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"... Yawwnn…"
'I'm getting sleepy… To no surprise.'
'Immediately after exiting the memories, I went to train without rest. I'm mentally and physically exhausted… But can I be blamed? I needed to get some things over with first.'
'I'll get my well-deserved rest later… But right now, I need to raise some money; if my total credit count reaches 0, I will get in trouble.'
'I have some left for a little while, but it's best to solve this issue before I end up caught in another strange anomaly… I'd prefer if I could focus on my training and plans if possible.'
'Going to another Dungeon should solve my immediate issues and help me test some things out. The Simulation Room can help me, but I'm in an awkward place…'
'Every foe I've met so far was either too strong for me to even properly analyze them, or was defeated by me in the end. So if I grew stronger, they wouldn't help me either.'
'I'd like to test my strength against the instructors and the Royal Knights, but I haven't experienced their true strength, so Simulation Room can't effectively simulate them.'
'This fact is one of the reasons why I didn't simulate some of my skills' effects with it either. Because how can it simulate something it has no data on?'
'That can apply to several of my Skills but not all… After all, Skill Fusion is a type of operation, so if it has all the data and the formula, shouldn't it be able to calculate it also?...'
'Well, it's just a conjecture… And an assumption from me. I'll only know if it can do it once I try it out.'
'Thus, testing my strength against stronger opponents should do the trick. The Academy has Dungeons of all sizes and levels, so I can just start small and see how far I can go… As long l keep it in moderation…'
'Above all, move before someone tries to mess with me.'
Philip knew that the Wardens were partly in control of a student group using them to fuel their goals. And while the actions of a single Warden were likely not something they'd care about, its the idea of a rogue worming around their perfected System that would alert them.
He may be uninterested in their actions, but this doesn't mean it's the same the other way around… What would they think about his situation? A person not within their grasp rising quickly within the rankings?...
Even more so when you consider Philip's background is convoluted… Not that they would've been able to notice the oddities in his documents.
Either way, they will definitely approach him sooner or later.
He could've played in their little scheme and followed the "rules", but he didn't have the time to climb the gruesome hierarchy of the Academy. Following orders, doing menial tasks, risking his life, commanding others… That would've taken too much of his already limited time.
He used Emanuel to help him blend in for a while, but even with his influence, it was only a matter of time until they figured out his existence. He could only do so much to hide him from their System with his limited authority, and he likely wasn't the only one with access to the archives in the first place.
They might even consider Emanuel to have been compromised or that he betrayed them… But whatever happened to him due to this was none of his concern.
Philip only wished to gather what he needed and lay low for a while… But if they did try to bother him, he'd be more than happy to end this problem before it grew into something too bothersome.
{DING!}
"Oh?"
As he walked, his badge shook lightly, like a cellphone receiving a call.
He checked what was wrong, but as he did so, he momentarily furrowed his eyebrows, pensive.
He had received a mission from a higher-ranking personnel. One he couldn't just refuse.
"Hum…"
'This was faster than I expected. It hasn't even been ten minutes. What could they plan in so little time?'
He looked at the distance where his mission told him to go, putting his badge on his chest as he did so.
'I'll figure it out either way.'
/Step…/
He readied himself for a confrontation…
…
/Later…/
Philip followed the instructions and arrived at a small arena in the outer reaches, around a kilometer from the Main Academy's building.
As he looked around, his tiredness suddenly flared, but not in the form of his body failing to keep up, but laziness.
He felt empty coming all the way here just to entertain some busybodies. While he had a faint belief this mission was real, after arriving, it became clear something wasn't right.
And trouble was the last thing he wanted…
"This place… One of the training arenas. But why here of all places?"
Given the Academy teaches sorcery and similar arts, emphasizing its practicality for combat and research, it's clear they would need safe places to experiment, as Dungeons are a bit too risky. Hence, these arenas are everywhere.
From all shapes and sizes to complex and simple ones. And of the two, this one would be at the bottom of both categories.
Of course, this is an oversimplification of how this works, but it gets the job done.
"My mission only told me to be here by a certain time but it has no other directions… If they're late I'll just book it with the Credits…"
'But wait, would they even pay me in the first place? I guess the Academy's Spirit would enforce that…'
Philip analyzed the area with his abilities but saw no one. So he focused on his environment, trying to get some clues:
The arena was mainly made out of stone, being fifteen meters in diameter and surrounded by a two rolls of stone chairs like that of a colosseum.
It seemed pretty well maintained apart from the ground of the arena itself, it was cracked in some places, burned in others, and there was even dried blood in some places. It was clearly used recently.
Usually cleaners and maintenance would be called to take care of this place… Perhaps this was his mission and it was all a big misunderstanding?
/Step step…/
Of course, shattering his hopes, Philip heard someone coming from a corridor on the other side of the arena.
/Chatter…/
"... wait?"
"... silence!..."
With his powerful hearing, he could faintly hear their conversation as they arrived. But they didn't say much, keeping quiet as soon as they reached the Arena's immediate vicinity.
Soon enough, four hooded guys with weapons in their hands walked onto the arena.
They seemed to be clad in armor, but their cloaks made it difficult for him to properly visualize what they wore.
"Unnecessarily dramatic."
'Were they waiting for me? Or… Did they just arrive? Otherwise, it doesn't make sense I wasn't able to sense them before. They aren't even trying to hide it.'
He inspected them from head to toe in silence, but snickered at the complete lack of detail.
They were all rather forgettable, their clothes were mixed with no uniform or distinguishable pattern or icon, which made him frown given you need a badge or a similar item to enter the Arena, otherwise, the Academy Spirit would prevent you from entering the barrier surrounding it.
Above all, just like how Wardens need a badge visible on their bodies while on duty, students are obliged to wear their year's respective uniform so they can be quickly identified from afar.
Only unique cases like class representatives and those in the mighty Student Council wore anything extra to discern them from the others.
Common workers weren't safe from this rule either as Jailers and Janitors also possessed uniforms with the former wearing strong orange uniforms that glows under the light, while Janitors wore blue uniforms with bright green belts around their waists.
Philip initially found Jailers quite funny, given it reminded him of a safety cone on a road…
Even teachers had to carry an ID at all times… The Academy doesn't play around with its security… Which is why he found them odd.
They were clearly breaking a few rules just by their looks. And unless they were all teachers… Well, that'd be a completely different problem…
They stopped a few meters from him on the other side of the arena where one of them pointed at Philip, asking: "Is that the guy?"
He wore a dark robe, being taller then the others.
The one in the red robe complained at his companion's stupidity, saying: "Are you really asking that? There is no one else here."
But his sarcasm wasn't appreciated, for the one beside him, a man in blue robes, said:
"Humph… Last time we almost made a mistake exactly because of your cheekiness."
/Shrugg…/
While the man shrugged, Philip confirmed his doubts.
Trouble had come after him. Just as he feared…
"..."
Meanwhile, the last one, someone with a white robe, remained silent.
"These people…"
Still… There was one thing he couldn't understand…
'What is this? The "Power Mages"?'
'Black, red, blue, and white?... Where are yellow and red? Is there also the pink robe?... Did I say red twice?'
'What a terrible way to hide your identity… But it seems the robes aren't entirely for fashion. I can't see their facial expressions. Its a similar feeling to when I saw that lady in the Ring's branch, but this time, no matter how much I try, I can't spot anything under the darkness of their hoods.'
'Could the colors mean something else, then?'
""...""
However, just like how Philip studied them, they did the same to him. From his posture to his clothes, they kept their eyes on him at all times.
"... Something's wrong."
The one in the blue cloak was the first to break the silence, shaking his head in confusion as he turned to look at the one in red.
"What's wrong?"
"I can't see his State."
"Are you sure? This isn't the kind of thing to play around with!"
"I wouldn't joke about that. Besides, it's not as bad as it seems… It isn't that I can't read it, I can but it shows as a value too negligible to even consider."
"I see… I've heard of that before…"
"..."
'They don't care about me at all… What do they even want with me? Should I say something?... There's no need for that.'
They were quite far from each other, but even so, the one in red completely disregarded Philip, as if it didn't matter if he could hear him or not.
/Whispers…/
That said, the one in dark wasn't as careless, whispering something to him, prompting him to lower his tone as well.
Not that it mattered though as Philip could hear them all regardless.
"What do we do now? This wasn't in the report."
"What else? The same as always… Besides, what else do you expect from a report made in half a minute?..."
"I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, though, being careful won't take much longer."
"... Are we really doing this?..."
"Unless you want to get an earful later, we're getting this over with."
While they were distracted finishing their little meeting, Philip also moved on with his observations:
"..."
'State? Oh, right… Almost forgot about that.'
Philip's eyes flashed with light as he activated Scholar's Vision, and several windows of information appeared before him:
[Lv ???]
[Lv ???]
[Lv ???]
[Lv ???]
'Not surprising… They're all above Level 40. It may seem low, and from a certain perspective it is… Although it depends on your perspective.'
'Levels 40 and 50 are both very important milestones. And while it varies from individual to individual, these people would be comparable to your average 4th class magician. Perhaps even 5th depending on what those peoples levels are.'
'Wizards usually grow a Circle every ten or so levels, although it's not always the case… That said, even if someone never gets experience in a traditional way, the System will still display an appropriate level to an individual if they grow strong enough. Although that isn't applicable in every case like mine.'
'Someone's Level is not a precise indicator of strength… The more I study and grow used to the common sense of this world, the more I realize how ridiculous the power of each Hero is.'
'Nonetheless, levels can help you in estimating someone's strength. And you know their Class, you may even be able to estimate their Stats and Skills… But that isn't a sure thing either.'
'Dae once said there was a once morbid genius that became an Archmage before reaching Level 20… A cultivator may live his entire life in a cave and only train day in and day out with nothing but pure effort and talent, and leave at the apex of martial art.'
'After all of that, with all the might he acquired, by the System's own rules… He wouldn't even be Level 10…'
'Well, that might've been a bit of an exaggeration since every action, regardless of how small it is, can reward experience to someone. So over time, people will accumulate achievements proportional to their actions. Otherwise, most Humans wouldn't have Levels.'
'Humans naturally receive a Level as they grow, usually ending around 5 when they reach adulthood… Still, what exactly is the concept of Levels, is still a bit of a mystery to me.'
'One thing that I do understand is that getting power beyond your level is a hard task. The System has the habit of wanting to keep things in balance…'
'That's why this is such a difficult thing to achieve. Hard work isn't enough to punch beyond your weight, it's just an aspect of it… You may be able to defeat someone slightly stronger than you with a mix of many aspects, but on average, whatever Level the System assigns you would usually come as fair.'
'If that wasn't the case, the System wouldn't consider someone defeating someone far stronger than themselves as an achievement…'
/Step…/
""...""
While Philip was lost in thought, the group stepped closer to him, with the one in red addressing him first:
"So? I guess you're Philip?"
"I suppose I am, yes. So erm eh…? Do you need anything done?"
'Technically speaking, my mission is done, so I could just leave, but things wouldn't end today. That's not a variable I want around me.'
"HA! I like this guy, directly to the point, perfect…"
The one in red began walking back and forth in a line, but no one paid it any heed.
"..."
'This man likes to be the center of attention. He seems to derive pleasure from being in control.' Philip thought as he read his emotions
"Let's cut the chase… What is your deal? Who is behind you?"
"Behind me? My deal? Can you be a bit more specific?…"
/BOOOM!/
The guy in red kicked the ground, making the arena tremble while throwing a wave of dirt and dust and Philip, almost burying him in it.
"#!!"
'I was planning on ending things peacefully if possible, but I'm starting to reconsider…'
"I hate wasting time, so stop pretending and asnwer me."
He took out a paper and started to read it out loud:
"One week and one day, that was the time you spent in this place, and apart from staying in a library doing a series of activities, you did nothing else."
"In one night, you went from someone who could barely become Rank 2 to someone who could go directly to Rank 3, you really got us off guard."
"How?"
When Philip heard that, he smiled and raised one of his eyebrows.
"What do you mean barely?... I wasn't that far from ranking up from the moment I entered the Academy."
"As for the rest, isn't it simple? I raised enough Credits in the Dungeon. Adding them with everything else I did makes for the amount I currently have."
"It's all filled from start to end, there is no one behind me but me. I'm but a simple worker."
"A simple worker wouldn't receive such privileges. If you're that skillful, you could've found a job anywhere else, yet to choose to throw your life away as a Warden?"
"Not to say the inconsistencies in your portfolio. Someone is covering your actions. So… This is my last warning."
"Who do you work for? Was it not clear from the start that this place belongs to somebody?"
"..."
'He does have a point… It seems they've found out about Emanuel's tampering with the System, although it doesn't look like they know it's him yet… They've already done a lot for the little time they had.'
'That aside, it doesn't look like they'll listen to me… It seems the situation in the academy is stricter than I expected. For them to be this tense… They're likely expecting resistance or conflict.'
'Very well then, time to wrap this stage and move on.'
"Hum… I don't know how to reply. Should I praise you for connecting the dots, or should I call you stupid for overthinking something that isn't there?"
"What?"
"I told you before… No one is backing me, I'm just doing my job. I'll be taking my leave now, M'Lords…"
"..."
The guy in red froze as he saw Philip disregard him, clenching his fist in reply.
"You… Stay… Right there… We aren't done here yet." He said deeply as he tried to keep his composure
"No thanks, my mission's done and I have work to do…"
'Look at this guy, he can barely keep his calm… Must be a brat.'
"This fucking servant!..."
The guy in red shook in anger as he stepped forward, only for the one in blue to stop him, saying:
"He's just trying to rile you up, keep it cool."
"..."
Philip found this man quite interesting. From the beginning, aside from the one in white, who barely spoke a single word, he was the only one trying to act with reason.
Not that it made his purpose here any less vile.
The one in blue pushed him back as he stepped forward, taking charge of the conversation:
"Mr Philip, as my companion said, we aren't quite done here yet."
Philip stopped. Because it was just as he said before, he wasn't planning on leaving at all. He only did so to provoke the one in red.
All he needed was a reason. Unfortunately, he wasn't given one.
The Academy's Spirit won't stand by a Warden attacking others, much less students. Which he assumed they were from their voices.
Either way, until they acted first, he wouldn't either.
"If what you speak is true and you've made your career alone, then that is most impressive. Still, it changes not the dynamic of the situation."
"We speak not for ourselves but others. The Academy has its rules, we only follow the ones who wrote them. This isn't a pact of servitude but one of survival."
"Our proposal is short, join us."
"..."
"While you must have your reasons for your actions, continuing in this matter will become a detriment. This isn't a threat but a reminder… We aren't the only ones enforcing their power on others… And the majority isn't as keen as talking."
"This Academy is not fond of those who walk in the dark alone, even if you wish no harm to it."
"Hum…"
'This one isn't as clueless as the other… He seems to have a kind heart but isn't afraid of acting as the villain.'
'Rules huh… You either willingly comply or are forced into complying… Those who refused are likely not around anymore. I wonder how far this goes.'
'How twisted has the Academy become? Is this the result of the Principal's dissapearence… Or a direct cause of it?'
"... I can think about it, but I need some info first."
The red guy laughed as he pushed the one in blue aside:
"Do you think you are in a position to bargain?!"
"That's up to you. I am not asking for much, I just want to know what I am signing in for."
Taking this chance, the one in blue added:
"We can't tell much about ourselves, but we can tell you what you would gain from joining hands with us as well as your obligations."
"In short, nothing much would change from what you already do. It's just a form of acceptance…"
"Acceptance?"
"To willingly enter 'our' system."
"..."
Philip did not reply, nodding quietly as the one in blue listed a few conditions and benefits.
While it seemed good on paper, given all other Wardens were under the same system, Philip scoffed at his words, mocking him:
"That's just an overglorified Slave."
/FWUSH!/
The one in red suddenly moved right next to Philip, his fist burning as he punched towards his head, exclaiming:
"Then I guess its down to this!"
/Shush!/
But he suddenly stopped…
""!""
/Thud!/
If you were to take a closer look at Philip, he now had an exotic sword sheath in his hands, but that was all. He did not unsheathe the sword, and yet, the man in red stood still, the fire in hand slowly extinguished as he gasped for air before falling on the ground.
"Wow, that startled me. This guy had such a hot head Haha... No ones laughing? Come on, that was a good one."
He cracked his knuckles as he tilted his head.
"Now then, I assume you've done something to the Spirit's surveillance, otherwise it would've been around by now…"
Philip suddenly vanished.
""?!""
The first to react was the one in the black hood, jumping back as he searched for him.
The one in white jumped to the right, putting some distance from the one in black.
But the one in blue… Remained motionless…
/Shaa…/
Mist slowly began to form around them, covering the whole arena.
"I'm still a bit sore, my hands hurt…"
"!"
Behind him, Philip reappeared within the mist, holding onto his wrist.
'I used too much force there, my body can't take it.'
He clenched his chest, feeling out of breath.
'Something's wrong too… Something's going on with my chest.'
"... I just need one, so…"
Before the one in blue could act, Philip turned his head to the man in black, dashing after him.
"?!"
He jumped back in shock and distress, taking out his staff as stabbing it on the ground!
/Flash!/
Multiple lights erupted from the ground like geysers, curving in the air as they intercepted Philip!
/CLANG!/
However, something unexpected happened!
As the lights pierced through his body, Philip turned into mist, leaving behind only a faint cloud of mist. Soon after, the man in black heard metal clashing.
"ARG!"
"!"
He followed the sounds, seeing his companion holding a sword as he blocked Philip's red sword with all his might! And when he saw it, he understood…
It was a faint!
/Crack!/
The ground shook as the red cape's feet dug into the cracked ground.
With the one in black far away, the one in blue lost in the mist, and the one in white missing, no one could step in and help him!
/SLASH!/
/Ploft…/
"D-Dammit! Wa…"
In one continuous motion, Philip parried and kicked the man's leg aside, giving way for him to slash right through his jaw, cutting everything in its path!
"N-NO!"
At that moment, the one in blue dashed from behind, holding another staff as he cast a spell.
Dangerous energies gathered around them, but only for a moment, as soon after, a flash of energy parted the mist in two halves, and with it, the one in blue fell… In two different places.
"Haa… Haa…"
This scared the one in black to such a degree he couldn't even stand straight anymore, using his staff as a cane to stay upright.
/CLANG!/
Even so, maybe through luck or a desire to live, he blocked a strike coming from the mist!
Or rather, it wasn't he who blocked it…
"Urg…"
In the blink of an eye, the missing member of their group stepped in to save his comrade, taking a blow in his stead!
/FWOOSH!/
/PIERCE!/
"GUH…Haa… ahh…"
Even so, Philip did not remain still, pulling a small dagger from his shirt, he threw it at the one in black, hitting straight inside his hoodie as he pressed his blade against the other, forcing him to bend his knees.
/Thud!/
The one in black fell to the ground while clenching to his throat…
Only one left.
"... Good form. Where did you learn that?" Philip asked as he turned to the one in white
'His form is quite familiar. I read a book back in the garden about the many traditional forms of swordsmanship. And while it's just the absolute basis and a historical piece of information, many styles still end up following one or a few of those. Which makes it easy to track their foundation and history.'
'It was only one move, but it was distinctive enough. The angle of the blade and her footing, ready to counterattack against my neck… But she didn't have the strength to push my blade aside.'
'Even so, this guy… No, girl, actually blocked it!'
Philip smiled as his grip on the sword increased.
'Let's try this again.'
"!"
/Clang!/
The girl used all of her strength to push Philip's sword aside as she retreated next to the man in black.
On rather, she used his blade as a pillar to push herself away from its path!
Philip, on the other hand, smiled, walking to her with his sword on his back.
He seemed relaxed and full of openings, would she take the opportunity and strike back?
As he approached her, she quickly assessed her companion's condition and was surprised to see that he was still very much alive!
Philip's knife had missed his windpipe and major arteries, perfectly lodging itself in between… He was lucky…
But she knew deep down that it wasn't his luck that saved him; it was all a calculated effort by Philip. And that made her that more tense.
"Time for some answers. Who are you, and who do you work for? How did you get my information and all of that?"
"..."
But the girl did not reply; instead, she pulled the knife from the man's throat, shoving something into the wound.
"COUGH!"
The man coughed some blood on his hoodie, cleaning his lips as he looked back at Philip with anger and fear…
He didn't even realize his appearance had been compromised, not that it mattered now.
"Do-Do you even know who you killed?!" He exclaimed out loud as he pushed the woman away, crawling back as he attempted to create some distance between them
"Is it of any importance?"
The boy's expression twisted with a mad smile as he screamed:
"Those were students from the academy! You just slew two students… Its fucking over for you!"
"..."
Philip smiled… Because it was true.
No matter the case, if someone dies, there will be repercussions, even if a student kills a warden. Punishment will soon follow…
However, one day of detention for killing a Warden is nothing as compared to what a Warden would get for the same act.
In the past, the greatest punishment was disciplinary action and expulsion, but those times were long gone…
That said, this wasn't an ordinary situation to begin with. And even if the rules became twisted and corrupted, the Academy's Spirit has remained the same ever since its creation, following the will of its creator and successors to make the Academy a place of learning to all.
However, the Spirit can't do everything on its own. Otherwise, it wouldn't have come to this in the first place…
Even if he knew all of this, Philip merely chuckled as he sheathed his blade.
"You look desperate kid, not even realizing whats happening around you."
"That said, even if death awaits me at the end of the tunnel… You'll be there to welcome me in Hell!"
[Predators presence LvMax has activated]
The boy's face turned pale as he lost consciousness.
"HAHAHA! What a figure…"
/BANG!/
Philip took out a pistol from his inventory, shooting the unconcious boy in the head without a second thought.
/CLANG!/
But the girl barely deflected the bullet, saving his life.
She stood between him and the boy, holding her blade with a fearful expression.
Like the boy behind her, she felt immense fear, but unlike him, she did not give up yet!
As long as she stood upright, there was still a chance, however little it may be.
/Kick!/
"GAH!"
She kicked the boy awake, and he opened his eyes in surprise!
"This changes nothing. Will you cooperate or will you continue to resist?"
"D-Dont listen to him! I've… I've already called for reinforcements! We just need to…"
/BANG!/
/CLANG!/
/SPLAT!/
"?!"
The boy's head suddenly burst! The bullet the girl deflected bounced from the ground and opened a small hole in his head.
/Shaa…/
Philip cleared the smoke from his gun's barrel, putting the gun away.
"Never did this before."
'I have a lot of special bullets I never had the chance to use. Truth be said, they aren't as reliable as Quicksilver.'
He smiled, uncaring for the loss of life.
This shook the girl to her very core, but she still remained standing, holding her sword straight.
"Urg…"
All this while, the girl maintained her composure under Philip's titanic aura… Or tried to, as her sweat made it hard for her to even hold onto her sword.
/Clang…/
Finally, understanding the limits of her own strength, she put her sword away, surrendering:
"I'll talk…"
"Took you long enough."
He waited for her to say something, but he found it odd how calm she was after giving her life to him.
Usually, this is the time they beg to be kept alive.
"Hm… Aren't you going to ask for something in return?"
"No… My life is not in my hands anymore. Do what you wish."
"..."
Philip scratched his head in wonder.
/Swoosh!/
"!"
He also lifted his hand, making her sword fly towards it. This startled the girl and made her drop her head in submission.
"Talk. Make it quick."
"... We…"
She thought for a minute before replying:
"The ones you just killed were enforcers from the Evythus Flower group while I was merely contracted…"
"They came here to investigate your unusual identity, since recently, a lot of internal flights have erupted around the academy between the student factions, and they feared you were an attempt from another to bring an outside force into the fight… This situation has already happened several times this month already."
"If you don't know, the Evythus Flower groups are a faction under the leadership of Verimir Ji, a Fifth-year student and top ten of the rankings."
"The faction is currently in the top five of the academy, and we control all of the low-ranking Wardens and a majority of the high-ranking as well, that was why your sudden rank increase was so important, as it could threaten this balance."
"Hum… So that's it? You attacked me because you all thought I was some sort of outside agent? If that was the case, why send you guys and not some stronger ones?"
"Rather, wasn't this approach too brutish?"
The girl bit her lips as she said:
"What more do you want from students? They... Are already the best that is, better than this would be..."
She took a deep breath…
"This has already happened several times before… They acted on impulse… We… We weren't meant to be here."
"... They disobeyed orders, acted to garner favorability with the superiors. Given what happened the last few times… Tension was high from the get go."
"I could tell…"
Philip's eyes did not change as he smiled in amusement, making the girl think he was sick in the head, but she didn't say anything.
"So you were dragged into this?... Fine, I'll accept your lackluster answer. But tell me, what do you mean by contracted? Keep it brief."
"... Just like students can get missions in a Work center, there is also a black market for these things… I needed some credits, so I signed up for this job there."
"It's not something I'm proud of… But pride won't help me graduate."
Philip was surprised; he knew about this black market, which was mentioned in Dae's notebook. He planned to find it if he needed help with his mission, but given its secretive location, it wasn't the kind of thing to search for, so he focused on other things in the meantime.
It seems the opportunity came to him faster than expected.
"Black market? Tell me more."
"It is a neutral hub controlled by one of the top five factions, the Warlock Council, which deals with everything that must be kept out of the Academy's eyes, and they have been operating for generations, being transferred from student to student. Their leader changing every few years."
"There is even a rumor that the Academy is endorsing its operations since its impossible for its existence to be hidden from the professors and other staff."
"I see… What about your job?"
She did not hesitate in her reply:
"I… I was only tasked with keeping these guys safe, a simple yet exotic escort mission… I've been doing it for a few weeks, but I failed miserably this time…"
"Hm… You must be a Fifth-year student, right? Why risk everything you've accomplished so far by accepting such a risky job?"
"..."
"Silence… Fine, I got enough."
The girl raised her head, looking at Philip with her tired eyes, waiting for his decision.
'She has a lot of courage, to face me like this despite what happened. She has a strong character.'
Philip turned around ready to leave.
"It was fun, I'm a bit disappointed, but you weren't half bad."
He raised his right hand, snapping his fingers.
"I've learned something new."
/SNAP!/
"!"
Like thunder descending from the sky, white light covered her vision, and dizziness took over.
Losing strength to stay upright, she fell to the side, unconscious.
When the light receded, the four kids could be seen on top of each other, all still alive. Breathing faintly as if in deep sleep.
"Phew… That was more tiring than I expected… And dangerous."
'Putting them under hypnosis was easy. Invading their dreams wasn't as much.'
When the four arrived, Philip unconciously sensed their weak mental defenses. And thinking this was the proper time, he slowly put them under his influence and eventually, hypnosis when he felt it wasn't possible to talk his way out of this problem.
Another way to put things was that they were thrown into an illusion. Sleepwalking through the arena as they enacted whatever they experienced in their dreams.
This was what allowed him to influence them with his Skills. Because inside one's dream, he isn't the one in control.
Philip tried manipulating each one into revealing their secrets, pushing them to the brink so he could extract as much information as possible, ending it all by forcing them into a deep sleep…
That girl was merely the last one in line. A way for him to confirm some lingering suspicions.
'I'm still not skillful enough to manipulate and infiltrate the dreams of others. It's risky to try and keep them under hypnosis, but it's far easier than being swept away by their dreams once inside.'
'Dae did it easily to me and it was dangerous, although he's a unique case in his own right… Still, until I study and learn more about it, I'd rather not risk invading the minds of those I'm unfamiliar with.'
He could've likely achieved the same results by beating them up just like he did in their dreams, but it would be a shame not to use this ability after all his training.
As for them, even if they are talented students, in the end, people can't be ready for everything. Just like Dae said, his goal was to make them capable of dealing with and adapting to every situation. So when the time come they have no immediate solutions for a set issue… They'd just create a new one.
"This is the end."
He crouched near them, pressing his hand on their foreheads.
'They'll wake up thinking they dealt with me, and even if it becomes evident that wasn't what happened, it'll at least buy me some time.'
'After here… I should likely go visit Emanuel. Maybe I can use him to shield me a little longer… At least until they find out about me.'
'Should I make them think I accepted to join them?... Choices…'
Philip thought for a while before shaking his head and dusting his clothes.
"Time to go…"
"Not yet."
"?"
As Philip walked away from the students, someone suddenly called for him.
He turned around to see a middle-aged man with a shabby beard and a long coat resting by the wall next to one of the Arena's entrance.
His clothes were unique, not the kind a student or a worker would wear… This only left one option.
He could only be professor.
"... A professor? Sigh..."
'Was I too naive for believing they had no support? Or did they fail in secluding this area from outside?'
'Is he an Inspector? I heard the Academy has several patrolling all around the place.'
"..."
The middle-aged man did not reply immediately, instead, he looked at the kids on the ground and nodded.
"Yes, an overworked one but a teacher nonetheless… I teach about Monster Anatomy for just about every year. There aren't that many out there."
"... That's quite interesting…"
'He doesn't seem to have any bad feelings for me, but I can't feel any positive ones either… Was he monitoring those students?'
'I felt a tint of relief when he looked at the students, together with anger… But it was momentary… But it doesn't look like it was directed to all of them… Just one.'
'... I see… He knows one of them. Personally, at that…'
Philip connected the dots, from the color of his hair to his eyes, the overall shape of his head and skin color…
'The girl… She's his daughter!... If not… Then a close relative.'
'Great… Just what I needed… I've just tormented a man's daughter in front of the father. I'm surprised he hasn't snapped yet.'
"Haha… If only the students thought the same…"
The man pushed himself off the wall, approaching Philip as he took his glasses off:
"But enough of this. While I'm happy to teach others, you can visit my classes anytime. This, however, is not the place to talk about that."
He looked at the children snoring on the ground and sighed.
"I am thankful you handled this situation like this."
"You don't seem surprised this even happened."
"It isn't the first nor last time something like this has happened. I just try to keep things from going too far. It's the least I can do to these senseless children."
"Although I can't do much against their actions, I still believe that the current general consensus regarding our workers' safety in the academy is wrong, especially when we talk about the Wardens and how they're exploited."
"You are one of the few then."
"I can't promise you much, even with my rank, I can't stop these kids from doing these sort of things. The Academy has been like that for a while. A reflection of the political world outside… Even though this was supposed to be a place of learning devoid of class."
"Even though you've stopped them today, they'll keep coming at you until you're removed from their little garden, just like how we can't walk properly with a pebble on our shoes."
"What a great work environment…"
"Heh, its no easier dealing with them in class, I assure you… But at the very least, I don't have to worry about them going after me in cold blood like you do."
"But that can change."
"Yeah?"
The middle aged man suddenly disappeared!
/FWUSH!/
/CLANG!/
"?!"
The middle aged man appeared in front of Philip and slashed with something that seemed similar to a small pen, fending off his blade!
He barely managed to block it by triggering the releasing switch on the sheathe, and even with that, the man effortlessly brushed it aside.
/Cling…/
Philip jumped away as he got into a stance, ready for a counterattack.
The middle-aged man also looked at him, with a thin smile on his face.
"..."
/Baddum…/
'My head still not in the right place for me to fight properly… And my heart is acting up for some reason…'
Philip struggled to maintain his condition, given it hadn't been long since he returned to his body.
This really wasn't a good time for a dangerous enemy to confront him.
"Rank… Is synonymous with strength and capability… So I would like to ask you, what do you seek in this academy?"
"Pardon? I was already asked this when…"
'Weird, I still don't sense any negative emotions from him. But its not like he has none… Did he just attack me for the sake of it?'
'Everyone here has a screw loose…'
"Of course you were. However, with your capabilities, there are very few things you can acquire in this Academy."
"You could've applied to be a teacher, that would've been more worthwhile, but that wasn't the case."
"You want something, something that doesn't need you to be a teacher to acquire… What could it be?"
"Are you testing me? Is this really necessary?"
He smiled and said:
"Not at all, in fact, I don't really care about what you seek, this Academy was built so that people could pursue their dreams no matter from which country, nation, race they were from."
"So why are you here asking those questions?"
"Is just… I find it really fascinating to see such a talented young man doing odd jobs, and I couldn't help but get curious when I first saw you."
/Whisper…/
He looked at the sky and started to move his mouth without saying anything as if he was talking with something…
He looked to the ground and nodded.
"Alright, let's do it like this."
"Wait… You're going a bit too fast, I didn't even agree with anything."
'Something's odd. The air… Shifted. What did he do just now? Is he talking with someone mentally?'
"Oh? It wasn't my intention to mislead you... Instead, I would like to give you a deal… I know you will like it."
"..."
'Everyone loves to offer deals… I'm no different.'
"It's simple. Fight me, young man, and I will give you… Hum… This pen."
"... What?..."
"Oh! And don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this. Take it as my selfish curiosity."
"A pen?... Do I have a choice on the matter?"
"Of course you do. I hate forcing others, but I would be quite disappointed…"
"..."
'What is his thing? What does he want from me?'
'It's foolish to take his passiviness as a positive will toward me. This could very well be a setup for some strange ability…'
'But… He's strong. It's exactly what I've been looking for.'
'Even if there are some things I'm unwilling to show, I still want to give it a try!'
"Fine, I accept."
The professor smiled faintly, lightly pulling his sleeves as he asked:
"Thank you, I was just in the need of some warm up… I forgot to ask, what is your name?"
"Philip… What about you?"
"I'm Fabrin, and I must say, you have quite the unusual name."
"I could say the same…"
/Scribble…/
/Fwoosh!/
With those words, the man used his pen to write something in the air, and the kids disappeared.
This startled Philip as it was a kind of ability he hadn't seen or read before. He assumed it to be magic, but even that left behind some residue.
He wasn't the only one curious about the other, as Fabrin was quick to point at his blade:
"You have quite the unusual sword. There's a strange energy surrounding it… The blade itself almost seems to glow when you swing it."
"That sheath too, never saw one like it."
"..."
'Can he feel the energy within the sheath? The Murasama was modified to become a vibration blade, so it's partially electronic.'
"Hum… This sheath was made to support its swordsmanship… But how about we leave this for later?"
"Of course, I'm ready when you are."
"In that case…"
'Time to switch Titles.'
'If I want to fight at my absolute best, then going with the resonance between Titles is the only solution… But that's not what I want right now.'
'I want to cross the barrier of ability through training. I can only rely on the System until a certain point.'
'It may be hypocritical, but I'll try to fight with what my body can support!'
'Switch Mental Lord, Blessed!'
[Equipped]
[Apex Evolver has activated]
[The temporary effect, Holy Presence has been activated]
[Holy Presence
Effects:
Further increases the passive regeneration of wounds and stamina.
All creatures deemed Unholy will be weakened around you.
]
[You are being challenged by a stronger enemy]
[Extra effect: Apex has activated]
/CRACK!/
Philip knew this was a strong enemy, his instincts told him that.
The system further confirmed his gut feeling, and while he didn't know how big a difference there was, seeing how he stopped his blade with that pen, it was likely considerable.
/Crack!/
So he went in with all his power from the beginning!
/Swoosh!/
From the outside, it seemed as if Philip suddenly vanished, the ground beneath his feet cracking open by an invisible impact, followed by a loud bang!
In the slowed world under his skill, Philip held his sword sheath with one hand and his sword with his other one, stepping closer to Fabrin as he tensed his body.
The moment he arrived, his body bent forward as he aimed at his neck. He relaxed his muscles, pulling with others, clenching onto the sword's hilt… Philip pressed the trigger!
/BANG!/
The mechanism detonated as the sword was flung outward at an incredible speed! He followed its trajectory,, slashing the sword faster than that of sound!
His arm muscles tensed and expanded as red energy condensed around them, he was pushing his martial arts to their limit, all for one strike.
He channeled everything he had into the blade, making it glow eerie red as it cut the air before it, leaving behind a streak of light that arched in the air.
Several skills were used one after the other; this was his most potent state. There was no way to surpass this slash unless he was given time to prepare.
/CLANG!/
/BOOM!/
At the same time as Philip dashed, the echoes of a massive explosion reverberated in the arena as dust and sand were sent into the sky.
When the dust cloud dissipated, what had just happened was revealed to the world:
Behind the old man, the arena's walls had been cut cleanly, leaving behind a sharp and cohesive line.
/Crack… THUD!/
Sections of the wall peeled off, falling on the ground, causing a loud impact.
/Spar!.../
Residual energy flashed within the cut stone, bleeding out like water as it dispersed in the air.
From behind the arena, even a few trees had been cut cleanly in half… Colliding with one another.
The ground beneath them had broke down and a small crater had formed from their clash. Yet, the old man remained in place, unmoving.
For a single moment, the faint outline of two snake-like eyes formed in the air next to the man, gazing at Philip from above.
Philip also noticed a thin pillar of stone crumbling into the ground, as if it had already accomplished its job.
It was just for a moment, but he felt some resistance on his blade. And while he hadn't seen what happened, he assumed the very ground beneath him moved to stop his strike.
It all happened at a fraction of a blink…
"It seems… I underestimated you, mister, you sure are…"
But Philip wasn't listening to him.
'A single arm… Was all it took to block me. And even against the high frequency blade capable of cutting through most metals, all it did was nick at it?!'
Fabrin's golden black pen had been slightly cut, about a third of the way. Not only that, he was a tad late, which caused Philip to scratch his cheek with the blade's tip.
And rather than expressing anger or pain, his expression was one of surprise and even admiration; he smiled as if he had seen his son return from war.
"I'd be happy to continue… But you aren't faring that well, are you?"
As he pointed out, Philip's situation wasn't that good. If the sword had cut through, that would've been fine, but the old man stopped it right on its tracks, making him receive the brunt force of his attack. This tore his arm muscles and even a few other muscles across his body.
He would be fine with time, but not right now… Even standing was difficult.
"I guess… Huff… I am still lacking…"
'Dammit… I feel like crap…'
His expression was one of loss, had he ever suffered such a terrific defeat? To be defeated by a pen of all things? One that didn't even move?!
Given how much effort he put into that strike, the pen only moved slightly to intercept him, it wasn't even worth comparing both!
His HF vibration blade, one of the sharpest weapons, under the combined might of all of his skills was stopped by one flaccid arm holding a single pen…
"I felt like you just mocked me..."
If that wasn't enough, if his enemy hadn't underestimated him, would he even have suffered any damage?
Philip knew there were monsters in this world, and he was far from them. There were literal Gods somewhere in some distant plane of this twisted reality, but those were so far away that he believed he was good enough as he was, progressing at a fast enough pace, that he was already massively strong for his Level of skill…
But what was his level? What was his stage? He had been progressing so quickly he didn't understand where his strength stood anymore… So how capable was he?
Level 60 strong? Level 70 strong? Or Level 50 strong of someone with an Elite upbringing? He wanted to know but didn't know where to start…
"Hm…"
Fabrin on the other hand, had a big smile on his face as he watched Philip's expression change, this was what he was looking for, what he wanted to achieve.
"Let's call it a day for now."
"From what I observed, your body hasn't yet adapted to that exotic swordsmanship of yours…"
'Which is odd. I haven't seen much, but I can tell he's unusually familiar with it. But how can someone train in something that destroys their body?'
'He seems to be treading a rather unique path. Swift, deadly strikes. Had I not blocked his strike but deflected, he would've certainly counterattacked with another strike.'
'A swordsmanship focused on flow and continuity.'
'Those aside, what impresses me is his open mind. For someone his age with such level of skill, I'm used to seeing arrogance and confidence in a youngster… I haven't seen that in him yet.'
'That said, something's missing… I need to see more to know for certain.'
Fabrin opened his mouth and asked:
"Say, why don't you quit being a Warden and become an official student?"
"What?"
Philip was momentarily startled by the proposal, but kept his cool as he shook his head:
"Unfortunately, I am too old for that. Else I wouldn't go over this trouble…"
"That is not entirely the case… Yes, you are too old to go into the basic cycle of five years, but you can join as an advanced course student, this means there is no need for you to bother with all of the repercussions of your actions."
"Advanced course student? Are you talking about the students who stay after their five years are over?"
"Exactly, in some cases, a student may remain to start their own project or study under a teacher, most of the time acting as a helping hand. Although most don't, since you know… They aren't as passionate about studies as they are into making their name known around the place…"
"Many students also prefer to return to their households where they'll take their rightful place with their clan. It's how it usually goes… Those that remain are either truly passionate, or have nowhere else to go."
"Some do return later on to further their progress, but not as students."
He stored his pen in his pocket and cleaned his face with his finger.
"I'm willing to vouch for you; since the pen is now broken, this is the least I can give you as a reward."
"Isn't it a bit too much?"
'If becoming an advanced course student was easy, Dae would've given me a path for that, but he didn't.'
'I could've asked for a recommendation from the Rings as payment, but that would be too forthcoming. I know they're likely tracking me, but I don't want to make their job any easier.'
"Not really. This is quite good for me. In fact, I have a quota as to the number of advanced students I need to accept every year, but recently, I've been increasingly disappointed with those in line."
"So having one appointed will make things easier for me."
"Hm… Wouldn't I need to pass a test in that case? How do you even know I'm fit for the task?"
"No, the Central Spirit is always watching us, its word is enough proof. And I am sure you pass all requirements, but I do have one small request."
"I knew this was too good to be true…"
"Haha… Don't be so pessimistic, I just need you to help me in my Class from time to time. I told you before, didn't I? That dealing with these kids was hard even for me. I won't decline some help."
"There's some good in this for you as well. If they recognize you as an advanced student, there won't be so many interested in getting in your way anymore."
Philip stretched his shoulders, feeling his arms recover slightly…
"I may have to refuse that. I wanted to avoid attention…"
But Fabrin interjected:
"That hasn't been going well so far, no? I say your actions have produced nothing but the contrary of your expectations."
"So I ask again, what do you think?"
"..."
'... I suppose there's no helping it… I wasn't intending on following Dae's suggestions to a T anyway. There's no harm in being a little flexible.'
"I'll do it."
"Excellent."
Fabrin nodded when he heard him, so he patted Philip's shoulder, making him flinch in pain.
"Hm… Get well soon, kid… Remember this pain, some aren't even given the luxury of feeling it, but you already know that."
"Now, it's time for me to go, and I'm sure you are eager to rest."
"I can see it in your eyes, there's a lot on your mind, so leave the rest to me… Someone has to punish these kids for what they've done, and that is my work."
"You should receive the papers to become an advanced course student by tonight if all goes well. Sometimes, the system can take its time to go through the procedures. Either way, I'll see you in class tomorrow."
"I… Alright… I'll do a little better next time… So get well soon." He replied with a faint smile as he raised his hand
"?"
Philip put his finger on his own neck, propping Fabrin to check his as well.
"!"
As he checked his hand, he saw blood stain his fingers, and with shocked expression, he realized he'd been cut!
'When did he cut me?... Brat…'
When he went back to look, he saw that Philip was already on his way outside, not caring about his reaction in the slightest.
He smiled and scoffed.
"Age is such a bummer… I don't have that much energy anymore…"
Smiling slightly, Fabrin left the arena, adjusting his shirt as he did so.
"A simple stroll made me find such an interesting young man… Hm… Yes, you were right…"
Fabrin raised his head to look at the sky.
"Hum?... Of course I will…"
"I can't allow him to just… I noticed as well…"
Fabrin talked with the air as he followed the road into the forest…
…
.
.
.
Notes
I may have to make some changes to this chapter later on, given what I did to the story... That said, I already changed quite a bit.
See ya!
I was thinking of adding images, but I'll do so later when I introduce Fabrin's and his daughter's characters better.
If you're interested in knowing how many chapters there are until this Arcs ends and the mc moves on, in the original story, it would be around 10 since this would be chapter 30 or so.
However, I think this may expand to a few more depending on how I push the narrative.
That's all.