the gods¨C Liphael the wondrous.


    He basked his pain in a pillar of gold, exuding the godly energy primal within his very being. A surge of indifference to the world around, here to bask the world in the words of the gods. A messenger, chosen sword of the gods.


    The brilliance whipped in a golden energy that rippled in the air, quivering the might of the world.


    Gregory stared at it, unperturbed, yet a panic blossomed in his chest. Worry, regret, indecision¨C second guessing.


    The golden light suddenly blasted with a blinding white, causing all those who glanced at it to turn from the sight, ripping their visions in fear of the light.


    It stung¨C deeply, as the voice of the golden son echoed in the room.


    "This is futile. You cannot shield yourself from the powers of the gods!"


    The world trembled as the blast of golden energy shot out in a beam of light, blasting against the wall, a quick and overwhelming force sending an electrifying effect against it.


    The attack blasted the brown wall, shifting it from the ground as it skidded back with brutal force. Gregory was pushed with it, colliding with the walls behind him in a sudden crack, bones snapping from the mere force as he screamed. Pain spread through him in a splinter, cracking through his body with thorough intent, breaking the very foundations that held him.


    His skill deactivated in the next second, the glowing wall shimmering into nothing while his body fell limply to the floor. Twisted, mangled, strained from the force of the collision, he lay, his expression twisted in the horrors that he underwent in his body.


    Footsteps echoed, his ears brimming with life as they echoed around in the lobby.


    The students were approaching him.


    In a final attempt at fighting back, struggling with what little will remain. He pulled himself up just enough for his head to lean upwards, pain-stricken down his body.


    Erupting in waves that caused his will to falter. He groaned, jaws clenched while it fought off the scream that threatened to escape. Lingering at the back of his throat like a wound that festered.


    Blood dribbled down the white of his eyes, striking the world crimson as the students came into view.


    Jane standing in front with the Class Monitor and Vice of other classes lingering behind.


    "Is it over?" One of the students asked, a member of Class C. A timid girl with glasses strikes the bridge of her nose while she hides behind her classmates.


    They sighed outwardly.


    "No....the others..." a male muttered; Romeo Berto, Deputy of Class One Bronze, replied with a careful gaze, glancing at the situation.


    They were situated behind the group, most of their members frozen on the spot by Jane''s abilities while they, a few of them, stuck together in a hurdle.


    His brows furrowed.


    ''They had come to me. Katherin and her people, trying to convince me in my own way to join them, the leaders of tomorrow they called it. A world we, System Users rule. A king who bore the System....the gift of mayura.''


    His expression darkened, a flicker of something hidden, glinting within his eyes.


    ''I didn''t believe them. Didn''t trust them. It sounded too sweet, a road that either bore thorns of suffering or a pillow of delusions.''


    Romeo was one of logic. Radical in his processing and his decisions.


    He was known as the brains behind Class Bronze, leading and analyzing the events before they played out.


    Thanks to him, the treasure and monster hunt were far easier than expected.


    After all, they were a Class of level 20s, none were actually strong. Just at the nick, able to get through with the bare minimum of power.


    What they lacked in power, he made up with strategies.


    And the Class Monitor was no different.


    ''¨C though, I didn''t think you would fall for such sweet lies.''


    His gaze landed on the frozen figure next to him.


    A broadsword clasped in his hands, an expression devoid of will¨C less of a human and more of a drone.


    His lips curled downwards.


    ''Was this the sweetness, Katherin promised so?''


    He lost himself in thoughts, when a sudden scream pierced through it, snapping him back to reality.


    Whipping his head to the source, his gaze landed on Luke, his spear smeared with blood as he pulled it out of the still body of Gregory Rockinson. A sombre hue took root in the lobby.


    Their gazes flickered from the body to the room, a finality clawing at their expressions. A goal, a decision.


    Romeo tightened his fist.


    ''What a mess, System Uprisers. This is not the way.''

 Chapter 374 - 374- Festival 105- Raid on a Rainy Night 44

    Within the room, Javier and his cohort were locked in a stale look-off¨C a staring contest.


    Tension brewing in the mix while they stood at the edges of the class, wary of the other.


    What had played out so far was far from their expectations. In fact, it was anything but, and they were beginning to brew in the consequences.


    Or at least what seemed like it.


    Javier, ever composed¨C though startled for a while back, there was at the forefront, four other Lecturers standing beside him.


    Well, what should have been the Lecturers?


    These were merely robed figures, masked by the aura of their Cult, enveloped by the open arms of their will, and soaked in the blood of their convictions.


    The real Lecturers had been stealthily killed at the time they entered the room.


    Their bodies were discarded at the front corner of the Classroom, piled against each other with blood forming a puddle around it.


    The attention of the robed figures was certain, unrelenting as they fixated on the glowing emerald shard, large, a chunk of earth that lay in the middle of the Class. On top of the structured table.


    It emitted a glow, one that shimmered with malevolence, a call for destruction¨C rebellion or something deeper.


    It merely cascaded a Kelly green hue atop the walls of the Class, brimming with life. Pulsating with energy trapped within.


    An energy that was not meant to be withheld. At its surface, waves, destructive, radioactive, pulsed with life.


    Generating volatility that threatened to spill, just an inch close to its true nature. It''s purpose.


    Javier smirked, the edge of his lips curving in a satisfied line.


    "This is good. Is this it? The explosive gemstone?"


    The masked figures scoffed. One at a time.


    "This is more than that. This is a personification of destruction, limited only by us who control it."


    Javier glanced up at them, a sudden tremor spreading through the Class.


    The walls shook with a forceful quake, arched spiderwebs of cracks spreading through the concrete.


    They glanced at it for a second, their expressions growing dim.


    "Javier. Tell your friends to get their shit together. We must set it off and depart."


    The Lecturers walked up to the glass walls, its reinforced structure vibrating with a low hum as they retreated through it. One by one, jumping off until a single man remained, arms crossed, expression stern.


    His gaze drifted at the sight before him.


    Children who reeled at the consequences of their actions or inactions.


    Perhaps, they had not partook it indirectly, but they had definitely joined in on the action. Collectively planning ahead, the destruction of the Academy they so much despised.


    It sounded like a film show, an act that should have run smoothly, without a hint of a problem, where everyone goes home happy.


    He clicked his tongue, brewing a thick curd at the back of his throat and spitting out at the corner of the Class.


    ''Pathetic. These children will come to know the reality that befalls them.''


    There is no conviction without sacrifice.


    No grand goal without pain.


    Something must be left behind. Something must be abandoned for the greater good.


    ''This consciousness that plagues them with guilt is merely a childish delusion. A way for them to think they were not evil people, seeking validation in their own right.''


    He scoffed, yet again. His eyes landed on Javier, watching. Observing.


    He clicked his tongue, loudly.


    "Javier!" He called, his tone loud and clear. A shudder crackling the tension in the air with a hum.


    The three friends¨C or so, glanced at him in unison, shocked by his sudden outburst.


    "Get your shits together. You wanted a way, didn''t you? A way to rise against the Non-system users who have abused their powers for so long?! Wasn''t this school merely a stepping stone for you?"


    His voice grew cold, controlled. A former lecturer now turned terrorist.


    Their goals and convictions they so much upheld were more than enough reason to send them to the guillotine.


    And yet, they held firm.


    Katherin had shouldered them for far too long, honouring their requests. Their subtle remarks of displeasure and fear. And perhaps they would have remained the same¨C a joke that the Red Peacemakers could use and reuse whenever they wanted.


    ''But no....our will is true and our conviction stronger than any. We are meant to rule....and we shall make it so.''


    His gaze swept through the three students, an ease growing within the tension in his eyes.


    He sighed.


    "You will lose many along the way, after all, the road to success is one riddled with thorns and venom."


    He chuckled wryly at his own statement.


    "This is your last advice from me as your Lecturer, though you were not meant to learn from me until your third year."


    Aurora''s gaze eased, her tension melting with the sudden comfort that began to permeate the air.


    She had stood at the end of the class, staring, watching. Folding her arms under her bosom, shaken from the scene she had witnessed before.


    There was only so much she could process. Only so much pain, and guilt she could withhold the rest, only spiralled her emotions into an infinite loop.


    One that caused her to doubt her every action, past, present and future.


    Yon Duke was in no different situation. Feeling the weight of the world upon him, rage, fear and guilt mixed in a muddy puddle of emotions.


    Fleeting, ensnaring, distracting.


    This was not how things were supposed to go. Not the plan, not the goal and certainly not the action.


    Everything had played out in a mix of unexpected and yet predictable fashion.


    You betray, you get caught, some escape, some get trapped and lose themselves in the process.


    ''Isn''t that the usual flow?''


    A sigh escaped his lips, his ears twitching as the words of the lecturer reached him, releasing the tension that hung from his shoulders down.


    Pulling it, pulling him into a muddy path, one that was sinking in eternal guilt.


    "You can not take back the decisions you have made. Permanent or temporary. That is a path chosen by the weak-willed. Those who are uncertain and go with the flow.


    Life is not that bendable; it is rigid, and you, too, must be rigid.


    Do not bend your paths, your choice. Instead, take the burden that comes with it.


    The sacrifice of those behind and ahead of you. Memories washed in the blood of our choices, tasks that require our bodies to shred."


    They lingered at his words, grasping onto them like a moth to a flame.


    A new path had been written for them in blood, burying the guilt that had encased them in a repetitive flow of discourse.


    They didn''t linger on it, didn''t rust in it, instead, they let it sharpen their resolve.


    With a sigh, a single breath, it had felt like their chest¨C something heavy had been lifted off it, and it exuded in their light expressions.


    Javier watched it all with a silent smug, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''that worked? Okay.'' He chuckled wryly as he glanced away.


    "Now, get your shit together and come with me."


    He ended his speech. The tension dying with its last breath in the air as they slowly walked away from their spots, coming down the steps unhurriedly, until¨C


    BOOM!


    Another tremor spread through the walls, the building giving out a low, piercing groan as shards of ceramics fell from the ceiling.


    They whipped their gazes towards the door in unison, a shudder spreading through their bodies as the door shook again, a powerful force sending waves of impulses that cracked the wall.


    Causing it to cave in.


    They gasped.


    Turning their gazes towards the robed figure, they rushed forward. Hurried steps now, filled with purpose, albeit a small one.


    They reached the hole formed in the reinforced, glass walls and jumped down.


    "how is it even holding for that long?"


    Aurora asked, her tone laced with curiosity.


    "Oh please, it''s reinforced Cement. Everything in this school is extremely difficult to break even with Master skills."


    The robed figures replied as he watched them jump down, one after the other, through the hole in the reinforced glass wall, Javier lingering last.


    He glanced at the man with a smirk, a mischievous one that hid the curiosity in his eyes.


    He wanted to know why he said what he did, and perhaps have a talk on their differing views on it.


    After all, to him, life lost is life weak.


    Anyone who loses their life through any unnatural process is simply one born of weakness, unable to stir their life in a path that matters.


    There was no bullshit about upholding anything. His burden was his alone, and that of his comrades was theirs alone.


    His lips parted open for a second, just as another boom struck the walls again. This time, final.


    Their heads snapped in the direction, their ears twitching to the sound of Cement cracking, a zig-zag shudder that spread slowly and cancerously from the walls to the ceiling.


    Breaking, carving, and shuffling its way to destruction.


    Their eyes traced it, slowly, watching as it spread in a comical motion.


    Silence hung deep for a second as it came to a halt, but it was soon pierced by the definitive caving in of the wall.


    It crumbled. Fell. Pieces crumbled about the classroom as a hole formed between them.


    Javier looked up, his eyes bulging slightly open in shock as it met a pair of golden eyes, a pool filled with an ethereal reverence.


    A shiver ran down his spine, an unsuppressable feeling emerging from within.


    He whipped his gaze away.


    ''Nope.'' And jumped down, the robed figure doing the same.


    Jane grunted as he slammed through, students rushing in after him in subtle annoyance.


    "Shit! They''re gone!"


    "After them!"


    Jane stood in silence. Watching, inspecting. His gaze traced the room when a hum flicked his ears into life.


    His head whipped to the side in realization. A stark reminder of what he had witnessed before.


    A green emerald shivering, crackling, pulsating and surging in its own energy. It creaked. Moaned. Vibrating like a convulsed donkey, a shiver of fear ran down the spines of the students as they witnessed it.


    Jane screamed, his body convulsing a sudden intense golden light as he screamed.


    "Everyone! Duc¡ª


    CRAAAAAAA¡ª BOOOOMMMMM!!!!


    ____A/N____


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 Chapter 375 - 375- Festival 106- Raid on a Rainy Night 45

    The air rippled. The wind ceased. The world bloated, an immense, powerful explosion of sound and dust.


    An expansion of the air, molecules twirling in furious uncertainty, world laws clouded by the dust of incoming devastation.


    Mixed in the harbinger of doom and suffering, shades of its emerald hue cast a solace against the glass windows of the building. A low murmur, forceful, tremendous, commanding. Sealing the building shut as it shattered under the crucible of its own demise.


    It splattered into the air, twirls of devastating wind blasts and sonic explosions in the form of concentric waves. Blasting. Pulsating. Its cosmic power basking the night sky in a deathly tone of viridian.


    It shimmered brilliantly, carrying waves that crackled with intensity. A shudder like the thunderous sound of the heavens. A trumpet of ethereal figures, stoic, firm, regal¨C vast in power, yet endowed in malevolence.


    A green wave erupted from the building, crackling the air like the sound of a bazooka¨C no, 10¡Á higher than that.


    It ripped through the sound barrier with relative ease, crackling with such intensity that the air whipped.


    The rain danced in a haze, the clouds quaked, a brilliant Kelly green glowing in a sadistic hue.


    The worst part? It was merely the beginning.


    Like an orchestra from the deepest part of Hades, another explosion thundered the next building. Class Four erupted in an aqua hue, a cascade of blue shimmering with a sordid brilliance.


    The sound ripped through the air, amplifying the former as another surged.


    The next building. Class Three¨C in all its ambience, its beauty. Constructed with the apparent skills of a vested architect, tall beams and shimmering reinforced glass walls.


    It screeched as a crimson light clawed into the world, birthing a decree. A loud one, superficial, solid, amplified. Powerful.


    The air was a current of energy waves, rippling with such intensity as the smoke from the explosions rose into the air.


    Two other Classrooms hung in the balance, tension hanging in the air. Class Two and Class One had yet to implode.


    A friction to the plan, to the sick orchestra prepared by the System Uprisers.


    Why it had happened was unknown to them, them alone. But to a few, well, two mostly. It was adamant.


    "What the fuck?! Those things were Bombs?!"


    Darrell''s gaze flicked with shock as he stepped out of Class One Lecture Theatre, his silver eyes casting a glance over the rising debris. A mushroom of destruction forms in the clouds.


    A heavy sigh escaped his lips as Carl walked out with him, his gaze narrowed at the scene.


    "Thank goodness we removed it. It seemed too suspicious just to leave it where it had been."


    He said in a silent acceptance.


    A few minutes ago, while Darrell had gone up to the club room to find something¨C anything, he could use to find the princesses, Carl was busy exploring.


    No specific reason. Just wanted to see the Lecture Hall that Raffaelo Jun used. Mere curiosity.


    That curiosity had stumbled him to the shimmering ore. Like a cut-off slab of a rock, it stood in the middle of the Classroom.


    He had found it odd. Suspicious, charming too.


    It was a marvellous sight, and anyone could have told it was an ore containing mana.


    Though, the purpose, he wasn''t certain.


    He had heard of artefacts of rocks able to form domes, shields that stood strong even in the face of transcendent skills. Level 100s would have found it difficult to intercept it.


    But then again, the aura around it seemed to prick his skin the wrong way.


    A warning perhaps? Or just a normal body reaction to dangerous substances. He wasn''t certain.


    He had decided to tell of his finding to Darrell who suggested he checked his Class Theater as well. He found another. Just as Darrell had speculated.


    A thought had nearly convinced them that it was merely an orb of protection. Something to shield their classes from harm.


    But the mere thought of a shield being there when they were there was comical, and so, Darrell took it. Took them into his storage ring.


    The silver ring that never left his right index finger. An emblem of Elf regality punctured on it. A constant reminder of his standing in society.


    Now, he glanced at it, his brow arched in curiosity while Carl turned to him. His expression darkened.


    "Did it go off?" He asked.


    Darrell shook his head.


    "That would be impossible. It''s a storage ring, a subspace. A different world. The signal shouldn''t have reached."


    Carl groaned, clearly not satisfied with his response.


    "and if it didn''t."


    Darrell sighed, heavily. His arm scratched the back of his head.


    "then I''ll be screwed. My only way of finding the princesses was in that storage ring."


    Tension hung in the air as they stared at each other, a muffled silence that spoke volumes.


    All this would be for nought if it were.


    ¨CBOOM!


    A sudden crack in the air. A ripple that sent a pulse wave their wave in a blast of air.


    It shook them, nearly picking them off their feet as their gazes whipped in the direction of the blast.


    Forward. Ahead.


    Pieces of glass and chunks of buildings blasted out of the explosions like a projectile of a catapult.


    It swished through the air erratically. No direction, no purpose. Just movement. Slamming against the nearby buildings, class two and one. Each suffering a fate from the chunks of metal and glass.


    Heavy ceramics groaned as an iridescent cascade of colours erupted from the mix of explosions.


    It''s smoke tracing the air in a mushroom. Thick, broad, consuming.


    It completely took over the skies, clouding the scene beyond.


    Darrell''s gaze widened slightly, an incoming image reflecting on the surface of silver eyes.


    "Move."


    Without wasting a second, the duo rushed away from the door, running across the patio with portioned haste.


    They surged through, jumping into the air as a large boulder, a certain chunk of the buildings. Glass panels hanging freely against its surface, and a trembling force surrounding an inch away from its surface.


    It crashed straight into the patio, sand and rock exploding into the air. The ground trembled as a tremor invaded it, spreading like cancer as a sudden quake occurred.


    It shook the ground as the boulder rolled through the patio with reckless rage. Pulling the cemented surface, screeching its smoothness and crumbling its construct into a pile of dirt. Unsavoury and ruined. Pieces of a former glory scattered across the ground.


    They landed a few feet away, a silent heave escaping their lips as they turned towards the Lecture Theaters.


    Their eyes peeled on them as the number of incoming boulders multiplied. Reaching amounts that would easily decimate the Buildings.


    Darrell scoffed, his gaze flicking in annoyance.


    "We may have removed a bomb, but it seems the destruction was inevitable."


    Carl hissed silently.


    "Seems so."


    His gaze was locked on Class Two Lecture Theater. Shoulders slumped as the chunks of debris crashed into the building, decimating it. Slowly. It was painful to watch. Annoying even.


    A gaze of resignation locked onto the building. His brows furrowed deeply, his fists gripping tightly against his side.


    "The system uprisers, huh." He muttered, more to himself than Darrell who heard it. If he did.


    His gaze eased slowly, shifting to his side. Towards Carl. The edge of his lips curled upwards slowly, his thoughts reeling in.


    ''As it should be. Everyone should be thinking for themselves.''


    His gaze shifted away.


    ''Not accepting the grand goal that seems to suit them just because they are part of the matrix. No, this is different. They select the path best for them, and luckily. It doesn''t seem to have anything to do with the System Uprisers.''


    "Do you think they survived?"


    Carl''s voice cut through the air.


    The question that had hung deep in their throats since they saw the first explosion. Witnessed it. Felt it.


    They had ignored it until now. Focusing more on the present, themselves. But how long could they have pretended for?


    Darrell sighed again, his chest rising and falling, silent breath. In and out, escaping his lips.


    He breathed through his nose, his gaze shifting to the ceiling of the covering. The canopy was built over the walkways. They stood under it, shielded by it from the frenzy drops of rain that fell with unperturbed frequency.


    His words hung slowly, deeply, his thoughts spinning in overdrive at the same time.


    ''This is Jane Lucia we''re talking about. That boy would rather kill himself than let anyone do it for him. The divine son wouldn''t be killed by mere....mere....what are they, even?''


    His brows furrowed at the question as he turned to Carl.


    "He''s fine. He''s a Lucia, remember. There''s probably a god they serve that has an ability for situations like this."


    Carl muffled a peal of laughter, an amused smirk tugging at the edge of his lip as he folded his hands.


    They stood in silence. Under the bask of destruction. The horror scene of their buildings. Old and ancient, bearing tales. Boring and interesting. New and old. Tales that built legends and slackers alike. Raised foundations for leaders, powerful knights, and skilled mages. Name it all.


    Everything¨C their Lineage, history, blood, sweat. All came down, crumbling to nothing.


    Yet, a sombre silence hung in the air. One that seemed peaceful¨C almost a form of respite in the never-ending tide of conflict.


    A moment to rest. A moment to think. A moment to calculate.


    Darrell raised a brow as he glanced at Carl.


    "Why did you laugh just now?" He asked, leaning in on a pole that held the roofing sheet above.


    "Nothing." He replied at first, a slow groan escaping his lips. Arm folded as his eyes blinked, a yawn escaping his lips. Fatigue.


    "Just the way you replied. It goes to show that even the great families can put down their differences and form close bonds. The both of you must be best friends."


    Darrell opened his mouth, then left it. Jaw locked apart, muscles tensing as a form of protest threatened to escape.


    He was supposed to deny it. Easily.


    After all, that was a difficult feat. The same way intermarriage between them was frowned upon. Not just by them, but by the public.


    Yet, he simply turned away, a silence hanging in the air as a result.


    Neither a reply nor a protest. Simply silence.


    It had stretched long like that, minds calculating on the next step. The next move now that their one lead was akin to gone.


    But then¨C


    "Oh? Over here. Seems like a few chicks survived."


    ____A/N____


    I tried posting two today, but it seems ill¨Cplanning won''t let that act out properly.


    I will commence with two a day once my regime has been constructed.


    Laziness is something else these days.

 Chapter 376 - 376- Festival 107- Raid on a Rainy Night 46

    Their bodies tensed, a shudder running down their spines as their eyes flared open in shock.


    Their muscles locked, Arma squeezed tightly into a ball while their shoulders slumped down, slow breathing taking root in their chest.


    Their eyes flicked to one another, yet their heads did not move. As if a silent message was being transferred to the other. A warning of some sort, or perhaps a mental plan.


    But that was dumb. None of them were psychic.


    Yet they still did it. Subtle, without physical movement. Just a nudge of their head, as if glancing at each other would give them a better view of their predicament.


    But it didn''t.


    What came next was a footstep, then footsteps. Slowly, purposefully, one by one, two by two, group by group.


    From a door within the darkness. Hidden. Unknown. Confusing.


    For a moment, Darrell could have sworn they were the only ones present in that area.


    The front of the Lecture Theaters was hardly ever used. Not for anything worth noting.


    After all, what stood in front of the lecture theatre was a sloppy field of amphoteric grass and a pond in the middle. A well-cultured one.


    Lily pads, a current that only swirled within, unperturbed by the presence of humans around.


    A tranquil blue that cast its elegant glance over the skies, stale. Riddled with duckweeds, lotuses and water hyacinths. Its ornate purpose was merely for observing, seeing from a distance.


    Only to appreciate the beauty within.


    It had always been there, untouched by the students. Merely gaze upon it for a moment, a silent appreciation for its purpose within their minds.


    Darrell was one of the few who truly knew their worth and appreciated it. After all, a semblance of mother nature in a school of conflict was an anchor that tied him down to his roots. The reminder of his deep connection with their goddess, Gaia.


    He stood still in the moment, Carl doing the same until the footsteps came too close for comfort.


    Still, they didn''t move, didn''t flinch. Not yet, at least until the world around them had been confirmed.


    "It''s Darrell Silvan and Carl Dunham."


    A familiar voice pierced through the air, causing Darrell''s gaze to bulge open slightly.


    His head turned backwards with precision and sluggishness.


    His gaze swept past the robed figure who stood behind him and landed instead on the three familiar figures behind.


    ''Javier....yon Duke...and Aurora.''


    His expression hardened.


    Anyone could tell at a glance what was going on, and he especially didn''t need to spin his mind around it to come to a conclusion.


    His lips parted.


    "finally showing your true colours, Javier? At a time like this too."


    Carl flinched at his statement, his head darting behind as well.


    "classmates of yours?" He asked through gritted teeth.


    "well....former."


    Javier and his cohort¨C well, what was left of it walked out into the open.


    Their figures basked in the moonlight, water lining down their bodies from their heads.


    A silent tension hung between them. For just a second, enough for Darrell to finally land on a plan.


    "Don''t speak, Javier." one of the robed figures said with a sigh. "there are always those who would ridicule you for your decisions. Especially one that resembles betrayal, but there is no such term used between a System user and Non-system user."


    Darrell scoffed. His gaze grew dimmer. His silver eyes shrank into a slit.


    "Hah....this again." He said with amusement. A cold hue hung deep at the back of his throat. "again and again. With the same thing. Do you realize no one but you discriminates between us?"


    The robed figure tilted his head slightly, an amused chuckle escaping his lips.


    His dull, dark eyes shimmered slightly, a malevolence so deep, bearing forth suffering that was buried within.


    "You speak because you do not know the world yet, Darrell."


    Darrell flinched, his head reeling back in silent resignation.


    "The world isn''t black and white....there''s Grey....there''s orange....and there''s red. Look around you when you finally leave your comfort zone."


    The man folded his arms, a cold venom lingering at the tip of his tongue.


    "Perhaps you will see the seat of corruption that dwells deep in society. You all are the cause of that corruption¨C that suffering and we will be the blades that cut you down."


    He took a step back and the three robed figures behind him walked up to them, one at a time, a weapon shimmering into play.


    It was obvious what intent they had now, not that it mattered. Not that Darrell was going to stand and wait for it to happen.


    His mana swirled, a deep shade of crimson ignited in his chest, around his heart, a fiery storm.


    ''Ignis.''


    A fiery light ignited between him and the incoming figures, a sudden roar trembling the skies as a pair of crimson wings shot out into the air with a shift.


    Slamming against the enclosed space of the walkway, it screeched, a fiery might exuding its snout as a blast of crimson lava shot out in the blink of an eye.


    The figures jumped back, panic evident in their gazes, expressions growing firm as the Dragon''s form cast a shadow over their figures.


    Large, growing, evolving, a fiery crimson light.


    Spirit magic.


    It crumbled the very tension that hung, landing its scarlet feet, ever glowing, ever crushing against the walkway.


    It broke it, its feet nearly faltering from the sudden loss of foothold, wings flapping with a solid strength that pulsed within it.


    Darrell whipped his gaze at Carl, the latter already locking gazes with him.


    Without a beat, without wasting time with words. Their feet moved, and they jumped.


    Landing atop the Dragon as it swooped into the air, a blast of wind left in its wake, blasting the figures back with a quake.


    They struggled and groaned under the weight of the wind but stood strong. Waiting, standing.


    Soon, the wind ceased, giving them the reprieve to glance up.


    Javier clicked his tongue in annoyance, taking a step forward, his gaze lingering on the shrinking crimson dragon.


    He turned to them curtly.


    "Are we seriously letting them go?! They know too much. We should end them as well."


    The robed figures glanced at one another and then at the boy.


    One of them sighed outwardly.


    "Just to make things clear. Javier. You no longer have a place in this school. Whether we kill those who see you or not. The headmaster sees us and he won''t let you slide free."


    Javier''s face twisted. Confusion, realization and something deeper. A confirmation.


    "Then...why does he let us go now? Why not stop us."


    The robed figure shrugged. "We''ve made a name for ourselves within the Academy. We''ve made contingencies, plans to fall back on if they do act now. The Headmaster must be aware that intervening is futile.


    He may find us and kill us....but he will never end us."


    Javier tilted his head slightly, a pang of understanding. Still, confusion lingered.


    "Why wouldn''t he?"


    The robbed figure glanced at him, his arms stretching slightly from his robes as he turned around. "Because he can''t."


    In his arm was a gun. A machine of fiery destruction, endowed with the best magical technology. Advanced form, ornate structure and patterns. Silver, glowing, a flicker of zoom, something deadly hidden within.


    One would think it was owned by a Noble, one of high standing. And not a mere lecturer at his level.


    He raised the gun into the air, pulled the trigger and recoiled slightly as a blast of sound erupted in their ears.


    A slight ring lingered behind as a bullet projected into the air with a sonic speed, exploding into an art of crimson and lilac. It crackled in the pouring rain, an even greater sound ripped apart with a loud


    A shade, a mixture. A trumpet. A summons.


    The colour hazed in the sky, trickling down like dying fireworks. Vibrant and clear. Colouring the night sky in a scarlet hue.


    Darrell and Carl stared from above, wings flapping with furious intent. A purl exuded from the depth of the Dragon''s throat as its scaly eyes flicked with pressure.


    Its head glanced down, muffled flames exuding from the edge of his lips.


    Darrell''s fingers twitched slightly. Resting warmly atop its back. His eyes flicked towards the Dragon''s, a clash of intent meeting at a point as the dragon stared right back at him.


    Darrell sighed. A dry smile played at the edge of his lips.


    "I apologize, ignis. It has been a while since I last summoned you."


    The Beast growled low. A thick murmur that spread a sudden vibration down its back.


    Carl flinched, his eyes bulging open while Darrell chuckled slightly.


    "I know you are displeased. I am in the world of humans. I can''t summon you as I please. They will fear you."


    It growled again. Short. Deep.


    Their conversation reached its junction.


    Darrell nodded slightly.


    "Yes, I will summon you immediately when I get back to the Elven Forest."


    Carl''s gaze widened slightly. Flicking between the Dragon and the Elf before him.


    He sat behind, his gaze landing on Darrell''s back as he raised his arm and tapped him. Curiosity was etched in his expression as the former turned towards him.


    "You¨C you talk to it?"


    Darrell raised a brow. A slight annoyance in his expression. His jaws clenched slightly, brows furrowed, but then he sighed and looked away.


    "It''s not an ''it'' Carl. It''s a she. Ignis, the golden dragon. Many live in the spirit world. Many beings, divine spirits of godly nature who you humans refer to as beasts."


    His gaze flicked for just a moment.


    "Wha¨C what do you mean?" He asked. Confusion and curiosity laced at the tip of his tongue.


    Spirit animals were referred to as beasts. Beings were seen in an ethereal plane, mostly by elves and a few humans who were specifically chosen by them.


    They were powerful. Mysterious. An aura of control always warped around them as they went about their activities.


    They were far different from Devils and Demons. They were purer, holier you might say, but not holy. They were simply spirits. Good and bad.


    Carl glanced at it once more, tracing his fingers along the ridges of her scales. A tingling sensation creeps at the tip of his fingers.


    He felt a calmness overtake him, his thoughts reeling in slowly.


    ''Perhaps....perhaps this is what I''m missing.''


    The Dragon flew in slow motion, basking in the cold rain that simmered down its body, evaporating just slightly above its hardened skin.


    The boys had followed that motion, tranquil. Safe. Until¨C


    A trail of molten boulders lined the skies. An incoming barrage of predetermined missiles launched for their demise.


    They blinked. They held for life.

 Chapter 377 - 377- Festival 108- Raid on a Rainy Night 47

    A blast of flames shot out like a rocket, a fiery afterglow casting against the darkness of the sky as ignis twisted sharply. Away from the blast.


    She screamed, startled as the boys whipped their gazes downwards.


    What came next was a flying boulder, a molten, glowing crimson one that pierced through the air. A sharp hiss tracing its movement.


    The Dragon spun, dodging it in a blink of an eye, but another came. Then another, and soon, multiple molten boulders projected towards them. Mercilessly. Powerfully.


    Ignis screeched as it dodged, flying, shifting in the air as the boulders whooshed past her. Wind and rain startled her speed, gripping tightly at the edges of her wings. Slowing her. Stopping her.


    The boulders were molten, hot. Like liquid metal, glowing with a malevolence. A terrifyingly fast one.


    They came like flies to garbage. One after the other, blasting past her as she dodged.


    Rushing in a determined lane with a determined goal.


    Forcing her down.


    Darrell knew this. His thoughts reeled as they grabbed onto her tightly. Just enough to not fall off during her acrobatic evasion.


    But he knew it was limited. After all, the attacks just kept coming. It shrunk the space around them. Limiting their escape route, little by little it spelt danger for them.


    Carl bared his teeth as he glanced down, his gaze peering at the clouds below them. Not much of it. Just enough to form a canopy of fog blocking their vision below.


    He lingered for a moment, blood boiling within him as mana escaped his body in fumes.


    His vision pried and flared open slightly as it glowed in the night sky.


    His sight was enhanced greatly, and the scene below began to unfold itself in his presence. Like an opened book.


    A second passed, and then another and his voice hitched.


    "Darrel. Darrell." He called.


    The former shook, his body convulsing with the sudden wrapping of Ignis as she curled in the air, somersaulting over a boulder.


    He groaned, gaze slightly shifting back as he replied.


    "What?" He barked.


    "below. Multiple robed figures. Katherin seems to be the one leading."


    His gaze widened at the thought, confusion prying open his brain as he darted his gaze downwards.


    Elves naturally had enhanced vision. One far superior to those of humans. After all, they were artistic hunters of the bow.


    Peering down, he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Subtle, but firm.


    Arms whipped into the air as another incoming molten boulder was shot up at them.


    Immediately, one of the robbed figures would push another giant rubble to her feet, where she would bask it in a sea of flames.


    Simmering it like fresh meat until it glowed a sharp scarlet. Quickly, she would project it towards them and swing it up.


    The sight caused his thoughts to drift. Not because of the strength, or control she exuded as she sent the molten boulders after her. One by one. It wasn''t even the crimson mana that wrapped around her like a second skin.


    No. This was something else.


    Something that made his skin crawl.


    He swallowed as he glanced away.


    "Ignis, go down."


    Carl whipped his gaze towards him.


    "Are you serious? Do you see their numbers?!"


    Alas. His head clicked, amusement and surprise playing in his expression as he turned to Carl.


    ''He noticed it as well.''


    Their numbers were at least thirty. Thirty or so Rouge Lecturers. All are above the Level 70 benchmark.


    One could compare it easily to the Red Peacemakers. After all, these people were a lot stronger. A Lot more persistent.


    Compared to that, the System Uprisers couldn''t hold a candle.


    Yet, the System Uprisers held something deeper. Something that caused their bones to rattle, and sent a shudder down their spines. It wasn''t anything much. It wasn''t deep either.


    Just the realization that these people. These salvage rebels were actually the same Lecturers who had taught the pristine students of this academy.


    The irony of the situation. The absurdity of how life had flipped in one of the most unpredictable manners simply left them aghast. Lost for words.


    ''There''s nothing much we can do about it, anyway.''


    Darrell thought with a sigh, turning his gaze away from the scene and at Ignis.


    "It''s exactly because of their numbers. There''s no escaping them at this point."


    Carl''s face twisted slightly. Confusion and deep thought processing in his skull.


    "What are you talking about? Summon another spirit. Rain, fire and water on them. Drive a drill through their attacks. A way for us to escape."


    Darrell remained silent for a moment.


    Ignis wings flapped with a loud whisk. Wind and rain shivered in her wake as it descended from the skies.


    Dodging and evading the incoming barrages with relative efficiency. An annoyed shriek escaped her lips as she did so.


    He frowned slightly.


    "Do you seriously think we can escape that?"


    Carl''s brows twitched. Furrowing slightly, a crease formed on his brow.


    "...I¨C I thought you would find a way."


    Silence hung between them, a palpable tension brewing in the mix.


    Darrell tapped Ignis once, an intent filling his action.


    "This is my way."


    In a sudden blast of wind, Ignis propelled herself with a sharp, curling speed. Their form appeared as a blur as it descended with an impeccable rush, adrenaline surging through their bodies while the elements slapped against their faces.


    Carl groaned as he clung tighter, the breeze nearly picking him away from Ignis, increasing his flow of mana as he grasped for dear life.


    His teeth barred out, lips flicking erratically with the flow of the air while the air whisked in their ears.


    The figures below show the sudden increase in speed. The drastic force it exuded as it approached them like a meteor manhandled by gravity.


    Katherin''s gaze flicked once. An annoyance was brewing in her expression as she whipped her gaze to the sides.


    "Take cover!"


    In the next moment, a sea of earth and flames exploded in a concentric wave. Ignis crashed onto the walkway, landing squarely on her feet with a fiery quake.


    A vibration blasted the air, shaking it with brute force as it blasted the standing robed figures back.


    They groaned, startled screams of protest escaping their lips as the blast dispersed.


    Leaving a dust of scarlet in the air as her wings flipped once. A gust of air blasted the wind away.


    It was quickly followed by a glowing red light, a guttural groan escaping from the depths of her draconian throat as she stepped out of the dust.


    A blast of fire and lava charged at her opened maw, sending a flicker of a warning to the approaching robed figures.


    "Surround the Dragon. Capture the Elf and the child."


    The orders were absolute, carrying the weight of their principles.


    "Yes, Ma''am."


    Immediately, the blast of flames shuddered the air as it slammed against the ground.


    A bestial growl escaped her lips as she darted her head around slowly. Pulling the weight of her lava breath with her.


    It slammed the ground, reaching for Robed figures who stood too close or escaped too slowly.


    The ground melted under the touch of her breath, a cry of dying snakes echoing into the air as the rain touched the hot surface of molten earth.


    The Robed figures walked around. Voices were loud as they shouted instructions.


    Surrounding the Spirit beast with precision. An adaptable skill that showcased their movement.


    Darrell and Carl remained atop, their weapons already grasped in their clutches.


    "We''ll have to go down there."


    Carl scoffed. "This is crazy! Even for me, you know! The Lecturers are at least at Level 70."


    "Hah. Then you surpass your limits today."


    Without a second to waste, Darrell jumped down, flinging his spear like a javelin, the silver weapon whipping through the air with genuine force. Rippling the molecules around it as it stabbed an unsuspecting Robbed figure through the chest with relative ease.


    He screamed in pain and shock as the spear propelled further, through the air, pulling the man''s body with it until it stabbed a boulder with a metallic clink.


    His body hung in shock, eyes dilating with palpable force before it lay limp.


    Darrell was an 8th-star Swordsman. A Master in every right. The ancestral nature of his abilities was tied down to the Elven culture.


    The Silver Mirror Bodied Armour. In other words, the Dharma form. Four of it formed now, tall and firm, appearing as a hunch over his back.


    Distinctive torsos, headless, with arms that worked like a fifth sense to him. Each wields a weapon of their own.


    A body of liquid silver, blessed with extending limbs, wielding weapons of mass destruction.


    A symbol of the Silver Elves.


    Attaining oneness with their goddess, Gaia.


    His dharma arms wielded the weapons together, rivalling that of a 9th star. A rank above his and many around him.


    So with relative ease, his dharma form could do much more damage than his physical form.


    He stepped into the battlefield with relative motion, short and precise action as one of the Dharma figures stretched, warping erratically in a dance of war as its silver magic staff glowed with a malevolent hue.


    Flames surged in powerful bursts, a spark of silver lightning rushing in the mix as it projected out of it, encircling the fiery mass.


    It shot out with a ripple of the air. Flames surged with intent, lightning crackling with unprecedented power as a blast shot through the air, slamming against the spot of the Retreating robbed figures.


    He spun around in slow steps, striking an attack in every corner. One of the Dharma bodies stretched its arm forward, a gust of light igniting in its silver grasp. Ancient texts stream down its body like tattoos of Elven heritage.


    The spear from before vibrated with a low hum as it stretched out of the boulder, retreated away from the dead figure and flew back to its grasp.


    In slow motion, their bodies pulsed with silver energy. Destructive nature mana surging within his body.


    The staff continued to emit its fire-lightning attack. His sword swung through the air as it sliced through projectiles, spear thrown and repossessed with passing time.


    He was like a one-man army. A Master of all weapons, a wielder of mass destruction. Harbinger of flames and lightning.


    A descendant of the destructive nature attribute, and he ensured to mark the world with that name.


    ____A/N____


    A bit under the weather.


    Sadly, entering the rain twice to make it to the gym on time is not proper.


    I will return with two chapters a day once the illness lifts.

 Chapter 378 - 378- Festival 109- Raid on a Rainy Night 48

    The Great Families were feared¨C reverenced for many things, but three of which stood out to the others the most.


    The first was their deep-rooted history, the tales of the 12 Heroes and the goddess Mayura. How she had come to the world bearing the gift of the System for the common people when twelve ordinary humans had surpassed their humanity and attained something else. The use of energy as a fuel for their abilities was merely a compliment to the array of skills they had learnt at the time.


    It was because of this that they stood out through history, prolonged their bloodline and thus became the twelve most powerful families in the kingdom.


    The second was their skills. Their sword arts, weapon Mastery, and magic spells. Passed down through lines of descendants. Stretched. Warn out and Upgraded every few centuries.


    The nature of their skills came about after constant use and disuse. A matter of evolution that fostered their techniques into the world¨C a shattering phenomenon.


    Techniques that rivalled the skills gifted to them by the System.


    The third was their power. The final and most feared induced property that made them nearly untouchable to all.


    Power wasn''t merely a concept to them. It was a fact¨C a tangible reality that was written in their blood and sweat.


    A powerful member of the Great Family wasn''t just considered on par with the rest. They were already assumed to be far superior to them.


    This alone was more than enough reason for them to easily get disliked by others. Those who saw them as symbols of perfection. A reminder of their constant flaws. Their need for buffs to get to an inkling of their true form.


    It was incomprehensible to some and unacceptable to many.


    Katherin Starblaze. A magical genius in her own right was one of the latter, and the scene that unfolded before her only deepened it.


    She had stood at a distance away from the scene.


    Expression riddled with uncanny anger. Veins popping at her scalp, arms twitching in her clenched fist. Eyes glaring with the venom of a viper.


    Her mana swirled violently within her. Bubbling with the boiling blood that pulsates through her veins.


    The scene of mockery and destruction.


    A boy who haven''t even reached adulthood in human age. Yet, wielding enough power to disrupt her plans in a matter of seconds.


    The flying balls of flames coated in silver lightning. Arrows that projected in the air like winged sparrows. Whipping through the air with a metallic ring. Projecting with such intensity that it would rip the eardrums of anyone who stood too close to it.


    And a spear that was constantly projected at her subordinates.


    It all played out like a screen recorder. The sound of explosions, and screams. The incoming barrage of magical attacks. Fireballs. Mana beams. Water blast. Earthquakes. Wind slam.


    The multiple barrages continued to lay waste to the Academy''s environment, leaving more and more room for Darrell Silvan to strike on an unbeknownst member.


    She watched it all play. Let it burn in her eyes. A solid reminder of her goal. The Fire that burned deeply within.


    The thought alone caused her to scoff. Not to what occurred around her but to herself.


    ''All these emotions. For a child? And he isn''t even Raffaelo Jun.''


    Raffaelo Jun. The bane of her spine. The hindrance to her success.


    Katherin would nearly see him in the mix of chaos, plunging her subordinates¨C his once trusted Lecturers into the abyss of death.


    Not an ounce of emotion on his cold face. Not a flick of hesitancy in his pale, white eyes.


    She gripped harder. Firmer, her legs moving before she could think when an arm placed gently on her shoulder.


    In a snap, she whipped her gaze behind, magic wand in hand as she pointed it at the figure.


    "Wow. Wow, there. Katherin. It''s just me."


    Her expression twisted. A scowl formed on her face as she pulled her weapon back.


    "Roland. What is it?"


    She turned away, wand ready, as a surge of mana erupted out of her body.


    "Where do you think you''re going?"


    He asked, a smirk pulling at the edge of his lips as he circled around her, folding his arms in the chaos around.


    Her scowl deepened, a flicker of movement appearing in her peripheral.


    She turned towards the source, and her scowl eased. Her lips formed a thin line.


    "What''s going on, Crown?" She asked with a sigh.


    Crown sighed as he walked towards the duo, scratching the back of his head while his thoughts reeled in.


    "We have to go, Katherin. You know facing these students was never part of the plan."


    Katherin raised a brow. "It''s just one." She replied, her tone low and sharp.


    She had watched from the sidelines, too many times while her subordinates went in for her. But each time she attempted to intercept, she was stopped by her own colleagues. A constant reminder drilling into her skull about her importance in the rebellion.


    It enraged her.


    Her Arma curled tightly at the thought as her gaze shifted to the fighting scene ahead.


    She traced a particularly wild opponent. Carl Dunham. A mask of his former self now hidden within the armour of a ferocious beast. A tiger.


    He razed blood wherever he charged, stabbing and swinging his clawed gauntlets through the air as he charged at them.


    ''Beast Warrior, was it?''


    Of course, he was met with an equal to overwhelming force as his scuffle was merely based on defence rather than offence.


    Compared to the Silver Elf, he was trading a thin line between life and death. And it was leaning into the latter quickly.


    Her lips parted slightly as she licked her lips. Rain and heat boiled around her from the burst of explosions and magic attacks.


    "The students..." She muttered quietly, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. "Rhabanz Dreau must be pleased. They fight his fight while he remains held up in his office. Biding time for nothing more than a few seconds of his death."


    Crown Bishop and Roland Sunrise glanced at each other for a moment, then turned back to her.


    "That''s why we agreed to split the moment the signal was given."


    "Yes. Gelian did the honour of destroying the class buildings, but that isn''t merely enough to put that man out of his seat." Roland interjected.


    "Remember the plan, Katherin. We can''t have you impulsively saving everyone. It''ll simply slow us down."


    She bit down on her lips. Hard.


    Her arms gripped tightly as she gazed at them with a venomous glare. Flames dwelling between the depths of an eye.


    For a moment, they could feel their skin crawl with goosebumps. A shudder of fear reached up their spines.


    Crown took a step forward, swinging his robes to the side with his arms forward.


    "Time is limited for us, Katherin. You know this. And there are what? An Elf and a class two student. They can be stopped. We will stop them."


    Katherins expression remained fixed.


    "I''m not worried about them. I''m worried about who could come. We can leave now, but if one of them. The Great families can do this then what about the others? What if they come and stop us?"


    "Isn''t that why the Red Peacemakers are here?" Roland replied with a raised brow. Curiosity laced at the tip of his tongue.


    Katherin whipped him a gaze so hard it caused him to take a step back in shock.


    He coughed out, clearing his throat with a sigh.


    "Hah, yes. We betrayed them, and so did they."


    Crown sighed visibly, his arms clawing his face when a familiar figure walked up to the trio. Three of them.


    Katherin''s gaze eased immediately. It landed on them, her anger slowly turning down.


    "Javier. Aurora. Gregory."


    The trio walked up to them with hurried steps, expressions laced with fatigue.


    Their weapons were grasped in her hands, and a purpose in their eyes.


    "We heard the gist," Jabier said, glancing at the three adults slowly. "Katherin, we understand your doubts but it is useless staying here with us. We had a plan, and it is your responsibility to fulfil it."


    Her gaze widened slightly, and her brow arched in curiosity.


    "Do you hear yourself? What is the point of winning if there''s no group to come back to? You realize who will be up against us, right?"


    "And it''s exactly why we need to be quick about this."


    Crown interjected with a click of his tongue, taking a quick bursts of steps towards Katherin.


    "If even the children see it, then you too must. This is merely a procedure for the greater good and everyone is okay with their rows."


    "We are. Besides, it is far too soon for many of us to die....and there are just two of them. We will survive this." Javier said with a sigh.


    His gaze was fixed on Katherin''s as a brief tension hung in the air around them after his statement.


    Her gaze flickered slightly as she peered into Javier. Searching for something deeper. Something clearer. Something that refused to showcase upfront but hid well beneath the layers of protection.


    She tried again, and again. But sadly, with a resigned sigh, she couldn''t find any.


    "Fine. But, you all better be safe when this is all done and said. If the students all rush in here, then you all should escape..."


    Her gaze whipped towards Roland. "You will remain here and guard them. Retreat through....that, once it''s possible."


    He nodded once in reply.


    Katherin sighed as she glanced at Crown now, her expression twisting into something else while they stared at one another.


    This was the moment they had all planned for. The demise and destruction that paved the way for the future. Their future. A path carved for those chosen by the goddess, Mayura. Years of planning all came down to this simple moment, and they were going to see it through.


    A smirk tugged at the corner of Katherin''s lips while Crown narrowed his eyes at her expression.


    "What is it?" He asked.


    "It''s nothing." She replied as her smirk grew wilder. A slight tension hung between them.


    "Let''s go kill the Bastard that rules the Academy."

 Chapter 379 - 379- Festival 110- Raid on a Rainy Night 49

    With a nod of approval, the duo walked away from the group. Destination in mind. Wills intact, and sharp minds spinning with each passing moment.


    Now it got critical. The time for the System Uprisers to finally arise like their name speculated.


    All the waiting. All the silent planning. All the initiation of students.


    Everything was for this very moment. This night.


    The weight of it hung in the air, an hourglass trickling down in quicksand as the moment of desperation began.


    It was now or never.


    Javier and his group stood behind for a moment. A long while, watching as Katherin and Crown retreated from the Lecture Theaters. They had one goal now.


    The Staff Building, and from there, the Headmaster''s office.


    Time ticked, and with it was the ever-increasing danger to their plan.


    "Javier Wright."


    His gaze flickered slightly. Snapping back into reality as his head turned to the source of the call.


    A slight wrinkle creased between his brows as the others did the same.


    "You called, Mister Roland."


    Roland stared at him for a moment.


    His eyes closed in a slit while a smirk hung below his nose, adjusting slightly with the silhouette of crimson that basked his skin.


    His arms were folded, his silver armour glistening with integral pride.


    Javier had always found him difficult. A highly suspicious man, difficult to discern, yet easy to relate to.


    He easily made himself approachable while applying a thick line that should never be crossed. One that you would notice a mile away.


    His heritage was nothing short of blessed.


    A Magic Swordsman after all. At an unprecedented level at that.


    He had reached the crux of his skills and adequacy as a person.


    If anything, Roland was someone who was never lacking in any regard.


    ''And yet, here he is. Acting the job of a rebel in a rebel''s world.'' He thought, a sigh escaping his lips. His gaze shifted away momentarily, a loud explosion catching his attention in that second.


    "Get me, Mister Yori."


    He said. His voice was low, yet pitched with a bit of femininity that sparked with his features. Dark purple hair and bright, black eyes. His features bloomed with the ever-increasing chaos around them.


    Javier glanced at him with a raised brow. An expression of realisation and understanding.


    Aurora''s gaze seemed to have widened slightly while Yon groaned low.


    They knew what that meant.


    Yori Kan, a Lecturer in his department. A man of great secrecy and silence....as well as dark secrets.


    Javier''s face tensed.


    ''We were told never to approach him unless told.'' He thought.


    At first, it was merely curiosity and stubbornness that caused him to defy them and try again. But after encountering him, he had learnt the hard way.


    ''There are forces that are not meant to be played with....and Yori Kan is one of them.''


    "He only listens to Katherin." He said.


    Roland furrowed his brow, his smirk widening for a bit. A flick of something deep. Amusing. Shimmering in his eyes he blinked.


    "Don''t play coy with me. I know Katherin told you how to instruct him."


    His gaze shifted across the battlefield. The scenery of destruction playing out in HD.


    For a while, silence hung between them but in the next moment, his gaze froze.


    "Hah. There he is."


    Turning to the direction he glanced at, Aurora and Yon Duke spotted the man with the crowd of robed figures who attempted to bring down Ignis. Their synchronized strategies and weapons. With three or four mages behind.


    Spirit animals or beasts were just as difficult to deal with as Demons, depending on their ranks and tiers.


    Ignis was a 5th-tier royal beast, third in Rank and fifth in the tier. He was equivalent to the typical level 90+, and that made things extremely difficult on their end.


    "Once you tell him to go ahead. You three can join the others. I will remain here and observe until the Silvan boy has been taken care of. If not, I will act..." He stopped mid-sentence. His gaze shifted upwards for a moment, as if in thought. "....but let''s not let things get to that point. I sincerely hope you won''t."


    He remained silent after that, and so did Javier and the others.


    A scowl formed on Javier''s face as he stared at Roland. Nothing serious. Just a glare that showcased his displeasure in the matter.


    He clenched his fist. Hard. Fingers biting into the palm of his hands in an attempt to pass through.


    His chest rose and fell as he breathed heavily, clicking his tongue after a few seconds before turning around with a groan.


    "Come on."


    He instructed and the others followed suit.


    To be clear, the Lecturers were very capable individuals. In fact, most weren''t admitted unless proven so, and that involved a threshold of the 70th level.


    Most made use of the System to further their growth and thus, unique Professions arose even amongst them.


    However, prominent figures like Roland, Katherin and a lot of other Professors of the Academy had taken most of the attention. Serving as the arms of power of the Academy. It should be noted that a lot of other Lecturers weren''t too far behind. Most weren''t at all, but it included a small portion of the rest.


    Yori Kan was one of those Lecturers. Acting only in the shadows and when he was called upon.


    He was hardly mentioned unless required and taught most of the Higher classes. His skill sets and level, though, were hidden. Masked behind his overall facade of boorishness and laziness.


    He played the part of a lethargic Lecturer who would rather die than come early for a lecture and teach his students.


    But behind that facade, was a level 90 Blood Summoner. An ancient profession seen only in a tribe, beyond the East.


    The members of the Cult, especially those who were close to Katherin, their leader, were aware of this fact.


    And though, he was hardly mentioned. His presence was especially respected.


    Roland''s lips parted as a brief sigh escaped his lips.


    Gaze tracing the movement of Darrell Silvan who rained terror on his subordinates.


    His weapons continued to strike at every given turn, but the constant wear was beginning to tear him down.


    Showing small signs of sluggishness and close calls. Darrell was beginning to lose mana.


    ''Nice.'' He thought as his smirk stuck firm. ''The Red Peacemakers truly thought they had fully made us immobile...''


    Though, one person couldn''t possibly make that much of a change.


    ''....who needs a change. When we can have time.''


    He remained fixed on his spot. Standing on the patio in front of Class Two, arms folded and his scarlet cape dancing down his shoulder guard.


    It was only a matter of time now.


    ****


    "aarggh!"


    Carl screamed. Adrenaline surged in his veins, blood pumping with a heart that assumed the place of a machine. Sweat dripping, muscles tensing, tendons dragging and mind reeling as his body moved with mechanical precision.


    Blood bursts out of his shoulder like a fountain. Like a bottle of highly condensed liquid was suddenly forced open, and allowed to squirt out with such force that it could as well be a rocket.


    A punctured hole lay bare in his shoulder, arms dripping scarlet with a dark hue that flicked down his armoured gauntlets.


    Flesh and cloth hung at the tip of his metal claws, a constant reminder of the foes faced under his carnage.


    His armour took the appearance of a beast. A tiger, white, jagged and sharp. Twice as large as his typical figure.


    It appeared like a futuristic robot, but it was merely reinforced magic iron and animalistic features.


    As a Beast Warrior, he was gifted with the ability to take the shape of beasts.


    The number, though, was limited to his level, and the strength of each beast was singular to his overall strength.


    This gave him an edge over many others before him as he could reach the peak with different forms.


    Yet, it came with a downside. Levelling up became extremely difficult to fully utilize.


    Where others simply levelled up and added attribute points which was necessary, he had to level up each beast and add the attribute points to each of them. Thus, his generalized stats were the average of all of them.


    But on the battlefield, using a specific form was his best bet to victory.


    Carl blurred past the group of robed figures as they closed in on him.


    Attempting to cut loose the tight rope they had tried to wrap him in.


    It was admirable the amount of time he had spent avoiding and shielding himself from them.


    ''But how long is this going to keep me alive?''


    He wondered as he ran through the broken field. Ground soldered with flames and heated with lava, disfigured from what it once was.


    His helmet, in the shape of a tiger''s head, darted around, danger prickling his skin in full force.


    He shuddered.


    ''What...what is this feeling?'' He wondered when a migraine-inducing force bashed through him like an automobile.


    A sudden blast of energy, a boom of silence that sent a quiver through his armour as it blasted him back.


    He flew through the air with a grunt of pain, skidding across the ground and rolling down hot earth until he slammed against a loose boulder.


    His armour groaned under the weight of his body, eyes flaring open within his helmet as a choke of blood hung on his throat.


    Laying on the ground, his gaze hazed. Flaring with the persistent smoke and crimson flames that hung in the air.


    He slowly pulled off his helmet, the silver metal flickering into bits of light as it dispersed in the rain. Blood dribbled down the corners of his lips as he heaved sharp and large breaths.


    ''What was that? What hit me?''


    Rising his gaze towards the scene, movement flicked at the periphery of his vision.


    He blinked once, then twice, watching as the number of incoming Robed figures increased as they approached him slowly.


    "Hah..." He muttered under his breath. His words were worn thin by the gush of blood that oozed out from it.


    "Carl Dunham." A figure said. One with a familiar face. A familiar expression and a well-known name.


    "Lecturer Jin..." Carl said through the gritted pain. He bared his teeth, clenching his jaws while keeping his brain active. Pushing himself further away from falling unconscious.


    "...or should I call you Cult Rebel Jin. I didn''t think you were a part of this." He said. The back of his throat hoarse with pain.


    The man stopped, tilting his head slightly with a raised brow.


    Another robed figure walked up to him, leaning into his ear as he whispered into it.


    "Oh," Jin said. Words of realization, a stifled chuckle escaping his lips.


    Carl raised a brow, curiosity etched in his worn-out face. "What?" He muttered. "What''s so funny."


    Jin didn''t respond. What he did was to simply hold an expression. One where his lips tugged at the side in a smirk, yet his eyes held something deeper. Something extremely malevolent. A dark secret.


    He clapped his hands together, ignoring the glare from the boy, his lips parting open slightly. "Oh, you poor, ignorant fool."


    Carl''s head tilted, his brows furrowed in confusion. ''What?'' He thought, in an attempt to protest, but¨C


    "Oh, Brethren of Mayura! Rise, we have come to proclaim our right."

 Chapter 380 - 380- Festival 111- Raid on a Rainy Night 50

    Carl''s expression remained puzzled. Eyes swept through the crowd and back at Jin. Confusion played tricks with his mind as he attempted to stand up.


    The words came out playing in his head again


    "Oh, Brethren of Mayura! Rise, we have come to proclaim our right"


    ''What was that?'' He wondered, his legs pulsing with pain as he groaned.


    Jin raised a brow, turning towards the figure who approached him a moment ago. His question was evident through his expression, but the latter shrugged.


    ''What?'' Jin thought as he turned back at Carl. ''Did the code not work?''


    It was a puzzling thought. One that required an answer immediately. After all, if it proved futile now, then one of their three contingency plans would be put out of its flame.


    ''This can''t be.....perhaps...it is slow at work?''


    His gaze hardened, brows furrowing deeply as he whipped a glare at Carl.


    Carl took his gaze head-on, returning his hostility with a neutral expression. One that was punctured with the stifled pain he attempted to bury deep.


    He stood straight now, body hanging¨C swaying in motion as he did so.


    A low whirl sound, like a siren rang in his head while haziness began to creep over his periphery.


    He staggered.


    "I¨C I don''t know what that was, but it doesn''t matter. The others will come and we will end this mess you''ve caused for yourselves."


    "Tsk." Jin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "It pains me to hear this from a child who willingly joined the fun."


    Carl''s face tilted slightly. A crease formed between his brows as he held himself from falling. Hands behind him, placed on the giant boulder.


    His gauntlets stung from the heat. A high-pitched sound echoed from the contact.


    "What?"


    "Of course, you don''t remember. It was Katherin''s wish that you all live the rest of your Academy lives in peace but do you seriously think that we were the only ones who wanted this?"


    Carl''s expression hardened. Confusion and Suspicion playing a sorry act on his face.


    "What?" He repeated, his tone low and husked. Demanding and commanding, yet a plea hung beneath it.


    In that commotion, his mind reeled in, spiralling in overdrive to make sense of what played out, yet something called out to him. Deep, firm but low and it demanded he stopped. A warning that could go a long mile in saving him from crossing a line.


    A line, whose existence wasn''t even known to him.


    "What are you talking about?" But his curiosity got the better of him. His confusion needed to be settled. That line will be crossed.


    "There are over a hundred members of the Cult within the Students, but not even the students that they are members.."


    ''Wha¨CWhat are you saying? That''s absolute....that doesn''t make any sense."


    Carl muttered, startled by his statement. Their eyes bulged out in shock. "Are you saying that nearly half of the whole school is a part of this....without knowing that they are?"


    Jin folded his arm with a smirk playing on his lips. As if breaking down what occurred pleasured him. Watching as the young boy who acted with the enemies realized that he had been in the wrong faction all along.


    "Students weren''t meant to face the depravity of this world. You are too young and deserve a normal Academy life. This was what Katherin wished for. As such, every time one of you joined us, she would erase your memory of joining."


    He paused mid-sentence, gaze observing the boy before him as tension hung in the air.


    "She left the name but all memories of joining were taken."


    However, that was merely just one of the reasons they chose this method.


    Students were children in and out of themselves. They were people capable of bad decisions. Giving up or taking back a decision was as easy as eating pie to them.


    ''So why would we let over a hundred of you decide at the last minute that you want no part in it?''


    It was simple really. No one liked to feel inferior. Weak. Unable to change their own fate. Children could feel this way and express many other complications.


    In the end, when they would rise like they did now, there was no telling how many of them would still think the way they did.


    ''Like right now. These children are simply fighting back because of the threat the Red Peacemakers possess to them and the Academy.''


    Unpredictability was not a key they wished to use during the uprise and thus, instead of erasing their memories alone. They decided to add something else. A keyword¨C a code. One that would activate their will to fight the enemies right in front of them while siding with the enemy, their true partners.


    ''It was inhumane at first and many of us didn''t approve of it....'' His gaze narrowed as he watched Carl''s expression darken. ''...but now? I''m grateful to those who decided to perform it this way.''


    "Liar!" Carl cried out in protest. His gaze darkened in the silhouette of crimson while rain dripped down his chin.


    His gaze darted through the crowd of robed figures. All are standing in the same spot as they did. Oblivious to the chaos behind them. Their eyes fixed discernibly on him as if waiting for something.


    ''Well, it will never come!'' He thought as he scoffed.


    "So what you did was manipulate us?!"


    His voice dripped with venom. "Erasing a memory is against any principles by law of this school or the kingdom. And now you''re telling me I wanted to join....with a hundred more students?"


    His brain tremored, a slow migraine biting at his scalp as he groaned.


    ''Impossible! I don''t recall ever wanting to join.''


    "Does it matter if your memory was taken or not? You may not remember it but the code is more than enough proof. Only those who willingly joined were given this code.....and you are one of those students. Carl."


    Carl''s brows twitched slightly.


    "Impossible! Utterly and undeniably impossible! I have never hated the Non-system users. I don''t wish for their death as you do! This is absurd. I am innocent of whatever you point at me."


    Jin''s shoulder quivered slightly; his arm clasped to his lips as he stifled a chuckle.


    His chest heaved, rising and falling with erratic rhythm while his stifled chuckle evolved into a muffled laughter.


    The others remained silent and simply watched. Observing how the scene played out.


    They had heard of the code. The keyword was prepared in advance for the students. It was meant to be used In a time of unrest, where the tide had been turned far away in their enemy''s favour.


    Especially if the students were that enemy.


    It was an odd and old spell. A spell of the mind Bind. An occult spell used mostly by Black Magicians.


    It binds the mind, locking up memories that aren''t required by the caster and playing the memories they wish to be repeated. Played in a loop throughout the activation.


    It could be hateful memories. Joyful memories or sorrowful memories, but these memories play out the rest of the body, defining the next step of action to be carried out.


    Hate begets chaos and thus, hateful memories will lead the students into a path of carnage.


    Its activation was dependent, and the amount of time taken for its activation was also dependent.


    A few students were immediate, locking up the mind, and playing out their most hateful memories, especially those related to the enemy.


    If they were to use that same concept, then Jin simply had to wait. Because for those who have other memories¨C good ones that get in the way of the hateful ones. Blocking it, or perhaps sealing it, the spell simply needs to carve through it. Until the hate has been tapped into and exploited for the spell.


    Carl Dunham may have stood strong so far, but he would break soon.


    ''Though, I am curious what memories shield you from us....Carl.''


    Carl shook his head, pulling his helmet over his head with a snap.


    Energy had been drained from his body. Leaving only a small amount of mana within his body.


    ''But that alone is enough.''


    "Enough of your lies. We shall purge you as the Academy''s hands and feet. For the destruction you have caused. The pain you have bloomed and the danger you pose."


    Jin''s lips curled into a smirk. A tight one that broke off as he burst into a fit of laughter.


    "Hah, geez. Carl. I knew you were an upright boy, but this farce of yours is really killing me."


    He said, gritting his teeth as he leaned forward slightly, heaving his chest while his laughter laced in the air.


    Carl''s body tensed. He straightened his arm and pulled out his claws, silver metal glinting with a lustrous sparkle.


    Silence hung between them now. Pierced by the rain as it beat down on the ground, its endless drop unable to quench the flames that burned in hunger, and Jin''s laughter that began to fade.


    He coughed out, stifling his laugh finally as he looked up at Carl. "Oh....now that I think about it." He said, his eyes sparkling with realization. "I know the reason why you may have changed your stance. You did hate them before....the Great Families. After all, they are children who were gifted with power they never worked for."


    The statement stung like a bee, a sharp, striking pain right in the heart.


    His eyes widened in realization, while his brain cleared, memories playing out in the process.


    In those memories, something dark and murky began to creep into it. Spreading slowly like muddy water in a pond.


    "Rita Vinci, wasn''t it? The girl you foolishly fell for. She is the reason why you''ve changed your stance."


    Carl remained still. His expression eased, tension losing from his bones and tendons.


    Everything clicked back together like a puzzle world game. Sticking to each other until a clear picture had been crafted.


    His jaws loosened, lips parting apart slightly while the dark, murky shadow began to crawl even faster.


    Spreading through his memories, consuming the images, burning the videos, everything that seemed to be used to give him an ounce of happiness.


    It consumed them all, a gasp of the wind. An alien of thought. A cancerous invader of the world around him. His world.


    Images of his class, friends, and faces of the family. A doh. A barnyard. The sun casts its elegant silhouette over the green hills. A flute dangling around a girl''s neck. Drawings and paintings hung along the walls of a room. Dark, onyx hair that seemed to smell like strawberries. Sweet, yet sour. Captivating, yet sour.


    Consumed.


    And what was left? Red.


    Crimson images. A blood moon. Flashes of beasts. Soldiers were sent in to murder the village. Cries of a girl and a woman as they were burned alive. While the soldiers roared in furious victory.


    The chaos. The blood. The pain.


    It burned. It stung. It bloomed into his mind like poison, and it grew.


    Jin''s head tilted slightly, his smirk tugging at the edge of his lips as Carl stood right in front of him, claws out, mana surging, eyes white. Mind blank.


    He chuckled.


    "Good to have you back with us, Carl."

 Chapter 381 - 381- Festival 112- Raid on a Rainy Night 51

    "My Prince."


    The voice rang in his head like an n alarm beam, startling his step as he bent backwards in a sudden motion. A long sword swept through the air with a clink. Slicing the molecules along its path as it swayed over his head, a mocking reminder of the path to his neck.


    He heaved, walked forward with shaky steps, turned around and sent his fist straight into the Robed figure''s face.


    BOOM.


    A small shockwave erupted from the strike as the figure''s body flew through the air in a gust of wind. It slammed against another Robed figure behind, pulling him with him as they crashed into the ground.


    His head darted forwards as two more rushed towards him from the sides.


    "What is it, Ignis?! This better be good. You nearly killed me."


    Darrell cried out in his head, startlement laced in his tone.


    Just then, a sudden draft of the wind shook the surrounding air, a fearsome snarl quaking the air as a mighty dragon descended from the skies.


    Her powerful, muscular limbs landed with a thud, earth-shattering under the weight of her prestige. Wings stretched to the skies in a cascade of dark crimson.


    Her maw hung open as lava spilled out, while fire charged at the tip with a vibration of the air.


    It hummed greatly as her head darted forward, a blast of flames shooting out at the incoming Robed figures with unprecedented aim.


    They cried out, rushing away from the attack, dodging by a hair''s breadth while some proved too slow to evade completely.


    They burned.


    "I apologize, My prince, but behind you. Our young friend seems to be laced with something evil."


    She stated as she wrapped her scaly form around Darrell.


    ''What?''


    Darrell jumped over her back as she took to the skies, his eyes narrowing at the scene behind him.


    Carl''s body froze mid-movement, his muscles tightening, gripping against his bones. A silent struggle playing out within his even expression.


    "What''s going on?!" He muttered, deep in thoughts, when Ignis suddenly spun through the air, wings clenching her figure as she descended like an arrow.


    He screamed in shock, a beam of mana shooting out the spot she had evaded at the same time.


    "Careful, Ignis!" He cried out as she flew forward, zigzagging across the air until they neared the figures who surrounded Carl.


    With a snarl, she roared out with a furious brunt. Throat gurgling with the deepest, scarring malevolence that bore fruit through the flames that blasted out from her maw.


    The Robed figures whipped their attention towards her instantly. A cry of danger exclaiming into the air.


    "SCATTER!"


    BOOM!


    Her flames blasted against the ground like a nuclear bomb, melting the earth like candle wax as it stretched across the path.


    She walked forward, circling her head towards the running figures. Driving a wedge in the distance between them and the mesmerized Carl.


    "Carl!" Darrell jumped off instantly, landing on the earth. Or at least what was left of it.


    He ran through the path, dodging the lava pits, and boiling puddles of flames caused from Ignis'' destruction while closing the distance between them.


    "Carl?!" He called again. This time, a deep hesitation lingered in his voice. He had reached him now, hands clasped on his shoulders as he shook him.


    "Carl?! What the fuck are you doing?" He shook, again and again. A repeated effort that fought to bear no fruit.


    "You idiot! Get your shit together."


    A loud whine sound like a whistle blasted in his ear at that moment, a small round object landing on the ground next to his feet.


    He glanced down, shuffling his feet away from it as the object glowed ambient.


    His eyes bulged open in shock. Body moving before his brain processes the information.


    He pulled Carl with a single sweep, the Mages staff Dharma twirling erratically as the beams of fire and lightning flicked shut.


    Instead, a dome formed around them. A silver one with glistening mana that cladded them like a second skin, Ignis joining in the fray with her scaly body.


    "Look out!"


    ¡ª BOOM!


    A metallic explosion, like a sci-fi boom ticking before he''ll rain loose in gunpowder, erupted with a brilliant light.


    A radiance that quickly shook them to their very core as it absorbed them in its grasp.


    It spread like cancer, growing rapidly in a dome of mushroom, consuming whatever came in its place before expanding in the air with a ring¨C then an explosion that rattled like the snap of a finger.


    The air shook. Wind spiralling from the effect. Clouds parted for energy as a sonic wave erupted through the air.


    Then it died down.


    Swallowing the sound that rattled the air like a viper. Before dispersing through the air in dust and brown dirt.


    The Robed figures stood apart, gazes forced at the scene as the dust cleared from the skies. Returning the vision it stole from them at that passing second.


    Jin was one of the few who walked too close, expectations drawing to a thin line in his heart.


    ''Come on, you buffoon. Act like you belong with us.''


    His gaze flicked for a moment, a sudden warp in space gripping his attention as his head snapped to the direction.


    Movement came like the flash of a light bulb, a silent snarl that shook the air as teeth, the size of a pole, bit through his body like tin foil.


    Bones shattered in a snap. Pain busted through his body in waves, and his face did excellently in expressing the ragged shock and pain that assaulted him.


    "I¨CIgn¨C"CRUNCH!


    Before his voice could escape fully, his body snapped into two with a metallic bite, wings flapping into the air as she darted into the smoke like a shadow.


    Screams of pain and shock assaulting the air as she laid waste to the determined battlefield.


    One after the other, the cries grew loud. Vivid and structured, agony and torment, doing ballet in the crying skies.


    Blood flicked through the air like spray paint, mixing with the rain drops as it fell with heavy thumps.


    A warning to the next victim that came a second too late.


    At least until a different sound was heard.


    CRUN¡ªPOP


    Ignis'' eyes bulged open in shock, her gaze darting downwards to her maw as her teeth gripped onto what was meant to be flesh.


    "My Prince! We have a situation!"


    Human flesh molded into something else. Something that melted onto her teeth like soft beef. Only, this one tasted bad. Murky and slimy, with a bad aftertaste.


    She reeled her head back, taking a step backwards as the dust cleared fully.


    Revealing Ignis and her glorious job in her wake.


    Behind her was a trail of blood and flesh. Intestines popped out of their figures in a ribbon of hell.


    Hearts beating with a thunderous drum at the back of their throats, while limbs torn and ground hung in awkward places. Swinging with no destination nor goal.


    Ignis'' eyes pulsed slightly as the human she had a bit into suddenly molded, its skin turning crimson like blood. Its crimson body moved like slime, trailing down her teeth and emerging from her snout, a subtle glow emanating from it.


    Her body tensed, eyes brimming with intent as flames charged at the back of her throat.


    It grew. Fastened itself against her hot throat before releasing in a blast of fiery might.


    The crimson liquid was torn in a matter of seconds. Its blood boiled like water under a hundred degrees before evaporating with the might of her flames. Dust and smoke emanated from her maw as her flames ceased.


    Her body remained tense, eyes narrowed at the smoke that fell to her feet when she heard a snap.


    Like a stalker stepping on a twig.


    She snapped back, wings spreading out as she attempted to jump into the air.


    A sudden screech sound pierced the air. Loud and authoritative. A low moan that played the trumpet in a battlefield of blood.


    Immediately, something wet and long sprung through the air like wire and wrapped around her leg.


    Another screech trailing the previous as more and more wet wires sprung through the air. It encircled her, grabbing onto her limbs like poison vines.


    She growled in fury as her eyes darted to the source, bulging slightly at the scene before her.


    "My Prince! This is¨C


    Something hard pulled on her entire being, a shudder escaping her lips as her throat ran dry. Her body descended in a heartbeat. It slammed against the ground with a hard thud, a quake trailing the aftermath as cracks spread like spiderwebs from the impact.


    She growled harder. Higher. Roaring with the regality that described her in the spirit world. The world that existed in the mortal Realm away from the Mortal Realm.


    Yet, whatever bound her, did so with an uncanny thirst for blood.


    The murky, crimson whips suddenly shot out something hard. Something sharp. Something that sent a volt through her body as she roared once more.


    Not a royal growl. Not even one that showcased her grand nature despite her circumstance.


    A scream of pain.


    Blood oozed down her body like golden sapphire. Oozing out from the edges of her lips as it formed a fit of clog behind her throat.


    The whips shot out spikes that penetrated her body. Blood liquidated and solidified into thorns. Long. Straight. Hard.


    And it pierced through her limbs as more wrapped around her torso and neck.


    She wiggled, wings flapping with desperate struggle. Her body trembled with the pain that constantly bore fruit.


    In anger, her head darted to the sides, where the scene became clear to her. Yet, the logic behind it held a few steps before it.


    Bodies rose. Blood trailing round their bodies, encircling them in a skin of red. Intestines hanging out like loose skins. Walking. Marching towards her while sticky, crimson whips stretched from their bodies.


    Sharp, powerful thorns protruding from the whips as they began to enclose the surrounding space.


    Bodies she had snapped in two. Bodies that fell in defeat from the attack of Darrell, and the Living Robed figures who began to approach as well.


    Everything summed up the reason for her predicament. But, how was this possible?


    Standing far behind the Robed figures were a few worthy mentions. Javier and his two friends. Roland Sunrise. And the Blood Summoner himself, Yori Kan.


    ___A/N____


    Back and Healthy.


    Let''s go. ????

 Chapter 382: 382- Festival 113- Raid on a Rainy Night 52

    Chapter 382: Chapter 382- Festival 113- Raid on a Rainy Night 52


    Rain fell in a mournful coat, hanging a canopy of solemn tension in the air.


    Robed figures stood in the midst of it, expressions hardened from the trying times thrown at them mercilessly.


    What stood befall them was a raging dragon. Bound with blood and thorns, blood oozing down its scales like an ichor of gold. Low growls escaping her tired maw.


    Her eyes pulsed with the passing of time, withholding the pain that threatened to crack the mask of regality that exuded her.


    She was a high-ranking Beast, a named one with a historical past. Humans were not enough to make her wither in pain. No matter how sadistic they were.


    While she swallowed the pain, her eyes darted about, taking a view of the humans who surrounded her.


    It was one of them. It had to be.


    The caster of this wretched spell. The source of her predicament. The bind that sealed her shut, her glory and fiery might sealed away in blood.


    One of the humans stood among the fry, eyes peering into her, while his spell spread further. Springing forth pain that was never meant to be. Messing with a being that was never meant to be toyed with.


    Her eyes peered deeper. Scanning. Skimming. It was only a matter of seconds since all mobility had been lost.


    Her wings that stretched across the skies had been tied to the trunk of her body, crimson goo pinning her like an ant under a tea cup.


    She could attempt to escape. Flap her wings free and take to the skies, but the pain from the piercing blood thorns existed to stop her.


    Any slight motion, and her insides were churned from the sharp pain. As if a thousand immortal bees were stinging her all at the same time. Over and over again.


    The pain was mind-blinding. White light shot at her vision each time she attempted to move a muscle.


    The spell was broad as it was specific. And it performed overly well on large targets.


    ¡®The perfect Man for the job.¡¯


    Roland stood aside from the group, yet his image merged with theirs. A constant reminder of his presence in the field.


    His arms folded, with a long silence hanging in the air. His gaze occasionally shifted to the caster.


    Yori Kan. A man of unworthy attention. Slouched shoulders. Dark pigment underneath his eyelids. A constant frown that resembled a man who had seen all life had to give and concluded that it was useless. Sharp, dark eyes, devoid of warmth. Wet, long, curly black hair that clung to his face and skin.


    He served his role well. Acting only when required to, and keeping shut when he¡¯s not needed.


    It was what made him one of his best subordinates.


    ¡®As well as one of the few people I am actually wary of.¡¯


    Yori was a level 90 Blood Summoner.


    He had come into the academy with that initial level and showcased a skillet that could only be assessed by those who grew through the wilderness.


    His gaze, though, tired and devoid of life, was always filled with intent. Not the kind that burned but the kind that froze.


    A controlled gaze. Quick-thinking and sharp reflexes.


    He bore no linage. No family. Simply a name, a profession, and a level.


    His eyes narrowed as he looked away, taking a step forward. He neared the fallen dragon, pulling out his executioner blade at the same time with a slight grunt.


    Its lustrous blade shimmered with the moon light. Basking his figure in a cold aura of a Centurion gone through many battles.


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    The Robed figures made way for him, while he remained puzzled in his thoughts.


    ¡°Why does your owner not show himself?¡± He asked, his tone laced with curiosity as he glanced around.


    Ignoring Yori Kan for now. He needed to focus on the task at hand.


    ¡°Where is Darrell Silvan?¡±


    He stared into Ignis¡¯ eyes. A fiery tension crackling between the two.


    His eyes widened slightly, shock evident as he took a step back.


    Spirit animals or Beasts were unable to speak unless they were of the highest level. Mythical. They also possessed the ability to polymorph. Superior strength and intellect, compared to that of a human. One of them could cause enough destruction that rivaled one of the generals of the Devil King.


    Though, these were creatures that had only been sighted in books. Their existence would have posed a threat to humanity, after all.


    Ignis, or at least this level and tier of Ignis was incapable of that. But a royal was no play figure either.


    ¡®Careful, Roland. We don¡¯t want you aggravating a dragon.¡¯ He thought to himself. A silent plea hanging at the back of his tone.


    Chuckling silently, he shook his head.


    ¡°You can¡¯t speak. You¡¯re an animal.¡±


    Pulling his blade up, he stood tall and firm. Casting a downcast gaze on the Dragon beneath him.


    ¡°Beasts like you are not meant to stay in the world of the Mortals for too long. I shall seal your fate in eternal slumber.¡±


    He let his blade linger in the air for just a second, bask of green energy erupted from his sword. Water and Earth in one of its purest forms.


    It exploded upwards, enveloping his sword and arm as a second skin. Infused with power that pulsed within.


    ¡°Master Skill: Green Dr¡±¨C


    ¡°ROLAND!¡±


    Snapping upwards, his eyes flared open in shock as he jumped back in an instant.


    A shadow cast over the spot he just left, and with it came an incoming drop of force.


    ¡ª BOOM!


    Something large, heavy. Powerful landed with careless force. Slamming straight into the ground with a thunder-like explosion that spread like cancer.


    The ground shook, tremors stretching across the earth in the form of spider-webs crack. A sonic blast shook the air, spreading and startling the figures as they took cover from the strike.


    Dirt and smoke rose into the air as a figure blurred in the mix.


    Stepping forward into the night light while the dust settled.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough fun with my summon.¡± Darrell stated. Voice low and rough, etched with anger and annoyance.


    Besides, him was Carl. Silent. Quiet. Yet, his presence held weight as it startled a few Robed figures.


    The duo stared at Roland who stood to his feet, folding his hands as his lips curled in a frown.


    ¡°Darrell Silvan. You finally reveal your filthy presence.¡±


    ¡°Roland Sunrise. Your pathetic existence as a Lecturer wasn¡¯t enough? You decided to join a tantrum instead. Acting as the child you are, true and true.¡±


    Roland bit on his lips, licking them slightly in annoyance. His head tilted slightly, gaze shifting towards the boy besides him.


    They locked gazes for a moment. A moment that stretched far too long for a common stare until he looked away.


    A faint smirk loosening from his lips in the process.


    ¡°Your insults mean nothing to me, Elf.¡±


    Roland never taught Darrell, but he wasn¡¯t the first Elf he had seen. A few had come to the Academy, forging names for themselves within and outside the walls of the Academy.


    They were all the same. Proud. Arrogant. Aristocrats with pointed ears and female-like appearances. They weren¡¯t worth the trouble.


    ¡®Slaves.¡¯ He thought with a subtle glee. A devious one that flicked in his gaze. ¡®That¡¯s what they are.¡¯


    Darrell, too, felt strongly against this man. Not because he had joined in a rebellion that threatened the Kingdom.


    He was an Elf. A Royal Elf with a Silver bloodline. He couldn¡¯t care less about the System Uprisers.


    After all, They were a Cult of humans. Greedy humans who sought for a life they never worked for.


    ¡®Always the same. They repeat the same cycle of chaos. Corrupting the heart of Gaia.¡¯


    But that was them. It was their business, and he wasn¡¯t going to meddle in it.


    What truly made him spite the man. The human before him, was the state of his dragon.


    Casting side glanced at Ignis, he placed his palm on her hardened scale. Palm soaked in her precious blood.


    A throb pierced his heart. A quick and silent jab as his brows furrowed.


    ¡°I apologize for my lateness, Ignis.¡±


    ¡°Not to worry, My Prince.¡± Ignis replied. Her tone, low and somber. The pain had made way to her voice, playing unholy notes in her tone.


    Her head lowered, eyes closing shut.


    ¡°It is my duty to serve the Elvin Kingdom. A rule thicker than blood. I simply serve.¡±


    Darrell sighed inwardly, stroking her scales with a solemn motion. A heavy heart thumping slowly within his chest.


    ¡°You may leave.¡±


    Immediately, a bask of white light pierced through her body, enveloping her entire being in a semblance of healing.


    Her body tensed, and then it dispersed, white light trickling into the air. Blood rained down, muddied and deformed, slamming against the dirt of the earth while the rain washed its transgressions away.


    Darrell stood still for a moment. Expression unreadable.


    Hands firmly tightened. Dharma bodies, stiff as a still lake. Unspoken feelings hidden beneath his heavy chest.


    He sighed. Stood up straight and raised his head.


    ¡®I won¡¯t be able to summon her for a while now.¡¯ His gaze turned to Carl. ¡®She endured all that while I kept trying to wake this fool from whatever spell he was put in.¡¯


    A smile formed from his lips. He took a step forward, placed his hand on Carl¡¯s shoulder while the latter slowly turned towards him.


    ¡°Glad to have you back, Carl.¡± He said with an amused tone in his voice.


    They had only met a few moments ago. Heck, he had not even known of him until now. But warriors in arm fighting together on the same battlefield have one of the quickest and sturdiest bonds. The bonds of blood.


    He turned away from Carl after patting his shoulder.


    Lowering his body, rolling his shoulders and exuding mana in bits.


    ¡°Get ready. We will round them all up, Car¨C


    ¨CSTAB.


    Time seemed to have come in slow motion, mind processing at a ridiculously slow pace. His eyes flared open in that state, mind reeling confused and startlement as he glanced down at his chest.


    Something sharp pointed forward. Through his back and out the front. A clawed gauntlet. Crimson liquid pooled over at the edges of the fingers, trickling down to the ground in slow steps.


    His breath hitched. Head tilting to the side. Pain eluded him. Instead, something else took root in place of it.


    A deep, gnawing feeling that clawed at him. A wound that festered from carelessness.


    Carl stared dead into his eyes. Emotionless. Unbothered by his very action.


    The sight shocked him. It startled him. It disgusted him.


    A scoff escaped his quivering lips as blood laced down from the edges.


    Right in the Heart.

 Chapter 383: 383- Festival 114- Raid on a Rainy Night 53

    Chapter 383: Chapter 383- Festival 114- Raid on a Rainy Night 53


    Carl¡¯s gauntlets tore through the air as he retrieved his arm from Darrell¡¯s chest. Blood pooling out in its wake, tracing the path of the Silver gauntlets as the Elvin prince fell to his knees.


    His expression was calm now, devoid of the pain and betrayal that wrapped tightly around his head a moment ago.


    Now, it was simply acceptance.


    Acceptance for what was and what is.


    Mana eased it¡¯s flow within his body, and the Dharma dispersed with the wind.


    His gaze, hazy and dull, glanced over the Robed figures once more. Shoulders slumped, blood pooling over his pierced armor, damage from blinded trust. Or perhaps a false sense of mutual understanding.


    He paid the price in blood, and a vision that dulled with his brain.


    His heart thumped once more. Slow. Hesitant. Each beat exerted more force than the last. Holes punctured within oozing liquid crimson. Casting a blue-black coloration over his chest.


    His body tensed, bones locked against muscle as he fell on his face, breath ceasing with a hitch.


    Silence hung in the air. Permeated by the constant fall of rain and thunder that woke the skies.


    The Robed figures stood apart, gaze laced with disinterest as they stared at the still body of the Elvin Prince.


    Roland¡¯s gaze cut to a slit. Pleasure playing on his lips at the sight before him.


    ¡®this will open the path to a Civil War. Death of the Elvin Prince is a punishment worse than death.¡¯


    He chuckled inwardly, arms folded as he walked towards the body. Carl standing still next to it.


    His gaze widened slightly, pupils flicking with intensity. A haggard hesitation etched in his expression.


    His lips parted open, but nothing holding worth escaped from it. Simply his breathing. Heavy. Solid.


    His shoulders quaked, while his claws hung down with blood dripping from its gauntlets.


    Roland¡¯s presence cast a shadow over him.


    A pressure, suffocating and consuming. Nearly blinding to the pale boy before him.


    Roland turned his gaze to him. His smirk turned into something softer. A smile.


    ¡°good work, Carl. The Cult is pleased.¡±


    He tapped the boy on his shoulders.


    Carl flinched. Visibly shaking from the touch. A realization of the action he performed.


    Roland paid it no mind.


    His attention was now on the body of the Elvin Prince. He turned back.


    ¡°Come pick up his body. We will take it before the Red Peacemakers find out.¡±


    A few of them glanced at each other. Three walking out from the others with hesitant steps.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    They chorused as they encircled the body. One after the other, grabbing a part of him and rising to their feet.


    It was evident where next they would go.


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    Their hideout.


    And they prepared to set out for it, but¡ª


    Like a flash bang, something bright shook the skies, enveloped the darkness and blinded the night. Loud and explosive. Golden in all its might. This was well different from a flash bang.


    This was much more powerful. More, ethereal. Divine. Out of the world.


    The light wasn¡¯t just white, but gold.


    It did not just reverberate in their ears with a loud ring, but it shook their bones. Rattling it like a baby¡¯s chew toy.


    Its vibrancy shook all those who laid their eyes upon it. If even, they were strong enough to resist the light.


    It erupted from a distance away, a pillar of holy energy that took to the skies, peering into the clouds and spreading like cancer.


    Sparking a godliness in the form of a golden light that sparked the night.


    Roland and the others stopped in their tracks. Taken aback by the sudden light as they screamed out in protest.


    Clasping their eyes away from the light.


    Roland groaned in pain, arm over his eyes as he opened them slightly. He leaned forward, shielding his sight with his hand.


    ¡®What bullshit is this now?¡¯


    At a fair distance away, the debris of the previous explosion. Class Five Lecture building crumbled to its feet in boulders and dust, dirt laid waste by their command.


    It had leveled completely. Leaving nothing below. Not a spacious compartment nor a part that stood despite its fall.


    Everything crumbled. Fell broken that would never rise again.


    Everything that existed below it should have been dead. Killed by the weight of the world as it crumbled on them. Or better, the explosion that had caused the demolition.


    It was only rational that they had died.


    Even Great families die of natural causes.


    ¡®So what was this now?¡¯


    The boulders. The dirt. The rubble that had persisted in the place of the Class Five Lecture Theater rumbled with a vibrant call.


    A quake that cracked the air with its intensity as it began to rise into the air.


    It arose. One by one. Two by two. And soon, a multitude of giant rocks and dirt took to the skies.


    Golden energy casting out of it like a holy relic.


    Beneath the rock was a crater. A dent to the plan they concocted.


    Roland saw it once and his expression grew dim.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t need to be told twice after seeing that what would occur next.


    In fact, he could already trace out the holiness of the energy. The source that began to rise in the air. A pool of golden light, bright as day. Yet, it held far more weight than day ever did.


    Like an angel of destruction sent forth by god into the mortal Realm to bring judgment. A Valor of war.


    For a moment, he could feel his skin prick. Goosebumps spreading down his body as tension brewed in his chest.


    ¡®Nothing good ever comes from something like that.¡¯


    Turning his head around, he grabbed Darrell¡¯s body from the stunned figures.


    They staggered in surprise, their heads darting about in confusion as they cried out in protest.


    ¡°Who goes there?!¡±


    ¡°Darrell¡¯s body has been taken!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you fools! I took it.¡± Roland hissed bitterly.


    Shaking his head in annoyance as he changed directions.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking him before that golden boy finds him. We don¡¯t want any hindrance in our goals.¡±


    He walked forward and suddenly staggered, muscles twitching with force as something grabbed him from moving any further.


    Roland¡¯s arms jerked to the sides as he shifted to the left, gaze locking onto the source of his predicament.


    First confusion took root in his gaze. But then realization.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, Carl?¡±


    The young boy remained silent. Still. His gaze flicking with intensity, expression twitching with the passing moment.


    His head leaned down while his entire body held on to Roland¡¯s right leg.


    Roland¡¯s jaw clenched at the sight.


    ¡®How is he fighting back? The nerve of this bastard.¡¯


    He pulled his leg back. Attempted to anyway, but the boy had planted his weight entirely on his leg.


    Roland bit his lip, hand curled into a fist as he rose it into the air.


    ¡°Enough of this, you fool.¡±


    He landed a punch without batting an eye.


    Whipping the air with the force of the strike, a pulse of wind dispersing in a concentric wave from the strike.


    Carl¡¯s armor shattered like clay, bones grinding against muscle as his shoulder depressed with the force of the strike.


    A dent. An evident one that dug deep into his body. Bones sticking out from the sides as blood splurged from the attack.


    Still, he remained. Unmoved.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He repeated the attack once more. More power. More energy. Mana surging through his fist as it landed a strike on the same spot.


    Another sonic wave. Another tremor and a slight groan that escaped Carl¡¯s tightened lips.


    Pain bloomed in his body like an explosion of fireworks. Spreading through his system as the depression deepened. A clear mass of flesh and blood pooling out like sewage.


    Crimson plastered on the floor, oozing out of the edges of his lips as he coughed out in pain.


    His eyes narrowed. Figure trembling as he lifted his head upwards. Very slowly.


    ¡°I.... I...wo...won¡¯t le...t....you...¡±


    He said. Low. Hushed, yet stern.


    Roland¡¯s gaze flared open in shock. Lips parting open in startlement.


    ¡®He¡¯s resisting the spell?¡¯


    No. This was not a scenario that was put in mind.


    Hate was more than enough driving force to send a human railing all on his own. So what held this boy back? What seemed to be caging that hatred?


    ¡°Um, Sir Roland? Jane Lucia and the rest of the students seem to be coming this way.¡±


    One of the Robed figures announced, and that further fueled Roland¡¯s conviction.


    He snapped his head, rolled his shoulders and heaved greatly as his fists landed on the Carl¡¯s body in a barrage of blows.


    BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!


    The air whipped from the sound. Sonic blast spreading in concentric waves.


    Blood and flesh splattering like grass at the other end of a lawn mower.


    Spilling against the earth, crimson blood forming a plaster of red paint.


    Carl groaned. But he held. He held firm.


    A whisk of mana rushed through his body, and the rest of his armor dispersed.


    Instead, another one took place.


    A firmer one. Bulkier. Darker. With a horn that protruded from its snout. A Rhino.


    His force increased twice as much. Weight expanding at a sudden and drastic level as the ground caved in from the next blow.


    Roland groaned in shock.


    His body plunged deep into the earth. Rocks protruding out like spikes, stabbing against the metal of his armor. Unable to permeate, yet sturdy enough to leave a mark.


    His gaze flicked with rage as he stared at Carl. Teeth baring out as he raised his arm in the air.


    But just as he was about to land his blow, the bask of golden light erupted like a dynamite. Wind and clouds siphoning away from the force of the blast. Glass-shattering sonic explosion that dispersed in seconds, picking up dirt and earth in its part.


    Rocks rose into the air. Picked up weakly in the current, blasting forward towards the Robed figures with a trembling force.


    The air ripped and a surge of power collided with them, pulling them into the air like paper, encircling them in a typhoon of air and dirt.


    A mushroom of smoke arose into the air. Large. Consuming. Taking the entirety of the space of five Lecture Theaters and nearing the pond that lay ahead.


    Roland held out with the brunt of his strength. Groaning at the strain in his muscles. Tendons tearing. Bones snapping.


    The force of the explosion shook him greatly. And slowly. Very slowly. Picked him into the air.


    His body hovered for a moment, dangling like a lost leaf. Clawing for any balance, but it was gone. Stolen from him in a matter of seconds.


    Swept off with the storm of the explosion into the air.


    He held unto Darrell¡¯s body, floating amidst the people in the risen air. No direction. No purpose. Not even a goal.


    Just a skydive going upwards.


    A sigh escaped his lips as his eyes opened. Far away in the distance, he could see the light. The golden light, and the face of the golden light.


    Jane Lucia was still standing. And he was standing, strong.

 Chapter 384: 384- Festival 115- Raid on a Rainy Night 54

    Chapter 384: Chapter 384- Festival 115- Raid on a Rainy Night 54


    Elves never died. Never easily, at least.


    As History would have it, Demi-humans were once considered inferior to the Human species. After all, in a world ruled by humans, there was nothing worth stopping them. Ruling them, besides themselves.


    They considered everything and every species below them less than them, and that included the elves.


    After the first discovery of Elves, a long time ago. Even before the time of the Demonic Period, humans had set out to capture them.


    Slavery. Prostitution. Concubine. The endless torrent of ill-natured intent towards the Elves that ruled the Eastern forest. Captured. Used. Disposed. Reused.


    It became an endless loop of creation and destruction, with humans spreading their influence further in the world.


    It was during this campaign that many of the known Demi-humans became known. This included the mermaids and the Beast Folks. As well as the King of the Beast Folks at the time. The Monkey King, otherwise known as the Son Goku Household.


    Human greed knew no bounds. Stretched into the horizon. Capturing. Consuming. Using.


    Conflicts ensued. Battles raged. Wars upon wars. A time of grief, suffering, and genocide.


    A front of the Demi-humans coming together to fend themselves against the wretched arms of the Humans.


    War raged. But the humans never stopped capturing Demi-Humans. Elves became a rarity. Known for their long lives and resistance to the normal Human Physiology.


    They withstood famine. Plagues of diseases. Stood against floods. Drought.


    Their resistance to the wicked goodness of Mother Mature as it bore its teeth against humans in its most raw form.


    Soon, humans grew curious. Why were the Elves resilient? Not just against natural courses. Not just their long life spans, but their endless gratefulness in the face of Nature¡¯s wicked trials.


    They prevailed again and again.


    Finally, research was carried out. Experiments entwined the new purpose for Elves. Captures not for slavery nor for their beauty, but simply to be researched on.


    To find the cause. The invisible shield that guides them. Protects them from what ordinarily should have killed them.


    The result? Nothing really. Nothing satisfying enough, but a mere fact.


    Elves were favored by Earth. The Realm of the Mortals. The world is ruled by the goddess of the land, Gaia.


    This was history known to only a selective few. Those who sweat to seek the truth would grasp it in open arms.


    And Jane Lucia was one of those few.


    Floating in the air, with a golden light erupting from his body. His eyes had already peered through the rising dust. The mushroom of chaos that began to disperse with trickling time.


    He saw it.


    Darrell¡¯s body was held like a war trophy by a man, all too familiar.


    ¡®Roland Sunrise.¡¯ He thought with a sigh.


    Just then, the crater below him shook. An elongated metal pole. Golden, exuding a brilliance to it, extended upwards. Squatting on it with a curious grin was none other than Rhett Son Goku.


    Jane turned towards him, his golden pupils flicking with intent.


    ¡°If you have no plan of joining in the confrontation. Then I advise you to stand aside as you have done so far.¡±


    Rhett laughed out loud in amusement. His arms scratched at his curly black hair.


    A gleeful glint sparked in his eyes while his tail swung about in the air.


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    ¡°Jane, Jane.¡± He muttered, amusement laced in between each statement.


    ¡°I admit, we¡¯ve not been the best of help. After all, Mother did say we should avoid involving ourselves in things like this.¡±


    Jane¡¯s expression grew stern. His lips turned into a thin line.


    ¡®as I thought. That woman never liked the Great Family. Mother had always said she was reeking with poison whenever she saw her....¡¯


    He turned away.


    ¡®...not that any of that is my business.¡¯


    ¡°Brett and I will participate now.¡±


    A smirk grew from his lips. A smug one. Almost royal.


    Another tremor phased through the crater at that point, and slowly, heads could be seen ascending the depression.


    Bodies slowly taking shape with it.


    Golden light suffused the surrounding air. Students who had been frozen in place from his control were now suffused in that golden light.


    The light phased through their bodies, igniting a warm hue within as it swept through to their brain. In their brain, it exploded. A sharp mixture of golden and white that escaped through the orifice, clearing the spell that had bound them once before.


    Students who had not been locked in the spell were already out of the crater. Their expression filled with shock and relief at the sight below them.


    While the students whose minds were cleared came through to reality.


    Their bodies moved as instructed, groans of mental strain escaping their lips as they did so.


    Brett¡¯s silver staff emerged from the rubble, stretching towards the sky until it met his brothers and the floating golden child.


    ¡°This is your doing, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Jane shrugged as he watched the scene unfold.


    Minds who were once bound to the evil of a spell were once again set free, and his encroachment in their minds had been lifted.


    ¡°This is the work of Divine Mana in its purest form. Only a selective few of the Lucia Household are capable of this.¡±


    Brett scoffed as he glanced down as well.


    The expressions that showcased on the students¡¯ faces were evident. Expected.


    Surprise. Relief. Joy.


    A friend had once again regained his consciousness and control.


    A brother. A sister. A class representative. All returned to their former state. Once again interacting with one another as a wave of chatter began.


    A few of the representatives had their heads up, while a few others were focused on the scenery a few meters away.


    The Cyclone of dust and rocks had not dispersed fully. It had not even reached half, nor a quarter of that.


    And the System Uprisers were still locked in there, fighting to regain control.


    ¡°Still, it should be no easy feat. Something like this must have taken a lot of mana.¡±


    Brett muttered in the silence. Rain pouring down in beats.


    Jane remained silent for a moment. While his thoughts reeled in.


    ¡®It did....but...¡¯


    He closed his eyes, retreating into his inner world.


    Aura came in stars in the Dantian. Mana came as circles around the heart. This was the same for every kind of mana. Including Divine Mana.


    Around his heart, he counted slowly.


    ¡®five....six.....seven....¡¯ He paused. A sparkle of life igniting within the depths of his heart. Beating with a rhythmic surge of power and energy.


    His lips curled into a smile. ¡®.... Eight.¡¯


    He had become a Master.


    ¡®Well, this will be helpful, going forth.¡¯


    He opened his eyes and turned to his arm, lifting it in his palm.


    There, a new stigma took root. A rod staff entwined by a single snake. Asclepius.


    Now, he could use three different god attributes at the same time, under forty minutes.


    Though, with how much time had expended in his form. He had more or less ten minutes to go.


    A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he turned back to the wind cyclone.


    His thoughts arranged in order as he stared at it in silence.


    Brett¡¯s gaze shifted from him to the rising wind tide as well. A scoff escaped his lips.


    ¡°To think a single swing of your arm would cause something like that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me. It was the power of the gods I serve.¡±


    ¡°The gods...¡± Brett glanced at Rhett. The latter smiling smugly as he glanced back at the former. ¡°There is only one god....¡± He continued.


    ¡°The god of the Beasts, Son Goku.¡± Rhett concluded.


    Jane remained silent. He spent more time within his thoughts than physical at this moment. All forms of puzzles laid in wait for him. Shifting to the right spot to make a bigger picture with a simplified world view.


    He needed a way to make sense of what had occurred so far.


    Pull in their past actions. Their present actions and formulate their future actions.


    A moment turned to a minute, then another and soon, five minutes.


    He sighed inwardly, when a voice cut the air, and the silence with it.


    ¡°Jane Lucia.¡±


    Glancing down with a raised brow, his expression eased.


    ¡®Oh....that¡¯s true. We were quite capable.¡¯


    Below were the Class Monitors and a few noteworthy mentions of their class. Locked and loaded. Eyes sharpened from the experience thrown at them in real time.


    Hearts pulsating with blood and adrenaline. Surge of mana and aura running milestones through their body.


    They sought blood. And not just any blood.


    The blood of the System Uprisers.


    ¡®Well, I can tell they would be pissed. Their minds were taken control of without their consent and were prepared in advance to rebel against the Academy.¡¯


    Jane paused for a moment.


    ¡®They must be pissed at them¨C and maybe themselves for almost falling for their sweet lies.¡¯


    He smiled. A genuine one. One that blossomed his features. Casting an elegance across his already beautiful face.


    Some gaped at the sight. Mere seconds away from falling for something dangerous.


    ¡°You called, Miss Amelia.¡±


    A moment of silence hung in the air for a moment. Just a moment, as Amelia Locks sighed outwardly.


    ¡°Firstly. Your appearance is intimidating. Secondly, floating like that while we speak to you from down here is demeaning. We are your seniors.¡±


    Jane¡¯s brows twitched. A slight arch in his brow as he tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°Hah, Geez. Amelia. Now isn¡¯t the time for that ego of yours. You know he has a plan, so just ask for it, already.¡±


    Brett interjected in the conversation.


    Grabbing the attention of the students gathered. Amelia included.


    She frowned slightly.


    ¡°I would rather not hear anything from the fool who sat and did nothing while we almost died.¡±


    Brett¡¯s lips curled downwards. His playful smirk gone. Replaced with something colder.


    ¡°Yet, here you are, ordering the very same person who protected you meaningless creatures while at the brink of death.¡±


    His voice was warped with something slick. Something alien. A deep, authoritative, hate. Licked between his teeth.


    Jane¡¯s eyes bulged open in shock. His head darted to the side.


    ¡®Did...did those words just come out from his mouth?¡¯


    Rhett and Brett were a playful bunch. Power hungry twins with the lineage of the Monkey King. A being who riots against the Heavens in many histories of the gods.


    Histories that Jane was well aware of.


    He had never considered them his peers, but the fact remained still. Once they reached the apex of their abilities, nothing would be able to stop them.


    ¡®...I guess that¡¯s why they¡¯ve never truly reached the apex despite being a direct Lineage.¡¯


    He turned away and slowly descended.


    ¡°Never mind that, Miss Amelia. You seem to have a sharp mind, knowing that I was trying to come up with a plan.¡±


    Amelia¡¯s gaze shifted slightly. As if she had been pulled from whatever world she had been absorbed in.


    ¡°Yes. It seems Carl and Darrell are in danger. I remember seeing them separating to go in that direction.¡±


    ¡°They are. Carl is under the spell and Darrell is close to death.¡±


    His statement sent a swirl of shock through the crowd of students as a fit of murmur began in the uproar.


    Amelia¡¯s expression grew dim.


    ¡°Darrell¡¯s at the brink of death...not dead?¡±


    Jane chuckled slightly. A smug formation on his face.


    ¡°It is as I said. Now, let us discuss the matter at hand.¡± He paused for a moment, glancing at the cyclone ahead. It had begun to dissipate.


    ¡°Time is running out.¡±

 Chapter 385: 385- Festival 116- Raid on a Rainy Night 55

    Chapter 385: Chapter 385- Festival 116- Raid on a Rainy Night 55


    Moments passed and the strong current of the wind began to drop at a drastic speed.


    Boulders that rose high in the air from the strong forces had begun to descend, slamming against the ground before breaking into pieces.


    The victims within had become a bit clearer now.


    Robed figures, basked in their robes of black. Cloaks over their heads and their bodies stretched out in resisting the impact.


    These were people from the level seventy. Defeating them was not going to be an easy feat. Especially for a number of first and second years.


    Yet, under the luminance of the moon. Within the dark clouds that cascaded across the expanse of the sky, and the rain drops that fell with increasing intensity.


    The students approached it with wary expressions.


    Weapons out. Mana surged. Aura prepared and attacks pre-determined.


    Now, was the wait. The wait for the leaders of their Student Front.


    In the air was Jane Lucia with his arms folded, and beside him were the Son Goku twins. Both mounting a white mist of cloud.


    Below were the Leaders of the Student Front. An attempt. A struggling one, that pulled the entirety of both classes to form a small battalion.


    It was nothing much. Just their way of fighting back at the causes of their predicament. The scorn of the disasters that had plagued the Academy. An academy that had stood for years, nearing its hills because of the revolt of Rebelling Adults.


    The System Uprisers.


    Amelia Locks. Forzlz Luke. Florjin Quirin. Mayo Flimenarian.


    Each in their combat wears.


    An armor for the knights and warriors. Robes for the mages.


    Most of the student possessed one of those. Secured neatly in their storage ring. Even the smallest of sizes was obtainable with the right price, and it served its purpose at times like this.


    Even with that. Securing one and wearing it at all times were two different issues. Both possessing its difficulties.


    While they watched, the hazy lines of the flying wind. The pressure it exerted in the air. It¡¯s rippling echo. The hollow moans of the trembling skies. And the bodies that floated within, locked in an eternal play of merry-go-round.


    They felt a visceral energy flow through them. Raw. Palpable. Real.


    Amelia scoffed at it. An internal monologue playing within her head.


    ¡®If someone had told me that I would be facing my Lecturers during the Festival, then I would have asked them to get a Psychic Mage.¡¯


    She laughed at the thought.


    ¡®But to think they would go this far to accomplish their goal.¡¯


    Big dreams require sacrifices. Sacrifices requires goals.


    Amelia was well aware of this. After all, she was an aspiring knight. A virtuous one that would serve under the light of the Lucia Household.


    The Divine Cauldron. The knights of the gods.


    She felt goosebumps run down her skin when its name rang in her head.


    Lips parting as she licked them slowly.


    She clenched her fist.


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    ¡®How dare they control students? Manipulate them into joining their disgusting revolt.¡¯


    She was a system user, yes. But she wasn¡¯t dumb.


    She was aware of the Key system that stood in place. Saw it. Accepted it. Appreciated it.


    There was no ¡®under-treatment¡¯ in any form in the way the King acted.


    System users and Non-system users alike filled the courthouse with the King. They flourished and suffered equally. Bearing their transgressions on their forehead while they walk down the street.


    The King¡¯s rule was simply the will of Mayura.


    And the System Uprisers? They were blasphemous. Dirtying the name of their goddess. Her goddess.


    She couldn¡¯t accept that. And after their collective mind control over the student¡¯s, she certainly wouldn¡¯t accept it now.


    With a stern expression. One filled with intent and desire. The desire to protect. She turned up at Jane.


    ¡°...¡±


    Silence. Her jaw clenched shut. Eyes brimming with something deep. Pulsing with remarkable brilliance.


    ¡®Jane, Lucia.¡¯


    The Son of the very household she wishes to serve.


    She held her gaze for a moment. A sigh escaping her lips.


    ¡°Jane, Lucia. When do we strike?¡±


    Jane flinched, his concentration cut as he glanced down.


    A moment of silence hung in the air for a moment, before he glanced back at the cyclone and then at her.


    ¡°Anytime now. Prepare the Mages and start attacking the strays you spot out from the wind. It should affect them while afloat.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that influence the wind up draft though?¡±


    Brett interjected. His voice cutting through their conversation like a scythe.


    ¡°Why not wait until it becomes a bit clearer. Attack the moment they began to prepare, there¡¯s.¡±


    Jane scoffed as he glanced at him.


    ¡°And you think they haven¡¯t, now?¡±


    Luke sighed outwardly. Swinging his double swords in the air.


    ¡°Come on, you two. We don¡¯t have the time for your scuffle. There¡¯s a time and place for that.¡±


    Their attention drew to the ash haired fellow. His hair slowly drifting in the air from the current of the wind.


    He shrugged, a frown playing on his lips as he dropped his blade on the ground.


    ¡°The both of you are right in your own way.¡±


    He paused. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter in the end. Once Roland decides to leave, He will. That thing may hold the others, but it won¡¯t hold him for long.¡±


    Brett¡¯s gaze snapped in realization.


    ¡®True! Roland.¡¯ He thought out loud. A blunder to his deliverance. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned away.


    ¡°We attack, now.¡±


    He said simply.


    A tense silence hung in the air immediately after. Their breaths peaking up from the rush of adrenaline into their system.


    Amelia simply had to raise her arm into the air now, and their retaliation shall begin.


    Lives will be lost. Many may lose. A few would rise. And the chaos will ensue as such.


    It was expected. Rational. Nothing she had not thought of since her decision.


    Yet, carrying out the order seemed like a heavy thing. Almost like lifting a 150 kg dumbbell for your last rep.


    You had done it so far, and you had done it well. But the last and final always seemed to be the heaviest.


    The tension in her arm as she attempted to lift it up became palpable.


    Luke simply glanced at her to decipher what was going on in her head.


    He stepped next to her, grabbed her arm, turned towards the gathered students and in a fluid motion. Rose it to the air.


    In a second, the air warped. Rippled. Shock. Vibrated with a powerful hum.


    Mana surged into the air like wind. It¡¯s intensity sending the tiny particles of the atmosphere into a frenzy.


    Soon the skies were cast with the luminance of colors. Colors of unification.


    Yellow lightning streaming through the skies like electric eels.


    Crimson flames igniting with the Volcanic rage of the sun. Casting its fiery intent on the world.


    Aqua water flowing like the pools of a lake. Tranquil, yet feral in every form.


    Green wind shook the skies. It¡¯s turbulent tendrils forming bolts and bullets. Masses of balls that charged with the purpose of destruction.


    Even the earth beneath them shook from the cry of their Manas. The quakes spreading with the cracks that stretched across the ground like spiderwebs.


    Chunks of rocks broke out, emerging into the air. Taking shapes wielded by the caster.


    Jane watched as the phenomenon played out in motion.


    Each step carrying them further into a path of no returns.


    He nodded once. Satisfaction etched in his face as he turned back at the cyclone of wind.


    It had dispersed to a good level now. The figures of the caged figures could be traced with much more ease, and the dirt that blurred their visions from fully seeing had been lifted.


    In fact, many of them could see what was to come.


    Roland included. Darrell was still tightly wrapped in his grasp. His intent on not letting him go had been made evident in his consistent effort to keep it so.


    His vision was once again cleared. At least, by a good enough portion and now, he could make do with what was in front of him.


    But this? This wasn¡¯t in the plan book.


    At least, not one he was aware of.


    ¡°Oh my goodness. Has the Academy sent for outside help?¡±


    ¡°Impossible! We cut off their connection to the outside world! None of this is supposed to have gone out until the sun rises.¡±


    ¡°Shit?! Then what is that?¡±


    The chatter of the hovering figures. Though, scattered, was loud enough for his hearing to make sense of it.


    Every last word, including the panic that began to make itself evident in those words.


    From afar, and at first. It had seemed like the attacks were coordinated by numerous skilled Mages.


    With an organized group, lined in order and advancing in a coordinated format. One could mistakenly take it for a squad from the battalion of the King.


    But Roland didn¡¯t think so. His years of experience and sharp eyes saw through their antics.


    Clear cracks laid in their wake. Hastened preparations. Nontactical experience. Worn-out expressions.


    These were students who had just decided to fight back.


    While that left room to breathe, since they were less of a threat than they appeared to be, it also brought room for something else. Doubt.


    His eyes narrowed at the incoming barrage of attacks. A single thought playing in mind.


    ¡®The spells.¡¯ His mouth parted open slightly. Visible shock evident in his expression.


    ¡®They¡¯re gone.¡¯

 Chapter 386: 386- Festival 117- Raid on a Rainy Night 56

    Chapter 386: Chapter 386- Festival 117- Raid on a Rainy Night 56


    The night air was filled with the rippling tension of a growing tide of mana and magic.


    Wands and Staff stretched across the expanse of the sky. Rain falling haphazardly with the intensity of its flow.


    Mana surged, palpable and evident. Filling the air with a rhythmic crack.


    Mana, unlike Aura, was always considered to be a volatile form of energy. As one was used within the body and the other used outside of it.


    Knowing this, its explosive nature and strong wavelengths that disperse space in bits to large amounts were all properties of a battlefield.


    Especially one for Mages.


    Time ticked in slow motion. Bodies tensed. Muscles gripped and soon, the strong current of wind that had formed a cyclone over the Lecture Theaters had begun to come to a slow stop.


    Little by little. Form by form. The energy dispersed.


    And with it, free will of the Robed figures was returned. Once again returned to them.


    Roland had observed enough by now.


    There was nothing impressive about the sight before him. However, the same question that lingered in his mind a moment ago, remained still. Unwavering, creating a blister that refused to close up.


    If, as he thought, they did set themselves free from the Spell. Then their plan was to collapse backwards by at least three steps.


    Its number, while sounding little, was anything but that.


    The disparity of the situation had only settled in after witnessing it. But perhaps, it was better not to confirm it.


    Something like this was much better when the Caster was aware through their eyes than what they hear.


    His eyes blinked. His thoughts snapped into order.


    He tilted his body to the side, glancing behind the Lecture Theater Complex.


    Beyond that, was the Staff Building. Standing a fair distance away.


    He could reach it.


    ¡®Just with one jump. Or...or a push?¡¯ He wondered.


    His arms tightened around his captive. The one thing he seemed bent on not losing that night.


    Darrell Silvan was a chess piece they could use in many instances.


    Presently, he may seem dead, but Roland knew quite well that he truly wasn¡¯t.


    Hibernation. That¡¯s what they call it.


    They take an arrow to the heart and still come back a week later like nothing happened.


    He grinned at the thought.


    The only way to kill an Elf was to cut their head off. That way, mana flowing from their heart wouldn¡¯t reach their brain and ignite their body systems. They¡¯ll stay dead that way.


    But he wasn¡¯t going to do that. At least not yet.


    Darrell was much more valuable as a chess piece in hibernation. If he so decided.


    They could ask for a ransom for his wellbeing. Or even better, start a Civil War between the Kingdom and the Elves.


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    Now that was a plan.


    He suddenly shook his head.


    ¡®Not now. Focus, Roland.¡¯


    He tensed his muscles, mana, and energy twirling into his body mass. Filling what needed to be filled for his next action.


    Veins bulge out, pumped by the flow of blood and adrenaline.


    He waited for a second, focused his vision on his target. And in the next, he lunged forward like a stone released from a catapult.


    With an eruption of sound and blast of wind in concentric waves, his body blasted through the Cyclone, dispersing it totally into whiffs of wind.


    The others screamed in surprise as their bodies descended at a sudden and drastic speed when the air ripped with the sounds of ensuing danger.


    Some Robed figures looked up, only to gap at the incoming fall of doom. Fireballs flared through the skies. Lightning bolts and streams flowed Luke raging dragons, crackling the surrounding air.


    Water bullets and balls surged forward with the speed and ferociousness of an aquatic predator, filling the air with a somber hue.


    Wind whipped out like a lash. Surging with such speed that the atmosphere warped around them.


    The barrage of attacks came like a reckoning. An iridescent cascade of energy and elements, warped in its rawest form.


    The time had come. And it comes with style.


    In the next moment, the air was filled with a chain of loud explosions.


    Eruptions that thundered with the ever-increasing intensity of the spells cast by the students.


    Its shockwaves spread through the earth. A tether of destruction crawling in cracks against the earth and air.


    The atmosphere went into a frenzy. Molecules splitting and dispersing with the strong current of the


    And the sound. The sound hummed, vibrations spreading like thunder through the skies.


    Tension and adrenaline was left hanging in the air in its primal form. Expectations and Hesitation evident in the expressions of the Students as they watched it unfold with quiet pressure.


    Roland had not looked back once since he escaped the cyclone prison.


    In fact, he had not cared less of the explosions that rained below him.


    Nor the pained screams that ensued from his subordinates.


    It was no surprise that the attack struck them without as much as waiting for a form of retaliation.


    They had simply fallen, only to be met by the strong hands of the Mages.


    Not that it bothered him. He simply looked ahead.


    Surging through the air at an exponentially


    increasing speed. He held his arms and legs tightly pressed together on his body. Giving his figure the shape of an arrow.


    Darrell was placed firmly on his shoulder like a prized possession. His prized possession.


    The distance covered halved instantly, and the building had become much clearer now. Distinctive. Only an inch away from him.


    His mind settled, satisfied with his decision. His lips curled into a grin. A knowing grin as his thoughts reeled in.


    ¡®the others will be pleased with my decision. Though, Crown might bring up a good argument against me.¡¯


    His thoughts paused. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. We need any form of win as it is.¡¯


    With a settled mind, he leaned for his goal. Completely clueless at the shadow that suddenly hovered him in the process.


    It took a second of processing before he realized it. And with a subtle nudge of his head. His eyes flared up in shock.


    ¡°Where to, Roland?¡±


    Jane¡¯s voice cut through the air like a whip. His hand curled into fists as he bashed through the air in a blur.


    Slamming into Roland with a sudden force and a sonic boom ensuing from the strike.


    Roland¡¯s body descended out of course in a matter of seconds. Like a bullet, his body turned to a blur, and with gravity, he was dealt a heavy hand. He crashed into the concrete pavement in a loud explosion.


    Rocks and dust rose into the air. A thunder-like sound ensuing from the force of the fall.


    A compression formed in the ground. A crater, under which the mass of Roland¡¯s body laid, sprawled on the ground.


    His eyes narrowed. Fingers twitching as he sat up and looked to the side.


    His gaze grew thinner.


    ¡®He¡¯s gone.¡¯


    Darrell¡¯s body, which he had held with such delicacy and firmness a moment ago, had been yanked from his grasp without giving him a chance to retaliate.


    His jaws clenched as he glanced up while his mind replayed the collision again. Slower and slower.


    There, he could see it vividly.


    Jane¡¯s sudden descent, his arms stretched as it pulled Darrell away from him. A golden energy had been spilled into the air.


    It¡¯s holy tendrils reaching for his mind, a slow corruption to his thoughts.


    ¡®He made me give the body up.¡¯


    For a moment, he had lost himself during the confrontation.


    It was why he had not invaded it. Despite the distance and speed, he moved, Jane was still just a Master at the 8th Circle.


    Roland was a Level 93 Magic Swordsman. He had every time to dodge. But he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡®Hm....if he could do that to me. Then I wouldn¡¯t be surprised about the spell.¡¯


    The properties of Divine mana had never been understood before. Then and now, it remained a mystery. Its properties. It¡¯s manner of flow.


    Compared to mana or even Dark Mana, Divine Mana seemed to pose a much more profound meaning than the surface of just ¡®healing.¡¯


    He sighed at the thought. Slowly standing to his feet as he dusted his body.


    Just then, his ears perched up to the sound.


    The sound of screaming students. Not one of pain or anguish, but a cry of battle.


    It seemed like they had charged into the battlefield. Hell-bent on confronting their Lecturers.


    He froze for a moment. Processing the distant cries. The screams. The anger. The pure emotions on the battlefield.


    He scoffed.


    ¡®Pitiful children.¡¯


    From above, Jane landed to the ground with a light thud. Golden energy suffused around him as Darrell¡¯s form was enveloped in it while he laid in his arms.


    His attention focused on the Elvin Prince.


    Standing still without a trace of emotions while he worked his way through the boy¡¯s body.


    The flow of golden energy. Divine Mana. Suffused from his body to Darrell¡¯s body. Permeating through his sweat pores. His orifices and every form of outlet provided by his body.


    It crept through his body. Amending. Fixing. Pulling its raw energy into the boy¡¯s form and refilling what had been taken from it. Or what was missing.


    Jane¡¯s gaze narrowed at the process. His thoughts lining in order.


    ¡®His mana. It was nearly drained out completely.¡¯ Their flow of mana was what kept them alive even in death. If his mana had run out while his body had not been fixed and restarted.


    He licked his lips slowly.


    ¡®I would have lost a friend today.¡¯


    Footsteps echoed in his ears, causing him to raise his head. His eyes meet at the same point as the source of the disturbance.


    ¡°Roland Sunrise.¡± He said slowly. His voice filled with a repressed, boiling emotion. ¡°I must say, you are stupid.¡±


    Roland froze for a second. Taken aback by his statement. Artificially so.


    He shrugged, tilted his head to the side, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sky, before turning back to him.


    ¡°What nonsense are you saying now, boy? Isn¡¯t this a good thing? The Elvin child is dead. Won¡¯t the Lucia Household be pleased?¡±


    Jane clicked his tongue. ¡°While you may be right about that. I would be more worried about the cause of his death. The Lumbrica Kingdom, Divine Kingdom and Elvin Federation wouldn¡¯t let such an anomaly go by after all¡±


    He scoffed.


    ¡°You should place more worry on yourself than leach for praise for a fool¡¯s errand.¡±


    Roland raised a brow. His lips curled into a tight grin. He was surprisingly amused.


    ¡°Oh?¡± He muttered. Too startled to think of what to say, but it seemed Jane wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°I gave you enough time to escape, so if I were you. I would run like the rat you are and escape.¡±


    He paused. ¡°Don¡¯t seek a death not worth finding.¡±


    A moment of silence passed after that.


    Tension hung in the air as they stood apart from one another.


    Under the canopies of the walkway. Or what was left of it, the dented iron zinc reeled with the wind.


    Rain trailing down its edges, adding a somber hue to the silence.


    Add the occasional explosions from the fight behind them, the silence was quite predictable to what it would lead to.


    Roland suddenly took a step back, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck.


    Mana swirling within his body as he stretched his hand in the air. A white light sparked into life, forming an executioner blade. Hard. Sharp. Large.


    It held the very foundation of his techniques.


    He swung it through the air, slicing through the rain in the process, and pointed it at Jane.


    He licked his lips as the inevitable settled.


    ¡°I shall see it. And I shall conquer it.¡±


    ___A/N___


    Will post the second tomorrow.