Book 3: Chapter 7: Thoughts


    <strong>Scarlet</strong>


    I end up spending a few hours watching the tournament with White before eventually leaving with Aria to go meet up with my former team where I then watch the tournament with them instead for another few hours. Something that apparently made White rather disappointed, but thats not my problem.


    After the second round of the day for the teams tournament ends though, I call it a night and say goodbye to the others, Aria included, before leaving the magical reality and beginning to head home through the snow outside. And as I walk, I cant help but wonder about that ss V Fracture thats predicted to happen next Summer.


    Everyone in the city is most likely going to be evacuated about a week before the predicted time of the Fracture, with the exception of any Guardians who wish to stay behind and defend the city from the other Fractures that open up during the ss V Fracture. In fact, I wouldnt be surprised if they change the rules to <em>require </em>us to stay behind for the ss V Fracture. Just because the city is going to have to have defenders if it doesnt want any other gates popping up. Because thest thing we need is to have more Gates here, even if the ss V Fracture is soundly dealt with.


    And the Knights and the other ss V Guardians cant handle every Fracture in the city. Especially when theyre gonna be busy dealing with the ss V Fracture.


    Over the past weeks Ive actually wondered if I should try staying behind to deal with some Fractures myself. On the other side of the city from the ss V, of course.


    But I dont think I will. Because I wouldnt be surprised if a noble demon might have a way to tell what I am. Not to mention the chance that a blood lycan mighte through the Fracture. So it would be most likely the biggest risk Ive ever taken in my life.


    And while Im normally perfectly fine with taking risks, this time is different.


    I let out a sigh at that thought while looking up through the falling snow as I walk.


    Its been snowing a lot this year. More than usual.


    <strong>Is that strange? </strong>Tar asks, sitting curled up in the cor of my coat.


    Not really. Ever since the Demonic Assaults began and the atmosphere was cut off from space, the weather has been all out of whack. Every single year the weather ispletely different. Sure it will still keep to the seasons, but the actual <em>weather </em>during those seasons will always be different from what it used to be.


    Like how the capital  which I believe used to be called New York before it waspletely remade by the Republic, having been destroyed by demons originally  used to have snow every year during the Winter. And quite a bit of it in fact. But after the Demonic Assaults it started having sunny Winters instead half the time. That or just normal rain.


    I think this is the first year in a while weve had this much snow again. In fact, its snowing pretty much every day this Winter. And quite a bit at that.


    Neither of us say anything as I continue walking through the snow, briefly wondering if ze will be online when I get back home. Since I think Ill y Hunter for a bit when I get back.


    Just for a few hours.


    If hes not online though, then Ill just quest without him.


    On that note, I think ss signups start next week for the next semester. Fortunately I already have my sses chosen.


    It will be the three required courses of Status Basics, Guardian History, and Fundamentals of Magic, along with the two elective courses of Demon Noble Society  which I found as a pleasant surprise  and Demon Biology  which is a rather limited course in scope since the only demon corpses humans can study are those demons that came from Gates. But its still something Im interested in.


    I doubt itll have any of the seven noble demon ns species exined in the ss though. At least, beyond the bare basics.


    Pretty sure no blood lycan has been killed before on Earth after all. There was a single kitsune that was killed though. I believe it was the n demon that went through the ss V Fracture that turned into a Gate in Demon Isle, only for it to be killed by White.


    She was a lot weaker back then though, so she couldnt handle Satan.


    Actually, not much is known about Satan now that I think about it. Do you know much, Tar?


    I feel the tanuki perk up slightly as I near the gate to the top ss student residency area.


    <strong>I can tell you one thing at least, </strong>Tar says while rxing again. <strong>Satan has nothing to do with one of the old world religions. But other than that, hes a wrath demon, and he does <em>not </em>like losing. Hes also probably one of the stronger oni demons, although still nowhere near the Lord of Hellfire in terms of power. I dont know anything else about him though.</strong>


    Interesting. I think I know what youre talking about when you mention an old world religion? Pretty sure it was briefly mentioned once during school that that exact religion was what started the Christmas holiday, which nowadays is literally just a source of hope with no religious overtones to it at all.


    Actually, I think some people wanted to abolish the holiday entirely because of that. Because gods were proven by the System to not exist. Not to mention the demons.


    At this point, the only religious things that have stuck around are some swear words and phrases, like holy shit or god damnit.


    <strong>Of course the humans would remember the swear words </strong>Tar mutters, sounding more than a little exasperated.


    I hold myself back from snorting at that as I reach the Guardians at the gate.


    It is rather amusing, isnt it?


    Wee back, Scarlet, the first Guardian at the gate says, making me look over him for a moment to see if I recognize the man, only for me to not.


    I nod at the man before he opens the gate and lets me in.


    Now to go y some games.


    Winter Break is always fun.