《AETHER FINALITY: The Dead Ends [LitRPG]》


 Chapter 1 The Crimson Star

    The sun rays pierced through the worn-out window curtains, signalling the beginning of another monotonous day.


    A boy, seventeen years of age, groaned in annoyance and reluctantly got off the bed. Apart from the usual lack of sleep and absence of enthusiasm, the teenager felt frustrated over the fact that he had to go to school and, as always, be subjected to unwarranted bullying.


    Zeke absent-mindedly stared at the wall for a good minute or two before changing his clothes and going downstairs. His parents, as was their wont, were at work and his big sister was living in the school¡¯s dormitory, thus he had to eat breakfast alone.


    The unwillingness to head to school was almost overwhelming, nevertheless, Zeke purged any thoughts of skipping classes due to how ludicrously expensive it was to get admitted in the first place.


    To begin with, only a selected few individuals were accepted into Erys, his school. All thanks to their ability to manipulate Aether. However, Zeke was one of a handful of special cases, as his parents somehow managed to get him into Erys.


    Like many teenagers of his age, Zeke was a normal kid, average and lacking any talent in the highly-sought Aether manipulation. Circumstances notwithstanding, his parents were adamant and transferred him to Erys a year ago, and from that point onwards, his life progressively got worse.


    Zeke was an intelligent person, but he was also pragmatic to a fault. Therefore, he knew, more than anyone, that he did not belong with the privileged kids, that he was best suited for a normal life.


    It was not to say that he did not yearn for greatness, as many would in his age, but reality had struck him hard ever since getting admitted into Erys. Furthermore, the constant and escalating bullying was tiresome, moreso when he lacked the strength to retaliate.


    <hr>


    After swiftly eating a cold breakfast meal, Zeke left the house and headed to school.


    The trip to and from Erys was the only period of peace for Zeke, as he got to enjoy the breath-taking sight of the Sunken Metropolis, the city he was born and raised in.


    Silver and black spires, skyscrapers everywhere one looked, and uncountable inter-connected highways that would boggle the mind, such were the sights within this famed city. Despite being built in a gigantic crater, this metropolis held fast to its glory and not even the passing of time seemed to affect it.


    The fast Aether-boosted subway train took fifteen minutes to deliver Zeke to his destination, a District by the name of Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    It was neighboring Erys and a bustling place, meant for entertaining the residents and the students. From there, Zeke walked the rest of the way, his steps getting heavier the closer he got to the vast campus.


    He passed the gates, as did many other students, though he kept to himself and did not talk to anyone, even those in the same class as him¡­ not that they ever initiated any conversation either.


    Erys was a prestigious school, a special educational place for gifted people. It was built like any other school for rich kids, though this one had training facilities and a couple educational structures for appropriate purposes, like battles, for instance.


    ¡°Dumbass! Over here!¡±


    ¡®Not a moment too soon¡¯ Thought Zeke to himself as he halted his steps and robotically turned his head to the side, where two of his classmates were beckoning him.


    At their head was Azmer, one of the people behind the constant bullying. He was a tall kid, fairly handsome and decently popular. However, from Zeke¡¯s perspective, he was an obnoxious and arrogant person, someone trying to validate his own faults by preying on those weaker than him.


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    The moment Zeke got close to Azmer and his friend Rodrick, he got slapped in the back of the head with so much force that he almost fell on the ground.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡®A stupid person.¡¯ Replied Zeke in his heart as he stared back at Azmer with the usual a forced smile that displayed a hint of fear.


    Bullying cases differed from one person to the other. Some bullies liked their victims to be fearful and obedient, others wanted the opposite. As it happened, Azmer was the former and the more scared Zeke was, the better he would feel.


    ¡°Did you bring the money?¡±


    Zeke meekly nodded once and fished out 60 Alc from his pocket, which were immediately snatched by Azmer.


    ¡°I told you to bring 80, dipshit!¡±


    Azmer kicked Zeke''s knee and complained, but the gloating smile plastered on his face suggested that he wasn¡¯t that angry.


    Rodrick wrapped his arm around his neck as the three made their way to the usual spot.


    ¡®Whatever, I¡¯ll just bear through it.¡¯


    Those were his thoughts as was dragged to a quiet spot, a place Zeke dreaded and hated at the same time.


    While Azmer was an arrogant fool, his friend Rodrick was a bit of a maniac, and an aggressive one, at that.


    While no one was watching, Zeke would be either punched or kicked by Rodrick or ridiculed for his deficiency by the gloating Azmer. It was those brief but painful moments that made Zeke despise Erys and its students, but more than that, he despised himself and his weakness.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good punching bag!¡±


    Rodrick pushed him on the ground then proceeded to kick him in the stomach as Zeke protected his head and bore through the pain and belittlement.


    Deep in his heart, he genuinely wanted to retaliate, to fight back and teach the two a lesson. However, he was weak and defenseless, plagued by self-doubt and misery.


    Only when Rodrick had his fill did the kicking stop. His victim was lying on the ground in a fetal position, trembling ever-so-slightly.


    ¡°A Defect does not deserve to be here.¡± After recycling his words, Rodrick spat on Zeke and, feeling satisfied, left along with Azmer.


    Only a short while later did Zeke get back on his feet, his face pale and hands clenched. He was never an emotional person, nor was he expressive, but the frustration was too overwhelming, especially at times like these.


    He patted the dust and dirt off his uniform then hastily headed to the classroom.


    ¡­


    Excluding the bullying, the rest of the day was as uneventful and uninteresting as ever. After the last lesson was done, Zeke was about to head home only to be dragged to a special spot regularly frequented by unruly students like Azmer and Rodrick.


    The place was a non-used classroom on the third floor; It was uncommon for Zeke to get dragged here as this was like a ¡®haven¡¯ for the delinquent students.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Azmer!¡±


    The moment Zeke was pushed inside by a disgruntled Azmer, a feminine voice came from the left, and when he looked, there she was: One of his classmates and, like Azmer, a particularly unsavory person.


    Although she did not resort to violence, the girl was also one of the bullies. Moreover, she was a strong but lazy person, thus it fell to Zeke to do her homework amongst a couple other things.


    ¡°Here, I brought him.¡±


    Annoyed, Azmer snorted and quickly left with Rodrick. Only Zeke stood there, eyed by no less than five students.


    Julia Lopmore beckoned for him to come closer, which he did, albeit slowly.


    Undeniably, Julia was a beautiful girl, which contributed greatly to her popularity. She was slim but not thin, had beige-colored hair, round hazy brown eyes, a short-bridged small nose, and heart-shaped rosy lips. She even wore a bit of make-up, which added more points to her natural beauty.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got exams soon. I¡¯ll have to rely on you, okay?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Julia kept talking but his attention was wholly elsewhere. His solemn eyes were looking outside the window, at the darkening sky. Usually, in situations like these, he would comply to avoid unnecessary troubles, however, today was different as his focus was grabbed by a barely noticeable crimson light.


    He wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough about astronomy to know the origin of the light, but it was mesmerizing and definitely more interesting than Julia¡¯s rambling.


    Time itself seemed to take a breath, the voices around him quietened and the air grew still. For the first couple of seconds, Zeke felt a wave of serenity and clarity wash over him, though it was quickly replaced by a suffocating and dizzying sensation.


    It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn that the crimson light was getting brighter and closer.

 Chapter 2 Fists of Fury

    Alas, this peculiar occurrence was abruptly interrupted by Julia, who waved her hand in front of him. As he snapped out of it, Zeke realized that the light vanished and the sky returned to normal.


    ¡°I asked you a question.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He stared at her with visible confusion, his mind still wondering about what he had just witnessed. He wasn¡¯t crazy enough to see such a realistic hallucination, nor was he on drugs or any substances, therefore, it stands to reason that this was no mere trick.


    ¡°I said; Why don¡¯t you grow a pair of balls?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Still not understanding, Zeke kept silent, which only irritated the girl. She pushed her long auburn hair to the back and leaned her face closer.


    ¡°You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? How can you let Azmer boss you around?¡±


    He swept his eyes across Julia and her four friends then calmly responded,


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how it is any different than what you are doing.¡±


    ¡°What? You think I¡¯m bullying you? You should be glad Azmer is an idiot and I only ask you to help with homework. Other defects have it much worse.¡±


    ¡°In comparison, our class is much more docile and most of us ignore you. Considering you don¡¯t belong with us, you should be grateful Julia is protecting you.¡±


    The curly-haired short girl, Rebecca, hissed at Zeke as she angrily spat those words. However, their words did not resonate with him nor did they change his mind about their discriminatory actions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking to be protected. If you have nothing else to ¡®order¡¯ me, I¡¯d like to leave.¡±


    Julia looked at him in silence before unceremoniously waving her hand.


    ¡­


    Zeke wasted no time and directly headed home. Since Julia and her gang had never hit him, he wasn¡¯t scared to voice his thoughts and be bolder than usual. Nonetheless, it annoyed him that he could not retaliate or spend his time at school in peace.


    Right after his conversation with Julia, he exited the building and was about to leave the school¡¯s premises only to hear soft cries coming from a small park within Erys.


    Curiosity got the better of him and he ended up following the source of the cries. Eventually, in an inconspicuous spot within the park, he saw three females, all three first-year students, judging from their uniforms.


    Two of them were standing next to each other and facing a black-haired girl.


    ¡°You¡¯re a venomous slut! Know your place!¡±


    Out of the blue, the black-haired girl was viciously slapped on the cheek. The slap made the corner of her lips bleed and her cheek red, but even that did not stop her from attempting to retaliate.


    Unfortunately, a barely noticeable rope made of resplendent white light wrapped around her ankle and, with a tug from one of the two female students, she fell head-first on the ground.


    The lack of explanation notwithstanding, Zeke knew that this was a bullying case, no different from his, in fact. Additionally, the black-haired girl was definitely a Defect, one he had never met but heard about.


    In that moment, as the girl was protecting herself while being kicked, Zeke saw himself in her. For the first time, he wasn¡¯t the victim but merely a spectator. However, that did not make him feel any better.


    ¡®I should leave¡­ yes. This has nothing to do with me. Nothing.¡¯


    Cowardliness and the fear of failing rooted his legs to the ground and forced him to hide behind a tree.


    As he continued hearing the crisp sound of slapping, Zeke gritted his teeth and revealed himself. With the little bit of courage he had mustered, he walked to the two girls.


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    His sudden appearance startled the bullies, who hastily turned around, fearful that it was the Dean or one of the teachers.


    However, when they saw Zeke, their momentary anxiousness was replaced by the prior arrogance.


    ¡°Who do we have here?¡±


    ¡°Come on, Amy! It¡¯s obviously the loser from class E.¡±


    The shorter one, unperturbed by the approaching Zeke, sneered at him and raised her hand.


    There was a subtle ripple in the air, which was enough to alert Zeke and make him clumsily roll out of the way, barely avoiding whatever she had attacked him with.


    ¡°He¡¯s like a monkey! Hahahah!¡±


    The girls found his evasion comical as the semi-invisible ripple struck Zeke¡¯s back, pushing him on the ground.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your bravado, little man?¡±


    Amy, the taller of the two, mockingly pulled her tongue out.


    ¡°A Defect trying to help another Defect. The satire writes itself!¡±


    The bullies looked at each other and giggled. They enjoyed seeing Zeke struggle against the magical force, which had pinned him to the ground.


    Amy approached the bound Zeke and stepped on him, her mocking expression no different than Azmer''s.


    ¡°And I thought Amelia was weak. You¡¯re a man yet you can¡¯t do a thing! To raise such an incompetent loser, I really feel bad for your parents.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Zeke squeezed those words through gritted teeth, his expression was twisted and filled with rage and anger.


    Sadly, his ¡®threat¡¯ did not faze Amy or her friend as they toyed with him using their magic. He quickly became their main target while the other victim was unresponsive, seemingly unconscious.


    Eventually, once they had their fill, the bullies left. Zeke was on the ground, gasping for air and letting out soft groans of pain.


    ¡®There will be a reckoning. There will be.¡¯


    The only person left with him did not speak, she just looked at him for a couple of breaths before leaving this secluded spot.


    <hr>


    During the short trip back home, Zeke kept looking at the sky, lamenting over his mediocrity and hoping to see the crimson light again, but to no avail.


    He was a studious person but, without the talent to manipulate Aether, the ambition to rise to unprecedented heights was absent. Rodrick¡¯s regular beatings notwithstanding, Zeke felt useless after failing to help the other Defect. In a place like Erys, being intelligent was simply not enough.


    Once at home, Zeke checked the new bruises that were still aching then headed to the roof, still wanting to get a glimpse of the rare occurrence from earlier.


    Albeit momentary, that singular odd experience, which had broken his long-lasting monotony, made him obsessed and hellbent on figuring out what it was. Time crept by and the temperature drastically dropped yet Zeke was stubborn, so much so that even when he was starting to feel sleepy, he refused to budge.


    Eventually, exhaustion and sleepiness were getting the better of him and his eyes were closing on their own. After several hours, just when he was about to give up, he felt a wave of inexplicable serenity wash over him, immediately followed by a strange thing invading his body and tightening around his heart.


    As his eyes flung open, he saw an almost blinding crimson light glow above his head, covering the entirety of the darkened sky. At first, he suspected it was a meteor, but, the lack of an expected and wide-spread panic that would ensue if something like that was visible to anyone, suggested that only he could see it.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Zeke fell on the ground and clutched his chest as he felt piercing pain in his heart. While bearing through the agony, he laid on the cold ground and kept staring at the seemingly approaching light.


    Soon, very soon, his vision turned completely black and he unknowingly fell unconscious. Only later, thanks to the cold breeze did the young man wake up. Panicking a bit, he let out a soft groan and held his aching head as he first looked at the sky then checked his body.


    Perplexed and surprised about what happened, Zeke was about to stand up only to be startled by something within his field of view; It was white and translucent with black-colored words written on what seemed to be a floating ¡®box¡¯.


    [Paths of Extinction successfully integrated into user ¡®Zeke Orland¡¯.]


    [Use the revolutionary System ¡®Paths of Extinction¡¯ to improve and achieve the epitome of power.]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Aether voltage Path (2 PE)


    Martial Arts Path (1 PE)]


    [Accessing any of the available paths requires PE Points, earned through completing Daily Tasks, Urgent Missions, and Leveling up.]


    [Only one Path of Extinction can be accessed at a time. However, user ¡®Zeke Orland¡¯ can freely switch Paths but cannot use any of the skills of an inactive path.


    -Example: The skill [Fists of Fury] cannot be used while the Aether Voltage Path is active.


    -Survival Skills are exempt from this rule.]


    [PE Points (Paths of Extinction Points) can be used for the following: Level Experience, Skill Experience, Unlocking new Paths.]


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 1 (0/15 Exp)]


    [Strength: 8]


    [Agility: 9]


    [Aether: 0]


    [Paths: N/N]


    [Skills: N/N]


    [Available PE: 0]


    Zeke, dumbfounded, read the series of floating white windows. It felt too surreal and it took him a good deal of time to process everything and collect his thoughts. He knew that the crimson light wasn¡¯t an illusion, but he did not expect this to happen.


    Nonetheless, Zeke pushed his scepticism aside and thoroughly read everything multiple times.


    The inexplicable and shocking occurrence that Zeke had gone through robbed him of any exhaustion and sleepiness. The first half of the night was spent pondering and theorising about the ¡®Paths of Extinction¡¯ and the ridiculous fact that he was seeing something magical. Something he had never heard about.


    Although he did not know whether it was harmful or not, the System¡¯s arrival was much-welcomed. He pushed away any negative thoughts and focused on the available practicality of the newfound strange power.


    Unfortunately, the System did not provide any explicit details concerning the ¡®stats¡¯ or other functions, but there was an accessible sub-window in which he saw the previously mentioned ¡®Daily Tasks¡¯.


    Since he had absolutely nothing to lose, Zeke spent the rest of the night completing the daily tasks, which were tiresome but not overly-difficult.


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    [Daily Tasks: Run 15Km (3.4/15) | Meditate for 1 hour | Perform 30 successive Push-ups (30/30)]


    Admittedly, Zeke wasn¡¯t a fit individual, which made the completion of the Daily Tasks somewhat challenging, however, his physique wasn¡¯t that detrimental since he always made sure to not eat either too much or too little.


    The 15Km run was, by far, the most exhausting as it left him out of breath, but the cold breeze of night pushing against his sweaty body along with the determination to see this whole matter to its end did empower his will and give him the strength to push through till the completion of the Task.


    The only issue Zeke faced was the meditation, which he had no idea what to do. Fortunately, the power of the Internet came in clutch and after a meticulous search, he found a method that he assumed was the right one.


    He had to sit in a very specific position and cycle inhaling and exhaling without paying any attention to any form of distraction. When he heard the loud notification sound of the System, Zeke knew that he succeeded.


    By the time the darkness of the night was replaced by a beautiful orange hue and the sun started rising, Zeke¡¯s body was aching over.


    [Daily Tasks (3/3) completed: +2 EXP | +1 EP]


    [Allocate 1 PE into the Martial Arts Path: Y/N?]


    ¡°Yes!¡± He responded, feeling a little apprehensive.


    [Martial Arts Path unlocked!]


    [You obtain the skill ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯]


    [You gained 3 Strength]


    [You gained 3 Agility]


    [You gained 1 Aether]


    [You gained 1 Exp]


    Seeing the results, the apprehensiveness turned into ecstasy as he switched to his Status Window to have yet another look.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 1 (3/15 Exp)]


    [Strength: 11]


    [Agility: 12]


    [Aether: 1]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 0%)]


    [Available PE: 0]


    The first thing Zeke did was test his new skill ¡®Fist of Fury¡¯: Alas, due to the lack of specification from the System, he did not know how to execute it. To make it work, he began a rather comical and childish endeavour that lasted ten minutes, resolutely attempting to use the skill.


    Woefully, all his tries bore no fruit and only left him more tired. The supposed increase in Agility and Strength was intangible, if not non-existent, further lowering his morale.


    As the time for school approached, Zeke took a quick shower and ate something before heading out. But, unlike yesterday or all the days before it, he felt mentally energised and eager for the day to pass so he could complete tomorrow''s Daily Tasks too.


    Even with the lack of any physical difference in prowess and the inability to use the obtained skill, Zeke knew that this wasn¡¯t a dream or hallucination. It wasn¡¯t a trick of the mind born out of desperation or want for greatness, instead, It was an opportunity, a chance to turn his life around and, at last, seek what he wanted and make his life better.


    Suffice it to say, it would take time and effort, but, eventually, he would no longer be a defect and could potentially best all the people that treated him with disdain and disregard.


    Within half an hour, he arrived at the large campus and, as always, Azmer and Rodrick were waiting for him.


    ¡°Did you bring the money? We¡¯re in a hurry!¡±-Rodrick


    Only when he caught sight of them that Zeke remember the daily ¡®allowance¡¯ he would begrudgingly give them. He was so preoccupied with the Paths of Extinction System that he forgot to bring the money.


    As it were, they were his classmates so it was hard to avoid them, plus, since the bullying had begun- one year ago- he never failed to give them what they wanted, thus making today the first day he, wittingly or not, was defiant.


    Upon seeing him give no response, the two furrowed their brows. Azmer¡¯s expression turned a bit angry as he approached Zeke and, with a cold voice, said,


    ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡±


    ¡°I forgot.¡±


    Zeke, fidgeting and seemingly anxious, averted his eyes and, seeing no easy way out of this, tried to leave only for Azmer to grab his shoulder. He wasn¡¯t given the time to offer an explanation as the two, with fake smiles, pulled him to a quieter spot.


    ¡°It seems we¡¯ve been too lenient on you.¡±


    Azmer signaled his friend, who grabbed Zeke from the back, basically immobolizing him.


    ¡°I really forgot. I¡¯ll bring it tomorrow.¡±


    Knowing what was going to happen, and that he was going to get brutally beaten, probably worse than ever before, Zeke clenched his teeth and glared at the two of them. He remembered Julia¡¯s words. Still, he ultimately chose not to retaliate. It wasn¡¯t just because of cowardliness, but because he knew his limitations. The strength disparity between them would make any form of resistance look like the struggling of a flailing pig. Pitiful and miserable.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Zeke. As a Defect, the least you could do is please those more superior  than you.¡±


    A little flame spark appeared above Azmer¡¯s index as he leaned closer, about to burn Zeke¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°This will serve as a little remin-¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?!¡±


    A loud voice came from the side, startling all three of them. Rodrick instinctively let go of the relatively small Zeke, Azmer hid his hand behind his back and straightened it to seem less suspicious. However, when he saw who it was, he snorted and snappishly retorted,


    ¡°Julia! You gave me a scare.¡±


    ¡°I said, what are you doing?¡±


    Julia Lopmore, also one of Zeke¡¯s bullies, albeit a more ''civil'' one, headed their way. She first stared at the annoyed Azmer then at the expressionless Zeke.


    ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m teaching him a lesson.¡±


    Although Azmer spat those words with a confident and remorseless voice, he did not act out of place or use a rude tone. Julia was significantly stronger than him and, even in terms of social status, she was above him. They were ¡®friends¡¯, so to speak, only because they frequented the same spot and were both regarded as ¡®delinquents¡¯.


    As she stopped in front of him, the blonde-haired Azmer unknowingly stepped back and cancelled the flame spark.


    ¡°I understand that you got your so-called jokes and whatnot, but using actual magic against a Defect? You¡¯re overstepping your boundaries, Azmer.¡±


    ¡°Why are you overreacting, Julia? It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    He tried to play it calm and unperturbed but that only made the girl unhesitantly push him then motion for Rodrick to distance himself from Zeke.


    ¡°I will let this one slide, but next time, you will be dealing with the Dean, not me. Scram.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Stone-faced, Azmer glared at the girl but did not argue back, he left alongside his friend after one last piercing glance at the silent Zeke.


    As the two were left alone in that secluded spot, Julia turned her attention to the young man.


    ¡°A word of gratitude would suffice. After all, I did say that other Defects are having it worse... and you would have become the same were it not for my interference.¡±


    ¡°Interference? You just made it worse by angering Azmer. He can¡¯t touch you, so who do you think will suffer his wrath?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so against getting bullied then why don¡¯t you fight back? Punch the bastard and see what happens. Be a man.¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to say when you were born strong. The strong will never understand the weak¡­ purely because they can never picture themselves in such a position. Why don¡¯t you mind your own business and leave me alone? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re not a bully either.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?! When have I ever bullied you?¡±


    Julia looked genuinely surprised by his statement, so much so that she unintentionally raised her voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re making me do your homework because of your stupidity and laziness. Bullying doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be physical violence.¡±


    With narrowed eyes and gritted teeth, Julia snorted and retorted, ¡°I did not force you to do anything. I asked for your help and you agreed. Don¡¯t fabricate lies to victimize yourself.¡±


    Zeke scoffed at her words and shrugged his shoulders, ¡°When Julia Lopmore takes me to her favourite spot filled with ¡®unruly¡¯ students and asks for my help, how should I respond? Do you seriously think I was in any position to refuse?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    This time, the girl had nothing to say back, nor did she have any time to do so as he clicked his tongue and walked away.


    Julie was notorious for her nasty attitude, but Zeke knew her enough to know that, her anger notwithstanding, she wouldn¡¯t attack him because of a disagreement or a misunderstanding.


    He was grateful for her timely help, but that did not make them friends, nor did it change his impression of her.


    It was not like her advice was idiotic, but, for someone in his shoes, any type of resistance would most likely lead to a worse case of bullying.


    For now, he needed to focus on strengthening himself, and when the time was right, he would strike back.


    ¡­


    Once he arrived at the classroom and took his seat, Zeke saw the gazes of animosity coming from Azmer and Rodrick. When the lesson started, even Julia was giving him a piercing stare that made him feel mildly uncomfortable.


    He was worried about what might happen later, when he was heading home. It was the perfect time for his bullies to exact a semblance of vengeance after they being interrupted.


    He was distracted and, for the entirety of the day, he kept looking at the Status Window and wishing his Stats were higher.


    Unavoidably, the last theoretical lesson came to an end and, with clear hesitance, Zeke left the building with quickened steps, hoping that Azmer and Rodrick would not catch up to him.


    Thankfully, what he dreaded did not happen as he left the campus unscathed, however, ten minutes after his swift ¡®retreat¡¯, he stumbled upon an unexpected sight.


    It was all because of his morbid curiosity, which, once again, forced him to follow a soft cry coming from an empty backstreet in Kethra¡¯s arms, the bustling commercial district adjacent to Erys.


    Nervously, Zeke approached the backstreet and peeked his head, finally seeing what was happening; There were four male students with their backs facing him, all wearing the Erys standard uniform, and in front of them was a familiar girl on the ground.


    She had long black hair, teary eyes, and a reddened cheek. The personal jacket she was supposed to be wearing over the uniform was on the ground right next to her feet: It was none other than the girl from yesterday, the selfsame Defect student who suffered the physical and verbal abuse of the female bullies.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? You¡¯re a low-born defect!¡±


    One of the students spat out loud as he crouched down in front of her. Another student pulled her hair and brought her face closer as he checked her body with unmasked lust. The Sunken Metropolis had a relatively high crime rate, but for such a thing to happen in Kethra''s Arms was unusual. Either the bullies were getting bolder by the day or they simply thought that there would be no repercussions no matter how much they tormented a Defect.


    ¡°It would be a waste to not pledge loyalty to us.¡± the male student whispered into her ear while licking his lips, a disgusting grin on his face.


    The girl, though outnumbered and stricken with fear, did not let them have their way, nor did she accept to suffer in silence. Even with her hair pulled and wrist bruised, she pushed the youth and kicked the closest to her right in the crotch.


    Regrettably, this only made them become more violent as two of them restrained her while the one who was hit in the crotch starting cursing while giving her a venomous look.


    ¡°You unobedient wench!¡±


    He proceeded to slap her twice, bruising her already scarred lips and causing a bit of blood to leak out.


    ¡°...¡±


    As a silent and unseen spectator, Zeke pulled his head back and pondered for a bit. She was a Defect like him, and although he knew they always suffered like this, that did not make what he witnessed any better.


    Still, even in full knowledge of what was about to happen to the poor girl, he felt slightly relieved that Azmer wasn¡¯t as bad as those students, though that could change after what transpired in the morning.


    Hearing what could only be described as evil laughter coupled with a cry of helplessness, Zeke peeked his head again and saw one student restrain the girl while the other was ripping her uniform. The remaining two stood at the side and filmed the process.


    For a split, momentary second, Zeke¡¯s eyes met with the struggling girl. Their gazes met, which made him hide himself while inwardly cursing his stupidity. He expected her to call for help but it did not happen, even her cries seemed to vanish as she seemingly accepted her fate.


    ''Yes. It has nothing to do with me. It¡¯s not like I can do anything. Be rational, Zeke. Rational.''


    With clenched fists, he turned around and returned the way he came from, shaking his head and trying to forget everything. However, before he reached the end of the alleyway and returned to the main street, he suddenly halted his feet and looked down.


    ¡°Fuck! I¡¯m going to regret this.¡±


    With his heart racing and rising adrenaline, he rushed toward the unsuspecting students. With their backs facing him and their attention on the ¡®spectacle¡¯, they did not notice the incoming Zeke.


    Everything happened so fast, from striking the first at the back of his head using a stone he picked, to tackling the second and falling on top of him.


    The first student, hit by the stone, was unconscious and bleeding. As for the second, he was startled, and before he could react, Zeke used the stone to hit his forehead, knocking him senseless too.


    The last two, who finally realised what was happening, stopped what they were doing and retaliated. As Zeke hastily got back to his feet, an unseen yet powerful surge of energy pushed him and made him fall on the ground.


    Alas, he did not have the time to stand up again as the student who previously restrained the girl kicked him in the stomach.


    ¡°What did you fucking do!¡±


    He kicked Zeke a total of three times, which was enough for the latter to feel the urge to vomit in and protect himself while groaning in pain.


    While bearing through the agony, Zeke stretched his arm and pulled the guy¡¯s ankle, almost making him fall. Although it was an unsuccessful attempt, it did allow him to stand up and, at least, try to fight back instead of accepting his loss and getting hit again.


    It happened then, an unfamiliar burning sensation, exhilarating but strange, as if something welled up inside of him; His hands, clenched into fists, glowed with a barely visible orange glow. His body seemed to be move on instinct, making him throw a straight punch forward that was enveloped by a subtle orange glow.


    It was difficult to describe it, his inexplicably empowered fists seemed to follow a natural force as they hammered down on the target multiple times.


    Zeke did not even know where to hit, he just embraced the new sensation and let it guide him. Short-lived as it was, it did inflict considerable damage to the target.


    The student, not expecting a fierce and violent attack, fell on his knees while clutching his chest.


    As for the last bully, he was stricken by shock and failed to notice the girl, who picked up the bloodied stone and mercilessly hit him multiple times until he fell unconscious.


    With heavy gasps and slightly trembling hands, Zeke and the girl stared at each other.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked once he came back to his senses.


    ¡°...¡±


    She did not reply, but that did not stop him from first picking up her fallen jacket.


    ¡°I suppose it was a stupid question to ask.¡± He ended his sentence with an awkward chuckle, his eyes trying their best not to look at her exposed body as he handed her the jacket and spoke again,


    ¡°You should leave before they wake up and potentially give chase.¡±


    Her response was different from what he had expected.


    ¡°Why did you help me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing no response, she slowly put on her jacket and buttoned it up, ¡°I know you. You¡¯re the Defect of Class E.¡±


    The traumatising experience she just went through notwithstanding, the girl no longer trembled and her voice was much calmer.


    Zeke did not know how to respond, so he just motioned for her to go then left too.


    He returned to the main street and headed to the subway station only to notice the girl following him. Eventually, he stopped walking and turned around to face her.


    ¡°You should go buy some bandages and medicine instead of following me.¡±


    His reckless attempt in saving her wasn''t as bad as he initially expected. Even though he knew there would be consequences, possibly disastrous ones, he felt relieved that he helped a Defect like himself. Furthermore, he got to experience ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯, so, in conclusion, the whole ordeal was worth it.

 Chapter 3 The Stellar War

    ¡°Thank you for helping me. Your name is Zeke, right? I¡¯m Amelia from class B.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Even after she introduced herself, Zeke was still confused about her slightly odd behavior. He was certain that she did not follow him just to express her gratitude. However, as a defect, he always felt disinclined to socialise with people as that could make his life worse.


    It wasn¡¯t that he preferred solitude, but that his circumstances led him to be alone. He was a Defect, a student incapable of manipulating Aether, therefore, it was better and safer to be alone rather than implicate other people.


    When he first enrolled into Erys, Zeke did try to talk to people and make a friend or two, but when his classmates learnt he was inadequate, their receptiveness turned into shunning and whispers of belittlement. Not everyone liked to demean Defects, however, all kept their distance lest they, by extension, got picked on.


    When Zeke went to save Amelia, he did not have any ulterior motives, nor did he plan on befriending her, which was why he departed when the danger had passed. It was more of a fight against himself and his self-doubt, an opportunity to prove to himself that he could make a difference, that he could change his life and get rid of his mediocrity.


    Unexpectedly, she went after him and, even now, was showing no signs of leaving.


    Amelia was about to speak again only for the youth to glance at her one last time then swiftly leave. With quickened steps, he entered the subway station and refused to pay any attention to the girl behind him.


    Eventually, he boarded the subway train as he kept dazedly staring at the ground, seemingly absent-minded. As for Amelia, she followed him with her eyes, her thoughts unknown and expression blank and inscrutable.


    ¡­


    Excited as he was about successfully executing ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, the lack of any rest rendered Zeke too exhausted to think properly. Once home, he ate something then laid on the bed, his heavy eyelids closing on their own and his consciousness drifting elsewhere.


    As he was asleep, he did not notice that the Daily Tasks had been refreshed at exactly 8 PM.


    Feeling energetic, Zeke immediately set out to complete the tasks.


    [Daily Tasks: Run 15KM (0/15) | Meditate for 1 hour | Perform 30 successive Push-ups]


    They were the same as yesterday, which was something Zeke did not mind. He changed into an appropriate training outfit and filled his starving stomach before beginning with the long-distance ¡®jog¡¯.


    Overall, the process was physically tiring but doable and rewarding. It took him around two and a half hours to complete everything and see the floating System windows informing him of the stat addition.


    [Daily Tasks (3/3) completed: +2 EXP | +1EP]


    [You gained 2 Strength]


    [You gained 2 Agility]


    [You gained 1 Aether]


    Unfortunately, the rewards were worse but that did not deter Zeke too much. As he checked his Status Window, he saw that the proficiency of ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ had jumped from 0% to 7%, which could be attributed to the brief battle from yesterday evening.


    With nothing to do in particular, Zeke focused on ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ and tried to use it again but to no avail. No matter how much he concentrated, he could not imitate that fiery and exhilarating sensation from before. At first, he speculated that it might have to do with the absence of a ¡®real¡¯ target, therefore, he switched to punching a pillow instead of the air.


    Again, his attempts were futile and no matter how many times he tried, it never worked, much to his dismay.


    As a last and extreme resort, Zeke left the apartment and went to a nearby forest situated at the North of the largest park in the Sunken Metropolis.


    The lamps provided ample illumination, but Zeke wanted to be inconspicuous, so he headed to a quiet and dimly lit spot within the forest itself.


    At the dead of the night, few people would choose to pass by this area, which made it the perfect place to try something. After ascertaining he was alone, Zeke walked to one of the trees and took a couple of deep breaths.


    He wore old and thin black training gloves that belonged to his father and, with tightly clenched fists, punched the wooden trunk with all the strength he could muster.


    Expectedly, he felt excruciating pain and almost gave up after that one try. He caressed his aching knuckles and mumbled inaudible words, seemingly curses, directed at the tree itself.


    Like any other person, Zeke was not fond of pain, which was partially the reason he never fought back against his bullies, but more than that, he was psychologically strained. From his overly-successful older brother to his talented sister. He was the only inadequate child, thus receiving less attention and care from his parents. After enrolling into Erys, he developed an Inferiority Complex, especially after he saw and heard how strong his sister was. In fact, barely any of the students knew that he was related to her. Unwilling to rely on anyone, including his family, Zeke opted for a solitary life rather than seek aid. He did not want to be seen as weak and helpless, instead, he wanted to prove to his parents, and to himself, that even without talent, one could always find success.


    ..


    Even though he knew that one could not become stronger without suffering, he still felt hesitant about punching the trees and hoping that the skill would activate.


    Eventually, after a long musing and clear hesitation, he punched again and again. He only stopped when the pain became unbearable and the cold sensation of leaking blood could be felt from the gloves.


    Within the Dead Widow Park, West of the Sunken Metropolis, a youth was stubbornly and continuously punching a normal-sized tree. It was an odd sight as the seemingly crazy Zeke would stop and groan then repeat the same actions over and over again.


    At last, after ten minutes, his hands were burning from the pain and his breathing was heavy.


    It was then, when frustration was getting the better of him, that he saw an orange spark emanate from his raised fists.


    The same hot sensation swelled inside of him, signalling the activation of ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯.


    Unlike any of his previous tries, Zeke performed ¡®real¡¯ straightforward punches at the tree trunk.


    The pain disappeared for a couple of breaths and four successive and rapid punches struck the wooden trunk, leaving barely visible imprints: The tree itself slightly shook, followed thereafter by a System Notification informing him that the proficiency had increased.


    ¡°So it needs a trigger?¡± He muttered under his breath.


    Basically, the trick wasn¡¯t simply willing the skill to activate, instead, it required the determination to attack one¡¯s target.


    The emotional agitation was the trigger, the anger and willingness to hurt whatever was in front of him, for better or worse. Admittedly, performing such a feat was easier said than done, especially for Zeke, who would always keep himself calm regardless of the situation. Then again, he rarely had the opportunity to showcase his rage or anger, preferring to be rational rather than emotional.


    Now that he knew how to properly make use of his one and only skill, Zeke purged any thoughts of stopping this ¡®training¡¯. Tumultuous days laid ahead of him and the Paths of Extinction System was the only way to protect himself and get rid of the unwanted Defect title. He finally had the opportunity to prove himself and put an end to his monotonous and insufferably boring life.


    It took Zeke a few more tries to grasp the whole procedure and familiarize himself with ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ as well as the required ¡®negative¡¯ emotions.


    Of course, this self-implemented training session was accompanied by pain and exhaustion, two things Zeke wasn¡¯t used to. However, he did not stop and only when his hands could no longer be clenched did he sit down and, while letting out soft painful groans, remove the gloves.


    His knuckles and fingers were soaking with blood and moving them was extremely difficult. After a brief rest, he returned home and applied gauze and bandages around the fresh and bleeding wounds.


    The day hadn''t started, yet the urge to sleep and rest his body was almost overwhelming. The only thing that kept him awake was the Status Window, which he kept looking at everytime he had the chance. When he saw how his stats were rising, the effort from earlier seemed totally worth it.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 1 (5/15 Exp)]


    [Strength: 13]


    [Agility: 14]


    [Aether: 2]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 28%)]


    [Available PE: 1]


    To fully complete the Martial Arts Path, he needed 11 PE, which was relatively a lot considering he was earning only 1 PE every day.


    However, Zeke was interested in the Aether Voltage Path too, and wanted to unlock it. If he could further increase his Aether Stats, perhaps he would be able to manipulate it and slowly improve himself, like the rest of the ¡®gifted¡¯ students in Erys.


    Not unlike the day before, Zeke went to Erys feeling fatigued, and to make matters worse, the pain from his bandaged hands was blistering.


    He expected Azmer and Rodrick to stop him at the campus, as was their wont, but that did not happen. He reached the classroom and sat down without getting bothered by a single soul, which was surprising.


    After Julia¡¯s warning, the two bullies did not get close to him and were nowhere to be seen.


    Soon, the teacher arrived and the students grew silent.


    ¡°I expect that all of you did the essay.¡± He sternly said as he swept his chilling eyes across every one.


    Since he was a Defect, Zeke focused on the theoretical lessons and, in terms of grades, he was the second in the whole class, which was why Julia always ¡®asked¡¯ for his help.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    In fact, the lessons weren¡¯t particularly difficult to comprehend or study, however, the majority of the students leaned more towards practical lessons. After all, most of the highly-sought after careers weren¡¯t locked behind good grades in theoretical exams.


    All the students liked to battle each other and prove their worth through their strength rather than intelligence, so, apart from a handful of likewise hard-working classmates, Zeke did not have much of a competition.


    It only required a little bit of studying as well as paying attention in class to get good grades, but the students were wholly disinterested in History lessons or Theoretical Aether Manipulation, which could prove helpful if properly understood. Then again, teenagers deemed training better and more efficient than paragraphs written in a book.


    Apart from the usual suspects, all of Zeke¡¯s classmates took out their essays and waited for the teacher to make the tour.


    Christopher Balrand was a strict and brutally harsh teacher, though his notoriety mainly originated from the severe punishment he would subject the lazy and unruly students.


    He taught History, Mathematics, and Aether Manipulation, which were all secondary subjects generally regarded as unimportant for success. However, Zeke liked Christopher¡¯s lessons the best, not only because all the students were scared of him and never caused any mischief, but also because he was devoted to his craft and provided informative lessons, though many would describe them as boring.


    ¡°Great work as always, Zeke.¡±


    While fixing his rectangular spectacles, the teacher picked Zeke¡¯s essay and skimmed through it.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly a shame you cannot use Aether. You would have easily become one of the top students.¡±


    The man muttered with a barely audible voice. He looked at Zeke and sighed, disappointment written all over his face.


    As one of Christopher¡¯s favourites, Zeke never actually experienced mockery, but the constant comparison to his siblings was insufferable and more frustrating.


    As he was gathering the essay papers, Christopher was interrupted by Azmer and Rodrick. The two of them barged into the classroom, gasping for breath and hoping they weren¡¯t late.


    Alas, when they saw the teacher give them a frighteningly chilling glare, they stood there, rooted to the ground.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Instead of berating them, Christopher looked at the bruises on their bodies, a deep frown plastering on his face.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing¡­ Sir.¡±


    Azmer lowered his head, vainly trying to hide the blue bruise on his neck. Rodrick fidgeted around but did not have the courage to speak the truth lest they get into more trouble.


    ¡°What are you standing there for? To your seats!¡±


    As his loud and clarion voice echoed in the classroom, they hastily walked to their seats.


    ¡°This is the third time already. You two will be getting a Black Star.¡±


    ¡°S-sir!¡±


    Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Azmer heard Christopher¡¯s words and wanted to protest only to stop at the last second. Christopher was warning them with crossed arms, his boots impatiently tapping on the ground.


    Erys adapted an effective system for hard-working and problematic kids. The former, if they accomplished something impressive, would be rewarded with Golden Stars. In contrast, the latter would be given Black Stars, and when they receive nine, they would be expelled regardless of their social status or talent.


    In Zeke¡¯s case, despite being a Defect, he was once rewarded with a Golden Star after getting the highest score in Theoretical Aether Manipulation amongst all first year students. Undoubtedly, it was quite an accomplishment, but a single Golden Star literally changed nothing.


    In the end, Azmer and Rodrick sat down and kept their silence, looking a bit indignant.


    ¡°Page 233. We will begin by reviewing the Stellar War. Rodrick.¡±


    The youth, startled, jumped to his feet and stuttered as he could not offer any reply.


    ¡°Minus 20 evaluation points. Sit down.¡±


    The teacher then turned his head and stared at Julia. The girl was in a daze and did not notice the tense mood or that everyone was looking at her.


    ¡°Julia.¡±


    ¡°A-ah¡­ yes?¡±


    ¡°The Stellar War. Tell me what it is.¡±


    Although she was caught off-guard, she quickly collected her thoughts and responded.


    ¡°It¡¯s the war between us, the Zyth, and the earthlings around¡­ 40 years ago? No¡­ it was 50 years or something.¡±


    ¡°Minus 5 evaluation points. Sit down. Zeke, can you explain?¡±


    With his name called, Zeke stood up and, with total ease, provided an elaborate and satisfactory answer.


    ¡°The Stellar War, also referred to as the War of the Century, occurred 76 years ago. We, the natives of the Aether Planet, objected to the colonisation launched by the Humans of Earth, so we sided with the Zyth race and engaged in war that lasted 7 years, ending in the year 2097. With the Zyth supporting us, we signed a non-interference diplomatic treaty with the earthlings and, later on, established an amicable relationship in which both sides engaged in regular exchanges of materials and equipment.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. 15 Evaluation Points. Can you tell me about the Zyth Race?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. The Zyth Race is an alien species discovered in the year 2070 by the Earthlings, however, due to the necessary technology, the humans were unable to make contact. Later on, when Earthling humans started living here, the Zyth Race visited us and, from then on, a collaborative relationship was built, solidifying shortly after the Stellar War.


    The Zyth Race is biologically different from humans and are all extremely proficient in wielding Aether. They are equipped with heightened perception and generally considered a Race superior to humans in terms of Intelligence. However, as a consequence of fleeing from their galaxy, their bodies were permanently altered, rendering them more fragile than humans.¡±


    ¡°Correct, but you forgot to mention that the Zyth have a low reproductive rate and cannot survive in an environment that lacks Aether, such as planet Earth. 5 Evaluation Points. Sit down.¡±


    ¡°Tsk tsk! What a nerd.¡± Rodrick clicked his tongue as he looked at the indifferent Zeke, who did not look pleased to receive Evaluation Points.


    The rest of the lesson proceeded as usual and since he knew most of the stuff that was reviewed, Zeke spent more time using the System and reading the available information about the Paths and Skills.


    [You can use PE to level up unlocked paths, subsequently obtaining more Skills and Stats.]


    [Paths of Extinction are two types: Main Paths and Sub-Paths.]


    [The Martial Arts Path is a Main Path, which can unlock Sub-Paths if certain requirements are met. The user can use skills from Sub-Paths if the Main path is activated.]


    [Certain Skills, labelled as Survival Skills, are not locked behind any restrictions and can be used regardless of the currently activated path.]


    [PE can be used to directly increase a specific stat: Conversion rate is: 1:2 for Strength | 1:2 for Agility | 1:1 for Aether | 1:3 for EXP]


    ¡­


    As Zeke was lost in his musing while eating his lunch in the cafeteria, someone pulled the chair across him and sat down.


    His blank eyes focused on the black-haired girl, who looked much better than yesterday. The traces of violence she was subjected to were still visible on her cheek, but, apparently, she applied a bit of make-up to cover it up.


    Amelia, with a soft smile and slightly cheerful expression, coyly waved her hand and said,


    ¡°I saw you eating alone so I came. You don¡¯t mind, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Great. As Defects, we should stick together.¡± She looked around and saw no signs of her assailants nor any potentially obnoxious people.


    Defects were either bullied or treated as non-existent, and for Zeke¡¯s case, it was mostly the latter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too pleased to talk to me. Am I bothering you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He removed the floating system windows and resumed eating as he shrugged his shoulders in response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends either. Also, even though you¡¯re a Defect, you helped me yesterday. Your punches were cool.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Why are you silent? Do you really don¡¯t want to talk to me? I can leave if you want.¡±


    She picked her still untouched plate and was about to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a talkative person.¡±


    While still smiling, she sat down again and beamed at him, happy that he finally spoke.


    ¡°Really? You strike me as a social person. From what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯re the luckiest of us Defects. I haven¡¯t heard of anyone actually attacking you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being bullied too, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am too. It¡¯s honestly annoying, right? Just because they are a bit talented they look down on us. We did not choose to be like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how life is. Either deal with it or quit.¡±


    ¡°Quit? Hah!¡± She snorted in retort, ¡°Don¡¯t you know the ludicrous amount needed to get enrolled in the first place? If I bear through the bullying, I can get a good job after graduation. A teacher, maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Would you still say that if I hadn¡¯t interfered yesterday?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She resolutely shook her head, her voice a bit more serious. ¡°If that happened, I would¡¯ve probably killed myself. Which is why I¡¯m grateful for your help. Speaking of which¡­¡± She paused for a couple of breaths and scrutinised Zeke as if trying to see behind his never-changing expression.


    ¡°Are you hiding your strength? I definitely saw your hands glow.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He did not deign to offer an answer, but that only made Amelia more curious. Her persistence pushed him to change the subject and ask,


    ¡°What happened to those four? Are they your classmates?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re from class C. They found me by accident and started harassing me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be taking another route home.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t you have that prodigy Thomas in your class? I doubt they¡¯ll target you again, at least not within the premises of the school.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They may come after you, though. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I always am.¡±


    The two conversed until the bell rang, though the discussed topics were mostly banal. Still, Zeke got to learn about Amelia and vice-versa. Her introverted look notwithstanding, she was quite the talkative and cheerful person, which contrasted her behavior of yesterday, but that could be attributed to the shock and fear she was experiencing.


    Just like that, Zeke unwittingly made a friend, his first friend in Erys. He welcomed the change of atmosphere and the freedom to talk to someone instead of eating in solitude.


    ¡­


    Fortunately for Zeke, the rest of the day was utterly devoid of trouble. Moreover, he finished earlier than all of his classmates as he was not required to attend the practical lessons.


    Thus, eager to continue training ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, he swiftly returned home, changed clothes, and went to his new favourite spot in the park. Even at daytime, the place was frequented by almost none, so, energised and determined to fully complete the proficiency of the skill, he began the arduous and painstaking procedure.


    It would take significantly less time if he could activate the skill successively, but it did not seem to be possible, at least in his current state.


    For two hours with some rests in-between, the youth punched again and again until all strength had left him and there was nothing left but overwhelming fatigue.


    The bandages and gauze were dyed with blood and his fingers were twitching from the pain.


    ¡°It feels good!¡±


    He had a bright smile as he saw the unexpected System notification. His Strength had increased by 1 point just from his ¡®training¡¯, which meant that exerting physical force beyond one¡¯s limits would eventually regard the user with bonus stats. Additionally, he obtained 1 EP, further boosting the urge to break through his physical limitations and subject himself to more hellish exercise.


    As much as he wanted to continue, Zeke had a slim body that lacked tough muscles, so it would be detrimental rather than beneficial to push himself without any rest.


    Like an alarm clock, his body woke up late at night, his hungry stomach growling and his limbs aching and stiff.


    [Allocate 2 PE into the Aether Voltage Path: Y/N?]


    ¡®Yes¡¯


    [Aether Voltage Path unlocked!]


    [You obtained the skill ¡®Aether Control¡¯]


    [You obtained the skill ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯]


    [You gained 1 Strength]


    [You gained 1 Agility]


    [You gained 3 Aether]


    [You gained 2 Exp]


    While Zeke was eating, he used the earned PE to unlock the Aether Voltage Path, which had a strange name that did not provide any basic information apart from being directly to Aether.


    Still, he was planning on unlocking both paths from the beginning, and since the cost wasn¡¯t ridiculously high, it did not hurt to sacrifice that much EP.


    However, upon obtaining the two new skills, he felt something akin to electricity invade his body and make him tremble for a couple of seconds.


    Unconsciously, the skill ¡®Aether Control¡¯ was activated, resulting in dozens of tiny green particles to fill his view. He had difficulty breathing and his body became incredibly stiff, rendering him unable to move an inch.


    It lasted for ten seconds before everything returned to normal and Zeke was able to breath again, his forehead sweating profusely.


    ¡°That was¡­ Aether.¡±


    It was common knowledge that, in its pure and natural state, ambient Aether took a light green color, but only those proficient in its manipulation could ¡®see¡¯ it and make it their own.


    Although his body refused to obey and he only got a glimpse, Zeke¡¯s surprise turned into elation as he knew he had taken the first step.


    While containing his excitement, Zeke checked the second newly-acquired skill: Voltage Zap.


    He did not know what it did, nor did the System provide anything useful about it. Therefore, while imagining something in relation to the skill¡¯s name, he raised his hand and concentrated.


    Expecting a failure, like what happened with ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, Zeke was shocked to see blue electric currents form around his hand then, a bolt of lightning as thin as two fingers, shot from his hand.


    The lightning bolt travelled at a high-velocity and hit the wall across from him, forming a small hole. Before he had time to worry about the mess he had just made, Zeke felt something draining from his body and a strong dizziness that almost made him fall unconscious.

 Chapter 4 Aether Voltage

    The fact that Zeke, even for a moment, was able to manipulate Aether and even shoot a literal bolt of lightning should be a celebratory cause, however, as someone knowledgeable about Aether, he knew that the dizziness he was experiencing was due to the lack of Aether within his body.


    Ever since arriving on this planet, the human, specifically those from Earth, experienced a dramatic and irreversible change to their physiology. One generation after the other, the humans adapted to this different environment and their bodies necessitated Aether as much as oxygen, meaning that, without Aether, one¡¯s body would cease to function.


    In essence, Aether has become a fundamental necessity for survival and though the majority of the humans living on The Aether Planet couldn''t wield this form of energy, they still have it flowing in their body.


    This self-sustaining Aether should be, in theory, untouchable as its sole role was to help the body to adapt and survive in this Aether-shrouded environment. However, when Zeke used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, the dizziness and uncomfortable draining sensation meant that his body was being used as a storage of energy. Barring the fact that such an occurrence should not be possible, having the life-sustaining Aether drained could lead to mutation or, in the worst scenarios, death.


    For instance, the students in Erys would use the Ambient Aether to empower themselves and facilitate the molding and exertion of genetically acquired powers, which most of them generally would have.


    Afraid that he might seriously hurt himself, Zeke did not use ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ again, especially since he was still feeling dizzy. So focused was he on the inexplicable occurrence that he spent the next two hours reading books and trying to make sense of the whole thing.


    If the System was truly allowing him to make use of his internal Aether, then it would be a revolutionary discovery. Then again, he wasn¡¯t going to tell anyone about it as he might become a lab rat or garner unwanted and hostile attention.


    The best course of action was to keep with his regular training and, at most, use Voltage Zap once a day as it seemed to be his current limit.


    It was definitely stronger than ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, but, instead of relying on negative emotions and a strong will, it required Aether, which was logical but dangerous nonetheless.


    After spending quite a bit of time refreshing his knowledge about the fundamentals of Aether and its forms, Zeke set out to do the Daily Tasks.


    The night proceeded the same as before, from completing the regular tasks, which were becoming easier each time his Stats increased, to returning to the park and punching the same tree.


    <hr>


    Strangely enough, Azmer and Rodrick behaved the same as yesterday and did not bother Zeke. They arrived later and were reproached by Erva Erayne, the Biology and Astrology teacher. In contrast to Christopher, Erva was a kind-hearted woman, respected and liked by all students.


    Due to her leniency, the students did not have to keep their mouths shut and focus for the entirety of the lesson. Some would doze off and others would chat with each other with lowered voices, and though she would notice everything, she never complained or punished anyone.


    Even towards a Defect like Zeke, she was always concerned about his well-being and would tell him to come to her office to talk privately in case he was being picked on.


    In fact, Zeke thought about seeking her help but ultimately gave up. After all, even if he told her the truth, she would, at most, warn the bullies rather than take disciplinary actions.


    Her lesson was relatively short and when the bell rang, Zeke and all of his classmates went to the cafeteria to eat.


    With the plate in hand, he went to a solitary spot and sat down, proceeding to eat in peace.


    ¡°Your hands look worse today.¡± Remarked Amelia as she smiled and sat opposite of him.


    ¡°I tripped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s such a blatant lie. Did you fight someone?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Intrigued, she covered her mouth and curiously looked around. ¡°Who? Did you win?¡±


    ¡°Nevermind that. Did you see those four from before? It¡¯s strange that I¡¯ve not seen them even once.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Disinterested, she shrugged her shoulders and explained, ¡°Apparently, two of them are hospitalised. The last two have been absent too. None of them spoke the truth¡­ probably embarrassed to be beaten by us Defects.¡±


    ¡°Hospitalised?¡± Zeke frowned and stopped eating. While he used a stone to strike their head, he did not expect to do so much damage. It could have been the rush of adrenaline and the desperation that made him underestimate the element of surprise and his strength.


    They were hit unprepared and with a solid stone, no less, so it was reasonable to be seriously hit. Fortunately, none of them were accidentally killed.


    ¡°They kind of deserved it, to be honest. Anyway, do you want to hang out later? It¡¯s the weekend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±


    ¡°Eh! Aren¡¯t we friends now? Come on, I know a good caf¨¦ in Kethra¡¯s Arms.¡±


    She pursued her lips and acted as if she was angry.


    Even before enrolling into Erys, he didn¡¯t have close friends he would hang out with. To go to a caf¨¦ with a girl was a first for him, hence his apparent hesitation.


    Eventually, after much relentless insistence from Amelia, he agreed.


    ¡°Fine, but only for a bit.¡±


    ¡­


    As it was Friday, the lessons ended earlier than usual, thus, as agreed earlier, Zeke and Amelia would meet at the entrance of the school.


    ¡°Since I invited you, everything will be on me.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The students of Erys, specifically the older ones in the second and third years, liked to regularly visit Kethra¡¯s Arms and enjoy all it had to offer. From karaoke to fancy restaurants to arcades.


    It was on the weekends that this bustling district would be filled with students, all hanging out and having fun. As a friendless outcast, however, Zeke never got the chance to wander around. He would always take the first subway train home and hole himself at home, preferring solitude over socialising, which was the reasonable thing to do as a Defect.


    ¡°Ah! I almost forgot¡­¡±


    With a mischievous grin, Amelia glanced at the stoic youth and, after a brief pause, she asked,


    ¡°Are you related to Maxine Orland?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my sister.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Really?!¡±


    While covering her mouth in shock, Amelia gave him a strange look.


    ¡°I had some doubts but she really is your big sister! Why don¡¯t you tell her about your bullies? If they knew your Maxine¡¯s little brother, no one would bother you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke abstained from giving a response. Maxine Orland was one of his two siblings. Unlike him, she was a talented student, one the best, in fact. She was a third year student and only had a year left before graduation.


    Amelia¡¯s words might hold some truth, but Zeke never had a close relationship with his sister. They were on amicable terms, but they did not share anything in common, whether it was hobbies or distinguishable characteristics.


    Maxine was an extrovert, a popular and headstrong girl, whereas Zeke was antisocial and the quiet and reclusive type.


    If he went to Maxine, perhaps his problems would be solved, but, knowing his sister¡¯s attitude, things might get worse and he would feel ashamed.


    The inferiority he felt against his sister and brother made him avoid them and never seek their aid. He wanted to resolve everything by himself despite his shortcomings.


    ¡®Speaking of which, Max likes to hang out here a lot.¡¯


    While hoping he wouldn¡¯t crosspath with his sister, Zeke maintained silence and continued walking, but Amelia wasn¡¯t going to drop the matter so easily.


    ¡°Zeke? Why don¡¯t you ask your sister for help? Even if you¡¯re a Defect, you¡¯re still her family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to talk about that. Speaking of which¡­ What about you? Do you have any older or younger siblings in Erys?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m an only child. My mother is a teacher at a kindergarten and my father is a firefighter. They used all of their savings to get me into Erys.¡±


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t have any talent, so would it not have been better to study at a normal high-school?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I always idolised the famous graduates of Erys, like Sword Master Elric. I knew if I worked hard enough, I could be someone important. Inborn talent isn¡¯t everything, you know.¡±


    Zeke rolled his eyes at her response, which he completely disagreed with. While it was true that meticulous effort would lead to a successful life, there were still limits. Talent, or to be accurate, genetically inherited powers were more valuable and the most looked at criteria.


    ¡°What about now? After you¡¯ve seen and experienced for yourself how it feels to be a Defect. Do you still think you¡¯ve got a chance?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Power doesn''t necessarily have to be related to Aether and the so-called magic. With good grades, I can be a Professor at the Oxylard Academy or even a politician. A diploma from Erys is almost priceless.¡±


    ¡°I envy your enthusiasm. In my case, my parents forced me into this life and, personally, I never had any grand aspirations.¡±


    ¡°Had? Did your mind change?¡± She glanced at his bandaged hands from the corner of her eyes.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is you¡¯re doing, but, as a fellow Defect, I¡¯ll be cheering for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s that caf¨¦! Come!¡±


    ¡­


    When the sky darkened and the street became busier, Zeke opted to leave even though he found his time with Amelia surprisingly entertaining, contrary to his prior expectations. As entertaining as it was, however, it was almost time for the Daily Tasks to be refreshed and he needed to be in full form to exercise and continue increasing his proficiency in Fists of Furry.


    While making his way home, Zeke¡¯s thoughts were all about the four male students that tried to sexually assault Amelia. Even though it was possible that he hid the truth to avoid the embarrassment, it was still a bit odd. Two of them were hospitalised and it would make sense if their parents or guardians tried to seek the perpetrator.


    However, absolutely nothing happened and that was enough for Zeke to feel apprehensive.


    Absent-minded, Zeke made his way toward the subway station while taking the shortest route possible but that made him pass through the backstreet in which the incident transpired.


    It was an inconspicuous spot, rarely frequented by anyone due to the putrid smell, the abundance of trash, and how cramped the whole place was.


    Zeke¡¯s feet came to a sudden halt, his head turning ever-so-slightly to the side and his eyes staring at two bodies laying on the ground.


    For a couple of seconds, he stopped breathing as he saw a pool of blood and a truly gruesome sight. The bodies belonged to none other than the students he fought previously, the remaining two which did not need to be hospitalised.


    Excluding the dry pool of blood, the throats slit open and their eyes were literally removed, leaving a hollow and disgusting hole.


    With a rapidly pounding heart, Zeke controlled his breathing and tentatively approached the corpses. He did not dare touch them, but the fatal wounds on their throats and the absence of their eyes made it crystal clear that they were dead.


    Shocked to stumble upon this sight, he fearfully looked around but spotted nothing worthy of suspicion. He was alone, but that didn¡¯t make him any less scared.


    For a minute or two, the teenager did not know what to do. He took out his phone and was about to call the authorities but stopped at the very last second.


    Assuming he was the first witness to this murder scene, he would be interrogated. His prior ¡®confrontation¡¯ with these two students would raise more problems and he would be suspected even though he lacked the strength to inflict such critical and fatal wounds.


    Fortunately, he did not touch the corpses and kept his distance, but that wasn¡¯t reassuring enough for Zeke. He leaned his face closer and examined the corpses, seeing no wounds except the slashed throats and the plucked out eyes.


    Instead of informing the authorities, as would anyone in his position, Zeke did the opposite and decided to leave with haste.


    [Urgent Mission initiated: Survive the assault]


    The abrupt and unexpected System notification startled the youth, who gasped as a formless black mist appeared from thin air and shot at him.


    In a fit of desperation, Zeke raised his hand and used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯. Blue lightning currents appeared around his hand then, a thin bolt shot forward, clashing with the incoming mist and stopping it momentarily.


    Alas, this poor attempt was futile as the assailant did not seem to be affected by the lightning bolt. The mist crept closer and closer and when it was about to hit him, Zeke felt a chill run down his spine, followed thereafter by the surge of a wall made of ice.


    The wall was thick and successfully blocked the mist, which hastily retreated only to be struck by multiple high-velocity icicles.


    A cry of pain originated from the black mist as the icicles made it distort and leak out sticky blackened blood.


    Instead of attacking again, the mist swirled around then swiftly escaped the scene.


    Still processing what was happening, Zeke turned his stiff neck and saw a girl slightly taller than him stand a couple of paces away.


    She wore the familiar Erys uniform and a unique ashen hair that made her distinguishable with a glance. His lack of knowledge about Erys¡¯ students notwithstanding, Zeke knew who she was.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Once the black mist was gone, she glanced at the two dead students and asked him while deeply frowning.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    He hid his shaky hands and meekly nodded his head. The girl, named Vanessa, crouched near the lifeless bodies and closely inspected them.


    As for Zeke, he was rooted to the ground, staring at her with visible confusion and surprise. Vanessa was a third-year student, like his sister, and her popularity preceded her. Beauty, talent, skill, status, she had it all, moreover, she was on her way to becoming the top student of Erys.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡± Spat Zeke, trying to get rid of any suspicion.


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t. It was all that mist¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°That means I can go, right?¡±


    ¡°Go where?¡± She tilted her head, confused by his words.


    ¡°Home, obviously.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    It was difficult to read her expression, she kept intently looking at him. He had his hands behind his back and had a noticeably fake smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re Max¡¯s little brother. Stay here.¡±


    By now, the effects of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ were getting stronger, but Zeke managed to hold his own and stopped his body from wobbling. It was unexpected that Vanessa easily recognized him, but since it unfolded like this, there was no need to lie.


    Vanessa took out her phone and called two people, the first was Maxine and the second was unknown to Zeke.


    He awkwardly stood there, his heartbeat finally calming down and the fear dissipating.


    Less than minutes later, three fast figures dashed from the alleyway, and at their head was Maxine Orland.


    She was taller than even Vanessa, had raven hair made into a ponytail, and wore casual dark red sportswear.


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    Maxine appeared in front of him, panicking and frantic. She checked his body from head to toe, Zeke couldn¡¯t even keep hiding his bandaged hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, Max.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She saw the bandages hands then glared at him, eerily silent. The momentary and uncomfortable silence was cut off by Maxine¡¯s two companions.


    They were her classmates, two boys, one wearing flamboyant clothes and the other an expensive grey suit.


    ¡°This is your little brother? Doesn¡¯t look like you.¡± The flashily dressed young man whistled as he scrutinised Zeke.


    ¡°He¡¯s in Class E. He received a Golden Stars after getting the best score in Theoretical Aether Manipulation. For a Defect, it¡¯s quite impressive, I must confess.¡± The second male student, who had a composed demeanor, pushed back his round glasses and sneered at his friend¡¯s ignorance.


    ¡°Shut up both of you!¡±


    Maxine¡¯s berating made them step back and whisper to each other while sneaking glances at Zeke.


    ¡°And you¡­ what are you even doing here?¡±


    ¡°I was going home.¡±


    Maxine ignored the bandages hands, attributing them to something else. Once she made sure he was unscathed, she cursed under her breath.


    ¡°I told you living in the dormitory is better. It isn¡¯t safe here.¡±


    ¡°Just because I stumbled upon a murder scene doesn¡¯t make Kethra¡¯s Arms dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a murder scene, these have been-¡±


    Vanessa, who innocently tried to clarify, was cut-off by a piercing stare from Maxine.


    ¡°I need to deal with this whole mess. James and V will take you home.¡±


    Zeke shook his head and replied on the spot, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I go by myself.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got your courage, at least! Hahaha!¡± V, the talkative guy burst out in laughter, clearly not taking Zeke seriously.


    Maxine did not argue with her brother, nor did she let him have the final say. She busied herself with the corpses with Vanessa. James and V, on the other hand, beckoned Zeke and escorted him to the apartment¡¯s doorstep.


    The trip, although short, felt like an eternity as the two were asking him a lot of questions, though they were either about his parents or Maxine¡¯s childhood.


    ¡­


    ¡°Say, Max, is your brother really a Defect?¡±


    ¡°Mhm? Of course he is. I told our parents he shouldn¡¯t be in Erys but they were adamant. I told him to come to me if there¡¯s any problem, though.¡±


    ¡°Strange¡­¡±


    Vanessa looked at a tiny hole on one of the nearby walls. She definitely saw Zeke shoot a bolt of lightning from his hand, one which- albeit weak- did slow down the mist for a fraction of a second.


    ¡°These poor kids, they¡¯re the same as the other victims.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just a hobby of his, Max.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Vanessa looked at the empty eye-sockets, feeling nauseated. ¡°He¡¯s targeting either the residents of Kethra¡¯s Arms or students. I think he¡¯s looking for something and It has something to do with eyes.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Whatever his motives, we need to find him before anymore are killed.¡±


    ¡°You should look after your brother, Max. He might still be in shock.¡±


    ¡­


    Once home, Zeke seated himself on the couch and took deep breaths as in an attempt to bring clarity to his turbulent mind. Whether it was stumbling upon the bodies or facing the mist, it all happened so fast that he barely had the time to think things through, especially after his sister appeared.


    He needed to be alone to assess the situation and try to piece together the known facts.


    First and foremost, there was the Urgent Mission initiated by the System. Abrupt as it was, Zeke paid it little heed then, instead worrying about his safety.


    [Urgent Mission Completed!]


    [You gained 3 PE]


    [You gained 5 EXP]


    Voltage Zap was used in the spur of the moment, and although his aim was correct, it did almost nothing to the assailant. Were it not for Vanessa¡¯s timely help, he would have suffered the same fate as those two male students.


    Admittedly, dangerous situations like those were not common, nevertheless, Zeke became aware of his inadequacy more than ever, his thirst for power was unquenched.


    While feeling the piercing pain from his knuckles and fingers, Zeke clenched his fists and mumbled inaudible words.


    After he mused to himself for an indeterminate amount of time, he ate something then immediately started doing the Daily Tasks.


    The singular stat addition might have felt intangible, but, overall, Zeke could feel a slight difference in his Stamina and Strength. It wasn¡¯t a significant power-up, but further ignited his motivation.


    That day, when the Daily Tasks were finished, Zeke went to the park and punched the tree until his arms could no longer move and his body refused to obey.


    ¡°I did it!¡±


    Three days, that¡¯s how much it took him to fully complete the proficiency of ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯.


    [Skill ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ has reached 100% Proficiency!]


    [+5 EXP]


    [+2 Strength]


    [+1 Agility]


    [+2 PE]


    [Sub-Path ¡®Fighter(2 PE)¡¯ can be unlocked]


    [Sub-Path ¡®Pugilist(4 PE)¡¯ can be unlocked]


    [You leveled up!]


    [+2 Aether]


    [+2 Strength]


    [+2 Agility]


    -


    -


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (5/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 22]


    [Agility: 21]


    [Aether: 9]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) Active | Aether Voltage (1/22) Inactive ]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 2%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 20%)]


    [Available PE: 7]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path(5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path(6 PE)


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path(2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path(4 PE)]


    Comparatively speaking, his stats have more than doubled. The Urgent Mission rewards, coupled with the mastery of ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, allowed him to level up and obtain a decent amount of PE.


    Zeke sat on the grassy ground, his back leaning against the tree. He wiped the sweat off his face and looked at the translucent System windows.


    With the amount of PE he had now, he could unlock either Pyromancer or Hydromancer. From their names, he could guess what type of Paths they were, and both were super interesting.


    The Fighter and Pugilist Paths, on the other hand, were more ambiguous and less self-explanatory. For instance, Fighter was a general term, thus, apart from ¡®fighting¡¯, it was hard to guess what it was exactly about.


    In due course, when he was weighing the pros and cons of each available option, Zeke allocated 1 PE into the Aether Stat, 3 PE into the Aether Voltage Path, and the remaining points were spent equally on Agility and Strength.


    The thought of unlocking the new paths was undoubtedly enticing, however, Zeke wasn¡¯t of the mind that diversity would help him.


    For now, what HE needed most was a tough body, capable of withstanding a couple of hits, at the very least. For that, Agility and Strength had to be increased, as that would also facilitate the Daily Tasks.


    As far as he knew, the available paths would remain and could be unlocked later on if the required PE were procured.


    The Aether Voltage Path focused on Aether, which was paramount to Zeke. If the Aether Stas did indeed increase the Aether within him, then it stood to reason that, the higher it was, the easier and less physically stressful it would be to execute skills like ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ was able to incapacitate a student of Erys, presumably someone talented, but said student wasn¡¯t prepared, nor did he retaliate, plus, close-quarter combat was disadvantageous against opponents that wielded long-ranged abilities, which was also why Zeke preferred the Aether Voltage Path over the Martial Arts Path.

 Chapter 5 Voltage Zap

    As he anticipated, dumping PE into a main path was extremely beneficial and seemed to be right play, rather than unlocking multiple paths without focusing on just one.


    [You obtained the skill ¡®Spark¡¯]


    [You gained 3 Aether]


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (5/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 26]


    [Agility: 25]


    [Aether: 13]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (4/22) active ]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 2%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 20%) - Spark (Proficiency 0%)]


    [Available PE: 0]


    After activating the Aether Voltage Path, which was an easy process reliant on his thoughts and a brief interaction with the System itself, Zeke tried to use his newly-obtained skill: Spark.


    He disregarded the overwhelming fatigue and slowly raised his right hand; He felt a numbness, followed thereafter by an invisible suction that gathered a bit of his Aether into his hand. The result was a floating orb literally made of crackling blue-colored lightning that danced around in an unstable manner.


    The thin lightning currents were harmless, at least to Zeke, but apart from looking at the orb, he could neither move it nor do anything with it.


    After several seconds, the lightning orb vanished into thin air, leaving its caster more confused than ever.


    The next thing was ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which, when executed, shot the same bolt of lightning. Even after shooting the bolt of lightning from his hand, Zeke did not experience the strong dizziness, which confirmed a theory of his.


    The bolt of lightning seemed to be slightly thicker as it drilled into the tree trunk, finally causing it to snap after all the beating it was subjected to.


    Frantic, Zeke looked around then swiftly ran away, unwilling to be blamed for breaking a tree.


    ¡­


    The Aether Stat was indeed a numerical value of the quantity of Aether within his body, meaning that the higher it was, the more times he could use ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯. In retrospect, when Zeke only had 5 points in Aether, he could only use the skill once, but now, he knew he could use it two times.


    As for ¡®Spark¡¯, it was an ambiguous skill that he had yet to understand, but, after trying it once, it was clear that it was a less demanding skill than ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    All in all, the teenager was pleased with his progress and was determined to master the Aether Voltage Path, not only because it was superior to the Martial Arts Path, but also because it provided him with ¡®abilities¡¯ directly related to Aether, which was exactly what he wanted.


    Now, at least, he wouldn¡¯t have to be subjected to Azmer and Rodrick¡¯s bullying. Although he wasn¡¯t at the level of confronting a fellow student, he nonetheless had the power to protect himself and turn his life around, step by step.


    That night, Zeke slept like a baby and woke up later than usual. It was Saturday and all the lessons today were practical, therefore, he wasn¡¯t obligated to attend.


    Still, Zeke headed to Erys after eating breakfast, planning to ask a fairly knowledgeable teacher about something.


    Ironically, Saturday was the busiest day for the students. The training facilities were full and the vast campus became a leisure area for those who wanted to train in groups or individually.


    Everywhere he looked, Zeke saw students having friendly spars, chatting with each other, or even grouping around the so-called celebrities.


    The fangirls, especially, were cheering on the famous third years like Gerard Steel and Marina Buart, both of which were at the top of rankings.


    Uninterested in such trivialities, Zeke made his way to training facility E, the one and only in which his class¡¯ practical lessons would be conducted.


    After making a few turns through the spacious corridors, Zeke arrived at his destination; A room as big as a basketball court, segmented into equally-sized spots for the students to use their powers without hurting each other.


    Zeke¡¯s 27 classmates were all present, all focused on their individual task. At a glance, you could notice their reddened faces, concentrated expressions, and slightly shaky hands.


    As a Defect, Zeke never actually attended this lesson, but he did come once or twice to spectate, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess what they were doing.


    At the far back, watching over 27 students, stood a relatively tall person. With an abnormally slim body, a deep purple skin, an oval-shaped head that lacked any facial hair, and jet black eyes that lacked any pupils; It was Professor Nayro, the only Zyth official in Erys.


    In fact, Nayro was one of a handful of Zyth living on Erys.


    Despite their strange appearance, the humans had long since learned to live with the Zyth Race.


    If anyone, students or teacher, either insulted or showcased any racism, they would be severely punished. Then again, the Zyth were notorious for their brutal retaliation in case their skills or appearance were belittled or mocked. It all stemmed from their aloof attitude, remarkable intelligence, and near-flawless mastery over Aether.


    ¡°Zeke, my boy!¡±


    The moment he stepped into the training facility, Professor Nayro appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye.


    In addition to teaching in Erys, Nayro also worked at the Oxylard Academy, hence his title as ¡®Professor¡¯. He was an enthusiastic individual, keen on discovering new things and uncovering mysteries.


    Most students liked him thanks to his easy-going attitude, great lessons, and helpful attitude.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Zeke would consult him from time to time to ask about topics related to Aether. It could be said that Professor Nayro, despite teaching Practical Aether Manipulation, had contributed a lot in Zeke¡¯s feat of obtaining a Gold Star.


    ¡°Professor, I¡¯ve come to ask you about a couple of things.¡±


    ¡°Ask ahead!¡±


    The Zyth¡¯s strange eyes wiggled around, crossing his long legs and sitting on a seemingly invisible chair.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering if there is a method to access the Aether within us. Is there perhaps a recorded and verified method?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Life Aether has caught your interest this time? My, that¡¯s unexpected.¡±


    A hoarse chuckle came out of Nayro¡¯s thin and almost non-existent lips. Like an owl, his neck turned 180 degrees as he swept his eyes across the hard-working students. Once he was done, he focused on Zeke again and continued,


    ¡°Since there is no widespread terminology about the Aether within our bodies, we tend to call it Life Aether. Anyway, Life Aether has always been inaccessible to the humans of this planet. Yes, in essence, it is Aether, but it is a wholly different form and it serves only as sustainment for the body.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s no method to use it?¡±


    ¡°Use it? My boy, accessing it and using it are totally different things. We, the Zyth, are biologically different and have the ability to harness Life Aether, but it comes at a cost. As for you humans¡­ I¡¯ve seen some that could use it, but, more often than not, it would result in death or worse.¡±


    ¡°How did they use it, Professor?¡±


    Instead of responding, the Zyth intently stared at him in silence. Eventually, Naryo shook his head,


    ¡°Zeke, I hope you¡¯re not thinking of resorting to taboo techniques. Those sinister techniques beget only misery and tragedy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious, Professor. Really.¡±


    ¡°Alright. However, I won¡¯t tell you the method. I understand that a smart boy like you would want to vasten your knowledge, but there are things better left untouched.¡±


    It was unexpected for Professor Nayro, who was wont to talk for minutes non-stop about any and all topics, to say so little. Obviously, Zeke did not want to resort to the taboo methods, he only wanted to know how the System was allowing him to use the Life Aether.


    ¡°Is there a way to increase one¡¯s Life Aether, Professor?¡±


    ¡°Increase? That¡¯s another strange question, Zeke. Life Aether is like blood. There is a certain quantified threshold you can¡¯t exceed. Some species are born with abundant Life Aether, thus granted greater vitality and a longer lifespan. For example, I, along with all the Zyth, have four times as much Life Aether as humans. Retrospectively, there have been humans and Zyth both that were regarded as irregulars, individuals that lucked out and had a higher concentration of Life Aether. Such people, I think, were destined for greatness. Let¡¯s take the Crimson Champion, Maximus Vis Zan, he lived for 160 years despite being human. Not only that but he also had transcendent powers that allowed him to reign supreme for nigh 30 years¡­¡±


    Nayro talked for close to ten minutes, enthusiastically recounting things Zeke already knew.


    When the energetic professor was done, Zeke thanked and excused himself. Since there was nothing of importance to be learnt, he went to the Infirmary.


    Erys¡¯ infirmary was located in the school¡¯s Administrative Bureau, which was the largest and most impressive building. It was made of glistening silver and glass, towering over everything else and situated right at the center.


    As its name suggested, the Infirmary was a place in which sick or wounded students would go to be treated. However, unless one had a serious injury since the treatment wasn¡¯t just in the form of medicines and herbs. The head of the Infirmary was a gifted man with the unique ability to ¡®heal¡¯.


    Notably, he was a capable surgeon and someone with the power to quicken one¡¯s natural regeneration, thus facilitating recovery.


    Even with the protective gloves, Zeke¡¯s hands were scarred and in dire need of healing. The reason he postponed his visit was to ensure that the head of the Infirmary wouldn¡¯t refuse healing him on the premise that his wounds were superficial.


    After knocking once, Zeke opened the door and was greeted by the unpleasant smell usually found in hospitals.


    The Infirmary was quite large but in a completely messy state. Excluding its Head, there were two unfamiliar girls resting on the medical bed.


    Upon seeing Zeke, they giggled and whispered to each other while stealing glances at him.


    ¡°Your class, grade, and full name.¡±


    The ¡®healer¡¯ was standing near the half-open windows and having a leisurely smoke. He had unkempt hair and, strangely enough, wore a lab coat over a black suit.


    This was Xavier Ozborne, someone Zeke knew of but never actually met. He bore a striking resemblance to Maxine¡¯s friend, James.


    ¡®Even though he¡¯s this older brother, they only resemble each other in terms of appearance.¡¯


    Zeke kept his thoughts to himself and answered, ¡°Zeke Orland, first year, Class E.¡±


    Xavier beckoned Zeke then scrutinised him from head to toe, noticing the bandaged hands almost immediately.


    ¡°What was the cause of this?¡±


    ¡°I tripped.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try that with me, kid. Who was it?¡±


    Xavier looked angry around the look, and when he raised his voice, Zeke did not know what to say.


    ¡°Quiet, you two!¡±


    The two giggling girls covered their mouths and acted oblivious upon being reproached.


    ¡°I really tripped¡­ Sir.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After being glared at, Zeke was dragged to a nearby bed and ordered to sit down. The healing procedure was swift and required no effort from Xavier.


    Once the bandages and gauze were removed, the ugly state of Zeke¡¯s hands was in full display, making Xavier¡¯s frown deeper.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to be the cool kid and hurt yourself. If you have a problem, tell me or the Dean.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t expect me to heal you every time. Stay out of trouble.¡±


    Xavier repeatedly warned Zeke and let him go once the hands covered in coagulated blood were back to normal, more or less.


    Relieved, Zeke clenched and unclenched his hand. The coagulated blood and the stinging pain were gone, giving him the urge to return to the park and continue training. However, with ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ mastered, he had no reason to torture himself.


    There were more efficient methods to raise his stats, ones that did not require inflicting self-injury and ruining his hands.


    So focused on his healed hands, Zeke failed to notice Vanessa, who passed right by him and entered the Infirmary.


    The girl eyed him for a couple of breaths, a look of confusion plastered on her face.


    <hr>


    ¡°You¡¯ve rested enough. Go back to class.¡±


    ¡°B-but


    ¡°But me no buts! Out¡­ now!¡±


    The two girls reluctantly got off the bed and slowly made their way out. Once he was left alone, Xavier returned to finishing his half-burnt cigarette as he gazed at the bustling campus. Unfortunately, his solitary time was short-lived as Vanessa barged in.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Vanessa.¡±


    Xavier did not seem annoyed to see Vanessa, he motioned for her to sit down and, after throwing the cigarette outside, he sat in front of her.


    Just like he did with Zeke, he used his ability to heal red spots on the girl¡¯s wrists and shoulder.


    ¡°Until we find a solution, you should limit the usage of your powers.¡±


    ¡°I need it now more than ever, Sir. Just yesterday, two more students were killed.¡±


    ¡°So I was told. The fools are trying to keep it a secret but that will only lead to more deaths. We need to raise awareness and warn the students.¡±


    Xavier clicked his tongue, clearly disagreeing with how the case was being handled.


    ¡°Sir¡­ if you don¡¯t mind me asking. Why was that student here?¡±


    ¡°Hm? You mean that kid? His hands had severe cuts and scars.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not strange for Defects to show up with such injuries. But don¡¯t worry, the Dean is back so things will be calm for a while. Still, I can¡¯t help but find it strange.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    Xavier, absent-minded, looked at his hands then at the ground.


    ¡°That kid, I don¡¯t know why but his body seemed to be trying to reject my power. Maybe I¡¯m just getting old¡­¡±

 Chapter 6 Conflict

    With no distractions and ample time, Zeke spent Saturday and Sunday either researching comprehensive and informative books about Aether, or completing the Daily Tasks and going a step further to increase his stats by surpassing his physical limits.


    Unfortunately, obtaining stats through sheer effort was easier said than done.


    Within two days, he only managed to increase his Strength and Agility by 2 points respectively, which was a welcome but less than satisfactory result.


    His physique was slowly but surely becoming better, though there had been close to no change in terms of appearance.


    Excluding the regular exercises, Zeke focused on his Aether, specifically ¡®Aether Control¡¯, ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, and ¡®Spark¡¯.


    After a relatively long meditation session, following the emptying of his Life Aether through the use of two consecutive ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, Zeke tried to see if ¡®Aether Control¡¯ could be used as a regenerative alternative instead of simple rest. Alas, his experimentation was unsuccessful and, as always, he was left feeling dizzy and incapable of prolonging the active period of the skill, much less manipulating the lustrous green particles dancing around him.


    ¡°Yes, big brother.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯m fine¡­ I promise.¡±


    The phone call with his brother was brief and the same as always. Still, Zeke wasn¡¯t particularly displeased or upset. Amongst all his family members, he was closest to his older brother ¡®Edward¡¯, or Ed, as Zeke liked to call him.


    Edward Orland was a famous graduate of Erys, a student of renown feats and exceptional talents. Even Maxine paled in comparison to Edward, though that was mainly due to her low grades in Theoretical Lessons.


    As he put down the phone, Zeke let out a soft smile and continued eating. He neither hoped nor expected his parents to call or come back home. They were both workaholics, but more than that, they never really cared for his well being. The fact that they had forced him to enrol into Erys proved that they cared more about face than their son. They wanted to be known as the parents who raised three Erys graduates, even if the last one was a Defect.


    Frankly speaking, Zeke did not feel any sort of closeness to his mother and father. He had not seen them for two years already and that was for the better. After all, they would incessantly reproach any mistake he made and compare him to his studious brother and genius sister. It was, to say the least, obnoxious and downright discouraging to constantly hear your parents utter degrading words and empathize with your faults every time they got the chance.


    It was because of them that Zeke had an inferiority complex toward his talented peers. On the outside, he might have behaved normally, but he was psychologically struggling and trying to cope with the unfair reality.


    Fortunately, the arrival of the System turned his life around and offered him the chance to get power using unorthodox means. However, never once did he think of calling his parents and telling them the truth as, knowing them, that could lead to disastrous consequences.


    There were no records of the Paths of Extinction System anywhere on the Internet of History Books, therefore, Zeke concluded that it was something alien, something entirely new and unrelated to Earth or the Aether Planet.


    Whatever it was, it was for the best to keep it a secret and use it for his own benefits. The process might be slow, but someday, he might measure up to Edward and Maxine.


    After finishing his regular call with Edward, Zeke resumed his meditation and messed around with ¡®Aether Control¡¯ only to fall unconscious shortly after.


    In the blink of an eye, the weekend passed and it was Monday. As usual, Zeke headed to Erys and found himself in the vast campus, but the moment he heard Rodrick¡¯s loud call, he knew it wasn¡¯t going to be a peaceful day.


    By now, both Azmer and Rodrick healed from their minor wounds and no longer had bandages. From the looks of it, they were waiting for him at the gates and as soon as they spotted him, they called for him.


    While fighting the instinctive fear he developed after so much bullying, Zeke glanced at them and actually chose to act deaf and quicken his steps.


    Of course, his attempt only made them chase after him, Rodrick pulling the back of his collar while Azmer was giving him a piercing glare.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear us?! Tsk tsk! You¡¯re becoming bolder by the day!¡±


    Rodrick was a head taller than Zeke and definitely more muscular. Nevertheless, his tug felt lighter to Zeke, who offered no resistance and looked back with a rarely calm look.


    He might have escaped their bullying for a couple of days, but this was bound to happen. It was apparent that they were done with whatever was troubling them and finally returned to their old ways; Preying on the weak to make themselves feel better and stronger.


    ¡°He clearly saw us.¡±


    Azmer approached him and leaned closer, his azure eyes focused on him. ¡°Did you think Julia¡¯s warning will save you? She can¡¯t always be there for you, loser.¡±


    Rodrick looked around then, while acting friendly with Zeke, he dragged him to their usual secluded spot; an alley between the First Year Building and the Training Facility.


    Unlike the past, Zeke had the means to protect himself and wasn¡¯t willing to get beaten up just for the sake of it. Yes, he was outnumbered and Azmer was probably stronger than him. However, Rodrick wasn¡¯t particularly talented in comparison, neither was his ability strong. Nevertheless, using ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ in retaliation would be a foolish move, especially so soon. Therefore, once he was pushed against the wall and Rodrick was ready to kick him, Zeke raised his hands in a defensive manner.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?¡±


    Rodrick wasn¡¯t angry, he grinned once he saw Zeke try to protect himself.


    ¡°Would you look at that! The loser grew some balls! Hahahahaha¡±


    In a slow and casual manner, Rodrick tried to kick him but the latter dodged out of the way and, unhesitantly, swung his clenched fist right at the bully¡¯s face.


    It happened so quickly, and from Zeke¡¯s perspective, it was simply too easy. Maybe his increased Stats really made a difference, or maybe the newfound courage to resist allowed him to exert unexpected strength. Whatever it was, it allowed him to literally punch Rodrick¡¯s face and made him stagger.


    In disbelief, Rodrick dumbfoundedly touched his bleeding nose. However, Zeke wasn¡¯t finished, not after such a golden opportunity presented itself.


    Azmer was equally shocked as he saw the scrawny Zeke swing his fists again. This time, there was a barely noticeable light emanating from his fists as they hammered on Rodrick¡¯s chest.


    ¡°...¡±


    With solemn eyes and a cold expression, Zeke looked at the startled Azmer. He had his fists raised, ready to attack. As for Rodrick, with a purple face, he was clutching his chest and having difficulty breathing.


    ¡°W-what happe-¡±


    The poor teenager couldn¡¯t even finish talking as the pain was too much. With one hand on the ground, supporting him, he slowly raised his head and looked at Zeke.


    Contrary to him, Azmer knew what was happening and did not recklessly attempt anything.


    While glaring at Zeke, he said, ¡°You¡­ can use Aether?¡±


    He definitely saw the light emitting from the fists, and that could only be attributed to Aether.


    ¡°This has gone for long enough, Azmer.¡±


    His weak appearance notwithstanding, Zeke seemed unrecognizable now. Yet, even after all of that, Rodrick wasn¡¯t having it as he got up to his feet and tried to attack.


    Unfortunately for him, Zeke was more than prepared and, before he knew it, Rodrick¡¯s face was viciously kicked, which made him instantly fall unconscious.


    Upon seeing Zeke about to continue hitting the defenseless Rodrick, Azmer was finally about to intercept as a fist-sized fireball appeared in front of him.


    At a high-speed, it shot Zeke, who instinctively used ¡®Spark¡¯ to protect himself. The expected clash, however, did not occur as both the lightning orb and the fireball disintegrated into nothingness.


    ¡°As per rule 6, fighting within the campus is prohibited.¡±


    Much to Azmer and Zeke¡¯s surprise, an old man appeared out of thin air. He was slightly shorter than Zeke, had long and snow-white silky hair, and was dressed in a traditional tattered grey robe.


    The two students instantly recognized the elderly, causing Azmer to withdraw his Aether and Zeke to back away, though he did not look as restless as his bully.


    The Dean swept his eyes at the two of them then glanced at the unconscious Rodrick.


    Instead of putting the blame on Zeke, the old man faced Azmer and continued,


    ¡°Mister Lorson, I think we made it quite clear that any violent acts, physical or verbal, against the DefectS can lead to expulsion.¡±


    ¡°I-it was a misunderstanding, sir.¡±


    Azemer Lorson forced a laugh and looked at the stoic Zeke, who nodded his head in silent agreement.


    Since the Dean witnessed the events that just unfolded, it would be easy to confess everything to the Dean. However, that wouldn¡¯t be enough to get them expelled. Moreover, Zeke¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t to get rid of them but to beat them. He wanted to prove to himself that he could beat them, that he could inflict to them what they had done to him.


    Today was merely a lesson so that the two of them would think twice before beating him up.


    It has been a short while since he acquired the System, but that did not mean he was willing to keep getting bullied¡­ not after he had the power to protect himself.


    ¡°Misunderstanding? You think me a fool, Mister Lorson? What about you, Mister Orland?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. It was really a misunderstanding. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Seeing their adamance on revealing the truth, the Dean sighed and dismissively waved his hand at Zeke. As for Azmer, he was instructed to carry his friend to the infirmary, which he obediently did.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah! It fucking hurts!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Rodrick was caressing his chest while spouting vulgar words. Xavier had done his best and healed the superficial wounds, but even after that, Rodrick was still experiencing a burning and uncomfortable sensation in his chest, which made him rage even more.


    ¡°Calm down, Rodrick.¡±


    ¡°Calm down? How can I calm down after that little shit sneak-attacked me?! I swear I¡¯ll bring his leg-¡±


    Upon seeing his friend give him an uncommon and cold stare, Rodrick swallowed his anger and words and lowered his head.


    ¡°I swear it was just luck. I didn¡¯t think he''d actually attack me.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I mean, I didn¡¯t even get to use my power.¡±


    ¡°When did you ever need your power to beat a Defect? Don¡¯t start making excuses, Rodrick.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­¡±


    In the end, Rodrick, with clenched fists, opted to maintain silence while his friend sighed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try anything stupid. The Dean saw it all and I don¡¯t want any more trouble.¡±


    As Azmer was prepared to leave, Rodrick hesitantly said, ¡°Are we really going to let him get away scot-free?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, we are. Stay here and recover.¡±


    Azmer departed thereafter, leaving a begrudged and annoyed Rodrick behind.


    With Xavier gone, Rodrick was alone in the Infirmary, muttering to himself with a distorted expression of anger. He could not handle the loss of face and the fact that a weakling like Zeke managed to do that to him.


    ¡°No way I¡¯m going to let him off.¡±


    Resolved, he fished out his phone and called a close friend of his father¡¯s.


    <hr>


    During lunchtime, after the second lesson, Zeke expected to see Amelia but there were no signs of her. Instead of eating, he searched for her only to come to a sudden realization.


    The only reason she wasn¡¯t there was because she couldn¡¯t. Thinking back to the time he saw her being bullied in the small park within the campus, he immediately rushed there.


    ¡°You¡¯re filth!!¡±


    Uncannily, it was the very same sight from last time. The two girls were surrounding Amelia and spouting insults.


    But, unlike last time, Amelia wasn¡¯t unscathed; Her uniform, specifically in the abdomen area, was shredded into pieces, revealing her bruised stomach. ¡®Twas clear that she was hit with magic rather than simple kicks.


    With a pale face and weakened legs, she was leaning against the tree and trying to say something only to be slapped.


    ¡®Even with the Dean here, the bullying won¡¯t ever stop.¡¯


    Zeke found himself in the same situation, witnessing the bullying of a fellow Defect. As if fate was playing tricks on him, he was at the same exact spot and hiding behind a tree.


    However, he did not content with cowardly watching, and instead, he raised his hand and, while concentrating, used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    The blue electric currents formed around the open palm then, in an instant, shot a lightning bolt straight at one of the two girls.


    The unsuspecting target was hit in the back, causing her to let out a heart-wrenching cry of agony as the lightning charred her uniform and blackened her skin. She limply fell on the ground, startling her friend.


    The remaining bully did not help her friend, she frantically looked around then darted away in fear.


    As for Amelia, she looked at the fallen girl with blank eyes, utterly devoid of pity or sympathy.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    A familiar worried voice rang in her ears, and when she looked up, she saw Zeke walking toward her.


    The girl sat on the ground and softly groaned as she touched her bruised abdomen. Whatever they used on her, it clearly made her incredibly weakened and incapable of even standing up.


    ¡°It was you¡­ again. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go to the Infirmary.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    At first, he tried to support her but her knees were trembling and she could not stand up, therefore, he carried her on his back. The two did not even glance at the unconscious and injured girl as they left the area.


    ¡°I assume they¡¯re from your class?¡±


    Zeke could feel the now-calm breathing of Amelia as she rested her head on his shoulder. She seemed remarkably less lively than usual, though it was to be expected after such a violent session of bullying.


    In more than a way, Zeke felt bad for arriving too late. Amelia did not have the strength to protect herself and, as a consequence, had to bear through the beating and abuse. He couldn¡¯t always be there to intervene, so he needed to use another method to ensure her safety. After all, they were technically friends and as two individuals with relatively similar circumstances, they could sympathize with each other.


    ¡°Yeah. Nothing I can¡¯t deal with, though.¡±


    ¡°Well, it certainly didn¡¯t look that way.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Amelia playfully snorted and squeezed her grip around his chest, ¡°We received our grades today and I was the first in History. They were sour.¡±


    ¡°I know how that feels, heh! Rodrick, one of my bullies, would get the lowest score and vent his frustration on me. It was always hell!¡±


    ¡°Jeez-¡± She wanted to say something but was assaulted by a fit of coughs which left her out of breath.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You should rest in the Infirmary all day. I¡¯ll bring you something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know I know.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I-It¡¯s here!¡±


    The Dean, along with the girl who had run away, returned to the scene where it all happened. The girl, teary-eyed and hyperventilating, was staring at her unconscious friend while intensely shaking.


    In contrast, the old man approached the injured student and put his hand over the fresh wound on her back. An emission of Aether emanated from his hand and tried to envelop the blackened spot only for blue electric currents to appear and ripple in the air.


    ¡°Curiouser and curiouser.¡± While letting out a grunt, he turned to the other girl and reassuringly added,


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the Infirmary. For now, go back to class and come to my office in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Once the girl left, the Dean looked around with half-closed eyes, his expression unusually serious. In just a couple of breaths, he guessed the spot from which the attack was shot, but there was no residue Aether that could lead to the culprit. However, he did notice a bit of blood on the tree trunk and on the ground.


    ¡°Lightning-aspected Aether? Hmm-... No. This is something else.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Another one?¡±


    Upon seeing the Dean appear with an unconscious girl, Xavier frowned and motioned for the former to put her on one of the empty beds.


    ¡°Can you take a closer look at her, Xavier?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m about to do. I can barely sense any Aether in her.¡±


    While the Dean was standing at the side, Xavier inspected the girl and though the wound was healed successfully, there were still traces of electric currents in the air.


    ¡°Call her parents. She needs to be hospitalized.¡±


    With a grave look, Xavier nodded his head and removed his hand from her back.


    ¡°I can heal the wounds but removing whatever is inside her is beyond my abilities. Who did this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure that out.¡±


    The Dean glanced at the two other patients in the room then vanished into thin air.


    The Head of the Infirmary, clearly in a bad mood, called a couple of people then took out his packet of cigarettes and stormed out after telling Amelia and Rodrick to rest.


    In the case of Rodrick, he did not heed Xavier¡¯s words. After the Doctor left, he sat up and, while groaning and cursing, made his way outside.


    Only the absent-minded Amelia remained, her eyes glued on her unconscious bully.


    The blackened spot caused by the lightning bolt was completely healed, but you could still see unstable lightning sparks every few seconds.


    Before she knew it, Amelia was in front of the girl, looking down at her with stone-cold eyes. She stretched her arms and grasped the sleeping girl¡¯s throat, trying to suffocate her.


    In the end, she did not finish the job and simply went back to her bed in an eerie silence. Although she did not show it, her grudge was as strong as Zeke¡¯s, thus, when she saw a chance, she could not help herself.


    At least she held herself back at the last second and didn¡¯t do anything that might ruin her life, but the temptation was ever-growing and more intense.


    <hr>


    The rest of the day was uneventful for Zeke. He went to check on Amelia after all the lessons then headed home.


    He was eager to do his Daily Tasks , which would reset early at night. He needed to get stronger than, when the time was ripe, showcase his newfound powers to the public. Then, he could go around without having to worry about bullies.


    Consequently, many would question the origin of his abilities, but he would attribute his power-up to an unexpected late awakening. After all, Maxine and Edward were able to manipulate Aether, so that explanation, however lackluster, was somewhat believable.


    Additionally, Erys cared about one¡¯s strength and intelligence, not the source of its students¡¯ unique powers.


    After taking the subway and arriving at his neighborhood, Zeke was met with an unexpected sight; Close to the apartment complex he lived in, there were a bunch of black-suited men with a student at their front.


    Alas, when he caught sight of them, so did they. As it was too late to retreat or avoid them, Zeke halted his steps and looked at the unfriendly group of men, numbering at least twenty.


    ¡°Come here you rat bas-¡±


    Before Rodrick could finish, Zeke turned around and started a mad sprint for his life. Although his neighbourhood was relatively safe, he still did not want to take the risk. Anyone would avoid such a group, therefore, trying to call for help would be futile.


    Woefully, the cat and mouse chase was short-lived. Zeke was a fast runner, but he was intercepted by more men. Rodrick had come prepared and spared no effort in trying to catch his victim.


    ¡°Where are you going to run off to now, hah?!¡±


    Circled by no less than twenty to thirty men, all giving him looks of mockery or hostility, Zeke stood with his back against the wall. Even if he used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, he would have no chance of defeating all of them. He was doomed to fail, so it would be wiser to keep his trump cards closer to his sleeve and try another tactic.


    Now that he was cornered, Zeke felt a bit of anxiety, soon overwhelmed by the urge to resist no matter the result.


    ¡°Cat got your tongue? Damn Defect!¡±


    With his signal, more than ten men holding long batons approached Zeke. Seeing his frail physique and harmless appearance, they thought he wasn¡¯t going to resist, but it wasn¡¯t the case.


    Although shorter, Zeke unhesitantly swung his glowing fists at the closest man, knocking him on the ground and startling the rest.


    ¡°What are you looking at me for?¡± Rodrick snapped at the surprised men as he shouted at them with a reddened face.


    ¡°Do your job!¡±


    Solemn and serious, they raised their batons and attacked. Zeke might have successfully hit the first one, but that was about it. He wasn¡¯t given the chance to use ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ again as the batons hit him from all sides, incapacitating him in a couple of breaths.


    He fell on the ground but, thereafter, was lifted back up, his arms bound and his body pushed against the wall.


    Satisfied to see Zeke immobilised and at his mercy, Rodrick approached him and raised his hand.


    ¡°This is for punching me in the face!¡±


    The teenager did not even hold back his strength as he punched Zeke right in the face.


    ¡°I¡­ will¡­¡±


    Sadly for him, Zeke could not talk again as Rodrick punched him multiple times in the chest and stomach.


    Zeke puked all the food he had eaten, but the humiliation was a hundred times worse. Rodrick pulled his long hair and slapped him until his face was crimson red.


    ¡°Who do you think you are? I went easy on you because you were obedient.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I will make you regret everything you did!¡±


    For the next ten minutes, Zeke was subjected to a brutal beating. Only two of the thirty-ish men were needed to bind him and let Rodrick vent his anger. No one cared about Zeke¡¯s state, even after he started puking blood or when he seemed to be losing consciousness.


    ¡°Do that again and I¡¯ll break both of your legs!¡±


    Rodrick spat on the bloodied Zeke and left along with the men.


    The victim, Zeke, was curled on the ground, his limbs stiff and his body experiencing excruciating pain. Still, he managed to sit up and lean on the wall, his breathing heavy as he wiped the blood off his lips.


    He held back the tears and looked at the ground, his eyes containing a mix of shame, anger, and disappointment.


    ¡°Why must I live through this? Even after I got the System¡­¡±


    For the first time ever, he felt the urge to pick up the phone and call his sister or brother. Perhaps he needed encouragement or help, especially from someone close to him.


    In the end, he called no one and just sat there, taking deep breaths and coping with the pain.


    No one passed by the narrow pathway, no one came to help or call an ambulance. With legs and arms shaking from pain, fatigue, and anger, the boy made his way home while gritting his teeth and inwardly swearing to return everything he was owed, no matter the cost.


    Rodrick¡¯s methods were extreme and since it was done outside of Erys, complaining to the Dean will lead to nothing. As ever before, he was alone in this and had to deal with his own problems.


    Thankfully, he had the System so, with enough effort and determination, there was nothing he could not achieve. A time will come when he will not be subjected to unfair bullying, brutal beating, and humiliation like that.

 Chapter 7 Optional Paths

    It took Zeke a lot of effort to return home as his body was beaten and battered. Previously, when he retaliated against Rodrick and helped Amelia, he felt slightly satisfied. However, those cheerful emotions were drowned out after Rodrick humiliated him.


    Never had Zeke felt so useless and angry, it was almost overwhelming.


    He looked at his reflection in the mirror: A bruised face filled with cuts from the violent slaps, stiff lips that had coagulated blood, and a still-bleeding nose.


    ¡°Oh Rodrick¡­ I will come for you first.¡±


    The teenager spoke to himself as he controlled his rising rage and walked away.


    With no one to tend to his wounds, and the adamance to seek his siblings¡¯ help, Zeke had to bandage his wounds by himself.


    He couldn¡¯t walk properly and feared that his left leg might¡¯ve been broken due to the excruciating pain he was still experiencing.


    Unfortunately, he lacked the proper equipment to treat everything. Still, he made do with what was available then laid down, falling asleep shortly after.


    He didn¡¯t have the will to check the System logs as he seemed to have heard it while he was getting beaten.


    The Daily Tasks, which he was determined to never skip as they provided decent stats and the much-needed EP, were ignored that day.


    Zeke, as he currently was, needed to be hospitalised. Yet, he was stubborn to the last and refused to budge.


    In fact, when he woke up, his whole body was as stiff as a rock, rendering him unable to move an inch. He just laid there, staring at the ceiling and listening to the deafening silence, his thoughts wandering off.


    He only snapped out of it when a System Notification abruptly popped in front of his eyes.


    [Necessary conditions have been met!]


    [The Inexhaustible Path(10 PE) can now be unlocked]


    [The stat ¡®Fortitude¡¯ is now available]


    [Fortitude (Special Stat): Modifies the body¡¯s defensive mechanism and decreases the somatic sensation of acute discomfort. The user ¡®Zeke Orland¡¯ will have a slightly increased immunity to physiological pain.]


    ¡®Fortitude?¡¯


    A split second after the notification, Zeke felt a wave of comfort go through his aching body, bringing with it a momentary clarity. The physical exhaustion and unbearable agony significantly lessened, allowing him to sit up and inspect his body.


    He was still aching all over, but compared to a few seconds ago, it was somewhat manageable.


    Finally out of his daydreaming, Zeke first took a look at the logs before checking his Status Window.


    [Necessary conditions have been met!]


    [The Pain Junkie Path(3 PE) can now be unlocked]


    [A new feature has become available: Optimal Paths]


    [Optimal Paths become available only if very specific requirements are met by the user. They appear only once and can be unlocked only when the ¡®Stat Quota¡¯ is reached.]


    [Optimal Path ¡®Groundbreaker(1 PE)¡¯ can now be unlocked: 30 Strength | 30 Agility]


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (9/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 30]


    [Agility: 29]


    [Aether: 15]


    [Fortitude: 5]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (4/22) active ]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 7%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 80%) - Spark (Proficiency 0%)]


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    [Available PE: 2]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path(5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path(6 PE)


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path(2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path(4 PE)


    Inexhaustible Path(10PE)


    Pain Junkie Sub-Path(3PE)


    Groundbreaker Optimal-Path(1 PE)(30 Str/ 30 Ag)(12 hours remaining)]


    It appeared the Optimal Path had a time limit too, thus giving birth to an urgency within Zeke¡¯s mind. He wasn¡¯t particularly interested in it, but it only cost 1 PE and he¡¯s only missing 1 Agility to reach the required ¡®Stat Quota¡¯.


    Although still mentally struggling to cope with what happened to him, Zeke replaced the helplessness with newfound strength. His body might be in a wreck, but he was able to move, and if he was able to move, then he would be able to complete the Daily Tasks.


    It would be slow and difficult with his current condition, but as detrimental as that was, he did not care and pressed on.


    In the middle of the night, after satiating his thirst and starving stomach, the teenager got to work.


    Soon, however, he learnt that the Fortitude Stat was simply not enough to alleviate the searing agony. His body, although made stronger thanks to the System, sustained too many wounds and to expect it to function after half a day of rest was ridiculous.


    In the end, after completing the Meditation and jogging for a bit, Zeke was out of breath and energy. Disheartened, he dragged his tired feet and heavy body back to the apartment and contented with using ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which was almost about to reach 100% in Proficiency.


    He still had ample time to complete the Daily Tasks, therefore, he spent most of the night experimenting with Aether Control, though that caused him to suddenly unconscious.


    He overexerted himself, both Physiologically and psychologically. Relying on zeal and willpower wouldn¡¯t help him overcome the tangible limits of his wounded body and lacking Aether.


    ¡­


    ¡°You did something, didn¡¯t you¡­¡±


    Tuesday morning, the following day, Azmer met up with Rodrick as usual and they made their way to the classroom.


    As they seated themselves, Azmer noticed his friend¡¯s smug face and overly cheerful mood. He also saw that Zeke¡¯s seat was empty, which was unusual since the latter was not wont to arrive late, especially not at Christopher¡¯s class.


    ¡°What did you do, Rodrick?¡±


    Azmer was visibly unhappy with how his friend was acting, thus pushing him to start asking. In response, Rodrick shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I just taught the loser a lesson. I reckon he won¡¯t show up for a few days.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What? I had to rough him up for what he did! He¡¯s only a Defect. Who does he think he is to punch me?¡±


    ¡°I clearly told you not to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Come on, man! Relax!¡±


    Azmer let out a sigh and leaned back, disinterested in talking with Rodrick anymore. Still, the latter wouldn¡¯t let go of the matter as he pulled his chair closer and continued,


    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen his face! Ah¡­ it was so satisfying to rip that defiant look from his face!¡±


    A couple of tables away, Julia, who was conversing with Rebecca, her closest friend, glanced at Zeke¡¯s empty seat then at Azmer and Rodrick. She did not hear what they were talking about, but it wasn¡¯t easy to guess that they were behind the Defect¡¯s unexpected absence.


    <hr>


    At the top floor of the Administrative Bureau building of Erys, a group of six students were lined up in front of an elderly man.


    The old man was the principal of this prestigious school, named ¡®Solas Clamanton¡¯. He was 84 years-old yet he looked healthy and energetic, contrary to the rest of his peers.


    He had ashen-colored hair, strikingly similar to Vanessa, though that wasn¡¯t a coincidence as he was her grandfather.


    Solas was comfortably sitting on a leather sofa, grinning from ear to the other, making his long white beard twitch ever-so-slightly.


    After an indeterminate amount of silence, he beckoned his young male secretary, who moved from his rear to his side and handed him some documents.


    ¡°You may begin.¡±


    With his signal, Maxine Orland nodded and walked to a giant whiteboard. She began her presentation while another one of her team, James, explained,


    ¡°His name is Jonathan Stellar Link. 31 Years old, tall and often wears a yellow headband. He was a Lieutenant in the Military, specifically in the Ruin Expedition Squad. 2 years ago, he took his team and went to investigate underground ruins in the Fha¡¯al Valley but the mission ended in failure and he was the only one to survive. A week after that, he deserted and his location could not be tracked.¡±


    ¡°Reports say that, subsequent to the failed expedition, Jonathan became erratic and disturbed, often spouting nonsensical words. His ability, which allows him to control a black mist, granted him the title of ¡®Mist Reaper¡¯.¡±


    Maxine continued on behalf of her colleague, but Solas did not even glance at either of them. He skimmed through the papers in his hand then put them to the side.


    ¡°Usually¡­¡± He erased the smile off his face, replacing it with an uncommon solemnity.


    ¡°Erys doesn¡¯t involve itself in crimes. It¡¯s the Depart of Defense¡¯s job to handle such atrocities. However, given that four of our students were killed, we must needs take the lead and catch the perpetrator.¡±


    Solas paused for a couple of seconds as he swept his narrowed eyes across the six students.


    ¡°Beginning from now, you are exempt from attending all lessons. Focus all your energy and resources on apprehending Jonathan and ensuring the safety of our school. I will also inform the Dean to keep an eye out.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The six students, which were the core members of a special unit recently formed, replied in unison. They were a separate entity from the Student Council, and though their authority was limited, they were still the best of the best.

 Chapter 8 Life Motus

    ¡°You two.¡±


    Saturday morning, as class E was preparing for Professor Nayro¡¯s practical lesson, Julia approached Azmer and Rodrick.


    She first made sure no one was looking before giving both of them a piercing glare. Azmer frowned and kept his stand but Rodrick stepped back fearfully.


    ¡°What did you do to the Defect? It has been four days. And don¡¯t try to bullshit me.¡±


    Although he was inferior to her, Azmer didn¡¯t obediently answer, he clicked his tongue and acted oblivious.


    Upon seeing his adamant silence, Julia raised her hand and oppressively poked his chest.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to speak then you better be prepared for later¡­¡±


    As she turned around, Rodrick couldn¡¯t help himself and spoke up.


    ¡°W-wait.¡±


    Azmer tried to warn him but it didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°The loser asked for it! I¡­ I mean we had to rough him up a bit.¡±


    ¡°We? There is no we, Rodrick.¡±


    The blonde-haired student snorted and opted to walk away rather than get involved. Thus, left alone facing the menacing Julia, Rodrick wryly smiled and tried to explain himself in a favorable way.


    ¡°H-he attacked me out of the blue. To begin with, Defects have no play among us.¡±


    ¡°Is that why he didn¡¯t show up for a week? Because you beat him up?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    As he remembered that Zeke was beaten up outside of the school, and that Professor Nayro was nearby, Rodrick grew some confidence and tried acting slightly defiant.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t break any rules. It was outside of Ery-¡±


    He suddenly stopped talking, his surprised eyes looking at the big front entrance of the training facility; There, he saw a calm Zeke come in and head straight toward the Zyth Professor.


    Julia followed his gaze, equally surprised by her classmate¡¯s unexpected visit. Zeke rarely, if not ever, attended practical lessons due to his inability to wield Aether. He would only come to ask Nayro about a couple of things, but even that was an infrequent occurrence.


    Moreover, the current Zeke was relatively healthy and unscathed.


    Julia proceeded to ignore the startled Rodrick and made her way to Zeke, whose eyes were solemn and cold as they snuck a glance at Rodrick.


    ¡°You should be glad he¡¯s okay.¡±


    Azmer returned to his friend¡¯s side and muttered those words while letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°How?¡±


    Rodrick wasn¡¯t particularly pleased to see Zeke appear, especially not looking like that. He was pretty sure the beating would have hospitalised him and rendered him incapable of attending Erys for a week, at least.


    <hr>


    ¡°Zeke, my boy!¡±


    Upon noticing his incoming student, Nayro plastered a wide smile on his alien-like face.


    The several students gathered around the professor were confused, as Zeke was wont to distance himself and not interfere in their training lessons.


    ¡°Good morning, Professor.¡±


    Zeke took a deep breath as he focused solely on the Zyth.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to challenge someone. Do you mind being the overseer?¡±


    Every student in Erys could challenge another, but there were strict rules. First, the challenge must be approved by the challenger. Second, there needed to be a teacher to act as an overseer and ensure neither parties sustain ¡®severe¡¯ injuries.


    ¡°A challenge? My boy, are you sure?¡±


    Nayro was an open-minded individual, and even though Zeke was a Defect, he did not seem to pay such a crucial detail any attention. Instead, he scrutinized him with what could only be described as keen interest, one which deepened after Zeke¡¯s unexpected questions regarding Life Aether.


    ¡°Who are you going to challenge?¡±


    ¡°Rodrick Dontoryian.¡±


    ¡°Wait wait!¡± Julia intervened and tried to pull Zeke to the side but he shoved her hands away, his eyes still focused on Nayro.


    ¡°What are you even doing? This isn¡¯t how you do it.¡±


    Nayro ignored Julia and looked around, soon spotting Rodrick. He beckoned for him to approach, which he did, along with Azmer.


    ¡°Rodrick Dontoryian, you have been challenged by Zeke Orland. Do you accept?¡±


    ¡°Hah?!¡±


    Rodrick thought Zeke was going to complain and snitch, so when he heard he had been challenged, he could only stand there, stupefied.


    With his beady eyes, he looked at the expressionless Zeke, wondering what he was up to. However, in front of so many witnesses, Zeke had no room to use under-handed attacks.


    Put simply, fighting against a Defect was a guaranteed win, but a win like that did not matter. In fact, it would sully one¡¯s honor as it meant battling against a weaker opponent, one that could not use Aether.


    Such facts notwithstanding, Rodrick did not think about rejecting. This was a heaven-sent chance to beat and ridicule Zeke again. Admittedly, Professor Nayro would not let him go ¡®all the way¡¯, but Rodrick did not care. As long as he got to mock and humiliate Zeke, he was pleased.


    ¡°I accept.¡±


    The moment he uttered those words, Azmer pulled him by the collar and dragged him a couple of paces away.


    ¡°This is highly suspicious, Rodrick. Why are you even accepting the challenge?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s the one who challenged me. I won¡¯t be punished if I break a leg or two.¡±


    ¡°Does it seem sound to you that he¡¯s back so early? Also, if he really stood no chance of winning, why would he challenge you in front of everyone? Think for a damn second!¡±


    With an evil grin on his face, Rodrick shrugged and walked back to Nayro¡¯s side.


    ¡°Very well. Everyone, stand back.¡±


    The students were perplexed and astonished by Zeke¡¯s suicidal actions. Still, they followed the professor¡¯s instructions and edged near the wall.


    Meanwhile, the Zyth activated the hidden mechanism inside the facility, which raised a half-spherical translucent barrier around the center of the ¡®arena¡¯.


    ¡°I will be the overseer and the judge.¡±


    Then, he turned to look at Zeke, ¡°My boy, even though you¡¯re a Defect, I can give you no advantages. Victory will be determined if one is incapacitated or falls unconscious.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you, Professor.¡±


    After a single nod, Zeke walked to the readied arena and fixedly stared at the grinning Rodrick.


    Professor Nayro stood at the edge of the ¡®arena¡¯ and signaled both of them to get ready. Rodrick seemed relaxed while taunting Zeke.


    As the Zyth¡¯s slimy long hand fell down, the battle began and neither of them moved an inch. Rodrick clicked his tongue while shaking his head, trying to control his laughter.


    ¡°Must you really do this? Beating a Defect is a bit too-¡±


    Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t given the time to finish sentence. Zeke, who had been a distance away, instantly appeared in front of Rodrick¡¯s face.


    With subtly glowing fists, Zeke punched the target several times on the chest, making him stagger. The retaliation came sooner than expected as Rodrick activated his ability, resulting in a strong gust of wind to appear.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Nevertheless, the gale wasn¡¯t enough to push away Zeke, who raised his left leg and delivered a swift kick, accurately hitting Rodrick¡¯s head.


    The attack was so strong that his opponent was smashed on the ground, his body convulsing and his eyes rolled to the back.


    Rodrick showed no signs of movement, he was clearly unconscious. However, Zeke wasn¡¯t going to stop, he quickly approached him and was about to use ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ again but his body was instantly immobilized by thin purple tentacles that surged from the ground.


    ¡°The match is over. Zeke Orland is the winner.¡±


    Nayro appeared between the two, his creepy black eyes were focused on Zeke as if assessing him.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one surprised, almost all the students were in shock. Azmer was the exception, his narrowed eyes were glued on Zeke. Even before the fight had begun, he knew Rodrick would lose, after all, it became clear that Zeke could use Aether when he saw him punch his friend last time. Moreover, his appearance today and his unexpected challenge did not bode well.


    Rodrick wasn¡¯t prepared and clearly did not take the fight seriously, which ultimately led to his shameful defeat. Still, it was a fair fight and he could only blame himself for doing this.


    ¡°A late awakening?¡± Muttered Julia to herself, her mouth half-open. Even she could not see how Zeke managed to cross that distance instantaneously, it almost seemed like teleportation.


    ¡°It has to be, right? How else would a Defect be able to move so fast?¡±


    Her closest friend, the curly-haired Rebecca, was equally dumbfounded. Late awakening was an extremely uncommon occurrence, one that usually happened to people like Zeke, those who should have been able to manipulate Aether due to their genetics, but for some reasons couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Professor, I¡¯d like to issue another challenge.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s surprising declaration made Nayro tilt his head to the side then look at Azmer.


    ¡°No problem. Who¡¯s the challengee.¡±


    ¡°Azmer Lorson.¡±


    ¡°I refuse the challenge.¡±


    Azmer was quick to respond, unexpectedly rejecting Zeke on the spot. He did not look afraid, but that didn¡¯t mean he wanted to take any risks.


    Zeke¡¯s accomplishment, although minor, was bound to raise some questions and possibly erase his status as a Defect.


    Azmer was considerably stronger than Rodrick, and he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to drop his guard, even against a Defect. However, the cons of accepting the challenge far outweigh the pros, therefore, declining was the safest and best option for now.


    Already anticipating such an outcome, Zeke turned his eyes to Julia Lopmore. But, after much consideration, he decided against it.


    She was the strongest person in class E and, currently, he did not have the means to counter her ability.


    With his objective completed, he turned around to leave only to be stopped by Nayro.


    ¡°Zeke, my boy! Won¡¯t you be joining our lesson today? I¡¯m sure everyone is interested in learning more about your ability.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Ah! Sweety! Are you alright? Sorry we couldn¡¯t come earlier!¡±


    A voluptuous woman wearing heavy make-up was consoling her daughter, Amy. She was one of Amelia¡¯s bullies, the girl was struck by Zeke¡¯s ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    She had been resting in the Infirmary for a few days and was totally healed of all wounds, internal and external. However, Amy was in tears as she hugged her mother and constantly complained.


    Amy¡¯s overprotective mother reassured her daughter then, with a loud and rude voice, shouted at Xavier.


    The doctor was minding his own business and smoking a cigarette next to the open window, but his time of peace was interrupted.


    ¡°What are you people even doing here? My daughter should have been brought to the hospital!¡±


    The man threw his half-finished cigarette and went to sit behind his desk.


    ¡°We need the parents¡¯ approval for such measures. Furthermore, your daughter recovered relatively quickly.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®recovered¡¯?! She¡¯s traumatized!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but we only deal with physical injuries, not psychological ones.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The woman¡¯s fuming red face distorted as she saw the man¡¯s nonchalance and uncaring attitude.


    ¡°Who did this to her?! I want to see the culprit!¡±


    ¡°Do I have to repeat myself? I said we only deal with wounded people here. If you want to know more, go speak with her teacher.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I-it¡¯s fine, mom. I¡¯ll talk to Teacher Erayne.¡±


    ¡°No! I expected Erys to take care of its students! I¡¯m going to talk to the principal.¡±


    Hearing this, Xavier scoffed at her words and dismissively waved her hand at her.


    ¡°Good luck with that.¡±


    ¡­


    After the brief fight against Rodrick, Zeke had no reason to linger in Erys or its campus. He directly headed home and went to sleep as he had been awake the whole night to prepare for the challenge.


    Over the past four days, he focused on mastering ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, raising his Stats, and unlocking a new path.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (17/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 43]


    [Agility: 39]


    [Aether: 23]


    [Fortitude: 6]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (16/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 36%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 0%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 56%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 15%) ]


    [Available PE: 0]


    The Groundbreaker Optimal-Path, once unlocked, rewarded him with a decent amount of stats as well as a new skill: ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯.


    Zeke was unable to change the trajectory of ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯, so he could only aim at the chest. However, ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ was flexible and more potent, enough to immediately knock Rodrick unconscious.


    There was also ¡®Life Motus¡¯, which allowed him to instantly but unidirectionally move towards a specific spot. He needed to be facing his destination, nevertheless, it was an incredibly useful skill, one which he had to use to catch Rodrick off-guard.


    He could have charged at his opponent, but there was a big chance he might have been swept by Rodrick¡¯s unique ability ¡®Wind Gust¡¯.


    Apart from those two newly-acquired skills, Zeke poured all obtained PE into the Aether Voltage Path, which he hoped would become his bread and butter.


    While Groundbreaker was certainly enticing to invest in, that could be done once Aether Voltage was mastered. As it turned out, the more he invested in a path, the more skills he would get from it, which was how Life Motus was acquired.


    ¡®I did it. Now, I have to prepare even more.¡¯


    Once awake, early at night, Zeke was feeling satisfied and ecstatic. He couldn¡¯t fully pay back Rodrick for what he had done, but the sensation of triumph was exhilarating.


    Finally, he had fought back against his bullies and did not content with getting mocked and beaten.


    Still, this was but the beginning as many more battles were far away. By the time he came back to Erys, he suspected that everyone would have heard about his fight, and that would garner him a lot of attention from other first year classes.


    <hr>


    Saturday and Sunday passed in the blink of an eye, and all Zeke did was complete his task and focus on mastering Aether Control, One-star Side-kick, and Life Motus.


    Aether Control, specifically, was a tiresome skill to train in. Opposite to ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which drained his Life Aether, this made him absorb more than his body could handle, consequently leading to nosebleeds and extreme dizziness. However, it didn¡¯t come without perks, as the more enhanced it, the more the System would reward him with either EP or stats.


    Monday morning, It has been a week since Zeke properly attended Erys. As he made his way to class, he noticed that some of the students were sneaking glances at him.


    He wasn¡¯t smug or arrogant, he kept a straight face and paid none of them any heed.


    Unlike the past, Azmer and Rodrick did not block his path and drag him to a secluded spot for a regular beating. That, in itself, made all the training he went through worth it.


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    Amelia ran from behind, looking cheerful and energetic.


    ¡°Oh, good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning? Is that all you got to say after beating up Rodrick?!¡±


    She was grinning from one ear to the other, clearly aware of the fight. It has been but a couple of days yet she knew about it, which was surprising since she was a Defect and wasn¡¯t supposed to be attending any of the practical lessons last Saturday.


    Noticing his silence, she giggled and added,


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d rise up sooner or later. Now that a Defect is fighting back, the bullies will think twice before attacking any of us.¡±


    ¡°You still have to be careful, though.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ I know! Speaking of which, Amy and Emma from my class stopped their abuse. Probably afraid to be found out.¡±


    ¡°Good for you.¡±


    ¡°I have you to thank for that!¡±


    The two chatted for a bit until they reached their respective classrooms. Amelia seemed joyful to be getting the gazes of intrigue from her fellow classmates. She was Zeke¡¯s friend and that made her feel less likely to get picked on.


    As his classmates were taking their seats and waiting for Teacher Christopher Balrant to arrive, Zeke took out his books and reviewed his homework. However, he was soon interrupted by Julia.


    ¡°Well well well¡­ if it isn¡¯t the hero of the hour.¡±


    Slowly, he raised his head and solemnly stared at her. ¡°What do you want, Julia?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a late awakener, huh. Still, I like how Rodrick got his ass handed to him.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Why are you always so gloomy? I¡¯m trying to converse. You look more pleasing to the eye now that you¡¯ve grown a pair of balls.¡±


    ¡°Such vulgarity is unbefitting from a girl. Then again, I didn¡¯t expect much from you to begin with.¡±


    The girl pushed her long beige hair to the side and, while sitting on his table, leaned closer.


    ¡°If you ask nicely, maybe I can help you master your ability. I¡¯m not the strongest in the class for now reason, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    She softly chuckled and pushed her head back, glancing at the quiet Azmer sitting at the back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t trouble you with my homework, since it turned out you¡¯re so against it. In exchange, I wouldn¡¯t mind a fight. As a fellow close-quarter fighter, your ability was most intriguing.¡±


    He scoffed at her words and started writing in his notebook.


    ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d worry about today¡¯s essay.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ shit! I forgot about that!¡±


    Panicking, she jumped to her seat and frantically took out her notebook. Alas, it was too late as the teacher came in, and with his arrival did the classroom turn deadly quiet.


    He swept his gaze across them before focusing on Zeke, but he did not comment and, instead, began his lesson.


    Zeke did not slack off in terms of theoretical studies, but since he was already the top of his class and had a solid foundation, he had no trouble comprehending anything.


    Once the lesson was done and everyone was preparing to leave for a short break, Christopher called for Zeke, as expected.


    ¡°Zeke, you are to meet me at the front of the Administrative Bureau this evening.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Students that enrol into Erys have to undergo a testing of somesort. Of course, since Zeke was a Defect, he did not have to go through the testing, but now that his abilities became public, he was obligated to follow the protocol.


    The test was meant to gauge a student¡¯s abilities and give them an appropriate ranking.


    Whether it was the first years, second years, third years, or even the few fourth-years, each had an individual ranking system across all the classes.

 Chapter 9 First Year Ranking

    As instructed by his teacher, Zeke headed to the front of the Administrative Bureau building once all the lessons for the day were done.


    There, Christopher Balrant, Erva Erayne, and Professor Nayro were waiting for him. The three were the main teachers of the First Years, and each was distinguished in one or two fields of study.


    ¡°Zeke, my boy! Right on cue!¡±


    The Zyth¡¯s round and black eyes arched upwards as they fell on the approaching student.


    Christopher was as gloomy and serious as ever, and Erva had a slightly worried look on her face.


    ¡°Zeke, how are you?¡±


    She faintly smiled and inspected him from head to toe.


    Erva was so liked thanks to her soft attitude and motherly act. However, behind that gentle face laid a fearsome woman who had once dominated all of Erys, though that was over ten years ago.


    ¡°It has been confirmed that you¡¯re a Late Awakener, Zeke Orland. Therefore, you shall undergo the tests right now. Would you like to make any preparations?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Christopher solemnly nodded his head and entered the building, motioning for his student to follow along.


    The trip was brief and it took them to a specialized testing facility right under the building. Apart from his three teachers, no one else accompanied him, which made him feel less nervous.


    Such a procedure was to be expected after challenging Rodrick and showcasing his ability, but Zeke couldn¡¯t help feeling apprehensive.


    The results of the test would officially put him in the First Years Ranking, however, he felt hesitant about revealing everything.


    ¡®There¡¯s no telling if they¡¯ll reveal my powers to the other teachers, who would, in turn, disclose that to their favorite students. On the other hand, getting a higher rank would significantly facilitate things for the long run.¡¯


    Soon, Zeke found himself in a small room lacking any furniture except a human-sized black cube floating a couple of inches above ground.


    Christopher and Erva stood to the side whereas Professor Nayro walked near the cube and said,


    ¡°This is the most basic testing mechanism. It¡¯s called the ¡®Abyss Cube¡¯, a rather ominous name, but I digress. It will absorb any hit aimed at it, magical or physical, then it would give a result in the form of a rune. There are sixteen in total.¡±


    ¡°Emm, what¡¯s the highest rune?¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha, my boy! Reaching the highest rune is not an easy feat. I, for instance, can only reach the 12th rune.¡±


    Zeke curiously glanced at Christopher and Erva, but Nayro seemed to have read his mind.


    ¡°Miss Erayne reached the 13th rune whereas Mister Balrand reached the 11th. Mind you, the Abyssl Cube gauges not only the power but also the quality. It¡¯s a unifunctional artifact that could be broken by only a handful of people, the principal being one of them.¡±


    The Zyth Professor clapped his hands and signaled for Zeke to attack.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back anything. This test is highly paramount for the final score.¡±


    Zeke seriously nodded his head and approached the cube. However, as he crept closer, he felt an uncomfortable sensation, one similar but weaker than when he obtained the Paths of Extinction System.


    ¡°As Nayro had said, you can go all-out, Zeke. Everything we witness will be confidential and anyone who divulges so much as a hint will be severely punished.¡±


    Christopher¡¯s reassurance alleviated some of Zeke¡¯s worry.


    The teenager stood a couple of paces away from the hovering cube and raised both hands.


    Currently, his strongest skill was ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which he had mastered already.


    Not only could Zeke control the amount of Life Aether it used, but he could also control its trajectory and even split it in two.


    Nayro, Christopher, and Erva saw how blue lightning currents formed around Zeke¡¯s raised hands. They crackled intensely and danced uncontrollably, but only for a breath moment.


    A literal lightning bolt, as thick as its caster¡¯s hands, shot forward and struck the Abyss Cube, stopping its cyclic rotation momentarily.


    Zeke consumed half of his Aether for that single usage of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯. He could have used more, but he was satisfied with the result. It was considerably strong and impressively fast.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Nayro, confused, walked toward the cube and inspected it for a couple of breaths. The result should have shown up almost instantaneously, but it wasn¡¯t the case this time.


    ¡°It showed up!¡±


    Erva and Christopher also got closer and watched as a resplendent golden rune engraved itself on the Abyss Cube.


    ¡°The 5th Rune! Impressive, Zeke!¡±


    Erva was cheerful as she congratulated her student. Christopher too, had a rare smile as he nodded at Zeke.


    The only unresponsive one was Nayro, who kept eyeing the cube weirdly.


    ¡°Curiouser and curiouser! My boy, did you use Life Aether?¡±


    His question was unexpected and surprised both of his colleagues.


    ¡°Yes, my ability relies on Life Aether instead of ambient Aether.¡±


    ¡°Truly fascinating!¡±


    Having seen such a unique ability, the Zyth was ecstatic, hopping around in jubilation. However, Christopher and Erva seemed doubtful of Zeke¡¯s claims. After all, only the taboo and artificial abilities made use of Life Aether, and such abilities were noticeable at a glance.


    Zeke¡¯s lightning bolt was remarkable, but they couldn¡¯t notice any hint of Life Aether. In fact, if not for Nayro¡¯s question, they wouldn¡¯t have figured it out.


    ¡°You defeat Rodrick using another method, yes? I didn¡¯t see you use this attack before.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Instead of offering a verbal explanation, Zeke demonstrated the side-kick skill, which, from the outside, looked like a normal but rapid kick. This time, even Nayro failed to notice any oddity, which wasn¡¯t to say there wasn¡¯t any.


    All of Zeke''s skills were empowered by some sort of energy, but only the Aether Voltage Page required the consumption of Life Aether.


    ¡°You even trained yourself in Martial Arts. Very good. Very good, indeed.¡±-Nayro


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to the second test.¡±-Christopher


    Adjacent to that small room, there was a bigger one that was equipped with a miniature version of the standard ¡®arena¡¯ found in the training facilities in all of Erys¡¯ buildings.


    ¡°You may have noticed it, but this room has an abundance of Aether. The second test is about Aether Absorption and Aether Manipulation. I will personally be checking your talents in those two fields.¡±


    Christopher instructed him to stand in the middle, where there was a translucent swirl of innumerable green particles; Those particles were, in fact, Aether, though they could only be visible when they are at their purest form and the environment was suitable.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Zeke¡¯s knowledge about the three standard tests was mostly superficial. As he did not know the specifics, he had no way of knowing if he would be forced to demonstrate his Aether Manipulation.


    Slightly restless, he stood at the designated spot, Zeke closed his eyes and concentrated. ¡®Aether Control¡¯ was activated, allowing him to pull the Ambient Aether and instantly transform it into Life Aether, which, theoretically, should not be possible.


    Impressive as it was, that was all he could do for now. The influx of Aether rampaging in his body made him bleed from the nose, which alerted Christopher.


    ¡°Alright, you can stop now.¡±


    He let out a disappointed sigh and stated, ¡°Not everyone is naturally gifted. Most students have to learn the basics and understand how Ambient Aether flows. Still, your absorption rate is abnormally high and extremely unstable. Nayro¡¯s practical classes will definitely help you with that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zeke. Aether Manipulation is not particularly hard to master.¡±


    Seeing the disheartened look on her student¡¯s face, Erva jumped in and comforted him.


    All Zeke could do was plaster a wry smile as he knew that his circumstances were drastically different. While he was able to absorb and use Aether, or better say, Life Aether, he did not have the skill to manipulate it, per se.


    ¡°Now, onto the third and final test.¡±


    The last test was in the same room, precisely within the small arena. Erva would be conducting the test, acting as Zeke¡¯s opponent.


    ¡°This is to test your reflexes and combat faculties. I will be going easy on you, have no fear!¡±


    Erva sweetly smiled and instructed Zeke to get ready, which he did. Nayro acted as the overseer, and when he lowered his hand, the fight began.


    Erva Erayne was a beautiful woman with short black-hair, round silver spectacles, and a slim and tall physique. She looked harmless and since she was seldom arguing, much less fighting with anyone. Nevertheless, she had quite a reputation and was notorious for her recklessness and violence when she was a student.


    Zeke did not know how she was going to attack, so he kept his guard up and watched her, soon seeing jet black blades appear in her hands. They appeared out of thin air and were long and thorny, dangerously vibrating as if they were alive.


    ¡°Here I come.¡±


    She warned him then shot straightforwardly, crisscrossing her swords as she got dangerously close.


    Zeke thought about using ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, but he thought against it. The opportunity presented itself so, instead, he used the ambiguous ¡®Spark¡¯, which he still did not know how it functioned.


    The moment the blue lightning orb appeared in front of him, he followed up with ¡®Life Motus¡¯, teleporting himself ten meters away.


    Erva did not know about Zeke¡¯s instantaneous movement ability, so she was caught off-guard for a split second.


    Seeing the stationary lightning orb, she tried to slice it with her black swords but the result was astonishing.


    She thought she would be able to get rid of it, however, the ¡®Spark¡¯ buzzed and crackled.


    Zeke felt an unavoidable and powerful suction emanate from the orb, crazily absorbing his remaining Life Aether. Fortunately, he managed to forcefully stop the effect.


    Consequently, the lightning orb literally exploded into dozens of lightning bolts that struck the unsuspecting Erva.


    Although most hit her, there were some that struck the ground or the ceiling. It was a shocking spectacle, dumbfounding even Zeke.


    By the end of it, Erva was unscathed, though her clothes had small holes and there were barely noticeable scratches on her swords.


    She had a flabbergasted expression as she turned her head and looked at the equally gob-smacked Zeke.


    ¡°Splendiferous! Remarkable!¡±


    Nayro was so excited that he started gliding around the arena and examining the remnant lightning sparks crackling in the air before slowly dispersing.


    Christopher just stood there, processing what just happened. As for Erva, she got rid of her swords and patted her tattered clothes.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough to give you a high score. Good job, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, I was a bit lucky¡­¡±


    Looking a bit embarrassed, Zeke smiled and averted his gaze. Never did he expect ¡®Spark¡¯ to react like that. It looked more dangerous and powerful than ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯. However, it was too eye-catching to train it secretly, especially in the park. Plus, it required the orb to be hit by an outside force, so that made mastering it even harder.


    Ironically, Zeke used the test to test the skill, which turned out to be a good move. While the torrent of lightning bolts gave him a fright, it steeled his prior hesitation over choosing the Aether Voltage Path.


    ¡°With that¡­ we are done. I will hand the results to you tomorrow.¡±


    Christopher returned to his serious face. The disappointment he felt during the second test was replaced by an overwhelming shock, after all, there were only a handful of First-Year students that managed to counter Erva, and only three that actually injured her.


    Zeke¡¯s lightning might not have wounded his teacher, but they did immobilize her for a split second, and that in itself was a commendable feat.


    ¡°You will be placed in the First Year Ranking tomorrow, at the earliest.¡±


    <hr>


    Late at night, after all the students either went home or retired to their respective dormitory, Professor Nayro called the principal to the small testing room.


    ¡°Some of us have to sleep, Nayro.¡±


    Christopher didn¡¯t look pleased to be forced to stay so late and listen to his colleague¡¯s rambling. Erva stood next to him, lightly frowning as she looked at the rapidly moving Zyth, who tried to explain today¡¯s irregularity.


    After what felt like a long wait, Principal Solas arrived. The old man looked at the brooding Christopher and chuckled.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Chris? Dissatisfied with the results?¡±


    ¡°Quite the contrary, Solas! The boy has potential!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Honestly, he¡¯s exceeded my expectations.¡± Added Erva cheerfully.


    Only Christopher was solemn and undecided.


    ¡°Sir, the results notwithstanding, Zeke Orland¡¯s ability appeared to inflict self-harm.¡±


    ¡°Wrong wrong!¡± Shouted Nayro as he danced in the air, his body becoming thin and tentacle-like. ¡°He¡¯s consuming Life Aether! Isn¡¯t that fascinating, Solas? This is a first for me!¡±


    ¡°Life Aether, you say?¡± The principal pondered in silence as he walked to the Abyss Cube and dazedly stared at it.


    ¡°Solas?¡±


    The old man ignored the over-excited Zyth and stretched his hand, gently poking the cube. Upon contact, the Abyss Cube trembled ever-so-slightly then turned into ash, shocking everyone but Solas.


    ¡°As expected.¡±


    ¡°H-how is that possible?¡±-Erva


    Even Nayro stopped mid-air, his slimy arms stretching like rubber and inspecting the ash.


    ¡°Life Aether doesn¡¯t disperse like Ambient Aether. But this isn¡¯t just like Life Aether¡­ it¡¯s something else.¡±


    With an unusually serious look and narrowed eyes, Solas turned to face the three teachers and said,


    ¡°None of you are to speak about what happened today.¡±


    ¡°And? Surely you know what¡¯s going on!¡±-Nayro


    ¡°All I can say is that it¡¯s definitely not ¡®Late Awakening¡¯. Christopher, you are to keep a close eye on the boy.¡±


    ¡°What? Why not me?! I¡¯m more experienced, Solas!¡±


    Nayro started throwing a tantrum, but his elongated body was pulled to the ground by the principal.


    ¡°Your zeal is admirable, but you suck at communication. I need someone level-headed for this.¡±


    ¡°I can be level-headed! Zyth are proven to be better counsel-¡±


    ¡°Enough, Nayro.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I didn¡¯t do anything wrong! Ugh¡­¡¯


    Maxine was grumbling to herself as she was making her way to the Principal¡¯s office. She was literally called in the middle of the night and had to stop her watching her favorite drama.Annoyed and a bit anxious, she entered the dimly lit and eerily silent office, finding Solas sitting behind his desk, seemingly in deep thought.


    ¡°Ah, Maxine, you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    She politely bowed and approached the desk, still wondering why she was the only one called. If it had to do with the serial killer, then all of her squad would have been informed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a serious matter, there¡¯s no need to be tense. Sit sit!¡±


    The girl hesitantly sat down across the old man and, with perked ears, waited for him to continue.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been busy as of late so maybe you haven¡¯t heard of the news yet. It has to do with your little brother, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°What? Did something happen to him?!¡±


    ¡°You could say so. He challenged a fellow classmate and won. He¡¯s a late awakener. Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    Maxine had a look of disbelief and perplexion. Even though she heard it from the principal¡¯s mouth, she almost couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Hahaha! I assure you it¡¯s true. The tests have been conducted and he will be placed in the rankings.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­.¡± Maxine seemed to be in a daze, unable to process anything.


    Solas let out a soft laugh as he continued, ¡°As his sister, I think you should convince him to stay in the dormitory. Jonathan is still on the loose and he might target more students.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­ Zeke is quite stubborn. I don¡¯t know if I¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you dote on him, but you have to understand that he is¡­.- was, a Defect. The change that occurred to him is too coincidental for my liking, and that might attract our target.¡±


    ¡­


    In an abandoned basement, a man was sitting on the dusty ground and bandaging the fresh wound on his shoulder. There was an ominous black mist revolving around his body, piercing into his injury and healing it.


    The man had a bony physique and greasy long black hair around which there was an old yellow headband. He was none other than Jonathan Stellar Link, the man after the recent killings in Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    ¡°Where is it¡­. Where is it¡­.¡±


    He was mumbling the same words over and over again like a lunatic. Then, abruptly, he jumped to his feet and frantically looked around, trying to find something.


    ¡°It should have been here! It should have been mine!¡±


    He was delirious and the agony of the fresh wounds made him more psychologically unstable. He had been hit by Vanessa¡¯s icy magic, which was manageable.


    Jonathan caressed his chest and then let out an angry and hysterical shout.


    ¡°I saw the beacon! I saw it! Nonononono¡­. Something is wrong!¡±


    He paced around while clutching his chest and shaking his head.


    ¡°Someone else saw it? But I have the Crown! I have it!¡±


    ¡°Redemption is beyond us, seek salvation in the Darkness¡­ seek deliverance in the stars.¡±


    Jonathan, with tears in his eyes, kept repeating the same thing while softly banging his head against the wall.

 Chapter 10 Class E

    The day after the test, in the main hall of the First Years building, a large crowd was gathered in front of the gigantic Rankings Board.


    Zeke, who was feeling apprehensive and, for the first time ever, went out of his way to check the board, couldn''t get close enough. Eventually, after a bit of shoving and squeezing around, he managed to push through and get a good look at the list.


    In total, there were five classes for the First Years; A, B, C, D, and E. Zeke was in Class E, however, the Rankings were for all the first-year students.


    Excluding the Defects, which included him until yesterday, there were exactly 121 ranked on the board, with the 121th being the weakest in terms of prowess.


    Zeke knew he had performed rather well in the three tests, especially the last one. Nonetheless, he did not expect a high ranking, after all, many students had remarkable abilities.


    Much to his surprise, Zeke found himself ranked 49th, which was above average and a worthy feat as he just had been put on the list.


    Now, there were 122 students on the list as Zeke pushed the previous 49th to the 50th position. Apart from a couple of famous first years and some of his classmates, Zeke did not recognize the names above him.


    At the very top, he saw Julia Lopmore, ranking 2nd, though that was to be expected. Not only did she hail from a powerful family, but she also inherited her father''s powers and, unlike her lacking enthusiasm in Theoretical stuff, she was quite hard-working in the practical lessons and individual training.


    Zeke noticed that several people were sneaking glances at him and whispering to each other, but he paid them no heed. He made his way out of the ground, planning to go to class, but his path was blocked by someone.


    "Hey, you!"


    "...Me?"


    Zeke looked around then pointed at himself, slightly confused.


    "Yes! You''re the Defect of class E, right? That Zeke Orland!"


    The teenager pointed at the board, looking a bit annoyed. He was the same height as Zeke, had a triangular face, a particularly long and pointy nose, and sharp emerald eyes.


    "I''m Samuel Valort from Class B! I challenge you!"


    Samuel wasn''t behaving in an overly-aggressive manner, he just seemed bitter.


    Hearing no response from Zeke, Samuel stomped the ground, "You took my spot! I want it back."


    His unnecessarily loud voice attracted attention, so Zeke shook his head and passed him. He had anticipated a reaction like this before he even showed his abilities, and though he was planning to climb the rankings, it was still too early for that. He wasn''t going to accept all challenges thrown at him as that would be foolish.


    The fewer people knew about his real abilities, the better.


    ''49th, huh... Azmer is 24th. It won''t be easy to deal with his Pyromancy.''


    Alas, Samuel was quite stubborn. He followed Zeke and kept pestering him.


    "Why are you acting cowardly? It''s only natural that I try to get my spot back! I worked hard for it."


    "Could you leave me alone? You''re annoying."


    "If you accept, I''ll leave!"


    "..."


    In the end, Samuel followed him all the way to the classroom and only left after the bell rang for the third time, which indicated that the lessons were about to start.


    "I''ll be returning!" He left those words and dashed away.


    Zeke inwardly grumbled and took his seat, feeling many a gaze land on him.


    "49th! Not bad!"


    As was her wont, Julia was leaning against her table and looking down at him. She had a wide smile, one that contained a bit of pride as if she was looking at a disciple of hers.


    "What''s with your obnoxious clinginess? Aren''t you usually busy with your delinquent friends?"


    Zeke snorted and coldly spat those words, but the girl pushed back her beige hair and shrugged in disinterest.


    "Rebecca is skipping Christopher''s class. I''d love to, but exams are approaching and I need good grades this time."


    "Then go study instead of... doing this."


    "Oh, come on! I''m happy that our class'' Defect has grown up. I won''t lag behind either, hehehehe..."


    She playfully winked at him and, with a lower voice, whispered, "Soon, I''m going to steal the first place! I''ll be the strongest amongst all first years."


    "Good luck with that." He waved his hand at her and buried his head in the book.


    The little bit of warranted attention Zeke had to experience made him feel mildly uncomfortable. Even during lunchtime, he couldn¡¯t enjoy a peaceful breakfast with Amelia as Samuel sat next to him and incessantly issued his challenges.


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    ¡­


    ¡°We need to talk¡­ privately.¡±


    Unexpectedly, at the end of the last lesson of the day, Azmer walked to Zeke¡¯s desk and uttered those words. He only did that after making sure Julia had left, he also did not act friendly or arrogant like the past. Zeke was sure he did not regret his actions, he was only careful and calculative.


    While Rodrick might have been a relatively opponent, Azmer was somewhat known not only thanks to his Fire ability, but also thanks to his overly-accomplished older brother. Put simply, Azmer had a reputation to uphold, which was why he made sure Rodrick all the ¡®beatings¡¯ while he contented with watching and sneering.


    After a brief pondering, Zeke nodded to the blond-haired young man and followed him outside. Unsurprisingly, they went to the selfsame spot Zeke used to be bullied at. With Rodrick absent, Azmer was eerily quiet and awfully composed as he faced Zeke.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been hiding your powers. A good tactic, indeed.¡±


    ¡°What do you want, Azmer?¡±


    Azmer smiled and paced around as he explained, ¡°Your did Rodrick quite dirty, you know. He was thoroughly beaten by his father and ordered to not cause any more trouble. You should go and apologize to him.¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡± Zeke let out a mocking laughter as soon as he heard those words. ¡°You want me to apologize? It should be the other way around. You two bullied me for almost a year just because I¡¯m a Defect.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Being a Defect was only part of the reason. Strength is all that matters, either in Erys or outside. You were an easy and weak target¡­ never fighting back.¡±


    ¡°So I was supposed to retaliate and get beaten harder? Don¡¯t try to validate your actions.¡±


    Feeling a bit emotional, Zeke took a deep breath and grinned at his classmate, ¡°You did that to make yourself feel powerful. After all, compared to your brother, you¡¯re nothing.¡±


    Zeke expected a strong reaction from Azmer, but the latter did not lash out in rage or anger. He chuckled as he snapped his fingers and fiddled with a small fireball. ¡°Look who¡¯s talking. Edward Orland was a pioneer¡­ a prodigy. Your sister Maxine is no less talented either. In some ways, we are a bit similar, Zeke. However, I turned out to be slightly luckier.¡±


    ¡°We shall see how much luck will carry you. Sooner or later, I will wipe the ground with your face¡­ this is a promise.¡±


    Having nothing else to add, Zeke turned around to leave.


    ¡°You really should apologize to Rodrick. Given how distraught he currently is, he might call his father¡¯s men again.¡±


    ¡°Let them come.¡±


    Azmer leaned against the wall and watched Zeke leave the secluded area. After a bit of time passed, the teenager clicked his tongue and loudly said,¡°Since when the Lopmores became eavesdropping rats?¡±


    ¡°I see that Zeke wasn¡¯t the only one to grow some balls in the recent days.¡±


    Julia appeared from an inconspicuous corner, an easy-going expression on her face. ¡°And here I thought you were going to try something. Too bad you¡¯re smarter than your stupid friend.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Azmer looked at her in silence, his expression much more serious. The girl, on the other hand, was relaxed as she stopped in front of him, her eyes containing curiosity and a bit of confusion.


    ¡°Why did you warn him? Surely you¡¯re not doing this out of kindness.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? He didn¡¯t seem to care.¡±


    ¡°It does matter to me, though.¡±


    Unfortunately for her, Azmer did not deign to offer an answer.


    <hr>


    After talking to Azmer, Zeke was going to directly head home but Samuel popped out of nowhere.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not going to fight.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll beat you real quick!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zeke rolled his eyes and quickened his steps but Samuel was like glue.


    ¡°Are you going home?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so boring! Come with me to a karaoke and let¡¯s see who sings better! I bet I am!¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Jeez! Are you always this gloomy? The Defect in my class is also a loner.¡±


    ¡°I never said I¡¯m a loner.¡±


    ¡°But you are. I reckon I¡¯m the only person you talked with today. Heh!¡±


    Samuel circled around him while making comical grimaces and flexing his shallow muscles. He followed Zeke to Kethra¡¯s Arms, talking non-stop and having absolutely no filters.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your power? Must be quite cool for them to directly place you 49th.¡±


    Even when Zeke did not respond, which was most of the time, Samuel did not give up. He commented about any triviality and did not seem to be bothered by Zeke¡¯s passiveness.


    ¡°Enough! I don¡¯t want to be your friend or hang out with you!¡±


    Eventually, Zeke snapped at Samuel, which erased the beaming smile off his face.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Caught off-guard, the youth lowered his head and just stood there. Zeke did not wait for him and continued walking, relieved that it was finally over. He was preoccupied with how to deal with Rodrick were he to camp near his apartment and Samuel¡¯s pestering was getting rather annoying. Admittedly, Zeke was lacking social skills, but he did not care about that. His main objective was getting stronger and making his life better, not befriending other students.


    The trip to the subway station was quiet and uneventful, for a time, at least. As he was absent-minded, Zeke unwittingly bumped into someone, which snapped him out of it. Before him, there was a boy younger than him laying on the ground and groaning in pain as he held onto his right arm. There was a wheelchair beside the boy, from which he fell.


    ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    A short-haired woman knelt next to the boy and checked on him before yelling at Zeke, consequently attracting the attention of everyone.


    ¡°My mistake, sorry.¡±


    Zeke immediately apologize, but the woman wasn¡¯t having it. With a distorted face, she yelled again, ¡°You think an apology will cut it? Look! My son has injured his arm!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The boy in question was looking at the ground and sobbing, seemingly in pain. Zeke scrutinized him for a bit then glanced at the woman. As things were escalating, three men stepped from the crowd.


    ¡°What else do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°What? You pushed my disabled son! Look¡­ everyone here is a witness! I demand compensation!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from Erys, right? Tsk tsk¡­ we get that you¡¯re rich and all, but you have to show respect and sincerity.¡± One of the three men, a muscular and tall baldy, clicked his tongue and approached Zeke.


    ¡®Oh¡­ con artists. Great.¡¯


    The ruse wasn¡¯t hard to guess, nevertheless, it was unwise to reveal the truth, especially since the boy was actually disabled.


    ¡°You mean you want monetary compensation? I have no money on me.¡±


    The baldy grabbed Zeke¡¯s shoulder and pressed his hand, exerting a lot of force. While leaning his egg-shaped head closer, he muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit us, boy. Pay up.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Are you refusing to take responsibility?!¡±


    The mother was shouting atop her lungs, attempting to escalate the situation and garner sympathy. Indeed, from an outsider¡¯s perspective, Zeke might seem like the bad guy.


    However, Zeke knew that the bump wasn¡¯t that strong, to begin with.


    ¡®They¡¯re using the kid for their own benefits. Deplorable.¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s take him to the hospital, then.¡±


    ¡°W-what? My son is afraid of hospitals!¡±


    She signaled her accomplices, the three thugs. The baldy grabbed Zeke¡¯s relatively small body and shook him a couple of times, seemingly trying to instill fear.

 Chapter 11 Aether Types

    ¡®Well, this is a mess¡­¡¯


    Evidently, the con artists had him cornered and were basically forcing him to offer money. However, Zeke wasn¡¯t going to comply, not after getting the Paths of Extinction System. The purpose of his newly-acquired powers was for situations like these.


    His family might not be comparable to that of Julia¡¯s, for example. Additionally, neither his parents liked nor he liked them, and that caused an uncrossable rift between them, and to make matters worse, the money they would regularly send was enough to cover basic necessities, no more.


    Zeke did not have the money to pay for their unreasonable ¡®compensation¡¯, neither was he inclined to do so even if it weren¡¯t the case. Whether it was bullying or a case like this, Zeke vehemently refused to be pushed around.So, when the baldy shook his body, Zeke retaliated by pushing him to the back. His physique notwithstanding, he had enough strength to overpower an average student in Erys, so a common thug wasn¡¯t a problem.


    ¡°Either we go to a hospital or I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    After saying that, he pointed at the surveillance camera directed at them and added, ¡°The footage is enough to prove my innocence. It was an accident and I already apologized.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    The woman¡¯s face turned ugly as she looked at the thug for help. All three men were equipped with a domineering appearance, making anyone think twice before provoking them. They had thought it would be enough to frighten a seemingly weak student from Erys, but, unfortunately for them, things didn¡¯t go as well as they had anticipated.


    The crowd of people kept watching in silence, no one brave enough to step up. Their intentions became clear and the looks of suspicion coming from everyone in the crowd forced the baldy to think


    twice before doing anything.


    Ultimately, no fight ensued as he spat on the ground and left after glaring menacingly at the solemn Zeke. The woman put her son back in the wheelchair and chased after her accomplices.


    With the matter resolved, Zeke sighed and walked to the station. The trip back home was swift, but, right after leaving disembarking from the subway train, he felt as if someone was following him. At first, he thought it was Rodrick¡¯s men, but, soon, he saw that it wasn¡¯t the case.


    He caught a glimpse of a tall bald head amidst the crowd.


    ¡®Of course it¡¯s them.¡¯


    He continued the oblivious act and marched to his neighborhood, but instead of entering his apartment complex, he made a short detour and stopped at alley with a dead end.


    ¡°This seems like a good spot.¡±


    He walked to the end of the alley and turned around, his eyes sweeping across the three thugs from earlier.


    ¡°Did you come for the second round?¡±


    ¡°You brought upon yourself.¡±


    The baldy stepped up whereas his companions stood at the back, hissing at any passerby that dared to get close. Zeke also saw the woman standing behind the wheelchair and looking back at him with a triumphant grin. Her son was expressionless; He had signs of malnutrition as his lips were dry, his face pale, and his body thin, almost bony.


    ¡°You failed to trick me so you¡¯re going to mug me?¡±


    While cracking his knuckles, the baldy sneered viciously, ¡°Had you paid up like an obedient boy, this wouldn¡¯t happen.¡±


    As soon as he was in range, Zeke immediately used One-star Side-kick, hitting the man from the side and making him crash into the wall. Then, Zeke backed one step and delivered yet another kick, this time aiming at the chest. Just like that, the baldy fell to the ground, groaning in pain and clutching his chest as he gasped for air.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want it to come to this.¡±


    The man¡¯s companions were shocked, especially the woman. She shrieked and fearfully run away, leaving her child behind.


    A thin bolt of blue lightning shot from Zeke¡¯s hand, striking one of the remaining men and making him fall unconscious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    The last one, hearing Zeke¡¯s cold voice, stood still as his legs trembled.


    It was common knowledge that Erys¡¯ students had superhuman powers, but not all of them were practical in combat. Furthermore, the students were young and bound to be inexperienced in such real-life situations.


    Sadly for the con artists, they targeted Zeke, who had no qualms using his powers to defend himself.


    Zeke crouched next to the bald man, giving him a bone-chilling gaze. ¡°Still want to mug me?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ I¡¯m s¡­s-sorry.¡±


    ¡°Good. You better not let me see you again. Otherwise¡­¡±


    Lightning currents crackled around his hand as he threatened the frightened man.


    ¡­


    In the end, neither Rodrick nor his father¡¯s men were waiting for him, fortunately. Zeke returned home and rested while waiting for the Daily Tasks to be refreshed.Strangely enough, the Daily Tasks¡¯ rewards were varied each day, which made Zeke muse over the reason.


    ¡®After leveling up, the overall rewarded points amount to 4, but it¡¯s randomized between EXP and EP, sometimes even basic Stats. Does it have to do with the time it takes to complete them?¡¯


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.The Paths of Extinction of peculiar and shrouded in many mysteries. To make matters worse, the explanations it would offer were mostly ambiguous and not helpful.


    Zeke liked to rely on long-term benefits rather than instantaneous power-ups that would be circumstantial, though the Groundbreaker Optimal-path was an exception due to it being time-gated. The Aether Voltage Path was bound to be completed this week, and after reaching its mastery, Zeke was going to invest in either the Groundbreaker or the Inexhaustible path.


    Results had shown that physical training would raise Zeke¡¯s Strength and Agility stats, but he still needed countermeasures against an opponent physically stronger than him. Moreover, a tougher body meant higher resistance against the Aether-imbued powers of his peers.


    <hr>


    [Daily Tasks (3/3) completed: +1 EXP | +2 PE | +1 Strength]


    [You gained 1 Agility]


    [You gained 1 Aether]


    Around 3 o¡¯lock in the morning, Zeke was drenched in sweat, his head wobbling from one side to the other. After meditating, he followed up with a short session of ¡®Aether Control¡¯, which was mentally exhausting, as was its wont.


    He had a soft smile as he looked at his Status Window, pleased with the progress he had made in such a short period of time.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (20/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 45]


    [Agility: 42]


    [Aether: 25]


    [Fortitude: 6]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (16/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 48%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 5%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 68%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 25%) ]


    [Available PE: 5]


    He only needed one more PE to finish the Aether Voltage Path. Life Motus did not require a lot of Aether to use, but his apartment wasn¡¯t spacious enough to freely use it. Spark, on the other hand, was a skill that automatically activated when the lightning orb was hit, thus making it difficult, if not impossible, to train.


    As Zeke was a crude dinner picked from the fridge, the doors of the apartment blasted open, startling him.


    ¡°You little rascal!¡¯


    Like a bull, Maxine barged inside while shouting. It did not look like she took into account the time of her unexpected visit as she stomped on the ground and walked toward him. Zeke was too surprised to finish eating, he barely had the time to react before she head-locked him.


    ¡°Must I hear about your late awakening from the principal¡¯s mouth? You¡¯re my damn little brother!¡±


    She didn¡¯t use too much force, and after a second or two, she let go of him while grinning from one ear to the other.


    ¡°Congratulations! I¡¯m happy for you!¡±


    Maxine then gave him a light hug and sat across from him.


    ¡°I saw you placed 49th. That¡¯s an amazing start.¡±


    Zeke wryly smiled and retorted, ¡°Now as amazing as you, though. I remember your first placement was 19th.¡±


    ¡°It was only because my ability countered the person I had challenged.¡±


    He kept the smile and did not deign to comment. Maxine tried to minimize her accomplishment but she was really a talented student. Even before enrolling into Erys, back when their parents discovered her ability, she was always eager to learn Martial Arts, specifically boxing and taekwondo.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t seen your ability. Come on, show me!¡±


    With an eager face and expression of intrigue, she intently stared at her sibling.


    ¡°It¡¯s just this¡­¡±


    He raised his right hand and, within two breaths, blue-colored lightning sparks appeared and danced around. It was, however, short-lasting as Zeke was tired from the prior intensive training.


    ¡°Lightning! I thought you¡¯d be like Ed or dad. Still, that¡¯s cool!¡±


    She beamed at him, seemingly proud and genuinely happy for him. Their conversation was brief as Maxine¡¯s phone vibrated twice, causing her to let out a curse and leave thereafter.


    ¡°If you need anything, don¡¯t try to be a dumbass and just call me!¡±


    He waved her goodbye and, soon, the apartment returned to its usual silence. He finished his food and, not feeling sleepy, went to revise his homework and study a bit.


    ¡­


    ¡®It¡¯s weird. I no longer remember any of my dreams.¡¯


    During the morning trip to Erys, Zeke was lost in thought. As much as he wanted to believe that the System was purely beneficial for its user, he had to face reality. After all, the truth never was as forgiving and it would be folly to not be a bit doubtful. His desperation and unwillingness to continue a wretched life were what pushed him to purge any dark thoughts and focus on improving himself. Sooner or later, however, the need to investigate more and learn the origin of the System would be too overwhelming to ignore or gloss over.


    After he lashed out at Samuel yesterday, the latter did not appear before him, which was a relief to say the least. Rodrick was absent today too, so Zeke¡¯s day, to sum it up, was harmonious. He attended class, chatted with Amelia during lunch, and went back home, ever eager to train.


    Alas, that day, the System seemed to be playing a trick on him as he was rewarded with EXP and Stats, so the much-awaited last PE point was not acquired.


    Wednesday morning, Christopher taught the first lesson of the day, so most of the students were bored and wholly disinterested.


    ¡°Julia, what¡¯s Dual Aether and Tri-Aether.¡±


    As he called her name, the girl, who had black circles under her eyes, instinctively jumped to her feet and sobered up. After a momentary hesitation, she recited,


    ¡°Dual Aether is when an individual¡¯s Aether-generated metabolism is split into two harmonious segments, thus allowing for enhanced Aetheric Output as well as the ability to wield two forms of magical or physical powers. Tri-Aether is a theoretical hypothesis that explains how, given the right genetics and suitable environmental conditions, a human can manipulate Dark Matter.¡±


    ¡°Good, 5 Evaluation Points. Sit down.¡±


    Julia sighed in relief, her tense shoulders relaxing as she buried her head back into the notebook. As she had stopped relying on Zeke¡¯s help, and with the motivation to get better grades in Theoretical exams, she had been working tirelessly day and night in hopes of catching up.


    ¡°Azmer, name the three main categories of Aether and briefly explain each of them.¡±


    The blond-haired young man stood straight and confidently answered,


    ¡°According to the Lyman Study, Aether is split into three different but connected ¡®avenues¡¯. The first is Magical, which is when Aether is converted into an intangible form of energy, like Fire or Water. The second is Physical, which uses constant and regulated quantities of Aether to enhance the body. Last is the Spiritual Aether, but, apart from two recorded cases, there exists no method explaining its functionality or requirements.¡±


    ¡°Excellent, 15 Evaluation points.¡±


    Zeke glanced at Azmer, who did not seem proud to have answered so flawlessly. Then again, his bullying notwithstanding, Azmer was ever the studious type and the only one who surpassed him in Theoretical stuff was Zeke.


    ¡®If only he wasn¡¯t such an insufferable prick.¡¯

 Chapter 12 Another Attack

    Wednesday was a long day for Zeke, who, after officially entering the Rankings, was now obligated to attend the Practical lessons of Professor Nayro. To make matters worse, the Zyth was particularly keen on observing him after what he had witnessed during the three tests.


    The lesson itself was decently informative, but Zeke was different from his classmates. Technically, he was able to manifest superhuman powers with the use of Aether, but the fundamental functionality of the procedure he relied on was drastically different from the norm, therefore, the training all the students would be subjected to wasn''t useful.


    In fact, Zeke kept getting jealous stares from his classmates as they did not like how Nayro was paying close attention to him, clearly showcasing favorability born out of morbid curiosity.


    The subtle and non-verbal hostility notwithstanding, the Aether Manipulation practical lesson was a waste of time for Zeke, who was incapable of imitating either Nayro or even the below-average students. Still, he didn''t feel that disheartened and, for the most part, ignored the Zyth''s incessant remarks and corrections.


    ...


    In the evening, as he was making his way home, he stumbled upon an interesting and slightly predictable sight. There, in the middle of the busy main road of Kethra''s Arms, he saw the same con artists from before. The paraplegic kid was on the ground and his mother was shouting at a student.


    Surprisingly, the victim this time was Samuel, who reacted the same way as Zeke. The teenager was having none of it and was in a heated argument with the mother. Even when the familiar three thugs showed themselves, Samuel wasn''t the least bit fazed.


    "Aren''t you ashamed of yourself? To use your sick kid to con people? Absolutely deplorable!"


    "Calm down, kiddo."


    The baldy tried to intimidate Samuel by facing him with his oppressive physique, but even that did not work. Samuel kicked him in the knee then pushed him to the side as he walked toward the unresponsive paralyzed boy.


    "Hey... kid, is this really your mother?"


    "W-what? Of course I am! What do you think you''re doing?!"


    The red-faced woman attempted to shove Samual but he caught her hand and coldly glared at her.


    "I didn''t talk to you. Also, I''m contacting the authorities right now."


    He took out his phone and immediately contacted a relative of his while crouching next to the boy and keeping an eye on him. The call lasted half a minute, in which the crowd watched in silence, the thugs were grunting in annoyance as they backed away. Only the mother was shrieking and yelling at the top of her lungs, but since she had long since become notorious and almost everyone in Kethra''s Arms knew about her shady dealings and poor attempts at tricking people.


    ''It seems my warning wasn''t enough.'' Thought Zeke to himself as he squeezed through the crowd and inconspicuously followed after the fleeing thugs. It seemed their encounter with him made them more careful and less inclined to publicly threaten Erys'' students, which was why they did not confront Samuel even after he had kicked their leader.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Zeke wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed the thug¡¯s timely retreat. Samuel beckoned one of the bystanders, a middle-aged tall man, instructing him to keep a close watch over the woman and her child.


    Then, he too, chased after the thugs, unwilling to let them escape.


    The pursuit was relatively brief as the baldy and his friends delved into the dirt and unfrequented backstreet. It was the same spot Zeke was attacked in by the dangerous black mist, as well as the place where he had helped Amelia.


    Instead of recklessly following them to the dark and eerily backstreet, Zeke stayed back and hesitated. Although Kethra¡¯s Arms was bustling with students and residents alike, he still did not forget the murder scene he had unwittingly stumbled upon.


    Strangely enough, there was no mention of it in the media or anywhere else, which led him to believe that it was being covered up.


    Unlike him, Samuel dashed through the alley and caught up to his targets, shouting at them from behind.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m letting you go, do you?¡±


    The baldy¡¯s body twitched as he turned around and, with dangerously narrowed eyes, he glared at Samuel. His two companions, one of which had a thick bandage over his chest, cowered in fear and lacked any sort of bravado.


    ¡°You will be going with me to the station¡­ willingly or not.¡±


    Samuel grinned at the thugs as he slowly approached him, his right arm raised and his hand emitting a resplendent golden light, one which frightened the baldy and co.


    They were simple people, unable to manipulate Aether. Additionally, they had been beaten by Zeke two days ago, therefore, when they saw Samuel use his abilities from the get-go, their dread multiplied and any thought of fighting back was abandoned.


    Eventually, after a brief silence, the baldy raised his hands and apologetically said,


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry. We¡¯re just trying to make ends meet.¡±


    ¡°Hah! That doesn¡¯t validate you using a disabled child! The poor boy was clearly malnourished and in need of treatment. Excuses will avail you naught in here.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m not needed, I guess.¡¯


    As was his wont, Zeke hid in the back and watched the scenes unfold. He knew nothing about Samuel¡¯s ability, but it should be enough to deal with the thugs.


    ¡°On the ground¡­ now!¡±


    Hearing Samuel¡¯s warning and seeing his flashing golden light, the three men laid on their stomachs and did not dare attempt anything. Meanwhile, the student fished out his phone again and called his father, who was actually a Detective.


    Everything proceed smoothly and without violence, but, Zeke soon noticed something appear from a broken metal fence a short distance away from Samuel and the surrendering thugs.


    At first, it was only an uncommon distortion, followed thereafter by the appearance of an ominous swirling black mist. It crept from behind Samuel and was soundlessly drifting toward him.


    Zeke was surprised and the panic kicked in instantly, but that didn¡¯t stop him from revealing himself.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    His warning didn¡¯t escape either the thugs or Samuel¡¯s ears. The latter turned around and saw a thick black mist coming right at him, causing him to drop his phone and use both hands to create something akin to a protective barrier made of his brilliant golden light.


    As for Zeke, he used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, sparing no Aether as a thick bolt of lightning shot at the mist, stopping it at the last moment.


    Fortunately, his timely interception did stop the mist but it resulted in a burst of crazed and bone-chilling laughter to reverberate across the backstreet.


    The thugs, pale-faced and shocked to the core, shouted fearfully as they sat up and tried to make a run for it. Alas, the mist was a step faster as it exploded forth and enveloped the whole place, trapping all five people inside.


    Zeke rushed to Samuel¡¯s side, frantically looking around as lightning currents crackled around his hands.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Samuel did not have time to think about Zeke¡¯s abrupt appearance, he was staring at the mist revolving around them, trying to make sense of the situation.


    ¡°Stay close! CLOSE!¡± Zeke beckoned the thugs to not touch the mist, and they were unexpectedly obedient. Like frightened chickens, they grouped near the two students, shaking in fear.

 Chapter 13 The Crazed Killer

    ¡°Where is it? I have the crown! I don¡¯t see it!¡±


    A ghastly and disturbing voice came from the mist as it edged closer and shot bullet-like projectiles.


    Samuel used his power to protect himself and the others, but it worked only once or twice as he ended up getting hit. While holding his bleeding knee, he gritted his teeth and clenched his left fist.


    He literally punched the air, causing a blast of golden light to expand and clash against the mist, momentarily pushing it back. Zeke did not sit idly by either, he used the distraction offered by Samuel to use ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ then ¡®Spark¡¯.


    The lightning bolt pierced through the mist, from which a grunt of pain could be heard. As for the immobile floating lightning orb, it absorbed what was left of its caster¡¯s Aether then reacted aggressively the moment one of the projectiles struck it.


    An uncontrollable and loud torrent of lightning bolts exploded forth, clashing against the mist and eventually overpowering it.


    By the end of it, an abnormally thin man with a tall frame and greasy raven-black hair appeared. He was gasping for air and had nasty burnt makes all over his body.


    With reddened eyes and a hideous expression, he looked at Zeke and Samuel. He didn¡¯t speak, instead, caressing his bleeding chest while incoherently mumbling to himself.


    Zeke calmed his rapidly-beating heart and whispered something to Samuel, who nodded in response.


    A second later, Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯, teleporting right in front of the absent-minded man; He lifted performed a swift and deadly side-kick, aimed right at the target¡¯s head.


    He was met with no resistance as the man, Jonathan Stellar Link, was blown to the side, his body rolling multiple times on the ground.


    A magical spinning golden hammer was thrown by Samuel, reaching Jonathan and banging on his seemingly limp body. There was the unsettling noise of breaking bones and the sight of splattering blood, but not even that stopped Jonathan¡¯s inaudible mumbling.


    Samuel¡¯s golden hammer vanished as he approached Zeke and stared at the assailant.


    Jonathan¡¯s battered body convulsed then he got back to his feet, his broken arms and legs returning to normal. His neck twisted and turned abnormally, his eyes turning jet black as they focused on the three thugs.


    ¡°Is it you? It must be you!¡±


    Like a cannonball, he shot at the baldy with stretched arms, planning for an instantaneous kill. However, before he could finish it, Zeke appeared in front of him and used ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯.


    His fists, glowing with an orange light, hit Jonathan¡¯s chest, stopping him for half a second. Surprised that he dealt no damage whatsoever, Zeke used ¡®One-Star Side-kick¡¯, hitting the man¡¯s legs, but it felt as if he hit metal.


    While letting out a soft groan of pain, Zeke lowered his leg and tried to dodge the incoming hand but he was too late.


    His throat was caught and his body lifted slightly above the ground. Jonathan eyed him for a couple of breaths then was about to crush his neck but, unexpectedly, the thugs attacked in unison.


    They used metal pipes they had hastily picked up and swung them at Jonathan¡¯s, distracting him for long enough for Samuel¡¯s magic to strike the back.


    Zeke was freed, his body falling to the ground as he held his neck and coughed while gasping for air. The lack of Aether within his body and being suffocated had made him incapacitated, unable to defend when Jonathan roared in anger and unleashed a blast.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    None were spared as they were sent flying to the back; Samuel hit the wall and collapsed, Zeke crashed into a pile of trash, and the three thugs were blown to the back. Unfortunately, one of them was unlucky as his chest was pierced by a wooden plank protruding from the wall.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Disoriented, in pain, and exhausted, Zeke pushed his hand against the ground and tried to get up but his body failed him. He saw transform in the black mist and swirl around like a vortex, absorbing anything around it and slowly pulling him and one of the thugs closer to it.


    He grabbed onto anything as he resisted the suction, which didn¡¯t last long.


    Several loud gunshots could be heard, disrupting the vortex and revealing Jonathan again. The man vomited blood and looked at the gaping hole in his chest, caused by the bullets.


    A bearded middle-aged man wearing an old black uniform appeared from the alley, a glistening silver gun in his raised hands.


    He swept his gaze across Zeke and co while aiming his gun at Jonathan.


    More bullets were shot, but they missed this time as Jonathan leapt to the back, his body turning into mist, which, in turn, went through the wall and disappeared thereafter.


    ¡°Sam! Sam!¡±


    The Detective rushed to his son and checked on him, sighing in relief when he saw the teenager shake his head and get up, looking relatively unscathed.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m fine, dad.¡±


    Next, the Detective approached Zeke, who already sat up, looking haggard but otherwise unharmed.


    ¡°Jim¡­. Jimmy! Fuck!¡±


    The remaining two thugs were standing next to their friend, who was impaled by the plank. The gushing blood and the limp body were clear indications that he was already dead.


    ¡°Can you stand up? We should leave this place!¡±


    The Detective helped Zeke and motioned for the thugs to follow him, which they did. They no longer cared about being caught by the authorities, not after almost dying to a maniacal madman.


    ¡­


    All four people were taken to the station, both to answer some questions and hopefully receive minor treatment for the sustained injuries.


    The good thing was that, apart from the one casualty, the rest were in relatively good physical state. Zeke¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet of paper, but that was the consequence of draining his Life Aether.


    He tried his best, and though he disliked the thugs and their shameless methods, that did not mean he would sit by and watched. It was the same for Samuel too¡­ none deserved to die at that man¡¯s hands.


    After all, Zeke had seen how brutally murdered the other victims were, and he wished no one such a fate.


    ¡°I told you to stay clear of Kethra¡¯s Arms for a while!¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to know there¡¯s a freak lurking around? Maybe you should have explained it to me in simpler terms!¡±


    Samuel was arguing with his infuriated father. The latter was called to apprehend the thugs but, upon his arrival, he saw the notorious serial killer that had been plaguing the district for a while now.


    As the father-son duo was in a heated argument, Zeke was sitting in the corner, absent-minded and breathing irregularly.


    ¡°Kid¡­¡±


    The baldy and his friend came up to him, both still in shock and grieving the death of their friend ¡®Jim¡¯.


    ¡°Thank you for saving us.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke lifted his head and blankly looked at them. He didn¡¯t speak, merely nodded once then resumed his silence.


    ¡°Really¡­ thanks.¡±


    Shortly after, the two were dragged by another detective, to be questioned about the incident and their recent ¡®illegal¡¯ activities.


    Zeke too, had to be questioned, but it wasn¡¯t anything serious and, when done, he was advised to go to the hospital.


    However, he knew, better than anyone, his current condition and that he only needed rest, so he exited the station, planning to return home.


    ¡°Hey¡­ Zeke, wait!¡±


    Samuel ran after him, grabbing his shoulder and beaming at him.


    ¡°I knew you were a good person! If not for your help, I would have probably died.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡±


    Zeke tried to pass Samuel but the latter didn¡¯t let him.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve experienced and a life-and-death situation together, we can be categorized as friends!¡± He proclaimed with a confident voice and a wide smile.


    ¡°What sort of logic is that?¡±


    ¡°Come on! I think we click together, you and I. That serial-killer was strong but we managed to hold our own!¡±


    ¡°He was clearly not in the right state of mind. Plus, we had the element of surprise at first. Anyway, you should listen to your father and avoid that specific backstreet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, never mind that! We¡¯re cool now, right?¡±


    Before Zeke could reply, Samuel laughed heartily and added, ¡°I expected no less from my rival! Forget about the challenge, I think we can be very good friends! See you tomorrow morning!¡±


    With that said, he ran back to the station.


    ¡®I¡¯m kind of jealous of his nonchalance.¡¯


    Zeke watched Samuel disappear into the station, a sigh escaping his lips. Now that the rush of adrenaline subsided and he had time to think, his prior actions were reckless. Still, he did not regret his actions but being overpowered by the man still made him feel slight dismay.


    If he were there alone, he would have died too. Samuel¡¯s magic was strong and flexible, which allowed him to act as a support and even protect himself and those around him.


    ¡®But why does he keep targeting the same place? And why wasn¡¯t the place guarded in the first place? It doesn¡¯t feel right.¡¯

 Characters

    Zeke Orland


    Age: 17


    Height: 176 Cm


    Appearance: An angular face, coal-like eyes, a short-bridged pointy nose, thin arching eyebrows, and barely noticeable signs of a growing mustache and beard. A usually unkempt raven-black hair and an average physique, neither too slim nor too fat. However, his recent and arduous physical training, coupled with the increase in his Agility and Strength stats were slowly but surely altering his body for the better.


    Trivia: Youngest son of Anthony Orland and Olivia Vyrsan, a quiet youth who had, over time, developed an inferiority complex due to his inability to use Aether, unlike his two older siblings. To make matters worse, his parents were extremely reproachful and did not show any love for him, instead, they cared about-face and the privileges of the gifted.


    It could be said that Zeke grew up without parental love. However, Edward Orland, his older and successful brother, cared a lot about him and spared no effort to please Zeke and give him the best possible life.


    As he was a ¡®Defect¡¯, Zeke studied in normal schools from a young age and, at the age of sixteen, was forcefully enrolled into the prestigious school; Erys.


    -


    Maxine Orland


    Age: 19


    Height: 170cm


    Appearance: An oval face, grey almond-shaped eyes similar to her mother¡¯s, well-kept eyebrows, a slightly upturned nose, tanned skin, and natural round and soft lips.


    In terms of physique, Maxine had a fit body equipped with well-defined muscles that were built over many years of training. She was relatively taller than other female students and did not like using make-up or wearing fancy and revealing clothes.


    Trivia: The second eldest child of the Orland couple, one gifted with a unique and distinct ability, developed from a young age. From the age of 7, Maxine started learning Taekwondo, then added boxing to her list.


    What made Maxine superior to her peers and exceptionally good at close-quarter combat was the fact that she was a Dual-Aether user, which meant that she had not one but two Aether-fueled abilities, and both were different from her either of her parents¡¯.


    Her remarkable talents notwithstanding, Maxine was a huge troublemaker during her first and was almost expelled after hospitalizing three of her classmates. However, the reason behind that physical dispute was never disclosed to the public.


    During her first year in Erys, Maxine had climbed to the top spot of the rankings in just 2 months. As for the second year, she only reached 4th due to the arrival of several equally prodigious students.


    Currently, she stands at the 3rd spot in the Third-Year Ranking.


    Abilities: Physical Enhancement - Magma Gauntlets


    -


    Julia Lopmore


    Age: 17


    Height: 167cm


    Appearance: Unique hazy brown eyes and heart-shaped lips, long and silky beige hair, and an oval face. For her age, Julia has a naturally curvy body and long slim legs that she liked to reveal more often than not.


    Trivia: The only daughter of Frederic San Lopmore, a highly-respected Military Advisor as well as the chairman of the Saint Lopmore Association. Julia was doted upon by both of her parents and, especially, her grandfather, Michael Lopmore, one of the famed heroes of Stellar War.


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    Born with a silver spoon and genetically gifted, Julia never took anything for granted and diligently trained from a young age. She had always been headstrong but stubborn and rebellious, thus leading to her delinquent-like actions during her first year in Erys.


    As her ability was relatively similar to Maxine Orland, Julia tended to admire her senior, which was why she was so free-spirited and liked to challenge anyone strong.


    The only thing Julia abhorred was studying, specifically History and Mathematics. It was the total opposite of her obsession with fighting and training.


    Ranking: 2nd


    Ability: Velocity Alteration


    -


    Azmer Lorson


    Age: 17


    Height: 181cm


    Appearance: A strong and fit body, medium blond hair, and characteristically orange-colored eyes unique to his family line. Azmer had a commanding jawline, a thin yet fitting adolescent beard, a straight long nose, and down-turned eyes.


    He was a handsome young man, popular with girls thanks to his tall frame and sharp facial features.


    Trivia: Hailing from the distinguished Lorson Family, Azmer had to carry himself with pride and never disappoint his father, William Lorson. Like the rest of his family, Azmer inherited the ability to wield fire, which was considered one of the strongest. However, he wasn¡¯t as gifted as his father or brother, therefore, he always seeks to prove his worth and validate his position as a core member of the family.


    Unlike his father, his mother was actually a Defect and was cast out of the family when Azmer was 6 years old, so he ended up growing up without any motherly love.


    Ranking: 24th


    Ability: Pyromancy


    -


    Rodrick Dontoryian


    Age: 17


    Height: 180cm


    Appearance: A somewhat burly body, thick muscular arms, and a short dark-brown hair. He had a clean-shaved face, a short nose ended in a blunt plane rather than a point, and naturally narrowed upturned brown eyes.


    Trivia: The lone child of an infamous and vastly rich mobster that operates mainly in the Sunken Metropolis. Rodrick was no stranger to crimes due to his father¡¯s occupation, which usually involved violence. Moreover, he was motherless and had long since developed a sense of superiority, thus making him oppress those physically weaker than him.


    Ranking: 65th


    Ability: Wind Gust


    ----


    ----


    The Stellar War


    In year 2046, humans reached enough scientific and technological advancement to travel to planets within the Solar System. The first target was, of course, the Moon and Mars, both of which were colonized.


    Massive space stations were built, thus facilitating what happened next. However, the dramatic and revolutionary change occurred in the year 2058, twelve years after the first base was built on Mars. It was then that, without any prior warning, a planet appeared out of nothingness and started rotating around the Sun.


    It was closer to Earth than Mars was, and subsequent to that, the Zyth appeared. They were a mysterious Race, presumably the inhabitants of an entirely different galaxy.


    The Zyth were first sighted in the year 2070.


    The humans immediately launched expeditions to the new planet, which was soon discovered to be habitable. Furthermore, a new and harnessable type of energy, known as Aether, was among the myriad new discoveries.


    With the advanced technology and the assistance of the Zyth, the first batch of humans that arrived on the Aether Planet had built entire cities within the span of a decade, which was a remarkable achievement.


    The humans living there, as it turned out, adapted to the different environments and became capable of manipulating Aether, which, at that time, was inaccessible without the use of special suits or excavated artifacts.


    The peace and unabated evolution of the Human Race was, unfortunately, short-lived. The humans on Earth wanted to use the Aether Planet as an experimental planet to test their weapons, thus condemning the Zyth and all life on it.


    Expectedly, there was a warranted and a strong response, both from the humans living there, and the Zyth, especially.


    The disagreement escalated and, after 12 years, a bloody war broke out.


    In their ignorance and folly, the humans on Earth, referred to now as earthlings, clashed against the Zyth and their counterpart on the Aether Planet, concluding with their miserable loss. They severely under-estimated the superpowers gained through Aether, but the most detrimental thing was their bodies, which were, upon landing on the Aether Planet, unable to adapt as fast as their predecessors.


    The Stellar War lasted 7 years; the first four were on the Aether Planet, and the last three were on Mars, which became a battlefield littered with corpses.


    Eventually, when both sides suffered enough, a non-interference diplomatic treaty was signed with the earthlings.


    The Stellar War was the time in which several individuals rose up to defend their homeland. From the Aether Planet¡¯s side, these people were hailed as ¡®Heroes¡¯.


    Amongst them, there was:


    - Michael Lopmore, known as ¡®The Raging Black Dragon¡¯.


    -Maximus Vis Zan, The Crimson Champion(Missing)

 Chapter 14 The Detective and His Son

    ¡°What is it that you want, Detective Vans?¡±


    A middle-aged woman with striking crimson hair and light make-up on her tired face was sitting opposite Samuel¡¯s father.


    She was accompanied by her husband, a pale-faced man with narrowed sharp eyes and an angular face.


    Vans Valort stared at the couple with a deep frown. Even after stating his reason, the two were disinterested and showed no signs of worry.


    ¡°I must urge you to look after your son. He could have died.¡±


    ¡°Then he should avoid such shady places!¡± Snapped Olivia, her squeaky voice loud and attracting the attention of the other police officers.


    She and Anthony were wearing lab coats and reeked of a foul scent usually found in laboratories.


    ¡°Even so, he might be traumatized after accidentally confronting the killer. His parents¡¯ counsel would do him go-¡±


    ¡°Mister Valort, your job is to catch criminals, not give lectures about parenting. Now, if you don¡¯t have anything else to say, we must return to our work.¡±


    Anthony snorted and stood up, leaving seconds later with his equally angered wife.


    Although he did not agree with their way of doing things, Vans could not force them to do anything, unfortunately.


    However, their obvious lack of interest and worry clearly indicated that Zeke¡¯s well-being was less important than their work.


    ¡®This is¡­¡¯


    As he watched them leave the station, the detective sighed in exasperation.


    He returned to his desk and pondered for a while grabbing his coat and hastily leaving.


    ¡­


    Inside the small living room, Zeke was sitting cross-legged on the couch and doing the daily training of ¡®Aether Control¡¯. His earlier fight notwithstanding, he still had to complete his Daily Tasks and diligently adapt his body to the influx of Aether invading his body due to his insatiable control over the skill.


    The silence dominating the lonely apartment was broken by light knocks that alerted its solitary resident.


    Zeke looked at the door and creased his brows, unable to guess who it might be. Maxine rarely visited and his brother Edward was extremely busy.


    Much to his surprise, after peeking through the small hole, he saw two people.


    ¡°H-hello?¡±


    With a dumbfounded expression, he opened the door and looked at the two of them.


    Unexpectedly, it was none other than Detective Vans Valort and his son Samuel.


    ¡°Hey!


    Samuel was as cheerful as ever, waving a plastic bag in front of him. As for Vans, he wryly smiled and explained,


    ¡°Do you mind if we come in?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Zeke let them in and, soon, they were all in the living room. Samuel was excitedly unboxing the food and distributing the drinks.


    ¡°It¡¯s not part of my job, but I thought it would be better to keep an eye on you and Samuel after what happened. You¡¯re a kid¡­ I couldn¡¯t just leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke looked at the detective, confused and surprised. Eventually, he cleared his throat and stated,


    ¡°I assure you I¡¯m fine¡­ sir.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s pretty strong, dad. I wouldn¡¯t choose anyone to be my rival!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and eat your chicken!¡±


    Samuel got smacked as his father stuffed the crunchy food into his mouth. Zeke too, joined them but, for the most part, he maintained silence and merely watched.


    Despite his scruffy appearance, Detective Vans Valort was a friendly person. He conversed with Zeke about trivial stuff and reassured him that the killer will soon be apprehended.


    However, when asked about the specifics of the case, he refused to disclose anything. It seemed that not even Samuel, his son, was privy to such sensitive information. Then again, it was to be expected since Vans was a detective and wasn¡¯t at liberty to talk about anything related to work.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll keep guard outside. Is it fine if Samuel sleeps here tonight?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Since the two came all the way here with the intention of easing his worry and making him feel safe, Zeke saw no reason to reject their efforts.


    He directed Samuel to his sister¡¯s room and then went to bed. It was probably the first night since getting the System that he slept at the right time, and it kind of felt weird to him as he was used to training all night.


    Time passed in the blink of an eye and by the time Zeke woke up, it was early morning.


    ¡®It can¡¯t be a coincidence. Either I can¡¯t dream¡­ or the System is interfering with something.¡¯


    Lost in thought, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, wondering if the dreamless nights we a bad omen, a sign of what was to come.


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    He had yet to complete his Daily Tasks, but since he would finish early today, the urgent need to earn the last PE was slightly quelled.


    After struggling to wake up Samuel, who turned out to be a heavy sleeper, the two went to school right after eating what remained of yesterday¡¯s dinner.


    Undeniably, Zeke felt that Samuel was a little more bearable after fighting alongside him yesterday. At this point in time, it would be ridiculous to try and push him away, especially since Zeke no longer minded his presence.


    Admittedly, Samuel was very talkative and his total opposite in terms of character, but he was a good person.


    ¡°I still think I¡¯m stronger than you, by the way. But! I¡¯ll no longer challenge you. I¡¯ll aim for the 48th spot. Wish me luck.¡±


    Samuel grinned and dashed away the moment they entered the campus. He seemed to have forgotten about the fight against Jonathan and didn¡¯t look traumatized or the least bit affected.


    Zeke too wasn¡¯t particularly anxious, but decided to avoid Kethra¡¯s Arms for a while, or at least that specific backstreet. After all, in such a short amount of time, so many things happened there, including getting attacked by the same person and barely surviving.


    ...


    ¡°What are you looking at? Want another beating?!¡±


    Julia hissed at the gloomy Rodrick, who was finally back. He was gloomily sitting in the back row and glaring at Zeke, his eyes burning with rage and hatred.


    What was worse than his defeat to Zeke was the beating he was subjected to by his father. He was yelled at and severely brutally punished. However, before he was allowed to return to school, he was healed of all visible injuries so as to not alert the school. Still, Rodrick blamed everything on Zeke but all he could do was remain silent and seethe with anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, Rodrick. You¡¯ve lost and it¡¯s time to move on.¡±


    Azmer, who sat next to him, solemnly whispered those words, but Rodrick snorted in response.


    ¡°Move on? Now everyone is mocking me. That loser only got lucky!¡±


    ¡°Rodrick¡­¡±


    Azmer tightly gripped his shoulder and leaned closer, giving him a cold stare.


    ¡°If you do not stand down, I will no longer talk to you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The burly student lowered his head and gritted his teeth, eerily silent as he kept sneaking glances at Zeke.


    ¡°Cheh! What a sore loser.¡±


    Zeke pushed his notebook to the side, pressing it against Julia¡¯s butt and making her fall on her feet. Recently, she made a habit of sitting on his desk and either complaining or talking about random stuff, which he would ignore.


    ¡°Careful where you push that!¡±


    ¡°Go sit at your desk, I need to study.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! That¡¯s what you always do. You¡¯re no longer a Defect, so must socialize and make friends.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You knew who it was, right? I know you do!¡±


    Amy, after having recovered for several days, returned to class and resumed her nasty behavior, brazenly targeting Amelia publicly.


    Everyone was watching from their seats, some frowning in disapproval and others enjoying the sight of a Defect being bullied.


    ¡°You slut!¡±


    Amy raised her hand and tried to slap Amelia but the latter held her hand and kicked her in the stomach.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done it now!¡±


    With a face red from embarrassment and rage, Amy stood up and was about to attack but someone intervened at the last moment.


    ¡°The teacher will be here anytime. Stop this.¡±


    Samuel stood between the two girls and faced Amy, calming her down. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t continue her ruckus and begrudgingly sat down. As for Amelia, she stood there, expressionless and with her hands behind her back.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t do it.¡±


    Samuel¡¯s words were audible only for Amelia, whose face was unwavering and uncaring.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    Once he said his piece, he returned to his seat and minded his own business.


    He was the only one who noticed the ¡®object¡¯ Amelia was hiding under his uniform. Perhaps if he had not intervened, things would have turned for the worst.


    ¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°The usual, of course.¡±


    Amelia wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat, she kept fiddling with the plate, seemingly absent-minded.


    ¡°You should consider talking to the Dean. With him around, they wouldn¡¯t dare try anything.¡±


    Amelia, with downcast eyes, sighed.


    ¡°Do you really think so? Amy wants to find who attacked her.¡±


    ¡°Tell her the truth, then. I¡¯m not afraid of her.¡±


    Amy and her friend, Amelia¡¯s bullies, weren¡¯t as strong as Rodrick. Moreover, now that he was no longer a Defect, he was willing to step up and retaliate if the need arised.


    Even though Zeke did not like to be involved in matters that did not concern him, it wasn¡¯t the case for Amelia, whom he considered as his first friend in Erys.


    ¡°She¡¯s crazy, Zeke. I¡¯m afraid that she might target my family.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    Samuel abruptly appeared with a plate in hand and a smile on his face. He seemed slightly surprised to see Amelia, but he did not comment and shamelessly sat down.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you two were friends.¡±


    His arrival turned the atmosphere a bit awkward since he was Amelia¡¯s classmate. Zeke glanced at the two of them then shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Anyway! I¡¯m going to challenge the 48th later. Come and watch how I prevail!¡±


    ¡°I might be busy.¡±


    Zeke already had plans with Amelia, as they had promised to hang out in the evening. Moreover, since she was in such a bad mood, he couldn¡¯t leave her alone.


    ¡°What could you possibly be doin-ah!¡±


    Samuel caught on relatively quickly as he looked at the quiet Amelia. He chuckled and nodded in understanding, ¡°I get it. It¡¯s a date¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Stop speculating and just eat.¡±


    ¡°I must be right! You two kind of suit each other. Zeke, don¡¯t misunderstand me, it¡¯s not because you are¡­ ahem, were, a Defect. It¡¯s just that¡­ you have the same ¡®gloominess¡¯, for want of a better word.¡±


    ¡°Your unfiltered honestly is insufferable, Samuel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of my perks, though! Why wouldn¡¯t I say what I think?¡±


    Zeke clicked his tongue and retorted, ¡°Because it might be hurtful to the listener?¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t mean it that way!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chirped Amelia with a casual voice and a faint smile. ¡°I do agree that Zeke and I are similar. He¡¯s the only one who understands what I¡¯m going through.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Samuel frowned and after a momentary silence, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re talking about Amy? Or ¡®let¡¯s bully the Defects¡¯ trend?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? It¡¯s not like you care.¡±-Amelia


    ¡°Each student has their own responsibilities. I do agree that it¡¯s immoral and downright stupid to target the Defects, however, I also think Erys shouldn¡¯t have accepted the Defects. I¡¯m saying this for their sake. They are the victims and I believe a normal school would have been much better.¡±


    ¡°Diplomas from normal schools pale in comparison to Erys¡¯. Even with average grades, my future would be infinitely better if I graduate from Erys.¡± riposted Amelia, her voice slightly emotional.


    ¡°Being a Defect shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Most of the famed Scholars were average people in terms of individual prowess, but they were hard-working and intelligent. It¡¯s not that Erys erred¡­ it¡¯s the dysfunctional System which prioritizes those with talent rather than those with potential.¡±


    Even with the two ganging up on him, Samuel did not shy away from arguing back. His disagreement notwithstanding, he was polite and carried himself with dignity instead of enforcing his opinions, which was, for once, a welcome change.


    ¡°Logically, the System cannot accommodate itself for the sake of a handful of people. I acknowledge that Erys suffers a lot from subtle verbal abuse and belittlement, specifically targeted toward the Defects. Nevertheless, the issue lies within the oppressors, the remorseless and arrogant students that weren¡¯t taught manners by their own parents. It¡¯s not the System, but the students themselves.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. The students, with their wealthy backgrounds and influential families, are basically untouchable. The Dean, watchful as he has been, cannot deal with every bullying case. The strong will oppress the weak and people will spectate from the sidelines, feigning understanding and false sympathy.¡±-Zeke


    ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s agree to disagree, then!¡±


    Their discussion ended prematurely as Samuel chose to stop. He saw that both Zeke and Amelia were getting riled up and he did not wish for a dispute over something like that.


    Samuel ate his food in silence for a bit while Zeke chatted for a bit then they all separated and returned to their classrooms.


    In the evening, as promised, Amelia and Zeke met up but they did not head to Kethra¡¯s Arms. Instead, she took him to her family¡¯s restaurant, situated in her rural neighborhood, at the edge of the Sunken Metropolis.


    The trip there took a fair bit of time, and when they arrived, the two were met with an unexpected sight.

 Chapter 15 Cruelty

    ¡°Amelia!¡±


    Zeke chased after the shocked girl as she rushed into the restaurant and saw how the whole place was wrecked. There were no customers, only several muscular men wearing black suits.


    Near the reception desk, there stood a voluptuous woman wearing heavy make-up and waving an exquisite traditional fan at her face.


    Zeke saw two elderly people kneeling on the ground, tearing up as they looked at the woman.


    ¡°Mom! Dad!¡±


    Amelia ran up to her parents and checked on them. She did not recognize the woman, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess who she was, especially after what happened today.


    ¡°So this is your slutty daughter? Hah!¡±


    Zeke stood at the back and inspected the restaurant: The wooden tables and chairs were broken and there were shattered places all over.


    ¡®They completely wrecked this place. However¡­ only one of them is different.¡¯


    His gaze fell upon a tall and fit bespectacled man wearing black gloves and a light grey suit. He seemed to be the woman¡¯s bodyguard, standing right behind her and looking composed and indifferent.


    Out of the blue, the woman kicked Amelia¡¯s with her long heels, causing the girl to fall to the ground, her cheek red.


    Amelia¡¯s mother helped her daughter whereas the elderly father kept kneeling down.


    ¡°Please forgive us. It must have been a mistake! Our daughter will never attack anyone. She¡¯s a Defect!¡±


    ¡°Hah! So what? You think Defects are harmless? She¡¯s attacked my daughter and got her hospitalized! She also threatened her!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t attack her!¡± Shouted back Amelia while holding her cheek and glaring at the woman.


    ¡°So you¡¯re refusing to admit it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s telling the truth. I was the one who attacked your daughter.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s voice came from the rear, causing the woman to turn her head and scrutinize him.


    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Zeke, from class E. I saw your daughter bullying Amelia so I intervened.¡±


    With chillingly cold eyes and a face utterly devoid of emotion, Zeke raised his hand and, in an instant, shot a thick bolt of lightning right at the woman. However, the bodyguard blocked the lightning with ease, literally grabbing it with his gloves and extinguishing it.


    He set his eyes on Zeke and charged, stretching his long arms and blocking the kick coming from the side.


    Before he realized it, Zeke was pinned to the ground, the man¡¯s knee pressed on his back.


    ¡°You dare attack me? Break his ar-... no no.¡±


    The woman turned to look at Amelia¡¯s parents, an evil grin plastered on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret hurting my daughter. Bring her!¡±


    Her subordinates surrounded Amelia and her parents, and though the father tried to defend himself, he was too weak to make a difference.


    ¡°No! DAD!¡±


    Amelia saw her father getting hit in the head by a metal pipe. His body limply fell on the ground, blood soaking his thinning grey hair.


    The mother wasn¡¯t spared either as he got beat down while Amelia was bound and dragged outside of the restaurant.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting away with this. I saw everything.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    As she passed by the pinned Zeke, the woman heard his threat but she mockingly chuckled.


    ¡°So what if you saw? You think I¡¯m afraid of anyone? Take him as well!¡±


    The man restrained Zeke with ease, however, he suddenly jumped back when he saw a lightning orb appear out of thin air.


    Zeke unleashed another bolt of lightning, striking the man dragging Amelia outside. Knowing that getting out of her without assistance wasn¡¯t possible, Zeke quickly fished out his phone and dialed Samuel¡¯s father.


    ¡°See this? The police will be here!¡±


    The woman chuckled and was about to say something but the bespectacled man, while keeping a safe distance from the lightning orb near Zeke, approached her and whispered something.


    In the end, the woman angrily snorted and hastily left.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    Amelia was let go, so she ran to her unconscious father, tears pouring from her eyes.


    ¡®Just like that? No¡­ she left because of something else.¡¯


    Zeke went outside and after ascertaining that the assailants left, he went to help his friend.


    ¡°Mister Orland, I operate only within Erys.¡±


    ¡°But the one behind it is a student here!¡±


    The old man looked back at the frustrated Zeke, neither replying nor reacting in any way. After a long silence, he leaned back and sighed, ¡°You used to be a Defect, yes? You¡¯re more likely to sympathize with other Defects and try to protect them. However, blaming someone without any proof could lead to dire consequences, Mister Orland.¡±


    ¡°Without any proof? I was the one who attacked Amy in the park. I also saw her mother threaten Amelia¡¯s parents and even ruin their restaurant.¡±


    Seeing the Dean, who refused to budge, Zeke angrily stomped the ground. ¡°How about you check the disastrous state of the school instead of doing absolutely fuck-all!¡±


    He uttered those words with a loud and disrespectful voice, one which made the old man frown in displeasure.


    Zeke did not care about politeness, especially since the very person who was supposed to help him was being unnecessarily stubborn.


    He had looked everywhere and found no traces of Amelia, which meant that Amy¡¯s mother must¡¯ve come back and dragged the victim elsewhere. After all, yesterday, the assailants failed to drag Amelia outside due to an unexplained interception.


    Zeke had hoped the Dean would be cooperative and try to talk to Amy, but none of that happened. Even after explaining the truth, it was clear that the Dean did not fully believe him. Admittedly, the whole story would seem a bit far-fetched from an outsider¡¯s view, but that didn¡¯t make it less true.


    After storming out of the Dean¡¯s office, Zeke went to the spot in which Amelia used to be bullied. He sat down next to the tree and dazedly looked around, confused and desperate.


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    Were it not for his interference back then, perhaps none of this would have happened.


    Since Amy did not know who had attacked her, she vented her anger on Amelia, which was something he should have expected before he decided to play the hero.


    ¡®I will not let this go until I find you. I swear it, Amelia!¡¯


    Zeke looked at the back of his left hand, on which there were circular magical runes engraved on his very skin. It was like a tattoo; All the lines and symbols were dark blue and at the center, there were undecipherable and unfamiliar characters.


    It was one of the two new skills he acquired after completing the Aether Voltage path. For half an hour, Zeke sat near the tree, his eyes closed and an expression of deep concentration plastered on his face.


    He was madly absorbing the ambient aether around imbuing it into the rune, which acted like storage separate from his body.


    He lacked the power to brazenly head to Amy¡¯s mother and demand questions, but he was adamant about finding Amelia and stopping her from doing anything rash.


    In the past, he had thought the beating he was subjected to was the worst thing that could happen, but that was clearly the tip of the iceberg.


    Zeke was doing this not only because Amelia was his friend, but also because he could sympathize with her. Were he in her shoes, he would have felt deepest despair and would have resorted to extreme actions to exact vengeance.


    When Zeke started feeling a burning sensation and the rune glowed ever-so-slightly, he stood up and leaned on the wall, trying to stabilize his body and deal with the dizziness.


    Fortunately, it did not last long, but it did make him cough some blood due to absorbing more than the maximum amount.


    ¡°This should do it.¡±


    His next stop was the cafeteria, which was, as usual, bustling with the first-year students. He looked around and soon spotted Amy happily eating lunch with a couple of her classmates.


    ¡°Amy Firan, I challenge you.¡±


    His declaration was loud and caught the attention of everyone.


    Julia, who was a distance away, raised her head and looked at the black-haired youth. She was confused about why he would challenge a lower-ranked student. After all, Amy had an average talent, and her ability wasn¡¯t considered battle-oriented as it was easily countered and not particularly dangerous to those proficient at using Aether.


    ¡°Hm? What?¡±


    The girl pushed back her brown hair and looked back at the stoic youth.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that loser from class E. I refuse your challenge. Piss off, will you.¡±


    She unceremoniously waved her hand at him and returned to chatting with her friends, totally uncaring.


    As for Zeke, he looked at her for a bit then turned around and left, neither insisting nor saying anything else.


    That day, he sat on a bench at the campus and waited until class B finished all their lessons.


    ¡°If they really have her, then I¡¯m willing to take the risk.¡± He muttered to himself as he caressed the rune and calmed down his rapidly-beating heart.


    As Zeke was lost in thought, someone approached him, thus snapping him out of his daze. He raised his head and saw an unexpected person. It Amy¡¯s friend, the same girl who used to bully Amelia in that secluded spot.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re the one who attacked Amy, r-right?¡±


    She was fidgety and nervous, refusing to lock gazes with him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    His snappish tone and piercing eyes made her back away and anxiously look around.


    ¡°I¡­ I heard from Amy. I swear I had nothing to do with it¡­ I swear!¡±


    She seemed to be apologizing, clearly disturbed by what she had heard.


    ¡°We¡­ we bullied her but I would never do such a thing!¡±


    The girl tried to explain herself but the youth¡¯s silence made her restless and fretful.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I did! I¡¯ll go tell the Dean too! I won¡¯t do it again! Please!¡±


    ¡°Explain what happened first.¡±


    Finally hearing a response, the girl took a deep breath and kept looking around, afraid that she might be seen.


    ¡°A-Amy told me¡­ told me that her mother kidnapped Amelia. Th--...they did terrible things to her. I really had nothing to do with it! I only slapped her a couple of times!¡±


    With narrowed eyes and a gloomy face, Zeke stood up and approached the short girl.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±


    ¡°Then get her location.¡± He retorted with a bone-chilling voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re friends with Amy. Tell her to take you there¡­ and don¡¯t tell the Dean yet.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no no! I can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t want to be involved!¡±


    She tried to turn around and leave but he grabbed her wrist and tightened his grip.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late to redeem yourself. Please.¡±


    He thought about scaring her, but it was risky and possibly futile. The girl seemed to be in shock and clearly wanted to prove her innocence to him first, as it had become apparent that he was close with Amelia and his action earlier was due to her absence.


    ¡°You know what you did wrong, so please help me find Amelia before it¡¯s too late. Just because she¡¯s a Defect doesn¡¯t mean she has to go through all of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    The girl, teary-eyed, stuttered and couldn¡¯t utter any word. In the end, she nodded and met his eyes, at last.


    ¡°I will talk to Amy.¡±


    She dashed away thereafter, leaving Zeke standing there like a statute.


    ¡®She¡¯s remorseful enough to do this. Amy must¡¯ve bragged about what happened. However, this could be a trap intended to lure me¡­ Hah! Whatever!¡¯


    A couple of minutes later, Zeke spotted the girl walking aside Amy. The latter was chuckling and using exaggerated motions to describe what happened.


    Her friend, Emilia, snuck a glance at Zeke then hugged Amy¡¯s arm, begging her to take her to the warehouse. She said she wanted to see Amelia¡¯s pitiful state, which was enough of an excuse for Amy to agree.


    Zeke kept a safe distance and when they arrived at Kethra¡¯s Arms, he almost lost them. Amy had a personal chauffeur, but Zeke had to quickly find a cab and follow them.


    The trip took him to the Industrial sector of the city, a big distance away from Erys. Once he got off the car and paid the driver, he hid behind walls and chased after the two girls.


    In addition to Amy and Emilia, there was also the bespectacled and domineering bodyguard, the one who easily incapacitated Zeke yesterday.


    ¡°Psst!¡±


    Zeke jumped in fright as someone tapped his shoulder, almost making him reveal himself. When he looked behind, he was stupefied to see Julia Lopmore standing there. She had a faint smile as she leaned to the side and leaned at the seemingly abandoned warehouse situated out of nowhere.


    He pulled her behind the wall and asked,


    ¡°What the hell are you doing here?!¡±


    Julia shrugged her shoulders as she responded, ¡°I saw you acting suspiciously around the campus. You also skipped class, so I was curious.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a safe place! Go! Leave now.¡±


    Alas, she turned a deaf ear to his warning.


    ¡°Hehehe never mind that! Why are you following the girls from class B? Do you have a crush on one of them?¡±


    ¡°For the love of¡­. Ugh! This isn¡¯t a game, Julia.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So it¡¯s that serious? Come on, tell me what¡¯s going on. Are you like¡­ a secret agent or something? Is that why you¡¯ve been hiding your powers? Nah! It can¡¯t be. That wimpy attitude of yours couldn¡¯t have been fake.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing her nonchalant and talking to herself, Zeke gritted his teeth and gave up on trying to make her leave.


    ¡®Wait! This is actually a blessing a disguise!¡¯


    Julia was stronger than him, and she had a powerful background. If she was hurt in any way, neither her parents nor her famed grandfather would stand for that.


    ¡°Why are you here? To help?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe? Depends.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Defect from class B. Amelia. She¡¯s been taken here, apparently. Is that enough for you?¡± His last words were sarcasm, but that escaped the intrigued Julia.


    The girl tied her hair into a ponytail and stretched her body, seemingly excited and ready for a battle.


    ¡°I knew it! Following you was the right decision. Lead the way!¡±


    Zeke couldn¡¯t make sense of the girl¡¯s strange behavior, nevertheless, he did not deign to remark on that. He peeked his head again and saw that no one was guarding the outside of the warehouse. The only thing there was the car Amy had arrived in.

 Chapter 16 Taken

    The two crept closer to the warehouse and in less than a minute, they arrived at the half-open entrance. Zeke looked inside and saw a pale-faced Emilia kneeling on the ground, almost about to fall unconscious.


    Amy too, was frightened and tearful as she clung to her bodyguard.


    Amelia wasn¡¯t there, instead, there were eviscerated bodies and the strong and nauseating stench of blood lingering in the air.


    ¡®She¡¯s not here?¡¯


    Even though Amelia was nowhere to be seen, Zeke did not remain in hiding for much longer. He pushed the creaking metal doors open.


    The moment the bodyguard turned around, he saw a thick bolt of lightning flying straight at him. He pushed Amy out of the way and used his thin black gloves to crush the lightning, but things didn¡¯t proceed as smoothly as last time.


    His glove was pierced by the blue lightning, but that was just the beginning as another burst struck his chest, making him stagger and let out a grunt of pain.


    Julia didn¡¯t expect Zeke to immediately attack; She saw him unleash the crackling lightning then rush at the bodyguard, teleporting in front of him once he was in range to use ¡®Life Motus¡¯.


    Zeke raised his leg as if he was about to use ¡®One-star Side-kick,¡¯ but that was only a feint that made the opponent stretch his arms to the side.


    After quickly lowering his half-raised leg, the rune on his left hand shone resplendently, materializing a big arrow made of lighting in Zeke¡¯s hand.


    The youth unhesitantly swung his leg hand, stabbing the arrow into the man¡¯s chest. At first, the black suit seemingly resisted the lightning arrow, but that lasted for a second or two before the man¡¯s chest was pierced and a fountain of blood gushed out.


    Even with such an injury, the man did not panic as he horizontally swept his leg, trying to push Zeke away. Unfortunately for him, Julia did not stand idly by, her figure appearing at the bodyguard¡¯s side like a ghost then performing a simple yet monstrously powerful punch.


    Like a ragdoll, the bespectacled man was blown to the side, his body rolling on the ground and leaving a trail of blood in its wake.


    With a speed no less impressive than ¡®Life Motus¡¯, Julia rushed at the bodyguard, kicking his chin then pressing her shoe against his neck, incapacitating him.


    As for Zeke, he targeted the frightened Amy, catching up to her with ease and pulling her hair.


    ¡°No! Please¡­ I didn¡¯t do anything!¡±


    She was in a state of shock, only recognizing Zeke when he crouched down to meet her gaze.


    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡±


    With a disturbing soft smile, he nodded his head, his hand still pulling back her hair.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. The loser.¡±


    ¡°W-what do you want! My mother will not let you-¡±


    Using his other hand, Zeke used all of his strength to slap her.


    ¡°Miss!¡±


    The bodyguard thrashed around but he couldn¡¯t overpower Julia, who was half his size.


    ¡°This is a bummer. I thought there will be strong opponents.¡±


    She kept pressing her feet on the man and looking at Zeke.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your mother or you. Where¡¯s Amelia?¡±


    The side of Amy¡¯s lips was bleeding and her body was shaking intensely. She realized that Zeke wasn¡¯t playing around and that none of her threats were going to work. Plus, he had a crazed look on his face as if he would really resort to extreme actions to get his answers.


    ¡°I d-don¡¯t know! She was supposed to be¡­ here.¡±


    She glanced at the spot in which laid the mangled corpses only to vomit.


    Zeke pressed his index on Amy¡¯s chest and let out lightning, causing the girl¡¯s body to convulse and an ear-piercing screech of pain to reverberate across the warehouse.


    ¡°Where is she?!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Zeke! I think this is enough.¡±


    More blood leaked out of Amy¡¯s hand as the lightning invaded her body and inflicted a lot of internal damage. Julia frowned and tried to interfere but he ignored her and let out more lightning.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not going to talk?¡±


    Upon seeing him about to zap her once more time, Julia let go of the bodyguard and dashed at him. She did not use force to push him away, but she did try to talk some sense into him.


    Amy was not in a state to respond, and her cries and sobbing were an indication that she really was ignorant of Amelia¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, Zeke¡­ but someone got here before they did. Look at those corpses.¡±


    Julia took out her phone and tried to call someone but it didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°Tsk tsk! There¡¯s no signal.¡±


    The bodyguard, after getting to hit feet, maintained a safe distance and calmly explained,


    ¡°We kept the girl here. She might have escaped on her own or gotten help. The Miss has nothing to do with this.¡±


    ¡°Nothing? Nothing?! You call attacking her family and killing her father nothing? All of that for what? Because your spoiled miss got what she deserved after bullying someone? Don¡¯t make me laugh!¡±


    ¡°Ah! It w-was my mother! She¡­ made me do it!¡±


    Zeke let out a sinister laugh and looked at the frowning Julia.


    ¡°This is what you privileged students are like.¡±


    Then, he used the rune again and manifested the lightning arrow. Before Julia could stop him, he stabbed Amy¡¯s stomach; the lightning traveled across her body, shredding her clothes. She cried for half a second then fell unconscious, unable to bear the pain.


    Solemn and cold-faced, Zeke let go of Amy and stood up. The bodyguard ran up to the girl, he had an ugly face as he tried his best to stop the bleeding.


    ¡°This is excessive, Zeke. It seems to be kidnapping and torture, so if we report thi-¡±


    ¡°Report? You truly are a sheltered child, Julia.¡±


    He proceeded to ignore her as he passed by Emilia, who had fainted.


    Irritated and desperate, he inspected the corpses and noticed the similarities between them and the murdered students he had accidentally stumbled upon in Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    ¡®It can''t be.¡¯


    If it was indeed the doing of the same person, then Amelia was definitely killed. However, the killer was active specifically near Erys, so it was strange for him to appear here.


    <hr>


    ¡°This is such a big mess! Where¡¯s Zeke?¡±


    Vans pressed his hand against his aching temples as he questioned Julia.


    After a bit of struggle, the girl managed to inform the authorities and stay alone in the warehouse, watching over the unconscious girls and the bodyguard. She did not want them to get away, not after what happened.


    Although not everything was explained to her, she still got the gist of it. Moreover, she got to see a new side of Zeke, a frightening side. There, as he zapped Amy, Julia thought he was really going to kill her but held back at the last second.


    His eyes seemed different¡­ utterly devoid of emotions. He almost seemed like a different person altogether.


    ¡°He left a while ago.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Vans cursed under his breath and motioned for the officers to call for more people. Four people died, a girl was missing, and three people were injured.


    ¡°You will have to come with me to the station. Sorry about this.¡±


    Although it was his first time meeting her, Vans knew Julia, so he wasn¡¯t worried that she would be blamed for this. She was the beloved granddaughter of one of the heroes of the Stellar War, and her father was a dangerous person that should never be crossed.


    ¡®This must be why Zeke brought her along. That kid¡­ what is he doing?!¡¯


    Three hours later, after Amy and Emilia were brought to the hospital, the bodyguard was in the station along with Julia and a couple more people.


    ¡°Are you even doing your job? My daughter was almost killed by a madman!¡±


    Amy¡¯s mother was hysterical, her unpleasant voice echoing throughout the station. She was reproaching and blaming Vans, venting all her rage at him.


    ¡°Madam, it was your fault, to begin with. I know that you kidnapped the girl from class B.


    The woman glanced at Julia and frowned. ¡°Kidnapped? Stop with your accusations. You also attacked my daughter, didn¡¯t you? You damn-¡±


    She was about to slap Julia but the latter caught her hand and, while snorting, pushed her to the side.


    Julia turned to Vans and calmly said, ¡°Add assault to her charges.¡±


    ¡°E-ehm¡­¡±


    Stuck between the two, the detective stuttered and couldn¡¯t offer a response. On one side, he did not want to offend Amy¡¯s mother, and on the other, he was being pressured by Julia.


    Before things could escalate, a squad of people wearing metallic suits of armor barged into the station. They were all expressionless and brought with them a suffocating pressure.


    They paid no heed to the officers or anyone else as they approached Julia. Their leader, a bearded middle-aged man with a grizzly face and a slash mark under his right eye, walked to the mother and slapped her face.


    ¡°You are suspected of abduction, assault, arson, and bribery. Take her away.¡±


    The woman was dumbfounded and they cuffed her hand and dragged her outside. She tried to protest but they ignored her. Her bodyguard too, was handled the same, but he seemed to be aware of the identity of the new arrivals and, instead of resisting, he willingly followed them.


    ¡°Young miss, your father is not pleased with this. Anytime you go outside, you were instructed to call me.¡±


    ¡°It would be boring with you around, Roland.¡±


    ¡°Young miss¡­¡±


    The bearded man seemed troubled as he tried to convince the girl, but she harrumphed and averted her eyes.


    The man resigned to his fate and shifted his attention to Detective Vans, who had yet to make sense of the situation.


    The bearded man, as well as his subordinates, were part of a special task force that was directly under the Department of Defense. They would only appear in extreme cases, and this one definitely wasn¡¯t that extreme.


    ¡®I should¡¯ve known it would end like this. No wonder the girl wasn¡¯t worried.¡¯


    ¡°The case will be handled by Prosecutor Jang Fold. Thank you for your cooperation.¡±


    ¡°L-likewise. What about the missing girl?¡±


    ¡°We will be conducting a thorough search of the area. If you find any clues, please call this number.¡±


    Vans was handed a black card, which he glanced at before bowing to the bearded man, who dragged the reluctant Julia and left.

 Chapter 17 Voltage Arrow

    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 2 (27/30 EXP)]


    [Strength: 47]


    [Agility: 44]


    [Aether: 28]


    [Fortitude: 6]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 66%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 15%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 92%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 35%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 1.5%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 30%)]


    [Available PE: 3]


    Zeke was inside his apartment, staring at his Status Window, though his mind was wandering elsewhere. His search for Amelia was, ultimately, fruitless even after confronting Amy. Although it felt satisfying to inflict the same pain she subjected others to, it still did not quell the uncontrollable rage swelling within him.


    Now more than ever, he understood the unfairness and misery of life, especially if one lacked the necessary power, literally or figuratively.


    ¡°She¡¯s dead. Dead.¡±


    He let out a heavy sigh then laid on the couch, his lips quivering ever-so-slightly. Amelia and He might not have been the best of friends, but their shared circumstances were what gave birth to their recent but strong friendship. They sympathized with each other¡¯s woes and that was enough for someone like him to feel a bit happy. Unfortunately, things came crashing down at a dramatic pace, leaving him unable to deal with the consequences of his actions.


    As he covered his face with his hand, the youth mumbled to himself,


    ¡°I tried my best¡­ I did.¡±


    His words, albeit clarion, were unable to purge his clandestine thoughts, which were haunting him.


    ¡°The killer¡­ did he really kill her? If yes, then why was her body missing? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    After arguing with himself for an hour or so, the teenager jumped to his feet and slapped his cheeks to sober up.


    ¡®No matter. I will find the truth myself. First, I need enough power to deal with the killer.¡¯


    Instead of wallowing in self-pity and blaming himself, Zeke set out to train and increase his stats even more.


    During his two confrontations with the black mist, he was able to inflict some damage. However, trying to actually defeat that madman was easier said than done, even with the help of the System.


    Back in the warehouse, he had seen Julia in action. He saw how she easily overpowered the bodyguard and how she moved with a ridiculous speed.


    Her ability, though not particularly intricate, was extremely strong. It allowed her to control her speed to the millisecond, thus granting her the freedom to deliver rapid and monstrously strong physical attacks.


    Instead of getting some rest, Zeke left his apartment and went to the nearby park to complete the Daily Tasks then train in his new and old skills.


    Amongst them, Rune of Life, was perhaps the most useful; It functioned as a separate storage that could be accessed to unleash other skills without consuming his own Life Aether. Admittedly, it required a lot of time to fill up, and the process itself was painful, but it was worth the cost.


    The second was ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯, which was similar to ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, but it was more potent and could be controlled even after using, meaning that, with enough concentration, Zeke was capable of altering the projectile¡¯s trajectory mid-air.


    [Daily Tasks (3/3) completed: +3 EXP | +1 PE]


    [You leveled up!]


    [+3 Aether]


    [+3 Agility]


    [+3 Strength]


    [You obtained ¡®1 skill point¡¯]


    [Skill Points: A resource used to upgrade any available/unlocked skill.


    Skill Points are rewarded once every 3 levels.]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path (5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path (6 PE)


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path (2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path (4 PE)


    Inexhaustible Path (10 PE)


    Pain Junkie Sub-path (3 PE)


    Sreyzhanian Rune Path (8 PE)]


    The only new available path was the Sreyzhan Rune Path, which definitely had something to do with ¡®Rune of Life¡¯. However, as was its wont, the System did not deign to offer any explanation, thus it was left for Zeke to speculate.


    Lucrative as the many paths might seem, Zeke already decided on the next objective; The Inexhaustible Path.


    His body became considerably stronger, but he still lacked the necessary Stamina to exercise for more time. Zeke was aiming for a bit of flexibility in his fighting style as he needed to be ready for the opponents that use long-ranged abilities and those proficient in close-quarter combat like Julia or Maxine.


    Moreover, when he challenged Rodrick, he only used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ and ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯, so the spectators did not know about the other, more powerful skills. Only Samuel and Julia were the exception.


    Talkative as both of them were, Zeke doubted they¡¯d go around rambling about his abilities.


    Julia was a battle-thirsty maniac and Samuel was competitive but otherwise honest and a seemingly just individual.


    Zeke didn¡¯t like Julia nor her way of her doing things, but he had to admit that, although she was, wittingly or not, oppressive, she wasn¡¯t as bad as Azmer or Rodrick. After all, she never actually hit him when he was a Defect.


    <hr>


    The next day, as soon as Zeke left his apartment, he found Detective Vans waiting for him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to school¡­ and we¡¯ll talk on the way.¡±


    Zeke did not object and obediently got inside the old and barely functioning car.


    ¡°You seem to be a magnet for trouble, Zeke. How can you go alone?¡±


    ¡°Julia was with me.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    The man scoffed at his words, looking a bit angry. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, Zeke. Were it not for her, you would¡¯ve been in big trouble.¡±


    ¡°Does it really matter¡­ sir?¡± Zeke was uncaring about the consequences.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t waste time. They kidnapped and tortured an innocent girl and what were the police doing? Looking for evidence.¡±


    Vans glanced at the gloomy black-haired youth, his impression of him changing with every passing day. First, when Samuel had introduced him, Zeke seemed like a quiet and harmless kid. However, that was far from the truth, especially after Vans saw Amy¡¯s state.


    The girl was still unconscious and recovering in the hospital.


    ¡°You could be charged with assault.¡±


    Zeke chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, ¡°I was merely defending myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what the witness claimed.


    ¡°Witness? And who might that be, sir? The bodyguard? Or Julia?¡±


    ¡°..¡±


    After a brief and tense silence, Zeke spoke again, ¡°I understand that you¡¯re only doing your job, sir. But I refuse to stand idly by while those in power toy around with the people around me. Defects have always been a target and incidents like will repeat themselves.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you attacked Amy? To send a message? It sounds childish and irresponsible.¡±


    ¡°So what? With all due respect, sir, would you not have done the same if it was Samuel? Would you really do nothing if it was your son instead of Amelia?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The detective could not respond, he directed his eyes to the road and drove in silence.


    Soon, they arrived in front of Erys, but before Zeke get off, Vans asked,


    ¡°Did you parents check on you? I¡¯ve called them to the station after the killer attacked you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Zeke hesitated and then responded, ¡°I don¡¯t care if they come or not. Thanks for the lift¡­. Sir.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You had the audacity to leave me alone yesterday!¡±


    It was time for Professor Nayro¡¯s lesson and while Zeke was minding his own business, Julia approached him. She pursued her lips and feigned anger, but her comment was ignored.


    ¡°Ever heard of tact? As a man, you should never leave a girl alone in a lonely and dark place.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more than capable of protecting yourself. Then again, I don¡¯t need to say that, do I?¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! Still. I¡¯ve helped you deal with them.¡±


    ¡°For the hundredth time, I didn¡¯t ask for your help.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Julia stared at him, her curious eyes glued to the visible blue rune on the back of his hand.


    ¡°This is part of your ability, yes? How does it function?¡±


    ¡°Julia! You¡¯re going to be my sparring partner, right?!¡±


    Rebecca, the short girl with curly blonde hair appeared from out of nowhere. She was Julia¡¯s best friend but she was quite an obnoxious snob.


    She had the same mentality as Azmer and would often ridicule those of lesser talent than hers, specifically Defects.


    She glanced at the stone-faced Zeke then frowned, an expression of contempt plastered all over her round and baby-like face.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking to him¡­ again?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Yes.¡±


    Julia seemed oblivious to the change in atmosphere as she softly smiled and stretched her body, eager to begin the lesson.


    ¡°I want to spar with Zeke today.¡±


    ¡°What? B-but why?!¡±


    Rebecca pouted her lips, looking sad and wronged. She clung to her friend and incessantly begged her but, unfortunately for her, it didn¡¯t work.


    Zeke, who could hear everything, did not comment as he did not care who would be his sparring partner. Moreover, Julia was strong and would therefore be a worthy adversary¡­ it was an opportunity to test his physical limits and see how he could improve himself.


    Soon, the spars began; each pair would demonstrate the results of their training so far through a friendly match.


    The first two were Rodrick and Azmer, however, their fight was brief and uninteresting as neither went all-out. Evidently, Azmer won with the use of his Pyromancy, which was significantly superior to Rodrick¡¯s Wind Gust.


    Impatient and excited to finally face off against Zeke, Julia convinced Nayro to go next. Thus did the two march to the center of the arena and await the Zyth¡¯s signal.


    ¡°Remember, this is meant as practice. These words are specifically for you, my girl!¡±


    ¡°I know! Come on already!¡±


    She waved her hand at him and changed her stance, one leg in front of the other and her hands raised and clenched. On the opposite end, Zeke was standing straight, his eyebrows creased.

 Chapter 18 Transformation

    As soon as Nayro signaled the beginning of the spar, Julia shot toward Zeke like a cannonball. Her impressive agility notwithstanding, she couldn¡¯t reach him in time as Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to teleport to her side and sweep horizontally with his left leg.


    He was certain it was going to hit, but Julia¡¯s body blurred and spun in a strange way, allowing her to counter-attack with a swift punch.


    His leg and her fist clashed against each other, causing both to stagger, but it was clear he was weaker. He felt pain rushing through his leg, as if he hit something hard and unbreakable.


    The girl did not let him the time to rest as she leapt forward and delivered a cascading kick.


    Unwilling to resort to the flashy skills from the Aether Voltage Path, Zeke crossed his arms above his head and braced himself for the impact.


    Alas, Julia seemed to have ignored Nayro¡¯s warning as she used enough strength to hurt the average student. Still, Zeke resisted the incoming kick for a second before his body was blown to the back.


    Zeke hastily got back to his feet and saw Julia, with a wide smile on her face, rush at him. Her speed was simply outrageous and more than he could handle, especially with the restrictions he put on himself.


    Nevertheless, he did one last gamble as he used ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ and imbued it with the bit of Aether storied within ¡®Rune of Life¡¯. The result was beyond his expectations, as his glowing fists were enveloped with thick lightning.


    The successive punches not only blocked Julia¡¯s attack but also struck her chest, pushing her back one step. However, she merely grinned and punched again, stopping her fist inches away from Zeke¡¯s surprised face.


    ¡°I win!¡±


    She declared while lowering her hand and laughing.


    The intense lightning around his fists vanished, his body struck by a slight dizziness as a consequence of using ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ and ¡®Rune of Life¡¯ simultaneously.


    He sighed and exited the arena while unconsciously caressing the blue rune, which was stinging him like a fresh burn mark.


    ¡°Still think you can win?¡± Remarked Azmer while glancing at his friend.


    Instead of responding, Rodrick clenched his fists and let out a defiant grunt. He was adamant that his loss was due to him dropping his guard, but it was clearly not the case.


    Wind Gust was effective against those with weak defense. As for Zeke, he just displayed commendable tenacity by resisting a direct hit from Julia, whose physical strength was unrivaled amongst the First Years.


    Eventually, Rodrick snorted and stormed out of the facility. He did not seem to care about skipping class in front of Nayro¡¯s eyes, though it was not like the eccentric Zyth cared about unruly students.


    <hr>


    Later on, in the evening, Zeke was stopped by a group of First-Year students. At their lead was a lanky long-haired with a relatively large pointy nose and downcast eyes.


    Amongst the group, Zeke noticed the burly Rodrick standing behind the leader and smirking coldly.


    ¡°You¡¯re Zeke?¡±


    ¡®Is this another attempt of his? He never gives up, huh.¡¯


    Zeke wasn¡¯t worried, after all, they were in the middle of the campus. They wouldn¡¯t attack him right here in the open. Still, for Rodrick to have brought students from another class meant that he had convinced them to attack, or at least provoke him.


    ¡°I am. And you are?¡±


    ¡°Fylard Yak class A. I¡¯m 19th in the ranking.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Zeke was confused as Fylard introduced himself then maintained silence as if waiting for something.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve wronged a good friend of mine.¡±


    Fylard turned around and beckoned Rodrick, amicably patting his shoulders.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. Did he incite you to do this? Did he pay you money or something?¡±


    Zeke was straightforward and unperturbed, which made Fylard burst out in laughter. He wasn¡¯t angry over what he heard, instead, he seemed to be enjoying this.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to let bygones be bygones if you join my circle. What say you? The Defect from my class is one of my own too and I take good care of him.¡±


    ¡°First, I¡¯m not a Defect. Second, I¡¯m disinclined to join any ground, including yours.¡±


    Once he said his piece, Zeke walked away but Fylard¡¯s group quickly encircled him.


    ¡°I can excuse your ignorance since you used to be a Defect. However, you must know there is an order amongst the First Years. Come to my side and I¡¯ll offer you protection.¡±


    ¡°Protection from what?¡± Sneered back Zeke.


    ¡°From random challengers and, at the time of the yearly competition, you will be rewarded with a satisfying spot fit for your contribution.¡±


    ¡°Out of the way.¡±


    Zeke wasn¡¯t having it, he pushed those in his path and walked away. Even then, Fylard didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered as he looked at Rodrick.


    ¡°He seems like a nutcase, if you ask me.¡±


    ¡°Just because he awakened, he thinks he¡¯s the shit. A Defect will always remain a Defect.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! Don¡¯t worry about him! I¡¯m glad you finally joined my circle!¡±


    Fylard was ecstatic to have Rodrick around. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because of Rodrick¡¯s lacking talent, but because of his background.


    His father was a mobster, a very infamous and powerful one. If Fylard treated Rodrick well, it would lead to a budding relationship between the two ¡®families¡¯.


    ¡°We need to celebrate! Let¡¯s go drinking today!¡±


    From the corner of his eyes, Rodrick saw a solitary Azmer standing a distance away, his arms crossed and eyes dangerously narrowed. The two crossed gazes before the former looked away and went with Fylard¡¯s group.


    ¡®I can¡¯t rely on Azmer anymore. He has been acting like a coward¡­¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Zeke was standing in front of a tall tree with a thick trunk. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and used ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯, but, just like what he did with ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ earlier, he imbued the stored Aether within ¡®Rune of Life.¡¯


    Lightning wrapped around his leg as it struck the side of the tree, shaking it violently and leaving a deep imprint along with a scorch mark.


    ¡°It can be used to strengthen other skills but¡­¡±


    The rune was flashing with a blue light and burning him, which was the only downside of using it.


    ¡°Maybe I should invest in the new path first? Hm¡­¡±


    After a short break for resting and eating, Zeke continued kicking the tree until he reached full mastery in ¡®One-Star Side-kick¡¯, which rewarded him with 2PE, 5EXP, and 4 Agility.


    <hr>


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Amelia was breathing heavily, blood traces could be seen all over her body. She had bruises all over and her hair was greasy and stunk of sweat.


    She was inside a dimly lit room, riddled with dust and old furniture.


    Jonathan Stellar Link was standing in front of her, fiddling with his yellow headband, mumbling incoherently,


    ¡°Not that. Wrong¡­ wrong! Again! Try again!¡±


    Although she was in a lot of pain, Amelia did not give up or ask for help. She was brought here unwillingly, but she did not try to escape even once. Shady and frightening as Jonathan was, he had actually saved her life and treated her wound, much to her surprise.


    Moreover, he imbued something strange inside of her chest; It resembled a cubic black and crystalline object that made her feel excruciating pain.


    In return for the pain and her scarred chest, Amelia was astonished to see herself absorb and manipulate Aether.


    Jonathan might be a megalomaniacal man, but he wasn¡¯t without a reason. When she asked him to let her visit her mother, he personally took her there without arising suspicion.


    Unfortunately, when she arrived there, she discovered that her mother was in a coma and most likely will never wake up again. Furthermore, with no one to pay the medical bills, the hospital would not let her stay there forever, so, sooner or later, she would die as her life would not be sustained with the use of machines.


    In the blink of an eye, she had lost everything. Her father died, her mother was quasi-dead, and she was tortured and violated just because she retaliated against her bully.


    Undeniably, what Amy and her mother did was excessive and unwarranted, but Amelia did not blame Zeke. She blamed her weakness¡­ she had hoped she could graduate from Erys and make her life better but such a result wasn¡¯t destined to be, sadly.


    It was for that reason that she stayed with Jonathan despite knowing who he was. In order to exact revenge, she had no qualms about becoming a monster too, all to make Amy suffer as much as she did.


    The newfound powers granted to her were ominous and sinister. The object stuck to her chest was uncomfortable and an ugly sight, nevertheless, it allowed her to unleash raging black-colored lightning.


    ¡°More! You need to train more! Again!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Amelia bit her lips and nodded, blood leaking out of her nose, ears, and lips. It was almost too painful to bear, and, eventually, she fell unconscious.

 Chapter 19 Inexhaustible Path

    ¡°This type of behavior cannot continue, Zeke. You have been issued a warning.¡±


    ¡°Sorry sir.¡±


    Zeke seemed apologetic, but the strict Christopher was uncaring, reproaching him with the usual stern voice.


    It was all due to Zeke¡¯s unwarranted absence the day before. He didn¡¯t attend any of the lessons and searched for Amelia all day.


    Unless it was for Health reasons, Erys spared no effort to punish those who skip classes. Then again, it depended on whose lessons someone skipped. For instance, Professor Nayro never complained about absentees and whatnot, preferring to focus on those eager to learn and train.


    In contrast, Christopher was someone who followed the rules to the letter, and even misconduct wouldn¡¯t escape his notice or punishment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin the lesson. Page 150 ¡®Proto Demons¡¯.¡±


    Zeke was particularly fond of History and Theoretical Aether Manipulation, not only because Christopher was good at his job, but because those were amongst the handful of subjects that did not require any talent, only hard work.


    Unfortunately, after the restaurant incident and Amelia¡¯s disappearance, Zeke wasn¡¯t in his right state of mind. He was stubbornly trying to get stronger, so much so that he decided to sleep less and train more.


    The exams were around the corner and the majority of the First Years were spending less and less time outside, instead of holing up in the dormitory or library to educate themselves and revise.


    As for Zeke, he was saving up PE to unlock the ¡®Inexhaustible path¡¯ as well as trying to master ¡®Rune of Life¡¯, ¡®Life Motus¡¯, and ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯.


    ¡°Zeke¡­ Zeke!¡±


    Upon hearing his name twice, the youth instinctively stood up and looked at the teacher.


    Christopher had a deep frown as he eyed his student, displeased with his strange behavior.


    ¡°Answer the question.¡±


    ¡°Ee-ehm¡­ could you repeat it?¡±


    ¡°When was the first Proto Demon Invasion?¡±


    ¡°Year 2099, right after the Stellar War.¡±


    ¡°Good. 5 Evaluation Points. Sit down and focus.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Guess what!¡±


    Samuel slammed his plate on the table and sat across Zeke. He was in a very good mood as he chuckled in triumph.


    ¡°You won?¡±


    ¡°Of course I did! I went a step further and stepped the 45th and won!¡±


    ¡°Good for you.¡±


    ¡°Hm? You¡¯re in a worse mood than normal. I heard from dad that Amelia went missing.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Even after hearing no response, Samuel didn¡¯t stop talking, ¡°What happened to her was tragic indeed. It goes to show how the students of Erys are growing bolder and think themselves above the Law.¡±


    ¡°It has ever been like that¡­ it¡¯s just that some seemed to forego subtlety.¡±


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    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Samuel and Zeke sighed at the same time, the former playing around with the plate and the latter robotically eating the food, looking absent-minded.


    ¡°By the way, Erys just issued a warning to all the students. They claim that no one is allowed to enter Kethra¡¯s Arms until the notice is lifted. Any students sighted there will receive two Black Stars. Kind of excessive, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    The killer was running rampant and the authorities were unable to either locate him or properly protect both the students and the civilians.


    ¡°Ah! They also said that all students must stay in the dormitory instead of going home. There will be no exceptions.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Zeke, visibly surprised, raised his head and frowned. As a relatively unsocial person, he only felt comfortable when he was in the apartment. Moreover, living in the dormitory meant sharing a room with at least two other students, which made things worse.


    ¡°The notice will take effect starting tomorrow so that students have time to bring some of their important belongings from home.


    ¡°Did they say how long it will last?¡±


    ¡°No. But I assume it will last until the killer is caught. Anyway, have you decided on who to challenge next?¡±


    Zeke pondered for a few breaths then shook his head. He had been preoccupied with other matters and wasn¡¯t that interested in climbing the Rankings. Only four months were left before the final exams and it would help him greatly if, by the end of the year, his ranking was high, preferably in the top 20.


    However, the top 20 weren¡¯t so easily defeated. Even Azmer, who was Zeke¡¯s next target, was strong despite being 24th.


    ¡®Then again, I know that Azmer is hiding his strength. He wants to shock everyone by stealing one of the top spots instead of relying on a slow and steady climb.¡¯


    ¡°Then, may I suggest Sara Ferdine from class A? Her ability is ¡®Rock Armor¡¯, but I reckon your lightning can pierce through it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Is that no? I see Sara as one of the ¡®good guys¡¯, per se. She wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge or anything.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me about the so-called ¡®circles¡¯ segmenting the First Years?¡±


    Hearing the unexpected questions, Samuel did not mind changing the subject. He grinned and leaned his head closer,


    ¡°Those are unofficial groups made by the top students. They want competition, therefore, they gather friends and ¡®subordinates¡¯ to - and I quote- reign supreme. Personally, I think it¡¯s just to boost their inflated ego and showcase their leadership skills to Erys, which, in return, might get them recruited into the Student Council. I never thought you¡¯d be interested in them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Fylard from class A approached me¡­ wanted me to join his ¡®circle¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Oh! That douchebag? I know him. Best stay away from him. In comparison, Azmer, who bullied you, is infinitely tamer.  Fylard likes attention and is notorious for causing trouble, but since he¡¯s the nephew of one of the teachers, he rarely gets punished.¡±


    ¡°Nephew? Of who exactly.¡±


    ¡°You know that fat mustached teacher? He¡¯s called Bernard Yak.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke¡¯s knowledge regarding the teachers of the second and third years was pitifully limited. He only knew that Christopher taught Advanced Theoretical Aether Manipulation to third years and the few fourth-years.


    ¡°Anywho, there are 5 dominating groups split between the 5 First Year classes. Each class has its respective ¡®group¡¯, though Class E, your class, is a bit of an exception.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Julia Lopmore has declared her own group, but it¡¯s just to avoid other students coming to her class and causing trouble. With how freakishly strong she is, and adding her family background to that, basically no one is brave enough to mess with class E.¡±


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Asked Zeke as he snuck a glance at Julia, who sat a distance away and was cheerfully chatting with Rebecca.


    ¡°My class has Francois Chivaux, someone who only attends the mandatory lessons and skips everything else. He mostly keeps to himself and is surrounded by like-minded people, all gloomy and care only about climbing the Rankings. If I remember correctly, they only have 5 people in that ¡®circle¡¯, 4 of which are in the top 20.


    Class A has Fylard, as you already know. Class D¡¯s group only accepts girls, for some reason, but that could be because the class itself only has 4 male students in total. Last but not least, class C, which has the current 1st spot, Harold Volcun, an arrogant person similar in nature to Fylard.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha come on, there¡¯s no need to sound so sincere. I¡¯m having goosebumps!¡±


    Samuel rubbed his arms and leaned back, finally starting to eat his food.


    ¡°What about the other Defects? Do you know them?¡±


    ¡°Not personally, but I¡¯ve heard enough things about them. Two are in class D, treated as some sort of servants to the girls, but they aren¡¯t treated poorly. No physical abuse, I mean. The last one is a girl who has been absent for months but, strangely enough, hasn¡¯t been expelled nor received any Black Stars.¡±


    Seeing the expression of deep thinking on his friend¡¯s face, Samuel sighed and added,


    ¡°I know you feel sorry for them, but don¡¯t involve yourself. From what I know, Amelia was the worst case, but that stems from the fact that Amy is a bit twisted due to her toxic upbringing.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything. I¡¯ve provoked enough people already.¡±

 Chapter 20 Brief Meeting

    Zeke was in a dilemma; On one side, he wanted to continue living in the apartment and train in the park late at night, and on the other, he did not want to receive any Black Stars due to not following the new rules. Furthermore, as Erys would most likely be closed to all visitors, he wouldn¡¯t be able to attend classes.


    Eventually, after thorough consideration, Zeke decided to temporarily hold off his search for Amelia. Deep inside, he knew that she was most likely dead, but he didn¡¯t want to believe that as long as no conclusive evidence was found.


    As it was the last day he had complete freedom, Zeke first completed the Daily Tasks and then went to Kethra¡¯s Arms. The usually bustling district was relatively empty and was patrolled by dozens of officers.


    As dangerous as it was to wander around, Zeke hoped he would find any signs of the killer. Admittedly, he was still not confident in his prowess, but he still wanted to try one last time.


    For two hours, Zeke walked from one spot to the other, venturing into the obscure areas that either had shady shops or were utterly devoid of people.


    Amidst his search, he unexpectedly stumbled upon Vanessa. The ashen-haired girl wasn¡¯t wearing Erys¡¯ standard uniform and seemed to be patrolling the area too.


    ¡®Erys is involved in the case too?¡¯


    As much as Zeke wanted to tail her to learn more, he gave up on that thought. Vanessa was one of the top students and attempting to follow her unnoticed was nothing but foolishness.


    Zeke made an abrupt turn and distanced himself from the girl, heading to his ¡®favorite¡¯ spot, the same place where it all started.


    As he got closer, Zeke saw two familiar faces; The first was a third-year student dressed flamboyantly and nonchalantly smoking a cigarette as he leaned against the wall. The second was the total opposite as he wore a clean black suit, a pair of rectangular silver spectacles, and stood straight, his sharp eyes looking around constantly.


    They were James and V, Maxine¡¯s best friends, students gifted with a prodigious talent that allowed them to stand at the top.


    Before he was spotted, Zeke hid and controlled his breathing, trying to make as little sound as possible.


    Fortunately, he did not have to hide there for long as a loud feminine cry echoed from the main road, making the two students hastily dash away to check the ruckus.


    ¡®Will the killer really risk exposing himself with so many officers here? This seems like a-¡¯


    Zeke¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a barely audible noise coming from the very end of the backstreet. As he peaked his head, he was shocked to see a haggard Amelia crawl from a stack of wooden boxes. She frantically looked around then fled towards the opposite direction V and James had run off to.


    In disbelief, Zeke snapped out of it and chased after her. However, he did not reveal himself as he wanted to see where she was going.


    Soon than expected, it became easy to guess her destination. She was passing through alleys and making her way to Erys.


    One more thing that Zeke noticed was the girl¡¯s movement and speed. She was fast, faster than an average person, much less a Defect.


    ¡®Why Erys?¡¯


    His curiosity notwithstanding, Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯, teleporting right behind her.


    ¡°Amelia.¡±


    He called her name in a relatively low voice. Startled, she turned around and saw the black-haired youth stare back at her. He covered her mouth and softly pulled her closer to the wall.


    His eyes swiftly scanned her body, noticing the edges of the black crystalline ¡®thing¡¯ at the upper part of her chest.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­¡±


    He removed his hand and let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    Her voice sounded half-surprised half-panicky.


    ¡°I was looking for you. I went to the warehouse but you weren¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°You should leave.¡± She muttered coldly as covered her neck and chest with her arms.


    ¡°What happened to you? You can¡¯t expect me to leave after seeing¡­ this.¡±


    She was wearing an old and dirty dress probably picked up from the trash bin. He body had bruises all over, her eyes were blank and tired, and her face was dangerously pale.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just leave this place!¡±


    There was urgency and slight desperation in her voice as she pushed Zeke in a vain attempt to force him to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I couldn¡¯t help.¡± The youth gritted his teeth and lowered his head.


    ¡°I went to look as soon as possible but¡­ I was late.¡±


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s fine. I no longer need your help.¡± She paused for half a breath then added, ¡°And I¡¯m grateful for everything.¡±


    She tried to run away but he caught her wrist and refused to let go.


    ¡°Why are you going to Erys? You need to be treated.¡±


    With a strength stronger than his, she shoved his hand, her eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Zeke, it¡¯s time for you to stop this. Don¡¯t search for me and don¡¯t try anything.¡±


    After saying those words, she dashed out of the alleyway, leaving him alone and more confused than ever.


    Before he had time to process anything, he heard a loud explosive sound, urging him to run after Amelia for the second time. He arrived at the back of a large building and saw Jonathan Stellar Link holding a middle-aged woman.


    The man was expressionless as he glared at James, V, and Vanessa. Next to him stood Amelia, a sinister black lightning crackling and randomly striking the ground and the nearby wall.


    ¡°Not another step.¡±


    Jonathan had a dagger made of black mist in his hand, its sharp tip inches away from the woman¡¯s neck.


    When he saw them stand still, Jonathan glanced at Amelia and motioned for her to leave.


    ¡®She¡¯s with him?¡¯


    Zeke suspended his disbelief as Amelia hesitated for a second then attempted to leave only for Vanessa to intercept.


    A bone-freezing aura spread from the girl¡¯s body, turning the ground into ice and, at an incredibly fast pace, creeping toward Amelia. However, much to everyone¡¯s surprise, the light blue aura was stopped by a large arrow made of blue lightning.


    Zeke appeared out of nowhere, standing between Amelia and Vanessa.


    ¡°Huh?¡± V, astonished, let out a gasp and stared at Zeke.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Instead of answering, Zeke half-turned his body to Amelia. ¡°Go¡­ quickly!¡±


    She heeded his words and ran away, but Vanessa wasn¡¯t going to give up so easily. Icicles appeared above her, all shooting at Amelia¡¯s back.


    As there were too many projectiles, Zeke used more than half of his remaining Aether for ¡®Spark¡¯. The lightning orb spawned out of nothingness and once it was hit by the icicles, it let out a violent chain reaction.


    Even after that, one of Vanessa¡¯s projectiles managed to hit Amelia, piercing her back and almost making her fall.


    With the rain of lightning bolts dancing around, Jonathan made use of this distraction to push the hostage into the chaos and turn into a black mist.


    V charged straightforwardly and protected the woman whereas James stopped Zeke¡¯s lightning using a large water sphere.


    Before he could react, Vanessa appeared behind Zeke and pushed him against the ground, binding his hands behind his back.


    ¡°Hey hey, stop that! He¡¯s Max¡¯s brother!¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡± Retorted the ashen-haired girl as she snorted.


    ¡°That means you should let him go. Let him explain himself first.¡± Said James as he watched his friend calm down the hostage, who was in tears and shaking intensely.


    Begrudgingly, Vanessa let go of Zeke and snorted. They were able to prevent another murder and the killer was almost caught, but Zeke¡¯s timely intervention ruined everything.


    While patting his clothes, Zeke got to his feet. He was being stared at by the three students, their eyes demanding immediate answers.


    ¡°The girl is also a student. She had nothing to do with the killings.¡±


    ¡°She was with Jonatha- I mean the killer. That makes her an accomplice.¡±-V


    ¡°I know her. She was most likely forced to do this.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Vanessa was in a sour mood as she looked at him. In the end, she let out a heavy sigh and retracted her freezing aura, which had turned half of the area into ice.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to kill her. You didn¡¯t need to jump in.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡±


    With a half-open mouth, Zeke averted his eyes and maintained a brief silence. Maybe he didn¡¯t think before acting, or maybe he let his emotions get the better of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen the girl. Admittedly, she was suspicious, but our plan was to apprehend her first.¡±


    The more he listened, the more embarrassed Zeke got.

 Chapter 21 Sulong

    Zeke ended up receiving quite the scolding, especially from the disheartened Vanessa.


    She and her squad were tasked to patrol Kethra¡¯s Arms and catch Jonathan Stellar Link. However, their recent attempts ended with failure and that reflected poorly on them, more so because they were personally handpicked by the Principal.


    ¡°To begin with, what are you even doing here?¡±


    The ashen-haired girl faced Zeke and, with crossed arms and a deep frown, waited for his response.


    ¡°E-ehm¡­ I was taking one last tour before Erys closes its gates and I¡¯m forced to stay in the dormitory.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Vanessa clearly did not believe him, which made him elaborate on his excuse more.


    ¡°I happened to see a missing friend of mine. It¡¯s that girl, Amelia, she was distressed and injured.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a place for First Years to wander around. Didn¡¯t you read the notice?¡±


    Zeke tilted his head, slightly confused, ¡°I thought the notice takes effect starting tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Now that I look at him, he¡¯s no different than Max hahahaha¡­¡±


    Seeing the youth¡¯s mix of stubborn and comical look, V burst out in laughter but his mouth was covered by his close friend, James.


    The bespectacled and black-suited young man motioned for him to stay silent as they saw Vanessa glare at them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I will take you home.¡±


    Even with her freezing aura gone, Zeke still felt an invisible coldness emanate from the girl. However, rather than being scared of her angered face, he found it somewhat attractive but he didn¡¯t voice out his thoughts, of course.


    He meekly nodded his head and followed her out of the secluded area.


    The trip back home was unbelievably awkward as the girl was solemn and seemed to be in a bad mood.


    ¡°Even though the girl is your friend, you shouldn¡¯t involve yourself in this. It¡¯s for your own safety.¡±


    ¡°Safety, hah¡­¡± Absent-minded, Zeke unconsciously scoffed at her words.


    ¡°Do you have something to say to me, Zeke?¡±


    After a brief hesitation, in which they stared at each other, one more defiant than the other, he responded,


    ¡°Where were you when Amelia was bullied? Or when her family was attacked? You expect me to sit still while you, the top students, do absolutely nothing.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t deal with every problem. Our task is solely catching the killer.¡±


    ¡°Yet here you are. Another failure and the surface of an accomplice who was pushed into a corner by Erys¡¯ dysfunctional System. You cannot understand the suffering of the weak, Miss Vanessa.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She saw him look down at his hands, lightning crackled around as if it was reflecting his turbulent emotions.


    She was still surprised by his unexpected display of power. Whether it was that rain of lightning, his instantaneous movements, or the abnormally high potency of his Magical Output. Admittedly, when he had intercepted her attack to protect Amelia, Vanessa didn¡¯t use all of her power to avoid hurting him, but the fact he was able to hold his own was nothing short of impressive.


    What was his unexpected presence in her recent encounters with the killer.


    ¡®It¡¯s hard to believe he was actually a Defect. Is it really a Late Awakening? I heard that Grandfather called Maxine for a private discussion, which was highly unusual and uncharacteristic from his part.¡¯


    Their conversation ended prematurely as Vanessa had nothing of import to add. She escorted him to the door of his apartment and after warning him to steer clear of Kethra¡¯s Arms, she left.


    Alone inside the apartment, Zeke sat on the ground near the door, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    ''What happened to you, Amelia?''


    If it weren¡¯t for her familiar face, he would have mistaken her for a completely different person. She used to be a lively and positive girl, always brimming with energy, however, the girl from earlier was gloomy and cold.


    Yes, her father was killed and her mother was in a comatose state, but both her appearance and behavior were strange, to say the least.


    ¡®She had that crystal-like thing stuck on her chest too. What do I do?¡¯


    He literally had no choice, after all, he would be forced to stay in Erys, which would limit his freedom and render it impossible to return to Kethra¡¯s Arms for a while.


    ¡®Although Vanessa and Max¡¯ friends are on the case, they would prioritize the killer. Amelia is more of a secondary target¡­¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡°What do you mean stop? No! I need money! How else am I going to feed my family?¡±


    ¡°Get out of here!¡±


    Sulong, the baldy thug snapped at the woman and unceremoniously waved his hand at her. Unfortunately for him, she was insufferably obnoxious and refused to leave the crude and old office.


    ¡°People die every day! Stop with your stupidity and let¡¯s go-¡±


    She was interrupted when the other thug grabbed her collar, about to slap her. He was stopped at the last second by Sulong, who pulled him back while glaring dangerously at the woman.


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    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now, you¡¯ll be receiving a beating this time!¡±


    The woman cowered fearfully and covered her head as her body trembled. In the end, after shouting out curses and venting her frustration, she angrily stormed out of the office.


    Jack and Sulong sat down and stared at each other, their eyes blank and filled with grief. Although they always dabbled in dangerous affairs, it was their first time experiencing something like that.


    Their friend, Jim, was impaled by the killer, and were it not for Zeke and Sam¡¯s help, they would have suffered the same brutal fate too.


    The short silence was broken by rapid footsteps that got close and closer to the room. Sulong stood up, thinking it was the woman, but, to his surprise, he saw a youth with a disheveled appearance and ruffled raven-black hair.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that, in addition to being con artists, you were also loan sharks too.¡±


    Zeke stepped inside and look around, curiously inspecting the shabby-looking office; The furniture was old and in a miserable state, the walls were yellow-ish and riddled with holes and shredded posters, and the smell of cigarettes was strong, almost vomit-inducing.


    Stupefied by Zeke¡¯s unexpected visit, Sulong frowned and eyed the youth for a couple of breaths.


    ¡°Actually finding you was harder than I anticipated.¡±


    As he was stared at by the two thugs, Zeke shrugged his shoulders and explained,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to cause trouble. Also, my condolences for your loss.¡±


    At last, the bald and muscular man snapped out of it and sat back on his creaking chair.


    ¡°What do you want, kid? I thought you made it clear you didn¡¯t want to cross paths with us again.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Yet, by unintentionally confronting a common foe, I thought we might be able to shed our differences and work together?¡±


    ¡°Hah? What the hell are you on about?!¡±


    Jack, who was unsettled and still traumatized by what he had gone through and witnessed, snarled at Zeke.


    Unlike his slow-witted friend, Sulong caught up to Zeke¡¯s meaning almost immediately.


    ¡°You know that lunatic?¡±


    ¡°My knowledge is superficial, but that won¡¯t stop me from tracking him down.¡±


    ¡°Then why have you come here? Because, clearly, you¡¯re stronger than us. What do you stand to benefit by working with us?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t operate alone¡­ not with Erys keeping a close eye. Plus, I¡¯ll have to remain holed there for a bit, which is why, if you agree, it will fall to you to do the ¡®research¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hah! It¡¯s pretty ballsy of you to ignore the authority and come here instead. Judging by your miserable appearance, something must¡¯ve happened today.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke stared back at Sulong, his face stoic and his eyes narrowed as they showcased determination and pertinaciousness.


    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t forget that you beat me half-dead¡­ however, I must confess that I deserved it. At least for me, exacting revenge on the bastard who killed Jimmy is more important.¡±


    ¡°Do we have an agreement, then?¡±


    ¡°Depends, will you pay us? justice won¡¯t put food on our table and sustain us.¡±


    Zeke took out a stack of money from his pocket and threw it on the table. It was a relatively small amount, but it was all he had saved up, especially since he had been regularly giving Rodrick and Azmer money.


    Jack scurried to the side and snatched the money, counting it in a half-excited manner.


    ¡°1200 Alc¡­ damn, you brats from Erys are really rich.¡±


    While ignoring the man¡¯s comment, Zeke added,


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s not enough for you to put your life on the line, but it should be enough for now, right? You may consider it a token of appreciation.¡±


    ¡°Hah! For a kid, you sure know how to talk!¡±


    Sulong snorted, momentarily glancing at the money.


    ¡°What if we took your money and run away?¡±


    ¡°To where? I know where you work and live. Furthermore, I believe the loss of your friend costs more than just 1200 Alc, yes?¡±


    ¡°You really are an annoying kid¡­¡± After pausing for half a breath, Sulong sighed then nodded his head,¡± Fine. Sit down and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Zeke did what?!¡±


    V had to hold back Maxine, who, upon hearing about the incident, was about to leave the room and check on her brother.


    ¡°Calm down first! Vanessa personally escorted him home! Jeez! Can¡¯t you listen to the whole thing before springing into action?¡±


    Using all of their strength, V and James stopped Maxine and somehow persuaded her to sit back on the chair and calm down.


    ¡°No students will be allowed in or out of Erys beginning from tomorrow. You don¡¯t have to worry about his safety any longer.¡±


    ¡°You say that but he almost got killed! Again!¡±


    ¡°Err¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say that¡­¡± V nonchalantly whistled and turned his eyes away.


    The more composed James cleared his throat and elaborately recounted the events.


    Once he was done, Maxine, looking in a particularly bad mood, swept her eyes across the two of them while harrumphing.


    ¡°So¡­ during all of that, none of you thought about picking up the phone and informing me?¡±


    ¡°Just as we had to patrol Kethra¡¯s Arms, you were tasked with the Southern Sector of Erys. We have to be vigilant, Max. After all, the Principal entrusted us with this case.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The girl, with arms crossed and deeply-creased eyebrows, maintained a long silence as she was lost in her thoughts.


    ¡°Our initial investigation subsequent to this evening¡¯s incident confirmed Zeke¡¯s claims. The accomplice we saw was indeed a First-year student from class B.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the most interesting part!¡± Chirped V as he lit up a cigar and paced around.


    ¡°She¡¯s actually a Defect!¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different from what we saw! The girl definitely used Aether. Granted, it was unstable and uncontrollable, but that was enough to not make her a Defect.¡±


    In contrast to his friend, James stood straight like a robot and fixed his suit as he remarked,


    ¡°In such a short period of time, not one but two Defects went through a late awakening. Isn¡¯t that suspicious, Max?¡±


    The girl jumped to her feet and grabbed him by the collar and pushed him against the wall, much to V¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°What are you insinuating James? That my brother is with them?!¡±


    ¡°I was just stating facts. We need to be objective and not let our emotions get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try that bullshit with me! I know what you¡¯re thinking!¡±


    James shoved her hand away and fixed his collar as he expressionlessly stared back at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting that your brother¡¯s continuous involvement isn¡¯t just a coincidence. Take that as you will, but that¡¯s the truth. To begin with, his ability struck me as strange and awfully similar to the girl¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Instead of resorting to violence, Maxine cursed at him and stormed out of the room with V chasing after her and subtly signaling James to apologize, which he did not.


    <hr>


    Late at night, the only resident of Erys¡¯ Infirmary, Doctor Xavier, was having a cigarette on the roof only to be interrupted by a new arrival.


    The man thought it was Erva, who always berated his addiction to smoking, but, to his surprise, it was James, his younger brother.


    ¡°Rare for you to come to me.¡±


    James stopped a distance away, glanced at the cigarette for a moment, then politely bowed.


    ¡°I wanted to ask you about someone¡­ sir.¡±


    ¡°Drop the pretense, we¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    James walked next to his brother and looked at the peaceful and empty campus.


    ¡°Do you know Zeke Orland? Maxine¡¯s younger brother.¡±


    ¡°I have met him, yes. What about him?¡±


    ¡°Can you get me his test results? I want to check something.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Xavier eyed his brother, seemingly surprised and confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s rarer for you to show interest in someone other than Maxine. Do you want to curry favor with him or¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Jonathan, brother. So, is it possible?¡±


    Xavier¡¯s expression drastically changed once the killer was mentioned. He threw his cigarette and puffed the last bit of smoke in his lungs.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do, but don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡±

 Chapter 22 Living Together

    After clearing up things with Sulong and starting a new page, built on cooperation, Zeke returned home and packed the necessary stuff he needed to take with him to the dormitory.


    By the time he ate a bit of food, he was feeling an overwhelming sense of fatigue due to his brief confrontation with Vanessa.


    It took him a great deal of Aether as well as absolute concentration to stop her blistering cold aura and the icicles.


    He got to experience firsthand the gap between himself and one of the top students of Erys. Of course, Vanessa was a third-year and she had been training in Aether Manipulation since a young age, but that didn¡¯t make Zeke feel any better.


    He had the System, which was-arguably- a much more efficient and fast method of progress. First, he had to catch up to his peers and climb the rankings, and, eventually, he was confident in reaching the apex and no longer having to worry about ridicule, bullying, or the constant comparison between himself and his successful siblings.


    ¡­


    With a relatively large backpack, Zeke kept yawning during his short trip to Erys. He had to complete the Daily Tasks, which were incredibly difficult to do when he was mentally and physically fatigued.


    ¡®I hope they don¡¯t throw me with a bunch of obnoxious roommates.¡¯


    As all the students who had not been living in the dormitory were moving in, the morning lessons were delayed by a couple of hours.


    Zeke arrived at the main hall of the First Year Building, the sleepiness was replaced by giddiness as he impatiently waited for Erva to come and allocate each new arrival with their respective dorm room.


    Very soon, the young female teacher arrived and distributed small papers to everyone present, including Zeke, who glanced at the number.


    He didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately headed to his temporary ¡®new home¡¯. Not only would he no longer have any privacy, but it would also become significantly more difficult to meditate or train ¡®Aether Control¡¯, as both required a silent and calm environment.


    Once he arrived in front of the deep-brown wooden door, Zeke let out a heavy sigh and hesitantly opened it, his view instantly welcomed by a surprisingly spacious and square-shaped room.


    The room was clean and seemingly separated into four small ¡®parts¡¯, each one equipped with a neat bed and a singular desk.


    As per Erys¡¯ strict rules, each dorm room would have exactly four students, and Zeke¡¯s was no exception.


    However, the moment he laid eyes on the three people inside, he was rendered speechless.


    The first one was unfamiliar to Zeke; He was a short youth with short and curly beige hair, a pair of unique sky-blue eyes, and barely noticeable freckles on his cheeks. He looked more harmless than Zeke, and was currently reading a book while sitting on his bed.


    The second person, surprisingly, was Samuel, Zeke¡¯s most recent ¡®friend¡¯. The youth beamed at him as soon as their gazes met.


    ¡°I knew it would be you!¡±


    Samuel was ignored as Zeke shifted his attention to his third roommate and, quite possibly, the worst of them all.


    Azmer was standing near the window, a frown on his face as he quickly processed the situation, which only worsened his mood. Still, he did not offer a greeting or voice his displeasure, instead, he resumed staring at the campus with arms crossed.


    After a short silence, Zeke walked to the last ¡®unclaimed¡¯ bed and took out his notebooks and whatnot. Samuel, being the lively person he was, could not sit still or mind his own business.


    ¡°Honestly, I thought they were going to dump Fylard with us. Usually, they don¡¯t put two students of the same class together.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke looked at the quiet freckled student across from him, who was sneaking glances at the two of them.


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    ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t like living with others. Let¡¯s just keep to ourselves, okay?¡±


    ¡°What? That would be so boring! We¡¯re friends and roommates! Of course, we should have a bit of fun.¡±


    After saying that, Samuel walked to the unfamiliar first-year student and patted his shoulder.


    ¡°This innocent-looking young man is Alan Perison. One of the two Defects in class D.¡±


    In contrast to Zeke¡¯s stone-faced expression, Alan was half-embarrassed half-nervous as he politely bowed his head.


    ¡°That gloomy fellow is Zeke Orland. He used to be a Defect¡­ I think you two will get along fine!¡±


    Once he was done with the introductions, Samuel drifted closer to Azmer but stopped mid-way when the latter raised his hand and coldly said,


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to hang out with you losers. Mind your own business and be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Hah?! Why are you so on edge? I¡¯m trying to strike a friendly conversation here.¡±


    ¡°And I told you to piss off.¡±


    Azmer rudely waved his hand at Samuel and then went to his desk, busying himself with his phone with his back facing all of them.


    ¡­


    When it was finally time for lessons, Zeke and Azmer, although classmates, avoided each other like the plague.


    ¡®I keep feeling this burning sensation.¡¯


    Strangely enough, the stinging pain from the Rune of Life didn¡¯t disappear. Zeke first attributed it to his lack of rest, but he started having doubts when the pain continued unabated even though he had slept.


    In his absent-mindedness, he bumped into someone in front of the classroom.


    ¡°Ouch! Watch where you¡¯re going!¡±


    Julia rubbed her forehead and blurted those words, seemingly about to start a fight. However, when she saw who it was, she swallowed her anger and frowned.


    Out of the blue, she stretched her hand and grabbed Zeke¡¯s only to let go when she felt a wave of electricity invade her body.


    ¡°You¡­ what¡¯s happening to you?¡±


    Perplexed, he tilted his head and didn¡¯t respond. Before the girl could inquire any further, a tall silhouette came from behind her and, with a stern voice, said,


    ¡°Julia Lopmore, class is about to start. You two, Zeke.¡±


    Christopher looked down at his students and motioned for them to enter, which they did. Zeke kept rubbing the back of his hand whereas Julia was eyeing him suspiciously.


    ****


    ¡°My husband won¡¯t stand for this! You will regret everything!¡±


    Amy¡¯s mother, Melissa, was handcuffed and sitting at the back of an armored van. She was being taken to the one and only prison in this nation, located a short distance away from the Sunken Metropolis.


    She was neither provided with a lawyer nor afforded the chance to go through a just trial. Instead, she was indicted for various crimes, most of which she had done.


    Melissa didn¡¯t know how they got hold of concrete evidence, but that was inconsequential due to the absence of a trial.


    To make matters worse, she was being escorted to the prison by soldiers instead of officers, which was odd.


    As the road was becoming rocky, the uncomfortable back of the van kept shaking intensely. However, everything came to a sudden halt when a deafening explosion occurred.


    Melissa, along with the handful of armed soldiers sitting in front of her were thrown into the air for a couple of breaths as the van was hit by the violent impact and spun around.


    There were sounds of gunshots, which lasted momentarily.


    With her leg broken and her head bleeding, Melissa frantically looked around, shaking the unconscious soldiers near her feet.


    Alas, there was no response and, very soon, a black mist slipped through the edges and wrapped around the back door, literally ripping it away using a monstrous force.


    Much to the woman¡¯s surprise, she saw Amelia standing there.


    ¡°You¡­ this was your doing?! You slu-¡±


    Melissa¡¯s words were replaced by a loud cry as the black mist wrapped around her ankle and dragged her outside, her body slamming on the dirt.


    Jonathan materialized next to Amelia and pointed at the fearful and injured woman.


    ¡°Your target. Your kill.¡±


    Even though she yearned for revenge, Amelia hesitated as black-colored lightning emitted from the crystal embedded into her chest.


    Eventually, when she vividly remembered the abuse and torture she had been unjustly subjected to, Amelia couldn''t control her emotions and unleashed bolts of lightning that pierced Melissa¡¯s body.


    The banshee-like shrieks of the profusely bleeding woman reverberated across the surrounding forest, but no help came.


    Revenge wasn¡¯t as sweet as she imagined, nevertheless, Amelia couldn¡¯t find it in her to spare Melissa, not after her father died.


    Melissa tried to beg but a thick thunderbolt struck her head, ending her life once and for all.


    As it was her first time killing someone, Amelia¡¯s hands were trembling and her body was shaking ever-so-slightly.


    She composed herself relatively quickly and turned to the van. She saw Jonathan crawl to its back, trying to finish off the remaining soldiers.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill them.¡±


    He stopped moving and half-turned his head, staring back at her with his blank and lifeless eyes, his lips ever mumbling nonsensical stuff.


    The mist came out of his hand and snapped the soldiers¡¯ necks, causing Amelia to look away and grit her teeth.


    She didn¡¯t think it was necessary to kill them, but she knew that she was in no position to object. After all, she was planning to attack the van alone and he willingly tagged along to help.

 Chapter 23 Sick

    ¡®Huh? It¡¯s spreading?¡¯


    During Christopher¡¯s long lesson, Zeke¡¯s mind was preoccupied with the Rune of Life. The burning and stinging continued and, after a while, thin vein-like blue lines spread from the center of the circle-shaped rune.


    Panicking a little, Zeke excused himself to the bathroom and once he made sure no one was there, he pulled his sleeves and saw the lines going upwards, almost reaching his elbow.


    There were hints of the lightning originating from the ¡®Aether Voltage Path¡¯ appearing and vanishing around his hand, freaking out the youth even more.


    ¡®It appears to be going out of control? Or is it self-evolving?¡¯


    If there was no pain, Zeke would have been celebrating over this unexpected occasion, however, with how mysterious and peculiar the Paths of Extinctions had been, he felt nervous and apprehensive, perceiving this development as a bad omen of sorts.


    At first, Zeke thought about going to Professor Nayro in an attempt to learn more but changed his mind later on. As a Zyth and overly-curious both, Nayro had already displayed an unhealthy amount of interest in his seemingly inexplicable powers, therefore, revealing the truth, even if it was a small part of it, could prove disastrous for Zeke.


    During the lunch break, Zeke wasn¡¯t even feeling hungry as he kept intensely staring at the rune, trying to find a solution.


    ¡®Maybe I have to unlock the Sreyzhan Rune Path? On one hand, it is unlike the System to force me to commit to a particular path, and on the other, I could still be ignorant of its influence over my body. After all, I can no longer dream¡­¡¯


    ¡°You seem awfully out of it today.¡±


    Julia and Rebecca appeared out of nowhere, the former sitting across him while the latter was reluctant to sit down. She glanced at the stoic Zeke and frowned, not bothering to hide her dislike and unwillingness to be here.


    ¡°Got anything to say to me?¡±


    ¡°I do, in fact.¡±


    Julia proceeded to gobble her food at an abnormal speed. In literally a minute, she finished the small ball of rice and the few vegetables.


    ¡°Remember how I helped you the other day?¡±


    Upon hearing this, he frowned and scoffed at her words,


    ¡°Remember how I never asked for your help?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant!¡± She retorted while beaming at him. ¡°My father was pretty angry, to say the least. Still, he dealt with that nasty woman and already sent her to prison. That ought to do it, right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Ever since he saw that squad of military special forces, Zeke knew that Amy¡¯s mother wasn¡¯t going to ¡®escape¡¯ this time. Even though Julia wasn¡¯t harmed or specifically targeted, the sole fact that she could have been in danger was enough to seal Melissa¡¯s fate.


    ¡°Anyway, I might need your help this time. You wouldn¡¯t turn your back to me after all I¡¯ve done, yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ need my help? Hah!¡±


    Zeke¡¯s reaction was enough of a response for Rebecca to snort and turn to her friend.


    ¡°See? I told you it¡¯s pointless to talk with this Defect. I know someone from class A who can help.¡±


    The short and curly-haired Rebecca flinched as he silently glared at her.


    ¡°Take this idiot and go away.¡±


    Zeke ignored both of them as he raised his hand and beckoned Samual, who just arrived at the cafeteria. It was better to converse with him than deal with Julia.


    ¡­


    It was evening and the number of students lingering on the campus was significantly less due to the notice. After 7 o¡¯clock, all students, regardless of their Year, were prohibited from leaving their respective dormitory.


    That, in itself, limited Zeke¡¯s choices and rendered it difficult to find a secluded space to complete the Daily Tasks.


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    As the blue veins were spreading to the rest of his body, Zeke could no longer act oblivious and had to go to the Infirmary. It wasn¡¯t to actually seek Xavier¡¯s help, but more of an excuse to stay outside for a little bit of time.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The Doctor half-turned his head as Zeke knocked on the door and then entered. The two locked gazes momentarily before Xavier said,


    ¡°Another injury?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit sick and was wondering if I can rest here for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Sick? In what way?¡±


    Zeke was sat in front of the Xavier, who, unlike his usual indifference, examined his body.


    ¡°It seems you have a slight fever. When did this star-¡±


    He abruptly stopped talking as he saw the Rune of Life, which Zeke tried his best to hide.


    ¡°This is part of my ability¡­ sir.¡±


    Xavier tried to hold his wrist and pull the sleeve up but, like Julia this morning, his hand was zapped by an electric current. After the initial surprise, he stretched his hand again and used his own Aether to block the uncontrollable effect of the rune.


    ¡°Is it now?¡±


    The man, with dangerously narrowed eyes, raised his head and intently stared at the youth.


    ¡°I see. You were the one who attacked that girl from class B.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for a confirmation. You should know that assaulting other students could lead to immediate expulsion, Zeke Orland.¡±


    Now that he was exposed out of the blue, Zeke did not offer a half-assed excuse.


    ¡°I only did was what right, sir. Were it not for my interference, she would have brutally beaten up a friend of mine.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can be a vigilante and save any and all who need help.¡±


    Xavier¡¯s stern voice and scary face neither made Zeke remorseless nor changed his mind. Eventually, after a long and tense silence, he sighed.


    ¡°Make sure not to do something like that again. The school has rules for a reason.¡±


    Before Zeke could retort, the man continued, ¡°And you should be careful on how to use your newfound abilities.¡±


    He let go of his hand and instructed him to rest in one of the empty medical beds.


    ¡®Even someone like him could not notice anything? Also, he didn¡¯t comment about the lines. Did he not see them? Or pretended not to?¡¯


    Time crept by, the sky was slowly darkening and the echoing footsteps from the hall outside of the infirmary turned into a deafening silence.


    Fortunately, Doctor Xavier did not force Zeke to leave, at least not until 9 o¡¯clock.


    However, as he was returning to his dormitory, the lines that spread from the Rune of Life had already covered all of his body, bringing with them an uncomfortable heat.


    Seeing lightning current crackling and dancing around him, Zeke ran to the small forest-like area.


    With his vision blurry and face pale, Zeke steps became slower and his legs felt heavier as he dragged himself deeper between the trees, unwitting reaching the familiar spot where he had first seen Amelia.


    Besides the sounds of the crickets, he also heard fearful gasps coming from a silhouette kneeling next to a tree.


    Alas, his consciousness was hanging on a thread and the lightning was becoming more intense, illuminating his surroundings as it zapped anything in his path.


    In the end, he fell head-first to the ground, his body convulsing as it was assaulted by excruciating pain. Before his vision turned black, he saw System notifications pop in mid-air.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Hearing a loud thud, Emilia peeked her head, her pupils constricting as she covered her mouth and stared at Zeke, who was laying on the ground. His body let out an ominous crimson light, which increased her dread.


    To begin with, she was here to beg for forgiveness from Amelia¡¯s ¡®ghost¡¯. She heard about her friend¡¯s mother and how Amy was facing serious consequences after what she had done to Amelia, so, instead of blaming her friend or pretending nothing happened, Emilia came to this spot to display her regret and remorse.


    Never did she expect someone to come here, after all, the students should¡¯ve been in their rooms, either studying or sleeping.


    As she looked at Zeke¡¯s, the girl hesitated and frantically looked around, not knowing what to do.


    All kinds of thoughts stormed her turbulent mind, most of them urging her to flee. However, she didn¡¯t run away, instead, going to Zeke and tentatively poked his body.


    ¡°H-hey¡­ are you al¡­alright?¡±


    There was no response, the youth was clearly unconscious and though the crimson light was gone, his pale face was a clear indication of an anomaly.


    Just when she was about to call for help, a harmless gust of wind washed across her body, followed by the sudden appearance of the Dean.


    The old man uttered no words as he half-knelt on the ground and picked Zeke¡¯s body.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Emilia was still processing everything as she unconsciously chased after the swift old man, who took her to an isolated and inconspicuous medium-sized hut situated at the far end of the ¡®forest¡¯.


    ¡°What happened to him?¡±


    Once Zeke was laid on a creaky old bed, the Dean checked his pulse only to furrow his brow and ask the fidgety girl.


    ¡°A-ah¡­ I don¡¯t know. I ff-found him like this.¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    Zeke¡¯s eyes opened wide as he sat up, cold sweat drenching his body. The pain was gone, but what caught his sight was the System ¡®box¡¯, colored blood-red, contrary to the usual one.


    [Conduit Implementation unsuccessful: The Crown could not be located.]


    [Special Mission Initiated: Retrieval of the Crown]


    [Rewards: 50 EXP | 25 EP | 20 points into one of the following stats: Aether / Strength / Agility]


    [Physiological functionalities are degrading: Seek the Crown]


    [The Death Walker Main Path can now be unlocked]


    [The Survival Skill ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation¡¯ has been acquired!]


    [+5 EP]


    [+10 Aether]


    ¡°Kid, what happened to you?¡±


    Only when the Dean talked did Zeke snap out of it and realize he was in an unfamiliar and cramped room.


    He glanced at the restless Emilia then at the old man.


    ¡°Nothing. I was a little bit sick, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Sick? Sickness doesn¡¯t make your heartbeat stop. Were you attacked?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s really nothing.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡®What the hell is the Crown? And why did this happen now?¡¯


    To be accurate, the pain started when he had used the Aether stored within the Rune of Life to strengthen other skills, notably ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯ and ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯.

 Chapter 24 Sreyzhanian Arts

    ¡°I¡¯m not a teacher, so I won¡¯t pry any further.¡±


    The Dean eyed Zeke for a couple of breaths before standing up and opening the door.


    ¡°Return to your dormitory and¡­ no more nocturnal wandering or you will receive Black Stars.¡±


    Zeke and Emilia nodded and scurried away, soon finding themselves back in the forest.


    While he was in deep thought, she stole glances at him and tried to say something only to stop at the last second.


    The short trip back to the open campus was filled with nothing but a tense silence. However, before they separated, Zeke halted his feet and asked her,


    ¡°What were you doing in the middle of nowhere?¡±


    Instead of answering, she apologetically bowed her head,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Really really sorry!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Taken aback, he raised his eyebrow, not knowing how to respond.


    ¡°I now know what I did wrong. I¡­ I never wanted Amelia to die or for her parents to get attacked. Please believe me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not me who you should apologize to. Still, at least you¡¯re remorseful, unlike your friend.¡±


    With teary eyes and an emotional and regretful expression, she nodded.


    ¡°I no longer talk to her. I won¡¯t bother anyone else! I don¡¯t want to be haunted by Amelia¡¯s ghost!¡±


    ¡®She really seems to believe that.¡¯


    Zeke sighed and turned around to leave, ¡°You¡¯ve seen what excessive bullying leads to. I hope you learned your lesson.¡±


    ¡°I did! Goodnight!¡±


    She sprinted toward the Dormitory Building only to be scolded by Erva, who was patrolling the area. As for Zeke, he aimlessly wandered the empty campus while trying his best to avoid the few teachers patrolling the area.


    Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t find any suitable spot to regularly visit for completing the Daily Tasks. As he was feeling tired and his mind was preoccupied with what happened earlier, he returned to his room.


    ¡°A-ah!¡±


    Alan, whose bed was closest to the door, freaked out when he saw it open so abruptly. Only when Zeke entered did the flustered boy breathe a sigh of relief and resume playing with his phone.


    Samuel was already sleeping and Azmer was meticulously studying, not even acknowledging anyone¡¯s presence, pretending as if they did not exist.


    Zeke clicked his tongue and laid on his bed, his eyes glued on the Rune of Life.


    ¡®The Crown¡­ I¡¯ve never heard such a term, at least not one related to Aether. Also, ¡®Degradation of Physiological Functionalities¡¯? It couldn¡¯t make it more ambiguous if it tried! How am I supposed to deal with this now I¡¯m stuck in Erys?¡¯


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 3 (1/40 EXP)]


    [Strength: 51]


    [Agility: 49]


    [Aether: 42]


    [Fortitude: 6]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 66%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 15%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 99%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 45%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 5%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 40%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(Proficiency 0%)]


    [Available PE: 12]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path (5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path (6 PE)


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path (2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path (4 PE)


    Inexhaustible Path (10 PE)


    Pain Junkie Sub-path (3 PE)


    Sreyzhanian Rune Path (8 PE)


    The Death Walker Path(50PE)]


    He had enough PE to unlock the Sreyzhan Rune Path, which he had been meaning to do. However, the Death Walker Path not only was catchy but it appeared right after the so-called unsuccessful implementation.


    Alas, the cost to unlock it was too great and it would take a while to obtain so many Points of Extinction, especially since he had become unable to freely do the Daily Tasks without attracting unwanted attention.


    After a long internal debate, in which he dazedly stared at the floating magical-like box, Zeke spent the accumulated PE on the Sreyzhan Rune Path. It was a hopeful safety precaution, meant to lessen or negate the re-emergence of the blue lines from earlier.


    [Allocate 8 PE into the Sreyzhanian Rune Path: Y/N?]


    ¡®Yes.¡¯


    [Sreyzhanian Rune Path Unlocked: Derived from the archaic Sreyzhan Empire, which excelled in Rune Formation, Rune Engraving, Rune Enchantment, and Rune Creation. Through the use of the ¡®Seven Symbols¡¯ and dozens of varying equations, the Sreyzhanian pioneers gave birth to an ingenious design called ¡®Runes¡¯.]


    [You obtained the skill ¡®Rune of Death¡¯]


    [You obtained the skill ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯]


    [You gained 5 Aether]


    [Rune of Death: Unlike its counterpart, Rune of Life, the Rune of Death acts as a medium between absorbed negative energy and the incompatible vessel of the user. When the minimum limit is reached, the absorbed energy will be converted into Life Aether, which, in turn, will either increase the user¡¯s regenerative faculties or, if the Rune of Life is engraved on the user, it will store the Aether within it.]


    [Sreyzhanian Arts: A lacking collection of the renowned combat abilities once deployed by the Sreyzhanian Military Forces. Can only be used if the user is Lv5 or higher.]


    [Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(SS): Voltage Energy can now be unleashed at a minimal Aether cost and can also be used to boost other skills.]


    Zeke saw the Rune of Death engrave itself on the back of his left hand. It was circular in shape but the symbols were different and colored jet black instead of sky-blue. He felt no pain, just a fleeting itch as fully formed itself after half a minute.


    Besides how conspicuous it was, much like the Rune of Life, he felt no tangible changes. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t wholly disappointed by his choice.


    ¡®The killer¡¯s black mist¡­ maybe it¡¯s considered a ¡®negative energy? If so, I can use the Rune of Death to absorb it?¡¯


    His Aether stat had increased significantly, making it easier to use the costly skills like ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ several times before succumbing to exhaustion. Moreover, with the help of the new survival skill, he would be able to fight for a longer period of time.


    The last thing was the available Skill Point, which Zeke didn¡¯t know how to spend. He had a decent amount of good skills and choosing randomly or based on their current performance would be unwise. As much as he wanted to upgrade Rune of Life and see where it led, he restrained himself and finally closed his eyes, falling asleep shortly after.


    ¡­


    The next day, early in the morning, Zeke was stopped by none other than Fylard and his lackeys.


    Rodrick was grinning from one ear to the other as he stepped forward, trying to intimate Zeke with his large physique.


    ¡°I challenge you.¡±


    Zeke frowned and stared back at the youth. By now, Rodrick should¡¯ve known that he was no match, which made his brimming confidence suspicious, to say the least.


    They were standing in the hallway, and the loud declaration caught the attention of the students around them. After all, challenges weren¡¯t particularly frequent as there was a possibility of getting injured even with a teacher overseeing the battle.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Afraid to lose?¡±


    Hearing only silence, Rodrick chuckled and leaned closer, but he was pulled back by Fylard.


    ¡°Your rank is much higher than Rodrick¡¯s. I see no reason to reject his challenge.¡±


    He paused and smiled as he swept his gaze across the crowd forming around them,


    ¡°Everyone I asked knew almost nothing about your ability. That got me intrigued, you se-¡±


    ¡°Here to cause some trouble again? You impotent prick!¡±


    An arrogant and considerably loud voice echoed across the momentarily silent hallway. A group of girls passed by the crowd and stopped in front of Fylard. At their front stood one of the leaders of the First Year ¡®Circles¡¯, a girl by the name of Francesca Moon.


    Surprisingly, she wasn¡¯t an unparalleled beauty, as one might expect. She had black hair tied into a ponytail, an average face and a slightly fit body.


    ¡°Francesca!¡±


    Fylard wasn¡¯t pleased with the girl¡¯s arrival. He completely ignored Zeke and coldly snorted as a tense staring contest began.


    ¡°I knew you were a wimp! Targetting a lower-ranked student to boost your fragile ego.¡±


    ¡°Big words for a bitch like you. It¡¯s only morning yet you¡¯re already in heat? Why don¡¯t you go play house with your obedient servants of yours.¡±


    Francesca glanced at the quiet Zeke, a faint smile forming on her face.


    ¡°Never mind that¡­ how about we settle this on the ring? It¡¯s a formal challenge. How about it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Fylard¡¯s expression turned ugly as he gritted his teeth and glared at her. Eventually, he backed away and left, choosing not to fall into temptation and fight her. Francesca was one of the strongest amongst the First Years and her ability was unique and outrageously powerful, so much so that she had already been approached by the Department of Defense.


    They asked her to leave Erys and join them, promising sponsors and the best of teachers at their disposal. All that was because of her ability, which, apparently, made her highly sought.


    ¡°What are you looking at? The show is over!¡±


    The crowd fearfully dispersed and those who were left were Francesca¡¯s group of girls and Zeke. Stone-faced, he looked at her and patiently waited, certain that she purposely interfered to help him.


    ¡°Zeke Orland, I presume? A pleasure!¡±


    She stretched her hand for a handshake, so he reciprocated. Her soft hand squeezed him with more force than necessary, but she didn¡¯t overdo it.


    ¡°Yes. And you are Francesca Moon.¡±


    ¡°Indeed I am. I¡¯ll cut through the case and say what I came here to say, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Before she continued, she raised her hand and beckoned someone from the back of her group. A couple of seconds later, the shy Alan, Zeke¡¯s roommate, squeezed himself between the giggling girl.


    Francesca patted his head and said, ¡°I want you to join my circle. It¡¯s rare for a Defect to rise so quickly and unexpectedly, and that¡¯s enough for me to want you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from class E. I don¡¯t think it will work out.¡±


    ¡°So what? It¡¯s not like Julia cares. That gorilla only thinks about fighting. If you come under me, no one will bother you, not even Harold Volcun. I will also share a couple of secrets that will help you improve and climb to the top 20.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯ll have to refuse. Well then, the lesson is about to start. See you!¡±


    His response was swift and immediate, which left Francesca briefly stunned.


    ¡°Mhm! I do have a soft spot for the stubborn type!¡± She stated while letting out a questionable moan, which made Alan twitch and back away.

 Chapter 25 Ending the Friendship

    After the first two lessons, while Zeke was at the cafeteria, Julia walked up to him, seemingly in a slight rush.


    ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you¡¯d be watching.


    ¡°Watching what, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Then, the girl tilted her head in confusion and responded, ¡°Your friend, of course. I heard that Rodrick challenged him.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡±


    Zeke put down the utensils and, with Julia following him, headed straight into the arena situated in the First Year¡¯s training facility.


    Surprisingly, there was a big crowd made up of many students from all First Year Classe, which was unexpected since the two fighters weren¡¯t particularly famous.


    Fylard and his group were present too, standing near the entrance and spectating with huge grins.


    Unfortunately, by the time Zeke arrived, the fight was already over. He saw Samuel lying on the ground with a few minor cuts on his uniform and one on his left cheek.


    Professor Nayro intervened at the last second and ended the fight, declaring loudly,


    ¡°The win goes to Rodrick. The show is over and I¡¯ve got a class to teach¡­ so how about you all go about your business?¡±


    The Zyth¡¯s loud voice, coupled with his creepy eyes was enough for the crowd to swiftly disperse, leaving only a couple of curious ones behind.


    As he walked up to his fallen friend, Samuel wryly smiled and, with a bit of difficulty, got up to his feet.


    ¡°No need to give me that look, I¡¯m fine. I lost fair and square.¡±


    Even though he tried to shake off the embarrassment, Samuel was clearly not in the good mood. It was but recently that he climbed to the 48th spot yet Rodrick defeated him, which pushed him all the way to the back.


    ¡°Well well well! If it isn¡¯t Zeke Orland! You still haven¡¯t responded to my challenge.¡±


    Rodrick stood there proudly, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face as he sneered.


    Zeke glanced at him but did not deign to answer, still surprised by this outcome. Samuel¡¯s ability was significantly stronger than Rodrick¡¯s, so much so that he shouldn¡¯t have lost. Additionally, Rodrick wasn¡¯t particularly a hard worker, meaning that his Aether Manipulation was, at most, subpar.


    Fylard too, was about to join in and mock Zeke and Samuel, but before he could open his mouth, Julia appeared in front of him. Although she faced his group alone, she was unfazed and even nonchalant.


    ¡°You¡¯re like an annoying fly, Fylard. No no¡­ a cockroach would be a more suitable description.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his face distort and his anger surface, she taunted him with a comical grimace


    ¡°What? Did I hurt your feelings?¡±


    He stared back at her with eyes filled with malice, but just like with Francesca, he didn¡¯t have the courage to retort.


    Julia was notorious for her chaotic fighting style and monstrous physical strength, making her highly unpredictable and extremely hard to counter. Technically, she didn¡¯t have an ¡®official¡¯ circle, yet, even alone, she could be categorized as an entire group, and that¡¯s while excluding her background.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Your new lackey won... I thought you wanted to celebrate more. How about this¡­¡±


    She stretched his arms then added, ¡°I challenge you, Fyla-¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    A tall figure appeared behind her, grabbing her head with his slimy fingers and placing her to the side as if she was an object.


    ¡°Enough of these childish disputes. I said I¡¯ve got a class to teach. Out¡­ all of you!¡±


    After all of them were kicked out by Professor Nayro, Zeke and Samuel tried to take a walk on the campus but Julia caught up to them.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe Rodrick beat you. He¡¯s literally no different than a normal person!¡±


    Her loud remarks only made Samuel feel worse. He glanced at her and sighed, opting for silence that one of his usual retorts.


    ¡°Not everyone is as freakishly strong as you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m strong because I train every day.¡±


    She walked next to Zeke while beaming at him happily.


    ¡®Either she''s that simple-minded and free-spirited, or so she''s playing the part well. But, why does she keep sticking close to me, though?¡¯


    After careful consideration, Zeke frowned and, out of the blue, asked,


    ¡°Do you like me? Is that why you keep involving yourself in my affairs?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Caught off-guard, the girl stopped walking for a couple of breaths and with a stupefied face, looked at her perplexed classmate.


    ¡°Like you? You must be out of your mind!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here? We¡¯re not friends, ere go, we have no reason to talk to each other.¡±


    The soft smile commonly plastered on her face was absent as she kept walking dangerously close to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to make amends¡­ and also satisfying my curiosity. As the rising black horse, I find myself interested in what you¡¯re going to achieve.¡±


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t make us friends."


    ¡°Oh! Come off it, will you! I already said I¡¯m sorry for the past. You don¡¯t need to be so distant and gloomy. We¡¯re classmates.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke turned his head away and quickened his steps, leaving the silent Sam and Julia behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s how he acts. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Muttered Samuel as he glanced at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would. Maybe my show of good faith is misplaced?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°What is it, Azmer?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The solitary Azmer faced his friend with deeply creased eyebrows. He had called Rodrick to a relatively secluded spot for a private talk yet the latter brought with him Fylard and co.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind us, Azmer.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t concern you, Fylard.¡±


    ¡°Oh but it does! Rodrick is a new friend of mine! We get along pretty well and, as someone part of my circle, I¡¯m responsible for his wellbeing.¡±


    Rodrick chuckled happily, feeling more and more certain that the decision to move to Fylard¡¯s group was the best one. Not only did Fylard show him how to beat Samuel, but he also promised him that, soon, he would climb to the top 30.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t how you deal with problems, Rodrick.¡±


    ¡°Hah? What are you even talking about?¡±


    Azmer coldly snorted, his narrowed eyes piercing into his friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Zeke. Your reaction was unwarranted and it¡¯s not through relying on others that you¡¯ll get what you want. Yes, you lost, but what makes us different than Defects is that we can train and get stronger.¡±


    ¡°Train? Why would he need to train when he¡¯s already strong? It¡¯s about using an appropriate tactic and learning everything about your opponent. Everything else is secondary and, most of the time, irrelevant.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. Zeke¡­ that damned loser, he¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming to him soon.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to show you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Azmer¡¯s question made Rodrick and the rest confused.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for a long time Rodrick. I¡¯m trying to make you understand but you¡¯re so blinded by rage and arrogance. I agree that Defects are our lessers¡­ parasites and leeches. But how are you any different if you rely on someone else? When I show you your mistake, I hope that your mind will change because if it does not, I will consider us friends no more.¡±


    Azmer looked at the sneering Fylard one last time then turned around and left.


    <hr>


    ¡°If he¡¯s suspicious, why are we letting him off?¡±


    ¡°Why would he be suspicious! He¡¯s done nothing wrong!¡±


    Maxine banged her fist on the table, her reddened face turned toward a friend of hers and another member of the special squad investigating Jonathan¡¯s case.


    The girl in question was, in fact, one of the handfuls of Fourth-year students and the oldest of the squad. She had long and strikingly dyed purple hair, and a well-developed body equipped with mountain-like breasts.


    V tried to calm both of them down but a single stare from the girl made him back away and return to his seat, fidgeting like a restless child.


    The one who raised the topic was none other than James, who was still adamant about Zeke¡¯s involvement with Jonathan and Amelia.


    ¡°Max, even though he¡¯s your brother, we cannot let things like this slide. Yes, it happened outside of Erys, but the fact is: He interfered with our investigation and defended a potential criminal.¡±


    The girl looked at Vanessa, who had yet to voice her opinion.


    ¡°Do you agree, Vanessa?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to make any judgment. Besides, Jonathan is our target, not the girl. If we suppose it was all a coincidence, then, by forcefully involving him in the case, we might endanger him.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s objective view wasn¡¯t enough to appease Maxine¡¯s anger. She barely managed to control her emotions and instead of continuing the argument, she took out her phone and threateningly looked at the girl.


    ¡°If you so much as get close to Zeke, I will call Edward.¡±


    ¡°Is that how it works now, Max? You¡¯re threatening me?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m warning you. Leave my brother alone.¡±


    The girl stood up and walked away, her high heels echoing across the room as she stopped in front of the closed door.


    ¡°If things get out of hand, I trust you¡¯ll take full responsibility.¡±

 Chapter 26 Celestia Black

    ¡°Why are you always talking to yourself?¡±


    While bandaging her chest to hide the hideous black crystal, Amelia asked Jonathan, who never pacing around the dimly lit basement and mumbling to himself.


    Her question, which came out of the blue, made him momentarily stop and look at her with half-surprised half-confused face.


    ¡°It helps me concentrate¡­ and it doesn¡¯t concern you. Continue your training or else I will find someone else to use the Crown.¡±


    As crazy as he always seemed, Jonathan could sometimes be reasonable and calm. Now was such a time, which was why she mustered her courage and asked him. Then again, as they were allies, more or less, he wasn¡¯t particularly harsh on her.


    ¡°What even is the Crown? Is it just this crystal to my chest?¡±


    He stared at the thick bandages wrapped around her chest, barely hiding the crystal. After a slight hesitation, he sighed and fiddled with his yellow headband,


    ¡°The Crown is an otherworldly artifact. It¡¯s what will help me get what I want.¡±


    ¡°And what do you want?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± He yelled, but at himself, not at her.


    His voice turned screechy as if he became a different person.


    ¡°The Crown is needed¡­ not wanted! Think of the sacrifices made! In the end, they all need to be purged! Retribution is upon us!¡±


    Now that she had spent quite a bit of time with Jonathan, Amelia knew that he had serious mental problems, including but not limited to a personality disorder and severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.


    Seeing him return to his nonsensical rambling, Amelia walked to the broken couch and sat down, looking at the now-controlled black lightning dancing around her fingers. It took her painstaking effort and excruciating agony, but she managed to subdue it and even manipulate it to an extent.


    ¡®It¡¯s similar to Zeke¡¯s. Uncannily similar¡­¡¯


    She stole a glance at Jonathan but didn¡¯t voice her thoughts.


    ¡®However, Zeke did not have a crystal stuck to his chest. I wonder if they are somehow related¡­¡¯


    <hr>


    ¡®This should be far enough.¡¯


    The First Year Dormitory for male students was regularly patrolled by a few teachers, but after midnight, it became significantly easier to slip outside unnoticed.


    When he saw a group of first years sneak outside and head to a quiet spot to enjoy their time, Zeke did not hesitate to imitate them and head to the small forest adjacent to the campus.


    Staying in the room and doing absolutely nothing made him feel as if he was wasting time¡­ time which could be spent doing something beneficial, such as the Daily Tasks.


    The forest was a distance away from the dormitory, but reaching it and finding a suitable spot wasn¡¯t particularly difficult.


    What he failed to notice, however, was a silhouette tailing him from the shadows. It kept staring at him even when he started meditating and using Aether Control.


    Time crept by and after two hours, he finished the Daily Tasks, including the long-distance running, which he did by lightly running between the trees while trying to make as less sound as possible.


    Lightning emanated from his hands, swirling around him and then slowly changing shapes. He was trying out ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation¡¯, which wasn¡¯t as taxing as he had initially expected. With its current state, it would be a stretch to consider deploying it in battles, nevertheless, it could be used to enhance skills like ¡®Fists of Furry¡¯.


    His glowing fists were wrapped in thick blue lightning as they hammered on the tree, shaking it violently and leaving deep imprints and random scorch marks.


    When he was finally out of breath and Aether, Zeke sat on the ground to recover and wait for the numbness in his hands to disappear.


    As he was deep in thought, footsteps came from behind, causing him to jump to his feet.


    ¡°Did I not tell you to stay in your room, Mister Orland.¡±


    The Dean approached him while softly chuckling, his mood contrasting his words.


    Zeke tried to come up with an excuse but the tree behind him was more than enough proof of what he had been doing.


    ¡°Still, it was kind of interesting to watch you. Your training method is peculiarly basic, to say the least.¡±


    Upon hearing his statement, Zeke lowered his head and maintained silence, deeming it too late to cook up a believable lie.


    The Dean stopped in front of the tree and examined the fist marks and the lingering lightning effect.


    ¡°Still, you didn¡¯t go outside to cause mischief like the rest, so I am willing to turn a blind eye¡­ on one condition?¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Near my shed, there is a better spot for an inconspicuous training session. As long as you stay out of trouble, you can come there to train. How about it?¡±


    Although it was the perfect opportunity, Zeke did not jump at it. He was suspicious and confused by the Dean¡¯s behavior.


    After all, this kind-looking old man was notorious for his unreasonable punishment and extreme tendencies to enforce the school¡¯s security.


    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to? It¡¯s either that or staying in your room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, sir. I just can¡¯t guess your motives.¡±


    The Dean smiled and walked away, his cane periodically tapping on the ground as if by habit. ¡°And I thought no one could be more of a cynic than your brother Edward. When I offered him the same deal, he accepted on the spot.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The elderly half-turned his head and added, ¡°It¡¯s your choice to make.¡±


    Left alone, Zeke pondered about the Dean¡¯s offer for a long time. When the cold night breeze snapped him out of it, he dragged his tired body back to the dormitory.


    Samuel and Alan were sleeping but, surprisingly, Azmer was absent.


    Only much later did the blond-haired youth appear. He looked exhausted and immediately jumped on his bed, not even noticing Zeke eyeing him suspiciously.


    <hr>


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d come.¡±


    The Dean beckoned Zeke, who stood at the edge of the open area and, flabbergasted, stared at Azmer.


    ¡°Hm? I never said you¡¯re the only one.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke had deliberated the offer¡¯s for a whole day and finally decided to accept it as it was the safest way to train. However, never did he expect to find Azmer here too, but, unlike him, the latter still refused to acknowledge his presence and was minding his business.


    ¡®Why should I leave just because he¡¯s here? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m afraid.¡¯


    As he stood next to the shabby hut, the old man pointed at a poorly-made leather dummy.


    ¡°This is better than mindlessly hitting trees. Suit yourself.¡±


    After saying that, he proceeded to ignore Zeke and busied himself with Azmer. He stopped behind the blond youth and, after a moment, raised his cane and hit the back of his knee, making him fall to the ground.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you? Concentrate and don¡¯t activate your ability immediately!¡±


    With gritted teeth, Azmer solemnly nodded and stood back up. He kept getting hit, which was an enjoyable sight for Zeke.


    Once he had his fill, he walked to the dummy and began performing ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯. It was going to reach complete Mastery soon, which made him hope it would subsequently unlock another skill.


    Overall, the training session was peaceful and devoid of any interruption, either from Azmer or the Dean. They left him to do his thing and barely spared any glances in his directions, which was what he had wanted.


    [One-star Side Kick has reached 100% Proficiency!]


    [+2 Strength]


    [+1 Agility]


    [+5 EXP]


    [Daily Tasks 3/3 Completed]


    [+2 EXP]


    [+3 EP]


    Unfortunately, there were no unexpected and generous rewards, but it was always a good thing to see his stats steadily increase.


    Zeke returned to his room before Azmer and slept like a baby.


    The next couple of days were uneventful; Zeke would sometimes hang out with Samuel or get followed by Julia Lopmore. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t challenged again by Rodrick, nor was he approached by Fylard or Francesca.


    He was left to his own devices, studying during the day and training at night. Zeke was saving up EP, planning to raise his Level so he would get access to the Sreyzhanian Arts.


    Morning of Saturday, right after Professor Nayro¡¯s practical class came to an end, there was a surprising turn of events when Azmer challenged someone.


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    Challenges were most common amongst the second-years as a higher rank could fetch you enticing rewards, whether it was money or useful scriptures.


    The challenger was none other than Fykarld, who, as was his wont, came to ¡®pick up¡¯ Rodrick. He had integrated him into his circle and was treating him amicably, which was enough for Rodrick to forget about Azmer and start concocting a plan to ridicule and beat down Zeke.


    However, he didn¡¯t resort to his old bullying tactic as that would only work on Defects. Moreover, ever since its lock-down, Erys¡¯ security increased by several folds, rendering it impossible to corner someone without attracting attention.


    ¡°What? Are you for real?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Azmer stepped into the ring before he even heard a response. As for Fylard, he mockingly scoffed and nodded at Nayro.


    ¡°Psst!¡±


    Julia lightly tapped Zeke¡¯s shoulder and motioned at Azmer and Fylard.


    ¡°Wanna bet who¡¯s going to win?¡±


    ¡°I already know who¡¯s going to win.¡±


    ¡°Really? Enlighten me!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Azmer, for sure.¡± Declared Zeke while shrugging his shoulders.


    Fylard held the 19th spot, while Azmer was 24th, but the former¡¯s real strength ranked him in the top 10¡­ he contented with the 19th spot just to make others underestimate him.


    ¡°Oh? I thought you¡¯d cheer for Fylard.¡±


    ¡°Correction: I¡¯m cheering for no one. I¡¯m just stating facts.¡±


    ¡°How can it be a fact if it didn¡¯t happen yet? I thought you hated Azmer.¡±


    Zeke looked at her as if she was a dumb person, which made her roll her eyes.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Judging from your attitude, you also know Azmer would win.¡±


    ¡°Haah!¡± She sighed and nodded while grinning, ¡°Don¡¯t let his dislikable behavior fool you. He¡¯s completely different from that idiot Rodrick. Azmer is quite strong¡­ not as strong as I am, though.¡±


    ¡°Do you always have to praise yourself? There is something called humility, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also stating facts! There¡¯s only one person I can¡¯t beat and He¡¯s at the top of the ranking. Then again, if you stopped being so unfriendly and helped me for once, I¡¯m confident I can win.¡±


    Zeke was about to retort but she waved her hand and urged him to look at the fight instead.


    Soon, Professor Nayro¡¯s signaled the beginning of the fight. A wave of fire exploded from Azmer¡¯s body, cascading on the motionless Fylard, who snapped his fingers.


    The resplendent flames were literally cut in half by something invisible. Still, Azmer wasn¡¯t fazed as more flames burst from his body and formed a gigantic ball.


    Its size exponentially grew, along with the suffocating heat it was emitting. When it was about triple his size, it slowly flew at Fylard, who crouched down and swiped with his two open hands, clawing the air itself.


    Invisible Wind Blades clashed against the fireball, but this time, the latter emerged victorious as it crashed against Fylard.


    Surprisingly, when it exploded into a sea of fire, Fylard looked relatively unscathed. More astonishing was seeing him fly upwards and conjure a tornado that absorbed the remnant flames to strengthen itself.


    With the tornado closing in on him, Azmer clenched his fists and invoked his fire, though this one was darker than usual.


    He ran straight at the tornado, and though his speed was unimpressive, it was still quite the sight to see someone rush straight into danger.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Even Fylard was dumbfounded to see this, going as far as controlling his tornado and trying to pull it back. Alas, it was too late for that as Azme banged his fists together and manifested a longsword made of brilliant golden flames.


    With both hands, he swung downwards, splitting the tornado and hitting the mid-air Fylard with an invisible and unstoppable flaming blast.


    In comparison to the fight Zeke had been or witnessed so far, this one was by far the most spectacular. Whether it was Azmer¡¯s impressive and powerful Pyromancy or Fylard¡¯s flexible Aeromancy.


    In fact, the sight made Zeke want to invest in the Pyromancy Main Path. Then again, it would be safer to unlock its opposite, Hydromancy, as that would help him defeat Azmer when the time was right.


    ¡®I knew he was strong but it seems I still underestimated him.¡¯


    He stole a glance at the excited Julia, genuinely more impressed by her. Her ability wasn¡¯t flashy, but she was the 2nd strongest First Year, so much so that Fylard and Azmer were somewhat fearful of her.


    The light from the golden flaming sword reflected in everyone¡¯s eyes, awing everyone, including Nayro.


    ¡°That¡¯s something new! I guess he has been working hard, after all!¡±-Julia


    While enveloped in rapidly-spinning Wind Blades, Fylard shot at Azmer like a cannonball, resulting in an explosive clash of Wind and Fire. His relatively lacking physical prowess notwithstanding, Azmer managed to overpower Fylard and push him to the back.


    The fire raged around and slithered on the ground, burning the youth¡¯s uniform.


    ¡°I get it I get it!¡±


    As he half-knelt on the ground, Fylard raised his hand towards Azmer and shouted atop his lungs.


    However, Azmer paid him no heed, he just glanced at Nayro and when he saw no response, he slashed with the longsword again.


    In retaliation, Fylard chuckled and clenched his raised hand, which sent Azmer flying in the air, his body spinning like a ragdoll.


    Before he could utilize his sword, Fylard laughed and pulled the air, thus releasing a violent gust, multiple times stronger than that of Rodrick¡¯s.


    Again, Azmer¡¯s body was blown to the side, crashed on the ground, then rolled a couple of times. He pushed his hands against the ground and coughed blood, struggling to stand up.


    ¡°You think I¡¯d lose to the likes of yo-¡±


    Before he could finish, a small spark of vermillion flames exploded in front of Fylard¡¯s face, blackening his face and knocking him to the ground. His body twitched a couple of times but as he tried to get back to his feet, his body wobbled and he was at the last second by the Zyth.


    ¡°The victory goes to Azmer.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I still¡­¡±


    Fylard tried to object but he lost consciousness thereafter.


    Azmer wiped the blood leaking out of his lips and turned his gaze to Rodrick, who, like the rest of Fylard¡¯s group, was stupefied by the unexpected result.


    ¡°This is who you sought for help. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    In response, Rodrick mumbled something under his breath and then ran to Fylard. He offered to take him to the infirmary and did not even deign to answer his old friend.


    As he saw him act like this, refusing to see reason, Azmer sighed and quietly said,


    ¡°So be it. Never say I was the one who had forsaken you, Rodrick.¡±


    With heavy and unstable steps, he walked out of the training facility, his eyes cast down and containing a mix of sadness and regret.


    ¡°19th spot, good for him. Though, I reckon he can climb all the way to the 7th spot with that power.¡±-Julia


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke did not speak, he looked a bit gloomy as he watched Azmer disappear from view. Although he was confident in his skills, it was still worrying to see what Azmer¡¯s Pyromancy was capable of. In comparison, the basic skills like ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ and ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ would do nothing against Fire.


    ¡®Hydromancy might help me counter him¡­. But to invest it just because of him might not be worth it. I¡¯ll have to think about it a bit more.¡¯


    With the fight over, the students went to the cafeteria for a short lunch break. Zeke headed there too, but mid-way, he was stopped by the ashen-haired Vanessa.


    ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Julia, who was next to him, frowned and gave an unfriendly and rare look at Vanessa.


    ¡°About?¡±


    Vanessa eyed him for a moment then added, ¡°It¡¯s best to talk privately.¡±


    ¡°Always so secretive! Hmpf!¡±


    Julia did not shy away from commenting, but she didn¡¯t linger there for long, unexpectedly. She snorted and walked away, not even hiding her dislike of Vanessa.


    Although confused, Zeke still followed the girl, feeling a bit embarrassed with all the cursory gazes he was getting from the students.


    After all, Vanessa was famous for her prowess and distinguishable beauty. She was the crush of many pure-hearted youths, whose jealous eyes were piercing through the walking Zeke.


    ¡®I mean¡­ she¡¯s indeed pretty and quite cool-headed, especially considering I ruined her plan last time.¡¯


    Zeke was led, specifically, to the top floor of the Third Year Building. He found himself in a spacious and cozy room equipped with a large chimney, random stuff, and a nice view of the entire campus.


    In addition to himself and Vanessa, James was there, talking with an unfamiliar girl no less pretty than Vanessa.


    She was sitting behind a large table at the center of the room and fiddling with a pen, but as soon as he entered, she laid her eyes on him, a seductive smile plastering on her face.


    ¡°Who do we have here? It¡¯s Max¡¯s little brother!¡±


    On the surface, she seemed amicable, but Zeke couldn¡¯t help but have goosebumps. Being stared at by her was an uncomfortable experience, one that made him suspicious and slightly unsettled.


    ¡°It¡¯s basic courtesy to introduce yourself, little boy.¡±


    ¡°Zeke Orland, and who are you?¡±


    ¡°Celestia Black, Fourth-year Student and Vice-President of the Student Council.¡±


    ¡®So it¡¯s her.¡¯


    The Student Council was a big part of Erys, and though its members were solely students, they had their authority was equivalent to the teachers and other employees. Unlike the rarely seen President of the Student Council, Celestia Black was quite known for her past achievements. Ever since joining Erys, she never lost a fight and had always remained at the top of the Ranking.


    Furthermore, she was amongst the handful of Third-Year Students that were accepted to the special Fourth-Year program.


    ¡°Come here and sit down, Zeke.¡±


    He did as told and sat opposite Celestia. As for Vanessa, she sat next to James and the two kept staring at Zeke while whispering to each other.


    ¡°Before we start, do you know why we called you here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obviously because of the recent incident, no?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± She responded, winking at him playfully. ¡°Max, your sister, was against the idea of calling you here, but we¡¯re running out of time and we want to avoid any more unnecessary casualties.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you need my help? Or information from me? Because if it¡¯s the case, you¡¯ll get neither.¡±


    ¡°And why is that? I promise a reward of at least three Golden Stars. You know highly-sought they are, right?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    As the youth sat there, stone-faced and eerily silent, Celestia chuckled and leaned back, her dangerously revealed leg rising upwards and catching his attention momentarily.


    ¡°You were one of the five Defects in Erys, isn¡¯t that right? Pray, tell me how your awakening proceeded.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    His immediate response made her furrow her brows, her smile almost disappearing.


    ¡°I¡¯m under no obligation to recount anything. Mind you, not even the teachers in charge of the test could do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you as the Vice-President of the Student Council, but as the Captain of the Special Investigation Team personally made by the Principal. If you refuse to cooperate, I can punish you.¡±


    Zeke softly laughed at her words, seemingly unaffected by the tense atmosphere.


    ¡°Let me get this straight; You and your squad are incapable of finding the killer, so you resort to threatening a First-Year student just because of his accidental involvement? Phrase it however you want, but it is what it is.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the vicious tongue, Zeke Orland. Not even Maxine would dare talk to me like that.¡±


    Celestial stood up and walked to him, moving her hand closer to his and touching the Rune of Death.


    ¡°This is a very serious matter. I know that your friend has been sighted with our quarry, but I promise to be lenient.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this ludicrous?¡±


    Zeke moved his hand away and got to his feet, sweeping his eyes across Celestia and the other two.


    ¡°Promise to be lenient? Please don¡¯t make me laugh. I know people like you¡­ once you get what you want, you wouldn¡¯t care about anything else. Miss Celestia Black, your reputation precedes you, and to be honest, you would¡¯ve been able to convince me if Max or Miss Vanessa did the talking instead of you.¡±


    He turned around and walked away, much to the girl¡¯s surprise. Just as he was about to leave, he looked at her one last time and, with a clarion voice, added,


    ¡°Also, your gaze gives me the creeps.¡±

 Chapter 27 Deterioration of the Body

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with that kid?¡±


    Celestia wasn¡¯t happy at the end of her pointless conversation with Zeke. He left abruptly and was vehemently against lending any kind of assistance.


    ¡°I found that strange.¡± Remarked James while pushing back his glasses and standing up.


    ¡°He was relatively polite when we talked to him. Did you expect him to be like Edward?¡±


    Upon the mention of Edward Orland, the girl snorted and averted her gaze.


    ¡°Apparently, before awakening, so to speak, he was getting bullied by two of his classmates. Maybe his unwillingness to help stems from that.¡±


    ¡°And what, pray tell, does that have anything to do with me?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have threatened him.¡± Chirped Vanessa, also surprised by Zeke¡¯s attitude. Although he was fairly outspoken, he was still a bit ¡®docile¡¯ when she talked to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try talking to him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Celestia slapped her hand against the table, her anger rising, which was extremely rare as tended to things in a calm and responsible manner.


    ¡°Out of the question! Do you think I can¡¯t make him cooperate? He¡¯s just a kid!¡±


    ¡°Trying to be forceful isn¡¯t the right method, Celestia.¡±-Vanessa


    ¡°I am not going to be. As you know, I have my ways.¡±


    After saying her piece, she stormed out of the room and slammed the door with more force than necessary.


    Later that day, in the Infirmary.


    ¡°The principal himself? Really?¡±


    James was sitting on one of the medical beds and listening to Xavier, his older brother.


    ¡°Yes. The test results of each student are naturally classified, but it¡¯s definitely odd for the old man himself to actually erase the results. You are indeed into something, James.¡±


    Seeing his sibling deep in thought, trying to find a way to figure out the truth, Xavier sighed and spoke again,


    ¡°However, if the principal didn¡¯t do anything to the kid, I doubt it¡¯s dangerous to Erys as a whole. It could be a family secret.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not? What if Zeke has resorted to taboo techniques to forcefully awaken himself? Or worse, what if he sought Jonathan¡¯s help? I know he¡¯s Max¡¯s brother, but I¡¯m part of the Special Investigation Squad and I have to look at things objectively.¡±


    ¡°Just let it go, James. By now, you should¡¯ve learned that logical reasoning isn¡¯t necessarily the best option. Furthermore, you aren¡¯t going to win Maxine¡¯s heart¡­ I¡¯d even say you¡¯re losing points by doing this.¡±


    The doctor¡¯s words were enough to convince James, who laid back and let out a long and heavy breath.


    <hr>


    ¡°All eight were killed. Her wounds are slightly different, however. There are burnt marks all over¡­¡±


    Vans Valort, Samuel¡¯s father and a Detective, was scrutinizing the brutal and bloodied crime scene. Although it was located outside of the city, which wasn¡¯t within his jurisdiction, he was still assigned to the case due to its relation to the serial killer plaguing Kethra¡¯s Arms and its entourage.


    He looked at his partner, a timid youth with large spectacles, and instructed him to write every detail.


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt about it. It¡¯s Jonathan¡¯s doing. After his most recent sighting and the surface of his new ¡®accomplice¡¯, it¡¯s safe to assume that the motive was revenge.¡±


    Vans cursed under his breath as he saw the bodies of the soldiers being wrapped in a large black plastic bag.


    ¡°The girl had gone and done it. She¡¯s a criminal now and there would be no turning back.¡±


    More than anyone, the man was angry at himself, not only for failing to find Amelia, but for also failing in saving her from this doomed path.


    ¡°I want every nook and cranny of this forest searched. Also, inform the Department of Defense and report to me their response!¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, sir!¡±


    The officers dispersed and a whole perimeter was set up in the middle of the rarely-frequented dirt road.


    While Vans was inspecting Melissa¡¯s corpse, his partner stuttered then said,


    ¡°E-em¡­these marks seem to be from Lightning-aspected Magic. Th-this will narrow down our search.¡±


    ¡°I know already!¡± Snapped back Vans, his teeth gritted. Unlike him, not many knew about Amelia¡¯s involvement. In fact, he only received this information from the squad of students dispatched by the principal.


    ¡®If I remember correctly, the girl was a Defect. But Zeke¡­ his ability had uses lightning. Damnit! Things will get out of hand if I don¡¯t wrap this case quickly.¡¯


    <hr>


    For the second time, Zeke stood near the Dean¡¯s hut, speechless to see another student, one waving at him.


    He didn¡¯t know how Julia convinced the Dean or if she had received an offer, but the fact remained: The curfew notwithstanding, she was there.


    ¡°I seriously need help. Your ability can help me improve!¡± She declared with both hands on her hips and a haughty stance.


    ¡°Which is why I asked the old man for help!¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling an old man?!¡±


    She was hit in the back by his stick, but she didn¡¯t fall to the ground. She rubbed her stinging back and childishly complained.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°It would be beneficial for both of you to train together. At least try it once.¡± Seriously uttered the Dean as he stared at the stone-faced Zeke.


    After a long internal debate, Zeke reluctantly agreed and was led to the side. Julia raised her arms and changed her stance, her beaming smile displaying her joyous mood.


    ¡°It will be fun, I swear! We will learn from each other.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget this is meant to be a secret. Don¡¯t blow things up and try to be a little bit discreet.¡±


    Once he warned them, he walked to Azmer and, as always, kept striking him with the stick every time he did something wrong.


    Soon, the girl charged at him while activating her ability, which significantly increased her attack and movement speed. In the blink of an eye, she was in front of Zeke¡¯s eyes, aiming a punch at his shoulder.


    In retaliation, azure lightning burst forth, clashing with her fist and slowing it momentarily. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop her attack as Zeke was pushed back, trying to not let out a groan of pain.


    ¡®She definitely held back¡­ but it still hurt like hell. What¡¯s her body made of?!¡¯


    ¡°Use more of your lightning! That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for!¡±


    She didn¡¯t attack again, instead, she patiently waited for him to re-adjust and focus, which he swiftly did.


    When she charged at him for the second time, Zeke did not escape using ¡®Life Motus¡¯, he relied on the Aether stored within ¡®Rune of Life¡¯ and followed up with ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯, which manifested a literal spear of lightning rather than a small arrow.


    The shiny blue lightning even attracted the attention of Azmer, but he ended up getting hit viciously by the Dean, to the point that traces of blood were visible on his back.


    ¡°Focus, I said! Focus!¡±


    Surprisingly, Julia took the spear head-on and was astonished to see her body flying to the back, her uniform charred and over half of her stomach revealed.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Another ¡®arrow¡¯ made of crackling lightning shot at her, but she evaded at the last second and leapt in the air and vertically swiped her head downwards as she descended upon Zeke.


    Trying to see how much force he could exert, Zeke imbued his leg with the so-called ¡®Voltage¡¯ and used ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯, clashing his leg with hers.


    Even though Julia didn¡¯t have any flashy ability, her strength was simply monstrous, so much so that Zeke felt a surge of pain and numbness as his leg was overpowered. He fell to the ground while rubbing his aching leg whereas Julia safely landed on her two feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m really impressed. Not many First Years have as much brute strength as you. Does your ability also strengthen your body?¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply, he just stood up and, with a gloomy and defiant face, said,


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°From the looks of it, you don¡¯t like losing too! Here I come.¡±


    After a full hour of non-stop sparring, Zeke reached his limit and had to rest. Fortunately, Julia didn¡¯t insist on continuing, and, after repeatedly thanking him, she returned to the dorms, declaring at they should do this again.


    Unexpectedly, Zeke benefited greatly and, through his dozens of clashes with Julia, he began to efficiently use Voltage, either in basic moves or along with the skills.


    It was an invaluable skill that, quite literally, allowed him to manifest lightning and, to some degree, shoot lightning bolts that were about half as strong as a normal ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    As he had the Daily Tasks to complete, he forced himself to stand up after a short rest. However, mid-way through the tasks, his body refused to move, but it was not due to pain or exhaustion.


    It was as if he was stuck inside a non-functional, only able to breathe and looked around. It lasted for a couple of seconds before he regained control, he tried to cover his mouth but that didn¡¯t work as he vomited a full mouthful of blood.


    This caught Azmer and the Dean¡¯s attention, the latter appearing next to him almost instantly.


    ¡°You okay, lad?¡±


    Zeke raised his hand in reassurance and wiped his mouth, his eyes fixated on the blood dying on the ground.


    ¡®This must be what the System was talking about. It¡¯s not even leaving me any choice by this point.¡¯


    He had to get the Crown, however, he neither knew what it really was nor where, which made the task all the more difficult, if not impossible.


    ¡°I just need a bit of rest.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s forced a smile and walked away, seemingly ignoring the two pairs of eyes glued to his back.


    As he was making his way to the dormitory, his limbs became stiff and his heartbeat became louder and faster. For a couple of breaths, Zeke¡¯s senses sharpened, making him able to hear the subtlest of sounds and smell different kinds of scents.


    His pupils constricted as he leaned on a tree and took deep breaths.


    ¡°T-this¡­ damn¡­ system.¡±


    [Deterioration of physiological functionalities!]


    [Seek the Crown]


    [Deterioration of physiological functionalities!]


    [Seek the Crown]


    The same two notifications kept repeating themselves until Zeke fell to his knees and vomited more blood. After that, clarity and silence returned, but the youth¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet of paper.


    When he obtained the Special Mission, he thought nothing of it at first. As he was stuck in Erys, he had decided to delay the mission, but, clearly, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to choose the option. The system was practically forcing him to seek the Crown or suffer like this.


    Even though it wasn¡¯t explicitly said, it wasn¡¯t hard to assume the meaning behind ¡®Deterioration'' of physiological functionalities¡¯. Basically, his body was failing him and the only way to return it to normal was to seek the Crown.


    ¡°Does this mean I have to leave Erys? If I¡¯m caught, I could be expelled¡­¡±


    Zeke muttered to himself as he sneak inside the dormitory while touching his chest, which was inexplicably hot and sweaty.


    ..


    ¡°You!¡±


    The second he stepped into the room, Samuel popped from out of nowhere and pointed at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not hanging out with those wannabe delinquents, right? Please tell me you¡¯ve been doing something productive.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t with them.¡±


    ¡°Good good! Nothing good will come out of that. Anyroad! Mind helping us with something?¡±


    Seeing Samuel buttering him up, Zeke frowned and looked at the timid Alan sitting on his bed and pretending to be reading a book.


    ¡°Help with what exactly?¡±


    ¡°Well! Unlike you, we¡¯re not that good at Theoretical stuff. Can you explain a couple of things, please?¡±


    Samuel pleaded while fishing out a thick book and politely presenting it in front of Zeke.


    After a short silence, Zeke sighed and nodded his head. He beckoned both of then and, for the next hour, he helped them go through their homework and revise for the upcoming exams.


    ¡°You did a much better job than Mister Christopher. He usually glosses over some stuff, deeming them as basics and things the students should be aware of. Which, mind you, isn¡¯t the case!¡±


    ¡°These are basic stuff, though.¡± Retorted Zeke while putting down the pen and walking to his bed.


    ¡°You need to study more, Sam. As for you, Alan, you need only memorize the formula I showed you.¡±


    ¡°T-thanks!¡±


    The short and bespectacled kid bowed and, slightly excited, drifted to his desk and immediately began studying.


    ¡°Ah! By the way, Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Mhm, yes?¡±


    Zeke hesitated for a bit, pondering whether it was the right choice to ask for Samuel¡¯s help. Just when he resolved himself, the door opened and a battered and tired Azmer entered.


    ¡°Nevermind.¡±


    The night passed on and the four students went to sleep at a very late time. When the bright sun rays pierced through the large windows, Samuel jumped off his bed and Alan was the next to follow.


    However, both Azemer and Zeke were groaning and stiff, the former from the Dean¡¯s hits and the latter from the ¡®punishment¡¯ inflicted by the System.


    ¡®It¡¯s getting worse by the day. I have to hurry.¡¯


    ¡­


    It was only later that day, around evening, that Zeke realized how bad his condition actually was. Periodically, his body would feel extremely heavy and even refuse to move, which was problematic. The worst of it was the abrupt rush of blood and the vomiting, which made him repeatedly go to the bathroom.


    Forced into a corner, Zeke concocted a plan there and then to find the Crown as soon as possible. Coincidentally, the System lent a bit of much-needed assistance.


    [Analyzing the user¡¯s vicinity¡­ locating the Crown¡­]


    [Special Mission: Retrieval of the Crown]


    [Distance successfully calculated: 2461 Meters North-East]


    It actually gave him the exact location of the Crown, which, unexpectedly, was closer than he had thought.


    ¡®It must be somewhere in Kethra¡¯s Arms. Why does it have to be there of all places?¡¯

 Chapter 28 The Crown

    ¡°This is not the right way, lad.¡±


    Instead of training with Julia, Zeke used another route while avoiding the patrols. It wasn¡¯t that difficult, at least not until the Dean appeared nowhere.


    ¡°Erys has been closed off and, barring a few exceptions, new students are allowed to leave the premises. I thought the notice made it crystal clear.¡±


    ¡°I have to leave.¡± Resolutely said back the youth, his eyes defiant and fists clenched.


    He had to retrieve the Crown no matter the cost, because, at this rate, his condition would get worse, and, excluding the attention it might attract, he might not even be able to walk properly, much less train or attend class.


    ¡°Have to? That¡¯s the excuse everyone says in this situation. Don¡¯t make things hard for yourself and ruin your perfect records by getting Black Stars.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing Zeke¡¯s adamance, the old man stopped tapping his stick on the ground, he raised it ever-so-slightly as if about to attack. However, at the last second, he furrowed his brows, his seemingly sleepy eyes focusing on the student.


    A sigh of exasperation escaped his lips as he put down the stick and said,


    ¡°Today is Sunday, so I¡¯ll let you off. You have until dawn to return.¡±


    Zeke solemnly nodded and dashed away, easily jumping over the small fence and disappearing into the darkness.


    The Dean remained at the same spot, this time facing another student.


    ¡°Since you were already following him, don¡¯t stop at my account. Go ahead¡­ but know that, outside of Erys, he is your responsibility.¡±


    Celestia Black exchanged glances with him then vanished into thin air, her speed multiple times faster than Zeke¡¯s.


    ¡­


    It was Sunday, yet Kethra¡¯s Arms was almost desolate; all the residents were nestled in their homes, ever afraid that the serial killer might strike again. Zeke noticed a couple of drunkards and some officers, but avoiding them was an easy task.


    He relied on the System to guide him where the Crown was, and after half an hour of sprinting and zigzagging between back alleys and empty streets, he finally reached his destination.


    Zeke squeezed himself into a cramped alley between two large buildings, hopping over the trash on the way. Midway through, however, his body grew stiff and he spat blood.


    His heart started racing faster, but it wasn¡¯t the usual occurrence, it was different as a thin translucent crimson line burst from his chest.


    ¡®Is it like a connection? It¡¯s showing me a path¡­¡¯


    Apprehensive, he followed the line and stopped in front of an inconspicuous metal door that had old posters all over it.


    After taking a deep breath, he pushed it open and saw a staircase that led underground. He heard nothing but deafening silence as he slowly descended, fully expecting something to happen.


    Surprisingly, he wasn¡¯t attacked even after he reached the bottom; There was a barely-lit corridor and another door.


    With one hand raised and lightning crackling around it, Zeke approached the door and paused for a couple of breaths, trying to hear something. When there was no reaction, he opened the door and was welcomed by a foul and unpleasant smell.


    The line linking him to the so-called Crown was brighter and when he followed it with his eyes, he was gobs-smacked to see a sleeping Amelia at the corner of the room.


    She was lying on a couch and covering herself with a thin blanket. The line connected both of them, or to be precise, it was coming off the black crystal hidden under her clothes.


    ¡®The Crown is that thing? B-but how¡­¡¯


    The youth stood there, absolutely stupefied, as his turbulent mind was trying to process everything.


    [Special Mission ¡®Retrieval of the Crown¡¯: The Crown has been located!]


    [Eliminate subject ¡®Amelia¡¯ and absorb the Crown.]


    ¡°Eliminate?¡±


    Zeke felt blood rush and his heartbeat accelerate, seemingly a signal from the System, urging him to complete the Special Mission. However, when he braced himself and left Erys in search of the Crown, he had never expected it to be inside Amelia¡¯s body.


    Yes, his life was endangered, but he couldn''t think straight in such a situation, neither could he obey the System and attack Amelia.


    When he tried getting closer to Amelia, the line became brighter and started emitting a ringing sound that startled the girl awake.


    ¡°A-ah!¡±


    Seeing Zeke stand near the entrance of the room, Amelia let out a soft gasp and quickly covered her mouth. Panicking, she looked around but didn¡¯t see Jonathan


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    She controlled her voice and made it as quiet as possible, but the young man didn¡¯t respond. He was in a state of shock, and when she stood up and tried to approach him, he raised his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get closer.¡±


    It took Amelia a couple of seconds to notice the line, then she was assaulted by an agony that made her fall to the ground and writhe while clawing her chest.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    As much as Zeke wanted to help her, he was quick to notice that the closer he was, the more pain she was experiencing, so he backed away. He tried to run back upstairs but, out of the blue, his body was sent flying to the back until it crashed on the wall.


    The pain notwithstanding, he groaned and jumped to his feet, shooting one ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ after the other at the spreading black mist.


    At first, he was successful in stopping Jonathan from getting closer or attacking him again. Alas, this resistance was short-lived as Zeke¡¯s body stopped functioning, rendering him momentarily immobile.


    Defenseless, Jonathan appeared before him like a ghost, grabbed his neck, and slammed his body against the wall.


    ¡°The Crown is acting up! It¡¯s acting up! It¡¯s here! HERE!¡±


    He was shouting like a mad man as his soulless eyes were fixated on Zeke. Suddenly, the man¡¯s demeanor dramatically changed and his rapidly moving lips closed shut.


    He gave Zeke a chilling stare as he glanced at Amelia and saw the shining crimson line.


    ¡°You are the Holder. You are the one who stole it from me.¡±


    Jonathan lowered Zeke¡¯s body and used his other hand to clutch his head and press his thumb on his, trying to pluck them out. It was then that Zeke regained control, so, while yelling, he used ¡®Spark¡¯.


    The lightning orb materialized in front of him, immediately going crazy the moment it came into contact with Jonathan.


    Strangely enough, the effect of ¡®Spark¡¯ was abnormally stronger than usual. The azure lightning crackled deafeningly and struck every part of the room, illuminating it like a blinding sun.


    Jonathan¡¯s body was struck and blown to the back, allowing Zeke to land on the ground and hold his reddened neck while coughing and gasping for air.


    The half-opened door of the room was blasted apart and Celestia charged inside. The girl didn¡¯t pause for even a split as she slashed with what could only be described as an illusory milky-white reverse blade.


    The result was an explosive attack concentrated on Jonathan, who had yet to recover after being hit by ¡®Spark¡¯.


    The wall shattered and the roof was collapsing, but Celestia intervened, her weapon vanishing and, instead, her body let out a burst of a mist strikingly similar to Jonathan¡¯s.


    While holding the debris, she looked at Zeke and shouted,


    ¡°Go! Now!¡±


    Even with an injured body and time against him, Zeke didn¡¯t listen to her. He ran to the convulsing Amelia and picked her body. She had already fallen unconscious yet the Crown was still acting up, electrocuting its vessel and trying to break free.


    As he ran up the stairs, Zeke could feel a disembodied and distant echoing voice telling him to rip the Crown off her body and claim it as his own. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t obey it and, within seconds, he was back on the narrow path from earlier.


    Alas, he wasn¡¯t afforded a brief respite a deep tremor assaulted the area, shaking the whole building and making it collapse, which, in turn, gave rise to widespread panic.


    Zeke kept carrying Amelia as he ran to the main street, barely avoiding the building which had leaned to the side, but as he looked behind, he saw a swirling black mist and a white one clash together in the air.


    Eventually, Jonathan¡¯s returned to his human form and Celestial¡¯s mist head-on. He literally swiped with his hand, touching the supposedly intangible mist and forcing the girl out of her obfuscation.


    ¡°A poor imitation.¡± He calmly said as he used a completely new power.


    A ghastly-like entity emerged from his back, wielding a long scythe that pierced Celestial.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ we¡¯ll  see about that!¡±


    With blood gushing out of her abdomen, she grinned and opened her right hand. White chains sprung from the ground, hitting Jonathan and the ghastly entity, the latter was extinguished and the former was hammered on the ground, his spines shattered into dust.


    Celestia already heard about the man¡¯s insane regenerative abilities, so she manipulated the chains and tried to restrain him. Sadly, she was a tad too late as he used his black mist to fly to the back and shoot straight at the unsuspecting Zeke.


    ¡®It¡¯s now or never.¡¯ He thought to himself, raising his left hand and impatiently waiting for the dormant Rune of Death to react. When Jonathan was upon him, there was a vacuum-like effect originating from Zeke¡¯s hand, sucking all the mist and rendering the enemy momentarily confused and startled.


    The influx of negative energy instantly traveled across Zeke¡¯s body, was converted into usable Aether, then stored in the Rune of Life.


    Drawing from the new reserves, Zeke focused and lifted his arm, his hand clutching an arrow of lightning that was becoming bigger and bigger.


    In a couple of breaths, it became a massive spear, buzzing loudly and trembling uncontrollably.


    ¡°Voltage¡­ voltage!¡±


    When he saw the lightning, something occurred to Jonathan, switching him back to his maniacal personality. He shouted atop phis lungs, his skin turning black as he recklessly charged ahead only for Zeke to throw the spear, which impaled him before he could do anything.


    The voltage electrocuted his body and slowed down his regeneration, but it didn¡¯t limit his movements. He was like an immortal, standing up even after sustaining successive fatal injuries.


    With blood leaking out of his nose, eyes, ears, and lips, Jonathan actually smiled.


    The bit of black mist around him was gone, revealing Amelia¡¯s body. Zeke was shielding her a moment ago, and as he attacked Jonathan, he had failed to notice that the black mist snuck around him and retrieved her.


    ¡®He knows I need the Crown.¡¯


    ¡°I know your face now. I¡¯ll come for you.¡±


    Jonathan glanced at Celestia then retreated. His body was riddled with injuries, but he acted as if he was totally unscathed, and that couldn¡¯t be attributed just to his strange ability.


    Celestia Black was pressing her hand on her bleeding abdomen, her eyes lingering on the direction the killer had run off towards.


    ¡°Escaped¡­ again.¡±


    She snapped out of her daze when Zeke took her arm and wrapped it around the back of his head to support her.


    ¡°You good?¡±


    ¡°Do I look ¡®good¡¯ to you? If I knew you¡¯d be going to the damn man¡¯s nest, I wouldn¡¯t have tailed you alone¡­ hmpf!¡±


    Zeke looked at her in silence, not feeling guilty. Admittedly, if it weren¡¯t for her timely intervention, he wouldn¡¯t have escaped, but it wasn¡¯t like he forced her to do anything.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be there either.¡±


    ¡°To me, you knew exactly where you were going. It¡¯s too late to deny it.¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡± He retorted while helping her walk but purposely shaking his body, thus making her groan in pain and glare at him.


    ¡°I was looking for something.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    As he kept his counsel, Celestia moved her arm and leaned on the wall. Her injury was severe but not fatal, and with how much ruckus they caused, it won¡¯t be long before Maxine and the rest arrive.


    ¡°Unless you want to be expelled, you¡¯ll have to explain everything to us.¡±


    Zeke looked left and right then shrugged his shoulders,


    ¡°For me, this has developed beyond caring about ¡®Black Stars¡¯ or  ¡®getting expelled¡¯.¡±


    He turned around, seemingly about to leave, but Celestia called out to him.


    ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I have my own problem to deal with. You look fine, so just wait for help to come.¡±


    Milky-white energy glowed in her hand as she tried to stop him, but, much to her surprise, her ability didn¡¯t work on him, thus leaving her speechless.


    In the end, she could only watch him walk away and disappear into the small gathering crowd.


    ¡­


    Actually, it wasn¡¯t that Zeke didn¡¯t care about Erys, but he couldn¡¯t return now, not after what he had discovered. They would try to keep him safe and holed up there, which would be akin to a death sentence, especially with his degrading physical faculties.


    The periods between each ¡®physical dysfunctionality¡¯ were getting dangerously shorter, which made Zeke alert and desperate.


    Trying to seek help from Maxine or other students was a possibility, but he had to divulge the truth about the System or else they wouldn¡¯t believe him. Therefore, the only option was to seek outside help, preferably from people he could trust to a degree.

 Chapter 29 Jonathan Stellar Link

    ¡°Stay here? This isn¡¯t our work office.¡±


    Seeing the young man sitting quietly, his uniform shredded and his face pale, Sulong was about to curse but held himself back and contented with an exasperated sigh.


    Zeke had appeared without prior notice and demanded to stay there for a while. At first, Sulong thought it was a thief who broke in, so this situation made him doubly surprised.


    ¡°Shit! Look at this¡­¡±


    The other man, Jack, was staring at the TV while whistling in surprise. The news about the fight that broke out in Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to ask if you played a part in that. Hm? A whole building? You people are monsters.¡±


    Zeke was having trouble clenching his left hand as the Rune of Death was still acting, processing the absorbed black mist from earlier.


    It was only active for a moment or two, however, the quantity absorbed was unexpectedly big, so much so that the reservoir within Rune of Life was reaching its limit.


    ¡°How goes the search?¡± Asked Zeke while trying to move his stiff limbs.


    ¡°We¡¯ve located a couple of suspicious places. As it happens, the place you seem to have come from is one of them.¡±


    Sulong snatched the remote from Jack and turned off the loud TV before continuing,


    ¡°A few months back, someone used a broker to rent a couple of run-down basements in Kethra¡¯s Arms. He even bought three right outside, but they all had one thing in common; They all had old but still-effective soundproof walls. I found that weird because, generally, the rental basements tend to not let any sound out, so soundproofing is a bit excessive.¡±


    ¡°Did you find out about that ¡®someone¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No. Mind you, I had to bribe that broker to get even that little bit of information.¡±


    Zeke looked at the muscular bald man and snorted, ¡°I thought thugs liked to threaten people.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Thugs also don¡¯t work with children.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After a brief and tense silence, in which Jack snuck out of the room to not get involved in their heated confrontation, Zeke walked to the only couch in the room and let his body slump down.


    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t leave Erys.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve gone rogue?¡± The baldy burst out in laughter, ¡°That¡¯s a first!¡±


    As Zeke didn¡¯t talk, Sulong stood up and instructed him not to cause any mess before returning to his small apartment, which was right next to his workplace.


    [Special Mission ¡®Retrieval of the Crown¡¯: Eliminate Subject ¡®Amelia¡¯ and absorb the Crown.]


    ¡®There must be another way. I¡­ I can¡¯t kill her.¡¯


    Zeke covered his face, unwilling to stare at the System Window any longer. The plan was to acquire the Crown and return to Erys before dawn, but that was too short-sighted on his part. He should have prepared himself for the worst, he also should have expected the killer to the System, after all, he had become more active specifically after that fateful day.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t have time to look for a solution. At this rate, I¡¯m going to die.¡¯


    <hr>


    ¡°Why are you keeping the suspense, Celestia? We¡¯ve all gathered as you ordered.¡±


    In the meeting room of the Special Investigation Squad of Erys, Celestia, after having her wounds treated by Doctor Xavier, called all her team members.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She purposely didn¡¯t recount what happened and, instead, asked them to keep calm and wait.


    ¡°Witnesses state that they saw another student. Who was it, Celestia?¡±-V


    In total, there were six people in the room; V, James, Maxine, Celestia, Vanessa, Celestia, and a youth with a black hood over his head.


    Celestia tentatively touched her bandaged abdomen but felt a wave of pain, making her grit her teeth and curse under her breath. After what felt like an eternity, she raised her head and looked at Maxine.


    ¡°Who else could it be but your little brother Zeke?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then go ask the Dean. He saw him leaving Erys and warned him to return before dawn.¡±


    Maxine was red-faced, anger and shock plastered all over her face. V patted her back and reassured her while Celestia continued,


    ¡°Apparently, he was looking for something. I saw Jonathan try to kill him, so, I must confess that I was wrong about him. However¡­¡±


    As everyone drew their breaths and impatiently waited, Celestial continued,


    ¡°Zeke Orland seems to be Jonathan¡¯s target. When I burst into the basement, he was trying to pluck Zeke¡¯s eyes out. Furthermore, he appeared less crazed than ever before, this time acting reasonably and talking coherently. One more thing I noticed was a crimson line betwixt that Amelia girl and Zeke, but I don¡¯t know its significance yet.¡±


    ¡°Why would he go after Zeke? It doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±


    ¡°No, Max¡­ if you think about it, it kind of does.¡±


    As much as he wanted to support Maxine, James couldn¡¯t act based on his emotions.


    ¡°Jonathan became much more active exactly when Zeke supposedly went through a late awakening.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s definitely not a late awakening.¡± Corrected Celestia as she remembered a couple more details.


    ¡°I followed him from Erys to that basement and saw him stop at random spots, seemingly bound by something. He even vomited blood. Even if exclude those odd occurrences, his ability itself is an enigma.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Maxine hands were tightly clenched as she kept silent and listened. Trying to defend her brother could potentially make them leave her out of the case, therefore, she contented with controlling her emotions and keeping her lips shut.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t copy his ability. You know what that means, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an ability? Woah¡­¡±-V


    ¡°You all know that I can even copy Black Magic. So whatever he¡¯s using must be something else.¡±


    Once Celestia finished, the quiet Vanessa spoke up, ¡°Zeke Orland isn¡¯t our quarry. The circumstances of his abilities are irrelevant to the case.¡±


    ¡°But they are, Vanessa.¡±


    ¡°No, they are not.¡± Resolutely affirmed the ashen-haired girl as she stubbornly stared back at their leader, Celestia.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know why Jonathan is after Zeke¡¯s eyes, and just because you saw him act ¡®calm¡¯ doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s not crazy anymore. He could have been delusional and out of it. For now, I say we divide our team into two groups, one in charge of finding Zeke and bringing him back here, and one in charge of searching for Jonathan. We should also be careful as he might use the girl as bait.¡±


    Celestia did not object, but neither did she agree on the spot. Instead, she swept her gaze across the rest and waited for a reaction.


    With the exception of the hooded youth, they all nodded in silence.


    ¡°John?¡±


    With all gazes on him, the youth named ¡®John¡¯, turned his head to the windows and said,


    ¡°By defeating Celestia, the strongest one of us, Jonathan Stellar Link already proved that he¡¯s beyond our individual capabilities. If we are to continue working on this case, and considering the unintentional involvement of Maxine¡¯s younger brother, I say we either seek the help of one of our families or we refer to the principal. I see no other course.¡±


    ¡°The only reason the Department of Defense has not acted yet is because the principal is holding them off and waiting for us to catch Jonathan. I don¡¯t think any of our families will risk getting involved.¡± Responded V in a self-mocking tone.


    John walked right next to the sitting Maxine and stared at her from under his oversized hood.


    ¡°Before it really gets out of control and you regret this, I suggest you pick up your phone and call Edward.¡±


    Maxine was hesitant as he looked down and fidgeted, conflicted with herself. However, when she finally fished out her phone, it suddenly flew out of her phone and into the hands of a new arrival.


    Principal Solas was at the entrance of the room with Maxine¡¯s phone in his hand.


    ¡°The boy¡­ Zeke¡­ will be given a week to return to Erys. If he does not, he will be expelled. As for you, your objective is Jonathan and no one else. Instead of arguing, you should get to work.¡±


    ¡°But grandfath-¡±


    Vanessa tried to protest but he glared at her with an unusually serious face


    ¡°But me no buts, girl! He could have gone to the Student Council for help but the boy left of his own free will. I will not be made a fool just because an unruly student decided to go rampant. Additionally, from this moment onwards, Amelia from Class B is expelled from Erys and is to be treated as an accomplice. If she offers resistance, you are free to strike her down. That is all!¡±

 Chapter 30 An Opportunity

    ¡°Hey¡­psst!¡±


    Zeke was absent-mindedly watching the tv only for Jack, Sulong¡¯s friend and colleague, to sit next to him and lightly nudge him.


    When he finally got a reaction out from the youth, Jack looked down and asked,


    ¡°Are these the source of your power? Is this how you students do it? If I can get power then I don¡¯t mind an ugly tattoo or two.¡±


    Zeke rolled his eyes and pulled his sleeves, ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. You¡¯re either born with it or you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I never actually bothered to learn such stuff. All that complicated gibberish about Aether and whatnot. You know what I think? They use big words and make it elaborate just to sound smart.¡±


    ¡°Technically, you¡¯re not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Jack! Stop with the pointless questions and clean the office for a change! Open the windows too!¡±


    The lanky clicked his tongue and begrudgingly stood up, dragging his feet around the messy room.


    ¡°What is our favorite free-loader going to do now? Maybe you can help us work?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave for a short while. Also, why would I help you do illegal stuff?¡±


    Sulong, sitting behind his slightly fancy desk, snorted and pointed at a legal certificate plastered on the window.


    ¡°We legally give loans to distressed civilians. There¡¯s nothing illegal about it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ except the absurd interest. And let¡¯s not talk about you were trying to con me a while ago.¡±


    Sulong gritted his teeth and glared at the youth, neither one of them willing to back down.


    ¡°You beat me half-dead and we settled that matter. We no longer do that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the woman and her son, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because she was merely a temporary partner. When we refused to continue, she sought outside help. Pretty typical coming from he-¡±


    Sulong¡¯s words were cut-off by loud knocks. It was early morning and they weren¡¯t expecting any visitors, so the only cause for this could be Zeke.


    ¡°Did you call someone?¡±


    While getting to his feet, Zeke motioned the bald man to calm down as he walked to the door and opened it.


    Much to Sulong and Jack¡¯s surprise, the person behind the door was Vans Valort, someone they knew and didn¡¯t want to get involved with.


    With an ugly expression, Sulong banged the table and abruptly stood up.


    ¡°He¡¯s not here to cause trouble.¡±


    After reassuring the thugs, Zeke looked at the frowning Vans.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Vans didn¡¯t seem interested in the loan sharks, his eyes were glued on Zeke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying here for a while. I hope I didn¡¯t make a mistake by calling you, sir.¡±


    The detective eyed him for a couple of breaths before sighing and stepping into the room, which reeked of cigarettes and dust.


    ¡°There were 9 injured people from yesterday¡¯s attack in Kethra¡¯s Arms. I suppose I don¡¯t have to ask if you had a hand in that, right?¡±


    Zeke walked back to the couch while shrugging nonchalantly.


    ¡°I was attacked by ours truly.¡±


    ¡°And why haven¡¯t you directly come to me? Actually, what are you even doing here?¡±


    Vans Valort glanced at the gloomy Sulong and the fidgety Jack, trying his best to ignore them.


    ¡°For the time being, I cannot return to Erys. I¡¯ve come to those two for help. Unlike the stuck-up students in charge of the case, I thought you would be more receptive to hear the truth and not single-mindedly pursue the killer.¡±


    ¡°You realizer that I can¡¯t discuss sensitive information with civilians, yes? Plus, it¡¯s my obligation to take you to the station to take your witness statement.¡± The man paused for a split second as he paced around, ¡°However¡­ considering how I¡¯m being pressured by my superior to wrap this case up, and what happened to your friend, I simply cannot turn a blind eye and carry on. But, before I make a decision that I might regret, I want to ascertain something.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t you who killed Amy¡¯s mother, right?¡±


    Seeing an expression of slight surprise on the youth¡¯s face, Vans breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I knew it wasn¡¯t you, but I still had to check. Whatever killed her bore a striking resemblance to your lightning-aspected magic. And since Jonathan, the killer, cannot wield said power, then the suspect could only be Amelia. I know how much you want to help her, but, regrettably, it¡¯s too late. She committed murder and I cannot turn a blind eye to that.¡±


    ¡°Even if it was fully justified? Her father was killed, her mother is in a comatose state, and she had been raped and tortured. Is that not enough of a reason, sir?¡±


    ¡°Nothing justifies murder, Zeke. It¡¯s up to the law to decide.¡±


    ¡°I wholeheartedly disagree. If the law is the judge, then how come it didn¡¯t interfere when the restaurant was attacked? Or does it only take the lead when someone of high societal status is implicated?¡±


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    ¡°The kid is right. You can shove that authority and laws up your ass. We¡¯ll do it our own way.¡± Loudly declared Sulong, seemingly unafraid of the detective.


    After a brief silence had passed, Vans halted his feet and looked straight at the student.


    ¡°Then why is it that you called me, Zeke? Surely it wasn¡¯t to argue about morality.¡±


    ¡°As I had said, I could use your help, sir¡­ but only on the condition that you don¡¯t divulge my whereabouts to Erys. I don¡¯t want to be dragged back there before I do what I need to do.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if you exactly told me why you ran away from school, I can think about this.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Silence, huh. Very well, I¡¯ll see where this goes. What do you need help with?¡±


    <hr>


    Amelia was curled up in the corner of a dark and empty room, the black crystal in her chest had stopped torturing her with excruciating pain but the memory of it was still vivid in her mind.


    ¡°The Crown is acting up. Once the absorption is complete, he cannot reclaim it.¡±


    Jonathan no longer rambled nonsensically, nor did he behave like a crazy megalomaniac anymore. Maybe


    The man, who, out of habit, was fiddling with his yellow headband, approached the girl and looked down at her, his eyes glowing with a strange golden light.


    ¡°You knew who the Holder was. Tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°I.. I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Irritated, Jonathan punched the wall, cracking it in the process. Even after seeing his violent behavior, Amelia did not flinch, she took deep breaths and stared back at him.


    ¡°I saved your life and granted you power. Tell me who he is.¡±


    ¡°Power? It doesn¡¯t matter, after all, you¡¯ll take it back sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He gave her an eerie and chilling look then backed away, grabbed a chair, and sat down facing the wall.


    ¡°The System should¡¯ve diverged towards the owner of the Crown yet¡­ it went to him?¡±


    Jonathan half-turned his head and looked at her from the corner of his glowing eyes,


    ¡°Unless you want to die by his hands, you better tell me who he is.¡±


    Amelia hesitated for a couple of seconds, conflicted and unable to come up with a decision. Eventually, after a couple of unsuccessful tries, she managed to stand up though her knees felt heavy and her body soaking with cold sweat.


    ¡°Zeke wouldn¡¯t kill me. He¡¯s not the Holder.¡±


    In response, the man coldly laughed and shifted back his focus to the wall. Within a couple of breaths, an ominous black mist burst from his body and spun anti-clockwise until it took the shape of the scythe-wielding ghastly entity from yesterday.


    Surprisingly, the voice that came out of that entity was identical to Jonathan¡¯s, but it was rambling incoherently, exactly like his crazy personality.


    It was only then that Amelia realized the truth; Jonathan wasn¡¯t actually crazy, it was all this creature¡¯s doing, though it was yet to be explained how it took control of his body.


    ¡°The Holder is close! CLOSE! Bring him down! Eviscerate him! Stab him! Dismember him!¡±


    It kept going on about Zeke, describing how it wanted to kill him and how impatient it was for the action to come. Jonathan, composed and calm, stared at him with a stone-faced expression.


    ¡°Why did you save me? Was it only to use me as a tool for the Crown?¡±


    ¡°Silence! Bad influence! Kill her! Rip her heart out!¡±


    Upon hearing the girl, the ¡®ghost¡¯ tried to attack her but it was pulled back by Jonathan and absorbed back into his body thereafter.


    ¡°Would you rather I left you there? To rot and decay like so many other hapless victims?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± She retorted while clutching the Crown engraved on her chest and emitting subtle heat waves.


    For a short bit, he didn¡¯t say anything, though you could see a rare expression of melancholy and grief lingering in his soulless eyes.


    ¡°Would you be happy had I a ¡®good¡¯ reason?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Enough of these questions. The Holder will come to us. We just need to be ready.¡±


    ...


    ¡°What do you mean leave him be? He¡¯s your son!¡±


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?!¡±


    Maxine furiously smashed her phone against the wall and shouted at the top her lungs. She tried contacting her parents for help but they just said ¡®Leave him be¡¯, and showed no concern whatsoever.


    Then again, knowing them, she should have expected such a reaction but she held a shred of hope that they could have been swayed, even by a little.


    Like Edward, they walked for the Department of Defense, however, they were scientists and they had more leeway, so, they had the ability to help.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why your parents hate Zeke so much. Is he adopted?¡±


    V, as insensitive as always, did not shy away from asking such personal questions, but all he got in response was a piercing glare from Maxine.


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard the Principal, Max. Don¡¯t contact Edward.¡±


    James stood behind her and uttered those words, but as she turned around and was about to kick him, he raised his hand and hastily added,


    ¡°Wait¡­ I¡¯m not done yet! I didn¡¯t mean we shouldn¡¯t look for Zeke.¡±


    ¡°What is it, then?¡±


    ¡°While we can¡¯t split up, we can use subterfuge. We don¡¯t know what Zeke is looking for, but it has something to do with Amelia. We can make him show himself.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°This.is.so.freaking.boring!¡±


    Julia was kicking and punching the dummy while grumbling incessantly. It has been three days since Zeke was last seen and, strangely enough, none of the teachers talked about him. When she asked his roommates, including Azmer, they all gave the same response, more or less.


    Zeke¡¯s lightning-aspected magic was exactly what she needed to train her body and claim the 1st spot in the First Year Rankings, and with him out of the picture, she was out of options.


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    The Dean shook her head and warned her for the tenth time, but he only made her more frustrated.


    Azmer was sitting on the ground, sweat pouring from his forehead as the ground around him was blackened by his continuous bursts of fire.


    ¡°Sir¡­ was he expelled?¡±


    It was unexpected for Azmer to ask about anything unrelated to training, which made the old man crease his brows and grunt.


    ¡°He is irrelevant to your training. Regulate your breathing and make ready to restart.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Azmer nodded once but it was apparent that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with the answer. Noticing this, the Dean walked away and entered his hut, re-emerging only after a couple of minutes.


    ¡°Gather up, both of you.¡±


    Not a second too late, the two students sprinted in the front of the Dean and stood straight and silent. Julia was restless and in a bad mood while Azmer was relieved to be afforded a little bit more time to recuperate.


    ¡°I don¡¯t normally go against Solas, especially in such turbulent times. However¡­¡±


    He swept his gaze across the two of them and continued, ¡°I must confess that Erys¡¯ students lack real-life experience. They are too sheltered¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in real fights!¡± Objected Julia while pouting.


    ¡°I have too.¡± Declared the stoic Azmer.


    ¡°You mean those childish squabbles your families arranged? Or the heavily-monitored challenges of Erys? Zeke might not be as talented as you two, but it is apparent that he experienced more than both of you combined. In the end, that¡¯s what matters¡­ to see things for what they are, not what they should be. Therefore¡­¡±


    With a lightning-fast speed, the Dean struck Julia and Azmer with his stick, causing both to fall to the ground while groaning in pain.


    ¡°This is an opportunity for you to be made humble. As is my wont, I will give you an offer and it¡¯s up to you to decide on the course of action.¡±

 Chapter 31: Planet of Wonders

    ¡°Are all of the students like him?¡±-Jack


    Jack and Sulong were sitting on their favorite couch and staring at the cross-legged youth whose eyes were closed and his body literally emitting a faint green light.


    ¡°Nah! We were just unfortunate enough to cross paths with one of the crazy ones. He hasn¡¯t moved an inch since last night.¡±


    Even though Sulong would constantly bicker with Zeke, he had to admit that the latter was excessively hard-working, so much that he gave up on any rest for the sake of non-stop training.


    It has been five days since Zeke came to live in their office, and despite their rocky beginning, he mostly kept to himself and rarely, if not ever, interfered with their work.


    The pure Aether revolving around Zeke then getting absorbed suddenly came to a full stop as his body twitched twice and then fell to the ground. By now, this odd occurrence had become more and more frequent, so Sulong no longer voiced his worries or surprise.


    Zeke groaned in pain, supported himself by pressing his hands against the ground, and spat a bit of blood.


    ¡°You really weren¡¯t bullshitting us, huh¡­¡±


    Sulong¡¯s remark didn¡¯t escape Zeke¡¯s ears, who wiped his lips and glared at them.


    <hr>


    ¡°Of course, I wasn¡¯t. I told you my life is at stake.¡±


    In fact, Zeke didn¡¯t reveal the whole truth, but he did tell the two thugs about his worsening condition. He did that to build a bit of mutual trust as they were going to help him separate Amelia and Jonathan.


    Jack opened big cardboard sitting on the table and took out a couple of military knives and electric batons.


    ¡°Will these even work? I don¡¯t even know if we could hit that mist.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re better than nothing. I¡¯m going to go face a mad serial killer empty-handed, especially not one capable of using Aether.¡±


    ¡°Hey Long¡­¡± Jack grinned and whispered, ¡°Imagine if we could wield it too. Wouldn¡¯t that be awesome? We could be like¡­ emm¡­ bodyguards or something.¡±


    In response, Sulong smacked his friend¡¯s head and instructed him to hide the illegal weapons laid out in the open.


    After he was done stretching his sore limbs, Zeke looked at the bald man and asked,


    ¡°Do you have something to eat?¡±


    ¡°Leftovers from last night.¡± Answered the man while grumbling,¡°But, once this is over, I¡¯ll be expecting a full compensation from all of this.¡±


    ¡°Consider your help as a front payment for a future of collaboration between the two of us. Even though I have nothing to my name, things will change once I graduate. Instead of conning the students, wouldn¡¯t it be better to befriend one of them?¡±


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    ¡­


    As he was gobbling down the cold food in the dirty and small kitchen adjacent to the office, Zeke examined his Stats, which have not risen as much due to his single-minded focus on leveling up.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 5 (2/65 EXP)]


    [Strength: 56]


    [Agility: 56]


    [Aether: 53]


    [Fortitude: 6]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 89%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 41%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 30%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(6%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(0%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(Proficiency 32%)]


    [Available PE: 0]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    Excluding the easily-completed Daily Tasks, Zeke put his all into gaining the most amount of EXP in just five days. That required him to train in all non-mastered skills and subject his body to hellish physical training.


    The physical training itself was composed of basic moves, which were repeated for hours on end not only to be rewarded by the System, but to also enhance his reflexes and strengthen his brute power. Additionally, all gained PE were converted into EXP, which was the only way he could have reached Lv5 in such a short amount of time.


    Unfortunately, no new paths were ¡®unlocked¡¯, but Zeke didn¡¯t particularly care about it as there were many ones available, to begin with. For now, he needed to hone his skills and try to get used to the newly-unlocked Sreyzhanian Arts.


    Alas, there wasn¡¯t a suitable sparring partner like Julia, so he contented with the reluctant Jack and burly Sulong.


    Due to the absence of good ¡®fighting¡¯ areas, they headed to stinky basements, which were filled with forgotten card boxes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your words. You¡¯re not allowed to use your lightning.¡±


    Jack was holding a bent metal pipe and hesitantly staring at the stoic Zeke, making sure there was no lightning dancing around his body, specifically his hands.


    Sulong too, was overjoyed to be offered an opportunity to beat up the insufferably guest he had to host for almost a week.


    As they charged at him, Zeke concentrated and, as if it was natural, used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ to defend himself. In fact, the skill itself was completely different from ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ or ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯, for example. To be precise, it was a collection of defensive and offensive moves, so in more than a way, they could be categorized as advanced forms of ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ from the Martial Arts Path, though these ones were imbued with a new type of energy.


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    Sulong swung his fist and Jack used the pipe, and despite relatively large bodies, they were easily deflected by Zeke. From an outsider¡¯s point of view, the youth moved in a seemingly slow but effective way, allowing him to easily dodge the attacks and counterattack on the spot.


    He stretched his arm and used a simple palm attack to push Sulong a couple of steps to the back, and, simultaneously, he spun his body and sent the pipe flying out of Jack¡¯s hand. Just like that, the ¡®fight¡¯ came to an end and Zeke didn¡¯t even have to use his superior physical prowess or his magical abilities.


    ¡®It¡¯s a really good skill, but I find it odd how it was literally engraved into my mind. It¡¯s different from ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯... this one seems to subtly guide my body and protect it from any and all incoming danger. It consumes a sizeable quantity of Life Aether too¡­¡¯


    ¡°Shit! Let¡¯s go again!¡±


    <hr>


    On the eve of the 5th day, when the sky was darkening, Zeke finally left the loan shark office along with an apprehensive Sulong and a fearful Jack. He already called Vans Valort and told him to distract the Special Investigation Squad, which was spread all over Kethra¡¯s Arms, waiting for any signs from their quarry.


    ¡°Your only job is to take Amelia away. I hope you don¡¯t change your mind at the last second and run away.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Who do you take us for?!¡±


    ¡°Yy-yes¡­ we will avenge our fallen brother!¡±


    Jack was wearing an old and thick set of armor acquired a long time ago. It was an old version of the artifacts worn by the special soldiers deployed by the Department of Defense. Sulong, on the other hand, was only wearing a black tank top and large military pants.


    Thanks to the System, Zeke knew where exactly the Crown was, so, by an extension, Amelia and Jonathan should be at the same location. His Life Aether was replenished and he had an additional to defend himself, however, his main objective wasn¡¯t to kill Jonathan but to stall for enough time for Sulong and Jack to take Amelia away.


    He needed the Crown, and the first step was to separate Amelia from her captor.


    The trip took almost an hour as Zeke had to rely on his two companions to lead the way and make sure no Erys students were roaming the area. Thankfully, Detective Vans did a good job as Maxine and her team members were nowhere to be seen.


    Soon, they arrived in front of a local and bustling pub, much to Zeke¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°There¡¯s a basement on the other side of the building. Make ready.¡±


    Sulong and Jack circled around while Zeke followed, lightning sparks appeared around his hands. As per the baldy¡¯s words, there was indeed a small wooden door leading downstairs.


    Moreover, it was fully open as if it was welcoming them in. With the youth taking the lead, they slowly descended to the basement only to be welcomed by an expected sight.


    Jonathan and Amelia were there, the former coldly smiling and the latter standing at the corner of the room, fearfully looking at a shining oblong-shaped purple portal.


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for much longer.¡±


    Before Zeke could react, a monstrous force pulled him right into the purple portal, and just as he got absorbed, Jonathan followed thereafter.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°You there! You have to come with us.¡±


    Sulong beckoned the motionless Amelia, but once she snapped out of it, she leapt forward and entered the portal.


    ¡°Fuck!¡±


    Sulong smacked the startled Jack then, while letting out a manly roar, ran straight into the portal. The last one was the dread-filled Jack, who squeaked like a child and, after mustering a bit of courage, tentatively touched the portal, which reacted instantly by pulling him in.


    <hr>


    Lore:          The planet of Wonders


    Author: Archeologist, Geologist, and Historian Sebastien Whitefort


    Chapter 1: The Aether planet


    Following its serendipitous discovery, the Aether Planet quickly became a new home for a new breed of genetically-altered humans. Although the planet was, at least, half the size of Earth, it was situated in the perfect spot, thus making it habitable and ripe for colonization, or so thought the ¡®Earthlings¡¯.


    However, there are many unexplained terrains and occurrences happening all over the Aether Planet.


    First, there are the contrasting biomes adjacent to each other and equipped with violent environmental conditions. Notably, the Vermillion Sea of Flames, the Whitefrost Planes, the Kingsmen¡¯s Ruins, and the Living Forest.


    Similar to Earth, the Aether Planet was mostly covered in stretches of waters, which was mostly inaccessible and relatively devoid of any exciting discoveries. However, the available and crossable lands were either too harsh and dangerous to venture in or relatively peaceful and welcoming to any and all visitors.


    Right before the Stellar War happened, the humans that were living on the Aether Planet divided themselves into three groups, which would later flourish into large and widespread nations;


    - The Nezulian Republic, which operates mostly in the Sunken Metropolis and Poudel City.


    - The Witch Association, situated on the other side of the globe and surrounded by numerous dangerous regions


    - The Serey Zhan Empire, an isolated monarchy deep into the blistering and snowy Northern Wastes.


    Most of the unexplained and abnormal environmental factors witnessed all around the Aether Planet could be attributed to humanity¡¯s lack of knowledge about Aether, its properties, and its effects.


    The scarcity of resources notwithstanding, we managed to establish a foothold on a planet that was utterly devoid of life, or so many claims. However, recently-excavated fossils and the existence of human-constructed runs suggest otherwise.


    With even the Zyth Race denying any involvement in the shrouded history of the planet, we had to rely on experts to study what could be accessed, such as the mysteriously sunken ruins believed to be still present right under the Sunken Metropolis.


    A common hypothesis goes as such; The humans that once dwelled on the Aether Planet went extinct due to a successful ¡®raid¡¯ from the notorious and deadly Proto-Demons.


    (Please note that, as of today (26th of June, year 2129) we have yet to determine the origin of the Proto-Demons or the motive behind their elaborate attacks on, specifically, the human race.)


    Even with the absence of conclusive evidence, I too, believe that the past inhabitants of the Aether Planet were eradicated by an unknown force, which could possibly be the Proto-Demons or the ever-eccentric and inscrutable Zyths.


    Throughout the planet¡¯s unique biomes and distinguishable regions, we discovered several anomalies in the form of ¡®randomly positioned stone formations¡¯, for want of a better word.


    These so-called stone formations are, quite literally, a couple of dozen large stones or rocks close to each other. Strangely, even after intense study, no meaning was found behind the formations as the stones weren¡¯t artifacts or imbued with any Aether, which was a weird occurrence in itself considering that all inanimate objects on the planet naturally have either a small or big quantity of Aether.


    A famous theory suggests that the formations were like a prayer to the Gods, pleading to them for salvation and deliverance, but the lack of tangible evidence pushes me to believe that the theory was merely the ramblings of religious zealots rather than sophisticated and truth-seeking individuals.


    As it is particularly close to Earth, the Aether Planet follows the exact same day-night cycle and, for most regions, the same four seasons. However, high-concentrations of Aether, either stable or unstable, were proven to have led to sometimes disastrous environmental degradation or the exponential and unabated evolution of the wildlife and flora.


    For instance, in the Whitefrost Planes, there have been sightings of Ice Energy that literally evolved into sentient elementals that were capable of speech and thought. Such phenomena could be seen all across the planet, but it is mostly influenced by natural rather than exterior or artificial means.


    In all of my years as an Archeologist, I could never forget the gargantuan treant found in the Living Forest, or the miraculous herbs that were able to regenerate an entire limb just by consuming them. In fact, a close friend of mine, who was also an Archeologist, once insisted that a certain golden plant in the Living Forest was able to bring back the dead to life. He spent all of his life searching for it and, gradually, his reputation plummeted as he was accused of heresy and Black Magic¡­ later on, he was publicly executed in the Serey Zhan Empire.

 Chapter 32 The Mist Reaper

    The portal, whatever it was, took Zeke to a grassy field seemingly outside of the Sunken Metropolis. There, the only source of light was the luminous moon hanging in the darkened canopy.


    He distanced himself from the twisting portal and, within seconds, saw Jonathan appear, followed right after by Amelia.


    ¡°Zeke¡­ s-stop this. Just give him what he wants.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Instead of responding, the young man kept staring at the portal, and when it started twisting, he immediately sprung into action; His body vanished as ¡®Life Motus¡¯ was activated, teleporting right in front of Jonathan.


    His fist, wrapped in dense azure lightning, emitted a faint orange glow as it struck the man¡¯s chest, blowing him to the back.


    Right at that second, Sulong and Jack came out of the portal and rushed at the distracted Amelia. They left her no choice, both of them holding her arms and forcefully dragging her back into the portal.


    ¡°Meddling pests.¡±-Jonathan


    A swirling black mist tried to stop the thugs but Zeke intervened. A rain of thunderbolts clashed with the mist, extinguishing it and buying enough time for Sulong, Jack, and Amelia to disappear back into the portal.


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Zeke spun his body and, with the use of ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯, evaded the incoming scythe, which grazed his left shoulder.


    The ghost-like entity and Jonathan¡¯s black mist attacked simultaneously, but Zeke stood his ground. He fired a ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ at the entity, piercing a hole through its illusory body, but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop it, so he followed up with consecutive shorts of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    The thunderbolts riddled the entity¡¯s body with holes and stopped its second attack. However, Zeke was hit by Jonathan, got pushed back, and rolled on the ground.


    ¡°You are simply unfit to use such transcendent abilities.¡±


    ¡°And you are?!¡± Zeke coughed blood and hastily got to his feet, more lightning emerging from his hands and spreading across his body.


    Several projectiles shot from the cloud of black mist, but this time, Zeke reacted accordingly and quickly switched paths and used ¡®Rune of Death¡¯ to absorb the influx of negative energy.


    The scythe was swept from up above as the ¡®ghost¡¯ descended upon him, so Zeke raised his arms and somehow managed to block it, but his skin was cut and shredded, causing an immense wave of excruciating pain.


    When the Rune of Life shone, indicating the negative energy was successfully converted and stored, Zeke used it on ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯, his bleeding hands grabbing the scythe and pulling it downwards.


    His body moved swiftly as it stomped on the slim entity then kicked it a distance away.


    Jonathan¡¯s mist attacked again, unleashing a unidirectional blast that pushed Zeke away before he could defend.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you acquired the Paths of Extinction, but you are inadequate and ignorant.¡±


    Even though he had the chance, Jonathan did not chase after Sulong and Jack. He seemed to be enjoying this fight and drew pleasure from seeing Zeke pushed to the brink.


    Zeke was about to use what remained of his Aether in one last devastating attack, but his heartbeat accelerated and his body stopped moving.


    ¡°Without the Crown, you are nothing. No one.¡±


    Jonathan appeared in front of the frozen Zeke and kicked his head before pressing his foot on his chest.


    ¡°Look at you¡­ a pitiful and malformed creature.¡±


    In response, Zeke, who finally regained control, held Jonathan¡¯s leg and tried pushing them to the side but the mist interfered. However, he didn¡¯t give up, going as far as consuming his own Life Aether to conjure the voltage.


    ¡°Even I am more of a human than you.¡±


    The Rune of Life let out a resplendent light as the blue lines from before instantly spread across its user¡¯s body, reinforcing it and empowering it.


    A thick bolt of lightning struck Jonathan¡¯s face, disfiguring it and blasting him dozens of meters in the air.


    Before his body decided to randomly stop functioning again, Zeke made use of all the stored Aether within the Rune of Life as well as his own in a final attack.


    Instead of ¡®Voltage Arrow,¡¯ he used ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which was more flexible; Zeke raised his right hand, which unleashed a veritable torrent of shiny lightning bolts that hit the airborne target.


    For the first time ever, Jonathan let out a painful cry as his body was charred by the voltage, and when his bloodied body thudded against the ground, there was a bit of steam rising up.


    His regenerative ability kicked in, but, surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t able to heal everything. He touched the long and fresh bloody scar on his cheek, his eyebrow raised.


    He was kneeling and seemingly absent-minded, so, with what left of his Life Aether, Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to appear in front of him then swept horizontally with his leg, planning to finish this once and for all.


    Now that it came to this, he couldn¡¯t run away, after all, he finally managed to land permanent wounds on the man.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡±


    Just as his leg was about to hit Jonathan¡¯s neck, Zeke¡¯s body was zapped by thin and black thunder.


    Fortunately, the attack wasn¡¯t strong enough, so it merely stopped Zeke and pushed him to the back.


    Amelia ran to Jonathan¡¯s side and helped him stand. The ghost-like entity returned to its side, but it was blurry and in a worse state than he was.


    ¡°What are you doing, Amelia?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a bad person!¡±


    She retorted without a loud shout. She wanted to offer a better explanation but the crimson line appeared, linking the Crown and the Holder together.


    As she started experiencing the agony, Amelia clutched the crystal in her chest and, while painfully yelling, began pulling it out.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Upon seeing this, Jonathan snapped out of it and attempted to interfere but couldn¡¯t as a literal birdcage of black lightning appeared out of thin air, protecting and trapping Amelia within.


    ¡°Y-you want the C¡­Crown, r¡­ight?¡±


    She was talking to the stupefied Zeke, tears filling her eyes as she struggled with all her might. Slowly but surely, the black crystal embedded into her chest was revealing itself, willingly separating itself from its current host.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke couldn¡¯t deny her words, after all, securing the Crown was the only way he could survive this ordeal. He had planned to separate Amelia from Jonathan and then find a safe way to remove the Crown from her body.


    For a couple of seconds, he hesitated and wondered whether stopping her reckless actions was the right way, but upon seeing her shout from the pain and agony, he couldn''t find it in himself to force her into doing this.


    The words he quietly uttered, however, were drowned by Jonathan¡¯s sudden change of behavior. He sprung into a total frenzy and kept banging on the birdcage, telling her to stop.


    Alas, the girl was determined and, by the end of it, her chest was nothing but a gaping and bloody hole; She fell to her knees, her face pale and eyes lifeless.


    As for the Crown, it hovered in the air for a second then shot at the unsuspecting Zeke. Unlike Amelia, it didn¡¯t engrave itself on his chest and, instead, merged with his body.


    Its arrival brought with it a wave of blistering coldness that momentarily froze Zeke¡¯s body and muddled his mind. After the initial strange occurrence, he felt nothing but clarity and serenity, his body felt lighter and his Life Aether was fully regenerated.


    Zeke was so lost in the moment that he only noticed the incoming scythe at the last second.


    He ducked to avoid it then used his open and lightning-imbued hand to strike Jonathan, leaving a fresh imprint on his left side of the chest.


    The man seemed to have merged with his other insidious and sinister side, empowering it. He purposely refrained from using the black mist as Zeke would just absorb it, but that didn¡¯t mean he became weakened.


    Quite the contrary, his speed was faster than Zeke¡¯s, and the only thing that slowed him down was the voltage.


    Zeke used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ to defend himself for a bit, but it wasn¡¯t working as he kept getting pushed back and slashed by the scythe.


    ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill! I want your eyes! YOUR EYES!¡±


    ¡®His power is getting exponentially bigger! Ugh!¡¯


    He blocked another attack but an invisible shock wave sent him flying like a kite, and when he crashed to the ground, Zeke felt his shoulder get dislocated.


    He wasn¡¯t even given the time to stand up as the scythe came flying down, nailing his leg to the ground while another shock wave hammered down on his body.


    Jonathan¡¯s distorted and ghastly face stared down at him, a wide and creepy smile plastered on his face as he manically laughed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go down like th-¡±


    Zeke words were cut off by a punch right in the face, which almost knocked him unconscious. As extreme dizziness overwhelmed him, he stubbornly stared back at the man only to see a lightning-fast silhouette rush from the side and strike his flank.


    The force of the unexpected hit was enough to blow Jonathan all the way to the back, and when he recovered, he was assaulted by a sea of vermillion flames that momentarily rooted him to the ground.


    ¡°Right on cue!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Julia inspected the beaten-down Zeke, a cheeky smile on her beaming face. A short distance away stood Azmer, who glanced at the unconscious Amelia then focus on Jonathan.


    Although surprised to see them here, Zeke offered no remarks. He spat the dirt and blood stuck in his mouth and got, with great difficulty, got back to his feet.


    His left shoulder was dislocated, his nose bleeding, and his right leg was severely injured. Still, he bore through the pain by gritting his teeth and concentrating on invoking his Life Aether.


    He looked at Julia, but the girl shrugged her shoulders and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s a big fish this time¡­ and a scary one, at that.¡±


    When Zeke¡¯s eyes shifted to Azmer, the blond-haired youth snorted and said,


    ¡°Just to be clear, I was sent here by the Dean. Then again, it¡¯s not surprising to see a loser like you in such a state.¡±


    ¡°Hah! We¡¯ll see how you fare!¡± Retorted Zeke as he raised his right arm, conjuring a strong version of ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯.


    As the spear was materializing, Julia crouched her body ever-so-slightly then performed an impressive and fast leap at the incapacitated Jonathan.


    She was unimaginably fast, so much so that the enemy could only use his scythe to block her incoming punch. For the second time, he was blasted to the back, but he used the momentum to stabilize his body and fly in the air, though that made him an easy target for Azmer¡¯s pyromancy.


    ¡®Hm? It¡¯s healing?¡¯


    Zeke noticed that his body was regenerating at an abnormal pace. By the time ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ was completed, all his wounds were healed.


    ¡®Is the Crown doing this?¡¯


    Jonathan was scorched by the flames, however, he kept laughing disturbingly.


    When Zeke saw an opportunity, he threw the spear of lightning but, unexpectedly, it went through the target and kept flying toward the night sky, disappearing from view thereafter.


    With the enemy distracted, Zeke rushed toward Amelia, planning to take her away, but that turned out to be the wrong move.


    ¡°You will not take her.¡± The continuous laughter seized and was replaced by the calm and cold voice of the real Jonathan.


    He used an ability similar to ¡®Life Motus¡¯, teleporting himself next to Amelia and ¡®building¡¯ a dome-like barrier made of dense black mist.


    Julia and Azmer charged at him simultaneously, the girl making use of her fast acceleration to gain momentum while the latter was holding the flaming golden sword he had used against Fylard.


    Unfortunately, their attacks no longer worked as a slithering black snake came out of Jonathan¡¯s mouth, instantly becoming big and swirling around its master.


    It easily blocked the golden sword and the girl¡¯s monstrous strength, it even retaliated by hissing and spitting poisonous liquid all around.


    With Amelia in his arms, Jonathan stood atop the snake and looked at Zeke.


    [Special Mission initiated: The Mist Reaper]


    [Eliminate Jonathan Stellar Link]


    [Rewards: +100EXP | +40 PE | 40 points into one of the following stats: Strength | Agility | Aether]


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve lost this one to you¡­ so be it.¡±


    He softly smiled as his body was wrapped by a swirling black mist, which vanished thereafter, leaving only the echoing hisses of the snake in its wake.


    [Special Mission ¡®Retrieval of the Crown¡¯ completed!]


    [Rewards: 50 EXP | 25PE | 20 points into one of the following stats: Strength | Agility | Aether]

 Chapter 33 Meteor

    ¡°There¡¯s no one here.¡±


    Celestia and the other five members of the squad suspiciously looked at Detective Vans. He led them to an empty field West of the Sunken Metropolis, claiming that he had received reports mentioning Jonathan¡¯s presence here.


    However, even after searching for half an hour, they found nothing of import. No one lived here, and the lack of any vegetation made it difficult to hide in here.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think this was all a trick.¡± Stated James as he glared at Vans Valort.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not denying it¡­¡±


    The six surrounded the man, and though they didn¡¯t use any violence, their piercing gazes were threatening enough.


    ¡°You realized that this is a waste of all of our time, right? Jonathan could be in Kethra¡¯s Arms, about to kill another innocent person.¡±


    Truthfully speaking, Vans was having slight regrets, but even as he was pressured, he refused to spill the beans and blame Zeke. He wasn¡¯t forced to do any of this and, deep in his heart, hoped that Zeke succeeded in helping Amelia.


    ¡°Yo yo! What!?¡±


    V, who was wearing sunglasses in the dead of the night, removed them and stared at the sky. The rest followed his gaze only to be rendered gobs-smacked by the ludicrous sight.


    On the other side of the Sunken Metropolis, a blindingly resplendent crimson meteor was descending from the darkened sky.


    Although its size was relatively small, the light it was emitting covered almost the entire canopy.


    ¡°What in the¡­¡±


    Even the usually composed James was speechless by the spectacle. It was extremely improbable for a meteor to strike the planet without any prior notice. Moreover, this one seemed to have appeared out of thin air¡­


    ****


    ¡°Fuck¡­. Fuck! What¡¯s that?!¡±


    Julia was cursing out loud, her eyes reflecting the incoming meteor. It was still a distance away to see it properly, but it was definitely a falling meteor covered in a crimson light.


    Zeke was the most astonished of the three as the sight was strikingly similar to the one he experienced that day. However, unlike last time, everyone could see the crimson star. Furthermore, it seemed to be heading directly at him, which was surely not a coincidence.


    [The Holder and The Crown have successfully merged¡­ initiating the first tribulation.]


    ¡®Tribulation? Really?¡¯


    After the initial and momentary shock, the three students dashed toward the purple portal. Azmer and Julia were the first to go through, but when Zeke was about to follow, his body was thrown to the back. It wasn¡¯t the portal itself that rejected him, but something else¡­ something invisible and powerful.


    Back on the other side of the portal, in that dark and old basement, Julia and Azmer looked at the portal, waiting for Zeke, who never appeared.


    ¡°Where is he?!¡±


    Julia Lopmore restlessly paced around the portal before realizing something, thus making her jump back while cursing under her breath.


    Azmer stood there, frowning as he examined the two thugs laying on the ground and groaning in pain. They seemed to have been hit by Amelia¡¯s black lightning, the scorch wounds on their bodies were a clear indication of that.


    The blond-haired youth stood there only for a couple of breaths, contemplating his choices before leaping into the purple portal.


    When he returned to the other side, what welcomed his sight was a reddened sky and a suffocating heat that made his body shiver instinctively.


    Julia was trying to convince Zeke but the latter had his head raised and his body enveloped in blue lightning; He was clearly about to face off against the meteor.


    The incoming danger was a boulder emitting a crimson light, its diameter was no more than 40 meters, but that didn¡¯t make it any less frightening, especially when it was headed right at you.


    ¡°You¡¯re freaking crazy! What are you hoping to achieve?!¡±


    Zeke turned his head ever-so-slightly and chuckled, looking no different than a madman. He seemed determined to see this to its end as more lightning burst from his right hand, swirling uncontrollably as it rose higher and higher.


    Eventually, Julia angrily stomped the ground and shouted, ¡°This time, you¡¯ll owe me for real!¡±


    She closed her eyes and took deep breaths as a layer of milky-white aura covered her skin and shattered the ground under her feet.


    The last one was Azmer, who gave one last glance at the portal and then conjured his golden fire. His body was like a vacuum, pulling any and all Ambient Aether into his body and then converting it into Fire Energy.


    Within a couple of seconds, a miniature golden sun was hovering above his profusely sweating head. He seemed to have trouble controlling it and was waiting for the meteor to get closer.


    At last, the inevitable doom was upon them; Zeke¡¯s body unleashed a veritable pillar of voltage that shot at the blinding boulder, Julia¡¯s body was like a cannonball, rising upwards and crashing straight into the meteor, and Azmer¡¯s ¡®golden sun¡¯ exploded deafeningly, resulting in a raging sea of flames that spread in the sky and slowly diminished the crimson light.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    For a second or two, there was nothing but an ominous silence, followed thereafter by a devastating shock wave that blasted all three youngsters dozens of meters to the back.


    The so-called ¡®tribulation¡¯ was cracked by Julia¡¯s attack, which it hit first, then it was pierced by the voltage and melted by Azmer¡¯s flames.


    A medium-sized crater and a cloud of dust could be seen around the unscathed purple portal. Zeke, Julia, and Azmer were laying on the ground, two of them seemingly unconscious and the last one coughing and groaning.


    Azmer pushed his hands against the ground and sat up, his eyes wandering all around him but the cloud of dust blocked his vision. His head was ringing and his body beyond exhausted, refusing to obey him.


    When enough time has passed and the night gales blew away the dust, Azmer saw the unconscious Julia and Zeke. He tried to take out his phone and call for help but his body failed him, at last, and he fell to the ground.


    ¡°I-is it safe?¡±


    Jack and Sulong, both of which were in a horrible physical condition, dragged their injured bodies across the portal and looked around. They quickly spotted the three students, but what caught their attention was the devastation that wrought this area.


    While Jack dragged Azmer¡¯s body, Sulong put Julia and Zeke¡¯s bodies on his shoulders and grunted in annoyance.


    ¡°1200 Alc? He better pays me more than that for all of this!¡±


    The two thugs carried the three students back to their office instead of going to a hospital. Sulong didn¡¯t want to be interrogated regarding his involvement in Jonathan¡¯s case, so the best option for him was to remain devoid of suspicion and wait for Zeke and co to recover on their own.


    ¡­


    Barely an hour passed after the incident yet the place in which the meteor crashed was filled to the brim with soldiers. The curious journalists and media were warned to stay at the back as the place was blockaded.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be Jonathan¡¯s doing¡­¡±


    The Special Investigation Squad, although intrigued about this unusual phenomenon, didn¡¯t linger there for more than necessary. The Department of Defense was quick to act and had already dispatched dozens of soldiers to seal the region and properly investigate.


    Of course, the portal leading to the basement in Kethra¡¯s Arms was discovered, which only raised more questions and was another incentive to keep things under a tight wrap. After all, that portal wasn¡¯t something unfamiliar, it was the selfsame means of translocation used by the higher-ranked Proto Demons. However, this one, strangely enough, seemed to be a simple portal linking two far-away locations.


    ***


    ¡°Agh¡­¡±


    Zeke¡¯s eyes flung open as he gasped for breath, his body sweating buckets. He was sitting on a hard and dirty mattress in what could only be described as a cramped storage room.


    Julia was curled on top of another mattress, seemingly sound asleep and enjoying a good dream. Azmer, on the other hand, was frowning and experiencing a nightmare.


    ¡®Right¡­ we faced the tribulation.¡¯


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 5 (52/65 EXP)]


    [Strength: 59]


    [Agility: 59]


    [Aether: 56]


    [Fortitude: 9]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 89%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 55%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(10%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(Proficiency 68%)]


    [Available PE: 30]


    [Available Stat Points: 20]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    After checking the System Logs, Zeke saw that, by successfully surviving the first tribulation, he was required with a bit of PE and some stats. Moreover, after over-exerting himself in the usage of ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯ and ¡®Rune of Life¡¯, both of the skills¡¯ proficiency increased considerably.


    ¡®I still think I wouldn¡¯t have survived if these two didn¡¯t help.¡¯


    He was still feeling tired, but the sensation what wholly different from the ¡®degradation procedure¡¯ he had suffered through. Basically, he just needed more rest and he would recover to his peak state.


    ¡®Amelia¡­ why did you save him? Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡¯


    The youth dragged his feet outside of the storage room and soon recognized where he was at: Sulong¡¯s workplace.


    He marched to the main office and, as expected, saw the two thugs watching the TV and drinking beer.


    ¡°The little ¡®angel¡¯ woke up. Wohoo¡­¡± Sarcastically cheered Sulong as he gave a side-way glance to Zeke. You could see bandages wrapped around his left arm and chest, but ignoring that, he seemed to be healthy. Jack too, was in a very good mood as he fiddled with a shiny red crystal while giggling like a child.


    ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡±


    ¡°Seven hours? Give or take.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke walked to a nearby table and gobbled the snacks under the annoyed watch of the baldy. When he felt a bit full, he slumped on the couch, frowning as he watched the TV.


    ¡°He escaped, did he not? We didn¡¯t see the girl with you so he must¡¯ve taken her too. She attacked us out of the blue¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Does that mean you got what you want?¡±


    ¡°You could say that.¡± Nonchalantly answered Zeke as he let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Well¡­ we didn¡¯t get our much-wanted revenge, however¡­¡± Sulong grinned and took out a crystal similar to the one Jack was playing with.


    ¡°We found a couple of these near the crash site. Apparently, it¡¯s worth alot in the Black Market.¡±


    Zeke tried to snatch it and examine but Sulong shook his head and hid it in his pocket.


    ¡°That¡¯s our payment. As mere ¡®mortals¡¯, we suffered during your clash with that freak. To begin with, we only got our hands on seven such crystals.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then. How about you use them to fund your work? Make it more presentable and legal?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing nothing but his silence, Zeke scoffed and added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were planning on wasting all your money on booze and whatnot?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our money! We can use it however we want!¡± Objected Jack, but he was immediately silenced by his friend.


    ¡°It was just a proposition. If you want us to cooperate in the future, at least work harder to better yourself instead of being wasteful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re slimy bastard, you know that? I let you stay here free of charge and saved your life. If I left you there, you¡¯d be locked in an unbreakable cell in the Department of Defense¡¯s Headquarters.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m grateful for that. But, I think the crystals were enough of a payment.¡±


    ¡°Hah! It¡¯s not like they¡¯re yours.¡±


    ¡°Who can tell? Maybe I left them there.¡±


    ¡°Nonsensical sophistry! How about you get out of here with your friends before that detective comes knocking on my door.¡±


    *****


    In the blistering wastes of the Whitefrost Planes, Jonathan Stellar Link was carrying the unconscious Amelia on his back and fighting against the raging blizzard that was making his walking slower than a snail.


    The Whitefrost Planes were North-West of the Nezulian Republic, hundreds of kilometers away from the Sunken Metropolis. Subsequent to his failure to contain the Crown within Amelia, Jonathan decided to flee the country before the Department of Defense made a move.


    He had no reason to expose himself to more danger, especially not after losing to Paths of Extinction System to Zeke.


    While gritting his teeth, Jonathan bore through the freezing cold and pushed his heavy feet across the knee-deep thick snow. His next destination would be the Witch Association, in which he was certain another System existed.


    ¡°We shall see how long you¡¯ll last, Zeke Orland. We shall see if you will accept your imminent demise.¡±


    END OF Volume 1 : The Crown

 Chapter 34 The Counselor

    The sixth day after leaving Erys, Zeke returned with Azmer and Julia. Even waking up, the two were awfully silent, especially the latter. Her habit of inquiring about every little thing was absent, her eyes lowered as she pondered about something.


    Azmer, on the other hand, was expressionless and though he walked a little at the back, he also seemed to be in a daze. Either they were traumatized by facing that strange meteor, or there was something Zeke was unaware of.


    ¡®It¡¯s natural for them to have suspicions. They couldn¡¯t have noticed that the meteor was aimed straight at me as if controlled by something, but its abrupt arrival can¡¯t be ignored. Why would the Dean send them there? Also, how did he knows where I was? No no¡­ maybe he told them about that strange portal. It¡¯s odd and uncanny, so much so that I find it difficult to trust the Dean.¡¯


    Zeke caressed the Rune of Line out of habit, a sigh escaping his lips. He succeeded in acquiring the Crown and saving his life from imminent death, but he failed in saving Amelia.


    ¡®I have a decent amount of points waiting to be allocated, and I¡¯m about to level up again. Still, Jonathan was using Amelia as a vessel, however, the way he reacted was strange. He had no reason to take her with him. Then again, it could be that I¡¯m lacking sensitive information.¡¯


    The trip back to Erys was filled with a tense silence; Around 8 in the morning, a bit after the first lessons started, the three students snuck into Erys but, fortunately, weren¡¯t seen.


    Julia absent-mindedly waved her hand and swiftly left whereas Azmer stood still and stared at Zeke.


    ¡°You did something, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Confused by his vague words, Zeke frowned and opted for silence.


    ¡°You resorted to the taboo. It couldn¡¯t have been a late awakening.¡±


    Zeke let out a hoarse laugh in response, thoughtfully retorting, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business what I did. Your unsolicited actions absolve nothing.¡±


    After voicing his thoughts, he clicked his tongue and walked away, his back intensely stared at by the blond-haired Azmer.


    ¡­


    Zeke knew that, by going against the notice and leaving Erys, there would be consequences. Therefore, he didn¡¯t go to the dormitory or join his classmates for the first lesson, instead of heading directly to the Administration Bureau.


    He paused in front of the largest building in Erys, feeling half-hesitant half-apprehensive. If he wanted to maintain his status as a student, he had to face either the Student Council or the Special Investigation Squad which Maxine was part of. He had ditched Celestia and tried to deny any sort of involvement would only complicate the situation.


    Thus, he concocted a believable lie, one that held a bit of truth in it. Of course, he was going to omit any detail about his fight against Jonathan outside of the city, and from the looks of it, neither Julia nor Azmer were going to disclose anything.


    Even though they acted on the behest of the Dean, there was a high possibility they would be punished. Azmer, especially, wanted to avoid getting more Black Stars.


    Zeke took a deep breath and just as he was about to enter, he heard a disembodied voice reverberate in his head. It was that of a woman, an elderly one, from the sound of it.


    ¡°The Principal is expecting you. Top floor, main office.¡±


    He nodded to himself and instinctively gulped.


    ¡®Principal Solas, one of the strongest human beings on the Aether Planet. Will he detect the System? I sure hope not¡­¡¯


    The existence and origin of the Paths of Extinction were still shrouded in deep mystery. Zeke acquired it only recently but experienced many strange and dangerous events, but the most terrifying was the Tribulation, which totally came out of the blue.


    ¡®It granted me magical abilities, strengthened my body, and sometimes provided me with unknown historical events. It literally plucked a comet from the stars¡­ and now, Jonathan, the only clue about it, had fled.¡¯


    Zeke neither had the connection the monetary capabilities to launch an extensive investigation. He considered himself well-versed in History yet there wasn¡¯t a shred of information about the System or anything similar to it.


    Either the government or a secret organization was purposely hiding anything about the System, or it was truly a mystical and far-reaching ¡®entity¡¯ from outside the Aether Planet. Then again, the fact that Jonathan Stellar Link knew about it indicated that definitive clues existence, one just had to look hard enough, possibly even outside of the Sunken Metropolis.


    Soon, after taking the elevator, Zeke arrived at the top floor and headed to the place mentioned by the disembodied voice.


    Twin and exquisite black doors were in front of him, and at their side stood an old woman taller than he was. She had a pointy nose, slightly grey-ish eyes, and snow-white hair tied into a small bun.


    ¡®The hair color is similar to Vanessa¡¯s. A relative, perhaps?¡¯


    The elderly woman leaned forward and opened the twin doors, beckoning him to enter before closing them and remaining outside.


    As he stepped into the warm and extravagant office, Zeke a chill down his spines as a pair of eyes were carefully probing him.


    A couple of meters away, sitting behind a large granite desk was Principal Solas, the founder of Erys and an individual whose profound powers were almost unrivaled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, Zeke Orland.¡±


    While caressing his small beard, Solas motioned for the quiet Zeke to sit down.


    However, even after he did that, Zeke did not speak and felt uncomfortable and slightly suffocated. He didn¡¯t like the tense silence, nor did he like the scrutinizing stare of Solas.


    When an indeterminate amount of time passed, the old man sat back, his right arm resting on the desk.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s Erys, the government, or society itself, there are Laws and Rules to uphold. The notice, and- by extension- the curfew, were laid out to stop the students from endangering themselves. I trust that, on more than one occasion, you¡¯ve seen what a lunatic like Jonathan was capable of.¡±


    Zeke understood what Principal Solas was getting at, but it was too late for regrets. Ironically, it was staying in Erys and doing nothing that endangered his life, therefore, he had to seek an option outside, by following the System.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Hearing no response from the stone-faced youth, Solas chuckled and added,


    ¡°Do you know that we have a counselor? If any student or teacher has issues, they could seek help from our professional. When enrolling into Erys, all students gloss over the contract and ignore the offered Terms and Services, which is why I have to empathize that we do indeed have someone capable of helping troubled students. Instead of breaking the rules and going off on your own, you could have gone to the counselor, or even to a teacher for help.¡±


    ¡°A few words of reassurance would have done naught.¡± Retorted Zeke with a determined expression.


    ¡°With all due respect, sir, the only help I required was the ability to freely leave the school. I doubt the counselor or the teachers would have agreed to that.¡±


    Solas leaned forward and extended his hand toward a seemingly standard black pen. He held it tightly and scribbled on a blank piece of paper but either the pen wasn¡¯t working, or he was just playing around as no words were written.


    The elder nodded to himself and whispered under his breath then focus his attention back on Zeke.


    ¡°Regardless of background and talent, appropriate punishment is warranted for any misbehaving student.  On the account that the Dean himself let you leave, I will not go as far as expelling you, but you will receive two Black Stars.¡±


    Hearing this, Zeke breathed a sigh of relief, not particularly bothered by the black stars. Yes, after a certain amount of received black stars, the student would be expelled, but Erys didn¡¯t go around giving black stars to any unruly students. If it was the case, the ¡®delinquents¡¯ that would leave their dormitory at night to do clandestine things would have been expelled already after their repeated and fairly regular ¡®hang-outs¡¯.


    ¡°In addition¡­¡±


    Zeke thought it was over, but it wasn¡¯t, unfortunately. He tensed up and waited for Solas to continue.


    ¡°You are to visit counselor Mary once a week for two months, maybe more depending on her judgment.¡±


    Just as he finished speaking, the twin black doors were pushed open a small group of students came in. At their lead was the ashen-haired Vanessa, who stopped dead in her tracks, surprised to see Zeke sitting in front of her Solas.


    The rest of her squad was astonished too, especially Maxine. She barely held herself back from running to him and inquiring about every little him.


    Solas threw a cursory glance at the six students before staring at Zeke and resuming,


    ¡°Last but not least, you will join this lot as a probationary member. I don¡¯t have to remind you that refusing is not an option¡­ unless you want to quit, hehe.¡±


    ¡®He must know about me and Azmer, so the Counselor thing is to be expected. But why force me to join them? It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Perfunctorily replied Zeke, but Celestia immediately voiced her objection.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let a First-Year join the Special Investigation Squad. As the Vice-President of the Student Council, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair or necessary. Sir, please reconsider.¡±


    The big-breasted Celestia didn¡¯t like Zeke, especially after he had ditched her. She gave him an angry and venomous glare as she protested.


    ¡°Grandfather, I think it¡¯s unwise. The investigation is not over and he could be in danger aga-¡±


    Vanessa too, disagreed, but Solas raised his hand, interrupting her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just received a report that Jonathan had fled the city. It¡¯s neither beneficial nor within my jurisdiction for us to continue investigating. For his own safety¡­ and to avoid any more unnecessary complications, I believe you should observe Zeke. Keep him in check too.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m still here, you know!¡¯ inwardly thought Zeke as he sighed and kept quiet.


    ¡°Sir, Zeke just awakened and should not be¡­¡±


    Maxine wanted to change the Principal¡¯s mind but he interrupted again, chuckling heartily. His jet black eyes pierced through Zeke, making him feel as if all of his secrets were unveiled and laid bare.


    Before he said anything, he put the black pen aside, raised his hand, and snapped his fingers, causing a momentary ringing sound.


    Although Zeke didn¡¯t understand, Maxine and co knew that it was a spell that isolated the office from the outside.


    ¡°I believe it has become quite clear that it wasn¡¯t a late awakening, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Zeke?¡±


    Upon hearing his words, Zeke stiffened and tried to control his expression.


    Celestia and the rest were either surprised or confused, but they didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I know for a fact you didn¡¯t resort to Black Magic or anything taboo, so you don¡¯t need to be nervous. Whether it was coincidental or not, it is yours now. Since you¡¯re so adamant about keeping your counsel, I will not say anything else.¡±


    Solas turned his head towards his granddaughter and her team members.


    ¡°I told you this so you lot can stop having weird ideas and suspecting Zeke. Yes, I¡¯m talking about you, James.¡±


    The person in question lowered his head apologetically.


    ¡°Regardless of his ability, Zeke Orland is a student of Erys and should be treated as such. Admittedly, he¡¯s a little bit special, but that wouldn¡¯t change anything. From now on, I want to hear nothing about his involvement with Jonathan Stellar Link. Additionally, you are to mention this to no one. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The six responded in unison.


    ¡°Good. If the Department of Defense sends anyone, including Edward Orland, to inquire about the case, do not mention Zeke. Hehe.¡±


    Solas softly laughed and snapped his fingers again. He dismissively waved his hand, so they all turned around to leave.


    ¡°Ah! I almost forgot. Vanessa, stay for a bit.¡±


    The girl furrowed her brows and looked at her grandfather. She glanced at the stoic Zeke then nodded her head.


    ¡®He must know about the System, that¡¯s the only explanation. Will he tell me if I ask? Probably not¡­¡¯


    As he followed his sister out of the principal¡¯s office, Zeke was in deep thought. Things out turned out better than he had expected, but the fact that his secret was exposed made him feel restless. The lack of information regarding the System notwithstanding, he felt safe that no one knew the truth, but things have changed now. Moreover, Solas had partially revealed the truth to Maxine and the other five, and though he warned them not to say anything, there was bound to be repercussions born out of morbid curiosity.


    Unknowingly, Zeke followed his seniors to the cozy lounge, which was on the second to the top floor, the same one in which the office of the Student Council was located.


    Apart from Celestia, Maxine, V, and James, he noticed the unfamiliar youth wearing a black hoodie on top of his student uniform.


    Celestia sat down on the couch and massaged her aching temples as she glared at the quiet Zeke.


    ¡°How are you? Were you hurt?¡±


    Maxine, on the other hand, was worried as she inspected his body and asked with a soft voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Max. Nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°Why were you-... never mind. At least you¡¯re okay.¡± Even though Maxine wanted to know why her brother was behaving strangely, she held back and refrained from asking any questions.


    V, however, wasn¡¯t as sensitive, and after closing the door, he dashed next to Zeke.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to tell us how you got your abilities, right? We¡¯re officially colleagues now!¡±


    ¡°Cut it out, V.¡± James pulled his friend to the side and, with menacing eyes, silently warned him to keep quiet.


    The room was dominated by an awkward bout of silence, which was broken by the leader of the Special Investigation Squad, Celestia Black.


    ¡°Did you have fun outside?¡±


    Out of all five colleagues of his sister, Zeke disliked Celestia the most. Maybe it had to do with her notorious reputation or venomous tongue, either way, he didn¡¯t hold any respect for her. Even when he talked back to her, his voice lacked politeness.


    ¡°I did. Thank you for your help.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You don¡¯t look that grateful.¡± She gritted her teeth and calmed herself down, plastering a wide and cold smile.


    ¡°You went on your own and nearly got both of us killed.¡±


    Zeke shrugged his shoulders and retorted on the spot, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect what I was looking for to be there. An unfortunate coincidence, truly.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. Go rest for a bit and don¡¯t forget to visit Miss Mary later. She is usually out in the morning.¡±


    Maxine patted his shoulder and urged him to leave, which he did. He didn¡¯t like being stared at so intensely by six people, all their inquisitive eyes silently demanding answers.

 Chapter 35 Emperor Edward Heart

    21st January, I still can¡¯t believe what happened. I saw a falling red star when I was going back from work, but when I told my roommate, they mocked me.


    22nd January, I saw it again! I¡¯m sure of it! I have this inexplicable urge to see it again. It must be a sign from the Gods! It must be!


    26th January, I stayed all night and was able to see it again, but it came straight at me! When I woke up, I felt a bit different. I heard sinister murmurs in my head, is the devil whispering in my ear? I must go to the church to pray.


    12th February, I actually got powers from the so-called Paths of Extinctions System! I was so busy fleeing to the border and couldn¡¯t complete the mission it ¡®entrusted¡¯ me. Still, I got a lot of available paths¡­ I wonder what they are? They have seemingly normal names like ¡®Soldier¡¯ and ¡®Judge¡¯. Admittedly, some are more enticing than others.


    14th February, I used all my available PE in the ¡®soldier main path¡¯, which subsequently strengthened my body and granted me ¡®skills¡¯. I was even able to Rom, who¡¯s much larger than me. I still don¡¯t feel confident tough, with the raging war, there¡¯s a big chance I die if I join the military. Then again, if we get captured, either they kill us or forcefully conscript us.


    27th February, the second Moon literally turned black! I was notified by the System about a tribulation but nothing happened. I just felt a bit weird and out of breath. Is it due to the mystical ¡®Fateless¡¯ Skill? If only the System was more generous with its explanation.


    2nd April, fuck this shitty System! I can¡¯t figure out a thing! I want to know where it came from! Is it a higher-grade Artifact? An Impiety Artifact? It seems like one, but it¡¯s intangible and even when I used it in front of the commander, he didn¡¯t notice a thing!


    18th January, I¡¯m really tired. I no longer feel the need to do anything. I wish I could hibernate like a bear.


    2nd January, I discovered clues about the System but I was almost killed! Damnit! Who-... or what were those freaks?


    28th February, Paths of Extinction, even after all these years, I still don¡¯t know its meaning. I¡¯ve actually changed my tactic. I¡¯m going to unlock all the Paths, even the minor ones, and count them.


    15th May, I¡¯m researching astrology. The System is definitely not from this planet. Is it from the Land of Gods, perhaps?


    13th July, they¡¯re calling me a deviant and a blasphemer. Their fear of the unknown and their ignorance will continue to beget misery and injustice. I will leave their nations and create one of my own!


    A man with curly and short brown hair, sky-blue eyes, and long and thick eyebrows closed the diary and let out an exasperated sigh. He drew a semi-circle on the table, causing a magical and bottomless black space to appear.


    He casually tossed small-sized yellow papers inside and drew the same symbol again.


    ¡°Edward Heart, the Mad Emperor. He wasn¡¯t as crazy as people portrayed him to be. It¡¯s clear that it¡¯s an outside influence¡­ likely to be the System. Why did he disappear? Did he actually achieve Godhood? I need to collect more pages.¡±


    The exiled vagabond, Frederic Whitefort, sipped on his cold lemon tea and enjoyed the sight of the falling snow. The room he was in, albeit small, was cozy and filled with the scent of books and paper.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Frederic was a history-enthusiast and was obsessed with anything mystical and strange. Due to his unending obsessiveness and adamance about following family traditions, he was exiled from home, but he didn¡¯t care.


    He was smart enough to procure money for his travel through the use of his decent talent in combat and his collection of old and cursed artifacts. His reputation was rock-bottom, so much so that he was considered a criminal in the Nezulian Republic.


    After contemplating with himself for more than an hour, Frederic paced around the room, seemingly looking for something.


    ¡°Aha! I found you!¡±


    He kicked a stack of books to the side and hastily knelt down, snatching a squirming wooden eyeball that lacked any pupils.


    He stared at it for a bit and complained, ¡°It¡¯ll decrease my lifespan but one year¡­ no matter! I¡¯m running out of clues and the witches won¡¯t accommodate it now that the job is over.¡±


    He returned to the table near the window and sat down, his back straight and his cheeks a little red.


    ¡°Divination it is!¡±


    Frederic put the wooden eyeball and muttered a few words under his breath, which caused a reaction. The eyeball seemed to have come to life as crimson veins protruded and wriggled disgustingly like worms.


    The Eye of Malediction spun clockwise before focusing on the handsome blond-haired man. An ominous swirling black light burst from the eyeball, bathing Frederic in a bone-chilling and sinister aura.


    His vision turned dark for a moment before his surroundings changed. Curious and unwilling to waste this opportunity after sacrificing a year of his remaining life, Frederic looked around and, fortunately, recognized the place.


    ¡®It¡¯s Erys. The clue is a student?¡¯


    Frederic was there for barely ten seconds before he returned to the warm room, cold sweating dripping off his forehead. He carefully lifted the Eye of Malediction and put it in a small and exquisite golden box, though he knew it would try to hide from him. However, the strange thing was that, despite its innumerable escape attempts, it only tried to hide from his sight and never actually fled far away.


    ¡°Fate really bounds me to that conservative nation. Now then, how can I smuggle myself in?¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Two black stars? My god!¡±


    Samuel smacked his lips and glanced at the locked door of the room. He had been worried about his friend¡¯s sudden disappearance but didn¡¯t have the means to look for him.


    Azmer disappeared too, and the surprising thing was that they came back together.


    ¡°Knowing you, I doubt I¡¯ll hear the full truth. Whatever! It¡¯s good to have you back.¡±


    Samuel chuckled and patted Zeke¡¯s shoulder, a beaming smile on his face.


    Zeke nodded back, his impression of the detective¡¯s son changing slowly but surely.


    ¡°E-excuse me¡­ can you help me again?¡±


    Once the two¡¯s conversation came to an end, Alan, who was minding his business, timidly approached Zeke while bowing and presenting his notebook. He clearly was asking for more ¡®tutoring¡¯.


    ¡°Ah! Yeah I want help too! That damn Christopher wants all of us to write a 20-page essay. It¡¯s madness, I¡¯m telling you!¡±


    Although he was tired, Zeke didn¡¯t object and spent approximately an hour explaining something and answering their questions, which were mostly related to Theoretical Aether Manipulation or Mathematics.


    By the time he was done and laid on his bed, Azmer returned from wherever he had been, looking as grumpy and gloomy as ever before.


    It was quite noticeable that he has been way less talkative and more preoccupied with training or studying. Then again, Rodrick had been his only friend and now that they no longer hang out together, Azmer no longer had any motive to do anything but improving himself.


    He cast a cold glance at Zeke before going to his bed and silently lying down, seemingly absent-minded.


    ¡®I already knew that he was stronger than his actual rank. Why is he keeping a low profile though? I thought he wanted to please his father by showing good results. This is definitely not the way to do it.¡¯


    Azmer too, had an overly-successful sibling, one who was significantly more talented. Zeke¡¯s knowledge about Azmer¡¯s family was limited, but, at the very least, knew that Azmer always sought validation from his stern and prideful father.


    Zeke was lost in thought and unknowingly ended up falling asleep. Unlike all the previous dreamless nights, however, he ¡®awakened¡¯ in his dream and was totally lucid.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯


    He panicked a bit but quickly composed himself and looked around, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings; The place was unusually dark and cold, and the architecture was not from the Nezulian Republic or its neighbors.


    ¡®It¡¯s a mausoleum.¡¯


    He was inside a mausoleum from an unknown, and possibly forgotten era.


    Zeke tentatively walked around, squinting his eyes and trying to see through the darkness. Eventually, he got accustomed to the obscurity and saw a huge statue that was made of black crystal.


    ¡®It''s like the Crown¡¯s when it was in Amelia¡¯s body. So this isn¡¯t just a random dream but a revelation from the System? Is it because I absorbed the Crown?¡¯

 Chapter 36 The Ascetic Blasphemers

    ¡®Hmm¡­ who could they be? Each has a distinct and majestic appearance as well as a terrifying aura. It¡¯s as if they¡¯re alive.¡¯


    The puzzled Zeke spotted exactly four statues, but only one was made of the Crown¡¯s black and crystalline material. The first, entirely jet black, was that of a domineering middle-aged man with greasy long hair, blurred eyes, and a commanding jawline. He was standing straight and holding onto an equally large greatsword embedded into the ground. Under his feet, golden letters were engraved on the ground, but the language used wasn¡¯t so easily read.


    ¡®It¡¯s Hanish? I recognize the characters but I can¡¯t read them. They only teach it in History classes of Public Schools.¡¯


    Hanish wasn¡¯t a language derived from Earth, it was directly related to the shrouded and forgotten history of the Aether Planet. Although most of its characters were undeciphered, learning it was still an arduous and long process. Only the most dedicated of Scholars and Historians would spend so much effort in doing that.


    After musing with himself and eventually giving up on trying to read the characters, Zeke turned his gaze to the second statue.


    It was a couple of paces to the right, closer to the back-end of the majestic hall of the mausoleum.


    It was that of an elderly man with a scholarly and serene aura. He was wearing a pointy hat with red lines around its top, had his head lowered, staring at a big scroll that was half of his size.


    Unlike the first statue, this one had distinct colors and seemed to be made from wholly different materials.


    There were also golden Hanish characters under the elderly¡¯s feet, but their arrangements made it clear that they held a different meaning than the first statue.


    The third statue was that of a lady, a beautiful woman wearing a gothic regal black dress with a thin veil covering the upper part of her face. Even when Zeke tried to peek and get a good look, all he saw was a dark gloom that purposely masked her facial features, specifically her eyes.


    The golden words engraved right next to her high black boots were not Hanish but something entirely unfamiliar to Zeke.


    ¡®Ancient rulers of the Aether Planet, perhaps? But it doesn¡¯t make sense. No ruler or monarch would want to share a mausoleum with others. Logically, as I was likely brought here by the System, it is reasonable to surmise that they were the previous ¡®users¡¯? Then again, they could be deities or Gods. However, amongst the so-called Gods in official history records, their characteristics match none of the ones I know.¡¯


    Last but not least, the fourth statue; An innocent-looking youth with curly short brown hair, seemingly shiny emerald eyes, and a round face. He wore a classical grey robe and had his hands clasped in a praying motion. He was also the only statue not standing but half-kneeling on the ground.


    The golden characters or words next to the youth were strikingly similar to the ones near the lady in a regal dress.


    After examining the statues for a bit, Zeke toured the grand hall but found little of import. He couldn¡¯t feel the passing of time and didn¡¯t for how long he was in this ethereal dream-like state.


    Just when he was getting bored and was thinking of a way to wake up, he saw a half-illusory System Box appear in front of him.


    [Authentification procedure successfully completed.]


    [User ¡®Zeke Orland¡¯ has been imprinted into the Extinction Order]


    The mausoleum violently shook and the ground close to the first statue split open. Another statue slowly surfaced, but the shocking thing was that it was actually that of Zeke¡¯s.


    Speechless, the youth saw his big statue, colored blood-red and pure white stabilize itself; However, his face was wrapped by a dense and intangible mist that swirled like a tornado.


    [5th member of the Extinction Order: Voltage Sync, Zeke.]


    A burst of blue-colored lightning was unleashed from Zeke¡¯s statue, letting out deafening noises, which progressively subsided until the eerie silence returned.


    ¡®So they were indeed previous users of the Paths of Extinction System.¡¯


    Curious, he approached his own statue and felt greatly dissatisfied. It lacked the majesty of the rest and his pose was a bit comical. He was, quite literally, in a T pose, looking a bit dumb, not even the mist covering his face was enough to add a bit of mysticism or authority.


    ¡®I look like a newborn compared to ¡®them¡¯.¡¯


    [5:00, 5th of each month, user ¡®Zeke Orland¡¯ will be summoned to the Extinction Order for the regular examination and evaluation.]


    [PE shop is now available]


    The System got larger and an explicit list of items was presented in front Zeke. It wasn¡¯t hard to understand its functions, but his fleeting intrigue was extinguished by the exorbitant prices.


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    The least expensive available item was ¡®Aether Potion¡¯ at a whopping cost of 85PE. There seemed to be weapons and artifacts too, but Zeke couldn¡¯t dream of ¡®buying¡¯ any one of them now.


    He sighed and turned off the so-called ¡®PE Shop¡¯, sighing as he lamented about his need for real money and PE.


    In addition to the PE Shop, something was ingrained into his mind, allowing him to leave the Extinction Order whenever he wanted.


    ¡­


    Although Zeke was instructed to visit the professional Counselor, he scheduled the imminent meeting for the next day due to feeling tired.


    The first batch of exams was beginning next week, but Zeke wasn¡¯t worried about them. The theoretical exams, specifically, were easy as long as one memorized the necessary stuff and had a basic understanding of the relevant subject.


    The issue laid with the practical exams, which were usually in the form of thorough examination tests about Aether Manipulation, its practices, and sometimes battles between two students of close Ranking or similar ability or overall prowess.


    Fortunately, the successful acquisition of the Crown and the subsequent reaped rewards had considerably strengthened Zeke and even provided him with enough PE to unlock one or two main paths.


    After being pulled into the Extinction Order, Zeke wasn¡¯t able to focus on Teacher Christopher¡¯s lessons and spent almost all day pondering about what was all of that about.


    As Jonathan Stellar Link fled, Principal Solas lifted the notice, thus allowing the students to regain their freedom. Zeke, though reluctant, headed to the Counselor¡¯s office, which was situated in the Administrative Bureau Building.


    The office itself was inconspicuous and located in a rarely frequented corridor of the building, making it slightly difficult to notice.


    The moment Zeke stepped inside, he was welcomed by the calming fragrance and the strong scent of incense.


    The decoration and furniture were odd, seemingly belonging to a Shaman or a fortune-teller rather than a professional Counselor.


    A woman wearing a bright orange robe and a lot of weird jewelry sat amidst the dense fog dominating the back of the room.


    ¡°Welcome. Zeke, right? I was notified of your visit by Principal Soals.¡¯ A sweet and melodious voice rang in his ears.


    Zeke eyed Mary, the Counselor, feeling goosebumps from this unusual atmosphere. He politely nodded his head and, when she beckoned him, he walked closer and sat on a wooden rocking chair across her.


    Counselor Mary slowly lifted her head and scrutinized him for a prolonged period of time. Zeke did the same too, feeling entranced by her face. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, had snow-white skin, thin and short eyebrows, and a pair of mesmerizing light blue eyes. Her hair was covered by a dark yellow silk cloth embedded with several colorful gems.


    Unlike the soul-piercing and unfathomable stare of Solas, Mary¡¯s was calm and gentle, probing him harmlessly.


    ¡°I see anger, confusion, and resolve. How about we begin with your tale?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She faintly smiled as she retrieved a small cup from the small cupboard next to her and poured a fragrant tea.


    ¡°Please drink this, it will help.¡±


    After a momentary hesitation, Zeke followed her instructions and drank the tea, which was both cold and hot at the same time.


    [Sensing Interference¡­ proceeding to automated Defense Mode.]


    Much to his surprise, a System Notification popped, which made him frown. The weird sensation of the tea disappeared on the spot, replacing his calmness with wariness as he looked at Mary.


    ¡®Is this her ability? It¡¯s the first time the System directly interfered like this. She¡¯s definitely not a normal person. Still, I should¡¯ve expected this after hearing Principal Solas empathize how ¡®professional¡¯ the school¡¯s counselor was. It doesn¡¯t like she noticed that her Tea¡¯s effect didn¡¯t work. Is this a form of hypnosis?¡¯


    After she waited for a bit, Mary sat up straight, her eyes glued on the student, ¡°The standard procedure for my patient is a thorough investigation of their past. Principal Solas helped me through it, I don¡¯t you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    She gauged his reaction but he kept an expressionless face and listened to her.


    ¡°Younger brother of Edward Orland and Maxine Orland. 17 years old of age, youngest son of Anthony Orland and Olivia Vyrsan. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°You were a Defect until recently, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± With the basic questions done, Mary sized up for the third or fourth time before switching to the main topic.


    ¡°This first session is meant for introductions and a bit of trivial talk. As ordered by Principal Solas, I will refrain from asking or talking about Jonathan Stellar Link and your accidental involvement in the case.¡±


    After saying that, she paused for half a beat then said, ¡°Erys still suffers from the bullying of Defects, right?¡±


    She let out a self-depracating laugh, which made Zeke wonder whether her question was rhetorical or not.


    ¡°It always suffered from that.¡± He perfunctorily responded, his face stoic.


    ¡°What is your opinion about that? Do you have a solution, or do you simply don¡¯t care?¡±


    ¡°Does my opinion really matter, ma¡¯am? It¡¯s not like I change anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes, maybe causing a change just by yourself is difficult. However, this conversation is mainly about you and your thoughts. For example, do your bear a grudge against the bullies? Or the teachers? Or the Principal himself. Please take time to think and don¡¯t shy away from honestly, even if it means insulting the Principal, I won¡¯t mind. The content of this session is and will always remain strictly confidential.¡±


    The youth pondered for a bit then thoughtfully answered, ¡°Frankly, it¡¯s a mix, but it mainly stems from the naturally-born arrogance of the gifted students. From a young age, they are told that they are superior to normal humans. And as each person is unique, there happen to be some that like oppressing those deprived of talent. Even in society, such cases are not that rare. However, Erys is a prestigious educational institute, so I find it unreasonable that it fails to maintain a basic form of order. After all, it¡¯s not like it doesn¡¯t have the means.¡±


    Seeing that she didn¡¯t remark and only listened, Zeke continued,


    ¡°Do not misunderstand, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not only blaming them. Nay, I know one¡¯s view differs depending on their personal and individual experiences. I was bullied and I experienced extreme feelings of inferiority, whether it was due to my successful siblings or my lack of talent in wielding Aether. You could say I harbored, or still harbor, loath and hate toward those that take everything for granted.¡±


    Zeke let out a helpless sigh and lowered his head, ¡°Even now, after no longer being a Defect, my thoughts didn¡¯t change.¡±


    As she sensed that he got nothing else to say, Counselor Mary nodded and switched the topic,


    ¡°I heard, at the age of 6, you were kidnapped by the Ascetic Blasphemers. Do you mind talking about that?¡±


    Zeke suddenly got very defensive and solemnly shook his head,


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to talk about, ma¡¯am. The kidnapping barely lasted a day and my memory of that is all fuzzy.¡±


    Hearing this, Mary frowned for the first time and fell into deep thought. She seemed to be suspecting something but, eventually, she did not insist and asked about something else.

 Chapter 37 The First Seat

    The rest of the talk with Counselor Mary was mostly about trivial stuff. She would ask questions about himself and Erys and he would give a simple answer.


    Eventually, she scheduled the next session for the upcoming Saturday and bid him rest well.


    However, a short while after Zeke left, Mary drank one more cup of her special tea and was about to go and talk with Principal Solas only for him to come on his own.


    He knocked once then stepped inside the strangely-decorated counseling room.


    ¡°Principal Solas.¡±


    She clasped her hands and respectfully bowed, though her expression was slightly pale as if something was affecting her.


    ¡°You face could frighten a ghost, Mary.¡±


    In response to his unnecessary remark, the young woman wryly smiled and sat down again, her hands still clasped near her chest.


    The bearded elderly sat on the rocking chair in front of her and looked at the several faced-up cards on the table.


    ¡°The divination failed? As expected.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like you told me. That System interfered.¡±


    Solas shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and explained,¡°Of course it did. You are the best Mystic Diviner I¡¯ve ever met, but the System is beyond you. It¡¯s beyond mortal means.¡±


    Mary lowered her head and whispered a prayer before hesitantly asking,


    ¡°What exactly is this System? Is it a deity¡¯s blessing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot tell you, Mary. In fact, even if I wanted to, I wouldn¡¯t be able to. I¡¯m bound by an oath, as are many others.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Mary sighed and after a brief silence, she switched the topic,


    ¡°His mental state seems to be relatively normal. However, I felt something ominous and sinister, Principal Solas. Ignorant as I may be, I¡¯m certain it wasn¡¯t the System.¡±


    Seeing his gentle expression turn serious, she knew that her intuition was correct. However, this time, he didn¡¯t deign to clarify.


    ¡°It has to do with the Ascetic Blasphemers, right? They almost never reveal themselves yet they targeted a 6-year-old boy? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    Seeing her express her morbid curiosity, Solas sighed and leaned forward, grabbing the cards and examining them closely as he spoke,


    ¡°Generally, children awaken their abilities between the age of 4 and 8. The gifted ones, especially, even awaken at the age 3.¡±


    Mary perked her ears and listened in silence, slightly confused about what he was saying as it had nothing to do with Zeke.


    ¡°Zeke¡¯s parents are both genetically gifted, as in they could wield Aether. It¡¯s totally illogical for him to be a Defect, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Mary?¡±


    ¡°Although the probability is low, it¡¯s not non-existent. The knowledge humanity currently grasps isn¡¯t enough to determine if a child will awaken or not, even if his parents are Aether-users..¡±-Mary


    ¡°Be that as it may, the Orland Family never had a Defect. You¡¯re right to say that our knowledge isn¡¯t sufficient, but at least we know that the so-called ¡®Magic Gene¡¯ is dominant, more so in families solely composed of talented and gifted people. Looking at it from this perspective, Zeke Orland is an enigma. Honestly, It was the reason I accepted his enrollment. After all, I never expected him to chance upon the System.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    There was a tense silence after that, in which Mary, with her eyebrows creased, pondered about the old man¡¯s words.


    ¡°The media say the kidnappers, as in the Ascetic Blasphemers, merely demanded money. It has become clear that it wasn¡¯t the case, but what could they have wanted from Zeke?¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Mary. He¡¯s a Defect yet shouldn¡¯t be one.¡±


    She thought for almost a moment before gasping in surprise,¡°Y-you mean they did something to him? Like taking away his ability?! Is that even possible?¡±


    Principal Solas let out a self-deprecating laugh as he stared back at the Counselor. ¡°In a world like this, I don¡¯t think that there¡¯s anything impossible, especially if one uses Aether.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t have been better to target his older siblings, Edward or Maxine? From what I know, their abilities are considered top-notch.¡±


    Solas solemnly shook his head and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s on the basis that Zeke¡¯s ability was worse than theirs. Whatever he had, it pushed them to deploy particularly strong individuals to kidnap him. From your earlier comment, I now know that, although they succeeded, they couldn¡¯t completely erase or steal his ability.¡±


    ¡°I thought that organization was composed of lunatics and non-believers. Madmen that seek only oblivion.¡±


    Solas sighed for the second time and, after putting down the cards, stood up, ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the hint, Mary. Whatever Zeke was capable of, it was something that could doom us all. Judging by the fact that you barely noticed it, I think the System, heaven-defying as it is, couldn¡¯t even sense it. Anyway¡­¡±


    Mary bowed her head to the leaving Solas, her mind still wondering about that soul-rending yet momentary aura she felt from within Zeke.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Julia¡¯s body moved in an unnatural yet flexible and agile manner as it charged toward Zeke. When she was upon him, she drew an arc with her leg, striking his right side.


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    Zeke was prepared for this as he raised his arms and defended, alas, he was blasted a couple of meters away, dust and dirt dirtying his uniform. Even with his enhanced physical stats, he still couldn¡¯t absorb a direct hit from the monstrous Julia Lopmore.


    ¡®Either the increase in numerical stats wasn¡¯t as considerable as I had thought or she¡¯s become stronger.¡¯


    While spitting some dirt and standing up, he stared at the grinning girl. She proudly puffed her chest and struck a comical pose,


    ¡°What do you think? I¡¯m strong, aren¡¯t I? Hehe¡­¡±


    She rushed at him again, however, Zeke used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ to defend himself. His body, which seemingly moved in a slow manner, was able to catch the girl¡¯s leg in time, but he still felt numb and momentarily unable to retaliate.


    As for Julia, even with her leg caught, she wasn¡¯t surprised, her reflexes inhumane as kicked the ground with her other leg, performing an impressive jump-kick that accurately hit Zeke¡¯s chest.


    He staggered to the back, coughing a couple of times as he bore through the pain. He could have used ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯ or other skills, but he wanted to improve his fighting abilities, thus he only relied on his physical prowess.


    ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ was relatively slow and it wouldn¡¯t affect Julia, even if it was strengthened by ¡®Rune of Life¡¯ or ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯. As for One-star Side-kick, it required precise timing and for someone as quick as Julia, it would be rendered useless.


    ¡®Should I continue investing in the Martial Arts Path? The PE cost isn¡¯t that high. The Fighter sub-path doesn¡¯t that bad either.¡¯


    The sparring against Julia lasted for a little bit over an hour, after which Zeke went to do his Daily Tasks while the girl shifted her target to the dummy, blasting it with punches and kicks.


    As always Azmer was being taught by the Dean, but the whole process seemed to be painful and included getting hit by the whip-like wooden stick.


    Although the notice was lifted and the students were now free to leave Erys and hang out in Kethra¡¯s Arms or other places, Zeke still preferred training in the secluded small forest. Not only was it a perfect and inconspicuous spot, but he had one of the top-ranked students as a sparring partner.


    Admittedly, Julia¡¯s talkative nature and overly-lively character were neither attractive nor motivational for a gloomy person like Zeke. Nevertheless, he had changed his mind about her, especially after she helped him with Jonathan and the tribulation. As for Azmer, the two were still treating each other like air and except for a handful of glaring contests in the dormitory, nothing happened.


    Zeke wanted to teach his bully a lesson, just like with Rodrick, but he didn¡¯t feel that confident, even after having come this far. First, Azmer was improving at an alarming rate, and after witnessing his golden flaming sword and his powerful Fire Magic, Zeke knew that relying purely on ¡®Voltage¡¯ wouldn¡¯t work. His skills, specifically the Voltage-related one, consumed Life Aether, and if he wanted to deal substantial damage, he would need to use more Aethern than the standard cost, therefore, he wasn¡¯t suited for prolonged battles, particularly against opponents like Azmer.


    [Daily Tasks 3/3 completed!]


    [+2 EXP]


    [+3PE]


    ¡­


    ¡°Huh? Someone suitable?¡±


    In the dorm room, Samuel furrowed before grinning from one ear to the other. He wrapped his arm around Zeke¡¯s shoulder and lowered his voice,


    ¡°So you¡¯re finally thinking of climbing the ranks? As expected of my friend and rival!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his friend¡¯s stone-faced expression, Samuel chuckled and continued,


    ¡°I happen to be knowledgeable about the ¡®higher-ranked¡¯ students. If you want to fight someone then I suggest Bella Bross from Class D. She¡¯s ranked 32nd and her ability is ¡®Water Cannon¡¯.¡±


    ¡°32nd? Alright.¡±


    Zeke wanted to challenge someone in the top 20, but refrained from doing so for the moment. The main reason for wanting to challenge someone wasn¡¯t actually to climb the ranks but to test his abilities and see his weaknesses before making a judgment and spending the ample amount of PE he had accumulated.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re going to challenge B-Bella?¡±


    Alan, the timid bespectacled youth heard their conversation. He looked at his two roommates with the usual embarrassed look as he fidgeted around.


    From the looks of it, even the silent Azmer with his back facing them stopped whatever he was doing and threw a cursory glance at Samuel and Zeke.


    ¡°You know her?¡± Asked Zeke curiously.


    ¡°Well duuh! She¡¯s his classmate and part of Francesca¡¯s circle.¡±-Samuel


    ¡°Sh-... she¡¯s a kind person.¡± Remarked Alan while blushing and lowering his head, his voice becoming progressively quieter.


    ¡°You make it sound as if they¡¯re fighting to the death. It¡¯s just a friendly battle between peers, no worries! I¡¯ve also heard good things about Bella.¡±


    Samuel snorted and looked at Azmer¡¯s back, ¡°She¡¯s not part of the ¡®bad apples¡¯, per se. So you don¡¯t need to worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Seriously replied Zeke while motioning for his friend to get up from the bed and go study.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I was thinking of playing a card game with you. Whatever.¡±


    The rest of the night was uneventful as each of the four students minding their own business. After revising a bit and finishing some homework, Zeke went to bed whereas Alan and Samuel were busy with their phones.


    Zeke soon fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, but amidst that strange state of resting, he heard a deafening buzz that immediately woke him up.


    [Seat of Criminality requirements have been met! Crown Crystal Num.1 has been transfused into the user ¡®Sulong Braveheart¡¯.]


    [Estabilishing connection¡­. Connection established.]


    [You received 5 PE]


    [You received 10 EXP]


    [You obtained the Survival Skill ¡®Call of Honor¡¯.]


    [Call of Honor(SS): Activate the link between ¡®Voltage Sync, Zeke¡¯, and ¡®Seat of Criminality, Sulong Braveheart¡¯; Stats of both users will increase by 50% for 5 minutes.


    To use this skill, ¡®Voltage Sync, Zeke¡¯ must be close to the target (At least 20 meters).]


    ¡®What the hell is going on?!¡¯


    ¡­.


    A short while earlier, in Sulong Finance Advisement Office


    Sulong and Jack stayed up late after eating a delicious dinner and enjoying some beer.


    At first, Jack wanted to play Poker but, upon mentioning that, the mood grew gloomier as they missed their deceased friend, Jim.


    ¡°Dry your tears and act like a man, for goodness¡¯ sake!¡±


    Sulong slapped the back of his friend¡¯s head, but the latter just sighed and looked down. He was visibly sad, which, in turn, made Sulong also feel the grief he wanted to ignore.


    For the past few weeks, many things happened and none of the two were able to keep up. As much as Sulong wanted to act firm and impassive, he couldn¡¯t.


    Fortunately, Zeke¡¯s warnings and threats, although annoying, did change Sulong¡¯s way of doing and pushed him, ever-so-slightly, to better himself and no longer con people.


    However, neither Sulong nor Jack were experts in a specific field, nor were they born into a wealthy family. To survive, they did illegal stuff and, probably, they will have to resort to shady and clandestine deals.


    Lost in his thoughts, Sulong was playing with the crimson crystal shard he found at the ¡®crime scene¡¯. They had yet to find potential buyers, and amongst all the crystals, the one in his hand ¡®felt¡¯ special.


    Every time he held it, he felt an indescribable warmth and coldness, which was strange since he was a Defect.


    The absent-minded bald-headed thug snapped out of it when Jack cursed out loud and violently punched the air. This sudden action of his pushed Sulong¡¯s arm and, consequently, made the sharp tip of the crystalline shard cut his finger.


    ¡°Watch i-¡±


    Sulong¡¯s words were cut off by a resplendent brilliance that emitted from his body and the shard. Jack was pushed back by an invisible force whereas his friend was covered in an ominous blood-red glow.


    ¡°Y-your hand!¡±


    Sulong, who was in a daze, heard his friend¡¯s words and looked at his hand only to freak out.


    ¡°Ahh!


    A crimson flame was burning his hand, making him shout out loud and hastily try to extinguish it. Soon, however, when the rush of adrenaline calmed down and Sulong composed himself, he discovered that he felt no pain.


    His bulky hand was enveloped in a red fire but that was it.

 Chapter 38 Duel

    Due to the System¡¯s notifications, which woke him up, Zeke¡¯s mind was too preoccupied with what was happening to continue his rest. It definitely had something to do with the thug, but other than that, he could only speculate.


    ¡®The System wouldn¡¯t randomly do this. There must¡¯ve been a catalyst¡­ an unknown condition that was, most likely, accidentally triggered¡­ ah! It¡¯s those crystals! The ones from the tribulation!¡¯


    The only link and suspicious thing were the shards. Although Zeke was curious about what exactly happened, he didn¡¯t rush to Sulong¡¯s office. He was forced to join the Special Investigation Squad, and though he didn¡¯t sense anything, he was almost certain that there were some people keeping a close eye on him.


    The next day (Friday), early morning.


    As always, Zeke attended the first two lessons and when it was time for the lunch break, he asked for Samuel¡¯s help to locate Bella Bross, the girl he wanted to challenge.


    As a female student from Class D, Bella was part of Francesca¡¯s circle, so it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult to find her.


    Admittedly, the cafeteria was quite big and filled with no less than a hundred students, however, there was only one group filled with only girls.


    As he calmly approached them, Zeke spotted his shy roommate, Alan, sitting next to Francesca and slowly eating his lunch with a flushed face.


    He was being teased as he sat between two pretty girls, but it wasn¡¯t anything serious, at least not from Zeke¡¯s perspective.


    ¡®I thought class D has two male Defects but I¡¯ve only seen one.¡¯


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Francesca and the seven or so girls around the table noticed the approaching Zeke and Samuel. Their leader, the black-haired Francesca Moon, eyed the stoic Zeke with an inscrutable smile as she loudly spoke,


    ¡°Well well! Isn¡¯t this unexpected! Could it be that you finally decided to join my circle?¡±


    She licked her lips and stood up, causing the rest of her friends to do the same. Most cast fleeting glances at Zeke, but they didn¡¯t find him interesting enough, unlike Francesca.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve come to challenge Bella Bross of class D.¡±


    Zeke shifted his attention to the tallest girl in the group, one with short and boyish red hair, a curvy and muscular body, and bright eyes.


    ¡°Me? For real?¡±


    The girl in question was surprised but not offended, she pointed at herself as she stared back at Zeke, who was slightly shorter than her.


    ¡°Yes. Do you accept?¡±


    Before she accepted, Bella looked at Francesca, who subtly nodded in response.


    ¡°I do! This is going to be interesting!¡± She let out a feminine and heartily laugh.


    Although Samuel had accompanied Zeke, he wasn¡¯t willing to directly implicate himself as he didn¡¯t feel comfortable getting stared at by so many girls.


    Apart from the First Year training facility in which most practical lessons were conducted, there were small and artificial arenas all around the open campus. They weren¡¯t as good as a proper facility, but they were enough for normal spars and challenges.


    Zeke was guided to one such ¡®arena¡¯, which was, in fact, nothing but a metallic circle engraved on an open grassy spot within the campus.


    As he faced the eager Bella, Zeke took a deep breath and stated,


    ¡°I¡¯m bearing no ill intentions toward you or your circle. I only want to test my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Sure! I don¡¯t mind!¡±


    Bella was the simple-minded and energetic type. She didn¡¯t overthink anything and never suspected he would harbor ill intentions, but as someone in Francesca¡¯s circle, she couldn¡¯t rashly accept anyone¡¯s challenge, especially someone from another class.


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    Of course, as with every official challenge between two students, an overseer must be present. However, that wasn¡¯t an issue as a lankly and tall silhouette dropped the sky, creating a small cloud of dust as a result.


    ¡°Zeke, my boy! I¡¯ve come here to watch!¡±


    The Zyth Professor exclaimed with an overly-excited voice, his eyes squirming around.


    Francesca frowned and didn¡¯t hide her disgust of Nayro, but she didn¡¯t voice her thoughts and just stood at the side, her eyes folded.


    Next to her, Alan had his head raised, curiously eyeing Zeke. As a defect, he didn¡¯t have to attend the practical lessons, but he was intrigued about his roommate, who had shed away the incompetent title of a ¡®defect¡¯.


    ¡°Both ready?¡±


    Water came out of Bella¡¯s hands as she enthusiastically nodded. Zeke, on the other hand, changed into a fighting stance and readied himself.


    When the professor signaled the beginning of the fight, Bella conjured a miniature cannon purely made of translucent water.


    The cannon seemed to be wrapped around her hand as she pointed it at the stationary Zeke and immediately fired a powerful blast.


    Zeke used a little bit of the stored Aether in Rune of Life and coupled it with Voltage Manipulation, thus unleashing a burst of lightning that clashed with the cannon shot.


    The clash was instantaneous and neither side suffered any damage. However, Zeke saw a large figure rash at him and continuously shoot more blasts.


    ¡®She¡¯s also efficient at close-quarter combat? Good!¡¯


    A smile formed on his face as he used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ to evade the incoming projectiles and zigzag toward the incoming Bella. When she was in range, he half-spun his body and raised his leg, swiping it at her side only to be hit by another cannon blast literally from her mouth.


    ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ failed and Zeke¡¯s leg was pushed back, almost making his whole body fall to the ground. Fortunately, he hastily stabilized his body and used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to dodge her quick punch, which was empowered by the swirling water in the shape of a cannon.


    Zeke was confident that he could win if he used an empowered ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ or relied on ¡®Spark¡¯ or consecutive shots of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, however, he wanted to test his physical capabilities and see how he would be able to manage against an opponent like Bella Bross.


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ again after dodging, thus appearing in Bella¡¯s rear; He extended his hand and used ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯, succeeding in striking her back.


    Surprisingly, his punches didn¡¯t slow her down or push her back. The tall Bella quickly turned around and unleashed an even stronger blast that wrecked the ground and forced Zeke to jump back.


    ¡°Your skills are weird¡­ but you¡¯re strong!¡±


    She beamed at him joyfully, clearly enjoying this battle. In fact, even Zeke was in a good mood, after all, his previous battles, at least most of them, weren¡¯t as ¡®easy-going¡¯ as this one. Whether it was Rodrick or Jonathan, Zeke hated both of them and genuinely wished to harm them.


    Meanwhile, Professor Nayro¡¯s jelly-like eyes were glued onto Zeke, examining his every move. He had noticed the conspicuous Rune of Life and Rune of Death and was wracking his brains and trying to figure out their purpose.


    He had felt subtle Aether fluctuation when Zeke made use of the Rune of Life yet the Zyth was incapable of determining what it exactly did.


    ¡®He¡¯s definitely using Life Aether¡­ but how? How is he able to make use of it so easily and without suffering any repercussions? Is his reservoir that large? Furthermore, that lightning is odd. The only thing I got the hang of was his teleportation ability¡­ if one is Aetherically perceptive, they could determine where he would teleport to.¡¯


    The battle between Zeke and Bella continued for another three minutes. The girl would shoot one blast after the other, but her opponent would either dodge or defend using his lightning. When they engaged in close-quarter combat, it was clear that Bella was at a disadvantage and she only held on this far thanks to her tenacious body. Eventually, however, Zeke¡¯s ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯, coupled with ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ allowed him to emerge victorious.


    He had first used his ¡®voltage¡¯ to disrupt her ¡®Water Cannon¡¯ then finished the battle with a strong and swift kick which blew her a meter or two to the back,her body thudding on the grass.


    Even though she had enough strength to continue, Bella raised her hand and surrendered.


    ¡°Victory goes to Zeke Orland!¡±


    The winner softly smiled and walked to the red-haired girl, extending his hand and helping her stand up.


    ¡°It was a good fight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re pretty strong!¡±


    They smiled and complimented each other¡¯s abilities. Bella Bross wasn¡¯t a sore loser, she didn¡¯t feel embarrassed to lose, and neither did she care about her rank getting worse.


    As much as Nayro, the Zyth Professor, wanted to interrogate Zeke about his odd usage of Life Aether, he restrained himself and left right after the ending of the challenge.


    ¡°The rumors about you weren¡¯t unfounded.¡±


    Francesca too, wasn¡¯t troubled by her friend¡¯s loss. She approached Zeke, grinning at him as she glanced at the spot Nayro was standing at.


    ¡°Maybe in the future, we would get to fight each other. I mean, aren¡¯t the exams next week?¡± The girl winked at him then patted Bella¡¯s back while whispering something into her ear.


    As there was not much else to talk about, Francesca took her group of friends and left the area, leaving Zeke standing there alone.


    He was motionless like a statute, lightly frowning as he stared at his hands.


    ¡®I feel a bit out of breath and my hands are a bit numb. High stats are indeed not enough to empower my body. I need appropriate skills¡­ preferably defensive ones.¡¯

 Chapter 39 Allies

    ¡°Ah¡­ okay!¡±


    Maxine put down her phone and turned to the rest of the Special Investigation Squad. They were all out to clear their minds and to stop thinking about Jonathan¡¯s case.


    ¡°I need to make a brief stop. It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Alright! We¡¯ll go with you.¡±-V


    ¡°N-no it¡¯s okay..¡±


    Maxine was hesitant as she averted her eyes, but Celestia noticed that and frowned.


    ¡°It was Edward, wasn¡¯t it? We¡¯re going with you.¡±


    Edward was three years older than Maxine, V, James, Vanessa, and John. However, he was only one year older than Celestia and the two shared a complicated relationship before he graduated.


    Soon, the group of six arrived at a cozy restaurant that had no one but two people inside. It was obvious that Edward Orland reserved the whole place just to have a private talk with his younger sister.


    Maxine was quite close with her brother, but as soon as she saw his solemn expression, she held herself back from giving him a hug and merely sat across from him.


    Her colleagues sat at a nearby table, silent and sneaking glances at the handsome young man in a black military uniform.


    Edward Orland was a stalwart 22-year-old young man, and though he was quite the troublemaker when he was young, his current demeanor portrayed him as mature and a bit distant.


    He had short raven-black hair, a cleanly-shaven face, and a rather tall and well-built frame. His narrow hazy-brown eyes were cold, different from the usual warmth and caring they exuded. Behind him stood a bespectacled brown-haired young woman, wearing a similar outfit and standing motionless and expressionless like a statue.


    Even before he said anything, Maxine knew what he was angry about, but she still remained silent and waited for him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been good, I see.¡±


    His sister meekly nodded her head, not even meeting his piercing gaze.


    ¡°My talented and brave sister¡­¡± He paused for a couple of breaths, staring at her and ignoring Celestia and the rest.


    ¡°Explain to me why I have to hear about what happened from my superiors? Why, when my brother was put in danger more than once, I have to hear it from strangers?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I was going to tell you. P-Principal Solas forbid us from-¡±


    As she tried to explain herself, he loudly cut her off, ¡°Forbade you? Forbade you, Maxine?! Are you kidding me right now? Do you not understand what you have done wrong?¡±


    The look she gave him was a clear indication that she really didn¡¯t know her mistake, but that only made him more infuriated. Nevertheless, Edward kept himself composed, but the veins almost bulging of his head were proof enough of his anger.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since we talked¡­ since I told you to look after Zeke, especially after he had a late awakening. Remember what you told me? Or is it something the Principal Forbade too? Let me remind you, dearest sister¡­ ¡®I will not any harm befall him, I promise,¡¯ that¡¯s what you told me! You did!¡±


    He angrily banged his clenched fist on the table, startling Maxine.


    V and James looked at each other, their brows furrowed. They weren¡¯t used to Edward behaving like this, and even though they wanted to butt in and clarify, they couldn¡¯t. The young woman behind Edward was glaring at them, a suffocating pressure emitting from her soulless eyes.


    With slightly teary eyes and a reddened face, Maxine, who wasn¡¯t used to seeing her caring brother act like this, stutteringly responded,


    ¡°I¡­I tried. I-I told Zeke to tell me if there¡¯s any trouble. I even wanted to call you.¡±


    ¡°Told him? You¡¯ve really outdone yourself, Maxine. Should I perhaps freshen your memory? Remind you of that day eleven years ago? I left Erys because I knew you¡¯d still be there to look after Zeke. Yet, I hear about his involvement with Jonathan Stellar Link and how he was almost killed.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Maxine lowered her head, her body trembling ever-so-slightly.


    ¡°You, better than anyone else, should know what to do. From the second he opens his eyes in the morning until he closes them back at night, you should¡¯ve been next to him. Every single second until Jonathan either flees or gets captured. That¡¯s what you should¡¯ve done¡­ not going around with your friends and playing detectives.¡±


    ¡°I have responsibilities. Erys has rules and obligations, furthermor-¡±


    ¡°To hell with all of that!¡±


    He banged his fists again and stood up, his expression that of fury and rage. He waved his hand at her and shouted,


    ¡°It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re not up for it anymore. Get out of my sight.¡±


    Maxine defiantly looked at her brother but, eventually, she stormed out of the restaurant, Vanessa and John chasing after her.


    The remaining students; James, V, and Celestia, looked at the gloomy Edward.


    ¡°Hey! I know you¡¯re upset but you didn¡¯t have to lash out at her like that!¡±


    V, the talkative one, snapped back but Edward ignored him.


    James was the next, as he stepped closer to his senior and was about to grab his collar. However, he was the one who got caught as Edward¡¯s hand grabbed his neck and lifted him off the ground.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?! Stop!¡±


    V attempted to intervene but his body was pushed back by an invisible force. Celestia hesitated but, in the end, she stood still, her face slightly pale.


    ¡°Although I may not be a student anymore, I can still know what¡¯s happening, James.¡±


    James was usually a composed person, but right now, he thrashed around trying to free herself. Unfortunately, Edward was equipped with a monstrous strength that made him incapable of any form of retaliation.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s you or¡­¡± Edward swept his gaze across the three of them as he continued, ¡°Anyone else, including the Principal, I will not care. Bring harm to Zeke and I swear to you that I will stop at nothing, nothing to kill you even if it means abandoning my principles and betraying the Department of Defense.¡±


    Once he said his piece, he let go of James, who coughed and tried to breathe. Any thoughts of trying to ¡®lecture¡¯ had been purged from James¡¯ mind as he collected himself and left along with V and the hesitant Celestia.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The empty restaurant returned to its silence as Edward looked at the street outside, seemingly absent-minded. After an indeterminate amount of time, the woman behind him spoke up,


    ¡°Would you like me to arrange a meeting with Zeke?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve got too many eyes on me.¡±


    The tall young man turned to face the stone-faced woman, a rare expression of hesitation plastered on his face. Noticing this, the woman performed a military salute and spoke again,


    ¡°Sir, I will do whatever you want me to do. Whatever the cost.¡±


    Hearing this, Edward sighed, extended his hand, and lightly patted her shoulder.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, sir. You saved my life and I will stop at nothing to repay you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Edward had a pained expression as he struggled with himself. In the end, he sat back down, his tired body slumping on the chair.


    ¡°Katrina Vernerg, as of this moment onward, you are relieved from your duty.¡±


    Even though she was dismissed, Katrina didn¡¯t even flinch or show any reaction. She patiently waited for him to continue,


    ¡°You are to be Zeke¡¯s shadow. Never¡­ ever let him leave your sight. If you notice any irregularity, no matter how small, you must report to me through Jay.¡± Once he said that, Edward apologetically bowed his head and, with a shaky voice, added,


    ¡°And please¡­ please keep my brother safe. He has been through enough.¡±


    ¡°It shall be done, sir.¡±


    Just like a ghost, Katrina¡¯s body turned blurry before vanishing into thin air. Apart from Edward, who had known her for eleven years already, no one knew about her real abilities, which were no weaker than his. She was his most hidden ¡®sword¡¯, his trump card that was nurtured for moments like these¡­ moments he feared would never come.


    As he was left alone, Edward Orland rested his head on his raised hands and shook his head, mumbling with a low voice,


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t forgotten my promise, Zeke. I will hunt them down and get it for you. I will. I will¡­¡±


    <hr>


    Maxine ran to an artificial fountain at the center of Kethra¡¯s Arms and sat on the edge, her head buried in her knees as she ignored everyone else. Vanessa and John chased after her but stood close by, but they didn¡¯t say anything as it was clear that she needed some time alone.


    The hooded John, whose face was always hidden, turned towards Vanessa and asked,


    ¡°Any idea what they were talking about? What happened eleven years ago?¡±


    The ashen-haired girl shook her head. She had been friends with Maxine for almost two years, but she rarely asked personal questions due to her naturally silent attitude.


    ¡°I can¡¯t recall any major accident that happened to the Orland family at that time. Maybe V knows something? He¡¯s known Max for a long time, after all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if we ignore whatever we heard, John.¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± He nonchalantly replied, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.


    ¡­


    Evening of Friday, after battling Bella Bross, Zeke recuperated for a bit left the campus. However, as soon as he stepped outside, someone appeared out of nowhere, a small notebook in hand.


    ¡°Hello friend! I¡¯m Journalist Amaro Naksin from Slick Media. Do you mind sparing a bit of your time.¡±


    Zeke frowned and looked at the handsome young man offering him his personal work card. He looked more like a wealthy person than a journalist, nevertheless, Zeke didn¡¯t particularly care.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He attempted to walk away but Journalist Amaro blocked his path again.


    ¡°It will only take a couple of minutes, I promise!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s gloomy appearance along with his cold voice were, fortunately, more than enough to make Amaro give up and try again with the other students leaving the campus.


    ¡®He must want to know about Jonathan and the student¡¯s involvement.¡¯ Thought Zeke as he glanced at the journalist one last time before hastily walking away.


    Soon, after taking the subway, he arrived at the solitary street in which Sulong¡¯s office was located. Apart from a couple of old convenience stores and cheap motels, the street was average in size and lacked anything of interest to entice curious people.


    Its location in the Sunken Metropolis notwithstanding, this small region as a whole looked more like a rural area that was rarely frequented by civilians.


    There were a couple of scary-looking men, either drunk or about to be. Zeke even noticed a flashing red sign, which belonged to a legal brother.


    While avoiding the prostitutes'' eyes and quickening his steps, he reached the shabby two-story building.


    ¡°Woah! That¡¯s so cool!¡±


    Before he even entered the office, he heard Jack¡¯s excited voice as he continuously clapped in fascination.


    From what the System told him, Zeke already knew that something happened to Sulong, so, as he entered, he took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst.


    Unexpectedly, however, Sulong was as joyful as his friend, standing in the middle of the office with a small ball of crimson fire hovering above his open hand.


    The bald and muscular Sulong had a smug expression when which instantly disappeared upon seeing the door open.


    He hastily hid his hand but the fireball kept floating at the same spot.


    ¡°Some has been busy.¡± Remarked Zeke as he rolled his eyes and went to sit on the couch, his eyes sweeping across the startled Jack and the seemingly nervous Sulong.


    ¡°No need to try and hide it. I already know.¡±


    ¡°Y-you do?¡±


    Sulong, who didn¡¯t seem to have thought about the origin of his new powers, realized the truth only after giving it some thought and seeing Zeke¡¯s stoic face.


    ¡°It must have been a reaction from those shards you picked up, yes?¡¯


    ¡°It was a blinding light, it was! I thought a God descended.¡±


    Zeke snorted at Jack¡¯s exaggeration and clarified, ¡°I helped you get that power.¡±


    While that wasn¡¯t the truth, Zeke had to use this situation to his advantage. Although his relationship with Sulong wasn¡¯t that bad anymore, he still needed to reinforce it and build mutual trust.


    ¡°You? Why?¡±


    Of course, someone like Sulong wouldn¡¯t believe that on the spot. He was suspicious and confused, but Zeke made preparations for any plausible eventuality, therefore, he knew how to respond.


    ¡°I told you that I would need help. It¡¯s better if you had the power to protect yourself.¡±


    ¡°W-wait! What about me? I can help too!¡± the lanky Jack raised his hand and protested with a weak and wronged tone.


    ¡°For the time being, I can only choose one person. So, what do you say, Sulong?¡±


    The bald man paced around for a bit then pulled his sleeve and gazed at a crimson-red tattoo of a peacock.


    ¡®A peacock? It symbolizes self-esteem, pride, dignity, and refinement. All of which Sulong lacks. Did the System choose him only because he had that shard? Or was there something I¡¯m unaware of?¡¯


    Zeke mused with himself while Sulong was in deep pondering. Eventually, he unnecessarily sat down in a violent manner and cross his thick arms.


    ¡°I have always wondered what my thought will be if I could use Aether.¡±


    He had a slightly sad and melancholic expression as he glanced at the silent Jack.


    ¡°If it was really you then¡­¡± Unexpectedly, he bowed his whole body and continued, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡®Now you¡¯re making me feel bad.¡¯


    Put in an awkward position, Zeke nodded once but didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°If I learn and train, I¡¯ll have the power to protect myself and my friends. I will not have to con people to live.¡±


    ¡°Conning people or being a loan shark are no longer viable options.¡± Retorted Zeke.


    ¡°Although it took me two tries, my warnings were heeded and you stopped your foolish attempt to rob people of their money. Furthermore, you two came with me to attack Jonathan and save Amelia, so it would be a lie to say that I don¡¯t trust you. Still, this is but the first step¡­ for all of us.¡±


    Sulong was silent for a while, his brown eyes focused on Jack instead of Zeke.


    ¡°Are you with me, Jackie boy?¡±


    The person in question, looking pumped, raised both arms in excitement and jumped childishly, ¡°Of course! We mustn¡¯t squander the opportunity at our doorstep.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sulong chuckled and shifted his attention back to Zeke.


    ¡°Alright. No more bickering and disagreement. You granted me that which I seek, so I repay it in kind.¡± He stood up and walked toward the youth.


    Zeke also stood up and faced the towering muscular man before him. They firmly shook hands, one expressionless and the other faintly smiling,


    ¡°This time¡­ it¡¯s for real. I hope that when you graduate and become a hotshot, you won¡¯t forget about us.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Zeke scoffed and said back, ¡°You think I care about being a hot-shot? Still, I believe I won¡¯t regret my choice¡­ so you better not either. We are, after all, bonded by fate.¡±


    ¡°Always with the silver tongue, hahahaha¡­¡±


    ..


    Within Zeke''s subconscious, in that majestic mausoleum, golden words appeared beneath his statue, but they lasted for a couple of moments before vanishing...

 Chapter 40 The Voice

    A thick blizzard dominated the entirety of the Whitefrost planes, whether it was night or day. The blistering cold and the insurmountable mass of snow made it almost impossible to travel on foot. However, against all odds, Jonathan Stellar Link dragged his tired body across the snow and ice with Amelia on his back.


    He would take brief rests then continue this journey, after all, he had dangerous pursuers, ones which had a much better means of transport.


    One week after he fled The Sunken Metropolis, deep into the unforgiving Whitefrost Lands, the pursuers from the Department of Defense finally caught up.


    Actually, there were only two of them; They wore standard black military uniforms as if the bone-chilling cold didn¡¯t affect them.


    ¡°It¡¯s about you gave up on this cat and mouse pursuit, Jonathan.¡±


    One of the two, the taller one, grinned and spoke with a nonchalant tone.


    ¡°...¡±


    Jonathan didn¡¯t respond, he immediately sprung into action; The black mist burst from his body, pushing the snow and enveloping Amelia in something akin to a whirlpool.


    The tall man, who had his lengthy brown hair tied into a ponytail, frowned and shot toward Amelia like a bullet, ¡°The girl is our priority.¡± He yelled to his companion.


    However, when he looked back, he saw his friend¡¯s heading rolling on the ground and a ghastly dark silhouette looming over the headless body.


    Astonished, the man leaped back just in time for the strange entity.


    ¡®The intelligence we got from Principal Solas was wrong! T-this was a trap?¡¯


    Without any sliver of hesitation, the man took out a seemingly normal vial and gulped down. Barely moments later, a violent aura was unleashed, melting the snow and blowing back the incoming entity.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re working with Erys?!¡±


    Hearing this, Jonathan scoffed as his body was carried by the black mist. ¡°Wrong.¡± He calmly responded, a cold smile surfacing on his pale face, ¡°It¡¯s just that the stupid superiors of yours do not know the dangers involved¡­ unlike Solas.¡±


    Once he finished speaking, Jonathan spat some blood, his body and Amelia¡¯s rising into the air and slowly distancing themselves from the empowered agent.


    The agent tried to inflict a mortal blow but the entity intercepted at the last second and took the hit head-on, which made it vanish amidst the flick blizzard.


    As for Jonathan, he used his ability to flee as far away as possible, eventually succumbing to exhaustion and crashing in mid-air. He tried his best to protect Amelia, but, in the end, they both fell into the thick snow and rolled for a whole minute on a steep cliff.


    ¡­


    ¡°Unn¡­ugh..¡±


    Amelia felt dizzy and freezing from head to toe as her eyes fluttered then opened. The first thing she saw was the frozen ceiling and innumerable small golden characters engraved on the walls.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s voice, influenced by the cold, echoed throughout the frozen room. The girl was no longer afraid of him, she sat up and met his gaze.


    She instinctively touched her chest but could no longer feel the Crown. After a momentary silence, Amelia asked,


    ¡°Why did you save me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer, his eyes moving from her face to the inscriptions and ¡®runes¡¯ on the walls.


    ¡°You needed me to hold the Crown, but¡­ I don¡¯t have it anymore.¡±


    ¡°I lost the System to Zeke Orland, but that doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t need your body again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    She gritted her teeth, her eyes a bit teary, ¡°Why are you always like this? Painting yourself as the bad person? I know it¡¯s that evil force inside of you that had done the killing.¡±


    Jonathan let out a self-depracating laugh in response, ¡°I didn¡¯t stop it, so what does that make me? I know what I am, Amelia. It¡¯s about time you do as well.¡±


    ¡°Huh, what?¡±


    Jonathan struggled to stand up, his body trembling from the fatigue and agony. He approached her and crouched down, extending his hand and fixing her messy hair while cleaning her face.


    ¡°Not just anyone can hold the Crown. Generally, direct contact would lead to immediate death, which is why I didn¡¯t use it. You¡­ on the other hand, merged with it and even used it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He hesitated for a couple of seconds, contemplating whether to ask or not, but in the end he did.


    ¡°You were not adopted, right?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± She was surprised and slightly angry by his actions. ¡°I am my parents¡¯ daughter. And don¡¯t try to say I¡¯m special or I¡¯m from a special family or all that crap!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. All I wanted is a confirmation.¡±


    He sighed and stood up, his back facing her.


    ¡°After we get out of here, I¡¯ll take you to the Witch Association. I¡¯ll only be able to escort you to the border or else they¡¯ll attack me. However, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ t-they¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t want to go there!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice, Amelia. Your revenge isn¡¯t over yet, remember? There¡¯s only so much I or your ¡®friend¡¯ can do.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The familiar black mist appeared, spinning around the confused Amelia. Soon, she started feeling sleepy and realized that he was going to keep her unconscious for the remainder of the trip.


    ¡°N-no¡­ s¡­stop¡­¡±


    Jonathan lifted her body and looked at her slowly closing her eyes.


    ¡°I see much of my daughter in you, Amelia. The Crown has altered your body and I¡¯m not knowledgeable enough to make a difference. I am truly sorry. May we never meet again.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ******


    ¡°Out of the question.¡± Responded Xavier as he passed by his distressed brother and sat behind his crude desk.


    James pinched his aching temples and tried to convince Xavier.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to do something dangerous, Xavier. I just need the past records of Zeke Orland. I need to know what happened!¡±


    Having had enough, Xavier kicked his desk in anger and glared at his younger sibling.


    ¡°Enough, James! Principal Solas has ordered that all investigation related to that boy is to be stopped. He also guaranteed me that Zeke isn¡¯t dangerous.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about him. I want to help Max.¡±


    ¡°Help? What kind of help? Digging into her family¡¯s past, which-by the way- has been sealed off by the Department of Defense itself? Be a good student and focus on yourself, James.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The furious James stormed out of the infirmary only to find his closest friend, V, standing right outside.


    ¡°It¡¯s so unlike you to stay silent, V. Why are you all trying to hide the truth?¡±


    With an unusually serious expression, V¡¯s solemn eyes focused on his friend as he calmly answered, ¡°That¡¯s your problem, James. I admire your constant rationality, but I know for a fact that it could be detrimental. For the sake of our friendship, I will act as if nothing happened¡­ but if this happens again, neither I nor Max will be able to forgive you.¡±


    ¡­


    Monday Morning, 8AM


    The exams have officially started and the first one was Mathematics. Zeke and all of his classmates were energetic as they fidgeted in their seats, apprehensive and nervous.


    Zeke too, wasn¡¯t as composed as he wanted to be, and that¡¯s because he had very little time to revise and study. He had confidence in getting a good grade, but not the top one.


    ¡°H-hey¡­ is this one I need to remember? Or this one? O-or this one?¡±


    Julia slammed her notebook in front of him and stutteringly asked. For the first time ever, she had studied and prepared for the exams but her mind was completely blank and she couldn¡¯t focus.


    ¡°There¡¯s no use worrying about it now. Good luck.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re right¡­¡± She forced a laugh and went back to her seat.


    Zeke felt a chill run down his spines and when he turned his head, he saw the curly-haired Rebecca, Julia¡¯s friend, give him a disturbingly intense stare.


    Recently, Julia spent most of her time either training or studying, so the two friends have little to no time to hang out and have fun.


    It started right after Zeke awakened and defeated Rodrick, so the coincidental timing made Zeke take the blame, at least from Rebecca¡¯s point of view.


    Very soon, Christopher Balrant arrived and after warning the students not to cheat, he handed out the exam papers.


    During the mathematics exam, Zeke encountered no trouble. However, mid-way through the History Exam, his body shook ever-so-slightly and he started hearing a clarion voice in his head.


    ¡®Save him. Save him. Save him.¡¯


    He thought it was the System, but the floating boxes didn¡¯t appear. Instead, the disembodied voice, which was harmless at first, started getting louder and clearer. Eventually, it became impossible for Zeke to ignore it or focus on the exam.


    Nevertheless, he tightly closed his eyes, calmed his breathing, and returned to answering the questions. The voice, fortunately, vanished for a minute or two only to return with more intensity than ever before;


    In the blink of an eye, Zeke saw his surroundings change into what could only be described as the underground sewer lines of the Sunken Metropolis.


    There, he saw an incredibly thin and short man curled on the ground, grabbing his head and muttering inaudibly.


    ¡®Save him.¡¯


    This short phenomenon was short-lasting as Zeke felt something pull him out of this vivid reverie, but at the last second, he was sticky black tentacles rise from the ground and envelop the man.


    When it was all over, Zeke drew a long cold breath and looked around, relieved that no one noticed any peculiarity.


    ¡®What did I just experience? Those were definitely the sewers, but I don¡¯t recognize the man. If it wasn¡¯t the System¡¯s doing, then what was it?¡¯


    Perplexed and lost, Zeke did his best to purge away all the unnecessary thoughts and focus on the History Exam.


    Besides that inexplicable occurrence, the rest of the day was uneventful. Zeke didn¡¯t stress or worry about the exams, his turbulent mind urging him to learn more about the incident.


    When the sun started to set, Zeke was in the small forest adjacent to the campus, completing the Daily Tasks. Julia opted to revise more for the upcoming exams instead of physical training with him.


    Azmer too, seemed to abstain from the Dean¡¯s teaching, clearly determined to get top grades in the non-practical exams.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 6 (12/85 EXP)]


    [Strength: 73]


    [Agility: 70]


    [Aether: 73]


    [Fortitude: 9]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 89%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 67%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(10%) - Drain Aether(0%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(Proficiency 82%) - Fatigue Abstence (23%)]


    [Available PE: 16]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    ¡®Recently, the only thing I did worthy of mention was unlocking and mastering the Inexhaustible Path. Logically thinking, it should have nothing to do with that strange vision. Then again, what the hell do I know about the System¡¯s Paths?¡¯


    Zeke had spent the available Stat Point to raise his three main stats, but the most important thing was the new path ¡®Inexhasubitle¡¯. Although it provided him with only two skills: Drain Aether and Fatigue Abstinence.


    Sadly, Drain Aether was highly-circumstantial as he had to be physically touching a target to use it. It allowed him to, quite literally, drain Life Aether from someone and inject it into his body. It would work quite well with Rune of Life, which was akin to a Life Aether Reservoir, but it wasn¡¯t easy to get close to an opponent, much less touch them for enough time to drain their Life Aether.


    As for Fatigue Abstinence, it was his second Survival Skill, one that had a ¡®passive¡¯ effect, so to speak.


    [Fatigue Abstinence (SS): Once a day, when the user¡¯s body has reached its limit, the consumed ¡®energy¡¯ would be fully restored.]


    Basically, it allowed him to train or fight for a longer period of time. As he had previously suspected, the Inexhaustible path¡¯s purpose was indeed to make the user reject the feeling of exhaustion and fatigue for longer than normal people. Admittedly, while it wasn¡¯t an outrageously powerful skill, Zeke was still satisfied even though he spent a total of 20PE to unlock and master the aforementioned path. His Agility, Strength, and Aether were subsequently increased by a considerable amount, which was unexpected but always welcome.


    ¡­


    ¡®Save him¡­ save him! SAVE HIM!¡¯


    ¡°Zeke? You good, buddy¡±?


    In the dormitory, Zeke, who was in the middle of explaining Theoretical Aether Manipulation to Samuel, suddenly dazed off for a couple of breaths.


    He didn¡¯t experience another ¡®vision¡¯, but the voice returned and, this time, he recognized it. It was, surprisingly, his own voice, repeatedly and incessantly telling him to save someone.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s continue¡­¡±


    Samuel scrutinized his friend for a bit then closed his notebook. ¡°I got the gist of it, don¡¯t worry about it. Anyroad, did you hear what happened?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a secret that Samuel was attracted to gossip and secrets, and whenever there was something, he would always repeat it to Zeke.


    ¡°Let me guess¡­¡± Zeke rolled his eyes and sarcastically said, ¡°A girl from class D broke up with a guy from class A?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Very funny!¡± Samuel snorted and rubbed his knuckles, ¡°It¡¯s not romance this time. It¡¯s actually about old Rodrick.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Color me impressed. I¡¯m listening¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t only Zeke whose attention was grabbed, the studious Azmer stopped scribbling on his notebook and perked his ears. Only Alan was disinterested, laying on his bed and playing a game on his phone with a huge triumphant smile on his baby face.


    ¡°Apparently, Rodrick challenged someone and won¡­ again! Witnesses say his ability has gotten a lot stronger.¡±


    ¡°Why is that surprising though?¡±


    ¡°First, it¡¯s unnatural for an ability to get a huge power-up in a short period of time. I get that training will strengthen us, but not to such a degree. I think it¡¯s got to do with Fylard, after all, the challengee was part of Francesca¡¯s group.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Rodrick¡¯s rank now?¡±


    ¡°25th. Quick a feat considering he was viewed as part of the ¡®weak¡¯ ones. But wait! There¡¯s more; The girl he fought was grievously injured and Rodrick was given a Black Star on the spot. Professor Nayro was really angry, or so the witnesses claim.¡±


    Zeke sighed and shook his head, not particularly surprised by Rodrick¡¯s violent behavior.


    ¡°Now that he got a taste of power from gods-know-where, there¡¯s nothing to stop him.¡±


    ¡°A-Ahem¡­¡± Samuel whistled while looking away, seemingly trying to convey something to his friend.


    ¡°Spit it out, Sam.¡±


    The moment he heard that, the son of the detective leaned closer while grinning, ¡°I was thinking you could challenge him. Beat him up again.¡±


    ¡°Not happening.¡± Immediately responded Zeke, his face expressionless.


    ¡°Tch! But if I challenge him and get injured, it¡¯s on you¡­¡± Samuel acted hurt and dejected as he returned to his bed, but before he sat down, he heard Zeke beckon him again.


    ¡°You really are my best friend!¡±

 Chapter 41 A Cult

    It wasn¡¯t that Zeke was merely following Samuel¡¯s whims, he was going to challenge Rodrick again to raise his rank and try to discover the peculiarity behind the sudden and inexplicable power-up.


    Tuesday morning, right after Zeke finished the first batch of exams, he was unexpectedly called by Maxine, telling him to come to the meeting and lounge room of the Special Investigation Squad.


    It was clear that Celestia wasn¡¯t pleased with having him around, and she wanted to interact with him as little as possible, therefore, Zeke didn¡¯t think they would invite him over.


    While musing with himself, Zeke headed to the Administrative Bureau Building during lunchbreak and arrived at the cozy ¡®office¡¯ of his seniors.


    All six members were present and sitting around a fancy and exquisite black wooden table. Maxine beckoned him to sit next to her, which he quietly did, a deep frown on his face.


    ¡°Before we begin, let me make a couple of things clear.¡± Stated Celestia as she piercingly stared at him, ¡°You have become an official member and as per the established rules, you are to be present in a meeting such as this one. However, under no circumstances are you to be involved directly with the cases. This is for your own safety, understood?¡±


    The person in question swept his gaze across all of them then nodded once. To begin with, he wasn¡¯t interested in this ¡®Special Investigation Squad¡¯ and were it for the forceful attitude of Principal Solas, he would have avoided them altogether, excluding Maxine, of course.


    ¡°With that out of the way, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Celestial stood up and walked to a large board hidden by a curtain.


    Zeke saw the pictures of several First-Year, Second-year, and even Third-Year students, along with small notes.


    ¡°Around two weeks ago, some students became more active and started challenging people left and right. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn¡¯t beget suspicions but¡­ said students all won their fights. What¡¯s more, their abilities have become much stronger yet, upon reviewing the records, no evidence suggests that they were hard-working enough to reap such results.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s exactly like what happened with Rodrick. It started ever since he had joined Fylard¡¯ circle.¡¯ Thought Zeke to himself. He was here as a spectator, for the time being, he refrained from saying anything.


    ¡°For now, we have found exactly 11 students that had their abilities empowered, possibly through the use of exterior and malevolent means.¡±


    Once Celestia finished her brief presentation, the hooded John said,


    ¡°There is no shortage of artifacts that can achieve that effect. It could also be the Black Magic.¡±


    ¡°Artifacts like that would have been sensed by the teachers overseeing the challenges. Black magic, on the other hand, is easier to notice and would, eventually, cause some damage to the body. This has been going on for two weeks but we saw no signs.¡±


    John nodded his head and went back to complete silence.


    ¡°It could be a drug or an elixir.¡± Suggested Vanessa as she had her eyes glued to a folder. As everyone looked at her, the girl raised her head and continued,


    ¡°Alternatively, it could be the doing of The Ivory Oak Order.¡±


    ¡®The Ivory Oak Order?¡¯ Zeke was confused by the unfamiliar term. Fortunately, Maxine, with a low voice, explained, ¡°The Ivory Oak Order is a secret organization that¡¯s said to worship an evil god. It¡¯s one of the stronger and more ¡®famous¡¯ ones, and its members have a tendency of suddenly exerting powers beyond their capabilities.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be them, right? Surely it isn¡¯t that easy to infiltrate Erys under the watchful eye of the Dean.¡±-V


    ¡°We can¡¯t rule out that possibility. Whoever is behind this could be supplying the drug to the students, or they could be one of the students. And even if it were the case, the perpetrator would purposely keep themselves hidden and not reveal their empowered abilities.¡±-James


    A brief bout of silence flowed between the members before Zeke raised his hand and looked at Celestia.


    ¡°...¡±


    Their leader, Celestia Black, stared at the black-haired youth for a few moments then motioned for him to speak.


    ¡°A student from my class, Rodrick, may be related to this. He¡¯s had the same ¡®symptoms¡¯ but I don¡¯t see his picture on the board.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve yet to find all the affected students. We will add him later¡­ anything else?¡±


    Celestia neither rebuked him nor lashed out, she acted professionally and calmly, as befitting someone of her caliber.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually going to challenge him later.¡± Zeke paused for a bit then added, ¡°To raise my rank.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that could be an opportunity. See if you can discover anything strange during the fight. We¡¯ll be on the lookout nearby, checking the students that were interested enough to watch.¡±


    Maxine was clearly against this plan, but before she could protest, Celestial looked at her and said,


    ¡°Max, whether you like it or not, Zeke is part of the squad now. He¡¯s willing to contribute and as long as he¡¯s in our sight and inside the school, he will not be in any danger.¡±


    *******


    ¡°Besides Jonathan¡¯s attacks, nothing major happened in or outside Erys. Still, I¡¯m certain the new user is here¡­ amongst them. How will I find him? How¡­¡±


    Frederic Whitefront had successfully smuggled himself into the country and changed his identity into a common journalist. Using his new disguise, he interviewed a couple of students but there wasn¡¯t anything fruitful. His search had come to a sudden halt and even when he used the Eye again, he got the exact same result and consequently lost more lifespan.


    ¡°There should¡¯ve been something strange enough but no one knows. Solas must be keeping things under a tight wrap¡­ which means he knows who I¡¯m looking for. If my previous assumptions were right then it has to be a student.¡±


    Frederic turned his head and looked at the wall, which was filled with pictures, documents, and words written using ink. The handsome young man paced around the room while absent-mindedly tapping his forehead.


    <hr>


    As agreed with his new colleagues, Zeke was going to challenge Rodrick for the second time. Even with the supposed drug, he had become considerably stronger, so dealing with Rodrick¡¯s Wind Magic was possible.


    Finding the target wasn¡¯t particularly difficult as Rodrick tended to hang out with Fylard and the rest in the ¡®delinquent classroom¡¯ which Julia used to frequent.


    The second Zeke stepped in, he caught the attention of everyone. Not only wasn¡¯t he a ¡®regular¡¯, but, as a former Defect, he wasn¡¯t that liked, especially by these unruly and arrogant students.


    ¡°To what do we owe the honor, Zeke?¡±


    Fylard stepped first, a shit-eating grin on his bony face. His beady eyes were intently fixated on Zeke.


    ¡°I came to challenge Rodrick Dontortyian.¡±


    ¡°Me? Hah!¡±


    The burly Rodrick stood up, towering over his peers.


    ¡®He looks even bigger than usual. Is this another side-effect of the drug or?¡¯


    After Fylard gave a subtle signal, Rodrick excitedly cracked his knuckles and licked his lips.


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    ¡°It¡¯s about time I beat your sorry-ass and make you learn your place, Defect.¡±


    ¡°Come now, Rodrick. We must be lenient on our friend here.¡± Fylard spoke with a mocking tone as he motioned for one of his lackeys to go call a teacher.


    Very soon, Zeke exited the room along with a big group of people following him. Fylard walked close to Rodrick and whispered a few things in his ear.


    ¡®I can¡¯t get a good look but Max and the rest should be nearby and watching.¡¯


    Within minutes, they arrived at one of the small arenas on the campus. Due to Fylard¡¯s presence, the interested students who wanted to watch the fight held themselves back and minded their own business. Thus, when the battle was about to start, there was only Fylard and his ¡®circle¡¯, Azmer who appeared out of nowhere, and two unfamiliar Second-year Students.


    Zeke stole a few glances around him, focusing more on the two upperclassmen.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Azmer. As far as I know, the two are no longer friends¡­ or it could have been a ruse to avoid attention.¡¯


    Since Rodrick was one of the fighters, Professor Nayro took charge, this time glaring at Rodrick menacingly.


    ¡°If you overdo it again, it will be four Black Stars. If you add them to the ones you accumulated thus far, then it will be expulsion.¡±


    Rodrick shrugged in disinterest as if he wasn¡¯t afraid of getting punished. He kept his eyes on Zeke, eager to exact his revenge.


    While they were making preparation, Zeke used ¡®Aether Control¡¯ and, unexpectedly, noticed dark purple particles of Aether emanating from his opponent¡¯s body.


    Ambient and pure Aether was always green in color, yet this one was foul and had a sinister aura.


    ¡®He¡¯s definitely consumed something.¡¯


    ¡°Go easy on him, yeah?¡±


    Fylard chuckled and backed away right as Nayro signaled the start of the fight.


    Rodrick let out a loud roar as he stomped on the ground and launched himself forward with her help of his ability.


    His large physique notwithstanding, he was quite agile, but his velocity paled in comparison to Julia¡¯s.


    With the use of ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯, Zeke stood his ground and extended his hand, catching Rodrick¡¯s incoming first and twisting his whole arm.


    In an impressive and shocking display, Zeke exerted all of his strength, lifting Rodrick¡¯s body then slamming it against the ground.


    Dizzy and startled, Rodrick crossed his arms just in time to block Zeke¡¯s swift leg, which was wrapped in dense lightning.


    The shock ripped the burly student¡¯s uniform and cracked the ground, but other than that, he was relatively unscathed.


    ¡®It¡¯s not just his ability. Rodrick¡¯s physical prowess might be above average, but even during out last fight, I was stronger than him. Appearance-wise, there are subtle differences, but he seems to have become more resistant to Aether-charged attacks.¡¯


    Zeke was simultaneously using ¡®Aether Control¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Manipulation,¡¯ which was taxing and inefficient, especially during a fight. However, the main objective of this challenge was to study Rodrick and see the changes within his body in order to figure out the truth.


    Seeing Zeke jump back just in time to dodge the invisible and violent gale, Rodrick clicked his tongue and got to his feet, spitting a bit of blood.


    He felt the gazes of his new friends, which made him feel ashamed and enraged. He roared and unleashed the full potential of his ability; A tornado formed in front of his palm, and when he threw it, it became larger and larger until it stood at a towering five meters.


    Seeing the dense purple particles imbued into the tornado, Zeke had a revelatory thought. He faintly smiled and recklessly charged toward the danger, his left hand raised and the Rune of Death letting out a mysterious and barely noticeable black light.


    The result defied Rodrick¡¯s expectations as the Rune of Death acted like a vacuum, devouring all the corrupted Aether and immediately converting it into Life Aether.


    Feeling empowered and rejuvenated, Zeke used one ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ to extinguish the weakened tornado. However, he didn¡¯t continue attacking and taunted Rodrick instead,


    ¡°All bark, no bite. Who¡¯s the loser now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡±


    His face was red and veins were bulging out like squirming worms. He lunged again, his open hand like a claw, trying to rip Zeke¡¯s face into shreds. Unfortunately, Zeke was prepared for such a predictable attack; Through the Rune of Life, he made use of the absorbed Aether to greatly empower ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯.


    His right moved so fast it became blurry, hitting Rodrick¡¯s side and sending him flying away like a tennis ball.


    By the time he crashed to the ground, lightning crackled around his body, scorching his clothes and burning his skin.


    Generally, such injuries would automatically make him lose. However, Nayro didn''t end the fight, either because he noticed something or wanted Rodrick to taste his own medicine.


    Hearing nothing from the overseer, Zeke appeared next to Rodrick using ''Life Motus'' then stepped on his chest.


    "Is that all?"


    Zeke wasn''t one to gloat, but he needed to mock and provoke Rodrick to incite a worse reaction that might expose him.


    ''That''s enough, Rodrick.'' Fylard''s disembodied voice echoed within Rodrick''s mind, making him sober up.


    "A Defect like me crushed you with so much ease. Do you even deserve to be a student of Erys?" Zeke sneered and spoke with a loud voice, snapping the final string of reason in Rodrick.


    His biggest mistake was his foolish pride, which made him unable to cope with this loss of face.


    His skin turned red and a purple malevolent aura burst forth, this time visible to all spectators.


    Fylard''s face turned ugly but he didn''t comment or intervene.


    It was the Zyth professor who tried to finish the fight but he quickly discovered that Zeke had it under control.


    The moment Rodrick ''transformed'', his skull was hit by a thick lightning bolt that knocked him senseless and extinguished the savage aura.


    ¡°You did good, I¡¯ll take things from here.¡±


    Nayro solemnly nodded and using a telekinetic ability to lift Rodrick¡¯s body and fly toward the Administrative Bureau Building. Now, there was undeniable evidence that Rodrick¡¯s power-up wasn¡¯t natural, and as a teacher, Nayro had to follow the protocol and isolate Rodrick then interrogate him.


    Even though he wasn¡¯t officially declared the winner, Zeke didn¡¯t care that much. He turned to face the gloomy Fylard and imitated his provocative grin.


    ¡°Mind you, I went easy on him.¡±


    Unlike Rodrick, Fylard didn¡¯t get emotional, he threw a glance at nearby Azmer and left thereafter.


    When things had calmed down a bit and Azmer left, John and Vanessa appeared.


    ¡°That Fylard was highly-unusual. I couldn¡¯t probe him.¡± Commented John.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t actually him. There was another student proficient at obfuscation. We will conduct a thorough investigation of every student in that class. Good job, Zeke.¡±


    The ashen-haired girl faintly smiled at Zeke, making him feel slightly embarrassed.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me? Do I have a crush on her or what?¡¯


    ¡°N-no problem.¡±


    Vanessa was indeed a beautiful girl, but Zeke wasn¡¯t interested in romance and whatnot. Nevertheless, his heart was beating loudly when she stared at him so intently and smiled. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, he averted his eyes and shrugged.


    John and Vanessa left moments later, but they didn¡¯t instruct Zeke to do anything. Despite of his reluctance to work alongside Celestia, Zeke still felt left out. He was curious about the circumstances behind this strange power-up and though it wasn¡¯t a want of exerting Justice, he still felt strangely connected to the whole affair.


    With the morning exams done and the lunch break almost over, the First-year Students were free to train on the campus or study in the library.


    Zeke wanted to seclude himself in the forest and train by himself. However, on his way there, he suddenly fell to his knees and clutched his head.


    ¡®Save him. Save him. Save him. Save him. Save him.¡¯


    The voice felt more intense than ever and he was pulled into a wholly different environment. He smelled the foul and nauseating stench of feces and other ungodly materials, felt a bone-chilling wind wash against his skin. He laid eyes on the slim man still curled in a corner, sobbing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­ p-please leave me alone. G¡­g-get out of my head!¡±


    He started ripping the few strands of hair left on his head while shouting manically. His face looked absolutely horrifying, with squirming bulges near his cheeks and eyes, and blood leaking out of his hollow eyes.


    Zeke wasn¡¯t someone who got easily disturbed by such sights, but even he was left speechless and unsettled.


    ¡°Hey! You okay?¡±


    He approached the man and tried to check on him but there was no reaction as if he was just an invisible ghost. Moments later, he was back in the small forest in Erys, drenched in cold sweat.


    ¡®It¡¯s getting more and more urgent. I can¡¯t even ignore it anymore.¡¯


    Determined to see this inexplicable occurrence to its end, Zeke immediately left Erys. The sewers under the Sunken Metropolis were as big as the city itself, therefore, trying to find that specific spot was like finding a needle in a haystack.


    Instead of wasting his time like that, Zeke headed to his new friend, Sulong.


    ¡°A-ah! Oh.. it¡¯s you!¡±


    The bald and muscular thug was startled, his forehead covered in sweat.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you knock first? You can¡¯t barge in as if you own the goddamn place!¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡± Zeke unceremoniously waved his hand and walked to Sulong¡¯s desk, rummaging through the stack of dusty papers.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°I remember you having a map of the city.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s here. But why do you need it?¡±


    Zeke ignored him for a while and examined the large map, focusing on the sewer lines. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t an expert map-reader, and apart from a few known places, the rest of the regions were unfamiliar to him.


    ¡°The sewers, do you know anything about them?¡±


    Seeing the youth¡¯s serious expression, Sulong didn¡¯t beat around the bush. He shook his head and responded, ¡°The majority of the sewers are nothing but a mountain of scraps and literal shit. Only the most desperate and deprived would go there to survive.¡±


    Sulong circled a few spot on the map with a red marker and continued, ¡°These are the three ¡®official¡¯ entrances, but they are heavily, and I mean heavily guarded by police officers. No one can go inside or leave as the sewers are the home of deadly diseases and plagues.¡±


    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 42 The Sewers

    With no clue to find the spot he saw in his vision, Zeke closed his eyes and concentrated, hoping there would be a reaction. For the first couple of seconds, there was nothing, but, when he opened his eyes, the map twitched and moved on its own, surprising Sulong.


    When he looked at the youth, he saw his eyes let out an ominous black light which pierced a small hole into the map.


    Zeke didn¡¯t know how it happened or what it was, but he was that was the place. While pointing at that hole, he asked,


    ¡°Here¡­ do you know where it is?¡±


    ¡°E-em the sewers are split into three large regions. This one is the ¡®safest¡¯ and has dozens of homeless people living there.¡±


    By now, Sulong already knew that Zeke was quite unusual, even if grouped up with Erys¡¯ students. He no longer questioned the bizarre events or inquired more than he needed to.


    After obtaining the ability to wield the mysterious crimson fire, he felt indebted and grateful to Zeke, opting to trust him and follow his steps rather than oppose him and try to better his life through other means. Admittedly, Zeke was young, but he behaved in a mature and responsible way, rarely letting himself get emotional or distracted from the main objective.


    ¡°How can we go there unnoticed?¡±


    Instead of responding, Sulong walked to the sleeping Jack on the couch and shook him a few times.


    ¡°Whaat? Just five more minu-¡±


    The poor man was slapped on the head, making him sit up in surprise and look around.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to work. Get ready!¡±


    Jack, although confused and sleepy, rubbed his eyes and jumped to his feet. He noticed Zeke but didn¡¯t remark, instead, he went to the other room and retrieved the armor he had worn last time and a military knife.


    ¡°W-where are we going?¡±


    ¡°The sewers. You know a safe path, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The three didn¡¯t waste time talking; Zeke and Jack were the first to leave the office, but Sulong stopped at the doorstep and looked behind.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    He swept his gaze across the whole place but noticed nothing unnatural. He could have sworn he had felt a presence.


    ¡°Things are getting weirder and weirder¡­¡± He muttered as he closed and locked the door.


    ¡­


    Special Agent Katrina Vernerg, formally part of the Department of Defense¡¯s Secret Intelligence Team. She was a subordinate of Edward Orland and her loyalty laid with him and him alone.


    She specialized in Stealth and Assassination and part of her ability allowed her to turn invisible and soundless. She was practically unrivaled in stealth and, with the artifact Edward had given her prior to her ¡®dismissal¡¯ she was able to sneak into Erys without getting detected by neither the Dean or the Principal.


    Her sole task now was to tail and protect Zeke Orland, the younger brother of her savior and benefactor.


    Surprisingly, since the first day, she started noticing peculiarities within her target. Whether it was his unfathomable abilities, his strange and inscrutable behavior, or his slightly different character.


    In fact, Katrina had met him a couple of times in the past, but he had always been cheerful in front of Edward. He never complained or demanded anything, yet the current Zeke was like a totally different person.


    This made Katrina conclude that Zeke had been acting in front of Edward as to not make his older brother worried.


    It has been but a few days yet she had learned many things. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have the time to make a report as Zeke kept moving from one place to another. When he left Erys out of the blue, she had to follow and do her job.


    Much to her surprise, he was acquainted and, apparently, friends with a loan shark. What was more surprising was the fact that the loan shark had noticed her presence, even if it was for a split second.


    She knew that he wasn¡¯t that strong, which made the matter all the more perplexing and mind-boggling.


    With ease, she tailed the trio all the way to the secret entrance of the sewers. It was not from the workplace of Sulong, situated in an inconspicuous and secluded alleyway.


    Although disgusted by the stench, Katrina jumped down seconds after them, her feet soundlessly hitting the ground¡­


    ****


    ¡°Thank you for making Jack wait at the entrance.¡±


    Hearing this, Zeke looked at Sulong and shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know what we might face here. It¡¯s better for a non-fighter like him to be on the lookout.¡±


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    Sulong smiled but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡®Save him. Save him. Save him!¡¯


    The calling returned not long after he entered the narrow sewers. They were guiding Zeke towards the right place, beckoning him with unprecedented urgency.


    They warily marched through the dirty and wet sewers, encountering squeaking rats and clusters upon clusters of ripped clothes and scraps.


    After fifteen minutes, they arrived at an intersection.


    ¡°The left is said to be dangerous and unexplored. The right, on the other hand, is home to the homeless and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the left.¡± Muttered Zeke as he unhesitantly kept walking, lightning crackling around his hands.


    His disembodied voice was getting louder and more intense and, soon, the two stumbled upon a shocking sight.


    ¡°T-this¡­¡±


    Sulong covered his mouth and barely held himself from vomiting. Zeke¡¯s face was pale as he looked away from the mangled corpses suspended on the walls.


    ¡°Clearly, they didn¡¯t die of natural causes.¡± Remarked the baldy as he steered clear of the corpses and followed the youth.


    The more they walked, the more corpses they saw, either suspended in the walls or scattered on the ground.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­¡±


    Zeke suddenly halted his steps and stared at one particular corpse, a deep frown on his face. Sulong followed his gaze only to let out a gasp. He quickly calmed himself down and gritted his teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jimmy.¡±


    ¡°I thought his body was taken by the authorities.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Solemnly responded Sulong, crouching down and closing his deceased friend¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Which means whatever happened here has something to do with the local authorities. They wouldn¡¯t dispose of the bodies in here, and it¡¯s far-fetched to think corpses crawled here by themselves.¡±


    Zeke paused for half a beat then added, ¡°We will take him back when we return. Again, my condolences.¡±


    ¡°Take him with us? What if they throw him back here?¡± Sulong shook his head and used his crimson flames to burn Jimmy¡¯s body. The fire consumed everything, causing a vomit-inducing stench as black smoke filled the cramped place.


    After a brief prayer for his departed friend, Sulong was ready to continue.


    ¡­


    It took the duo another thirty minutes of walking to finally arrive at the exact spot shown in Zeke¡¯s vision.


    It was a dead end, in a place that noticeably lacked corpses. The voice inside Zeke¡¯s head came to a sudden stop once he laid eyes on the man curled on the ground. He was still ripping his ears and whispering to himself, not even noticing the two arrivals.


    Zeke approached him and tried to help but the man shoved his hand away and let out an inhumane and ear-piercing screech.


    His horrifying face and squirming red eyes locked onto Zeke.


    ¡°Careful!¡±


    Sulong pulled Zeke just in time, saving him from the man who leapt at them like a beast.


    However, when he was going to use his crimson fire to retaliate, Zeke stopped him.


    ¡°We have to subdue him.¡±


    Zeke shot two lightning bolts at the man but he missed. Meanwhile, Sulong charged forward like a bull, successfully bear-hugging the man then slamming him against the wall.


    Alas, the man wasn¡¯t in the right mental state, still yelling crazily and moving around like a slavering maddenest beast.


    He howled deafeningly as black slimy tentacles burst from his abdomen, wriggling about disgustingly.


    Sulong was terrified but he didn¡¯t run away, he instinctively raised his hands to defend, thus conjuring a thin wall of fire. Sadly, the ¡®barrier¡¯ shattered instantly and the man¡¯s tentacles pierced Sulong¡¯s arm before flinging him to the side.


    It was then that Zeke appeared behind the man, accurately hitting the tentacles with three consecutive ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ then following up with ¡®Spark¡¯.


    The man unknowingly touched the lightning orb, causing a rain of lightning to befall the cramped area.


    The sewers were covered in the luminous light of the rain of lightning before it returned to its usual and gradual darkness.


    The man fell on the ground, blood gushing out his stomach and chest. His howls turned into sobs as he clenched his fists and tried to rip his ears out.


    Zeke intervened and bound his arms while pressing his knees against the back. He touched the man with his left hand, which activated the Rune of Death.


    An in flux of foul energy invaded Zeke¡¯s body, making it shake violently. He bore through the agony and sucked as much energy as possible.


    Eventually, after seven seconds, he pulled his hand and backed away. His breathing was heavy and his face was deathly pale. As for the man, his facial complexion was much better and his wounds healed almost instantly.


    ¡°Zeke! You good?¡±


    Sulong, who slightly recovered, went to support the trembling Zeke.


    [Detection Blood Infusion]


    [Converting into Life Aether: 80% Energy absorbed]


    [+5 Aether]


    [+1 Fortitude]


    [+7 EXP]


    [+2 PE]


    Right after the System notification appeared, Zeke leaned forward and vomited a mouthful of sticky black blood. After that, the trembling stopped and his mind was momentarily serene.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡±


    With the help of Sulong, Zeke checked on the unconscious man but found no traces of that seemingly evil aura infested within him.


    As soon as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard his voice again, repeating the same words.


    While blocking his ears, Zeke frantically looked around and spotted a small hole behind the spot in which the man was curled on. With unsteady steps, Zeke hastily walked there and crouched.


    ¡°Waaah! Waaah!¡±


    Much to his absolute surprise, he saw a baby wrapped in a blue and thin blanket.


    Zeke suspended his disbelief and extended his arms toward the baby. The ¡®room¡¯ beyond the small hole was made of an organic matter moving around as if it was alive.


    Zeke, who safely retrieved the baby, felt an unprecedented dread that made him immobilized. The voice in his head turned into silence and the baby¡¯s cries lessened, yet Zeke was locked in place.


    [Blood Heart Path Unlocked]


    Fortunately, Sulong pulled him back just in time. The suffocating pressure binding Zeke disappeared, but, at the last second, he took a peek inside the ¡®room¡¯ and saw it being slashed open by something.


    ¡°By the gods! A baby¡­ here?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s leave!¡±


    With the baby in his arms and the man on Sulong¡¯s shoulder, they swiftly retraced their steps, unwilling to remain an extra second in this god-forsaken place.


    ¡­

 Chapter 43 Society

    While Zeke and Sulong were engaged in a fight against that mysterious man, Katrina, who had sensed something, went ahead.


    Even though she saw the man, she ignored him and sped toward a large circular room at the end of the long sewer tunnel.


    There, she saw at least a dozen robed people kneeling around a large sinister altar. A sinister black light was emanating from the altar and invading the believers'' bodies, making them convulse on the ground then explode into a mass of flesh and gore.


    This sight didn¡¯t shock the woman as she watched for a bit. She saw the black-robbed people¡¯s face; They were filled with bliss and joy as they welcomed their God¡¯s aura and accepted their cruel fate with welcome arms.


    Only their leader was exempt from dying. He was a tall man with little hair left on his deformed head. The entirety of his eyes were jet black and his left arm was thrice as long as average with thick and thin tentacles protruding from it.


    Without a sliver of hesitation, Katrina dashed toward the altar and slashed diagonally with a glistening silver blade that was hidden in her sleeve.


    With one strike, the altar split in half and fell to the ground. The evil aura lurking in the air became unstable and it started attacking everyone indiscriminately.


    The leader, like a beast, leapt at Katrina only to have his skull stabbed by her blade. However, he kept thrashing around and only when she cut his body to pieces did he finally die.


    Katrina looked around the room and saw a dome of organic matter squirming. The black-colored energy became denser and transformed into many black tentacles that shot at the dome, trying to get what was inside.


    Seeing this, the special agent interfered and, while dodging the tentacles with ease, continued slashing left and right until there was none left.


    The room returned to an eerie silence, but Katrina knew that it wasn¡¯t over yet. The altar shook for a bit it exploded, revealing a hideous monstrosity that resembled nothing but an unholy abomination.


    A milky white aura enveloped Katrina, who took a deep breath and jumped towards the monster¡­


    ****


    ¡°Aaaah!¡±


    Seeing silhouettes appearing down below, Jack freaked out only to realize it was Sulong and Zeke.


    ¡°W-what happened?! Who¡¯s t¡­t-this? Ooh¡­¡±


    The appearance of an unfamiliar man and a baby shocked Jack. However, seeing the state of his companions, he refrained from asking questions and helped them leave the area.


    The trip back to the office was quick and exhausting, especially for the injured Sulong and the tired Zeke.


    When they were finally there, the mysterious man was laid on the sofa whereas the baby was still being held by Zeke.


    ¡°What did we just witness¡­¡±


    Sulong was traumatized by their experience, but he didn¡¯t recount anything to the curious Jack.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Check the man¡¯s belongings.¡±


    ¡°I did. No identification or anything that might tell us about his identity.¡±


    Zeke frowned and looked at the sleeping baby in his arms.


    ¡®Whom did the voice wanted me to save? The baby or the man? And why?¡¯


    All sorts of questions filled his mind. He didn¡¯t know whether it was wise to inform Detective Vans Valort of the situation in the sewers or not.


    In the end, after a long internal debate, Zeke decided to keep his counsel and keep things to himself. The presence of Jimmy¡¯s bodies was proof enough that the authorities, or someone working for them, was either throwing bodies into the sewers or offering them to an organization.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been away long enough. I¡¯ll these two to you.¡±


    ¡°What? Wait!¡±


    Sulong couldn¡¯t stop Zeke, who gently handed the baby to Jack then dashed outside.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Jack, who was soothing the baby, said,


    ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s his name? Can I name him?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t assume its gender.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°I just checked. It¡¯s a baby boy. Hehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    *****


    In the headquarters of the Department of Defense.


    ¡°Agent Fern failed to apprehend Jonathan Stellar Link. The information provided by Solas was inaccurate.¡±


    A grizzly-looking man with a thick beard and long red hair looked at his colleagues and declared with a cold voice.


    ¡°Of course they were! What did we trust that old foggy in the first place?!¡±


    An elderly hunchback wearing a traditional robe banged his fist on the table and shouted back, his face red from anger.


    ¡°Calm down. This outcome was to be expected. I will be sending Combat Squad A to take care of it.¡±


    The elderly nodded and returned to his gloomy silence.


    ¡°Captain Edward, I heard that the System has appeared. As the head of the Secret Intelligence Team, I wonder why you¡¯ve yet to inform us of this development?¡±


    A middle-aged man with a receding hairline and thick eyebrows grinned at the stoic Edward and spoke with a clarion voice, garnering the attention of all present.


    ¡°From whence did you hear such drivel, Colonel Harold?¡±


    ¡°If I already heard of it, then you and your team must be aware of it too. This warrants a thorough investigation.¡±


    ¡°Edward, is this true?¡± Asked the red-haired man, who seemed to be the one with the highest status.


    ¡°False, sir. Jonathan has been unsuccessful in acquiring the System and it remains unverified whether it appeared or not.¡±


    ¡°Sir! He¡¯s lying! I know for a fact it appea-¡±


    Colonel Harold stopped talking once he saw the red-haired man¡¯s cold stare. He lowered his head and zipped his mouth, afraid to anger his superior.


    ¡°Edward, stay clear of Erys and continue looking for the System. If it has been acquired by someone, then you are to bring them here immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡­


    Once the meeting was over, Edward returned to his room and, after closing the door, sat down, his expression ugly.


    ¡®Harold has a spy in Erys. Since he didn¡¯t mention names, he must only know that the System is there. But¡­ who could be the mole?¡¯


    After contemplating with himself, Edward snapped his fingers, causing an illusory Little Bunting to appear. He tied a letter to its tiny leg and sent it flying away.


    ***


    Katrina succeeded in killing the monstrosity born out of an evil god¡¯s will, however, she consequently sustained a grievous wound. Right under her left shoulder was a bloody fresh wound and though she bandaged it before it got worse and even drank one of the handfuls of priceless elixir that expelled any negative energy inside one¡¯s body.


    Once she made sure Zeke had escaped, she urgently headed to a shallow restaurant in Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    That was the only place to contact Edward without attracting attention. Unexpectedly, however, when she was about to send a letter, the familiar Little Bunting appeared.


    Surprised, Katrina opened the letter and carefully read it before lighting it on fire.


    ¡®Colonel Harold has a spy in Erys. Try to find him but keep your focus on Zeke.¡¯


    Those were the only words in the letter, but it was enough for Katrina. In return, she wrote a letter of her own, mentioning what she witnessed and the mess she stumbled upon in the sewers.


    It definitely wasn¡¯t a normal worshipping ritual and she knew the organization behind it, which was why she was willing to temporarily abandon her task and directly come here to relay her findings.


    When she was done, she handed the letter to the manager of the restaurant, a young man by the name of Jay, who was actually an undercover agent.


    Then, after properly treating her wounds, Katrina returned to tailing Zeke Orland from the shadows.


    ¡­


    Zeke didn¡¯t sustain any heavy wounds from his fight, so he didn¡¯t go to the infirmary. Instead, he went to the library, a place he used to frequent a lot at the beginning of the year.


    Erys¡¯ library was the biggest in the country and had knowledge about almost everything. There were even locked archives that were rumored to contain secret techniques from pre-historic families. Unfortunately, only selected Fourth-year students and the teachers were eligible to get access.


    That fact didn¡¯t matter for Zeke, who sought relatively common knowledge, which might help him learn more about what happened in the sewers.


    ¡®It¡¯s not the Ivory Oak Order nor the Ascetic Blasphemers¡­ it must be mentioned here¡­¡¯


    Zeke kept flipping through the books until he, at last, found the name of the secret organization.  He pushed the stack of books to the side and concentrated on the one in his hands.


    ¡®The Blood Dusk Society?¡¯


    After reading for a bit, Zeke was certain that whatever happened in the sewers was indeed the doing of the Blood Dust Society. It was a secret organization that worshipped an evil god, specifically the ¡®deity¡¯ known as the Blood God.


    They were suicidal zealots that offer their blood and flesh to their god or use their bodies as vessels for the spawns of their deity. Amongst the numerous secret organizations, their rituals were the most brutal and they often involved inhumane experimentations and ridiculous sacrifices.


    ¡®There is a mention of black tentacles and the murmurs of the Blood God, which could corrupt the victim and eventually turn them into an abomination, declared as ¡®Angel of Death¡¯ by the fanatic believers. Still, it doesn¡¯t explain why I found a baby there. Is it also a spawn of the Blood God? A result of a successful ritual?¡¯


    The whole day has been a torrent of strange events for Zeke. Although he wanted to learn more about the Blood Dusk Society, the available books offered basic information. After skimming through a few more books, he returned to his room.


    He was relieved that he no longer heard the voice or experienced those vivid visions, but that didn¡¯t make him worry less about this whole inexplicable ordeal.


    ¡®I accurately located that man, which means their so-called ¡®cleansing¡¯ didn¡¯t work as intended.¡¯


    Zeke touched his chest while lost in thought. He remembered that day eleven years ago, when he was kidnapped by the Ascetic Blasphemers. Partially, what he had told Counselor Mary was true, after all, his memories of that incident were blurry and fragmented.


    However, there were things deeply imprinted in his mind, things he wished to forget but couldn¡¯t¡­

 Chapter 44 Mother and Father

    Zeke¡¯s venture into the sewers revealed many things to him. First, the sinister and, as-of-yet, unknown plans of the Blood Dusk Society. Second, the Paths of Extinctions System and its unexpected reward due to the unplanned and so-called ¡®Blood Infusion¡¯. Zeke got a decent amount of Stats, including Fortitude, which was incredibly difficult to increase.


    ¡®I still don¡¯t know what that voice¡­ my voice, wanted me to do. I want to know what happened in the sewers but I¡¯m still too weak to go alone.¡¯


    Undoubtedly, if Zeke asked, Sulong would definitely go with him again. However, the bald thug, his new ability notwithstanding, was still too inexperienced to fight monstrously strong abominations. He had been injured during that brief fight and were it not for his strong physique, he would have sustained heavier wounds, at the very least.


    After Zeke was done reading, he was planning to return to the dormitory to rest. It had been a long day, whether it was fighting Rodrick, suffering the dizzying visions, or delving into the disgusting and dangerous sewers.


    Now that the notice was lifted, he was free to live in his apartment, but he decided against that. Although he didn¡¯t like one of his roommates, the environment was nonetheless suitable for his daily activities.


    Training in the forest under the Dean¡¯s supervision was safer than the public parks of the Sunken Metropolis, where unknown strangers could attack him. After all, Zeke had a knack for unwittingly getting involved in highly-dangerous matters, such as Jonathan Stellar Link¡¯s case or the Blood Dusk Society.


    ¡°Zeke Orland, yes?¡±


    Right in front of the dormitory, a stalwart and bespectacled second-year stopped him. The upperclassmen didn¡¯t bear any hostility, he just sized Zeke then robotically said,


    ¡°You are expected in the reception of the Administrative Bureau Building.¡±


    The youth didn¡¯t even wait for a response as he left thereafter, his glued to a thick notebook in his hands.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke was momentarily confused but he still headed there. The reception was on the lowest floor, in a spacious and luxurious room that was frequently empty besides a young female receptionist.


    Much to his surprise, Zeke spotted both of his parents standing a couple of paces away from the sliding transparent doors leading inside.


    Anthony Orland and Olivia Vyrsan; The former was a tall middle-aged man with a clean-shaven face, a commanding jawline, and relatively handsome facial features. He bore a striking resemblance to Edward, especially with short hair or the constantly narrowed eyes.


    As for Olivia, she was a beautiful woman with long curly dark brown hair, light make-up, and an impressive figure. Although the couple was workaholics, they paid great attention to their appearances in public, but the worse of it was their usually extreme reactions each time one of their children would cause a problem, specifically Zeke.


    ¡°There you are!¡±


    The second he spotted his youngest son, Anthony shouted out loud and strode toward him with what could only be described as an expression of anger, frustration, and blame.


    Olivia followed after him, her piercing glare-proof enough of her disapproval.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused for us and the school?! You also got Black Stars!¡±


    Anthony was much taller than Zeke, and with him being the father, he didn¡¯t hold back as he glared at his son menacingly.


    When Zeke just stood there, quiet and unresponsive, Anthony extended his head and pushed him back in anger.


    ¡°Why are you not explaining yourself?! Do you to be expelled? Because I can facilitate that.¡±


    ¡®This has become so boring already. Always with the threats and abuse¡­ it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re behaving like this. They¡¯re not even trying to hide it anymore.¡¯


    ¡°Dear, calm down for a second.¡±


    Olivia softly pulled her husband back and stepped forth, facing her stone-faced son. She grinned and leaned her head forward,


    ¡°I heard you had a late awakening, yes? Perhaps you can visit us at the lab so we can run a few experiments and check-ups. It would do both of us good, especially if we can learn a couple of things about late awakenings. What do you say? We¡¯ll forget the trouble you caused in exchange.¡±


    Olivia was the shrewd and manipulative type, rarely letting her emotions out of control. She was the opposite of her husband and, out of the two, Zeke hated her more. She wouldn¡¯t give up an opportunity to elevate her societal status or improve her career.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°One would almost think you¡¯re not my parents.¡± Calmly muttered Zeke as he stared back at the green-eyed woman.


    However, when she heard him, her face turned ugly and her smile vanished. She unhesitantly swung her hand at him, slapping him across the face.


    ¡°Careful now, my sweet boy. You wouldn¡¯t want people to misunderstand.¡±


    She looked around but the reception was relatively empty. Besides them, the only people present were the busy receptionist and, unexpectedly, Azmer Lorson, who was seemingly waiting for someone.


    She stretched her arm again but instead of slapping him, she held his chin and raised his head.


    ¡°You will be 18 soon. Then¡­¡± She leaned even closer and whispered into his ear, ¡°You will be on your own.¡±


    She shoved her hand away and stepped back, unperturbed by her words, ¡°As if I wasn¡¯t already.


    Olivia softly chuckled and waved her hand in disinterest.


    ¡°We are your parents and you will listen to u-¡±


    Before Anthony could finish, an extremely fast silhouette barged into the building and appeared in front of Zeke.


    ¡°Mom. Dad. What are you doing here?¡±


    With a deep frown, Maxine Orland cautiously looked at her parents. Although her relationship with them wasn¡¯t as bad, it also wasn¡¯t the best. Still, due to her talents, Anthony and Olivia treasured Edward and Maxine and constantly bragged about them.


    ¡°We were just making sure Zeke was alright, sweety.¡±


    Olivia tried to hug her daughter but Maxine stepped back while protecting Zeke. She glanced at her brother and saw his slightly reddened cheek.


    ¡°You¡­ you hit him?¡±


    ¡°We were disciplining him!¡± Corrected Anthony with a stern expression.


    ¡°He was being so uncooperative, sweety. We had to seek the aid of many ¡®associates¡¯ to enroll him into Erys. After all, he was a Defect. Even though was a stain on the Orland family, we didn¡¯t give up on him.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Maxine¡¯s expression softened but she quickly snapped out of it and sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°Alright, no need to be angry with us. If you need anything, call us, okay?¡±


    Olivia blew a kiss to her daughter and left thereafter along with her grumpy husband.


    ¡­


    A distance away, Azmer Lorson witnessed the whole thing but neither commented nor reacted. However, when he saw a group of black-suited people enter the reception, his body stiffened.


    Leading this group was a towering man with bulging muscles and grizzly facial features. He was William Lorson, Azmer¡¯s father and the head of the prestigious Lorson Family.


    Accompanying William was a slim and mature young man who could only be Azmer¡¯s older and more successful sibling.


    Upon seeing them, Azmer immediately bowed his head and raised it only when his father spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy with my work yet I was personally called by the Principal. Tell me, is it true?¡±


    Azmer didn¡¯t know what happened, but his father¡¯s cold eyes clearly indicated that he was very angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Azmer neither explained himself nor spouted excuses. He bowed again and sincerely apologized, but it changed nothing.


    ¡°You think an apology is going to cut it? You, a member of the Lorson family, receiving Black Stars? Quite bold of you to not tell me.¡±


    In fact, Principal Solas had caught wind of what Azmer and Rodrick had done to Zeke. Each was given a Black Star and warned not to do it again lest they get expelled on the spot.


    Of course, Azmer had been shocked by this and, after a lot of hesitation, decided not to inform his family. Who would have thought that Solas would go out of his way to inform William?


    A brief bout of silence ensued, then-out of the blue- Azmer was blown to the back. William had punched him right in the face with unnecessarily a lot of force.


    Yet, even after he was hit, Azmer got back to his feet and bowed again, blood flowing out of his bruised lips. He kept his head down, his teeth gritted and eyes on the ground.


    ¡°Mistakes are not tolerated, Azmer.¡±


    William, with his huge frame, approached his youngest son and kicked him in the abdomen.


    He showed no mercy or affection, acting brutally even in public.


    Maxine was stupefied and tried to intervene but Zeke helped her back and solemnly shook his head. In comparison to Azmer, the slap he got from Olivia was nothing.


    Zeke already knew that Azmer had a rough relationship with his father due to his lacking talent compared to his brother, but he didn¡¯t expect William to be this unforgiving.


    After he hit Azmer a couple more times, William swept and looked around, his eyes first falling on the panic-stricken receptionist.


    He paid her little heed and locked gazes with Zeke.


    With his subordinates and eldest son behind him, he marched toward Maxine and her brother.


    ¡°Maxine Orland, right? I¡¯ve heard good things about you.¡±


    Unlike his behavior with Azmer, William spoke with a soft voice and seemed to look on Maxine favorably.


    The next was Zeke, who stood there, quiet and gloomy.


    ¡°And you must be Zeke. My apologies for the trouble my son had caused.¡±


    William signaled his eldest son, who stepped forward and took out a cheque.


    The long-haired and blonde young man extended the cheque with both hands to Zeke.


    ¡°I hope monetary compensation will be enough. It will not happen again.¡±


    William barely acknowledged Zeke¡¯s existence despite talking directly to him. He dealt with the matter as swiftly as possible then left, uncaring about Azmer¡¯s current state.


    ¡°You alright? I¡¯ll take you to the Infirmary.¡±


    While Zeke stood still, Maxine was sympathetic enough to go help Azmer. He was beaten pretty badly, so much so that he didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up. Even though he wanted to refuse her help, he couldn¡¯t. His face was bruised and bloodied and his left arm seemed to be broken.


    It was, quite literally, a public display of parental abuse. Zeke now knew why Azmer was diligently working day and night, and why the Dean¡¯s arduous training sessions didn¡¯t bother him.

 Chapter 45 Who Did It?

    Christopher Balrand, one of the three teachers of the First Years classes, stood behind a thick and transparent wall, his narrowed locked onto Rodrick.


    After his ¡®powers¡¯ ran out of control, the burly student was immediately brought to an interrogation room under the Administrative Bureau Building of Erys.


    He had been suspected to be one of the students whose powers were strengthened through outside and illegal substance use, and his battle against Zeke was more than enough proof to lock him up. In fact, it was within Principal Solas¡¯s authority to hand Rodrick to the Department of Defense and make them deal with the rest, but that would cause the youth to be inhumanely tortured to extract information.


    ¡°We¡¯re not allowed to use violence. How are we supposed to make him talk?¡±


    The hooded John, one of the members of the Special Investigation Squad, was displeased with how they were treating Rodrick. He stood next to Christopher and grumbled loudly, but the teacher turned a deaf ear.


    Upon seeing no positive reaction or agreement from his teacher, John clenched his hands and angrily stormed out of the room. As for Christopher, he kept looking at Rodrick, who was being questioned by Celestial Black.


    ¡°You still won¡¯t talk?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Celestia was sitting opposite Rodrick, seemingly calm and unbothered by his silence.


    ¡°If you decide to keep your counsel, the least you¡¯ll get is an expulsion.¡±


    Unfortunately, her threats were not enough as he had his arms crossed and looked relaxed and adamant about keeping his lips tightly shut.


    ¡°Your father could get implicated as well.¡±


    When his father was mentioned, Rodrick¡¯s body twitched and he hesitantly looked at the girl.


    ¡°If you cooperate, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯ll only get one Black Star. There¡¯s no need to complicate this matter and associate yourself with criminals. There¡¯s still room for redemption, Rodrick.¡±


    Time crept by yet the interrogation bore no fruit. Rodrick refused to be a witness against Fylard nor disclose any useful information.


    Celestia knew who the culprit was, however, she had to follow the rules and find conclusive evidence, or else the Principal wouldn¡¯t let her apprehend Fylard.


    ¡­


    Two days later, around midnight.


    Room 18 of the First Year Male Dormitory


    ¡°Rodrick is still not back.¡±


    Fylard was biting his nails as he paced around the room, looking nervously looking at his phone. Two of his roommates were asleep while the last one was quietly sitting on the bed and staring at Fylard.


    ¡°There¡¯s a strong chance we¡¯re being monitored. Stop acting suspiciously.¡±


    Despite this warning, Fylard let out a grunt and kept pacing around, unable to calm his thoughts or his rapidly-beating heart. The longer Rodrick was being locked in Erys, the higher the probability of him divulging the truth.


    Fylard was only the supplier of the empowering drug, but that was enough for him to be expelled. At first, when Rodrick was taken by Professor Nayro, Fylard had expected Rodrick¡¯s father to interfere and help his son, but that didn¡¯t happen, much to his surprise.


    As it turned out, Rodrick¡¯s father, one of the most infamous gang bosses of the city¡¯s underworld, cared more about his face than his family, opting to stay out of the matter and let his son deal with the consequences, no matter how disastrous they could get.


    ¡°And here I thought I could use him to help father and strengthen our family. Tsk tsk!¡±


    Fylard halted his foot and cursed under his breath, slowly but surely becoming hysterical.


    Feeling sweaty and hot, he snatched the bottle of water atop his desk and gulped down, but his thirst wasn¡¯t quenched.


    ¡°Maybe I was wrong about you, Fylard.¡± Said the only roommate awake, a sigh escaping his thin lips.


    ¡°How can you be so goddamn calm?!¡± Shouted back Fylard, his face red.


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing no response and seeing the annoying grin on the youth¡¯s face, Fylard stepped forth and grabbed his collar, ¡°I¡¯m telling you! If they find out, I will not go down alone! I¡¯ll tell them everything about your order and how you-¡±


    Fylard suddenly stopped talking and staggered to the back, his face becoming redder and his body profusely sweating.


    The other student fixed his uniform and retorted, ¡°It¡¯s fine by me. I have completed my primary objective and I believe it¡¯s time to depart.¡±


    Right after he finished speaking, there was a loud explosion in the dormitory, followed by several light tremors and panicked shouts.


    The two sleeping roommates of Fylard awakened, their bodies turning red and their powers going out of control.


    As for Fylard himself, his Wind-aspected ability was getting out of control, hitting the room and wrecking it within seconds.


    ¡°You¡¯ve drunk more than double the normal dose. It should suffice as a distraction, I guess.¡±


    The youth opened the door, his expression turning into a scared one as he shouted atop of his lungs, calling for help and running away.


    ¡­


    A deafening alarm awakened Zeke¡¯s from his dreamless sleep. The first thing he saw was the System Window flashing with an ominous red color


    [Urgent Mission: Stop the Ivory Oak Order disciple from running away]


    [Rewards: +20 EXP | +20 EP | Power-up Survival Skill]


    The four students of Room 10 woke up all at once, but Zeke was the only one who didn¡¯t hear the cries echoing across the dormitory¡¯s corridors.


    The ringing sound of the System had stopped, only to be replaced by the tremors and explosions occurring simultaneously.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Alan, Samuel, and Azmer jumped to their feet, stupefied by what was happening.


    ¡°Stay close¡­ close!¡±


    Samuel ran to Alan¡¯s side and instructed him to be careful whereas Azmer conjured a protective barrier made of flames around him as he warily looked at the only door in the room.


    Zeke too, readied himself as lightning crackled around his hands, ready to strike at any moment.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s happening?¡±


    The timid Alan was shaking from fear, his eyes were peeking from behind Samuel and at the door.


    After a brief bout of silence between the four of them, the door was blasted by an invisible shock wave and a crazed student with red skin leapt at the closest target.


    Sadly for him, Samuel and co were prepared and before he could land, the poor student was blown to the back by three different abilities. However, even as he crashed to the wall, his chest bleeding from the fire and lightning, he growled like a beast and lunged again.


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯, appearing to the target¡¯s side, and swept his leg upwards, accurately hitting the back of his head and knocking him unconscious.


    ¡°Stay here!¡±


    Just by seeing the student acting like that, Zeke immediately understood what was happening. He recognized him as one of the students whose powers were strengthened. Coupled with the knowledge he had gotten from the Special Investigation Squad, it was relatively easy to conclude that those suspected targets were running out of control, which explained the unfolding chaos.


    ¡®It¡¯s just in the First Year Dormitory yet I hear cries from everywhere, which means there total of students affected is more than a dozen. The upperclassmen and the teachers should be here at any moment, so I¡¯ll go look for ¡®my¡¯ target.¡¯


    With the voltage dancing around him, Zeke shot forward, striking any of the rampaging students while looking for anyone suspicious. Urgent Missions were particularly rare and the rewards were enticing, therefore, Zeke spared no effort in trying to complete them.


    However, even after the passing of minutes, when the shouts were slowly dying down, Zeke found no signs of the so-called ¡®disciple¡¯.


    He stopped at a small intersection on the ground floor to collect his thoughts and rationalize.


    ¡®First of all, this wasn¡¯t a coincidence. It was intentional on ¡®his¡¯ part¡­ either to distract or to purposely cause chaos. Still, he would gain nothing from this unless he wants to¡­ run away? But why now? Did he feel threatened or was he about to be discovered?¡¯


    Zeke dashed out of the dormitory, using ¡®Life Motus¡¯ sparingly to cross short distances and avoid attention.


    Alas, the outside of the dormitory was filled with students, whether it was Second-years coming to help, or Third-Years forming a perimeter to not let the ¡®infected¡¯ students escape.


    ¡®Someone inconspicuous. Someone who wants to leave unnoticed. Who could it be?¡¯


    Zeke tried to scan as many students as he tried and, finally, he saw someone slowly backing away with his head lowered. He head disheveled brown hair and had an average height, Zeke recognized him from Fylard¡¯s circle.


    ¡®It¡¯s him!¡¯


    As soon as he was about to give chase, someone blocked his path and pulled him to the back.


    ¡°Zeke! Are you alright?!¡±


    It was none other than Maxine, who tightly hugged him and frantically inspected his body.


    Even though he wanted to free himself, Zeke eventually gave up. The few seconds he was locked in his sister¡¯s embrace were enough for the target to hide and disappear from view.


    [Urgent Mission Failed!]


    He saw the System Notification, which made him inwardly grumble and reassure the worried Maxine.


    ¡­


    First Year Student Maxwell Lepard switched his clothes using a special artifact. He successfully escaped Erys unnoticed and when he appeared in Kethra¡¯s Arms, his student uniform was switched to an exquisite white and golden robe.


    However, after taking a few steps and entering a narrow alleyway, he suddenly stopped and looked behind him.


    A frown appeared on his average-looking face as he scrutinized the bespectacled black-haired woman glaring at him.


    ¡°My my, I didn¡¯t expect a stealth expert to be holed up in Erys. A mistake on my part, I confess.¡±


    Even as he faced Katrina, Maxwell was slightly startled but otherwise composed. He faced the woman with a soft and impressed smile.


    ¡°You are a disciple of the Ivory Oak Order.¡± Stated the agent with a gloomy and cold voice.


    In response, Maxwell scoffed at her while pointing at his flashy robe.


    ¡°Of course I am, duuh!¡±


    Her figure turned blurry as she charged at him, two glistening silver blades appearing in her hand and letting out a milky-white aura.


    To defend himself, Maxwell raised both hands and swiftly chanted a short incantation, which formed a resplendent shield in front of him.


    The shield and twin blades clashed, ending with the latter shattering the former and blowing Maxwell a couple of meters to the back. Still, he quickly got to his feet, a scepter made of ivory in his left hand.


    He performed a short bow as his body was enveloped by a grey light before vanishing thereafter.


    Although she landed a single blow, Katrina knew that trying to catch him wouldn¡¯t be easy. After all, he was a spy from the Ivory Oak Order, and he must have had a handful of artifacts that would guarantee his escape even from someone like Principal Solas¡­ that was how careful that secret organization was.


    In fact, ever since its name became public, there had been only two cases where a disciple was apprehended, and even on those occasions, both had mysteriously died not long after their capture.


    In that regard, the Ivory Oak Order and the Ascetic Blasphemers were particularly meticulous in ensuring their secrets never got out. Whenever they send their disciples to heavily-guarded places such as Erys, they would plan everything and make sure the dispatched individual has not only guaranteed success but also several means of unstoppable escapade.


    ¡­


    In a spacious underground basement within the Eastern Sector of the Sunken Metropolis, there was a bright flash of light, followed by the appearance of Maxwell Lepard.


    Three people wearing the same white robe as him were awaiting his arrival. However, the second he appeared, he knelt down and coughed blood.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine..¡±


    He wiped his blood and grinned at his ¡®colleagues¡¯.


    ¡°An agent from the Department of Defense has caught up to me.¡±


    ¡°Did she see your face?¡±


    A middle-aged man with a stern look asked, to which Maxwell nodded nonchalantly.


    ¡°That fact is of no consequence. I think she happened to see me escape.¡±


    Maxwell sat on the ground and chuckled while the other three looked at him, seemingly annoyed by his free-spirited attitude.


    ¡°Well¡­ that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m proud to say that the experiment was a success.¡±


    Maxwell took out a small vial filled with frozen blood and continued, ¡°The weak-willed subjects will turn rampant if they consume a large quantity over a short period of time. However, if we regulate the dosage and distribute it equally, the side effects can be negated through periodic and careful Aether Extraction. This should be enough, yes?¡±


    The middle-aged man, who seemed to be the leader of this small group, sighed and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Yes, I will write the full report tomorrow and take it to the messenger. For now, we all need to lay low and avoid the eyes of the Department of Defense and Solas. Neither will be happy after what you did, Maxwell.¡±


    ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to return to Erys. Speaking of which, I think I¡¯ve found the perfect subject.¡±


    ¡°Who?!¡± Said a woman with beautiful and long blonde hair.


    ¡°Julia Lopmore, though I doubt we have the manpower to get to her.¡±


    ¡°The granddaughter of the famed Hero? Forget about it, Maxwell.¡± The man glared at him and added, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! Come on, stop treating me like a kid.¡±


    After a momentary silence, one of Maxwell¡¯s associates, a slim and short man with thinning black hair crouched down and asked,


    ¡°What of the other matter?¡±


    ¡°What other-...ah! Yes, it¡¯s as you said, Bibi.¡±


    As he heard the confirmation, Bibi frowned and gritted his teeth.


    ¡°A female disciple of the Ascetic Blasphemers is hiding in Erys. I¡¯ve spied on her but, so far, she hasn¡¯t made any contact, which led me to believe that she might be hiding from her organization rather than the authorities.¡±


    Bibi, growing restless, punched the ground in anger and was about to inquire further but the leader, named Frederic, pulled him back and coldly said,


    ¡°Stay your ground, Bibi. We¡¯re here on an official mission.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s with them!¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Chirped the blonde woman, looking displeased with her friend.


    ¡°Those lunatics are dangerous and uncompromising. We better stay as far away from them as possible.¡±

 Chapter 46 Alexia

    Thanks to the timely arrival of the teachers and the upperclassmen, the chaos that unfolded within the dormitories, specifically the First Year males dormitory, was swiftly handled.


    In total, there were 17 injured students, three of them needed immediate care and excessive healing from Doctor Xavier.


    Maxine remained by Zeke¡¯s side, repeatedly checking up on him and instructing him not to run away on his own, as was his wont.


    Although panicked and still fearful, the students were ordered to return to their respective rooms and try to rest. No classes will be held tomorrow to allow them a brief respite and thoroughly investigate the whole affair.


    Amongst the rampaging students, the most troublesome one was Fylard. His ability had totally run out of control, thus forcing Celestia to deploy violent measures to subdue him.


    Even though he was taken to the infirmary, Professor Nayro remained by his side, not as an escort but as a guard.


    ¡°We should¡¯ve locked him up the moment we started suspecting him.¡± Said Maxine with her teeth gritted.


    She was in the cozy lounge room of the Special Investigation Squad, all members were present and fully awake despite how late it was.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t recklessly and rashly jump to conclusions. He was one of the main suspects but judging from what happened, he was clearly used. Furthermore, Rodrick still refuses to talk.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± V scratched his head and hesitantly declared, ¡°Rodrick¡¯s father came to retrieve his son. The Principal had expelled him, apparently.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The mood turned worse as all seven students maintained a long and gloomy silence. Celestia was dissatisfied with this outcome but she couldn¡¯t object to Solas¡¯ actions, nor had she the authority to do so.


    ¡°Celestia, I¡¯ve read the initial report¡­ one student has gone missing. One of Fylard¡¯s classmates, Maxwell Lepard.¡±-James


    ¡®It must be the one I was going to chase. So he was the Ivory Oak Order disciple?¡¯


    Zeke kept his counsel and pondered inwardly, nevertheless, he kept his ears perked as he was interested in this secret organization and its, as of yet, unknown objective.


    ¡°Hmmm, is that so? Either he¡¯s hiding or he¡¯s the perpetrator. I suppose he was Fylard¡¯s roommate?¡±


    James looked at the folder in his head and then solemnly nodded. ¡°Out of the four of them, he was the only one who didn¡¯t ¡®transform¡¯. I think it¡¯s safe to establish him as the mastermind.¡±


    ¡°But why would he do that? Why would he distribute the drug then run away?!¡±-Maxine


    ¡°An experiment, perhaps.¡± Replied the composed Vanessa, who was standing near the window and staring at the star-filled night sky.


    ¡°The Ivory Oak Order is different from its peers. It is a fully functional organization, carefully constructed and meticulously ordered. Basically, it doesn¡¯t resort to rituals or summonings, instead of relying on dangerous Aether-related experiments.¡±


    As the ashen-haired girl voiced her opinion, John pulled down his hood for the first time, revealing his face.


    However, only Zeke was the surprised one, the rest already knew his appearance.


    The youth had a bony face, round jet-black pupils, and distinguishably dark red hair. The most eye-catching thing was his mouth, which seemed to be sued using thick black threads, thus making him feel particularly frightening, like a creature from a horror movie. It made me wonder how he was able to talk with literally sued lips.


    Upon seeing his junior¡¯s reaction, John reassuringly waved his hand and explained,


    ¡°This is a protective measure to limit my ability, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Then he turned to look at Vanessa, his eyes narrowed, ¡°Why are you so sure that it¡¯s the Ivory Oak Order? As far as I know, the Ascetic Blasphemers also conduct all sorts of experiments.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Upon the mention of the legion of absolute fanatics; The Ascetic Blasphmeres, Maxine¡¯s body twitched as she stealthily glanced at Zeke, but the latter was stoic and seemingly unaffected.


    ¡°No.¡± Resolutely retorted Vanessa, a faint frown surfacing her round and beautiful face.


    ¡°The Ivory Oak Order prioritizes success whereas the Ascetic Blasphemers prioritize secrecy. The latter would never risk getting found out, even at the cost of completing a revolutionary experiment. I¡¯m certain we¡¯re dealing with the former.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you say so¡­¡±


    John shrugged then stood up, slowly removing the stitches while Celestial explained a few things to Zeke,


    ¡°John¡¯s ability is the most unique out of all of us. It¡¯s called ¡®The Voice of Truth¡¯, and as the name suggests, he is able to mouth the truth with ascertained veracity even if he lacks the knowledge. However, it strains his body greatly and significantly shortens his lifespan, so we only use it as a last resort.¡±


    Still a bit confused, Zeke looked at the scary-looking youth and asked, ¡°Then how is he able to talk?¡±


    ¡°A 3rd-grade Artifact: Talking Sin.¡±


    Celestia pointed at a bronze bracelet around John¡¯s wrist; It was plain-looking and lacked any defining characteristics. If she didn¡¯t point at it, Zeke wouldn¡¯t have noticed it.


    Soon, the stitches were fully removed and, much to Zeke¡¯s surprise, John¡¯s mouth transformed into that of a beast. There was an upper and lower row of pointy silver teeth, and there were slits that went from one ear to the other.


    Even though John was in control of his own body, the mouth seemed to be sentient as a snake-like tongue slithered outside and licked the teeth disgustingly.


    ¡°My my, such an illustrious company, as always.¡±


    In contrast to its hideous appearance, the voice was melodious and strikingly feminine.


    ¡°Oh? Another addition too? A special one¡­ very, very special. I even feel something¡­ familiar.¡±


    John wasn¡¯t looking at Zeke yet it was obvious the voice was directed at him, making him feel uncomfortable. Moreover, it immediately noticed something that even the System failed to detect, therefore adding more to Zeke¡¯s wariness and shock.


    ¡°Johnny boy, won¡¯t you lend me your eyes for a second?¡±


    John furiously shook his head, however, he was unable to resist as his eyes changed too. They turned from black to shining purple, locking onto Zeke¡¯s figure almost instantly.


    ¡°Yes, yes. What an unusual combination, if I do say so myself. Very well, as a reward, I¡¯ll answer two questions instead of one, but only that cute little boy can ask the second.¡±


    Feeling everyone¡¯s eyes on him, Zeke lowered his head embarrassingly and remained quiet.


    Celestia cleared her throat and once she collected her thoughts, she asked,


    ¡°O¡¯venerable Alexia, for what purpose did the Ivory Oak Order infiltrate Erys and give the drug to the students?¡±


    While licking ¡®her¡¯ lips and intensely looking at Zeke, Alexia, dubbed the Talking Sin, hummed a soft tone for a couple of breaths then offered a response,


    ¡°To raise their status within the Ivory Oak Order, four disciples led by Frederic Miller, conducted an experiment to produce an Elixir dubbed as ¡®Ability Enhancement¡¯, which would increase the potency of the consumer¡¯s powers. Lacking suitable subjects, Maxwell Lepard volunteered to infiltrate Erys and use the students as test subjects.¡±


    The answer given by Alexia was lacking a few important information, but Celestia knew that the Talking Sin would provide an exact and explicit reply to the asked question. It wouldn¡¯t diverge from the main subject matter and wouldn¡¯t unnecessarily add details either.


    ¡°Ask her about their whereabouts.¡±


    As only Zeke had the opportunity to ask the second question, Celestia tried to direct him only to be shut down by the Talking Sin.


    ¡°No, my dear girl. He has to ask something he really wants to know. You know the drill, do you not?¡±


    The fourth-year girl, Celestia Black, grunted in annoyance but didn¡¯t insist. Thus did the six members look at Zeke, apprehensively waiting for his question.


    Unfortunately, most of Zeke¡¯s questions were either related to his part of the Paths of Extinction, both of which he didn¡¯t want his new ¡®colleagues¡¯ to learn about. So, after careful deliberation, he finally spoke,


    ¡°Tell me about the Blood Dusk Society.¡±


    ¡°Mhm! Quite unexpected.¡± Alexia let out a seductive and unwarranted moan as the snake-like tongue slithered in and out of the abnormally large mouth.


    ¡°Created in Year 264 of the Age of Eternal Night by the Demigod Binal Xar Kiyvta. All its members are worshippers of the fallen deity, labeled as the ¡®Blood God¡¯ or the ¡®Angel of Death¡¯. Currently, it is led by two individuals, one operating in the Nezulian Republic and one in the Serey Zhan Empire. It has 281 members, half of which are spies in public facilities or other secret organizations, while the other half regularly conduct rituals to summon the spawn of the Blood God to this world. The Blood Dusk Society¡¯s primary objective is the revival of the Blood God, but so far, they only managed to find his right arm, his left eye, his torso, and his heart.¡±


    After she was done answering, Alexia seductively winked at Zeke then vanished. The thick black threads around John¡¯s mouth magically returned, stitching his lips on their own.


    ¡°Why would you ask about the Blood Dusk Society?¡±


    Obviously, Zeke¡¯s questions left Celestia slightly dissatisfied. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t press him for an answer, especially when she saw him look back at her with nothing but silence as an answer.

 Chapter 47 Witches

    ¡°Keep this with you and chase after that which you seek.¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s words kept echoing inside¡¯s head as she rested in a cozy and comfortable hospital room. Less than a week ago, she was found at the well-guarded border of the Witch Association, the oldest nation in the Aether planet and presumably the strongest.


    With the exception of a handful of men, the Witch Association was a female-dominated country, filled to the brim with so-called ¡®Witches¡¯.


    Unique Aether-users that use an unorthodox way to unleash devastating Magic. However, ever since its inception, the Witch Association barred the entry of all men, but it wasn¡¯t something because of sexism or other banal reasons.


    Witches were prohibited from having any relationship with the other sex as that would be detrimental to their training and, in worst-case scenarios, lead to a painful and horrible death.


    Nevertheless, the Witch Association managed to survive and stand at the top for a prolonged period of time. Unlike the Nezulian Republic, for example, the Witch Association was in an unfavorable environment, surrounded by dangerous zones such as the blasted northern wastes, the constantly erupting volcanos in the South, and the Living Forest West, thus making it the subject of constant monster attacks. As bad as that might sound, the repeated battles with monstrosities had made the Witches accustomed to battles and honed their skills almost to perfection. It was for that reason that the Witches were feared by the neighboring countries despite them being in an amicably diplomatic relationship.


    ¡°A-ah¡­¡±


    Amelia let out a soft groan as she sat up only to feel a piercing pain in her chest and abdomen. It was clear she was operated on, but what unsettled her was that she was in an unfamiliar place with no one to help her.


    Jonathan told her that she would receive help and get stronger, so he left her at the border and disappeared before the patrols had arrived. Considering his miserable physical condition, it was the best he could do. After all, the Witches were known to be merciless towards any and all invading forces. They took their established laws extremely seriously and would kill any male on sight, especially if they were spotted in their country.


    Slightly in a daze, Amelia held a strange half-withered flower in her pale hand, caressing its grey petals in wonder.


    Her limited knowledge notwithstanding, she knew that the seemingly dead flower in her hand was a Sky Bloom, a rare type of flower said to have a small amount of Spiritual Energy stored within, accessible only to the person it acknowledged as its ¡®owner¡¯.


    ¡°If you ever feel lost, this will guide you. Never lose it, Amelia.¡±


    The black-haired girl, looking like a malnourished teenager, fiddled with the Sky Bloom but, eventually, she couldn¡¯t cause any reaction.


    Although Jonathan had said that her fusion with the Crown had permanently and physiologically altered her, however, she couldn¡¯t notice any major changes. She wasn¡¯t able to use Aether and her body felt frailer than when she was a Defect.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, someone lightly knocked on the door and then entered.


    There were three people, one gorgeous woman with raven-black hair and a standard white doctor coat, whereas the other two were in tight leather military uniforms.


    The doctor smiled at the confused Amelia and gently checked her pulse while asking,


    ¡°How are you feeling? Any pain or dizziness?¡±


    ¡°J-just a bit around here.¡±


    As she pointed at cher chest, the doctor nodded then explained,


    ¡°We had to perform three operations to remove any lingering traces of the Crown. Your body has been purified too, so, after a bit of rest, you won¡¯t experience any kind of discomfort, fatigue, or pain.¡±


    ¡°Emm¡­¡±


    Amelia dropped her head, not knowing what to say. The matter concerning the Crown was supposed to be a secret yet the doctor was mentioning it nonchalantly.


    Once the female doctor was done with the check-up, she backed away and let the other two witches handle the rest, notably the short one with a stone-faced expression and golden rim glasses.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°I am Jennifer Savbra, Commander of the association¡¯s military forces. 5-star Witch.¡±


    Jennifer showed a silver badge with five black stars around the insignia of the Witch Association.


    Amelia knew that the strength assessment of the Witches was different from the rest of the world. Here, Witches were given stars that ¡®graded¡¯ their prowess, and the higher the number, the stronger they were.


    ¡®I think a 5-star Witch is equivalent to Principal Solas? She looks stern but not strong.¡¯


    Amelia, of course, kept her thoughts to herself and meekly nodded at the cold-faced Commander.


    Even though she was picked up at the border and tended to by a doctor, Amelia didn¡¯t expect someone with such a high societal status to directly come here to talk to her. Then again, they knew about the Crown so she suspected that they might be wary or interested in her origins.


    ¡°Your name?¡±


    Upon hearing no response, Jennifer frowned and, with a glare, urged the bed-ridden Amelia to answer, which she did.


    ¡°Amelia.¡±


    ¡°I will ask you a couple of questions and you¡¯ll answer with ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no, understood?¡±


    Amelia couldn¡¯t object, nor was she going to. She looked back at the commander and did as asked.


    ¡°You were a student of Erys, correct?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    ¡°Three weeks ago, you joined hands with the deserter known as Jonathan Stellar Link, correct?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Jennifer kept her chilling glare as she snatched a document from her subordinate and momentarily glanced at it to check something.


    ¡°I will rephrase it; you traveled with Jonathan Stellar Link, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You were used as a temporary host for the Crown, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The Crown returned to its fateful owner, correct?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    When the ¡®owner¡¯ was mentioned, Amelia kept her lips tight and maintained a long silence, which was within Jennifer¡¯s expectation, but it still made her angry.


    ¡°Do know that these questions are only a confirmation. We already know what happened and if we are to trust you, you need to cooperate. Now then¡­ who is the user of the System?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Is the user of the System Zeke Orland? First-Year student of Erys?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Are you aware of Zeke Orland¡¯s past?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that Zeke Orland is not the biological son of Anthony Orland and Olivia Vyrsan?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Such a revelation came as a shock to Amelia, who was trying to keep a straight face and not tell them anything about Zeke.


    However, Jennifer didn¡¯t care about the girl¡¯s reaction and only snorted coldly.


    ¡°Jonathan Stellar Link was to be the next user of the Paths of Extinction System. Zeke Orland robbed that right and altered the expected chain of events. Your brief ¡®entanglement¡¯ with him could prove useful.¡±


    ¡°You¡­you expect me to turn against him?¡±


    ¡°We expect nothing of you, Amelia. You will be given an opportunity to learn and once we think you¡¯re adequate, I will personally tell you the whole truth.¡±


    With that said, Jennifer performed a salute to the quiet doctor at the side then left the hospital room.


    Surprisingly, her subordinate, who hadn¡¯t uttered a word, remained behind. Unlike Jennifer, who was petite and had a seemingly under-developed physique, the subordinate was the total opposite.


    It was a tall woman with large breasts, a long curly auburn hair, and a curvy body that didn¡¯t fit well with the tight military uniform.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Jenny¡¯s cold attitude. She genuinely cares about your wellbeing or else she wouldn¡¯t have come here.¡±


    ¡°She cares?¡± Amelia furrowed her brows and tilted her head, clearly doubting the woman¡¯s words. Jennifer looked more like a sentient robot than a functioning human being. Whether it was her never-changing expression, her stiff movements, or her hoarse and robotic tone.


    The woman approached Amelia and whispered into her ear,


    ¡°This is a secret, okay? A long time ago, Jenny also fused with the Crown and suffered like you. The hatred she harbors is not directed at that boy but at the System itself. That thing is really insidious¡­¡±


    ****


    Later that day, inside a small tent that acted as a temporary base of operation for Jennifer and her subordinates.


    ¡°You really are an insufferable workaholic.¡±


    Jennifer¡¯s assistant, the big-breasted Freya, walked behind her superior and started gently massaging her shoulders.


    Jennifer tried to stop her but eventually gave up and slumped on her chair, her tired eyes lingering on the stack of papers in front of her.


    ¡°Amelia is a really good girl. If she¡¯s going to stay, she will need a suitable instructor, wouldn¡¯t you agree, Jenny?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t shove her into me, Freya. I¡¯m a Commander.¡±


    ¡°So? Are you going to send her to the capital? To the academy?¡±


    ¡°First, I need you to conduct a more thorough background check on Zeke Orland. I want to know how he acquired the System and what is it exactly that those old fools of the Republic want to hide so badly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if you let this go, Jenny.¡± Uttered Freya while sighing. ¡°I¡¯ve ¡®seen¡¯ Amelia¡¯s memories and the boy is relatively normal.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    In the end, Freya extended her arms and hugged her superior from behind, making sure to tenderly caress her hair and comfort her.

 Chapter 48 The Boy

    ¡°Are you sure about your decision?¡±


    Freya caressed Amelia¡¯s hair as she asked again.


    It has been since the young girl was discharged from the hospital situated in the middle of nowhere. Neither the commander, Jennifer, nor Freya had forced Amelia to stay in the Witch Association nor train under their tutelage.


    They give her multiple choices and, eventually, Amelia agreed to stay and learn from the best.


    In fact, Amelia could have gone to the prestigious academy in the capital of the Witch Association. This academy was no less inferior to Erys, but it only had female students and the overall number of students was significantly less than Erys or the school in the Serey Zhan Empire. However, in return, each and every student was incredibly talented.


    ¡°Alright. From this point forth, you are my and Jenny¡¯s student.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in your case.¡± Replied Amelia while politely bowing her head.


    Once the brief conversation came to an end, the sulking Jennifer sitting behind her desk stood up. She cleaned her golden-rimmed spectacles and then pointed outside of the tent while sternly speaking,


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste. We¡¯re beginning now.¡±


    Soon after, the three of them were at the center of the temporary camp, situated in a grassy and peaceful valley.


    Freya cut a bit of her hand and dropped her blood on the ground, which formed a large barrier that blocked sound and shrouded their figures.


    ¡°Knowing how talkative Freya may be, I¡¯m she told you about me.¡± Added the commander with her usual unchanging expression.


    ¡°W-well¡­ not everything. Hehehe.¡± The assistant let out an embarrassed chuckle and stepped back, unwilling to suffer the wrath of her superior.


    As for Amelia, she stood straight and quietly listened, determined to acquire power.


    ¡°You fused with the Crown of the Paths of Extinctions System whereas I merged with the one from the Royal Path System. They are entirely different Systems but they share a lot of fundamental functions and minor details. Do you remember what your ability was back then?¡±


    Amelia pondered for a bit then hesitantly answered, ¡°I think it was some sort of black-lightning?¡±


    ¡°Lightning-aspected? That¡¯s a bit unusual. Anyway¡­¡±


    Jennifer snapped her fingers, causing a dull and thin blade to appear in front of Amelia.


    ¡°The first step for any and all Witches is to master close-quarter combat. That way, even in the case of losing their powers, they can still protect themselves. Pick up your weapon and let¡¯s start.¡±


    Amelia was physically frail and never had to fight someone using a sword. Nevertheless, she followed her new teacher¡¯s instructions and, soon enough, she was subjected to a torrent of violent and unstoppable attacks.


    Her body was blown away repeatedly, resulting in bruises and cuts. However, compared to the suffering she underwent when she had forcefully removed the Crown, or the torture Amy¡¯s mother subjected her to, this kind of training was nothing.


    Amelia wasn¡¯t a weak-willed person, and neither was she someone who gave up at the slightest hurdle. She might¡¯ve been a Defect, someone inadequate to wield Aether, but that didn¡¯t mean she lacked ambition or was afraid of hard work. Quite the opposite, in fact, she was quite studious and was second only to Zeke in regard to Theoretical Exams, which most- if not all- deemed pointless and unnecessary for graduation.


    After two hours of intense ¡®fighting¡¯, Amelia was incapable of lifting a finger. She laid on the grassy ground, gasping for air. Her face and clothes were covered in sweat, but she still gritted her teeth and tried to stand up.


    ¡°That will be enough for now.¡±


    ¡°I-I can still cont-...¡±


    The black-haired girl tried to squeeze a couple of words but she fell unconscious. Jennifer looked at her for a couple of breaths then walked out of the blood-colored barrier.


    As for Freya, she stayed to take care of Amelia¡¯s injuries and ¡®clean-up¡¯ the area.


    Technically, Jennifer wasn¡¯t allowed to take in any students, after all, she was a military commander and her sole task should be to watch over the border and eliminate any potential threats. It was for that reason that Freya raised the barrier, which blocked anyone from looking at what was happening inside, which decreased the chances of a spy catching scent of Amelia¡¯s presence and informing the higher-ups.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    It was true that the Witch Association welcomed any gifted girls, especially young ones like Amelia. However, her prior involvement with Jonathan and, notably, Zeke, made her situation particularly complicated, so much so that she might be exiled if the truth were to be found out.


    Freya had already begun preparing to create an entirely new identity for Amelia, thus making sure her past remained buried forever.


    ¡­


    ¡°You need not be so depressed, Amelia. One can¡¯t just become strong in a day or two. It takes effort and time.¡±


    Late at night, as the three were eating a delicious dinner, Freya consoled the disheartened Amelia. Jennifer had a slightly flushed face, her head wobbling left and right but she still seemed to be somewhat conscious.


    While hiccupping, she looked at her student and explained,


    ¡°Only those ¡®blessed¡¯ by the System can go through a substantial increase in prowess within a short period of time. However, even that takes arduous training and sometimes even life-threatening battles. Your friend Zeke wasn¡¯t an exception.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    *****


    After discussing the chaos that unfolded in Erys¡¯ dormitories, Zeke returned to his room and slept for several hours. He felt unusually tired and mentally strained, especially after remembering how he had failed that sudden Urgent Mission.


    Although the answer he had received from the Talking Sin was informative, he still didn¡¯t know what he was going to do with it.


    The mysterious man and the newborn baby were in Sulong¡¯s care and Zeke wanted to know more about what occurred in the Sewers.


    When the youth woke up, all of his three roommates were nowhere to be seen. He scratched his head and looked at the ground, deep in thought.


    ¡®Let¡¯s think about this; there were dozens of mangled corpses all over the Sewers. Black tentacles came out of the man and tried to kill us. Last but not least, I found a baby trapped in what could only be described as a dome made of organic matter. Logically, given what I had witnessed, that baby could be the product of a successful experiment made by the Blood Dusk Society. Basically, he¡¯s the spawn of the so-called Blood God. Then again, the System didn¡¯t warn me, so I assume it¡¯s not dangerous? Or it didn¡¯t detect anything that could specifically endanger me?¡¯


    Zeke swiftly ate breakfast and rushed to Sulong¡¯s workplace. The classes were canceled for today, which gave him ample time to sort out a few things. Unfortunately, he had an appointment with Counselor Mary later this evening, which was something he felt slightly disinclined to do, more so due to the woman¡¯s strange ability.


    Much to Zeke¡¯s surprise, when he entered the cramped office of the bald loanshark, he saw Jack quietly watching the TV and Sulong having a staring a contest with a very young boy with long blood-red hair.


    Hearing the creaking door, Sulong turned around and spotted the stoic Zeke. He sighed and shrugged while explaining,


    ¡°That man has disappeared, leaving only a letter. As for this kid¡­¡±


    With a forced smile, the man grunted and continued, ¡°It¡¯s that baby.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Zeke scrutinized the motionless boy, who was like a statue, eerily sitting on the couch without uttering a word.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe but he¡¯s growing at an abnormal rate. Just yesterday, he was only able to crawl and was half this size. I mean¡­ look at him! He looks like a 8-year-old kid!¡±


    Although surprised and confused by this development, Sulong didn¡¯t seem that worried about the kid. However, Zeke felt a sinister and bone-chilling aura emit from the boy.


    When he approached him, the boy raised his head and stared back, his eyes as red as his eye-catching hair.


    ¡®I was right. He¡¯s not a normal human.¡¯


    While contemplating his choices, Zeke¡¯s shoulder was tapped by Sulong, who handed him a shredded piece of paper with a few words written on it.


    ¡° ¡®I¡¯ll not forget the favor¡¯... what is that supposed to mean?¡±


    The baldy shrugged in disinterest and walked away. He seemed slightly relieved that the mysterious man had vanished, as he didn¡¯t feel right to let a strange, one found in the Sewers, stay here.


    After a brief bout of silence, Sulong let out a second grunt of annoyance and asked,


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave ¡®him¡¯ here, are you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have a choice, Sulong. Considering his rapid growth, taking him to the police would implicate us and we could even be suspected to be part of the Blood Dusk Society.¡±


    ¡°Blood Dusk what? Is that one of them secret organizations? O¡¯shit!¡±


    Jack, who had been eavesdropping while pretending to watch the TV, suddenly freaked out and drifted away from the quiet red-haired boy.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep him here either!¡± Protested Sulong as he glared back at the Zeke.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to abandon the boy? Throw him in the streets and wish him good luck?¡±


    Admittedly, Zeke definitely felt that something was off about the kid. He felt an ominous aura, one that made him on high alert, however, he still couldn¡¯t bring himself to straight out abandon the kid.


    If he was going to give up just like that, he might as well have not saved him in the first place.


    Eventually, Zeke ignored the annoyed Sulong and approached the kid, attempting to strike a conversation. Unfortunately, the boy, once he heard Zeke¡¯s greeting, stared at him for a couple of breaths then jumped to his feet and walked toward Sulong.


    He grasped the muscular man¡¯s large military pants and hid behind him, seemingly afraid of Zeke.


    ¡°Would you look at that¡­ he has taken a liking to you, Sulong.¡± Zeke grinned at his disheartened friend.


    ¡°This is the first tim-¡±


    Sulong¡¯s words were cut-off by a feminine and soft voice that came out of the boy¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Papa¡­¡±


    ¡°H-hold on there, kid!¡±


    Sulong hastily got on his knees and held the boy by his shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m not your ¡®papa¡¯, okay?¡±


    Alas, the child smiled and repeated the same word, which made Sulong¡¯s face turn beet red. He no longer tried to convince the boy, nor did he look at Zeke, afraid that the student might see his embarrassed expression.


    ¡°F-Fine! I¡¯ll let him stay here for a while. I assume you¡¯re done, right? Piss off.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke wasn¡¯t angered, he chuckled and unceremoniously waved his hand as he exited the workplace. Jack also chased after him, planning to ask some questions.

 Chapter 49 Threatened

    Sulong was left with the red-haired boy, the former sitting on the ground with his eyes closed and the latter blankly staring at the wall.


    A deafening bout of silence flowed between the two, one that was broken by an abrupt movement by the two residents.


    A small wave of crimson fire burst from Sulong¡¯s body, and a squirming black tentacle came out of the boy¡¯s abdomen, both of which shooting in a specific direction.


    The tentacle was cut in half but the fire couldn¡¯t be as easily blocked. The invisible invader¡¯s body became momentarily visible as she leapt back, her silhouette merging into the wall and then vanishing.


    ¡°Tsk! I knew it!¡±


    Sulong punched the ground in anger and glanced at the expressionless kid. Even though they didn¡¯t directly converse, the two were thinking the same thing and acted simultaneously.


    This inexplicable occurrence started only recently; Sulong had this uncomfortable sensation of being watched, specifically when Zeke was here.


    However, Zeke didn¡¯t seem aware of it, which made Sulong all the more confused. At first, he thought it was his imagination or anxiety, but after repeated exposure to this sensation, he was confident that someone had been watching him.


    ¡°Could it be someone from Erys?¡±


    Alas, Sulong couldn¡¯t get a good look at the invisible person. He sighed and got to his feet, planning to prepare some food for the boy.


    ¡­


    A few blocks away from the loan shark¡¯s office, Katrina¡¯s body returned to normal. Her blades were hidden under her tight sleeves, however, one of them was surprisingly burnt. In fact, a third of her palm was also scorched by the crimson flame, which astonished her.


    Someone with her expertise shouldn¡¯t have been noticed, not by someone like Sulong. Although her knowledge was limited, it was clear that he had acquired his power but recently, thus making it impossible for his perception to be so high. Yet, against all odds, he had been able to sense twice and even succeeded in inflicting damage.


    ¡®I thought the kid was dangerous. No¡­ I have to be wary of that man¡¯s power. I can¡¯t gauge it.¡¯


    ****


    ¡°Zeke Orland?¡±


    A group of four senior Students blocked his path, their leader calling his name with a clarion and loud voice.


    With just a glance, Zeke recognized all of them. Unlike the Special Investigation Squad, which was a secret team created by the Principal, these four were part of the Student Council.


    The tall youth standing at the front was the famous Harold Grime, a Fourth-year student, second only to Celestia Black.


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    Technically, Celestia too, was part of the Student Council. She was the Vice-president, but there were a lot of rumors about how she and Harold never got along, and how no matter how much he tried, he could never beat her.


    The remaining three were; A girl with average height and long hair dyed pink and a lot of piercing on her face ¡®Beatrice Brand¡¯, a girl with a straight face and cold demeanor ¡®Elise Venzi¡¯, a stalwart youth with a thick but neatly-cut beard ¡®Francois¡¯, who was an exchange student from the Serey Zhan Empire.


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Perfunctorily responded Zeke as he stared back at Harold, who was more than a head taller than him.


    ¡°Come with me to the Student Council room to be questioned about yesterday¡¯s incident.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Questioned? You make it sound as if I¡¯m a suspect.¡± Retorted Zeke while frowning.


    Even though the Student Council had an authority equivalent, if not higher than the teachers, they still had to abide by the school¡¯s laws.


    Moreover, Zeke didn¡¯t like Harold¡¯s gaze of contempt and his arrogant tone, which was commanding and haughty.


    ¡°This is a time of emergency. All classes have been cancelled and it is within my authority to use force.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Zeke scoffed and backed away, blue lightning appearing around him and crackling loudly.


    Seeing him about to resist, Harold stomped the ground, trying to intimidate but his attempt was useless as two figures appeared.


    ¡°The Student Council, including the President, are forbidden from using force on any and all students. That¡¯s the first rule, Harold.¡±


    Celestia Black, the Vice-President, made her appearance. With a cold expression, she glared at the slightly startled Harold, the pressure emitting from her was several times stronger than his.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t hold back at all, causing Harold¡¯s three companions to grunt in pain and stagger to the back.


    ¡°We have talked about this and I told you the suspect has fled. If you keep targeting innocent students then I¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± He defiantly retorted though his expression was anything but confident. His prior arrogance was nowhere to be seen, instead, he looked slightly fearful.


    It wasn¡¯t only Celestia who was here, Vanessa also appeared. Harold was 2nd in the joint Third and Fourth-year Rankings, but everyone knew that he was significantly weaker than Vanessa.


    The only reason he managed to maintain his rank was that Vanessa wasn¡¯t interested in climbing the rankings.


    ¡°You really want to know? Just keep playing the model students and go find missing cats or whatever you idiots are so eager to do. Shoo!¡±


    Eventually, Harold grunted and stormed away with the other three.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them, Zeke.¡± Calmly said the ashen-haired Vanessa as she plastered a faint and rare smile while looking at him.


    As for Celestia, she snorted and said,


    ¡°Get rid of your magic.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡±


    Zeke was preoccupied and didn¡¯t notice that the Voltage was out of control. It was like a tornado of innumerable small lightning bolts swirling around him, resulting in unique but frightening sight, especially to the clueless and easily-scared first year Students nearby.


    Celestia glanced at him one last time then left as fast as she had appeared. She didn¡¯t expect a ¡®thank you¡¯ or anything as she was only looking out for a colleague regardless of the differences he and she had in the past.


    ¡°She really is strong, huh¡­¡±


    While lost in thought, Zeke mumbled those words, which made Vanessa chuckle and nod her head.


    ¡°Celestia is undeniably the strongest student in Erys. Even I need a couple more years to be able to beat her¡­ and that¡¯s only if she stops improving.¡±


    Vanessa then reassured him that the Student Council would not bother him anymore before leaving thereafter.


    ¡®Maybe I had a misconception about her strength after seeing her lose to Jonathan. My ability just so happened to counter his black mist, which made me unwittingly think she wasn¡¯t that great. Well, at least she¡¯s on my side.¡¯

 Chapter 50 William Lorson

    ¡°I-I will talk!¡±


    Fylard was unlike Rodrick, who had kept his mouth shut and refused to disclose the truth.


    Fylard Yak, whose Rank had been ¡®stolen¡¯ by Azmer, was a cowardly and shrewd individual. However, he disliked pain and punishment, so much so that he would sell anyone to save his skin. Therefore, when he found himself in an isolated and dimly lit interrogation room, he started panicking and immediately uttered those words.


    Facing him was Professor Nayro, whose beady and jelly and pupilless black eyes were squirming like worms.


    Seeing the Zyth¡¯s piercing stare, Fylard unconsciously swallowed some saliva and then spilled the beans.


    ¡°I-It was a classmate of mine, Maxwell Lepard. He¡­he gave me some sort of drug that enhances one¡¯s ability when consumed. I tried asking him where he got it from but he never answered. T-...t-that¡¯s the truth! I swear!¡±


    ¡°Do you still have that drug?¡±


    ¡°I stashed some in the alleyway between Building A and Building B. It¡¯s right under the window of the 2nd Classroom.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After a bit of deliberation, Nayro nodded and exited the room thereafter. Fylard, on the other hand, was bound to the chair and no matter how much he asked for forgiveness, no one answered him.


    ¡­


    ¡°Again and again, you ruin everything!¡±


    A man wearing a clean and expensive grey suit with a black necktie removed his bloodied gloves as he stared down at his unruly son.


    The two were currently in a dark basement, dozens of guards were standing near the wall, silently observing Rodrick, who was subjected to a hellish beating by his own father.


    It was no secret that Rodrick¡¯s father, who was an underworld boss, cared more about his reputation than his family. Moreover, his son¡¯s recent actions made him unbelievably furious, so an outcome like this wasn¡¯t unexpected.


    The burly Rodrick didn¡¯t dare look at his father or retaliate. He was beaten until his face was bruised and bloodied, and three of his limbs were broken. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he was on the brink of death yet his father had shown no signs of stopping.


    ¡°I had thought about building an amicable connection with Erys, but you¡¯ve ruined it¡­ as is your wont. Hah!¡±


    Stephan Dontoryian spat on the ground and kicked Rodrick one last time, blowing his body a couple of meters to the back. Very much like his lone child, Stephan was a muscular man, his body sculpted by well-defined muscles, a pair of thick long arms, and a grizzly face fit for a notorious mobster.


    Stephan was a cruel and unforgiving man, someone who had been in the underworld for over twenty years.


    ¡°Even that boy, Azmer, had given up on you¡­ so why shouldn¡¯t it?¡± The man snorted and signaled his subordinates, which locked the basement, paying nary a glance to the unresponsive youth.


    ¡°You will stay here until I decide what I will do with you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    With hollow eyes and bleeding nostrils, Rodrick groaned in pain as he sat up and leaned against the cold wall. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, feelings of anger, frustration, and powerlessness overwhelming him.


    Everything had started going downhill when he was beaten by Zeke Orland. Even with the use of the drug provided by Fylard, he was still unable to emerge victorious. Quite the opposite, in fact, he made a fool of himself and ended up getting apprehended by the school authorities.


    To sum it up, Rodrick had miserably failed and things had gotten incredibly worse when his father came to ¡®retrieve¡¯ him from Erys, which was the worst possible outcome. After all, Rodrick thought Erys wouldn¡¯t so easily give up on its students, but it seemed he had severely underestimated the gravity of his actions.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not over. I can get back to that shitty loser! I will kill him and prove to everyone that I¡¯m superior.¡±


    Unbeknownst to him, Rodrick¡¯s skin was slowly but surely turning red, the ambient Aether lingering in the air was being sucked into his body, supplementing his ability and empowering him.


    Albeit similar, those weren¡¯t the effects of the drug he had consumed. These were common symptoms of when an individual¡¯s Life Aether was getting out of control, which wasn¡¯t a rare occurrence, usually put into effect by either insatiable negative emotions or highly unstable mental faculties.


    ¡­


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    ¡°Mister Lorson, It¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you!¡±


    Olivia Vyrsan sweetly smiled at the stone-faced William Lorson. She was sitting across of him with Anthony next to her, both of which were in an ecstatic mood.


    In contrast, William was as expressionless as ever, but if one knew him good enough, they would notice that he was in a relatively good mood.


    ¡°Likewise, Madam Vyrsan.¡±


    William empathized her last name, rather than calling her by her husband¡¯s last name, which didn¡¯t sit well with Anthony, but he paid little heed considering he was facing the distinguished head of the Lorson Family.


    The three were meeting in a luxurious restaurant atop one of the Sunken Metropolis skyscrapers. This place was a common meeting place for wealthy company executives and high-ranked military personnel.


    Even though William wasn¡¯t part of the Department of Defense, he still had many connections and that was while excluding his massive contribution to the Republic and his family¡¯s unrivaled reputation.


    Olivia too, hailed from an old and prosperous family, which was superior to the Orland household, which was one of the reasons William agreed to this ¡®secret¡¯ meeting.


    ¡°Once again, we apologize for our son¡¯s behavior. We will thoroughly educate him.¡±


    Anthony apologetically bowed his head but William shook his head while responding,


    ¡°That matter was dealt with, you need not worry yourself. Let us proceed to the main topic, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes¡­ of course!¡±


    Olivia was visibly excited, more than her husband. She beamed at William and continued,


    ¡°Although incomplete, we have finally reached a satisfactory stage in our experiment. Using the 3rd-grade artifact ¡®Aether Pot¡¯ as a medium, we succeeded in transferring Life Aether from one subject to the other. Incidentally, one subject will either enter a comatose state or die on the spot while the other will have their Life Aether considerably increased, subsequently granting them new abilities and empowering them physiologically and psychologically. However, the two subjects must be compatible, or else the ¡®operation¡¯ will fail.¡±


    William listened with perked ears, and when Olivia was done, he softly smiled and nodded his head.


    ¡°Very well, then.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re willing to go through with it, Mister Lorson?¡±


    ¡°I am. I cannot let my son¡¯s inadequacy lead to my household¡¯s downfall. No matter the cost, I will do my utmost to make him succeed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Azmer is a filial son and will listen to his father¡¯s words.¡± Added Olivia, whole-heartedly agreeing in order to please the client.


    In return for operating on his son, William agreed to not only fund the couple¡¯s research but also provide them with high-tech equipment which would prove invaluable to future research and experiments.


    However, this was supposed to be a clandestine deal as it was against protocol to operate on unwilling subjects, especially when said subjects could die due to any simple mistake. Then again, Anthony and Olivia were veteran scientists, one of the best in their fields.


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡±


    William swept his cold gaze across the married couple and asked, ¡°I trust there will be no problem from your end, yes?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, Mister Lorson! We will secure our subject forthwith!¡±


    ****


    ¡°How do you feel, Zeke?¡±


    ¡°The same as always.¡±


    Zeke was sitting in front of the uniquely-dressed Counselor Mary. The room was filled with thin mist from the lit incense, which filled it with an intense aroma.


    ¡°Any trouble in the school? For example, bullying.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°What about personal worries?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, Counselor.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The young woman thoughtfully stared at him. He was giving perfunctory responses and limiting his words, clearly wary of her ability and unwilling to disclose anything personal or sensitive.


    ¡°If you refuse to speak your mind, Zeke, then these sessions will have to continue. You do know that, do you not?¡±


    ¡°By answering all your questions with honesty, am I not speaking my mind?¡±


    Hearing this, Mary softly chuckled, ¡°Sophistry will get you nowhere, Zeke. I¡¯ve been doing this job for a long time and I can see beyond your inscrutable expression. You seem to think I mean you harm, or that I¡¯m going to divulge your secrets, but I¡¯m not, believe me. I genuinely want to help you.¡±


    Zeke frowned and looked down for a couple of moments, pondering in silence. Eventually, he sighed and retorted,


    ¡°With all due respect, Counselor, instead of being forced to do it, people go out of their way to get counseling or therapy. I¡¯m a diligent student that tries to avoid unnecessary problems and mostly keeps to himself. Is that not enough to appease your worries?¡±


    Once again, Mary smiled and expertly avoided his question by asking another,


    ¡°How¡¯s your relationship with your parents?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his gloomy expression and a long silence, Mary played with her cards and patiently waited.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as it has ever been.¡±


    ¡°Same as in what?¡±


    The youth scoffed at her words, mockingly replying, ¡°Counselor Mary, let us forego this pretense and be real with each other. Considering you know about my abduction, you must surely know how I feel about my ¡®parents''.¡±


    The Mystic Diviner, Mary, kept smiling nonchalantly as she opened her mouth, ¡°So¡­ you don¡¯t like them? Don¡¯t you feel grateful that they took you in?¡±


    ¡°Grateful? Not necessarily. Admittedly, they did save my life, but that neither makes them my parents nor make me indebted to them for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°If, by law, you¡¯re so against being their son then I¡¯m sure the Principal can change that. After all, you¡¯re a student of Erys, a particularly special one that, apparently, needs special care.¡±


    ¡°That will not be necessary.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Seemingly curious, she asked, ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Again with the silence. This habit of keeping everything to yourself will eventually leave negative effects, Zeke. Even if it¡¯s not to me, try speaking with your sister or maybe a close friend.¡±


    Zeke shook his head, adamant to object to her words. ¡°Counselor, I believe that each person is responsible for their own life troubles. No friend or family can solve your own problems, and speaking about your own weaknesses to others will only make you vulnerable.¡±

 Chapter 51 Death Walker

    Like before, Zeke thought nothing of his session with Counselor Mary. Sometimes she was persistent about certain questions, and sometimes she would be satisfied even if he gave a one-word answer.


    He saw no point in talking to her, but he had to regularly go due to his agreement with the Principal.


    Fortunately, the session didn¡¯t last long, and soon enough, he was free to leave.


    The sun had started to set and the canopy was darkening ever-so-slowly. Zeke had nothing important to do so he headed to the Dean¡¯s cabin to complete today¡¯s tasks and train by himself.


    Next week, the practical exams would begin and he needed to be prepared.


    Unlike the Theoretical exams which required thorough revision and a lot of studying, the practical exams were a collection of one-on-one battles between the First-Year Students.


    There would be a huge bracket and the opponents would be chosen randomly, or so most believe. However, Zeke knew that it was slightly more complicated than that; Basically, the teachers in charge would purposely pair students with relatively ¡®similar¡¯ ranks against each other to make the fights fair.


    Additionally, these graded battles held more importance than the Theoretical Exams, therefore, all the students would try their best to win and impress the overseeing teachers.


    After the practical exams, the students would be given a one-week break and then two weeks of classes before the end of the year exams begin. Erys¡¯ unorthodox teaching System as well as throwing all the exams together was tiring for the students, but results showed that such a procedure was extremely effective. Not only did it push the students to work harder, but it also pressured them with the necessary stress to achieve a breakthrough in Aether usage.


    The upcoming practical exams weren¡¯t as important as the finals, nevertheless, they were like a preliminary step to gauge the students¡¯ progress so far and a test to determine the so-called rising stars.


    Zeke was determined to raise his rank and get top grades as that would next year¡¯s hefty tuition. The top students would get handsomely rewarded and would be exempt from paying anything, which was exactly Zeke¡¯s aim.


    After all, he was going to be 18 during the long summer break, and at that time, his agreement with his parents would come to an end. Basically, he would be on his own and he would no longer be able to rely on their monetary support.


    Undoubtedly, if he were to ask Edward, his older brother, he would certainly get whatever sum he wanted. However, Zeke didn¡¯t want to rely on Edward a lot, especially how much the latter had helped him, whether it was by protecting him from Anthony and Olivia or looking after him when he was young.


    ¡­


    As always, Azmer was being harshly trained by the merciless Dean. Despite the constant hit by the painful stick, Azmer never complained and had already shown considerable improvement.


    Whether it was self-realization or pressure, Azmer was subjected to a drastic change in attitude. Ever since Zeke had acquired the Paths of Extinction System, his bully had abandoned all thoughts of provoking or attacking him and spent the entirety of his day either holed up in his desk studying or training in this secluded area of the school.


    After watching the blond-haired youth for a bit, Zeke sat down to meditate. He kept breathing in a precise and periodic manner, which exhausted him physically but made him feel a wave of blissful serenity.


    Unfortunately, when he simultaneously activated Aether Control, the strain was slowly getting stronger. Still, he was almost about to reach perfection in the skill ¡®Aether Control¡¯, which he had been training every day ever since its acquisition.


    It wasn¡¯t an offensive or defensive skill, and neither was it beneficial, at least if one didn¡¯t know its real purpose.


    Zeke¡¯s Aether usage differed from the norm, as any absorbed Ambient Aether would be converted into Life Aether, which would supplement his body. However, if the quantity became too much, he would start feeling dizzy as his body would be-metaphorically- ballooning from the influx of Aether.


    For now, Zeke¡¯s objective was to be able to use ¡®Aether Control¡¯ along with ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯. Basically, he wanted to constantly recover Aether while in the middle of combat, which would prolonge his fighting time and allow for more flexibility in the usage of his skill.


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    Alas, there was a massive and possible unpassable hurdle; The System did not allow the simultaneous usage of two skills belonging to different paths. The only exception was Survival Skills, which was why Zeke was able to empower ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ and ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ with the voltage.


    Strangely enough, however, the Rune of Life seemed to be wholly independent of the System restrictions. Zeke was freely able to use the stored Aether within as an alternative to ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯, but the process was slower and, ultimately, not worth it.


    ¡®Alternatively, I could keep using ¡®Aether Control¡¯ during the brief periods of time I¡¯m not actively fighting, specifically when I¡¯m not attacking or defending. I could also keep it going if I solely use skills from the ¡®Aether Voltage¡¯ Path.¡¯


    Zeke was contemplating this conundrum as he jogged in the quiet forest, the System Window floating in his field of vision.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 6 (31/85 EXP)]


    [Strength: 74]


    [Agility: 71]


    [Aether: 74]


    [Fortitude: 10]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Aether Voltage (22/22) active | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 99%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 87%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(23%) - Drain Aether(0%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Rune of Life: Voltage Manipulation(Proficiency 82%) - Fatigue Abstence (40%) - Call of Honor(0%)]


    [Available PE: 25]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path (5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path (6 PE)


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path (2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path (4 PE)


    Pain Junkie Sub-path (3 PE)


    The Death Walker Path(50PE)


    Blood Heart Path (20PE)]


    Zeke was particularly interested in the Death Walker, not only due to the name but also the cost of PE, which was way higher than the normal ones. Sadly, it wasn¡¯t that easy to amass that amount, especially since he didn¡¯t know if the benefits would be worth it or not.


    The Blood Heart Path, on the other hand, became available after the ¡®Blood Infusion¡¯ that happened in the sewers. Its name sounded ominous, and after his experience and seeing the strange boy under Sulong¡¯s care, Zeke felt repulsed and unwilling to unlock that path.


    He could use the PE to increase his stats, but it wasn¡¯t worth it since he was able to increase them naturally, either through the Daily Tasks, a lot of physical training, or mastering skills.


    [Skill ¡®Aether Control¡¯ has reached 100% Proficiency]


    [+5 EXP]


    [+3 PE]


    [+3 Aether]


    As if the System was reading his thoughts, the skill he had activated while jogging had finally reached full mastery. He felt the dizziness alleviate as his body was like a vacuum, pulling all the small green particles into his body.


    After an hour of running at either a fast or moderate pace, Zeke stopped and sat on the grassy ground, body profusely sweating and his breathing heavy.


    Thanks to ¡®Fatigue Abstinence¡¯, the lost energy was instantly recovered and he felt refreshed and slightly energetic. It allowed him to finish the three mundane daily tasks with relative ease while still maintaining a bit of energy to spare in case of emergencies.


    When the sky turned dark and was filled with myriad stars, Zeke left Erys. He was returning to the apartment to bring new clothes and other miscellaneous stuff.


    However, what was supposed to be a peaceful journey soon turned into something else. It happened in Zeke¡¯s neighborhood, which was relatively peaceful and usually devoid of any criminal activities.


    Yet, a very suspicious black van suddenly stopped by the road, a couple of paces away from Zeke. As he had already noticed it, he was on guard and ready for an attack.


    The black-suited men that got out of the van reminded him of those who were with Rodrick. However, these ones behaved differently and wasted not a single second as they charged at him with long black batons in hand.


    A lightning orb suddenly appeared in front of Zeke, and one of the men wasn¡¯t able to dodge it. Upon contact, it immediately went out of control, sending a rain of small lightning bolts everywhere.


    In a matter of seconds, the seven black-suited men that rushed at Zeke were on the ground, their bodies twitching after getting hit by ¡®Spark¡¯.


    The two men watching this, one sitting in the passenger seat and the other being the driver, got out of the van but they were hit by two successive ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯, which blew them to the back.


    They had a frightening bloody wound on their chest, a result of directly getting hit by Zeke¡¯s empowered lightning bolt, which was as thick as his arm.


    ¡®Were they sent here to kill me?¡¯


    Zeke approached one of them and inspected him but wasn¡¯t able to recognize him, unfortunately. Still, he didn¡¯t leave them be, instead, he took out his phone and called the only person he thought would help; Detective Vans Valort.

 Chapter 52 Drugged

    ¡°This¡­ you¡­¡±


    Vans Valort pinched his temples and sighed as he saw the unconscious bodies lying near the black van. He tried to say something to the stoic youth but eventually gave up and called his colleagues.


    Of course, he made sure to handcuff all of them to eliminate any possibility of escape. It was clear that, whoever had orchestrated this, never took into account Zeke¡¯s abilities. Maybe they had underestimated him, or simply never expected him to retaliate so fiercely.


    ¡°Every time I meet you, there¡¯s something going on. Haaah! And I thought my son was a troublemaker¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel so down, sir. Catching so many bad guys, isn¡¯t that what police officers do?¡±


    Vans shook his head and let out a self-deprecating laugh, ¡°Apart from their weapons, they have nothing on them. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t just a simple assault. I will assig-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need, detective Valort. I can take care of myself.¡±


    Seeing the youth¡¯s adamance, the man sighed again and reluctantly nodded. He already knew that Zeke had a shady relationship with the loan shark, he also knew about his strange and unpredictable behavior.


    The other day, he received a tip from Sulong, who recounted his experience in the Sewers.


    Obviously, Vans was surprised to hear that, however, when he went to investigate, he found the place clean. There were no corpses, no signs of a ritual, no blood.


    It contrasted the vivid description provided by Sulong, which made Vans suspect that another party in play, namely the Department of Defense.


    Only such a large power could hide everything in such a limited amount of time. After all, they had the manpower and resources to turn that ¡®Meteor¡¯ incident into nothing but an explosion test of one of their weaponized technology.


    Even though Zeke was personally involved and Vans was certain of that, he refrained from asking anything and, on the account that he really seemed to be a good kid and he was Samuel¡¯s friend, he turned a blind eye.


    ¡°If there¡¯s another attack, contact me immediately.¡±


    With that, Zeke safely returned to his apartment, which haven¡¯t been visited by anyone since he had left it.


    It was as gloomy and lonely as ever, but Zeke preferred that than to be welcomed by his parents¡¯ anger-inducing faces every day.


    ¡®Who would want to hurt me? They only sent normal people, which means they don¡¯t know a lot about me. It can¡¯t be someone from Erys¡­ then who? The Blood Dusk Society? Highly-unlikely. They wouldn¡¯t risk showing themselves in public and I don¡¯t think they would simply rely on hiring thugs. Rodrick? It could be¡­¡¯


    After contemplating with himself for ten minutes, Zeke sat on the sofa, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.


    Very soon, his body started emitting small bursts of electricity, but that was only the beginning. Slowly but surely, the electric currents were becoming stable and less noisy as they swirled around in a periodic manner.


    In addition, Zeke¡¯s body was supplementing itself with Ambient Aether. Aether Control was active and absorbing energy, which would be split into two halves, one stored in the Rune of Life and the other within the body, flowing like a raging river.


    ¡®It¡¯s not enough¡­ more.¡¯


    The increasing toll on his body notwithstanding, Zeke concentrated and tried to minimalize the Aether consumption initiated by ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯. It was an arduous process, one which made him sweat and convulse every now and then, yet he persevered, hoping to see a good result.


    His body was subjected to a constant cycle of absorption and consumption of Aether. That in itself was taxing, so when he opened his eyes and tried using the voltage, he ended up falling to the ground and trying to puke.


    Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything so he just knelt on the ground, mouth wide-open as he breathed heavily.


    ¡°My body can¡¯t take it.¡±


    After a brief respite, he noticed that his right hand was trembling ever-so-slightly. Much to his surprise, the blue veins spreading from the Rune of Life had appeared again. However, he wasn¡¯t particularly worried now that he had the Crown.


    The process would most likely repeat itself and, hopefully, end up successful.


    Exhausted, Zeke bought something to eat from a nearby convenience store and then took a shower, and when he started preparing the clothes he had come here for, he saw that the blue veins, or lines, were spreading at an exponentially rapid rate, much faster than last time.


    He felt no pain or dizziness, only intense trembling that was spread from his right hand to the rest of his body.


    Feeling thirsty and feverish, Zeke dashed to the kitchen and emptied a small bottle of water before sitting down, his legs tapping on the ground as he felt inexplicably on edge.


    Every couple of seconds, he would experience something akin to euphoria, in which his senses would become exceptionally sharp.


    It was then, as he absent-mindedly looked at the street outside of the window, that he sensed something dangerous and close. His body reacted by itself as a burst of electricity exploded from his body and shot a thick lightning bolt towards a specific location in the living room.


    However, it clashed with something invisible and then vanished, leaving the youth on high-alert.


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    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    By then, the blue veins had crept all the way to his neck and were making their way to his jaw and the rest of his face. His eyes were letting out an azure glow as countless small electric currents were seen in his pupils.


    Zeke wanted to attack again but his body suddenly became stiff, rendering any movement impossible. A deafening heartbeat echoed within the apartment, momentarily canceling agent Katrina¡¯s invisibility, which shook her to the core.


    [Sensing interference with the Conduit Implementation Procedure]


    [Automated Defense activated!]


    [Sensing interference with the System¡¯s functionalities]


    [Protocol 3 has been suspended: Self-protection Program 21 activated]


    [Sensing interference with the user¡¯s genetic code]


    [Malware Detection Program has located and eliminated the invading force.]


    ¡®Shit!¡¯


    A headache akin to the one he suffered through when he received the System assaulted Zeke. Before he completely lost consciousness, he saw the bespectacled black-haired woman stare back at him, her pupils constricted from astonishment.


    The lightning around Zeke was absorbed back into his body as it thudded to the ground. Despite all of that, the so-called Conduit Implementation Procedure continued unabated, the blue veins now covering the entirety of Zeke¡¯s body.


    The source of the veins, the Rune of Life, was pulsating with a dim blue glow.


    Katrina returned invisible and stared at the unconscious youth, feeling fearful of that single heartbeat she had heard moments ago. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but it canceled her ability and rendered her unable to use anything.


    Just when she snapped out of it and was about to go check on Zeke, the door of the apartment was opened.


    At first, she stood at the corner and watched, but when she saw who it was, she drifted farther away. Her surprise, which had just subsided, was reignited upon seeing the handsome blond-haired youth.


    Jacob Lorson, older brother of Azmer Lorson and one of the best graduates of Erys. He was Edward¡¯s rival and someone with an unparalleled affinity with Fire. Despite his young age, he was incredibly talented: A literal prodigy whose fame caused an uproar not only in the Nezulian Republic but across the whole world.


    ¡®What¡¯s he doing here?¡¯


    In addition to Jacob, Anthony Orland was also preset. Upon seeing his son unconscious, he smiled and said,


    ¡°In the case the kidnapping failed, I drugged the wate-... the hell?¡±


    Jacob, Anthony, and a couple of men behind them looked at the sleeping youth. He was covered in strange blue wines, intersecting everywhere like a huge cobweb.


    The father bent near Zeke and checked his pulse before putting his hand on his stomach while frowning,


    ¡°These are signs of Aether Imbalance. This way, I don¡¯t even have to feel guilty hahahaha¡­¡±


    Jacob didn¡¯t seem to care about Zeke¡¯s condition. He signaled his men, which lifted Zeke and dragged him outside. From beginning to end, he never noticed Katrina, who had witnessed everything.


    She was tasked with protecting Zeke, but it was too early to take action. She was confident in killing Jacob with one strike, especially since he wasn¡¯t on guard, but, ultimately, she would be seen and her identity as Zeke¡¯s invisible protector would be discovered.


    For now, she decided to tail them and see what they were up to, even if it meant endangering Zeke for a little bit.


    Instead of recklessly attacking, she wanted to gather evidence and let Edward deal with Jacob and Anthony.


    ****


    ¡°Father, what¡¯s going on? Why are you doing this?¡±


    Azmer was tied by a rope and sitting at the back of the limousine, demanding answers from his solemn father.


    William glanced at his son and coldly said,


    ¡°Stop resisting. This is for your own good.¡±


    Unlike Zeke, William didn¡¯t have to resort to extreme methods to bring his son to the hidden laboratory. Admittedly, Azmer was confused and slightly scared of his father, and eventually, he stopped thrashing around and quietened down.


    Without any prior notice, his father appeared in Erys and dragged him along, ordering him to be obedient and listen to him.


    ¡­


    A short while earlier, in a laboratory recently made just for the sake of the secret operation.


    Zeke was taken to a spacious room filled with advanced equipment, some to measure his vitals and others to tightly bind him to a medical bed inclined upwards.


    His wrists, waist, and ankles were restricted by metallic semi-circular bounds. He had awakened from his short slumber only to realize what situation he was in.


    There were two young and unfamiliar scientists checking the equipment, paying no heed to him.


    Olivia was also present and in a joyous mood as she stood in front of her ¡®son¡¯.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, mother?¡±


    ¡°I told you there will be consequences. You¡¯ve been in Erys for less than a year yet you¡¯ve caused so much trouble. For the sake of Max and Ed, I can¡¯t let you roam around freely.¡±


    ¡°You could have waited for my birthday, then.¡± He sarcastically retorted, but he ended up getting viciously slapped.


    ¡°Always with the retorts and nonchalance. I expected no less from a sociopath.¡±


    ¡°What sweet irony to hear that from you, mother. A megalomaniacal person without a shred of pity or remorse. Tell me, how many people did you sacrifice for your fruitless experiments?¡±


    Zeke was slapped again, but he laughed it off as the blue vines in his body started shining and glowing like the Rune of Life.


    ¡°Aether Imbalance. To begin with, a freak like you has no right to wield Aether. You¡¯ve had your moment of fame and it¡¯s about time to end your long-lasting misery, my dear son.¡±


    ¡°Madam, the equipment isn¡¯t functioning properly. There¡¯s interference¡­¡±


    The young female assistant ran to Olivia and delivered the news while peeking glances at Zeke.


    ¡°Interference?¡±


    Olivia looked at Zeke¡¯s bound hand and saw the Rune of Life, which was a bunch of indecipherable symbols and a circular symbol around them.


    ¡°Hmpf!¡±


    She knew he was the cause, therefore, she walked to a nearby table and retrieved a syringe. Without any hesitation, she injected its contents into his chest but when the blue veins kept glowing, she repeated the process three more times.


    [Sensing Interference with the Conduit Implementation Procedure.]


    [Inteference neutralized]


    As he saw the System notification, Zeke groaned and tried his best to limit the effect of the voltage coursing through his body. He made it seem as if the fluid Olivia had injected him with had worked.


    After twenty minutes, Anthony arrived and started working on Zeke with his wife.


    They didn¡¯t even bother sedating him as they used scalpels to perform small and clean cuts right under his neck, then they put transparent special tubes that, as Zeke found out, were actually draining his Life Aether.


    ¡°It will take a bit of time.¡±


    Even such a small task seemed to have tired them for some reason. They smiled at each other and left the laboratory to talk with Wiliam.


    Meanwhile, the two assistants pushed a blond-haired youth tied to a wheelchair. Azmer was still conscious and as perplexed as before. When he saw Zeke, he was flabbergasted, forgetting to even breathe.

 Chapter 53 Conduit Implementation

    Azmer was also put on an inclined medical bed, but the metallic bounds weren¡¯t tight. They made him incapable of moving, but it was clear they were treating him with care.


    When the female assistant approached him and was about to sedate him, he glared at her and thrashed around.


    ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡±


    His loud shout startled the young girl and made her back away in hesitation and fear. After a couple of seconds, she lowered her arm and walked away, intending to speak with Olivia.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    Azmer turned his head to the side with difficulty, still startled to see the tube stuck to the upper part of Zeke¡¯s chest and draining a transparent liquid with a green luster.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you.¡± Retorted the lethargic Zeke.


    Fortunately, the quantity of Life Aether dwelling within his body was significantly higher than a normal human, thus making the process take more time.


    With his precarious situation in consideration, Zeke did not panic, instead, he used the bit of time left to find a way out. He kept himself rational and displayed no fear or urgency, opting for composure to determine a safe and logically possible solution.


    Azmer kept looking at the expressionless Zeke, wondering if this was all a trap. In the end, he gritted his teeth and said,


    ¡°My father brought me here¡­ saying it¡¯s ¡®for my own good¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be the one benefitting from this. It¡¯s pretty simple.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zeke chuckled and clarified, ¡°Look around you. Our dear parents seemed to have come to some sort of an agreement. I don¡¯t know the specifics but, seeing how they¡¯re draining my Life Aether,  it¡¯s easy to conclude that I¡¯ll be on the losing side. I¡¯d go as far as saying I¡¯m going to die.¡±


    Seeing the youth he used to bully speak so nonchalantly, Azmer frowned and maintained a brief silence.


    ¡°For someone about to die, you look awfully calm. Do you have a plan?¡±


    Again, Zeke laughed at the bully¡¯s words, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a good thing for you? You used to say that Defects are a blight and that they shouldn¡¯t exist. I expect no sympathy or pity from you¡­ so don¡¯t try to act like you care.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Who do you take me for? I bullied you but I also saved your ass¡­ or did you forget about that?¡±


    Azmer uttered those words with a much lower voice as he glared at the scoffing Zeke.


    ¡°You acted on the Dean¡¯s orders. Enough with this, I tire of this pointless argument.¡±


    ¡°No! By all means, speak your mind.¡± Tauntingly said back Azmer, who was becoming angrier, seemingly forgetting that he was suspended to the bed with his limbs bound.


    ¡°Defects should have never been allowed in Erys. This, I will always believe. Society might be riddled with them but that doesn¡¯t mean they can amount to those with talent. You were the same. A weak loser who never thought of fighting back.¡±


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t try to lecture me, Azmer. Just like Defects can¡¯t amount to the talented, you can¡¯t amount to your prodigious brother. Bullying me made you feel stronger and offered you self-validation.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing that the blond youth kept his silence, Zeke coldly snorted.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t experience it, you can¡¯t understand the feelings of being weak and helpless, bossed and used by idiotic wastrels that think only of the problems in front of their noses.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Upon hearing Zeke¡¯s resentful words, Azmer was still unrepentant, ¡°Don¡¯t presume to know me based on what I did to you. However you gained your abilities, I do not care. I just know Defects cannot measure up to the gifted. They shall ever be at the mercy of others.¡±


    ¡°Hah! I spit on that! If I wasn¡¯t strapped to this bed, I would¡¯ve shown you how wrong you were!¡±


    Unfortunately, their heated verbal dispute came to an abrupt end when Olivia and Anthony returned.


    ¡°Azmer, yes? Don¡¯t worry about this.¡±


    Anthony Orland smiled at the furious youth and tried to sedate him, but this time, Azmer resisted more fiercely than before. Even with his wrists bound, he managed to activate his Pyromancy and let out vermillion flames that formed a barrier around him.


    ¡°...¡±


    Anthony¡¯s smile vanished as he glanced at his wife. William specifically told them not to hurt their son, but seeing how he was so adamant about accepting help, they had to use extreme methods.


    Meanwhile, Olivia inspected the small container which was supposed to store the Life Aether drained from Zeke¡¯s body. Much to her surprise, it was filled to the brim yet the tubes were still extracting more.


    ¡°Anthony¡­ come here and help me.¡±


    Her voice sounded a bit urgent and surprised. She beckoned her husband, who ignored Azmer momentarily and, with her, proceeded to check Zeke.


    ¡°Late Awakenings aren¡¯t supposed to increase one¡¯s Life Aether. This quantity is¡­ unexpected.¡±-Anthony


    ¡°The Aether Imbalance is proceeding slowly too¡­¡±-Olivia


    The married couple exchanged glances and then subtly signaled to each other. Even though Zeke was bounded, Anthony extended both hands and, within mounts, a small bubble of water formed above Zeke.


    Anthony¡¯s ability allowed him to wield Water-aspected Magic. Since he cared more about experiments and Science, he never trained it, but it was still enough to achieve the desired result, which was to quicken the Life Aether extraction by accelerating the phenomenon known as ¡®Aether Imbalance¡¯.


    The bubble of water was lowered down, enveloping Zeke¡¯s head and robbing him of air. He tried to fight back, violently moving his arms and causing the metallic bounds and the whole bed to shake.


    Olivia used her superhuman strength to immobilize him as he was slowly being suffocated.


    ¡°Hey! What are you doing! Stop!¡±


    Azmer groaned as his wrists were bleeding from the constant friction. He was attempting to free at least one of his hands but to no avail. Even to him, the sight of two parents trying to kill their child for an experiment was mind-boggling.


    Alas, the most Azmer was able to do was form the protective barrier around himself. With his entire body bound, he couldn¡¯t properly use his ability, thus rendering it impossible to attack Anthony or Olivia.


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    Albeit trying, Zeke¡¯s resistance became slower and sluggish after 50 seconds. He already started losing consciousness and due to the untimely Conduit Implementation, coupled with the strong sleeping drug in the water bottle, he was basically incapacitated.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Anthony, who was controlling the bubble of water, suddenly staggered a couple of steps to the back while clutching his chest. A thin lightning current spread from Zeke¡¯s body, connecting to the bubble than to its caster.


    The unexpected and painful shock canceled the bubble of water and allowed Zeke to breathe again, gasping heavily while spitting the bit of water that invaded his nostrils and mouth.


    ¡°Y-You¡­ha¡­ha¡­¡± He tried to say something but he kept coughing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill yo-¡±


    Zeke wasn¡¯t given the time to finish his words as the equally startled Olivia took out a black needle as thick as her fingers and stabbed it into his chest. It wasn¡¯t a normal needle but an artifact, one that was similar to the Talking Sin but of a lower grade.


    As it pierced the center of his chest, Zeke let out a frightening howl of agony, one that was inhumane. The pain that spread across his body made him paralyzed and in a momentary state of mental shock.


    Olivia menacing eyes were fixated on her ¡®son¡¯. When she saw her husband get attacked, she reacted instinctively, first to ¡®punish¡¯ Zeke and second to learn the truth.


    In fact, the purpose of the black needle wasn¡¯t to inflict pain but to gauge one¡¯s ability. Due to the sinister spiritual aura lingering within it, and the traumatizing pain it would inflict, the artifact has been banned across all nations despite the accuracy of its results.


    However, when the needle was unresponsive, Olivia was absolutely gobsmacked.


    ¡°W-what? You¡­ you don¡¯t have any abilities? How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Ss¡­stop him. Kill him¡­¡±


    Apparently, the electric current was still raging inside Anthony¡¯s body, making him fall to the ground and cough blood. His fragile physical constitution made him more vulnerable to the voltage, which was turning his insides into a crisp.


    What made it worse was that the voltage was stronger than ever before thanks to the Conduit being ¡®installed¡¯ into Zeke¡¯s peculiar body.


    It was then that the two assistants returned to the laboratory; the male covered his mouth in shock and immediately fled, but the female¡¯s eyes narrowed. She noticed the suffering Anthony and stealthily edged toward Azmer.


    ¡°Anthon-¡±


    ¡°Kill him!¡± He shouted with a muffled voice, which sobered up the shocked Olivia and made her pull the needle, about to directly stab Zeke¡¯s heart.


    Just as she was about to pierce him again, there was a succession of loud explosions, which made the whole building shake uncontrollably.


    The explosions were so potent that a strong tremor assaulted the laboratory, causing the tables to turn and the walls to crack.


    The medical bed on which Zeke was bound to fell to the side, followed thereafter by a torrent of System notifications.


    [Conduit Implementation Procedure has been successfully completed!]


    [+60 EXP]


    [+7 to all stats]


    [+5 PE]


    [The Survival Skill ¡®Voltage Manipulation¡¯ has been upgraded to ¡®Voltage Conduit¡¯]


    [New skill ¡®Over-drive¡¯ obtained]


    [You leveled up!]


    [+7 Strength]


    [+7 Aether]


    [+7 Agility]


    [+1 Fortitude]


    [User ¡®Voltage Sync, Zeke¡¯ has completed the hidden requirements: Aether Voltage Main path has been upgraded to ¡®Voltage Body¡¯ Main Path (1/44)]


    [The Survival Skill ¡®Rune of Life¡¯ has been upgraded to ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯]


    [The Survival Skill ¡®Voltage Conduit¡¯ has automatically reached 100% Proficiency]


    [+1 to all stats]


    The dizziness and exhaustion that overwhelmed Zeke were replaced by a rejuvenation sensation of vigor and power. An absurd amount of electricity burst from his hands, literally melting the bounds around his ankles, waist, and wrists.


    Without any sliver of hesitation, he extended his hand and used ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯, which was empowered by the new skill ¡®Voltage Conduit¡¯.


    A massive spear made of blue and crackling lightning appeared in his hand; He threw it at the destabilized Olivia, striking her right in the chest and sending her flying to the back like a bullet.


    Alas, her body was more resilient than Anthony, so much so that ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ wasn¡¯t enough to incapacitate her. It did, however, cause a scary and bloody wound on her stomach, making her vomit blood and shake in pain.


    Just when Zeke was about to attack her again, Anthony attacked him with his Water-aspected magic. Much to the father and son¡¯s surprise, a wave of flames appeared between Zeke and Anthony, turning the water into vapor and then cascading on the scientist.


    Zeke, whose body was enveloped in a mini storm of lightning, turned his head ever-so-slightly, seeing the female scientist run out of the crumbling laboratory.


    Azmer was free too, the two students staring at each other in silence.


    Their staring contest was short-lived as several armed men came in, probably alerted by the male assistant who had previously fled.


    ¡°You agree that cooperation is necessary, yes?¡± Muttered Azmer as he snapped his fingers, causing his signature flames to burst forth and form a fire tornado of his size.


    Zeke clicked his tongue and nodded, crouching his body ever-so-slightly then dashing forward.


    While Olivia was recuperating and Anthony was quelling the flames that tried to burn him, Zeke moved at a speed no slower than Julia¡¯s. The bullets shot at him all missed as he appeared in front of the armed men; His hands, which were wholly covered with a layer of lightning, grabbed the man¡¯s head, frying them on the spot.


    Zeke didn¡¯t have time to check the description of the newly-acquired skills. Nevertheless, he ¡®felt¡¯ the difference almost immediately.


    Voltage Conduit was similar to Voltage Manipulation but significantly better. It greatly facilitates the usage of the voltage as well as granting him formidable velocity and much-welcomed tenacity.


    Against the trained military men working for his ¡®parents¡¯, he easily defeated them one by one, and those out of his reach were disposed of by Azmer, who showed no mercy or hesitation.


    In barely a minute, fifteen such soldiers were killed, but it wasn¡¯t the end as the laboratory finally collapsed. When Zeke shifted his attention back to Olivia, the roof fell down, allowing her to escape.


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ at the last second, teleporting to a relatively safe spot at the corner of the laboratory. The deafening noise of the collapsing roof was momentary and when silence returned, a cloud of dust could be seen as well as a constantly ringing alarm along with a flashing red light.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke was trapped in a small area, his eyes darting to all corners as he noticed a thick smoke rising up, indicating that a fire broke out, either due to Azmer¡¯s pyromancy or the explosions that subsequently resulted in the collapse of the laboratory.


    ¡°Ah¡­ah..¡±


    A few paces away, stuck under a broken part of the roof, was Anthony Orland. He was gasping for breath and trying to free himself.


    When he saw the familiar and expressionless face of his son, he stopped for a second and then raised his hand, clearly begging for help.


    ¡°H-help me, son. Please¡­¡±


    Zeke knelt on one knee and looked at his struggling ¡®father¡¯, whose lower body was crushed by the roof. Even if he did nothing, Anthony would die due to blood loss.


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°Give me one good reason I should save you. Mind you, not even ten minutes ago, you tried¡­ and failed to suffocate me to death.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was wrong! I¡¯m sorry! I truly am! I promise that I won¡¯t bother you again. I¡­ I can help you!¡±


    Zeke extended his right hand and pressed it on top of Anthony¡¯s head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help. In the past, I helped you and you helped me. We had an agreement, father. Yet, you drugged and dragged me here, intending to use me to your benefit.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s cold and chilling eyes stared down at the frightened and pale-faced scientist.


    ¡°By doing that, you became a stranger to me. And by trying to kill me, you became an enemy. May you rot in hell.¡±


    An empowered ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ shot from Zeke¡¯s hand. It was so destructive and powerful that, instead of electrocuting or charring Anthony¡¯s body, it made it burst into a mass of foggy blood, leaving not a trace behind.


    Despite knowing that this was Edward and Maxine¡¯s father, Zeke showcased no remorse, pity, or regret. He did what needed to be done and even if he was blamed for it, he wouldn¡¯t care.


    Anthony and Olivia knew his part, knew his circumstances, yet they resorted to such extreme methods. For him, that was unforgivable¡­ unconscionable.


    Zeke stood up and turned around, seeing Azmer standing a couple of meters away, a golden flaming sword in hand. It seemed the blond youth had used his flames to literally melt the blockage trapping Zeke, he had also witnessed how Anthony was killed. Still, he refrained from commenting because, just like Zeke, he knew that the scientist deserved such a miserable end.


    ¡°I acknowledge that I helped you this time, but only to see how you would prove to me that Defects are not what I think they are. Once we get out of here, we¡¯ll settle this with a fair fight.¡±


    ¡°A fight?¡±


    Azmer solemnly nodded and continued, ¡°Yes. If you win, I will do whatever you want me to do. I can kneel and apologize, or even leave Erys¡­ that¡¯s how confident I am in my principles. If I win, you will agree that my previous point was justified. That I was right all along, and that Defects are weak¡­ leeches and parasites that deserve nothing. Do we have an agreement?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After a brief bout of silence, Zeke walked toward Azmer Lorson and extended his arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal, then.¡±


    The two shook hands before Azmer changed the subject,


    ¡°First, we need to get out of here alive.¡±


    ¡°Not after I kill that woman.¡± Muttered Zeke while grinding his teeth in rage.

 Chapter 54 Assassination

    A short while before the laboratory collapsed.


    ¡°Mister Lorson, we¡¯ve already begun the preparations. The operation shouldn¡¯t take more than an hour, please wait here.¡±


    As Olivia and Anthony needed to keep this agreement under tight wraps, William made use of his vast wealth to build a laboratory in the basement of a recently-renovated house South of the Sunken Metropolis. The neighborhood was peaceful and relatively empty, thus making it the best spot to conduct such an illegal matter.


    William and Jacob were both presents, along with a few of their subordinates. As for the married scientists, they came alone and didn¡¯t seem worried that someone might interrupt their work or barge in.


    After exchanging a few words with the ever-solemn William Lorson, they swiftly returned to the laboratory.


    Meanwhile, the head of the Lorson household stood on the small lawn of the house.


    He was like a robot, motionless and silent as he patiently waited. As for his eldest son, Jacob, he kept pacing around, half-restless and half-impatient.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we keep an eye on them, father?¡±


    ¡°No need. They are professionals and wouldn¡¯t try anything against me. After all, they seemed pretty desperate to receive my funding.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Unlike his father, Jacob was very mistrustful and not even William¡¯s reassurance was enough to quell his doubts and suspicions.


    Unbeknownst to the father-son duo, an invisible agent of the Department of Defense was eyeing them from a safe distance.


    Katrina wanted to follow Zeke into the laboratory, however, the house was enveloped in a highly-advanced detection array, sustained by a sizeable quantity of Aether. Although she was confident in sneaking in undetected, there was a low probability of getting discovered later on.


    Her objective was secure Zeke and get him out safely, which wouldn¡¯t be possible if she remained invisible the whole time. Even if she were to succeed, William and Jacob would be outside to intercept her escapade.


    For that reason, Agent Katrina put her focus on the duo outside of the house, specifically Jacob.


    William was someone out of her league, a distinguished powerhouse that not even Edward could face right now. Jacob, on the other hand, was on the same ¡®level¡¯ as her, and since he wasn¡¯t alerted of her presence, an attempt to assassinate him had a big chance of succeeding.


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    By eliminating Jacob Lorson, William would fly into a rage and pursue her relentlessly, which was to be expected. She would lead him away from this place while her colleagues,  or ex-colleagues, would take care of Zeke. She had already sent an emergency signal, and she was certain that Edward could respond immediately. Whether he would come alone or with his subordinates was unknown, nevertheless, he was strong enough to manage the armed and weak bodyguard guarding the interior of the house.


    After she went through the plan more than five times, Katrina began preparing herself and stabilizing her breathing. Two glistening silver blades appeared in her invisible hands as she leaned forward and bent her knees ever-so-slightly, her body facing Jacob and William.


    ¡®I need to finish it with one strike. William won¡¯t let me attack a second time.¡¯


    An astronomical amount of Aether was channeled from her magical blades to the rest of her body and vice-versa, strengthening her senses and boosting her agility.


    She waited as time crept by, and when an opportunity had finally presented itself, she shot forward like a lightning bolt.


    In the blink of an eye, she crossed the relatively big distance separating her from the target; Her blades were crisscrossed and extended forward as her invisibility was canceled when she was close enough.


    Everything was perfect and as she had predicted. Jacob¡¯s back was in front of her and her blades were about to pierce him and end his life. However, out of the blue, William grabbed his son from the side and activated his ability, causing ominous and ink-like black flames to erupt, clashing with Katrina.


    While William¡¯s flames slowed her down for half a breath, it wasn¡¯t completely successful as Katrina half-turned his body, avoiding the flames and then slashing with the crisscrossed blades.


    Jacob, who haven¡¯t noticed a thing and was surprised by his father¡¯s sudden movement, only realized the danger when it was too late. When he snapped out of the shock, his body was blown a couple of meters to the back, blood gushing out of his severed left arm, which had fallen right next to him.


    ¡°Aaahhhh!¡±


    The agonizing pain made him cry out loud, his face turning as white as a sheet of paper. He was in no condition to retaliate or do anything, his back leaning to the side as he fell to the ground and continued shouting.


    As for William, he let out an angry grunt and moved both hands, trying to get hold of the elusive Katrina. Alas, her body turned blurry and only her after-image was left, moreover, she left more things in her wake.


    Three spinning grenades landed near William, who wasn¡¯t able to dodge or react in time as they exploded right into his face.


    Of course, standard grenades of such a caliber weren¡¯t able to injure William, but they did destroy the nearby walls of the house and blow Jacob even further away.


    Instead of continuing her assault, Katrina immediately sprung into a dash, running away from the scene. As expected, the disheveled William was right on her tail, unleashing one gigantic ball of black flames after the other.


    On the burning yawn of the house, Jacob groaned and tried to stand up using his remaining arm only to hear a ticking sound. He instinctively turned his head and saw another bomb, one stuck to the crumbling wall with a red timer on it.


    ¡°Shi-¡±


    This explosion was bigger than all the rest, so much so that his body was sent flying till it crashed to the concrete ground of the street. A dangerous amount of blood was profusely gushing out of his left shoulder, making him dizzy and incapable of amassing Aether, much less using his ability.

 Chapter 55 Ink Fire

    William Lorson had chased Katrina for no more than thirty seconds before realizing her plan. He conjured a long-winged bird made of his black flames and sent it rushing at her target while he hastily made a U-turn and returned to the now-destroyed small house.


    Upon seeing the huge and dangerous bird, Katrina¡¯s eyes narrowed as she leapt in the air and unleashed all of her power.


    Her counterattack wasn¡¯t as flashy as William¡¯s, nevertheless, it was no less deadlier: She swung both hands, slashing the glistening silver blades, and released a milky-white sharp aura that spun unidirectionally.


    The magical bird clashed against the agent¡¯s formless white aura, causing a soundless shock wave to crush the street, scorch the lamps, and melt the concrete.


    Katrina managed to safely get rid of William¡¯s destructive flames, but that was only the beginning as she landed on the ground like a cat and then, like an unstoppable bullet, gave chase.


    The role of the cat and mouse changed, but even then, Katrina was slightly worried about Zeke.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, after slight difficulty, Zeke and Azmer were able to escape from the spreading fire and the collapsing rubble. The laboratory was in the renovated basement but, fortunately, the stairs were relatively unscathed.


    They encountered a couple of armed men, which were all either unconscious or dead from the series of explosions.


    After exchanging a glance, the two students made their way outside only to see the ruined yawn, the rising flames that were no shorter than them, and Jacob crawling on the ground while letting out muffled and painful groans.


    Azmer¡¯s pupils constricted once he saw his brother¡¯s current state. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t rush to help, instead, motioning for Zeke to follow him as he used his sword to cut the flames blocking their way.


    Alas, they had just marched a couple of steps before a domineering fireball made of black flames descended from above, quelling the normal fire and turning the place quieter and less chaotic.


    The angry William had an ugly face as scanned his vicinity, spotting the struggling and bleeding Jacob then focusing on Azmer and Zeke.


    Seeing Anthony¡¯s son come out, William concluded that the two scientists were either dead or had already fled, which infuriated him. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t have the time to deal with them as he needed to leave the area before the authorities arrive.


    ¡°We will talk later. Come with me.¡±


    The father motioned for his youngest son, who just stood there and gave him a solemn and cold look.


    ¡°Father, were you really trying to sacrifice another person for me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Instead of feeling grateful, Azmer felt disgusted just thinking about it. Admittedly, he felt inferior to Jacob, however, he never wanted exterior help. He firmly believed that, with enough hard work and with the Dean¡¯s tutelage, he would undoubtedly become the strongest in Erys and surpass his older sibling.


    ¡°You cannot be a disgrace to the Lorson family. Your talent wasn¡¯t enough so I had to employ drastic but necessary measures.¡±


    Albeit being pressed for time, William composed himself and gave an honest and brutal answer. It was rare for Azmer to not immediately listen to his words, so the man knew that he had to appease him and convince him that the operation was the best available option.


    As the father and son were conversing, Zeke had closed his eyes and concentrated; He blocked all the unnecessary noise and focused as hard as he could, trying to locate the missing Olivia.


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    While Anthony¡¯s ability was purely water-aspected, Olivia Vyrsan was gifted with two abilities. The first was similar to Maxine, which significantly strengthened her physical prowess and made her unbelievably tenacious. The second one was what was commonly referred to as ¡®Support Abilities¡¯. In exchange for permanently sacrificing a specified quantity of her Vitality, she would be able to summon a Spirit Beast.


    It was the famous ability of the Vyrsan Family, which was the only household that nurtured the so-called Beast Masters.


    Zeke knew that she would prioritize her safety and escapade rather than launch a full-on retaliation for what had occurred. Therefore, she would probably call forth a type of Spirit Beast that would facilitate her retreat.


    After closing his eyes for nearly five seconds, Zeke suddenly sprung into motion. He raised upwards and shot several thick lightning bolts at an empty space in the air, approximately 50 meters away.


    He accurately hit the invisible Olivia, who was rising atop a dinosaur-like beast with thin and arched wings.


    The beast cried out in pain, blood gushing out of its body, however, it didn¡¯t completely fall to the ground as its rider stabbed a syringe into its back.


    A savage red aura burst forth, strengthening the flying Spirit Beast and making it flap its wings while screeching deafeningly. By the time it stabilized its falling body, Zeke was already below it, ready to throw the spear of lightning he had conjured.


    Unfortunately, just as he was about to deal the fatal blow and finish his ¡®mother¡¯, he sensed danger, causing him to hastily turn around and use the spear to defend himself against a rising wave of black flames.


    His attempt to defend himself was only half-successful as William¡¯s flames were pierced and started to disappear. Alas, part of it transformed into a tiny fireball that hit Zeke¡¯s left arm.


    The second it touched it, he shouted in agony and fell to the ground, writhing and trying to get rid of it using Voltage. He had almost lost all rationality as the pain was soul-rending, so much so that his face distorted and turned dangerously pale.


    William snorted as he appeared next to the youth, looking down at him with contempt. He saw the black-haired Zeke convulse and continue crying, unable to cope with the agony of having his arm burned.


    Strangely enough, the black flame didn¡¯t melt his skin, it just charred it and continued to make him feel the irresistible flood of pain.


    With his thoughts muddled and his mind turbulent, Zeke was unable to calm himself or cope with what was happening. Nevertheless, as a last desperate resort, he concentrated and used his accumulated PE to unlock the Pain-junkie Main Path.


    For him, if something was able to lessen the agony, then that would be it. Of course, it was a risky gamble, one he was willing to make to end this suffering and save his life.


    A distance away, Katrina had caught up but was unable to interfere as a large dome of fire enveloped the house and the lawn, allowing her to do nothing but watch as her benefactor¡¯s young brother was crying out.


    ¡°S-stop! Father!¡±


    Azmer didn¡¯t have it in him to attack his father, but he did try to interfere. However, he was completely ignored, which made him clench his grip around the sword enveloped in golden flames.


    Even though he didn¡¯t like Zeke, he still felt pity seeing him like that. He became like a madman, howling in a beast-like manner as his whole left arm was covered in William¡¯s notorious ¡®Ink Fire¡¯.


    ****


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh! Argh!


    ¡°H-hey! Sulong! Sulong!¡±


    Jack and Sulong were playing an entertaining card game only for the latter to suddenly hold his muscular left arm and shout agonizingly.


    He fell to the ground and rolled around, tears pouring from his eyes as he kept hearing a loud ringing sound.


    The bald thug tried to use his new ability but couldn¡¯t, his whole body and mind overwhelmed by this sudden wave of pain.


    It was then that the quiet red-haired boy, who was sitting on the couch and watching them play, got to his feet. He was recently named ¡®Albert¡¯ by his Papa.


    He knelt near Sulong and extended his slim and soft hand; After a couple of seconds, what could only be described as a sanguine-colored cloth appeared out of thin air and wrapped around Sulong¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Ah¡­ah¡­¡±


    The pain vanished, but Sulong¡¯s mind was momentarily blank as he gasped for air and shook for a couple of seconds. His bald head and large forehead were covered in sweat, and his eyes were filled with shock, fear, and confusion.


    ¡°W-what happened? Are you okay?!¡±


    Jack helped his friend sit up and checked his body, but Sulong didn¡¯t reply. He first checked his left arm then softly smiled at the expressionless Albert.


    Albeit not receiving any explanation, Sulong was almost certain that the source of pain had originated from Zeke, whom he had formed a fateful connection with.

 Chapter 56 Over-Drive

    Although Albert had quelled the agonizing pain that tortured Sulong, the constant ringing sound inside of his head kept going.


    ¡°The boy¡­ Zeke¡­ he¡¯s in danger.¡±


    There was a foreboding and inexplicable sensation swelling within Sulong, urging him to go to Zeke¡¯s side. However, he was given no directions or guidance, making the situation all the more difficult to deal with.


    It got so bad that Sulong¡¯s ability was manifesting by itself, forming a circular war of crimson flames seemingly protecting him from outside danger.


    ****


    [Pain-Junkie Main Path has been unlocked!]


    [Fortitude stats already available]


    [+7 Fortitude]


    [+10 Strength]


    [The user ¡®Voltage Sync, Zeke¡¯ has obtained the following skills: Surge of Pain - Body Damage - Self-injection]


    [Surge of Pain has been activated: +20 to all stats]


    [Surge of pain has been activated: +30 to all stats]


    [Surge of pain has been activated: +40 to all stats]


    [Body Damage has taken effect]


    Zeke was in no state to check the new skills, however, his decision to unlock the Pain-junkie path was, fortunately, the right one.


    Not a second after he saw the flood of System Windows, the pain that robbed him of any rationality turned into a numbness that spread to every corner of his body.


    The exhaustion and agony were replaced by an overwhelming sensation of power and energy.


    Instead of immediately trying to retaliate or flee, Zeke stealthily looked at William.


    The cold-faced man was immovable like a mountain, an invisible pressure emanating from his body.


    Zeke continued shouting in pain, but it was an act, waiting for William to get distracted, which he did after a couple of seconds.


    The moment the head of the Lorson household lifted his head to look at Katrina, Zeke pushed both of his hands against the ground.


    His left arm was still enveloped in the hellish Ink Fire, but Zeke didn¡¯t care as he used [Over-drive], one of his newly-acquired skills.


    When he had tried to kill Olivia, he had used all the Aether stored in the Rune of Life. Nevertheless, thanks to [Over-drive] and his considerably boosted stats, his unsuspected attack didn¡¯t fail.


    Unlike Voltage Conduit, which basically conjured electric currents around parts of his body, [Over-drive] literally turned a user¡¯s body into voltage.


    William only saw a flash of blue light before he felt pain in his chest, soon followed by blood dripping down.


    Albeit shocked, he moved his hand in reflex, trying to block Zeke¡¯s sweeping leg aimed at his head. Surprisingly, it was a feint as the youth vanished, and by the next split second, William¡¯s body was pushed to the front, almost making him fall.


    Zeke wanted to continue but that was the limit of [Over-drive]. It lasted for exactly two seconds and significantly increased his movement speed, control of Voltage, and attack power.


    When the blue lightning was gone, Zeke, breathing heavily, concentrated on his burning arm instead of William. It wasn¡¯t because he felt protected, but because the dome of black flames trapping this small area was finally broken by Katrina and a new arrival, who turned out to be none other than Edward.


    ¡°This¡­ It¡¯s spreading.¡±


    William snorted in annoyance and dashed away, his speed no slower than Zeke¡¯s. Only Azmer stood there, both surprised to see Zeke survive and his father run away cowardly. Feeling ashamed that he didn¡¯t have the guts to interfere, the blond youth lowered his head and gritted his teeth, unable even to meet his classmate¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®Think¡­ how do I stop it¡­ how!¡¯


    Zeke looked at his charred arm and the black fire which didn¡¯t emit any heat. The Pain-junkie Path had greatly subsided the agony, but it will return soon so it was a race against time.


    Feeling desperate, Zeke raised his right arm and was about to commit the unthinkable: Cutting off his own arm.


    However, at the last second, when he heard Edward calling his name, Zeke felt extremely dizzy and fell to the ground, unconscious.


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    Neither Katrina nor Edward paid any attention to the fleeing William as they both dashed to the youth.


    Pale-faced, Edward Orland knelt near his younger brother and used his ability, which, like Anthony, was water-aspected.


    A concentrated and translucent wave of water splattered against Zeke¡¯s left arm, extinguishing a bit of the flame but not entirely removing it.


    ¡°Call Jan! Call her NOW!¡±


    Edward¡¯s shouted with a frightening voice, causing the subordinates that accompanied him to tremble and hastily nod. Katrina stood behind her benefactor with her hand pressed against his back, supplying him with large quantities of Aether.


    ¡­


    Six hours later, in the large office of the Secret Intelligence Team of the Department of Defense, Edward was sitting behind his desk, pinching his temples.


    His slightly reddened face and restless body were clear indications of his bad mood and accumulating anger and rage. In fact, were it not for his subordinates, which were successful in their attempts to calm him down, he might have done something extreme.


    Katrina, although she was dismissed, was the only present in the office, standing dutifully while holding a report in her hands.


    ¡°19 Casualties. Anthony Orland¡¯s remains are yet to be found but he¡¯s presumed to be dead.¡±


    Edward didn¡¯t respond instantly, he clutched his head and blankly stared at the desk with hollow eyes. Eventually, he leaned back and opened his mouth,


    ¡°According to Azmer¡¯s statement, he was killed.¡±


    Although she didn¡¯t want to explicitly say it, Katrina solemnly nodded and explained,


    ¡°He said that it was Zeke who did it. We¡¯ve yet to gather all the evidence, but it¡¯s almost certain that the perpetrators were Olivia Vyrsan, Anthony Orland, and William Lorson.¡±


    She paused for a bit, hesitating ever-so-slightly before continuing, ¡°Sir¡­ the higher-ups asked me to ¡®wrap it up. As Olivia Vyrsan is a scientist working for the Department of Defense, I think they don¡¯t want the matter to blow up in their faces.¡±


    ¡°Hah! My parents? You think I consider them my parents after that? Hah?!¡±


    Edward banged his clenched fist on the table and glared at his stone-faced subordinate, who apologetically bowed in silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ forgive me. I..I..¡±


    ¡°It should be me who¡¯s apologizing, sir. I have failed to protect Zeke.¡±


    ¡°You did your best and even critically wounded Jacob. Since they want to hide the whole affair, then I can safely fabricate false evidence and erase all traces of Zeke. Tell Jan to come here, please¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Thereafter, Katrina left the office and used a hidden exit path to leave the headquarters of the Department of Defense. As she was officially not part of Edward¡¯s team, she resumed her primary task and swiftly returned to Zeke¡¯s side.


    Instead of taking him to a hospital, Edward took him to Erys, which was the safest place. There, it would be hard for any outsider to try anything. Moreover, Doctor Xavier was one of the best healers in the Nezulian Republic, that and the abundance of high-grade artifacts in Solas¡¯ possession, artifacts that were suited to deal with William¡¯s ¡®Ink Fire¡¯.


    ¡­


    ¡°I said no! Get out of here already!¡±


    Xavier has had enough of the insistent Maxine, who tried to forcefully barge into the infirmary. She had heard of what happened but neither she nor anyone else was allowed to come inside.


    Even when she broke into tears and begged him, Xavier remained adamant and even called the Dean to guard the entrance.


    ¡°At least tell me if he¡¯s okay!¡± She yelled back right before he closed the door on her face.


    ¡°...¡±


    Unfortunately, Xavier only sighed and ignored her question.


    It wasn¡¯t just Maxine who was there, all the members of the Special Investigation Squad, as well as Samuel, were in standing in the corridor.


    The sudden arrival of a high executive of the Department of Defense, Edward Orland, didn¡¯t go unnoticed, especially when he was carrying a bleeding and unconscious Zeke in his arms.


    Inside the infirmary, Xavier saw the space distort and Katrina appear right next to the bed on which Zeke lay. She frowned as she saw his left arm, blackened beyond repair, the skin seemingly rotten.


    ¡°The treatment isn¡¯t over yet, but we managed to get rid of the fire. William Lorson really wanted to kill him and didn¡¯t hold back, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Will he recover?¡±


    Xavier, tired from over-exerting himself for a prolonged period of time, ignited a cigarette and stood at his favorite spot near the half-open window.


    ¡°Recover? Yes. But there is no way to completely heal his arm. It¡¯s not due to the inefficiency of my ability or the artifacts we deployed, but due to how long the arm has been subjected to the fire. In fact, I¡¯m surprised Aether still flows within it¡­ it defies common sense. Then again, we¡¯re talking about Zeke Orland.¡±


    Slightly displeased about his subtle remark, Katrina faced the nonchalant doctor and questioned him,


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just voicing remarks.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Since Edward brought him here, then I expect him to clean up the mess. I don¡¯t want agents coming to question me.¡±


    ¡°There shall be no problems.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ if you say so.¡±


    A bout of silence flowed between the two, in which Xavier smoked his cigarette while enjoying the breeze and Katrina returned her attention to Zeke.


    His face was as pale as before and his left arm was a frightening sight, even to someone like her, who had seen horrors beyond belief.


    Besides a handful of high-grade and dangerous artifacts, there was nothing that could get rid of William¡¯s Ink Fire. For that reason, William was a notorious and feared individual, someone whose prowess was on par with Principal Solas.


    Yet, what surprised Katrine was that she had seen Zeke attack and injure William, not once but twice! In those two seconds, he moved with a ridiculous speed and the amount of Aether he was emanating was outrageous, to say the least.


    ¡®So this is the power of the System. No wonder everyone is scared of it. He even killed his father¡­ my assessment of Zeke was inaccurate from the get-go.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Katrina broke the silence and pointed at the Rune of Death, which was darker than the charred skin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not a Scholar but I¡¯d wager it¡¯s some type of ancient Formation or Rune.¡±


    After watching the dormant youth for a while, Katrina vanished into thin air, but Xavier knew she was still lurking nearby.

 Chapter 57 Black Wing

    ¡°S-sir¡­ they didn¡¯t pick up any of our calls. I-I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Edward unceremoniously waved his hand at the stuttering young man. Since Olivia, his mother was involved, he wanted to bring her here for questioning, but she had holed herself in the Vyrsan household, and trying to drag her by force was impossible.


    When he was given the signal, agent Howard Drant unfolded the document and spoke,


    ¡°The initial investigation was completed. We¡¯ve secured some intact machines from the basement. They were trying to operate on Azmer Lorson and Zeke Orland. From the looks of it, it¡¯s directly related to Project B-11.¡±


    ¡°As I thought.¡± Commented the disheartened Edward, a sigh escaping his lips.


    His parents had been in charge of Project B-11, but due to the lacks of funds from the Department of Defense and the need for live subjects, the project was put on hold five months ago.


    Many high executives, including Edward, didn¡¯t condone human experiments, which put pressure on the greedy and power-seeking ones.


    Project B-11¡¯s main purpose was to transfer one¡¯s ability from one subject to the other. However, the risks were extremely high and the cost of the materials needed was exorbitant.


    ¡°Sir, what do we do about your fath- I mean Anthony Orland¡¯s individual report?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Declare him as dead and be done with it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Howard performed a military salute and then left the office, but there was one more person left. It was a beautiful woman with golden eyes, a long beige-colored hair, a round face, and mesmerizing short black dress.


    Technically, she wasn¡¯t part of the Department of Defense, but she was a close friend of Edward. The two shared a special and complicated relationship.


    With only she and Edward in the office, Jan Beatrice Kember, whose face lacked the breath-taking smile she would usually display, tapped on the chair and looked at her troubled crush.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t hide him forever, right? Sooner or later, they will find him.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know.¡± He retorted while picking up the family picture on his desk, which only had himself, Maxine, and Zeke, all young and hugging each other while smiling blissfully.


    ¡°Problem is, I can¡¯t forcefully hide him. Neither can I read him, especially now.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I know that Zeke hasn¡¯t given up. If any bit of information regarding the Ascetic Blasphemers gets out, he would pursue it to the bitter end. He wants it back¡­ I know he does, which is why I need to protect him.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Jan frowned and looked at her palm, which was wrapped in white bondage.


    ¡°I¡­ no, we lack critical information about the System. While treating him, I was met with fierce resistance, which means it will not tolerate any exterior help. If I didn¡¯t pull back my Aether, I would have been killed.¡±


    Her body shook for a moment as she remembered the minuscule yet lethal electric current that erupted from Zeke¡¯s chest, zapping her hand.


    ¡°It acts in its user¡¯s best interest. That¡¯s enough for me to know it won¡¯t harm my brother.¡±


    ¡°That could also be detrimental as it would not allow Healing artifacts or abilities to ¡®fix¡¯ his left arm. Xavier is one of the best in our field, but I doubt even he can deal with it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Eddy, how about I deal with William?¡±


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    Upon hearing this, Edward looked at her and solemnly shook his head.


    ¡°Why? I have enough money to hire an expert from ¡®Black Wing¡¯. They will deal with William in one night.¡±


    ¡°I said no, Jan.¡±


    Seeing his serious expression, the woman wryly smiled and lowered her head.


    ¡­


    In the grand manor of the Lorson household, Jacob was lying on his bed and all his vitals were being monitored around the clock.


    He had lost his arm and although he had survived the ordeal, the sustained damage would leave him in such a state for weeks.


    After kicking the healers and physicians out, William sat near his son and held his hand, muttering apologetically.


    ¡°Ugh..¡±


    He suddenly clutched his chest and coughed thrice, a bit of blood leaking out of his lips. He had drunk miraculous elixirs and was examined by a dozen veteran doctors yet none noticed any peculiarities. Still, he kept experiencing this piercing pain as if he had been electrocuted.


    William knew that this was due to Zeke¡¯s strange attack, which broke through his defenses and directly hit his vitals. What he couldn¡¯t fathom, however, was the absence of any negative or harmful Aether in his body.


    ¡°You called for me, Mister Lorson?¡±


    Amidst the silent and dimly lit room of Jacob, a soft voice echoed.


    William wasn¡¯t surprised as he slowly turned around and faced the visitor.


    It was a man dressed in fancy clothes; A black shirt with a leather dark red jacket on top of it, a magician¡¯s hat resting on top of his head, a white flower hanging from the top pocket of his jacket, and an old silver-rimmed monocle.


    The man had handsome and youthful features, making him look no older than thirty.


    He had no facial hair, and his eyes were the same color as his exquisite jacket.


    He elegantly bowed toward the cold-faced William before scratching his pointy nose and remarking,


    ¡°I must say, I¡¯m quite sensitive to the scent of herbal medicine. Ah! It¡¯s just a minor complaint¡­ don¡¯t mind me. Hehehe¡­¡±


    He examined the room in interest before casually taking a seat, unbothered by William¡¯s piercing stare.


    ¡°Now then, Mister Lorson, what for did you call the services of our humble organization, Black Wing? Due to your recent and not-so-clandestine complications, coupled with your esteemed status, we thought it was better to come to you personally.¡±


    ¡°You people will kill anyone for the right price, yes?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Mister Lorson. It doesn¡¯t matter where or who they are, we can kill anyone¡­ or anything if you know what I mean.¡± He playfully winked at the serious William.


    ¡°I want Zeke Orland dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The man opened his mouth to say something but stopped at the last second. He mockingly chuckled then raised three fingers


    ¡°Three million? I will pay.¡±


    ¡°Nonononono..¡±


    The man shook his head while smirking, ¡°Three hundred million.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Even someone as wealthy as William could not afford such a price. It was a ludicrous amount, one that could be paid only by the wealthiest people in the world.


    ¡°Is this some sort of a sick joke?¡±


    Hearing this, the man¡¯s face turned serious as he fixed the position of his monocle and retorted,


    ¡°We do not joke around with our prices, Mister Lorson. Please mind your words in front of me.¡±


    ¡°You expect me to pay 300 million Alc for a mere kid? I¡¯m not going to be tricked by you people.¡± William gritted his teeth, trying to protest, but by the next second, he fell to the ground.


    He was holding his neck as he was unable to breathe. Fortunately for him, this lasted for a couple of seconds before everything returned to normal.


    ¡°This will be my last warning. Mind your words, Mister Lorson. We have ever been professional and we neither negotiate nor joke around with our prices. We will kill Zeke Orland if you pay us 300 million Alc.¡±


    ¡°I.. I understand.¡±


    The esteemed and distinguished William Lorson, who was famed across the Nezulian Republic, has been brought to his knees just like that. Although he knew that Black Wing was an organization of assassins comprised of unbelievably strong powerhouses, he still didn¡¯t think he would be overpowered so easily. The other party didn¡¯t even lift a finger.


    ¡°Could you at least tell me why it¡¯s 300 million?¡±


    ¡°We choose our prices carefully. I cannot tell you the criteria we base our prices on, and I also cannot tell you why he¡¯s priced so high.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    As William kept silent, the man clapped his gloved hands and stood up.


    ¡°It appears the price we offered is beyond your monetary means.¡±


    The man was about to leave but he stopped at the last second, glancing at the kneeling William.


    ¡°Although it isn¡¯t part of our ¡®official job¡¯, I can stretch my helping hand to you.¡±


    Seeing the grizzly-looking William perplexed, the man smiled and pointed at the former¡¯s chest,


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your condition, Mister Lorson. 20 Million Alc and I¡¯ll tell you an efficient ¡®antidote¡¯. No? Alright.¡±


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± The man extended his hand, seemingly expecting to be paid first.

 Chapter 58 Self-Injection

    When Zeke opened his eyes and finally awakened from his premature slumber, he felt an uncomfortable numbness in his left arm. He let out a soft groan as he immediately remembered what happened.


    He had used ¡®Over-drive¡¯ to retaliate against William Lorson, but his body couldn¡¯t cope with prior over-exertion along with the almost fatal injury inflicted by the frightening black flames.


    ¡®This is Erys¡¯ infirmary. I survived¡­ that¡¯s a good thing.¡¯


    The young man slowly sat up while chuckling in a self-mocking manner. His whole left arm was wrapped in tight bandages, but even without getting a good look, he knew it was irreparably damaged.


    Still, there was no need to regret or worry about this consequence. Doctor Xavier was nowhere to be seen, so Zeke turned his attention to the accessible System Logs.


    ********


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 7 (16/105 EXP)]


    [Strength: 99]


    [Agility: 84]


    [Aether: 91]


    [Fortitude: 25]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 87%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(23%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(10%) - Surge of Pain (23%) - Body Damage(15%) - Self-Injection(0%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstence (40%) - Call of Honor(0%)]


    [Available PE: 32]


    Undoubtedly, the completion of the Conduit Implementation had raised Zeke¡¯s stats by a decent amount. The addition of new and strong skills notwithstanding, Zeke had learned a new and surprising fact about the System, or more specifically, the paths.


    Seeing how the Aether Voltage Main path was upgraded, it was within reason for other paths to be able to ¡®level up¡¯ too. However, there were unspecified and hidden requirements that needed to be met.


    For instance, the Rune of Life was what allowed Aether Voltage to upgrade to Voltage Body. Furthermore, the process seemed to be automatic as long as Zeke completed the secret ¡®conditions¡¯.


    He didn¡¯t expect to be able to upgrade all paths, but this revelation was a pleasant one nonetheless. A trigger or a catalyst was needed, and Zeke was planning to pay close attention to the seemingly ambiguous skills as they might be the key to this untold secret.


    [Voltage Conduit(SS): Achieved only through the automated System procedure known as ¡®Conduit Implementation¡¯. It renders the user permanently impervious to Voltage or any lightning-aspected magic. The user¡¯s body will become a functional circuit that can harness, use, and absorb any type of Voltage at a rapid rate and without suffering any backlashes. Additionally, the circuit installed within the user¡¯s body will periodically absorb minimal quantities of ambient Aether, which would assist the user in recovering from fatal or near-fatal damage.]


    [Over-drive: Depends on the proficiency of the skill, the user will turn either his whole body or a specific part into voltage. The transformed part will pierce through any Aetheric defenses protecting the target. While this skill is active, the ¡®Agility¡¯ stats will be doubled and there will be no cost for using any skills of the Voltage Body Main Path.


    The skill will take effect for 2 seconds, after which the user¡¯s stats will decrease by 50% for 4 seconds.]


    To sum it up, Voltage Conduit was just a better version of Voltage Manipulation. However, Over-drive was a double-edged skill, extremely useful but it was not to be used regularly.


    ¡®The decrease in stats, coupled with my condition was the main factor that made me lose consciousness. Still, maybe that was for the better as I had been determined to sever my arm.¡¯


    Zeke was slightly relieved to see that his left arm was still attached to his body. Despite its miserable condition, he was able to move it and the Rune of Death was totally unscathed.


    The next ¡®main¡¯ point was the Pain-Junkie Path, one which he had not been fond of.


    Unexpectedly, his rash decision was correct as the obtained skills did get rid of the pain, albeit temporarily.


    [Self-Injection: The adrenal glands will increase their secretion of Epinephrine(Adrenaline), thus heightening the user¡¯s senses and increasing their physical capabilities.


    This skill can only be used once a day to ensure the safety of the user.


    This skill¡¯s effect will last for 5 minutes.]


    [Body Damage: This skill will be activated if one of the five vital organs of the user¡¯s body are damaged. In exchange for nullifying the pain and healing the sustained damage, the user will be unable to move his body for a period of 60 minutes.


    The user can designate a specific time for the side-effect of this skill. (Designated time cannot exceed 24 hours after the activation.)


    If the user doesn¡¯t designate a time, the side-effect will begin 12 hours after the activation of the skill.]


    [Surge of Pain: The pain or noxious stimulus in contact with the sensory nerves ¡®nociceptors¡¯ will be temporarily halted, allowing the user to trade any sensation of pain with numbness. This skill can be activated when the user suffers an intense injury that causes discomfort or pain.


    Once the user has experienced enough sensation of pain, he can activate this skill to get rid of it and increase his stats for 5 minutes.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    The maximum amount of Stats Boost: +100


    To ensure safety, if the user¡¯s mental fortitude, which is in charge of resisting pain, is surpassed, the skill will be activated automatically.]


    Each of the three new skills had quite a lengthy explanation, but it was better than a lacking one, thought Zeke as he softly smiled. Indeed, his choice was suitable, especially considering his desperate situation back then.


    Self-injection would empower him, Body Damage ensured his survival in life-threatening battles, and Surge of Pain was a defensive skill that would let him fight for a little bit longer even after sustaining horrible and incapacitating wounds.


    Overall, for the meager cost of 3PE, the Pain-junkie path was definitely worth it. At first, Zeke thought about pouring 9PE to complete it but decided against it after deliberating for a while.


    For now, after the acquisition of all these new skills, what he needed to do was train and hone himself. There was no need for a lot of skills as he wouldn¡¯t be able to use them all simultaneously. He should focus on his current ones and slowly get better, that was the main objective.


    He would continue saving PE, his eyes dead-set on the Death Walker Main Path. Its unusually high cost made it enticing, moreso when he was getting close to the required amount.


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re awake, at last.¡±


    The grumpy Xavier returned to the Infirmary and immediately noticed the youth sitting on the bed, seemingly in a daze.


    ¡°Are you in any pain?¡±


    Zeke shook his head once as he moved his arms, displaying how healthy he was.


    ¡°How long have I been unconscious?¡±


    ¡°Two days and a couple of hours.¡±


    ¡®So it should be Sunday evening. I missed the Daily Tasks¡­ what a waste.¡¯ He kept his thoughts to himself and sighed.


    Meanwhile, Xavier sat next to him and carefully checked his pulse then examined his body. It was a boring and fruitless process, at the end of which the doctor grabbed his left arm and removed the useless bandages.


    ¡°It¡¯s still this bad. Tsk tsk.¡± He clicked his tongue and attempted to apply his Healing ability but there was no change whatsoever.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Zeke clenched his left hand and despite the horrible appearance of the blackened and disgusting half-melt skin, it was still functional, fortunately.


    ¡°You seem unperturbed by this, so I will refrain from asking. You¡¯ll rest for a couple more days, understood?¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­ the practical exams begin tomorrow.¡±


    Upon hearing the youth¡¯s protest, Xavier angrily snorted and authoritatively retorted,


    ¡°Do you I look like a give two shits about the exams? You¡¯re my patient and you¡¯ll leave when I allow you to leave.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    With a deadpan expression, Zeke looked back at the annoyed doctor but didn¡¯t object, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to give a convincing argument.


    After that, Xavier walked back to his desk and busied himself with a bunch of documents, paying no heed to the inquisitive youth quietly sitting there, motionless like a statue.


    He only snapped out of it when his cell phone, which was to the side, vibrated twice.


    He saw the dozens of messages left by Sulong, either asking about his wellbeing and inquiring about what happened or informing him of new discoveries.


    Zeke¡¯s expression drastically changed as he read his new associate¡¯s messages. He frowned and immediately sent a response, but just as he finished, the phone was snatched by Xavier.


    ¡°You need to rest.¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like tapping on a phone requires excessive movement.¡±


    In the end, Zeke wasn¡¯t given back his phone, but he had already sent a reply so it didn¡¯t matter that much.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hey Sulong¡­ you sure you¡¯re good? M-Maybe we should go to the hospital before doing th-¡±


    Poor Jack was smacked in the head by the impatient Sulong.


    ¡°Stop worrying, I¡¯m completely fine! Continue burning all those papers.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ but why? These are just rumors and old documents.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is only a brief reprieve for us. We need to be ready.¡±


    Jack rolled his eyes after hearing this for the tenth time. Ever since Sulong received a response from Zeke, he immediately sprung into action, burning every document and piece of paper in the office.


    He became more nervous when Jack accidentally spotted a suspicious black car parked by the side of the road from dawn to dusk. It had become clear that they were being watched, but they didn¡¯t know by whom.


    To not worry his friend, Sulong refrained from saying any unnecessary things. However, he was almost certain that those watching him were either the people from the Blood Dusk Society, aiming to take back Albert, or the Department of Defense, which might have caught wind of what happened that day when he had carried Zeke and Azmer out of the meteor crash site.


    While he kept his new ability hidden from the public, Sulong remembered the fleeting presence he felt a couple of times in his workplace. It didn¡¯t matter if they were after Zeke or him, he knew what needed to be done.


    He had promised Zeke that he would be loyal and would pay him back, and that was exactly what he was going to do, even if it means resorting to extreme measures such as ruining his workplace.


    It took the duo, with a bit of help from the non-talkative Albert, a whole day to slowly burn every document and turn the small office empty and clean.


    ¡°How much money have we saved so far?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I think it¡¯s about 18000 Alc, give or take.¡±


    Sulong fished out his old credit card and threw it to his friend. ¡°Go buy a car, preferably a big one. I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s old or used.¡±


    ¡°E-ehm¡­ but those were supposed to be for our ¡®grand project¡¯!¡±


    ¡°Consider it an investment¡­¡± With a serious expression, Sulong tapped his friend¡¯s shoulders and leaned closer, ¡°Please¡­ listen to me and be quick.¡±


    Jack kept his mouth shut and solemnly nodded, storming out of the office seconds later.


    While letting out a heavy sigh, the muscular and bald man laid on the couch, his body slumping down in exhaustion, mental and physical.


    He remembered his private conversation with Zeke a while ago¡­


    ¡°The Ascetic Blasphemers? You mean those lunatics?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± Responded Zeke nonchalantly.


    ¡°Why are you looking for them? D-don¡¯t tell me you were part of them or something.¡±


    ¡°Stop with the nonsense. Once the time is right, I¡¯ll tell you. I want you to look everywhere, not just in the Nezulian Replublic, okay?¡±


    After a bit of hesitation, Sulong nodded. However, after a brief bout of silence, he asked,


    ¡°Let¡¯s suppose I find something somewhat relevant, what are you going to do then?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Knowing you, it has to be something crazy and probably suicidal. Are you seeking revenge?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask you to tag along this time.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I want to go with you.¡± Sulong let out an embarrassed cough before continuing,


    ¡°I might¡¯ve been a con artist, but I¡¯m no fool, Zeke. I don¡¯t know how you gave me power, but I know that following you is the right decision. I don¡¯t want to watch a friend¡­ nay, a family member die in front of my eyes. Jack is all I have left and I would stop at nothing to achieve both his dream and mine.¡±


    ¡°I understand your determination, I do. But keep in mind that what we¡¯ll see¡­ what we¡¯ll face, would be no different from what we had witnessed in the sewers. For me, Erys is but the first step and monetary gains are not my primary objective. Before you really delve into this path, do give it more thought.¡±


    Seeing the youth¡¯s rare yet sincere smile, Sulong sighed and reluctantly nodded.

 Chapter 59 Murderer!

    ¡°You¡¯re really a magnet for all sorts of trouble!¡±


    Unexpectedly, Samuel was the first visitor of Zeke. The energetic youth had snuck in the dead of the night when Xavier had retired to his room.


    ¡°Freaking hell, dude! Your arm looks like shit!¡±


    ¡°It does indeed.¡± Replied Zeke while softly laughing. In times like these, Samuel¡¯s honesty was a breath of fresh air. Although they didn¡¯t have a lot of time to hang out recently, Zeke¡¯s impression of the Detective¡¯s son was favorable.


    After all, Samuel would offer help when asked and despite his blabbering mouth, he was a loyal and amicable individual.


    ¡°What did that gloomy doctor say? Will you be able to participate in the Practical Exams?¡±


    ¡°He wants me to rest, but I don¡¯t want to be graded solely on the Theoretical Exams.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve got the chart.¡±


    Samuel grinned and leaned closer as he fished out his phone and showed a picture to the curious Zeke.


    Depicted on the poorly-taken picture was the chart for the upcoming battles, which would be considered an evaluation and proper exams.


    All First-year students would be fighting each other, based on their individual ranks.


    Samuel had already managed to improve his rank, climbing to the 27th spot, barely making it into the top 30.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a mini-tournament, one filled with a bunch of rules and regulations. Anyhow, I¡¯m going to face a student from class A, Seran Von Dart ranked 22nd. As for you, they seem to have purposely matched you against Azmer. See? These battles weren¡¯t chosen randomly, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    The school definitely knew the feud between Zeke and Azmer, and pitting up against each other was to be expected, especially after they had been embroiled in the supposed ¡®gas pipe explosion¡¯ shown on the media.


    Either the teachers wanted them to end their dispute once and for all, or they wanted to fan the flames and make it worse. Whatever it was, Zeke didn¡¯t want any part of it and he had already been warned to rest in the infirmary, so he would likely miss his first fight.


    Although he had agreed to fight Azmer, both of them were planning to fight in a secluded place and not be bound by Erys¡¯ rules or the intervening overseers or even the Dean.


    In fact, ever since Zeke had received that message from Sulong, he had resolved himself and cared significantly less about the upcoming exams.


    It was a shame that he wouldn¡¯t be able to raise his Rank, but there were still the Final Exams. Therefore, in this period of rest, which would be prolonged by the break subsequent to the practical exams, Zeke would focus on his own personal matters.


    However, by not undergoing the exams, Zeke would lose the chance to climb to the top 10 as the final exams alone weren¡¯t enough. Ultimately, he would use this afforded break to obtain a bit of money for next year¡¯s tuition and try to achieve his other goal.


    ¡°By the way, next time you decide to run gods-know-where, take me with you, ¡®kay?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s with that face? I want to join the fun too. Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I know you¡¯ve been involved in dangerous cases¡­ hehehe, call it the instincts of a Detective¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°For both of our sakes, it would be best for you to study hard and become a model student.¡±


    ¡°You mean like those uptight ones in the Student Council? They¡¯re like robots, only knowing how to follow the rules to the letter and train day and night. I¡¯m more of a free-spirited soul.¡±


    ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t sit well with you¡­ do it for your father, at least.¡±


    Seeing his friend¡¯s serious expression, Samuel, wryly smiled, lowered his head, and shrugged his shoulders.


    The two friends chatted for a while before Samuel snuck away. However, right as he left, the door to the infirmary was opened and Xavier entered.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    Startled by the man¡¯s instructions, Zeke instinctively got off the bed and confusedly looked at the doctor.


    ¡°Except with fatigue born from over-exertion, you are more or less healed. The Principal asked me to let you participate in the Practical Exams.¡±


    Clearly, Xavier wasn¡¯t happy with this result. He was squeezing the words out of his mouth while venomously glaring at Zeke.


    ¡°Go back to your dorm room.¡±


    Although not expecting this, Zeke happily left after gathering his belongings.


    But, yet again, he was met with a surprise as four students were blocking the path right outside the Administrative Bureau building.


    ¡°This is the second time you¡¯ve caused a disturbance, Zeke Orland.¡±


    Harold Grime, along with the selfsame Council members from last time, were standing in front of Zeke, giving him unfriendly looks.


    ¡°Disturbance? You speak as if I¡¯ve broken the rules. Why don¡¯t you get off my back?¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t know why Harold harbored malice towards him, but he was no longer the same person who had let himself be oppressed. Even if the other party was a distinguished and famous student, Zeke refused to be blamed baselessly like this.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°This is a warning. Don¡¯t let your momentary fame get to your head.¡±


    ¡°What sweet irony coming from your mouth. Just because you¡¯re the President of the Student Council doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re above me. Hah!¡± Zeke scoffed mockingly and added,


    ¡°I bet you only bark like this in front of First Years. Why don¡¯t you try that with your peers? Celestia, for example.¡±


    Harold¡¯s face distorted and an invisible pressure emitted from his body. In response, lightning burst from Zeke¡¯s body, shooting the ground and crackling in the air.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to attack an injured junior? Really?¡±


    Zeke¡¯s provocation worked wonders on the prideful Harold, but before he did something rash, the stalwart exchange student from the Serey Zhan Empire, Francois, extended his hand and shook his head at Harold.


    ¡°This will not be the end of it.¡±


    He unceremoniously waved his hand and departed along with the other three.


    ¡®What an annoying prick. He seems so fixated on me¡­ what the hell did I do to him?¡¯


    Zeke was as annoyed as Harold, but he didn¡¯t let show on his face. After contemplating for a bit, he was returned to the dorm room, in which all his three roommates were sleeping.


    ¡­


    Early morning, right before the first batch of battles began, when appropriate modifications were made to the large arenas, Zeke was woken up by one of his teachers, Christopher.


    The stern man stood at the center of the room, his eyes directed at Zeke.


    ¡°There has been a¡­ situation. Come with me.¡±


    Christopher ignored the surprised looks he got from Alan, Samuel, and Azmer, and hastily dragged Zeke outside, not even giving him the time to change clothes or do anything for that matter.


    ¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Elder Vas?¡±


    A short elderly wearing a white and yellow-ish traditional robe and supporting himself with a wooden stick was facing Principal Solas, who didn¡¯t seem to be in a good mood.


    The old man was accompanied by several people, including a tearful Olivia.


    ¡°My son-in-law has been brutally killed. I¡¯m here seeking the criminal.¡±


    Vas Vyrsan, one of the esteemed figures overseeing the Vyrsan Family, chuckled heartily and raised his wrinkled and bony hands to signal a group of black-clothed men standing at the back.


    Their leader stepped forward and took out a piece of paper while loudly stating,


    ¡°This is an arrest warrant for Zeke Orland.¡± The prosecutor bowed his head and continued, ¡°We hope for your cooperation, Principal Solas.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just Solas who was present, Erva, Nayro, and a handful of other teachers were also there, all eyeing Vas Vyrsan and the prosecutors with what could only be described as anger and discontent.


    Excluding Celestia and John, the other members of the Special Investigation Squad were also present. Maxine, shocked to see her mother here, stepped forward.


    ¡°Mother, what are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeking justice!¡± Shouted back Olivia while wiping her fake tears.


    ¡°That psychopath killed your father! Instead of waiting for me, you should have brought him to the authorities yourself.¡±


    Maxine was already briefed about what happened. Edward explained the whole situation, therefore, she knew what Olivia and Anthony were planning to do. Still, she wasn¡¯t as resolute as her older brother, and still hoped for some sort of reconciliation.


    However, when her own mother came here along with her grandfather and a group of prosecutors, all ready to snatch Zeke, Maxine knew that it was too late.


    After a momentary silence, she lowered her head as an invisible force pulled her back, and when she looked to the side, she saw Solas shaking his head and motioning for her to stay at the back.


    ¡°This is not for you to handle.¡±


    His quiet words made the girl clench her hands and return to her colleagues¡¯ side.


    ¡°We have rules here, Elder Vas. Are you willing to taint our relationship because of a loosely-investigated case?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here at my daughter¡¯s behest. Also¡­¡± The elderly grinned and added, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who wants the boy apprehended. Believe me when I say that any sort of resistance will not benefit you, especially now.¡±


    It was then that Christopher arrived with Zeke, whose eyes narrowed as he coldly stared at Olivia.


    ¡®So that¡¯s how you want to do it, mother.¡¯


    He had failed to kill her the first time, and now that he saw what she was doing, he couldn¡¯t help but feel insatiable rage and an urge to finish this once and for all. Nonetheless, he kept a straight face and composed his breathing, unwilling to let himself become emotional.


    ¡®The Principal wouldn¡¯t risk a fight, so I¡¯ll be handed to the prosecutors. Then again, I doubt they¡¯ll keep me alive until I reach the prosecution''s office. Since she even brought Elder Vas, then she really wants me dead. It¡¯s fine, Zeke¡­ breathe and think. I need to make the most out of this¡­ the most¡­¡¯


    ¡°There he is! Arrest him!¡±


    Olivia, with a red face ruined and make-up, pointed at Zeke while shouting atop her lungs. However, the prosecutors were motionless like statues, obviously unwilling to provoke Solas before he gave his consent.


    Zeke knew that trying to defend himself would be utterly pointless. Shifting the blame, feigning innocence and ignorance, or offering an explanation wouldn¡¯t make them go away.


    The old principal approached Zeke, reassuringly patting his shoulder while muttering with a barely audible voice,


    ¡°I know what happened. Edward and many others have your back, so you don¡¯t need to be afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± Said back Zeke as he kept looking at Olivia, a hidden murderous glint within his eyes.


    [Sensing interference¡­ automated defense program activated!]


    [Threat eliminated.]


    [Protocol 2 has been temporarily lifted.]


    [Initiating ¡®The Call¡¯: All available Seats will be alerted.]


    Zeke didn¡¯t know how he did it, but the System seemed to be responding to his unvoiced thoughts and emotions. He knew nothing about the protocols and didn¡¯t think that calling Sulong would be of much help.


    ¡°W-wait! You can¡¯t do that¡­ sir. Please.¡±


    Maxine shoved away V-¡¯s hands and tried to interfere but, unexpectedly, Vanessa caught her off.


    ¡°It would be in our best interest to not interfere right now.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You¡¯re only saying that to back your grandfather!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Vanessa and Maxine glared at each other, but James and V, fortunately, stepped in and quelled the argument before it escalated.


    Standing at the side, Professor Nayro¡¯s beady jet-black eyes were letting out an ominous light as they scrutinized Zeke.


    After a couple of breaths, the Zyth raised his head and looked at the dark clouds forming amidst the clear blue sky. He was the only one who had noticed the subtle change within Zeke¡¯s body.


    As if reading his thoughts, Solas leaned closer to Zeke and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Keep silent and this will be over soon. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think they¡¯ll keep protecting you if they knew what you are? Hah?!¡±


    Olivia was getting restless as she threatened Zeke with his secret, which made his body twitch.


    ¡°You¡¯re a psychopath. A murderer.¡±


    Zeke hid both hands behind his back and smiled, unperturbed by her insults.


    The Rune of Life was pulsating with a dark blue light; Clouds were covering the sky and slowly swirling ominously, turning the atmosphere tenser.


    ¡®I can do it. I just need a momentary distraction.¡¯


    With so many powerhouses present, Zeke wouldn¡¯t be able to directly attack Olivia, never mind kill her. However, he had an alternative, one offered by the System itself.

 Chapter 60 Protocol 2

    In the spacious and cozy ¡®lounge¡¯ of the Special Investigation Squad, Celestia Black and John were looking at the campus, their eyes focused on the crowd of people opposing each other.


    Most of the students were either asleep or readying themselves in the dorms, so there weren¡¯t many onlookers, to begin with. Those who happened to witness such a sight were wise enough to keep their distance and opt for being quiet spectators.


    ¡°From one hole to the other. I almost pity the boy.¡± Remarked Celestia as she kept her eyes on Zeke.


    While it was true she had first disliked him, her impression of him slightly changed. His attitude notwithstanding, she knew that he was a good-natured youth, one whose circumstances pushed him to become an impassive and overall gloomy person.


    John, who stayed a couple of paces behind the girl, remained silent for a long time before a chilling voice came out of his now unsealed lips.


    ¡°Prepare yourself.¡±


    As she heard the Talking Sin out of nowhere, Celestia turned around and looked at the creepy mouth with utter astonishment.


    It was clear that the Talking Sin had forcefully taken control of its host, its gleaming eyes shining with an ominous light.


    It ignored Celestia¡¯s menacing glare and approached the window, a low tune coming out of its mouth and echoing throughout the room.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to observe, nothing more. You better look up ahead or else you¡¯ll miss the spectacle.¡±


    Using John¡¯s body, the self-proclaimed ¡®Alexia¡¯ pointed at the darkening canopy with a wide and gloating smile.


    ¡°Behold, my pretty girl! This¡­ this is the power of the Paths of Extinction System.¡±


    Her voice was filled with excitement and eagerness, in contrast to the rising apprehensiveness within Celestia¡¯s bosom.


    A cluster of dark clouds gathered up, covering the clear blue sky and casting a looming shadow over the entirety of Erys.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Celestia was confused by the sentient artifact¡¯s words, but she instinctively kept her eyes glued on the darkened canopy, unknowingly holding her breath.


    Just as ¡®Alexia¡¯ chuckled and offered a response, Zeke sprung into action¡­


    ¡­


    Amidst the deafening silence flowing between the two opposing parties, Zeke finally made his move.


    His legs transformed into lightning as ¡®Over-drive¡¯ was activated, followed thereafter by the instantaneous ¡®Self-Injection¡¯.


    Zeke¡¯s legs, empowered by the two skills, kicked the ground; His body vanished from his initial spot as the crisp sound of crackling lightning resounded across the campus.


    With all the speed he could muster, he charged at Olivia, planning to end her life with one decisive and unstoppable attack.


    The distance separating him from his target was less than 20 meters, which was crossed in the blink of an eye.


    A thin and long arrow made of lightning was in his right hand, empowered by a high concentration of Voltage.


    In that single breath, Zeke saw the environment around him blur as he appeared right in front of Olivia, who couldn¡¯t react in time.


    However, just as he was about to deal the finishing blow, his body jerked backward then got slammed to the ground, thudding loudly.


    Zeke coughed a mouthful of blood as his body was pressed to the ground by an invisible yet outrageously strong power.


    Elder Vas tapped his stick on the ground as he smiled at Zeke.


    ¡°You think I didn¡¯t expect this?¡±


    His shit-eating grin lasted only for half a second, disappearing when he saw the triumphant expression of the young man. He hastily turned his body, attempting to pull his daughter out of danger, but it was too late.


    From the center of the swirling dark clouds up above, a single human-sized flash of blue light descended. It was akin to a God¡¯s judgment, letting out an ear-piercing and soul-rending thunderclap as it struck the unsuspecting Olivia.


    While it didn¡¯t burst her body into nothingness like what happened with Anthony, it did cause an fountain of blood to appear.


    Olivia didn¡¯t even utter a cry as her body, which was riddled with countless holes and bloodied from head to toe, fall to the ground, much to everyone¡¯s surprise.


    Zeke felt the force bounding him get more intense, but he laughed it off.


    Either way, he was going to be taken by the prosecutors, so he was determined to try this out lest he would regret it.


    If Olivia stayed in her household, it would be close to impossible to kill her with his current powers. However, by coming here, she had condemned her fate and given him a golden chance to exact vengeance.


    The sky returned to its clear and peaceful azure color, but the deafening thundering voltage was still engraved into everyone¡¯s minds.


    Even Principal Solas was speechless, a frown plastering across his wrinkled face.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    The body-guards of Olivia along with her father were tending to the fatally injured Olivia. Meanwhile, Zeke tried to concentrate his powers again, in the hopes of breaking free.


    Unfortunately, it was easier said than done as a torrent of System notifications appeared in front of his eyes.


    All strength was drained out of his body, rendering him weak and helpless. However, this wasn¡¯t the side-effect of Self-Injection, but a hindrance and a boon initiated by the System.


    Zeke saw his stats decrease all the way to 1 point, all his skills get temporarily locked.


    Elder Vas, enraged by what happened, turned his attention to the still-smirking youth. He was clearly about to kill Zeke, uncaring about Solas¡¯ presence or anyone else¡¯s.


    Zeke felt the invisible burden crushing his body become more intense, but his ¡®grandfather¡¯ was interrupted by a rapid figure.


    Maxine broke free from V and James¡¯ grasp and rushed to her brother¡¯s side. Alas, she was far too weak to make a difference and was blown to the back by Elder Vas¡¯ frightening Gravity magic.


    ¡°Your life ends here¡­ no one will s-¡±


    Elder Vas¡¯ unnecessary monologue was cut-off as the sun¡¯s rays illuminating the sky were replaced by an unprecedented heat and a blinding crimson light.


    It was like a giant meteor was crashing down, creeping closer to Erys with an astronomical velocity.


    Within seconds, the ¡®meteor¡¯ crashed near Zeke¡¯s, dealing no damage whatsoever to him, but canceling Elder Vas¡¯ ability and forcing everyone to safely retreat to the back.


    The situation was getting more ridiculous, especially when they saw the meteor was, in fact, a man; He had a tall frame, was completely bald, a wore a black tank top and loose military pants.


    The Seat of Criminality, Sulong, had made his flashy and grand entrance. A circle of crimson flames surrounded his feet and rose to his waist, providing ample protection.


    The man didn¡¯t spare a glance to the flabbergasted onlookers, he bent down and lifted Zeke¡¯s body.


    ¡°Never say I¡¯m not loyal.¡± He muttered with a smug face.


    The only response he got was a grunt from Zeke before his eyes closed and he lost consciousness, not due to the sustained wounds but because the System had temporarily poured all his stats into Sulong.


    Elder Vas used his ability again, trying to eliminate the unknown man but a gigantic fireball manifested itself and flew straight at him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Unlike his peer, Principal Solas was much more cautious of Sulong. He even raised a big protective barrier that resisted the uncontrollable sea of flames spreading around.


    A pair of flaming and large wings spread from Sulong¡¯s back as he cackled and replied,


    ¡°I used to be a con artist¡­ hahahaha¡­¡±


    Sulong bent his body then jumped, shooting toward the canopy and disappearing from view. From his abrupt appearance to his timely departure, not even a minute passed.


    Everyone was left in awe as they saw the shining flaming light edge farther into the horizon until it turned into an unnoticeable speck.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    After swiftly quelling the flames left by the fireball, Elder Vas waved his hand to get rid of the smoke then returned to his daughter¡¯s side.


    Soon enough, he stormed out of the campus, in a rush to save Olivia¡¯s laugh. It was obvious that neither he nor Solas wanted to kill each other. The latter didn¡¯t even obstruct him, instead, checking on the teachers and the nearby students.


    ¡­


    ¡°T-this¡­¡±


    Celestia was as surprised as everyone else, her constricted pupils edging to the side and looking at Alexia, who was in a particularly good mood.


    ¡°What did I tell you? If Protocol 2 is lifted, then mortals can only dream of harming the user.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Protocol 2?¡±


    The Talking Sin playfully winked at the inquisitive girl and covered her mouth, acting as if she had mistakenly uttered something unspeakable.


    After a brief silence, in which the artifact mused with itself, it licked its lips seductively then muttered,


    ¡°I could tell you a bit more¡­ in exchange for a promise.¡±


    As someone knowledgeable about the 3rd-grade Artifact nestling within John¡¯s body, Celestia was both wary and hesitant.


    A promise with the Talking Sin was like a covenant; an unbreakable oath, in which both parties would be in agreement to proceed with a fair and equivalent exchange.


    Eventually, when she was done contemplating, Celestia clicked her tongue and begrudgingly asked,


    ¡°What do you want? What kind of promise?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a simple one, actually. When the time comes, I want you to help me change hosts. Dear Johnny boy cannot sustain me forever and the longer I use him as a host, the more endangered he would be. It wouldn¡¯t be fair to him, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Celestia frowned but didn¡¯t agree on the spot. As ¡®Alexia¡¯ had said, John indeed was suffering irreversible repercussions by ¡®hosting¡¯ the artifact.


    He would gain a strong ability but that was in exchange for his Vitality, or to be accurate his Life Aether.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Fantastic! Now then¡­ let me tell you an old story. It¡¯s about a man named Edward Heart¡­¡±


    *****


    ¡°Aaah!¡±


    Jack almost pissed himself when he saw his best friend fall from the sky like a meteor. He had been driving the van out of the Sunken Metropolis only to push the brakes in a panic.


    ¡°A warning would¡¯ve been appreciated! I¡¯m shaking from fright!¡±


    Jack pointed at his trembling hands, but Jack let out an embarrassed laugh.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t have the hang of it.¡±


    The unconscious Zeke was put at the back of the old white van, which cost the loan sharks a hefty sum despite its mediocre capabilities.


    Once Sulong got into his passenger seat, the power-up he had been blessed with was gone and his unseen stats returned to normal.


    ¡°What now? Do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Not quite.¡±


    Sulong pointed to the back of the vehicle and added, ¡°He has some kind of a meeting later on. Drive to the hills North-West of here and find us a quiet spot.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ fine. I¡¯m not used to impromptu retreats like this one.¡±


    ¡°Well, you better get used to it. After what our new friend had done, it seems will be more running than hunting.¡±


    Jack sighed and shook his head while lamenting, ¡°Why am I not surprised¡­¡±


    ¡­


    After Sulong appeared and literally flew away while taking Zeke with him, Katrina didn¡¯t know what to do.


    She had maintained her distance and though she wasn¡¯t as strong as Elder Vas, she was still going to risk her life to offer Zeke a possibility of escape. Yet, who would have thought the loan shark from before would appear and save the day, just like that.


    Her initial assessment of him was undoubtedly precise. However, when he came, he was outrageously strong, to the point that Elder Vas¡¯ ability wasn¡¯t able to reach him, much less hinder him.


    Edward had been notified and he should be on his way to Erys, but Katrina knew that it was too late. She sped toward her workplace of Sulong, but, unsurprisingly, no one was there.


    The place had been meticulously cleaned and emptied, thus confirming her initial suspicions.


    ¡®They run away.¡¯


    She was an assassin, not a tracker, therefore, she could only regroup with her superior and figure out a solution.


    Neither Elder Vas nor the household would stand for what happened. They would relentlessly track down Zeke, and that¡¯s while excluding the Department of Defense, which would be informed of the events by the prosecutors, consequently leading to a thorough investigation about Zeke Orland.

 Chapter 61 The Truth

    ¡°This is the place where they kept the kid?¡±


    Edward, who, despite Zeke¡¯s unknown whereabouts, was in a surprisingly good mood. After what happened in Erys, the entirety of the Vyrsan family will be seeking revenge. If Olivia were to die, they were would have sufficient motive and not even Solas would be able to completely stop them.


    The incident was so big that the Department of Defense had already learned of this. Edward was certain that they would eventually figure out the truth and would pursue Zeke, but their intentions remain to be verified. They wouldn¡¯t outright wish to harm Zeke, first because he was Edward¡¯s family, and second because they weren¡¯t knowledgeable about the System, thus making them wary.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Katrina stood at the entrance of the clean and empty office, politely bowing her head to Jan, who was accompanying her benefactor.


    ¡°Indeed¡­ I can smell it. The strong and foul scent of blood. It wasn¡¯t a normal spawn, I¡¯ll tell you that.¡±


    ¡°The report says that his aging process was abnormally fast. However, so far, he has yet to do anything threatening, correct?¡±


    Katrina solemnly nodded her head and explained, ¡°The loanshark, Sulong, was able to sense my presence so I kept my distance and focused on Zeke. Regarding the kid; he seems to consider Sulong as his father, which might be why he didn¡¯t go out of control.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s debatable.¡± Retorted Jan as she shook her head, ¡°The spawn of the Blood God would always turn into a soulless abomination. The sooner they are killed, the better it is for everyone. Then again, I¡¯m starting to think the ritual conducted in the sewers wasn¡¯t a normal one.¡±


    ¡°The whole affair concerning the Blood Dusk Society is in the hands of the Special Forces Team, so we won¡¯t interfere. As for this Sulong¡­ I conducted a background check on him and his friend when you mentioned him in your report, but there was nothing special about him. Do you know how he¡¯s befriended my brother?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. They were already acquainted by the time I started protecting him.¡±


    Jan let out a mocking laugh and tauntingly stared at Katrina, ¡°Well, if protecting was all that you did, you certainly didn¡¯t do a good job at it.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡±


    Stone-faced, Katrina apologized on the spot, seemingly unaffected by Jan¡¯s attitude. The two had always been at odds, though it was better to say that Jan wasn¡¯t fond of Edward¡¯s ¡®proteg¨¦¡¯.


    Basically, Jan saw Katrina as a love rival, which was totally not the case as the latter merely admired Edward and didn¡¯t hold any romantic feelings towards him. However, since she never deigned to voice such thoughts, the relationship between the two women remained rough and barbed.


    Katrina turned to face Edward, who was inspecting the shallow office with interest, seemingly trying to find a clue.


    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know how, but Sulong had manifested powers way beyond his capabilities. I fear he might be a danger to Zek-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. One day a Defect, and the next he can use fire-aspected Magic, doesn¡¯t that ring a bell? Indeed, it was most likely my brother¡¯s doing. Anyway, you did a good job and I¡¯m sorry that you keep getting into dangerous situations.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, sir. Your wish is my command.¡±


    Edward smiled and gently patted her shoulder, feeling slightly guilty to entrust Katrina with such an arduous task. From the beginning, he knew it would be hard yet he still ordered her to follow Zeke. After all, she was the one who he trusted the most and, unlike Jan, whom he also trusted, Katrina knew about his childhood and untold complications directly related to Zeke.


    After a brief bout of silence, Katrina hesitantly said, ¡°Sir¡­ I think he¡¯s a different person.¡±


    ¡°A different person, you say?¡±


    Her superior kept his smile as he caressed the dusty table while reminiscing.


    ¡°You see, Katrina, Zeke was never a person who voiced his thoughts. He always held it in and dealt with every inconvenience by himself, which is why it brings me joy to see him grow up and learn how to rely on others, even if those ¡®others¡¯ happen to be notorious loan sharks. Therefore, you need not worry about his ever-changing behavior.¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°As you say, sir.¡±


    ¡­.


    ¡°You fucking¡­ ugh!¡±


    Maxine Orland was fuming as she was pinned by John and V, both of which surprised to see her this angry. She was about to attack Vanessa, going as far as activating her ability.


    All of this was because Vanessa had previously interfered, thus rendering Maxine unable to help her cornered younger brother.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t let you do something rash, Max. Even if I didn¡¯t stop you, my grandfather would have.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it right! You just sided with the Principal and, like everyone else, was willing to sacrifice my brother¡­ my brother, to the prosecutors!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Max. You can¡¯t blame her for this.¡±


    The distressed V held back his childhood friend. Fortunately, after shoving him and John back, Maxine composed herself though her breathing was still heavy.


    As if she came to a realization, the huffing and puffing Maxine swept her cold eyes across her colleagues and stated,


    ¡°I understand now. And I don¡¯t care. Each and every one of you have ambitions and aren¡¯t willing to risk it, but I am! Even if it means going against the school, I will stand by my brother¡¯s side¡­ no matter the cost! I¡¯m leaving this squad! Fuck all of you.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Max. You don¡¯t mean that.¡±


    V, who was the closest to her, tried to de-escalate the situation but his words bore no significance as she took out her badge and throw it at the stoic Celestia.


    However, when she was about to leave, James unexpectedly blocked her way with a stack of papers in his hand. He looked more serious than usual, his eyes narrowed as he said,


    ¡°Instead of berating us and refusing to listen to anything we have to say, how about you act like a responsible adult and, for once, not storm out of the room once you¡¯ve said your piece. This is not a game, and you¡¯re not a child, Max.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    James too, was one of Maxine¡¯s two closest friends, but he was a stern and generally pragmatic individual, siding with reason and logic rather than relying on emotions that were spontaneous and foolishly erratic.


    Seeing the tears forming within the usually strong-hearted girl, James felt a bit sad but he stood his ground, immovable like a mountain. He knew she could blow him away with a single punch, but he didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°I agree with James. Let us all sit and discuss the whole matter. Don¡¯t forget we were personally chosen by the Principal and if we act like this, we would be no different from the Student Council.¡±


    Once Celestia spoke, a brief silence followed, in which everyone except Maxine sat around the exquisite table at the center of the room.


    After pondering for an indeterminate amount of time, Maxine had managed to calm herself down and sit down, though she refused to acknowledge Vanessa¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Since you agreed to stay and talk this out, I expect an apology from you, Maxine. For your behavior and cursing both.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry. I was wrong and shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    Celestia nodded while softly smiling. Following after that was the ashen-haired Vanessa, who looked at the disheartened Maxine and sincerely said,


    ¡°I apologize too. I should have chosen my words carefully. It was also wrong of me to stop you, but I really thought you¡¯d be hurt, especially since Elder Vas was there.¡±


    Maxine, who turned from angry to timid, meekly nodded her head in Vanessa¡¯s direction and kept her head lowered.


    When that simple matter was dealt with, James cleared his throat and put the stack of paper on the table.


    ¡°Max, I knew you were acting in your brother¡¯s best interest and that you weren¡¯t obliged to tell us, so if you want to hit me after what I¡¯m about to say, then you¡¯re welcome to do so.¡±


    Then, the young man wearing a luxurious black suit instead of a uniform handed each one of them the same number of papers, which turned out to be recent reports of an individual investigation he had secretly conducted.


    ¡°Ever since Principal Solas had bid Zeke join our squad, I felt the need to learn more about this matter. Yes, I know it was wrong of me as it concerned a personal matter of a dear friend of mine, but precautions needed to be made. If we were going to be implicated in unknown and dangerous cases specifically related to Zeke Orland, I thought we needed to, at least, know a thing or two.¡±


    With everyone looking at him with their ears perked, and with no interference or reaction from Maxine, James continued,


    ¡°The details still escape me, but I partially learned of what happened to Zeke in the past. Max, I know you don¡¯t want to talk about it, so I won¡¯t ask and I hope no one of us will.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know when to stop, do you?!¡± V banged his fist on the table as he glared at his friend with a menacing look.


    ¡°Max hasn¡¯t stopped him. Let him talk, V.¡± Celestia.


    When she signaled him, James sighed and resumed, ¡°Zeke Orland was kidnapped by the Ascetic Blasphmeres. He was rescued within a day, but following that incident, reports say that he was bedridden for six months. However, his whereabouts during that period were unspecified and unrecorded. I dug a bit more and after spending, I confess, an exorbitant amount of money, I learned part of the truth.¡±


    As everyone held their breath, including the tearful Maxine, James said,


    ¡°The Ascetic Blasphemers had apparently conducted an experiment on Zeke. I don¡¯t know what it was, but it led to him being hospitalized for a prolonged period of time.¡±


    Before he continued the last shocking piece of news, James, who sat next to Maxine, leaned closer to her and whispered something. When he got her approval, he cleared his throat for the second time and stated,


    ¡°The birth certificate and all other forms of identification regarding Zeke Orland were all fake. Meaning: He isn¡¯t actually the biological son of Anthony Orland and Olivia Vyrsan. In fact, no matter how much I was willing to pay, the person who sold this information to me refused to disclose any more details.¡±

 Chapter 62 The 5th Defect

    Tuesday evening, the second day of the Practical Exams.


    North-West of the Sunken Metropolis, there was a chain of big and small hills housing several farms and settlements.


    Atop one such hill, filled with nothing but a stretch of grass and flowers, Zeke stood under the setting sun.


    He gazed at the sky, which was dominated by a beautiful orange hue as a cool wind breeze brushed against his skin.


    His charred black arm tingled and he felt a bit of pain, but it was manageable.


    The young man, who changed into casual clothes and cleaned his previously disheveled appearance, took deep breaths as he patiently waited.


    A fair distance away, at the side of the road, Jack and Sulong were chatting without a care in the world. They were enjoying cold beers, instructed by Zeke to await his return, no matter how time would pass.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, Zeke heard footsteps coming from the rear, and when he turned around, he saw the blond-haired Azmer.


    ¡°I honestly thought you wouldn¡¯t come after what happened in the school.¡±


    ¡°Hah! A promise is a promise. This confrontation has long been overdue.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Responded Azmer as he stopped 10 meters away from his opponent.


    He curiously looked around, seemingly enjoying this ¡®arena¡¯, which was unbound by school regulations.


    ¡°Here, we can go all-out without being stopped by any overseer. Through strength, we will see who was right and who was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Prepare yourself.¡± Declared Zeke as lightning currents burst from his body and danced around him, no longer unstable and uncontrollable.


    They swirled around his body, forming tiny and thin blue particles that inter-connected.


    Opposite Zeke, Azmer closed his eyes for a couple of seconds then took a long and deep breath, then, vermillion flames flowed from his hands.


    Within seconds, the flames changed color as a golden sword made of fire appeared in Azmer¡¯s hand. It was clear that he was going all-out from the get-go, but the same could be said for Zeke.


    A ludicrous amount of lightning was emitting from Zeke, his whole body becoming an active and powerful circuit. His eyes glowed with azure light and the Rune of Life, which had recovered and stored Aether, was supplementing its user.


    ¡­..


    1 week later.


    Zeke¡¯s disappearance notwithstanding, the week of the practical exams proceeded smoothly. With the exception of Rodrick, Azmer, Maxwell, and Zeke, all other students attended and tried their best, either climbing the rankings or getting good marks.


    There were a handful of highlights during the battles, though the main one was the battle between Julia Lopmore and Harold Volcun.


    The grand finale was the exciting and heated fight between the 1st ranked and 2nd ranked. Nayro and Erva had both overseen the battle due to how strong the two combatants¡¯ abilities were.


    After a lot of struggle and explosive and flashy bursts, Julia managed to snatch the win, thus officially claiming herself as the strongest First Year student.


    The 3rd spot was maintained by Francesca, leader of Class D¡¯s circle. Excluding the top two, 8 of the top 10 students protected their positions.


    Samuel Valort was one of the three rising students. Despite his easy-going attitude, he showed formidable fortitude during the Practical Exams. His flexible ability clashed against a 17th-ranked student, one of Harold Volcun¡¯s close friends.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Unexpectedly, he emerged victorious and shocked the crowd.


    The second black horse was Fylard, who, surprisingly, wasn¡¯t expelled by the school even after his wrongdoings. The shrewd Fylard had gone all-out and raised his rank, becoming 11th after losing to the 10th spot.


    Last but not least, a girl from class C; Veronica Serpens. She was the 5th Defect of Erys, a student who had been absent for months yet, strangely, wasn¡¯t expelled.


    She followed in Zeke¡¯s footsteps as she became a new person, no longer a Defect. With the use of her new ability, which allowed her to summon shadowy snakes, she win all 5 battles and even beat the 7th spot, jumping to the top 10 less than a week after her unexpected return.


    ¡­.


    15 days later.


    ¡°O-oh!¡±


    Although it hasn¡¯t been since she arrived here, Amelia got used to her relatively peaceful life on the border. With Commander Jennifer Savbra and her assistant Freya acting as capable teachers, Amelia¡¯s body recovered and she became proficient at wielding Aether.


    Amelia had let out a soft gasp as she peeked at the old picture frames on top of Jenny¡¯s desk. When she heard footsteps and saw the curtains of the tent slide to the side, Amelia stretched back her hand and acted oblivious.


    Only when she saw the big-breasted Freya did the black-haired girl sigh in relief.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t very womanly to feign ignorance when you¡¯re cast red-handed.¡±


    Amelia puffed her cheeks and averted her gaze, ¡°You didn¡¯t see me!¡±


    ¡°Not literally, but a Witch¡¯s eyesight isn¡¯t limited to just her eyes. This, you already knew, do you not?¡±


    ¡°I do¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    With no way out of it, Amelia apologetically bowed, but Freya wasn¡¯t actually angry.


    She walked up to her hard-working student and tightly hugged her, stopping only when the latter tapped her back in desperation.


    ¡°One day, you¡¯re going to suffocate me with your cleavage, Freya.¡±


    Amelia gasped for air as she glanced at her relatively lacking chest and inwardly grumbled.


    ¡°Anyway, what were you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Just this.¡±


    Amelia pointed at one specific picture, which depicted a happy family of three. First, there was Jennifer, looking exactly the same but wearing a beautiful black dress and holding a cute baby in her arms.


    Holding her waist and resting his head on hers was a middle-aged man with an unshaven black beard, particularly long raven-black hair tied into a ponytail, and rough facial features that were hardened by his past.


    The man wore some sort of a tribal outfit, made from thick white fur and light brown leather.


    ¡°Ah! That¡¯s quite a sensitive topic.¡±


    Freya peaked at the entrance and then lowered her voice, ¡°Jenny had lost her son and husband a long time ago. It was a sudden attack from Proto-Demons. When I remember how she was back then, I¡­I¡­¡±


    Freya sniffed and turned around, her back facing the listening Amelia.


    ¡°She had a breakdown and tried to kill herself more than one time.¡±


    As if to lighten the mood, Freya laughed and patted her mountainous breasts, ¡°But! The great me convinced her to live. Aren¡¯t I a good person?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the best, Freya!¡±


    Amelia was sensitive enough not to inquire any further. She raised a thumbs up to her second teacher and smiled back.


    Seconds later, Jenny barged into the tent looking extremely furious.


    ¡°Amelia, go to your tent and don¡¯t leave. Freya will be guarding you.¡±


    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions and go. NOW!¡±


    The confused girl nodded and didn¡¯t protest.


    As the two were left alone, Freya walked to her short superior and caressed her head while asking,


    ¡°Is it an attack from the tribes? Why must I stay?¡±


    Jenny snorted and walked away from her friend¡¯s gentle caress, clearly distressed.


    ¡°It¡¯s worse. The Eastern outpost was attacked by a secret organization. They killed all the witches and refugees¡­ but they took Hext.¡±


    ¡°Miss Hext was taken? S-she¡¯s a 4-star Witch.¡± Freya¡¯s face paled as she kept her eyes glued onto the commander.


    ¡°We might be targeted next, Freya. The scout has just returned¡­ she was fear-stricken, but she managed to describe the assailants. Metal masks and silver robes.¡±


    ¡°The Ascetic Blasphmeres?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Reinforcements are on their way here. I¡¯m going to the Eastern Outpost to investigate and try to find any survivors. You will be in charge.¡±


    ¡°What? No! I¡¯m going with you.¡±


    Jennifer solemnly shook her head and authoritatively ordered,


    ¡°You are my second-in-command, Freya. I¡¯m not going there to die.¡±


    Eventually, Freya reluctantly agreed and immediately sprung into action, instructing the available witches to start preparing for a potential attack.


    Unlike the Eastern Outpost, this one was twice as big and wasn¡¯t that easy to attack as it stood atop a big valley.

 Chapter 63 False Righteousness

    Azmer¡¯s physique, albeit stronger than average people, still paled in comparison to his opponent¡¯s. With the golden sword in hand, he charged at Zeke but he only took a couple of steps before his target vanished into thin air.


    Instinctively, Azmer swept his weapon horizontally, unleashing vast amounts of golden fire, which clashed against several lightning bolts shot from Zeke.


    Using ¡®Life Motus¡¯, Zeke had closed the distance and attack, and when the successive ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ were blocked, he ¡®teleported¡¯ again and swept his leg upwards.


    He moved with impressive speed, one that Azmer couldn¡¯t react to, thus getting hit in the shoulder and blown a couple of meters away.


    Still, he landed on his feet and clasped the sword near his chest as a pillar of fire burst forth, spreading to all directions and forcing the approaching Zeke to leap back.


    Azmer relied on his powerful Pyromancy to make a small explosion under his feet, launching straight at Zeke, the golden sword thrust forward and shooting a few massive fireballs.


    Instead of dodging, Zeke stood his ground and made use of ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Conduit¡¯.


    The blue lightning, coupled with the ambiguous defensive arts, allowed Zeke to move at a seemingly slow pace yet extinguish the fireballs with his bare hands.


    His open hands, in the form of a claw, clutched the fireballs and disintegrated them, much to Azmer¡¯s surprise. However, that was only the beginning as from behind the dispersing golden fire came a 2-meter long spear made of pure voltage, whistling in the air as instantly crossed the distance and struck its target.


    For the second time, Azmer was sent flying, his body rolling on the valley before it thudded to the ground.


    He coughed a bit of blood and pushed his hand against the ground, his body stiffening as he heard the crackling lightning and saw Zeke¡¯s shadow appear before him.


    A pillar of fire surged from the ground, stopping Zeke at the last second. Azmer¡¯s swift responses bought him enough time to stand back up and brandish his special sword.


    Zeke¡¯s glowing fists clashed with the blade, causing a rumbling shock wave that made both students stagger to the back.


    Zeke¡¯s left arm was tingling with pain and momentarily stiff, whereas Azmer¡¯s face was slightly pale as he wiped the blood off his lips and slashed with the sword again.


    The Dean had been training him how to efficiently use Aether and his ability, so, in terms of sword skills, he was lacking.


    When the blade shining with golden light and enveloped in calm flames came at him, Zeke nimbly used his arms, one ¡®brushing¡¯ past the sword and shoving Azmer¡¯s hand away, while the other, imbued with a high concentration of voltage, pressed against the target¡¯s chest and delivered a potent electrical shock.


    The force of the attack made Azmer¡¯s flames flicker, almost disappearing, his body trembled twice as he barely held himself back from kneeling down. Alas, that surge of pain, coupled with the strong shock, made him defenseless as Zeke delivered a second ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯.


    Like a cannonball, Azmer was flung to the back, his body rolling on the ground. He kept tightly grasping the flaming sword, groans escaping his lips.


    ¡°I..I won¡¯t lose!¡±


    He confidently declared as more fire burst from his body, scorching the grass and dirt and forming a big wave of fire that cascaded into Zeke.


    It descended upon him and then transformed into an unstoppable tornado that rose up to 20 meters in height, shining amidst the looming darkness of the falling night.


    Stuck into the tornado, his view filled with nothing but raging golden flames, Zeke rooted his feet to the ground and concentrated.


    As tenacious as his body had become, Azmer¡¯s special flames burned through his clothes and injured his body, thus activating ¡®Body Damage¡¯.


    Along with the pain from his charred left arm, Zeke had to use ¡®Surge of Pain¡¯ to bring clarity to his mind and continue the fight.


    Now empowered and numb from head to toe, Zeke drew from the energy reserve in Rune of Life and retaliated by unleashing an equal amount of Voltage.


    A miniature storm of lightning surrounded his body, protecting him and pushing away the tornado until it was extinguished.


    However, much to his surprise, Azmer was holding his weapon with both hands and raising it above his head; When the tornado was gone, its caster swung his sword vertically.


    It was a simple move yet it brought with it an impressive amount of fire as well as an invisible and dangerous type of energy.


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to dodge out of the way, but his pupils constricted when he saw the flaming ¡®arc¡¯ follow after him.


    Right before it ravaged him, he used ¡®Spark¡¯, then rolled out of the way. The orb of lightning exploded once it came in contact with Azmer¡¯s sword attack.


    Dozens of mini lightning bolts rained down on the valley, pulverizing everything. Zeke¡¯s body was pushed back and, eventually, he fell down, a grievous bloody wound on his right shoulder.


    When he looked at Azmer, he saw him ready to repeat the same attack, therefore, Zeke hastily got up and consecutively used two ¡®Life Motus¡¯, reaching the opponent and kicking him in the stomach.


    Surprisingly, Azmer bore through the pain and didn¡¯t budge, his cold eyes fixated on Zeke as the sword was slashed down again for the second time.


    With the so little distance between the two, Zeke was unprepared to block the attack and, like a helpless feather, he was engulfed in the blinding sword attack.


    His body was like a kite, blown high-up in the air before it crashed to the ground, motionless for a couple of seconds.


    Azmer was gasping for air, his tired hands devoid of strength as they tried to keep hold of the sword, which became much dimmer and barely visible.


    Zeke laid on the scorched ground, half of his pants were gone and his body let out black smoke, seemingly lifeless. After a couple of breaths, he groaned and slowly stood up.


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    He was in a horrible condition, but thanks to ¡®Surge of Pain¡¯, he didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    His exhausted and wounded body obeyed his will and moved normally despite the numerous wounds, external and internal.


    Azmer was shocked to see Zeke stand up again, especially after directly hitting him with that attack. The sword in his hand was gone as he gathered all of his remaining Aether from one final move.


    Within seconds, a shiny ball of fire was manifesting in front of Azmer; Alas, he wasn¡¯t given the attack to finish it as Zeke, after recuperating for a couple of breaths, used ¡®Over-drive¡¯ and ¡®Self-injection¡¯.


    With his stats and overall prowess significantly empowered, Zeke literally transformed into a bolt of lightning that let out a deafening thunderclap as it shot at Azmer, piercing through his abdomen.


    Over-Drive lasted for two short seconds, and when it was gone, Zeke was standing straight and looking at his opponent.


    Azmer¡¯s ultimate attack was canceled, his knees hitting the ground and his hand touching his profusely bleeding stomach. He vomited two mouthfuls of blood, his hollow eyes and his turbulent mind in shock, still processing his defeat.


    With all the strength he had left, the blond-haired youth turned his head and looked back at Zeke.


    ¡°...¡±


    He tried to say something but couldn¡¯t, his body falling to the side.


    Albeit how talented Azmer was, Zeke was confident in his own strength. He had gotten rid of his low self-esteem and believed in himself, which steeled his heart and gave him the strength to emerge victorious.


    Nevertheless, Azmer turned out to be tougher than he had anticipated. After all, he was hoping to win without relying on ¡®Over-drive¡¯.


    If left alone, the unconscious Azmer would definitely die in such a state, therefore, Zeke approached him and took out a small vial filled with a dense white liquid.


    It was an Elixir, one that healed the consumer¡¯s injuries. Zeke had entrusted Sulong to buy as many such Elixirs as possible, but the prices were exorbitant and they were able to buy only three with their remaining savings.


    Zeke poured it into the youth¡¯s mouth before sitting down on the burned ground. He too, was injured, but his body was different from normal humans. It had been altered by the System, and further enhanced by Voltage Conduit, rendering his regenerative capabilities verging on the superhuman ¡®level¡¯.


    Admittedly, he needed a lot of rest, but that was about it. There was no need to waste another Healing Elixir for this.


    Less than a minute later, Azmer coughed and then opened his eyes. He instinctively touched his stomach but found no signs of the wound.


    The fatal wound had closed up and he even felt a bit rejuvenated, though the over-exertion of Aether left him mentally fatigued.


    ¡°I lost, huh¡­¡± Muttered the youth, his voice containing a mix of disappointment, disbelief, and frustration.


    Still, he neither spouted excuses nor denied the truth. Instead, he sat up and looked upwards, at the black-haired youth who used to bully a while ago.


    ¡°As per our agreement, I will do anything you ask. Speak.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t instantly respond, he sighed and stretched his arms, focusing more on the left one. While wrapping a bandage around the blackened skin, he calmly said,


    ¡°Honestly, I thought of making you kneel and sincerely apologize. Making you leave Erys, or do something shameful in public. But I¡¯m above such banalities as they would give me no satisfaction nor comfort.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Azmer listened to him with a straight face, opting for silence.


    ¡°Just because you were lucky and were born with talents doesn¡¯t mean you stand above others. If I wasn¡¯t here, another Defect would have risen up and won against you. That is to say¡­ your views are erroneous. A higher lineage doesn¡¯t give you the right to dictate the fate of others, neither does it give you the right to pointlessly preach for the removal of those less fortunate than you from Erys.¡±


    Once he was done bandaging his left arm, Zeke shifted back his gaze to the quiet Azmer.


    ¡°Whatever, I doubt I¡¯d be able to change your deeply-rooted opinions. I won and I proved to you that Defects aren¡¯t as weak as you portray them to be.¡±


    Azmer wanted to retort and say that Zeke wasn¡¯t a Defect anymore, but he still chose silence. In situations like these, the losers had no place to object or argue.


    ¡°You are smarter than Rodrick, so maybe you¡¯ll eventually learn to sympathize. Who knows¡­¡±


    Zeke shrugged and turned around to leave but stopped once Azmer called his name.


    ¡°Zeke¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I already told you, Azmer. I don¡¯t care about an apology¡­ this battle was me moving on from that past. It wasn¡¯t just to prove something to you, but to myself as well.¡±


    ¡°Still, I want to apologize for bullying you. Call it self-reflection or a loser¡¯s punishment, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Zeke, with his half-turned head, scoffed and waved his hand as he went down the half-destroyed valley.


    Five minutes later, Azmer was motionlessly lying on the ground. He stared at his hand and muttered,


    ¡°Next time, I will win.¡±


    The Healing Elixir did wonders in dealing with his wounded body, but he was still too tired to move, much less leave this place. The blond-haired youth kept staring at the night sky, absent-minded for a while.


    He only snapped out of it when he heard light footsteps heading his way. He warily sat up and looked at the source of the sound only to see a girl.


    She had light beige, almost blonde hair that was slightly curly and relatively long, an average height, and facial features that were neither too ugly nor too beautiful.


    Still, Azmer was shocked as he recognized her.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ you remembered me.¡±


    With her hands on the edge of her pretty dress, she leaned her face closer to him and beamed.


    Azmer, however, was on-guard, feeling suspicious to see her appear out of nowhere. In fact, she was Olivia¡¯s assistant, the same girl who had freed him from his bounds back in that hidden laboratory.


    Back then, he didn¡¯t know why she aided him, he didn¡¯t have the time to ask since she immediately fled the scene.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The girl put a hand over her face and after a couple of seconds, her appearance was subject to a minor change.


    To be accurate, her body and face matured a bit; She became a bit taller, and she no longer looked like a teenager, instead, she seemed to be between 25 and 30 now.


    ¡°First-Year student, Veronica Serpens of class C.¡±


    She playfully bowed, the beautiful smile still plastered on her face. When she saw his confusion, she giggled and added,


    ¡°As for my true identity¡­¡±


    She fished a triangular badge made of oak, waving it at him, ¡°I¡¯m a disciple of the Ivory Oak Order. Pleased to meet you, Azmer Lorson.¡±


    ¡°Ivory Oak Order?¡± Upon the mention of that secret organization, the youth tried to distance himself but his body was too weakened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed, I didn¡¯t come here to kidnap you or harm you.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want? I don¡¯t want anything to do with your order.¡±


    ¡°By your reaction, I take it you don¡¯t know much about us. We¡¯re not like the other organizations¡­ meaning we don¡¯t engage in wanton killing and ridiculous rituals. Moreover, I have come to you without the consent of my group.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his hesitation and wariness, Veronica sighed and sat next to him while pouting her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m one of the Defects of Erys, surely you¡¯ve heard of me. Principal Solas hasn¡¯t expelled me yet even though I¡¯m constantly absent, why do you think so? It¡¯s because I¡¯m not planning to harm the school or its students. We have an agreement.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me what you want from me.¡±


    ¡°Ah! I was getting to that! I want you to join me¡­ no-... join us. I believe we can help each other. For example¡­¡±


    She pointed in a certain direction, ¡°That freak of nature who beat you. You¡¯ll be able to surpass him."


    When he discovered she had been watching everything, Azmer frowned and tried to use his ability but to no avail.


    ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed everything. You can easily climb to the 2nd or 3rd spot in the Rankings. I¡¯m genuinely impressed. Anywho, this can be considered an official invitation on my behalf. I¡¯ll be waiting for your answer!¡±


    Then, out of blue, she planted a kiss on his cheeks and darted away while giggling. She had left behind a golden envelope with a white seal on it, but the dazed Azmer noticed it only later¡­

 Chapter 64 The Living Forest

    ¡°This is the best you found?¡±


    Zeke sat at the back of the van, moving around due to how uncomfortable the cramped the place was. There were only two seats and the back was meant for anything other than people. Basically, it was a vehicle meant for delivery and not ¡®traveling¡¯.


    Unlike Zeke, Arbert was sitting motionlessly, unbothered by the bumpy road. It hasn¡¯t been long since he was ¡®born¡¯, yet the boy had grown drastically. He looked no different than a 12-year-old, with relatively long blood-colored hair, pale white skin, a pair of sharp eyes, and a slim body.


    He was talking more and more, but most of his conversations were with Sulong. He would sometimes mock Jack or spout nonsensical stuff. Strangely enough, he seemed inexplicably wary of Zeke, barely meeting his gaze or acknowledging his presence.


    After winning against Azmer, Zeke wasted no time and departed from the Sunken Metropolis along with his new companions. Admittedly, they weren¡¯t the best, nor the strongest, but he felt at peace.


    He put the troubles that happened in Erys in the back of his mind and focused on more pressing matters, such as the recent sighting of the Ascetic Blasphmeres.


    ¡°Say, are we really going there?¡±


    Sulong asked the same question for the 5th time, to which Zeke sighed and nodded.


    ¡°Shit! We need to cross either the Whitefrost Planes or the Living Frost. I-I¡¯m telling you, I ain¡¯t fighting no monsters. I¡¯m content with driving, ya?¡±


    Despite his reluctance and fearful attitude, Jack never objected to their unexpected and dangerous journey. He was determined to remain with Sulong and didn¡¯t seem particularly annoyed, even though he liked to complain day and night.


    ¡°I say the Living Forest is more suitable. The Whitefrost Planes are like a joint territory and it would be a pain to pass through it with the van. What do you say, Zeke?¡±


    In response, the youth shrugged, ¡°You decide. I¡¯m not that knowledgeable about geography. We will, however, avoid any big settlements.¡±


    ¡°Roger.¡±


    Although curious, Sulong refrained from asking Zeke why exactly he wanted to go after the Ascetic Blasphmeres. They were amongst the most dangerous of the secret organizations and though their public appearances were far and few between, each and everyone made the three nations of the Aether Planet on high alert, fearing that their cities might be targeted.


    Sulong took a chocolate bar and passed it to Arbert while smiling,


    ¡°Here, take it.¡±


    The boy hesitated for a second before accepting the chocolate then gobbling it up in seconds. When he was done, a faint smile appeared on his face.


    ¡°Thank you, papa.¡±


    ¡­


    The group of four traveled non-stop, taking dirt roads instead of highways and avoiding the authorities and cities. They would stop to sleep or wait for Zeke to finish his Daily Tasks, but apart from that, the poor van was driven non-stop.


    By the 5th day, after a drive of, at least, 80 hours, they left the border of the Nezulian Republic and were soon welcomed by the Living Forest, one of the dangerous zones.


    Unlike the dozens of well-fortified and guarded sectors of the Nezulian Republic, the Living Forest was an unclaimed region, infested with beasts and monsters.


    In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to stumble upon rogue Proto-Demons in this gigantic swampy forest.


    Whether it was the seemingly harmless plants or the ancient trees, anything could suddenly spring to live and kill you in an instant.


    Only veteran explorers would venture into the Living Forest, in search of mysteries and wonder. In fact, most, if not all, merchants and travelers, prefer the Whitefrost Planes as they were relatively less dangerous and had a couple of outposts for resting and trading.


    ¡°Well¡­ here we are.¡±


    The group disembarked from the dusty and dirty van and gazed at the unseen ¡®line¡¯ separating the valleys from a lush and gloomy forest.


    Each tree was different from the other, some even reaching 10 to 20 meters in height. The bushes were at knee-length and, ironically, the air was stiff and suffocating despite the abundance of flora.


    ¡°Fortunately, the ground is a bit flat and the gaps between the trees are enough for the van to pass through.¡±


    Jack looked at his friend, who was in a good mood and cursed under his breath.


    ¡°You do know that this forest was meant to be crossed on foot, yes? That way, we can be ready for any attack. I don¡¯t want a vine to pierce through the window and strangle me. I want to die hugging a woman, at least.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, hahahah!¡±


    Normally, Sulong would have the same reaction as Jack. However, with his newfound powers, he wanted to face powerful beasts and strengthen himself. After all, there was no better way than life and death battles.


    ¡°We¡¯re not here to sightsee. We¡¯ll try to pass through as fast as possible.¡±


    Right after Zeke spoke, Arbert crouched down and touched the ground, a frown surfacing on his usually expressionless face.


    ¡°This place. Dangerous.¡±


    ¡°L-look! The youngest of you is the most concerned. Ah! What did I do to deserve this!¡±


    ¡°Stop whining and let¡¯s go!¡± Sulong smacked Jack¡¯s head and pushed him into the driver¡¯s seat.


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    Before long, the van¡¯s engine roared as it drilled into the dirt and sped into the Living Forest.


    Within minutes, however, the supposedly flat ground turned rocky and the vehicle was rocking up and down, barely holding into dear life.


    Zeke grunted as he held into something and bore through the bumpy ride.


    For a while, they traveled within the Living Forest, using the somewhat empty space to cross the area while keeping their guards up.


    Eventually, however, the expected happened and the van got stuck into a large puddle of mud and grass.


    ¡°See? What did I tell you?¡±


    Jack hugged the steering wheel while Sulong and Zeke got off and tried to lift the back of the van, attempting to push it using brute strength. Thanks to their superhuman strength, the task was done with ease, but they didn¡¯t resume their journey immediately.


    They heard low and chilling growls as something crept from the puddle.


    At first, a faceless head burst forth, followed by the rest of its body. It had a disproportionate humanoid body; Long arms and legs and a circular hole in its chest.


    All of its body was made from sticky mud, and a frightening screech came out of its non-existent mouth.


    Zeke was the first to act, raising his right hand and shooting lightning bolts. The voltage made half of the monster¡¯s chest disappear, but it quickly reconstructed itself and leaped at him. It was then that Sulong intercepted as he extended his muscular arm and punched its face while using his flames.


    The crimson fire spread to the rest of its body and burned it into nothingness almost instantly.


    Satisfied with this result, the smug Sulong turned to Zeke and grimaced in triumph.


    ¡°Fire works better than electricity. No need to gloat like that, this is not a competition.¡±


    The bald man flexed his muscles while retorting, ¡°I haven¡¯t said a word. Young Zeke is jelly?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The youth rolled his eyes and snatched the passenger seat from Sulong, locking the door and signaling for him to get in.


    ¡­


    Alas, the van getting stuck into a muddy puddle was but the first of the chain of misfortune that would later follow.


    The second unforeseen complication was a tree with tiny arms and dozens of trembling branches which stomped the ground and almost caused the vehicle to flip over.


    It unknowingly touched the blue lightning orb conjured by Zeke, thus raining numerous lightning bolts on itself.


    Next was the inexperienced Sulong, who clutched a ball made of flames and, just like volleyball, throw it at the monstrous tree.


    The force behind his throw, along with the flames, made the tree fall to the back and then get assaulted by a spear of lightning that pierced its tree trunk.


    The third hurdle was the biggest as the van came to a sudden halt in front of a massive and ominous swamp.


    [Regional Mission initiated: Slay 10 Blight Toads]


    [Regional Mission initiated: Slay 50 Treants]


    Before they could find a solution, a System notification popped in front of Zeke. It was another type of mission, which made him slightly surprised and confused.


    Seldom did the System offer missions, whether they were ¡®Special¡¯ or ¡®Urgent¡¯, so the appearance of a different one now did entice him a bit.


    Considering how vast the Living Forest was, even if they were to bee-line through it, it was unlikely to cross it within a day or two. So, as Zeke thought of it, he saw no reason to not complete the sudden ¡®assignment¡¯.


    He would be rewarded with the much-needed PE, as well as stats and EXP, which would strengthen him.


    ¡°U-um¡­ Zeke?¡±


    Sulong stood there, stupefied as he dumbly gazed to the front. He pointed at the air with a perplexed voice,


    ¡°I assume this is your doing too?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You can see it?¡±


    Sulong moved his head left and right while grumbling, ¡°It¡¯s following my field of vision. Why wouldn¡¯t I see it?¡±


    ¡®It is because he became the Seat of Criminality? Strange. When I received the other mission, this didn¡¯t happen. Is this happening because it¡¯s a task I can¡¯t complete alone? Or is there another factor I¡¯m unaware of?¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ emm¡­ a mission of some sort. We¡¯ll try to complete it along the way.¡±


    Sulong didn¡¯t seem particularly bothered or surprised by the System. After he heard Zeke¡¯s confirmation, he sighed in relief and paid it no heed until it vanished.


    ¡°Woah¡­ this swamp is really big. I don¡¯t see a way around it.¡±


    The dirty swamp was outrageously big, spanning hundreds of meters, if not entire kilometers. Whether it was on the left or right side, there wasn¡¯t a crossable path, at least not one through which the van would pass through.


    While Arbert was enjoying a chocolate bar, the three surveyed their vicinity while contemplating this conundrum.


    ¡°We could abandon the van, but that would significantly slow down our pace. When we leave the Living Forest, we would need to walk. We must also think of when we return to the Sunken Metropolis.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke looked at the swamp as he pondered for a long while. Sulong¡¯s points were valid, which meant that continuing on foot was a foolish idea.


    ¡®Should we go back? No. After what I did to Olivia, no doubt there are people after me. They must already know I left the Nezulian Republic and they¡¯ll first look for me in the Whitefront Planes. This is safer¡­ but how to cross the swamp?¡¯


    Zeke pinged his temples and paced around the van, sometimes looking at the dim and gloomy forest dominated by abnormally large trees, and sometimes peeking at the swamp and trying to see how deep it was.


    Sulong tentatively stepped into the murky water and slowly advanced.


    ¡°Hey look!¡±


    He soon found out that it was particularly deep. Even after marching 20 or so meters, the water barely reached his waist.


    ¡°The van might be able to pass through.¡±


    ¡°Only if there aren¡¯t monsters hiding here, which there are!¡± Shouted back Jack while peeking his head from the van and then tucking it back when he heard a rustle nearby.


    A bolt of lightning shot from Zeke¡¯s hand, striking a nearby big bush, but it was stopped by a glowing cubic barrier.


    Seconds later, two individuals appeared; One was a scholarly man wearing a dark green outfit and holding a relatively large scroll under his armpit. As for the second, it was a tall man that looked scarier than Sulong.


    He wore what could only be described as a special crafter armor, possibly a magical artifact. It was made from silver and steel, colored white and dark brown, and had an unfamiliar crest in the middle of the chest.


    ¡®They are from the Serey Zhan Empire!¡¯


    That was Zeke¡¯s first thought once he had laid eyes on the armor. Unlike the Nezulian Republic, the Serey Zhan Empire didn¡¯t rely that much on technology, opting for advancement through magic, or more specifically, Aether-based products.


    Still, as a nation oriented more towards ¡®Traditionality¡¯, the Serey Zhan Empire was not inferior to its counterparts and had numerous world-renowned powerhouses.


    The scholarly man, unlike his companion, had an amicable face and a long mustache. He smiled at the cautious Zeke and said,


    ¡°Hail, travelers! Pardon our abrupt arrival.¡±


    Then he politely bowed and introduced himself, ¡°Scholar Venzo Fekhyr. This is my friend and protector, Silver Knight Bran.¡±


    The stoic Bran performed a salute but he kept his guard up, his hand resting on the sheathed sword.


    Due to the dangers lurking in the Living Forest, Zeke didn¡¯t expect to meet anyone, especially not this soon. Whether they bore good intentions or not, his mistrust was clear on his face as he kept his hand raised.


    ¡°Please do not be alarmed. There is no need for a fight or anything. We saw your¡­ vehicle, and came over.¡±


    Scholar Venzo pointed at the van while chuckling. Barely a second later, Arbet disembarked and stared at the new arrivals for a moment before walking to Sulong, seemingly disinterested.

 Chapter 65 Clotted Layers

    Frederic Whitefort, the exiled Vagabond, was wearing a ridiculously poor disguise as he jumped over the towering walls surrounding Erys.


    He safely landed on the ground and safely looked around, spotting nothing but a peaceful and quiet forest.


    However, scarce had his feet touched the grass did a shadow figure dash from afar and stop a couple of paces away.


    The Dean, unlike his usual composed demeanor, was frowning and menacingly looking at Frederic.


    ¡°We do not welcome your kind here, vagabond.¡±


    Unfortunately for him, Frederic¡¯s was more infamous than famous. He wasn¡¯t a criminal, nor was he a threat to the Nezulian Republic, but he was relatively well-known, especially amongst the powerhouses.


    This young man, wearing a fake beard and a long mustache, had forsaken the distinguished Whitefort family in pursuit of mysticism and mysteries. Prior to his banishment, he was an unrivaled genius, a prodigy that shook the whole world.


    Yet, he abandoned any and all training, obsessing over history long forgotten and always rambling about nonsensical stuff.


    Evidently, his public image plummetted, and he was even regarded as a heretic, a person that would stop at nothing to achieve his objective, even if it meant resorting to the taboo.


    Therefore, seeing the Dean look so unfavorably at him wasn¡¯t a surprise.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    Frederic waved his hand in greeting, smiling wryly as he got caught almost instantly.


    ¡°I was lost¡­ yeah just lost.¡±


    He was about to flee but the Dean moved his stick at lightning speed, releasing a beam of light that struck Frederic in the chest.


    The curly-haired young man has blasted away, his body crashing to the wall. Still, when the bit of dust cleared, he wasn¡¯t injured, much less scathed.


    He rubbed his belly while coughing.


    ¡°That hurt a little. Alright alright, I got it! I¡¯m leaving!¡±


    Like a monkey, he climbed the wall and disappeared soon after. However, the Dean kept standing there motionless, slightly worried that Frederic might come back.


    Vagabonds weren¡¯t particularly uncommon in the Aether Planet, but the kind to which Frederic belonged was somewhat special, so much so that the Dean didn¡¯t hold back his power.


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t give up on his training and got exiled, we would have been at the mercy of the Empire. Tsk!¡±


    The Dean clicked his tongue and disappeared thereafter.


    ..


    ¡°Aw man! I can¡¯t even get close!¡±


    Frederic kicked the wall as he grumbled to himself in frustration. He had seen, felt, and heard the devastating thunderbolt originating from the artificial clouds yet he wasn¡¯t able to properly investigate.


    Erys was filled with strong individuals, thus rendering Frederic unable to sneak inside unnoticed.


    Nevertheless, Frederic kept interviewing any students that left Erys, using the guise of a curious journalist.


    At last, after many fruitless days, he had finally ¡®caught¡¯ a slightly knowledgeable prey that was willing to talk.


    It was a short and bespectacled boy, timid and innocent-looking. It was none other than Alan, Zeke¡¯s roommate.


    The student was drinking apple juice, his head lowered as he wasn¡¯t used to talking to strangers.


    Meanwhile, Frederic was scrutinizing the youth, seemingly in a good mood after hearing one piece of good news.


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    Actually, Alan had only told him that the Vyrsan Household had come to Erys and demanded to take a student with them, which had significantly lessened the scope of Frederic¡¯s investigation and allowed him to pinpoint at least one plausible suspect.


    ¡°So¡­ this Zeke Orland. Do you know anything about him?¡±


    ¡°H-he¡¯s my roommate.¡± Shyly responded Alan, his face getting red.


    ¡°I see. Anything else? For instance, did he do something¡­ unnatural recently?¡±


    Surprised, Alan raised his head, ¡°H¡­h-how did you know?¡±


    ¡®Bingo!¡¯


    While widely smiling, Frederic tapped the table with his index while continuing, ¡°Did you know that there are different types of Defects?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    Confused by the abrupt shift in topic, Alan tilted his head in confusion and listened.


    ¡°Admittedly, the main reason for the inefficiency in using Aether stems from the lack of the dominant genetic code inherited by one¡¯s parents or grandparents. However, that¡¯s the most common cause. There are Defects that, despite having ¡®gifted¡¯ parents, fail to materialize the same abilities. If you answer my questions, I can give you a hint.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Alan was perplexed for a moment, but he soon realized the meaning behind Frederic¡¯s words, which made his heartbeat accelerate and his breathing heavy.


    From that point onwards, Alan talked about his brief and handful of interactions with Zeke. He also spoke a bit about his roommate¡¯s abilities. By the end of their conversation, Frederic was completely satisfied.


    ¡°Much like the blood flows through the veins, Aether flows through a circuit comprised of unseen layers. Some people have clotted layers¡­ inherently blocked, so to speak. The solution is to find a way to either expand those layers or get rid of the blockage. As for how to do it¡­ it¡¯s up to the individual in question.¡±


    Frederic shook the youth¡¯s hand and winked, soon dashing out of the restaurant and returning to his hotel room.


    He wasted no time as he instantly began researching any and all details regarding Zeke Orland, whom he was almost certain was the System¡¯s user.


    ¡°Lightning magic, huh? That¡¯s got to be the Aether-voltage path, but what happened that day proves he had actually upgraded the path. So soon! Either he¡¯s frighteningly lucky or exceptionally talented.¡±


    When he was done musing with himself and pacing around, Frederic kicked the chair and snorted,


    ¡°But he ran away! Why would he leave Erys? It¡¯s the safest place by far. I need to know more¡­¡±


    ¡­


    Azmer Lorson, after his defeat against Zeke, didn¡¯t go back to Erys but returned home.


    He spent several days holed up in his room, ignoring any received calls and simply sitting on the bed, cross-legged and concentrating.


    He was following the method passed down to him by the Dean. Although it was painful and physically taxing, he had to do it to improve himself.


    His loss notwithstanding, he had learnt a good bit by fighting Zeke. In more than a way, their fighting styles and abilities were opposite.


    While Zeke relied on absolute speed and successive attacks, Azmer relied on powerful blasts that took a bit of time to cast.


    Had he completed that final attack, Azmer would have won that fight. However, there were no ¡®ifs¡¯, and the best he could do was strengthen himself.


    Azmer spent the entirety of the break afforded to the student in his room. During the day, he would train and, at night, he would sit on the balcony.


    The blond-haired youth would hold a picture frame and look at it for long periods of time.


    The picture was that of a beautiful black-haired woman hugging a young Azmer, who had a beaming expression that displayed unbridled joy.


    Maybe his defeat against Zeke had knocked some sense into him, or maybe the latter¡¯s words resonated with him, none could tell.


    Feeling melancholic and sad, Azmer kept looking at his mother, lost in a daze and interrupted only when the manor¡¯s servant knocked on the door.


    The youth put back the picture frame on his desk and opened the door.


    ¡°Young master, you are being summoned to the lord¡¯s office.¡±


    Azmer nodded, closed the doors, then returned to his desk. He gathered what few personal belongings he had, beginning from the picture frame, then he changed into his uniform.


    Soon enough, Azmer was facing his solemn father, who seemed to have gotten better.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you returned home looking like that. Who attacked you?¡±


    Azmer shook his head and coldly retorted, ¡°No one. I fought Zeke Orland and I lost.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Upon hearing Zeke¡¯s name, William frowned and glared at his son. He instinctively touched his chest, remembering how much it cost him to remove the ¡®curse¡¯ inflicted by the lightning attack.


    ¡°Back then and now¡­ you seem to be getting rebellious, Azmer. Rather than focusing on what¡¯s important, your head is getting clouded by personal desire. Don¡¯t forget that you need to catch up to your brother and not smear the family¡¯s name with repeated failures!¡±


    ¡°My mind has never been this clear, father. Before I care what you want, I will care about myself and my life. Now, then¡­¡±


    Azmer bowed then turned around and lift, much to his father¡¯s surprise.


    William, prideful and angered, didn¡¯t stop his son. Instead, he shouted atop his lungs,


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to keep this up for long, Azmer. Any more disobedience and you¡¯ll share your mother¡¯s fate!¡±

 Chapter 66 The Monolith

    Venzo Fekhyr noticed Zeke¡¯s wariness, so he didn¡¯t approach him or do any sudden movements. Instead, he thought it best to explain himself,


    ¡°I¡¯ve come here to search for a check on a monolith sighted somewhere in this swamp. It¡¯s really fortunate to meet fellow travelers in this godforsaken place, hahahaha¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The stone-faced Zeke kept looking at the two of them, his lips tightly shut. A few seconds later, Sulong returned with Arbert at his side.


    ¡°Oh, this must be your friend, right? I¡¯m scholar Venzo Fek-¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, I heard you.¡± Sulong cut him off and waved his hand unceremoniously.


    The atmosphere was getting tense and awkward, so Venzo cleared his throat and proposed,


    ¡°Would you like to join hands? We can help you cross the lake in return for a bit of assistance.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks.¡± Perfunctorily responded Zeke, his narrowed eyes focusing on the stoic Bran.


    Zeke wasn¡¯t proficient at gauging people¡¯s prowess, then again, the Knights of the Serey Zhan empire used different methods of strengthening. They had techniques that transformed Aether into energy labeled as ¡®Aura¡¯, which significantly increased their physical faculties.


    Since a Venzo had only brought one person to protect him, then it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to consider Bran as a veteran, someone that could fend off the attacks of the monsters infesting the Living Forest.


    ¡®It¡¯s unlikely that he anticipated meeting people here, so they must have a method to cross the swamp. There¡¯s no reason they would need our help. All Scholars have a reputation to uphold so tricking us wouldn¡¯t benefit him, but that¡¯s only if we get out of here alive.¡¯


    As he wracked his brains, weighing the pros and cons of the available choices, Venzo opened his mouth again,


    ¡°The monolith is supposedly guarded by Blight Toads and Dark-scale Crocodiles. Bran should be able to handle them, but I must also think of any unexpected complications. If you come with us and protect me during such crises, I will help you reach the other end of the swamp. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Give us a moment.¡±


    Zeke edged away and conversed with Sulong for a couple of minutes. In the end, the two agreed to join hands with Venzo and Bran to shorten the travel time and cross the swamp without having to waste time finding an alternative.


    As for the Regional Mission, Zeke planned to complete it afterward, preferably when they were alone.


    ¡°We will help you. However, we want to pass the swamp with the van.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Venzo heartily laughed and shook hands with the youth, whom he already guessed was the leader of this little and strange group.


    Just like that, the meeting between these strangers led to cooperation.


    While Bran walked to the edge of the swamp with his sword unsheathed, Venzo stood next to Zeke, curiously asking,


    ¡°Your accent tells me you¡¯re from the Republic, yes? It¡¯s admirable for someone of your age to venture into such dangerous zones.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you, Scholar Venzo. From what I know, Scholars tend to commission people for the reclamation of old books or lost artifacts.¡±


    ¡°Hahahah you¡¯re not wrong! Unfortunately, the monolith is too big to be moved, so I had to come personally.¡±


    ¡®Or you could¡¯ve brought a camera.¡¯


    Those living in the Serey Zhan Empire, at least the patriotic ones, followed the strict rules of the ruling entity and absolutely abhorred technology. Whether it was the useful cellphones or something as simple as cameras, it didn¡¯t matter. Laws dictated that technological products were prohibited within the Serey Zhan Empire, but there were still black markets and clandestine auctions in which you could procure some.


    Even honorable Scholars wouldn¡¯t risk their life just to get a look at a monolith. They would treasure their lives and risk tainting their reputation if it meant getting the result swiftly.


    Therefore, Zeke was certain that Venzo wasn¡¯t telling the truth. Either it wasn¡¯t a simple monolith, or his real objective was something else accessible only by finding this monolith.


    Sulong took to the side and saw the man clad in armor hold his blade with two hands and then perform a slow yet strong swing, causing a wave of chilling aura to spread unidirectionally; Ice formed on the murky waters of the swamp, forming a walkable path that could fit three to four people.


    ¡°It won¡¯t last long. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    With his signal, the group began walking on the ice bridge. Jack, who vehemently refused to leave the van, was dragged outside by his friend.


    ¡°Shit! This is a nightmare!¡±


    He stayed close to Sulong while fearfully looking at the dirty waters, afraid that they might be attacked.


    Bran was at the vanguard, with Zeke and Venzo right behind, and at the back were Arbert, Sulong, and Jack.


    As expected, within a few minutes, ripples appeared on the swamp¡¯s waters, followed thereafter by a huge slimy creature that leapt in the air.


    However, before it managed to attack or do anything, it was killed. Bran was reactive and agile, slashing with his sword and literally cutting the Blight Toad in two.


    ¡°Bran will take care of these. I will need your help later.¡± Reassured Venzo, not particularly afraid of the gigantic toad.


    Zeke nodded, amazed by the Knight¡¯s power. The Blight Toad was truly massive and its size notwithstanding, it was nimble. He would have needed multiple ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ to eliminate him yet Bran needed only a single move.


    The disparity in strength made him worried as he checked the Status Window, hesitating whether to unlock the Hydromancer path or not.


    Through the use of Water-aspected Magic, which would likely originate from the Hydromancer Main Path, Zeke was hoping to take necessary precautions in case of an emergency.


    If the ice bridge were to crumble, maybe the System would offer him a water-breathing skill or something similar. Still, those were only random guesses and such an investment could also be a waste of PE.


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    Eventually, after deliberating for a while, Zeke didn¡¯t do anything and continued walking on the ice bridge.


    After ten minutes or so, they reached a solitary ¡®island¡¯ in the middle of the swamp. What caught everyone¡¯s eyes was, as Venzo had said, a towering monolith about 5 meters in height.


    It was golden black with archaic and unfamiliar symbols written from top to bottom.


    The eager scholar hastened his steps and stopped before the monolith, studying it with enthusiasm and excitement.


    ¡°T-this is fascinating! Amazing!¡±


    The man was salivating as he caressed the monolith as if it was his lover. He seemed so engrossed in it that he didn¡¯t notice the Blight Toads that popped out of the swamp.


    They were violent and raging as if unwilling to let anyone close to the monolith.


    ¡°The ones at the back!¡± Shouted Bran as he swung his sword, freezing the waters and slicing the abominations.


    While Arbert and Jack remained near Venzo, Sulong and Zeke sprung into action. Crimson flames and blue lightning burst forth, the former burning the slimy and bloated creatures and the latter electrocuting the water.


    Now that the opportunity finally presented itself, Zeke experienced firsthand how resilient the Blight Toads were.


    They seemed to be highly resistant to magic, so much so that Sulong¡¯s flames were incapable of incapacitating them.


    Still, when the toad was about to crash into them, Zeke changed his stance and used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ along with ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯; His voltage-imbued leg swept diagonally, striking the Blight Toad and blasting it dozens of meters away.


    ¡®Physical attacks words better.¡¯


    Zeke¡¯s magical prowess far surpassed his brute strength, but when he attacked the beast, he felt no resistance whatsoever. It felt like hitting soft and defenseless bones, which momentarily surprised him.


    Now that they discovered a useful vulnerability, Sulong imitated his companion and the two eliminated any threat that came their way with relative ease.


    As for Scholar Venzo Fekhyr, he started working on the monolith. He stood out a device and circled around, seemingly trying to find a hidden mechanism.


    ¡°Hurry up, damnit! They are multiplying!¡±


    Sulong gritted his teeth as he ignited his arm with flames, forcing the disgusting tongue of the Toad to let go. However, before it retracted, he grabbed into it and spun twice, using his brute strength to throw it far away.


    Zeke stood at the edge of the small island and patiently waited for the enemies to get close. With ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Conduit¡¯ empowering him, he relied on ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ and ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ to basically kill them with a single hit.


    Ten minutes crept by, in which all three fighters were getting tired. Bran, especially, was breathing unevenly as he had to deal with more Blight Toads than the other two. Nevertheless, he was composed, performing fatal and precise sword attacks without moving his feet.


    ¡°Aha! It¡¯s done!¡±


    With Zeno¡¯s declaration came a low beastly growl that startled everyone. The island was assaulted by a tremor as the monolith trembled ever-so-slightly before the runes on its started moving.


    After a couple of seconds, a door-like entrance formed on the monolith, further increasing the scholar¡¯s jubilation. He glanced at Bran and hurriedly said,


    ¡°Forget about them! It¡¯s time to go!¡±


    He motioned to his protector and then proceeded into the monolith. However, Bran didn¡¯t follow immediately, his cold eyes fixated on a frighteningly large crocodile that surged from the swamp.


    It was over 3 meters in width and 10 meters in length, giving it a dreadful appearance. The black scales covering it wriggled before shooting at the island, indiscriminately hitting everything.


    Surprisingly, the first to react was Arbert. The young boy nonchalantly raised his hand, performing a weird gesture that manifested a semi-translucent red barrier that protected him, Jack, and the nearby Sulong.


    Only Zeke and Bran weren¡¯t spared from the incoming projectiles, which were numerous and equipped with a shocking velocity.


    The knight clasped the sword near his chest, muttering an incantation as a small wall of ice formed around him.


    Zeke, however, wasn¡¯t as lucky, nor did he have effective defensive skills. The scales were half of his size, and though he tried using ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ to protect himself, he failed and was sent flying to the back.


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    Sulong was about to jump in and help but Arbert held his hand and said,


    ¡°Papa¡­ we must go in.¡±


    The boy pointed at the open entrance in the monolith.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! Just go on ahead.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s submerged head reappeared, his arms and legs moving fast as he swamp back to the island. Unfortunately, he quickly felt a dangerous presence coming from below, so he raised his head and channeled his Aether.


    He failed the first attempt at using ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to teleport to the air, though that was mainly due to the unfavorable environment and the fact he was swimming. For the second attempt, he tried teleporting literally in the air, a couple of meters above him, but even that was unsuccessful.


    By then, the danger was about to attack him so he drew Aether from ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ then unhesitantly used ¡®Over-drive¡¯.


    A burst of lightning spread from Zeke¡¯s body, forcing the second Dark-scaled Crocodile to back away and retaliate by unleashing a veritable shock wave which launched a huge mass of water, along with the relatively tiny Zeke, into the air.


    Using this opportunity, and the power-up from ¡®Over-drive¡¯ to speed toward the island. The youth¡¯s body crashed into the mud and dirt, rolling several times then bumping into the monolith.


    While groaning, Zeke got to his feet and was about to enter the monolith but it trembled against and the door-like entrance returned to normal.


    The two angry crocodiles revealed themselves, their disproportionally huge maws wide-open as they crawlingly edged closer to the island.


    Just then, someone grabbed Zeke and lifted his body.


    ¡°You alright?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Surprised to see Bran still here, Zeke nodded.


    ¡°I know how to open it again, but we have to get rid of these two first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    No unnecessary words were needed as the two stuck close to each other, the older one raised his sword and cast another spell, which froze the whole island and the waters surrounding it.


    One of the beasts had its limbs frozen, which allowed Zeke to attack; He drew all the Aether remaining in Voltage Rune and used it on ¡®Aether Arrow¡¯.


    The empowered spear made of electricity shone blindly as it whistled in the air, piercing through the crocodile¡¯s open mouth and resulting in a fountain of blood to erupt.


    As for the second crocodile, it evaded Bran¡¯s Ice-aspected spell and shattered the frozen water, sending more of its vibrating scales.


    A wall of ice was raised again, but it crumbled when the first scale hit it, so Bran jumped in front of Zeke and continuously moved his sword, deflecting all but one scale.


    His body staggered to the back as a dent appeared on his armor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll distract it!¡±


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ twice, teleporting away from the knight and shooting multiple lightning bolts as the crocodile. Although they didn¡¯t inflict any substantial damage, they were, fortunately, enough to draw its attention and incur its wrath.


    When its towering frame was meters away, an orb appeared in front of it.


    ¡®Spark¡¯ was instantly activated, showering the dreadful beast with a rain of lightning. However, Zeke didn¡¯t stop at that as he used a second ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯, piercing the tough scales of the crocodile and stiffening it momentarily.


    Bran, who had a bit of time to prepare, performed an impressive leapt as he thrust his sword from above, shooting multiple icy beams that riddled the target with bloody holes.


    Although it wasn¡¯t enough to kill it on the spot, it did stop its rampage as it writhed on the shore, its blood splattering on the sand and water.


    Bran charged at it again and sliced several times, finally killing it. Once he was done, he wiped his sweaty forehead, a rare and faint smile on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good, kid.¡±


    He was genuinely impressed by Zeke¡¯s contribution. Initially, he doubted that these new allies would be of any help, but his impression changed drastically.


    Zeke too, looked favorably on the knight, who, instead of abandoning him and entering the monolith, decided to stay and help.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Barely a minute later, more ripples appeared around the swamp, indicating that more Dark-scaled Crocodiles were about to appear.


    Bran took out a device similar to the one Venzo had used and imitated his action, first circling around the monolith then chanting a strange verse.


    Just like that, the entrance revealed itself and the two stepped inside, unwilling to face more enemies.

 Chapter 67 The Elf King

    ¡°This¡­ this is more than I expected!¡±


    Scholar Venzo Fekhyr was over the moon, his face flushed with happiness as he touched every little thing in the path. The innumerable symbols on the walls and the ground, the strange black vines were intersecting under his feet, or even the slightly suffocating air.


    He didn¡¯t seem to care about his protector¡¯s absence or the presence of Sulong, Jack, and Arbert.


    ¡°He¡¯s a lunatic, Sulong. Should we really follow him?¡±


    Jack was hesitant and fearful, especially when his claustrophobia kicked in within this narrow and dim corridor.


    When they had passed the monolith, they were transported into a long corridor devoid of beasts. It was safer than the swamp, but that didn¡¯t make any of them feel better as Zeke was missing and they could only rely on the scholar.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep close to him until Zeke catches up.¡± Responded Sulong as he studied his surroundings, feeling trapped and weakened for some reason. Even the usually nonchalant Arbert was frowning and sticking close to his adoptive father, seemingly affected by the invisible and ominous energy lingering in the air.


    Within ten minutes of walking, they reached a big intersection; three paths laid before them, one leading straight forward, one leading left and the last one was blocked by rubbles and vines.


    ¡°This should be a good place to stop.¡± Declared Sulong, but Venzo furiously shook his head while pointing at one of the available routes,


    ¡°Time is of the essence! I must uncover the secrets buried here and retrieve a valuable item.¡±


    ¡°Well! You can go on your own, then. We¡¯re not budging until our friend arrives.¡±


    Sulong coldly snorted, crossed his arms, and sat down. However, Venzo didn¡¯t seem to care as he unceremoniously waved his hand and soon merged with the darkness covering the left path.


    ¡°Papa. We need to leave.¡±


    Arbert was getting more and more restless, his body sweating profusely and his hands shaking ever-so-slightly.


    Sulong pulled him closer and patted his head while reassuring him.


    ¡­


    Bran and Zeke weren¡¯t taken to the same corridor. Instead, they appeared in a spacious and unexpectedly clean room made of an exquisite dark golden material.


    ¡°This appears to be a¡­ bedroom?¡±


    There was well-placed furniture and even some abstract paintings hanging over the intact walls. The room itself was cozy and quiet, but that only made the knight and the youth worried and on guard.


    ¡°Be alert. I don¡¯t know much about this place but Venzo deemed it necessary to come in secret instead of informing his colleagues.¡±


    Zeke glanced at the stoic Bran, who became more talkative and friendlier.


    ¡°Should you even be telling me this? I thought you were friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Bran shook his head and clarified, ¡°I was commissioned. Since he offered a generous sum, I accepted. I take my job very seriously, so I will protect him the best I can¡­ but do be careful, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°Careful?¡±


    ¡°Venzo Fekhyr isn¡¯t exactly the trustworthy type. He has¡­ quite the reputation. Just be careful.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Thanks.¡±


    Bran nodded and proceeded to tour the large room, looking at the scrolls and trying to find something of import.


    Meanwhile, Zeke walked to a shiny emerald desk and opened one of the books, hoping to find a useful hint. However, much to his surprise, the language used in the books was the same he ¡®read¡¯ in that dream, when he was transported to that majestic mausoleum.


    ¡®Could this be related to the System? Or its prior users?¡¯


    [You have found Roenyr¡¯s private chamber.]


    [You obtained the Survival Skill ¡®Ancient Elven Tongue]


    [Proficiency of ¡®Ancient Elven Tongue¡¯ has increased by 10%]


    The characters and symbols distorted for a split second before some of them became readable to the shocked Zeke. Unfortunately, he was able to comprehend the letters but not the whole words, thus making it impossible to understand the content of the book.


    Still, the System Notification startled him and ascertained his prior guess. Whoever Roenyr¡¯s was, he definitely had something to do with the System or else this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    As much as he wanted to learn more, Zeke felt he had delved into an extremely dangerous place.


    ¡°I recognize some of the things here. They were made by the extinct Elven Race.¡±


    ¡°Elves? I thought their civilization, along with everything in it, disappeared into nothingness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what most general history books claim. The reality is that what little was left of the Elven civilization was excavated and hidden in isolated places. The Elves used heavenly artifacts that could raze cities to the ground. Naturally, secret organizations and governments alike would hide any new discoveries from the public, not only to avoid conflict but to keep the Elves forgotten considering their bloody history.¡±


    Alas, Zeke¡¯s knowledge regarding the extinct Elves was lacking, if not non-existent. The most he knew was that they were the original inhabitants of the Aether Planet, and that their extinctions preceded the arrival of the Earthling here.


    ¡°I think I now know why Venzo wanted to come here alone. He wanted to be the first to enter these Elven ruins.¡±


    Bran clicked his tongue in disapproval and didn¡¯t dare to touch anything remotely resembling a mechanism or an artifact.


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    ¡°Don¡¯t recklessly touch anything. Elven Artifacts are notorious for being traps or protected by dangerous Charms.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s attention was still focused on the dark brown leather book. Its archaic appearance notwithstanding, it was harmless and relatively thin, containing barely a hundred pages.


    There were, however, some black and white illustrations depicting either a handful of weapons, undecipherable magical formations, or distinct pictures of some Elves.


    Zeke wished for the System to offer some sort of an explanation, but it remained silent, as was its wont.


    ¡­


    Venzo continued walking on his own, mumbling and laughing. He rejoiced over the fact that he would become a High Scholar thanks to his discovery. If he could bring back even a single artifact from here, his fame would triple and he would no longer be looked down upon.


    ¡°To think I wasted all that money for a Knight who¡¯s not even protecting me. Ugh..¡±


    He didn¡¯t forget to complain about Bran¡¯s absence, which was entirely due to Venzo going off on his own without having the patience to wait.


    After an indeterminate amount of time, the scholar reached the end of the path; He was welcomed by a clean and gloomy room. It was made of equally-sized brown tiles, had a cubic shape and had a singular massive tomb at its center.


    The tomb itself was closed, but Venzo spotted two shiny items on top of it. The first was a sword embedded in it. It was a curved sword with a dark handle and a light green one-sided sharp edge.


    The second he laid eyes on it, Venzo forget to even breathe. His pupils constricted and his face turned into a shock and unbridled excitement.


    ¡°Th--..t-that¡¯s the Elf King¡¯s sword!¡±


    Right next to the sword was a less remarkable blade, one which contrasted its neighbor. It was made of a bronze-like material, broken, and rusty from top to bottom. It oozed a thin fog which was instantly extinguished by the other sword¡¯s brilliance and immaculate aura.


    Although Venzo expected these ruins to be better than the average ones that hid no treasures whatsoever, he was rendered speechless when he saw that enticing curved sword.


    He was a scholar, so he immediately realized that he had not just ventured into normal ruins but the very tomb of the Elf King.


    Venzo literally shook from jubilation, barely holding back the urge to cry in happiness. He seemed to have forgotten about the possible danger of barging into a sacred place as his eyes were glued on the prize.


    With rapid steps, Venzo Fekhyr hurried toward the tomb and climbed on top of it, salivating as he inspected the sword. He paid no attention to the rusty one, thinking it was put here by mistake. Then again, such an assumption was due to his greed and thirst for power.


    Before pulling the Elf King¡¯s curved sword, Venzo looked at the open entrance of the tomb and formulated a simple plan.


    He was fully aware that there would be a reaction once he pulled the sword, so he was about to make a run for it.


    ¡°One¡­ two¡­ three!¡±


    At last, he held the sword with two hands and pulled it with ease, then he hastily jumped down and sprinted toward the exit.


    Surprisingly, by the time he left the tomb, there was no reaction or mechanism that automatically activated. Thus, Venzo halted his feet and tentatively looked back, noticing no change.


    ¡°If it¡¯s like this¡­¡±


    He grinned and slowly walked back to the tomb, hoping to retrieve the shallow and rusty broken sword. Although it wasn¡¯t as remarkable as the other one, he still wanted to take it.


    Alas, that was the scholar¡¯s biggest mistake. The very second he lifted the blade, the whole tomb was assaulted by a violent earthquake.


    All the tiles turned upside down and Venzo fell to the ground as the tomb was slowly opening. Panicking and pale-faced, he got to his feet and run away, not even daring to look back.


    He felt a pair of eyes land on his back, giving birth to despair and dread.


    Venzo continued running for minutes, but that fearful sensation was getting strong even though he had crossed a considerable distance. Soon, he saw Sulong, Arbert, and Jack, who seemingly went after him.


    ¡°Run! Run away!¡±


    His warning, coupled with his distress and shaky voice, were fortunate enough to make them turn around and spring into a desperate mad sprint. Even Arbert was stricken with fear, shooting forward like a bolt of lightning.


    When they reached the intersection, they saw Bran and Zeke coming out of the central path, but before they could say anything, a chilling aura spread across every corner of the ruins.


    Bram was the first to act; He leapt behind them and unsheathed his sword, a burst of icy energy bursting forth and forming a thick wall of ice.


    His timely intervention was fast enough to block an invisible and deadly aura that came from the left path. The wall of ice resisted for half a breath then disintegrated into tiny little pieces while its caster, Bran, was flung to the back.


    His shoulder guards and the right side of the chest area of his armor were destroyed, leaving a nasty and grievous wound.


    ¡°Go go!¡±


    Zeke urged Sulong and Jack, who had stopped, to keep running while he run to Bran¡¯s side.


    The middle-aged knight was barely holding into his consciousness as blood gushed out profusely.


    Left with no choice, Zeke poured the Healing Elixir into the man¡¯s mouth then, once the wound closed down a bit, helped him stand up.


    ¡°T-thank you¡­¡±


    The force of that attack had shaken the strong-willed Bran, so much so that his voice was trembling.


    Zeke didn¡¯t speak, he supported the knight as they chased after the rest while the looming danger was getting closer and closer.


    Zeke, especially, could keenly feel the unknown presence creeping toward them. He subtly felt emotions of anger and rage.


    Furthermore, dozens of beastly howls were echoing across the ruins. All the dormant Black-scaled Crocodiles and Blight Toads were awakened, which only made the situation worse.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to kill us all!¡±


    Zeke couldn¡¯t keep his calm as he ran as fast as he could with Bran at his heel. When they reached the end of the corridor, they saw Venzo circling the familiar monolith, trying to get it to open so they could leave.


    Jack was in tears as he tapped his foot on the ground while frantically looking back. Arbert was covering his ears and continuously shaking his head, and Sulong was gritting his teeth and resisting the overwhelming aura.


    ¡°What did you do?!¡± Shouted Zeke as he noticed the two swords holstered around the scholar¡¯s waist.


    Venzo didn¡¯t reply, instead of concentrating on his task and soon triggering the mechanism and causing the way out to appear. He was the first to pass through, followed by Arbert and Jack.


    When they reappeared, they were at the side of the big swamp, a couple of meters away from the white van.


    Regrettably, Zeke didn¡¯t have the time to question Venzo again. Sulong signaled for all of them to get into the van as the swamp were like a raging tsunami.


    Black-scaled Crocodiles and Blight Toads were coming their way, screeching and growling monstrously.


    ¡°What are you waiting for! Go go!¡±


    Venzo saw that Jack was stupefied as he held the steering wheel and stared at the incoming beasts.


    A voice came from the top of the van. It was none other than Bran, who, instead of joining them, jumped on top and was planning to help them cross the swamp, which was arguably the safest place.


    After all, the enemies were coming from all directions, especially from the gloomy forest in the rear.


    ¡°What? Are you crazy?!¡±


    ¡°Do as he says! Quickly!¡±


    Once he heard Zeke, Jack closed his eyes and slammed the pedal, causing the van¡¯s engine to roar as it dove straight into the murky waters.


    Thankfully, Bran was there to offer assistance using his ability. Before the vehicle¡¯s wheels could touch the waters, a narrow ice bridge was formed.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to die¡­ we¡¯re going to die¡­ we¡¯re going to die¡­¡±


    Jack kept repeating the same words as he clutched the steering wheel and accelerated. The van was unsteadily rocking up and down as it crossed the ice bridge while Bran stabbed his sword into the roof to stabilize his body.


    Meanwhile, Zeke and Sulong kicked the backdoors of the van and blasted any enemies chasing after them. Lightning and Fire fused together, melting the bridge behind and scorching the enraged beasts.

 Chapter 68 The Burden of Truth

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to make it like this!¡±


    Sulong extended both arms and let out swirling flames bursts that merged in the air then exploded into a sea of crimson fire. The van was rocking intensely, coupled with the narrowness of the ice bridge and the incessant attacks of the pursuers, making it seem as if it was about to submerge into the swamp waters anytime soon.


    ¡°Aah!¡±


    Scholar Venzo Fekhyr, who was sitting at the back and hugging the Elf King¡¯s sword, was pale-faced and shouting in fear. Eventually, the expected and unavoidable happened as Bran was distracted by numerous enemies, thus rendering it impossible to continue the bridge.


    Thus did the van dive into the swamp, causing huge volumes of water to slip inside. With its rear pointing upwards, the vehicle was being submerged, making the defending process more difficult for Zeke and Sulong.


    Fortunately, at that time, the frightened Arbert made a move. Before the van could completely get engulfed in waters, the youth bit his hand and muttered something.


    Within a couple of breaths, a large hand made of solidified blood appeared out of thin air and picked up the comparatively small van.


    It lifted it above the waters and waited for the pre-occupied Bran to reform the ice.


    The roof of the back of the van was pulverized, which allowed Zeke to jump up and lend assistance to Bran. The two nodded at each other as the knight drew a symbol with his hand then let out a chilling aura that spread around him, freezing everything. Zeke, on the other hand, used all of his remaining Aether in his body and the Voltage Run to unleash a rain composed of dozens of powerful thunderbolts.


    The crips and deafening sound of the voltage echoed across the swamp, laying waste to the nearby Blight Toads and dealing substantial damage to the approaching Dark-scaled Crocodiles.


    ¡°Huff¡­huff..¡±


    As his arms got heavy and his body wobbled, Zeke was caught by Bran just as the van fell to the new ice bridge.


    The distressed Jack turned the keys and pressed the pedals, praying that the engine would return to life.


    ¡°Come on¡­ please work. Come on!¡±


    Fortunately, the van roared as it let out black smoke and accelerated forward. Venzo lost hold of the broken sword, which slid towards the open back of the vehicle before flapping into the murky waters.


    The Elf King¡¯s sword also escaped him as he had grasped into something to not get swept up by the abrupt momentum.


    Sulong reached out with his hand and held Arbert¡¯s light body, saving him the tragic fate of getting left behind. However, as he pulled the boy closer and out of danger, the black scales came flying straight at him, piercing his muscular arm and almost making the two of them fall.


    One of the wheels got hit, causing it to deflate then explode, but Bran was quick-witted enough and used his ability to momentarily target the van.


    His timely intervention saved it from falling to the side or derailing, but the speed it had gained was now gone and its current pace was pitifully slow.


    Sulong instructed Arbert to hold into something while he knelt at the back of the van. He concentrated for a couple of breaths as red particles gathered in front of him. Then, when he was done, he shouted,


    ¡°All of you! Hold on to something!¡±


    Bran and Zeke held the former¡¯s sword, which was stuck into an unscathed part of the vehicle¡¯s roof.


    Jack grabbed the steering wheel, still trying to navigate across the swamp. As for Arbert, he jumped into the passenger seat and used the seat belt to bind his body.


    Soon, Sulong¡¯s magic burst forth, resulting in an explosion that sent the van flying like a rocket. Jack lost control of it as it was launched in the air.


    It was in those few seconds that Venzo, whose body was swept up in the air, involuntarily lost hold of the Elf King¡¯s sword. Although he managed to retrieve it back, the momentum gained by Sulong¡¯s spell was gone as the van started falling.


    However, everyone could see that they weren¡¯t falling back into the swamp. No, they have reached a ¡®dead end¡¯. Basically, there was an outrageously big cliff, one that oversaw the rest of the Living Forest.


    ¡°Aaaahhh!¡±


    Jack cried as he closed his eyes and kept hugging the steering wheel. Arbert bit his hand and was about to use his magic again but stopped at the last second as a silhouette appeared in front of the falling van.


    When it appeared, all of them were shocked as they were bound by something suffocating and irresistible.


    Bran and Zeke were still holding the sword, Sulong was at the back of the van with the frightened Venzo, and Arbert lowered his head, not daring to meet the entity¡¯s deep and ethereal eyes.


    The Elf King ¡®Roenyr¡¯, in the flesh, was hovering before the van, his cold gaze sweeping across everyone. He focused on the sword in Venzo¡¯s arms but didn¡¯t forcefully take it.


    Instead, he seemed surprised by Zeke. He floated closer to the startled and pale-faced youth, who was feeling genuine fear and anxiousness.


    ¡°Ohh¡­ the 5th user.¡±


    He spoke using a different tongue, an unknown language that, though sounding like gibberish, contained an invisible pressure and authority.


    Roenyr was a slim elven make, taller than even Sulong. He had long light yellow hair that reached his waist, decorated with an Elvish emerald ornament that resembled a crown. His skin was as white as snow, but the most attractive thing was his face, which was equipped with unparalleled beauty. His feminine was a bit feminine, but his sharp eyes and angular face, coupled with his prowess, made him look dangerous rather than amicable or harmless.


    Seeing that Zeke didn¡¯t understand him, the Elf King frowned and leaned closer, scrutinizing the youth from head to toe.


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    ¡°Get a Divine Path, then I¡¯ll consider you worthy to shoulder the burden of truth.¡±


    After muttering those words, Roenyr vanished into thin air, along with the dozens, if not hundreds of Dark-scaled Crocodiles and Blight Toads down below.


    However, the Elf King seemed to have forgotten about their current predicament. The van continued falling as its passengers panicked again, especially Jack, who lost consciousness from sheer fright.


    Like a helpless leaf, the van shot down from above, spinning slowly as it closed in on the visible and tree-filled ground.


    Whether it was Bran, Zeke, or Sulong, none of them could do anything to ensure their safe landing. They could only hope as the vehicle crashed into the vines and the trees then thudded on the ground, landing on its four, or rather, three wheels.


    There was a moment of deafening silence as they all processed what just happened. The engine was letting out steam, the windows were shattered, the roof was all but gone, and there were dents riddling every corner.


    As for injuries; Jack, who snapped out of it, cried out in pain and cursed out loud as his shoulder was dislocated. Arbert was seemingly unscathed, same for Zeke, Bran, and Sulong.


    Venzo, however, was unconscious and tightly hugging the Elf King¡¯s sword as if his life depended on it.


    ¡°We made¡­ made it¡­ hahahahaha¡­¡±


    Either due to the ridiculousness of what they went through or the repeated life-threatening situations he had found himself into in such a short period of time, Jack burst out laughing with a shaky voice.


    He only sobered up when Sulong, who was faintly smiling, dragged him out of the van and gave and fixed his shoulder.


    ¡°Ouch! Shit man! Can¡¯t you be gentler?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a little girl!¡±


    A distance away, Zeke sat on the ground and gasped for breath while Bran was examining his sword.


    ¡°Suffice it to say, this has been an¡­ enlightening experience.¡± Remarked Bran as he scanned his body, satisfied with the effects of the Healing Elixir. He walked to Zeke, handing him a leather pouch.


    ¡°Take it, please.¡±


    Although hesitant at first, Zeke accepted it with a wry smile.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have survived if it wasn¡¯t for you. I must, however, apologize for my employer¡¯s reckless and idiotic behavior. I didn¡¯t sign up for this.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I. Still, at least I got to know a veteran Knight of the Empire.¡±


    Zeke chuckled as he moved his arms, content that he sustained no fatal injuries. His Aether Reservoice was completely depleted and his was very fatigued, but he managed to survive with everyone.


    It was, undeniably, the first time he felt so scared, especially when the Elf King appeared. It felt as if he was probed by a divine entity.


    ¡®He mentioned a Divine Path. Could it be a special type? Like the time-gated one? And what did he mean by the ¡®burden of truth¡¯?¡¯


    There was definitely a lot of take-in from that situation. Whether it was Roenyr¡¯s abrupt appearance, his disregard for the stolen sword, or his confusing behavior when he spotted Zeke.


    ¡®He wouldn¡¯t spare me on a whim, which means he acted as such because of the System. Was he a previous user? But I didn¡¯t see his statue on the Mausoleu-no.. Wait¡­¡¯


    Zeke turned his head and looked at Sulong, the Seat of Criminality. Roenyr could have been an associate or a friend of a previous user. However, that wouldn¡¯t explain everything, unless there were unwritten rules that all System-users, past, and present, were actually allies and had to aid each other. Then again, that theory was inherently flawed as there was no need to help those in the past.


    ¡°For the sake of avoiding pointless arguments¡­ with him. I believe it¡¯s best to separate now.¡± Suggested Bran as he checked Venzo¡¯s pulse then lifted his body and put it over his shoulder.


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Zeke stood up and firmly shook hands with Bran as they smiled at each other.


    ¡°Again, if you ever find yourself in the Empire, specifically the Imperial Capital, then look for me. Look for The Bjarg Group.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I wish you a safe return.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, my friend. Likewise.¡±


    Bran departed thereafter, disappearing amidst the cluster of trees.


    As for Zeke and his companions, they couldn¡¯t leave the van after coming this far. There were quasi-roads that could be used, but first, Jack had to fix the vehicle and one of the wheels had to be replaced. Fortunately, there were spare ones at the back, though one was flung by the impact and the remaining one was, more or less, usable.


    ¡°You did a good job. Thank you for saving us.¡±


    Zeke walked to the quiet Arbert and patted his head, which made him react in a positive manner. He didn¡¯t ignore Zeke or back away, as was his wont, instead, plastering a sincere smile and nodding, seemingly proud and glad.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    Once he was done calming down Jack and urging him to start fixing the van, Sulong drifted away and scratched his bald head.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t our fault. Venzo stole those artifacts and we saw him running.¡±


    Perhaps Sulong thought Zeke was angry with him, so he offered an explanation. But, much, to his surprise, Zeke heartily laughed, which was uncharacteristic of his part.


    ¡°Come on, Sulong, you don¡¯t have to explain everything to me. I¡¯m just glad we¡¯re all alive. Speaking of which, let¡¯s rest a bit then do those ¡®Regional Missions¡¯ we saw earlier. I think Arbert is perfectly capable of protecting Jack, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡­


    Zeke and Sulong received two missions, but one was unwittingly completed in their attempt to pass through the swamp.


    Zeke had checked the logs and confirmed that the rewards were decent and worth the effort and time. He was rewarded with 4 PE, 4EXP, and 1 Agility. However, it was unknown what the System did to Sulong as he didn¡¯t have a personal Status Window.


    Then again, it wasn¡¯t particularly difficult to guess. Although it hasn¡¯t been long since he was granted the Seat of Criminality, Sulong has been growing at a drastic and surprising rate.


    His Fire-aspected magic, although inferior to Azmer¡¯s golden flames, was still dangerous and highly effective. Perhaps the System was strengthening Sulong based on Zeke¡¯s improvements? Or maybe there was a different advancement System that was still hidden.


    Whatever the reason was, Zeke didn¡¯t dwell too much about it, not because he didn¡¯t care, but because he lacked sensitive information that no one could provide. Additionally, Sulong was his friend and companion. They were in this together and he had come to trust him and Jack after getting to know them.


    Just seeing how Sulong cared for Arbert and treated him like a son showed how good of a person he was. He was taking care of a child that wasn¡¯t his own, one who was suspected to be born artificially and from the sacrifice of many people.


    As the youth and bald man warily ventured into the gloomy parts of the nasty forest in search of Treants, Sulong cleared his throat and stutteringly asked,


    ¡°H-hey¡­ about Arbert.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Replied Zeke as he pushed away the vines and looked around for potential targets.


    ¡°What do you think we should do about him?¡±


    Zeke halted his feet and looked back at the conflicted man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the adult, you are. The kid¡¯s circumstances of birth do not define his nature, nor should they condemn his life. If you are serious about keeping him, just know that displaying kindness alone isn¡¯t enough. He¡¯s a child¡­ and a special one, at that.¡±


    Sulong frowned, silently disagreeing, which made Zeke continue,


    ¡°You¡¯re not a fool, Sulong. Surely you¡¯ve noticed already. Arbert ages faster when he uses his Blood Magic. I¡¯ll even take it one step further and say that any excessive ¡®exercise¡¯ might also lead to rapid aging. That¡¯s why he mostly does nothing.¡±


    ¡°W-we could find a solution. I mean, you helped me, right?¡±


    ¡°You put me on too high of a pedestal, Sulong. Separation will come. It always does, so I advise you to keep your expectations in check.¡±


    The man lowered his head, his eyes containing a mix of sadness and frustration.


    ¡°If you were looking for words of optimism, you¡¯ll get none from me, Sulong. I¡¯m sorry, but I prefer to be realistic and prepare for any eventuality. That¡¯s how I deal with problems¡­ I try to rationalize rather than fall to sentiment. Enough brooding, on our left, get ready!¡±

 Chapter 69 Stella

    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 7 (16/105 EXP)]


    [Strength: 102]


    [Agility: 89]


    [Aether: 96]


    [Fortitude: 25]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 51%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Rune of Life (Proficiency 87%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(29%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(31%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(10%) - Surge of Pain (40%) - Body Damage(30%) - Self-Injection(20%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstence (65%) - Call of Honor(0%)]


    [Available PE: 46]


    Excluding the two Regional Missions Zeke had received at the beginning of his sojourn in the Living Forest, he didn¡¯t receive anything else. The hunt for the 50 Treants was smooth mainly because they were significantly weaker than Blight Toads and could be eliminated easily by Sulong¡¯s flames.


    Zeke didn¡¯t miss any of the Daily Tasks, aiming for the Death-Walker Main Path. Even though the path required a whopping 50PE, Zeke kept his expectations moderate to avoid any disappointment later on. Admittedly, if he were to receive nothing special, it would have been a huge waste of PE, especially such a big amount. Still, he chose to believe that the rewards would have been worth the effort.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Jack disembarked from the vehicle and looked at the gloomy forest they had finally passed. It took them an arduous week to bee-line across the Living Forest and arrive at the northern sector of the Whitefrost Planes.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to use the same route when we return¡­ r-right?¡±


    Jack tentatively looked at the rest only to see them grinning and laughing at his exaggerated reactions.


    While they had faced their face of dangers, it was only when they cooperated with Venzo and Bran. After that, the rest of the trip, albeit tiresome, was relatively peaceful.


    They didn¡¯t approach any swamps and steered away from conspicuous ruins and places that obviously hid powerful beasts and priceless artifacts.


    In fact, the strongest beast Zeke and Sulong had faced was an alligator that spat poisonous bubbles.


    It took them a full 20-minutes to take it down, even pushing Zeke to use ¡®Over-drive¡¯. However, in return, they were able to clumsily extract a handful of precious materials that they could sell later.


    After all, they were low on cash and they had to start planning from now on if they ever want to expand their business.


    ¡°Here¡­ one for each of you.¡±


    Despite his incessant whining, Jack was like the caretaker of the group. Not only was he efficient in repairing the van, but he had also prepared rations and suitable clothes for the blistering coldness dominating over the Whitefrost Planes.


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    ¡°If my calculations were correct, we should be able to reach our destination within two to three days. However, we lost our spare fuel during that¡­ disastrous chain of events in the swamp. We need to stop by an outpost.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do that, then. I think all of us deserve a proper rest.¡±


    Sulong agreed with Zeke as he grunted, ¡°I¡¯ve grown tired of sleeping on the ground. I¡¯m not asking for luxury but a good sleep on a bed would definitely rejuvenate me, yes?¡±


    He looked at Arbert, who had grown considerably. His recent exertions turned him into a fully-grown adolescent.


    His height matched Zeke¡¯s, but his hair was very long and eye-catching. He looked like an immaculate sculpture, equipped with extraordinarily beautiful facial features, and a fit yet not an overly muscular body.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind sleeping on the ground.¡± Commented the teenager as he softly smiled.


    He had grown accustomed to talking and throwing remarks. Arbert became more vocal, either because he wanted to get close to his companions, or because he no longer saw a reason to keep to himself while his life was dwindling away.


    Whatever the case, he actively joined conversations and inquired about anything unknown to his relatively young mentality. Still, whether it was physically or mentally, he was growing fast.


    ¡°By the way, we should be on the look-out.¡± Warned Jack as he wrapped a scarf around his neck and covered the windows with a light blanket to block the freezing wind from invading the vehicle.


    Seeing them give him a confused look, he cursed under his breath, ¡°Am I the only one who did proper research? Come on, guys. I¡¯m becoming a babysitter.¡±


    Eventually, he sighed and explained, ¡°This particular sector of the Whitefrost Planes has a dangerous number of bandits or hostile tribes. Granted, if we stick to the main road, the probability of getting attacked is low.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the driver, Jack. Just stick to the main road and that¡¯s it. Why do you have to worry us with such claims?¡±


    ¡°So you can be damn prepared!¡±


    ¡°Alright alright. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Aw!¡± Jack rubbed his head and glared at his grinning friend, whose body was bigger than the passenger seat.


    ¡­


    One day later


    ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re doing it.¡±


    Sulong stuck his head out of the van and looked to the side.


    Zeke was slowly jogging, completing the daily quota offered by the System. Running in the thick snow was easier said than done, but it wasn¡¯t without benefits.


    With the help of ¡®Fatigue Abstinence¡¯ and the unfavorable environment, his physical stats (Strength, Agility) were rising.


    In fact, just by completing the Daily Tasks, he would gain 2 Strength and 2 Agility excluding the usual rewards. Such an increase was always welcomed by the hard-working Zeke, who didn¡¯t want to let go of this opportunity.


    ¡°If we weren¡¯t in the middle of absolutely nowhere, I would have been motivated to join you. Really.¡± Commented Sulong as he grinned at the youth while motioning for him to run faster.


    ¡°One two, one two, one two. Come on, boy!¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up?!¡± Lashed back Zeke as he circled to the other side. Unfortunately, Jack was no different from his friend.


    ¡°At this rate, you won¡¯t keep us with Stella.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What? Look at her. She¡¯s been with us through thick and thin.¡±


    Jack patted the door of the van, which was given a name for some reason.


    ¡°You can do it, Zeke.¡±


    Arbert also peeked and raised his feast, enthusiastically encouraging the youth.


    Just when Zeke was about to finish the running task, both he and Stella came to a sudden stop.


    The thick snow before them rose into the air before dispersing, revealing a winged creature with a long beak and light blue skin. Its beady brown eyes squirmed then focused on what was in front of it.


    It viewed the unknown machine and the humans as enemies, thus letting out an ear-piercing screech.


    Zeke, who was outside, was the first to make a move as bolts of lightning struck the creature, causing it to stagger.


    Its weirdly bent legs left deep imprints on the snow while its wings started flapping.


    The shock from the voltage allowed Zeke to ready ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯ and throw it at the creature.


    ¡°Jack! You sure this is the main road?!¡±


    Zeke shouted at the frightened man as the spear of blue lightning pierced the target¡¯s chest, grievously wounding it. However, it wasn¡¯t enough to stop it as it took to the air and let out a chilling breath.


    The van backed away as fast as it could while Sulong got out and performed a punch; A swirling pillar of fire clashed with the winged beast¡¯s breath, blocking its attack.


    Zeke used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ at the last second, dodging the incoming creature, which almost penetrated its long and sharp beak into his body.


    Surprisingly, it managed to swiftly change the direction of its flight and come straight at him again.


    Its speed was outrageous as it let out screeches, its thin and lengthy wings spread to both sides and increasing its velocity.


    Seeing no time to concentrate on a spot and teleport again, Zeke was about to use ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ only to be left speech a fountain of blood splattered on the ground.


    Someone had literally sliced the creature in half. It was a clean and deadly strike.


    Zeke¡¯s eyes landed on a man that was, at least, 2 meters in height. He wore thick white fur and leather clothes underneath and was holding an axe equal to his size.


    The man was accompanied by two others, both equipped with domineering physiques, huge weapons, and muscular bodies hardened by years of battles.


    The man who killed the winged beast had a grizzly face, a thick black beard, and what seemed to be tattoos across the left side of his face.

 Chapter 70 Cryo Wolf Tribe

    ¡°Hah? A child?¡±


    The grizzly-faced warrior eyed Zeke with surprise. He was still holding the massive axe but didn¡¯t seem hostile as if he didn¡¯t consider Zeke or the rest a threat.


    ¡°Travelers or merchants, I presume?¡±


    Although still startled by their abrupt arrival, Zeke solemnly nodded his head. He was on full-alert and especially a warrior of the man. He had killed that winged beast with one swing, making it clear that he was equipped with incredible physical prowess.


    If he was attacked, Zeke would be hard-pressed to defend himself or flee. Fortunately, however, the new arrivals lowered their weapons and gazed at him inquisitively.


    ¡°This is a distance away from the main road. Not only is it dangerous but¡­¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes narrowed as he focused his gaze on Sulong, whom he presumed was the leader, ¡°It¡¯s also our territory.¡±


    Sulong cursed under his breath and glared at Jack, who repeatedly insisted that he was adept at reading maps.


    It was kind of odd that they haven¡¯t met anyone and the ¡®road¡¯ was filled with thick layers of snow, but since the driver, Jack, reassured them they were on the right course, they didn¡¯t question anything.


    As it turned out, they were completely off-course, which was why they encountered that winged creature.


    ¡°Pardon us, we didn¡¯t mean to come here. We thought we were on the main road.¡± Apologetically said Zeke.


    As he saw Zeke take the lead instead of the bald Sulong, the man furrowed his brows and thought for a moment before heartily laughing


    ¡°No worries, kid!¡± He then paused, shook his head, and clicked his tongue, his eyes still glued to the frail-looking youth,


    ¡°I have to say¡­ what are they feeding you out there? You kids from the big cities are thinner than our babies. Even my son can blow you away with a fart.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Rendered speechless, Zeke opted to keep his silence rather than argue with the man. It didn¡¯t seem he was purposely mocking him but just lamenting over something.


    ¡°I¡¯m Roger! These are my fellow warriors, Verso and K¡¯hart!¡±


    Zeke shook hands with Roger only to have his hand almost crushed by his monstrous and natural strength.


    While clenching and unclenching his numb hand, Zeke walked next to the three warriors while Jack drove the van and followed them. To avoid any unnecessary complications, Sulong stayed at the back and made sure Arbert was out of view.


    After all, as the spawn of the Blood God, he might emit an invisible and ominous aura, which could possibly be felt by someone as strong as Roger. Therefore, it was best to keep things secretive and get on with this as fast as possible.


    In fact, the main road wasn¡¯t that far from their location, though they had to cross a medium-sized snowy cliff. They encountered no trouble, but despite the little time it took, Zeke felt as if it took an eternity due to Roger¡¯s rambling and his excessive actions.


    He would poke his back and grasp his thin arm, complaining about his lack of muscles or weak-looking physique.


    ¡°We, the Cryo Wolf tribe, are the strongest in the Whitefront Planes! We have safeguarded our homeland for generations!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Then came those marauders from the South!¡± Roger spat on the ground, anger surfacing on his scary face.


    ¡°We beat them senseless and only then did they run away like cowards! Hah! At least the Witches are helpful and reasonable.¡±


    Zeke got to hear about fragment history regarding Roger¡¯s supposedly famous tribe and the Empire¡¯s unsuccessful attempt in subjugating the Western and Southern sectors of the Whitefrost Planes.


    Eventually, after an hour, Stella finally entered the main road, which was well-paved and suitable for transportation vehicles.


    ¡°It¡¯s been nice meeting you, kid!¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ L-like wise!¡±


    Zeke was ¡®patted¡¯ on the back, which almost made him head-first into the snowy ground. With a shaky voice, he reciprocated Roger¡¯s heartfelt words and they soon separated ways.


    It was fortunate that this whole matter proceeded smoothly and they were even escorted to a relatively safer place.


    ¡°Now I feel more motivated to train my body.¡± Grumbled Sulong as he looked to the side, staring at the disappearing back of the three warriors.


    In comparison to Roger, even the muscular Sulong was like an ant. He was taller than average adults, but, apparently, the members of the Cryo Wolf tribe were gifted with a remarkable physique that was highly resistant to the blistering cold.


    ¡°He spoke of a blessing. Do you think it¡¯s true?¡± Jack hesitantly asked the quiet Zeke, but he received no response.


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Replied Sulong instead. ¡°Deities and celestial entities exist, so their so-called ¡®Fenrir¡¯ must be true too. After seeing their strength and bodies, I¡¯m inclined to believe their ¡®blessing¡¯ nonsense. After all, no amount of training will turn you into a giant with a mountain of such well-defined muscles.¡±


    Arbert, whose long crimson hair was tied into a pony-tail that surprisingly suited him, remarked,


    ¡°I sensed a lingering trace of divinity in the three of them. The man named Roger, especially, seemed to be blessed by not one but two divinities or Gods.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Now that he had grown exponentially, Arbert spoke more coherently. His lack of general knowledge notwithstanding, his perceptive senses and inherently different and unique characteristics allowed him to see and feel more than his companions.


    ¡°Oh? Do you know how strong he was? Like an approximation.¡± Enthusiastically asked Jack, who was hoping to get blessed by a deity too.


    With a hand under his chin, imitating his adoptive father when he pondered, Arbert thought for a couple of seconds then gave an elaborate answer,


    ¡°He¡¯s weaker than the Elf who attacked us. However, he¡¯s stronger than any other person I¡¯ve met.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t met a lot of people, though¡­¡± Dejectedly retorted Jack.


    Arbert nodded while softly smiling. ¡°Yes, I met Papa, Uncle Jack, brother Zeke, and that invisible woman who was spying on us in the office.¡±


    Zeke snorted in annoyance the moment Katrina was mentioned. Actually, Sulong already told him that he kept feeling a subtle presence whenever he had visited him, but since they lacked critical evidence, they couldn¡¯t determine who it was.


    However, after deliberating for a bit, Zeke was able to guess the identity of the ¡®stalker¡¯.


    He had met Katrina in the past and knew that she was proficient at stealth and assassination, and since the mysterious person who had followed him didn¡¯t do anything, it wasn¡¯t particularly to link them with Katrina, especially since he had caught a glimpse of her when he briefly fought Azmer¡¯s father.


    ¡°Besides the Elf and Roger, the strongest person I sensed was in the shop close to Papa¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°Shop? What shop?¡±


    ¡°The red one you always look at, Papa.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Sulong, a bit embarrassed, averted turned his head away from Zeke¡¯s inquisitive eyes.


    ¡°U-um¡­ it¡¯s the local brothel. Its owner and I are¡­ acquaintances.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m telling you!¡± Shouted back Sulong while grunting, his face turning a bit red.


    ¡°Heheheh, let me tell you about his c-¡±


    Jack¡¯s mouth was covered by his friend, who slapped his head and silently motioned for him to focus on driving.


    ¡­


    A couple of days later, after making short stops at an outpost to refill Stella¡¯s fuel, the group of four finally cross the Northern sector of the Whitefrost Planes.


    The biome drastically changed, transforming from stretches of snowy cliffs to a range of beautiful green valleys, nter-connecting small rivers, and lush forests.


    The van had diverged from the dirt road and halted next to a creek. The weather was warm and welcoming, the blue sky was clear, and the favorable environment enticed them to take a short rest to enjoy the view and plan things.


    Jack was humming as he meticulously cleaned the van with Arbert¡¯s help.


    Sulong was by the side, doing push-ups, his muscular body covered in sweat.


    As for Zeke, he was sitting cross-legged on the grass, finishing the last stretch of the Daily Tasks; meditation.


    Although he didn¡¯t particularly care for it when he received the System, he had learned to enjoy meditation due to the intangible benefits it brought him.


    It significantly helped clear his mind and bring clarity and serenity. He would ease his troubled heart and isolate himself from reality while controlling his breathing and enjoying this ethereal and ephemeral sensation.


    This was a brief moment of respite before the real action began. The information Sulong had gotten was not based on only rumors, so Zeke was confident that he would find traces of the Ascetic Blasphemers or even encounter some of its members.


    [Daily Tasks 3/3 completed]


    [+3 PE]


    [+1 Strength]


    [+3 EXP]


    While grinning, Zeke opened his Status Window, ecstatic to have finally saved up 50PE for the Death-Walker Path. Instead of unlocking it later, he did it on the spot, hoping that it would provide him with useful skills for what fate was planning for him and the rest.


    He might not be that strong in comparison to the big-shots, but he wasn¡¯t alone. Their little group was versatile and decently strong, whether it was Sulong¡¯s scorching crimson flames, Arbert¡¯s potent and diverse Blood Magic, or Zeke¡¯s arsenal of offensive and defensive skills.


    Basically, they had the ability to defend themselves in dangerous situations.


    [The Death-Walker Main Path has been unlocked!]


    [You obtain the Survival Skill ¡®Cycle of Life and Death¡¯]


    [You obtain the skill ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯]


    [You obtain the skill ¡®Reaper¡¯s Sweep¡¯]


    [You gained 10 Aether]


    [You gained 5 Agility]


    [You gained 5 Strength]


    [You gained 25 EXP]


    Excited, Zeke immediately checked the new skills. Unbeknown to him, however, his body oozed a sinister black fog that made the other flinch and look at him with surprise.


    Arbert, specifically, backed away in fright, only calming down when the fog returned inside the youth¡¯s body.


    ¡­


    ¡°We should be close now. Any encouraging words, Zeke?¡±


    The four sat around a campfire, which provided a bit of illumination amidst the darkness of the night.


    Tomorrow, they would reach their destination and might even encounter Zeke¡¯s targets.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± With a hand under his chin, Zeke swept his gaze across the three of them and responded,


    ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°That sounds awfully discouraging. You¡¯re really bad with words, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to say, then?¡± He snappishly retorted at the cheeky man.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Maybe ¡®We will survive this¡¯ or ¡®Let¡¯s do this together¡¯. Instead, you tell us not to die? By the gods, we must really fix your shitty attitude.¡±


    ¡°To begin with, we¡¯ve here to investigate, not to recklessly fight. I¡¯m only saying there¡¯s a possibility to get embroiled in their affairs¡­ and a possibility to die. I mean, that¡¯s to be expected!¡±


    ¡°Expected, my ass! Sulong, give me the beer!¡±


    The person in question put his hand in the make-shift freezer and touched the beer, ¡°It¡¯s still warm, though!¡±


    ¡°Arghh! It doesn¡¯t matter! Give me!¡±


    The bald ex-loan shark shrugged and threw a beer to his friend. Seeing him gulp it down in one go, he exchanged glances with Arbert and Zeke, the three heartily laughing at their disheartened companion.


    ¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s the right way!¡±


    Katrina breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the clear track marks left by the white van, which was last seen leaving the Sunken Metropolis.


    Unlike the pursuers sent by the Vyrsan Household, she guessed that Zeke would rather risk traversing the Living Forest then the Whitefrost Planes.


    Admittedly, she had her doubts in the beginning, but after seeing the traces left by her quarry, her prior suspicions were ascertained, fortunately.


    She was aware of Zeke¡¯s endeavor and his plan of investigating the recent sighting of the Ascetic Blasphemers on the South-east border of the Witch Association.


    The young woman lifted her head and looked at the still-present ice bridge, cutting through the large swamp.


    She had been slightly delayed due to the unrest spreading across the Living Forest. However, she managed to hold her own and eliminate any beasts that attacked her.


    Given her current pace, she wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up to Zeke as she was traveling on foot. Therefore, Katrina was going to take a dangerous shortcut to increase her pace and reach Zeke before something happened to him.


    With her twin glistening silver blades in hand, the agent took a deep breath and then spring into a mad sprint, her silhouette turned blurry as she swiftly traversed the ice bridge.

 Chapter 71 Commander Hext

    14 days after the incident at Erys.


    ¡°See? I told you it was a bad idea!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke and the other three were walking in a line, surrounded by at least ten witches.


    They unknowingly got too close to one of the outposts and were immediately spotted. Unfortunately, the white van ¡®Stella¡¯ wasn¡¯t fast enough to grant them a timely escape.


    Very much like the Nezulian Republic, the Witch Association also made use of Technology, but mainly within its military.


    Before the van could cross any considerable distance, a black truck roared from behind and blocked their path.


    Instead of retaliating, Zeke instructed them to surrender and properly explain themselves once they got the chance.


    They got dangerously close to the border and it was within the witches¡¯ jurisdiction to apprehend them or even do worse if necessary.


    Still, Zeke was going to make use of the knowledge he had to warn them about the Ascetic Blasphemers.


    Although the details of the sightings Sulong got his hands on weren¡¯t that explicit, it did mention that a number of small settlements around this area were getting attacked.


    Either the witches already knew about this and were making ready for an attack, or they were still ignorant of the looming danger.


    Within ten minutes or so, the four travelers were dragged to the outpost. The dozens of witches patrolling and guarding the place were giving them hostile and unwelcome glares, one more frightening than the other.


    ¡°I know I said I wanted to die surrounded by beautiful woman, but this isn¡¯t what I mean-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Sulong stomped his friend¡¯s foot and warned him for the second time, but Jack paid him little heed.


    Eventually, they were taken to a large tent and faced a domineering woman with a black and golden military outfit.


    She stood straight with both hands behind her back. She had a tall frame, short black hair, narrow brown eyes, and a small scar at the side of her lips.


    ¡°I am 4-star commander, Silya Hext. Unless you want to be put down here and now, you will answer all of my questions.¡±


    In addition to Silya Hext, there were four other Witches present, two guarding both sides of the captives, and the remaining ones at the entrance of the tent.


    Either from their attire or the van they were using, Silya knew that they originated from the Nezulian Republic. She first asked for their names, so they obediently answered.


    ¡°I am Zeke Orland, a student from Erys.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Sulong.


    ¡°J-Jack.¡±


    ¡°My name is Arbert. Nice to meet you.¡±


    The red-haired youth softly smiled, seemingly unaffected by the tense atmosphere.


    Before the commander could ask any more questions, Zeke saw it fit to explain the situation,


    ¡°There have been sightings of the Ascetic Blasphmeres around this area, Madam. We came here to investigate. We neither wanted to disturb your work or trouble you and your soldiers.¡±


    Silya furrowed her brows and approached the youth, who was a head shorter than her. With a chillingly cold stare, she looked down at him while saying,


    ¡°You will talk when talked to.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, madam, I think this is a misunderstanding. The Witch Association has strict rules and it was a mistake on our part to get too close to the outpost. Could you please let us go?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Zeke was the only one who talked, his companions were silent and anxious, with the exception of Arbert, of course.


    ¡°This is not a place where you can come and go as you please. Without any official Transit Pass, you are nothing but criminals to be executed.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit extreme? We¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±


    Seeing the youth stubbornly talk to her, Silya snorted and turned away, motioning for her subordinates to lock them up.


    ¡°Wait¡­ listen to me! We could all be in dange-¡±


    Zeke kept pleading until he was dragged out of the tent and into an empty cage in the middle of the outpost. There, he was locked along with the other three.


    They were like zoo animals, being stared at by the curious witches who had never seen men.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do we do with them, madam?¡±


    As she sat behind her desk, Silya Hext pinched her temples and sighed in exasperation. Indeed, Zeke¡¯s warnings weren¡¯t baseless, and their poor attempt at escaping her soldiers proved that they weren¡¯t part of a secret organization.


    Seeing her assistant give her a long and quiet stare, Hext shrugged in frustration,


    ¡°What you want me to do? Execute two kids just for trespassing? It¡¯s getting late so we¡¯ll release them tomorrow with a warning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, madam.¡±


    Before the assistant could leave, Hext stopped her and added,


    ¡°Give them something to eat.¡±


    ¡­


    Funnily enough, when the night had fallen and the soldiers were supposed to be resting, there was a sizeable group of Witches around the cage.


    Zeke was minding his own business and eating the food while Sulong, grinning from one ear to the other, was exaggerating his recent adventures to the girls and women listening with perked ears.


    Maybe it was pure luck, or he really was charismatic, whatever it was, he managed to gain their goodwill and turn their hostility to interest and amicability.


    Jack joined in and helped coordinate the recounted stories riddled with lies and delusions.


    There were even some Witches interested in Arbert, the most handsome of the four. The youth¡¯s resplendent crimson hair and flawless appearance made him the target of pure-hearted females, who were supposed to be strong-willed soldiers.


    It was clear that it was their first time encountering men, which went to show how strictly the Witch Association upheld its laws, especially the one about banning any interaction with the opposite sex.


    ¡°Have you had enough?!¡±


    A reverberating and clarion voice startled all the Witches. They instinctively jumped to their feet and saluted as the commander came.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a social gathering. Go back to your tents!¡±


    Like a flock of flies, they all hastily dispersed, which made the smug Sulong curse under his breath.


    ¡°For how long are you going to keep us here?¡± Asked the disheartened Zeke, who, unlike his friends, didn¡¯t like sitting inside a cage.


    ¡°You will be released tomorrow morning. However, if we catch you again, it won¡¯t end like this.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the youth no retort, Hext snorted and was about to leave only to hear him speak,


    ¡°You should be ready for an atta-¡±


    Before Zeke could finish, one of the small tents housing the soldiers turned into flames as loud cries came from within.


    Unfortunately, that was only the beginning as one tent after the other was engulfed in flames. The few lucky soldiers who got out in time were hit by something that made their bodies bulge and then literally explode into a fog of blood.


    Horrified and shocked by this, Silya Hext immediately took out her weapon, a curved black blade, and shot toward a silver-robed silhouette she spotted.


    As for Zeke, he banged on the cage bars, yelling at the witches to stop panicking and focus on the new arrivals: Silver-robed people wearing metal masks.


    It took only a glance for Zeke to recognize those people, inhumane lunatics that would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.


    Although it was unknown why their would target this outpost, he knew that sitting in the cage would only lead to his and his companions¡¯ death.


    ¡°Sulong!¡±


    ¡°I know!¡±


    The bald and muscular man banged his fists together and created a small yet scorching hit wave that melted the cage in seconds. However, instead of running away, the four, with their backs facing each other, slowly moved around, avoiding the exploding witches.


    ¡°W-we have to help!¡±


    Even though he was scared shitless, Jack couldn¡¯t let the Witches get killed like that. The sight of their bodies bulging and then exploding made his insides twist and turn.


    Zeke couldn¡¯t determine what was killing the witches, at least not at first. When he activated ¡®Aether Control¡¯, he saw insect-like creatures flying around and drilling into the victims¡¯ bodies.


    When it was his turn to get attacked, he extended both hands and unleashed one lightning bolt after the other, zapping the Aether-made insects into nothingness.


    ¡°Group! Everyone group!¡±


    A brilliant silver light swirled at the center of the camp, pushing the rubble and extinguishing the flames.


    What few Witches remained drifted toward Commander Silya Hext. Zeke and the rest wanted to get close too, but two blasphemers jumped forth.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them!¡±


    Sulong stomped on the ground and roared, punching straightforwardly and unleashing a blast of crimson fire that instantly ravaged everything in its way.


    The two cultists couldn¡¯t even cry as their bodies were turned to ash.


    Just when they thought they were safe, at least for a moment, Jack started suffocating as his skin turned into a shade of red.


    Sulong¡¯s face turned pale as he knew what was going to happen. He was about to step in and help his friend but Zeke held him back, afraid that he might be hit by the explosion too.


    It was then that Arbert appeared next to Jack and pressed his hand against his chest. In a matter of seconds, Jack was enveloped by a thick bubble of sticky blood, which negated the effect of the magical insect and protected him from danger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect him.¡± Calmly said Arbert as he controlled the bubble and made his way toward Stella, which parked a distance away.


    ¡°You go with them! Prepare the van!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Go with them!¡± Shouted Zeke, urging the hesitant Sulong to grit his teeth and nod.

 Chapter 72 Signora

    Not many Ascetic Blasphmeres raided the outpost, but thanks to the curtain of the night and the unpreparedness of the Witches, the number of casualties reached the extreme within minutes.


    Although Silya Hext had managed to form a small group, she was still trapped amidst the flames and the rampaging insects that barred their escape. Then again, as a commander and soldier, her duty was to protect this place to her last breath and not abandon it to the enemies.


    The leader of the assailants was a man wearing the same silver robe as his comrades but his mask was metallic black. With his arms crossed and his face hidden, he stood at the back and watched as the 4-star Witch formed a sturdy barrier while bombarding any who got close to her soldiers.


    Unfortunately, the Ascetic Blasphemers were crazy as they recklessly and suicidally charged at Hext, trying to tire her out.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    The black-masked man turned his head and looked at the white van zigzagging through the rubble and leaving a sea of crimson fire in its wake, scorching the insects and any enemies that dared get close.


    The vehicle got out of the wrecked outpost with ease but after distancing itself, it stopped amidst the darkness.


    The leader of the cultists saw the bald man with fiery hands as well as the strange red-haired teenager, however, he paid them no heed as his target was someone else.


    ¡°I guess this is enough¡­¡±


    Once he was satisfied with all the death and devastation, he sighed and pointed his open hand at Silya Hext.


    At that second, a subtle electric current flashed in front of him, followed by a mind-numbing electrocution that zapped the masked man¡¯s entire body.


    Zeke¡¯s silhouette appeared at the man¡¯s rear, holding a voltage-imbued spear that ripped through the silver robe.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Alas, before Zeke¡¯s attack could pierce the man¡¯s back, the latter transformed into a mass of tiny and innumerable flies.


    Three of his subordinates leapt at Zeke and unhesitantly activated the bombs stuck to their bodies.


    A deafening explosion resounded in the outpost as Hext and what few soldiers were left at her side were pushed back.


    When the dust cleared, the 4-star tall witch was surprised to see her young captive stand atop a pool of gore and blood. He was relatively unscathed as lightning danced around him.


    Regrettably, Silya didn¡¯t have the time to question him about anything as the black-masked man spread his ability to cover the entirety of the outpost.


    While Jonathan Stellar Link was able to turn his body into an intangible black mist, the black-masked cultists became a cluster of flies that swirled in the air before descending upon the outpost.


    Neither Zeke, with his arsenal of skills, nor Silya Hext and her soldiers, could defend themselves. Within seconds, everything was over.


    Once silence dominated the graveyard-like outpost, the black-masked man coughed while fixing his ripped silver robe.


    Out of the twenty subordinates he had brought, only three remained, but he didn¡¯t seem to care about that.


    ¡°Take him too.¡±


    He pointed at Zeke¡¯s unconscious body while he walked to Silya Hext and bound her body using disgustingly long eels that emerged from his hand.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do we do?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Jack was planning to chase after the attackers once they were done with the Witches, but instead of running away, they went through a rectangular portal which disappeared thereafter.


    ¡°I can follow them.¡± Suggested Arbert with an unusually serious expression.


    He waited patiently for his adoptive father¡¯s consent.


    ¡°Can you bring me with you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing the youth¡¯s silence, Sulong clenched his fists and spoke again,


    ¡°Alright. Be careful and try to wait for us. There are other outposts close by. Again, don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡±


    The red-haired spawn of the Blood God nodded once before jumping off the back of the van. He bit his hand and then dripped the blood on the ground, which formed into a rising curtain that enveloped its caster then darted off into the air, soon vanishing from view.


    ¡°What now?¡± Muttered Jack as he held into the steering wheel, his face pale and his body shaking. The sight of the Witches getting brutally killed was fresh in his mind, leaving him traumatized and in a state of absolute dread.


    ¡°Zeke stayed there because he wanted to be taken, though I¡¯m not sure why.¡±


    ¡°Huh! He what?! Aw man, do we have to get caught too?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Sulong sighed and motioned to switch seats with his shaken friend. With him behind the wheel, he drove the van West, which was where the closest outpost should be.


    ¡­


    ¡°My liege, we brought her.¡±


    The black-masked man, along with his remaining subordinates, stood in line in front of a voluptuous woman wearing a metallic red mask that covered only her eyes and nose.


    She was inhaling smoke from a wooden pipe while sitting on a fancy chair in the middle of the grotto, which was their temporary base of operations.


    She first glanced at Hext then at Zeke, surprised to see the latter.


    ¡°He displayed¡­ strange abilities, my li-¡±


    Before the black masked-man could finish, Zeke¡¯s body turned blurry and, by the next second, the man, along with his subordinates, were beheaded by a long black scythe oozing a dense black fog.


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    Zeke used his newly-acquired skill ¡®Reaper¡¯s Sweep¡¯, then followed with ¡®Life Motus¡¯. He got hold of the Witch¡¯s body and distanced himself from the woman.


    Alas, his attempt, albeit successful, caused dozens of silver-robed cultists to appear from every corner, blocking every escape route.


    ¡°My, what an energetic boy.¡±


    ¡°You have a red mask, which means you¡¯re at the top of the hierarchy.¡± Remarked Zeke while grinning.


    Truth be told, he could have eliminated the black-masked man back in the outpost, but doing that would have been detrimental. He seemed to be high-ranked enough to personally meet with the red-masked ones, which Zeke knew were like the cream of the crop of the Ascetic Blasphemers.


    ¡°And you seem to be knowledgeable too.¡± She seductively licked her lips, seemingly unaffected by his display of strength or the headless bodies at her feet.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. Red Mask Fanti Fan, you know him, yes?¡±


    Upon hearing that name, the woman¡¯s expression changed and her smile disappeared. Her assessment of Zeke drastically changed as there weren¡¯t any outside people that knew her colleagues'' personal names.


    ¡°I was going to play with you but now¡­ now you die.¡±


    A beam of violet light shot from her index and pierced Zeke¡¯s head, but he didn¡¯t die, much to her surprise.


    ¡®Body Damage¡¯ was activated, switching the fatal damage to his shoulder, which started bleeding.


    An illusory syringe pierced Zeke¡¯s body, empowering him as a burst of voltage came forth, illuminating the grotto and raining hell on the cultists.


    Zeke didn¡¯t have a choice so he let go of the commander and used ¡®Over-Drive¡¯; He kicked the ground and transformed into a lightning bolt that struck the masked woman.


    His attack was successful as her body staggered to the back, but that was all. He didn¡¯t inflict any substantial damage, he only made sure to anger her more.


    ¡°Insolence!¡±


    More beams of light flew at him, but using ¡®Life Motus¡¯ and the Aether stored in ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯, Zeke evaded the projectiles and continuously shot ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ and ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯.


    Unfortunately, he was only superior in terms of speed. The woman was protected by a strong barrier and he could directly attack her only with ¡®Over-drive¡¯, which lasted for a pitifully short time.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Eventually, two beams went through his thighs and made Zeke kneel down, gasping for breath. He was tired and running out of Aether, as opposed to the relatively unscathed and still energetic woman.


    ¡°Is this all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    She approached him and kicked his face, her boot then pressing against his face as she leaned closer and scrutinized him.


    He tried to shoot voltage at her face but he felt a mountainous invisible pressure render his body completely immobilized.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be a random kid. Special Intelligence Team of the republic, perhaps? No no¡­¡±


    She clicked her tongue and removed her boots, seemingly absorbed into her own thoughts and trying to figure out Zeke¡¯s true identity.


    ¡°I also know about the Golden Mask.¡± Added Zeke as he flashed a hideous grin at her shocked half-hidden face.


    With a venomous glare, she was about to finish the bound youth only for a crushing wave of water to descend from above.


    Although she dodged in time, her power was destabilized, thus allowing Zeke to recover.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    His injured body was supposed by Silya Hext, who, apart from getting knocked unconscious by the masked man¡¯s flies, was more or less in a healthy physical state.


    ¡°You should go.¡± Quietly said Zeke as he motioned at the exit visible from their location.


    Most of the weak cultists were disposed of, but the remaining were too fearful of their wrathful superior to interfere.


    ¡°You¡¯ll go first, I can create an openi-¡±


    Seeing him shake his head, Hext frowned and was about to berate him only to be pushed to the side as beams of light came flying at them.


    Zeke grabbed the lightning coming out of his hand and swung it diagonally, using it like a whip.


    Of course, such a poor attempt didn¡¯t work on the opponent, but it did catch her attention. Meanwhile, 4-star Witch Commander Silya Hext made use of her diverse ability, which was the reason she was abducted instead of killed, or so speculated Zeke.


    Hext¡¯s ability wasn¡¯t overly-unique, but it allowed her to simultaneously use four elements: Water- Earth - Wind - Fire.


    She was able to cast destructive spells and display impressive control over those elements. The Ascetic Blasphemers must have caught wind of her and wanted to steal this ability using their nefarious experiments.


    Large hand made of mud sprung from the ground, trying to squeeze the masked woman¡¯s body, a pillar of water shot from behind Hext and at the target, and several fireballs were in position for bombardment.


    Just when she was about to get hit, the red masked-woman, code names ¡®Signora¡¯, snapped her fingers, thus letting out a brilliant light that engulfed everything in its way.


    Hext was sent flying to the back, her spells canceling, and Zeke was blown several meters before he rolled to the ground.


    ¡°You think I will be taken down by mere ants?¡±


    A beam of light thicker than all the rest pierced Hext¡¯s chest, causing a fountain of blood to burst. Although she tried to ment the fatal wound, her body soon stopped moving, seemingly lifeless.


    Zeke, on the other hand, vanished from Signora¡¯s sight.


    ¡°This teleportation ability of yours could prove useful.¡±


    She softly smiled and raised her hand, blocking his incoming leg with ease. Even the voltage wasn¡¯t able to affect her.


    However, Zeke quickly retracted his leg and used ¡®Reaper¡¯s Sweep¡¯ for the second time.


    When she saw the domineering scythe oozing with sinister energy, there was a momentary flash of panic in Signora¡¯s eyes.


    The scythe slashed down diagonally, cleanly cutting the silver robe of the woman and inflicting a clear bloody wound.


    In pain, Signora let out an ear-piercing screech while Zeke opted for retreat. Although he had managed to inflict a wound, he couldn¡¯t let Hext after she had tried to help him.


    He used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ and appeared next to her. He hastily poured the last Elixir on his possession on her grievous wound then lifted her body then ran straight into the pool of water at the end of the grotto.


    He could see beams of light coming at him but he paid them no heed and carried the witch¡¯s body as he swam as fast as he could.


    ¡­


    ¡°Waah! W-why did you stop like that?!¡±


    Jack, who had calmed down a bit and was trying to take a short nap to ease his mind, was startled awake when the van came to an abrupt. He first looked at his bald friend then to the front, surprised to see a bespectacled and black-haired woman with two glistening blades in her hands blocking their way.


    Even though it was the first time he had seen her, the aura she let out made Sulong certain that she was the person Zeke had been talking about, the Stealth agent he had felt in his office a couple of times.


    ¡°You¡­ get off.¡±


    With a dangerously cold glare, she raised one of her short blades and pointed at Sulong, signaling for him to disembark from the van, which he did while raising his hands in surrender.


    ¡°E-emm¡­ miss..¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see Zeke. Where is he?¡±


    Her voice was filled with anger and snappiness, which only made Sulong tenser.


    He saw no need to hide the truth, especially after what happened to the outpost.


    ¡°We¡­we were caught by the Witch Association. W-while we were in one of their outposts, it was attacked by the Ascetic Blasphemers¡­¡±


    Seeing her face turn colder, Sulong scratched his head and hesitantly continued, ¡°Z-Zeke and the Witch Commander were taken by them.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Katrina¡¯s face was the definition of gloominess as she lowered her weapon.


    ¡°I¡­ I think Zeke purposely let himself get captured. He could have escaped with us but he didn¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°And how does that make the situation any better? You will be taking me to that outpost immediately.¡±


    ¡°But we need to call for he-¡±


    ¡°Immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes..¡±


    Just like that, Sulong drove Katrina back to the wrecked outpost. Before the agent could investigate anything, however, a swift figure appeared next to her and knocked her to the ground.


    The monstrous force behind the assailant rendered the agent incapacitated and unable to lift a finger.


    ¡°Move and she will die.¡± Warned Jennifer as she glared at Sulong, whose fists were enveloped by crimson flames.


    He canceled his ability and didn¡¯t resist as Jennifer bound Katrina and then dragged the helpless Jack, forcing them to sit near the van while she scanned the area for more people.

 Chapter 73 The Anguished Witch

    ¡°Who are you and what are you doing in this outpost? Speak.¡±


    Jennifer Savbra, Commander of the association¡¯s military forces and a 5-star Witch, faced the three captives with a baton in her hand.


    Unlike the other commanders protecting the outposts, Jennifer was a league above them and a distinguished individual within the Witch Association.


    Not only was she remarkably strong, but her authority across the entirety of the border was unsurpassable.


    Therefore, when Agent Katrina came back to her senses, she was a bit relieved instead of scared.


    ¡°I¡¯m from the Secret Intelligence Team of the Republic¡¯s Department of Defense. I¡¯ve come to bring back and protect someone. These two are my target¡¯s companions.¡±


    Since Katrina wore her nation¡¯s military attire, along with the presence of the van, Jennifer didn¡¯t suspect them to be the Ascetic Blasphemers. Still, she wasn¡¯t ready to let them go, especially not after finding them at the crime scene.


    ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the border without a Transit Pass.¡± Remarked the cold-faced Jennifer, who, despite having a relatively short height, looked scarier than Silya Hext.


    ¡°W-wait wait! We¡¯ve been caught by Commander Hext. We were about to let go only for those crazy bastards to attack. They took your friend and ours!¡±


    Sulong fumbled and spat the truth, which made Jennifer frown and scrutinized him for a bit.


    ¡°They took Hext and your friend?¡±


    Finding this surprising, she turned to look at the stoic Katrina and asked again,


    ¡°Who¡¯s this target of yours?¡±


    Jennifer knew enough about the Ascetic Blasphmeres to know that they wouldn¡¯t take anyone with them unless they were very special.


    Silya Hext¡¯s ability was what probably pushed them to attack this outpost, but they couldn¡¯t have predicted the presence of another valuable subject, or so Jenny guessed.


    ¡°His name is Zeke Orland. A student of Erys and the sibling of my superior. That¡¯s all I can say.¡±


    ¡°A kid? Why would they want to take a kid?¡±


    The confused Witch noticed that Sulong and Jack were keeping themselves awfully quiet. ¡®Twas apparent that they knew more than they had let on, but trying to figure out the truth right now would avail no one.


    With a swipe of her hand, Jennifer unbound the three of them and authoritatively ordered,


    ¡°You will head West and wait for me at the other outpost. Tell them I sent you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Immediately objected to the resolute Katrina. ¡°I answer to the Republic, not you. I will go find my target and bring him to safety.¡±


    Even with the 5-star Witch giving her a menacing glare, Katrina refused to back off, thus starting a brief yet intense staring contest.


    Eventually, the auburn-haired commander sighed and signaled for the two men to leave for the outpost while she and the agent would give chase.


    ¡­


    ¡°What are you gawking here for? Go find them!¡±


    Signora was practically hyperventilating as a shiny glow healed most of the grievous wound inflicted by the scythe. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the black-colored fog stuck to her body, making the scar look more hideous than it should be.


    She might not be the strongest of the organization¡¯s Red Masks, however, Signora was still a high-status member and shouldn¡¯t have been hit by Zeke.


    This was supposed to be a swift operation; Securing Silya Hext then retreating to a safe spot, away from Jennifer Savbra¡¯s eyes.


    While Signora might have the power to easily overpower a 4-star Witches, and to a certain extent, even 5-star Witches, Jennifer Savbra¡¯s ability was truly fearsome and deadly, making it someone to avoid at all costs.


    ¡°It¡¯s not coming off!¡±


    While gritting his teeth, Signora pierced her abdomen with her shining index finger, which made her let out painful cries. While bearing through the agony, she tried pulling the ominous negative energy only to receive a backlash that made her body jolt and her ability to get canceled.


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    Having had enough of the successive failed attempts, the red-masked woman stomped the ground and yelled atop her lungs, startling those stationed nearby. They looked at each other then backed away, unwilling to be on the receiving end of her wrath.


    ¡­


    After swimming for a bit more than a minute, Zeke squeezed his body and the Witch¡¯s through a narrow path before surfacing in another cave.


    He hastily dragged Hext¡¯s body to the hard surface and nervously checked her pulse.


    ¡°Damnit!¡±


    Although not proficient at it, he pressed his hands up and down on her chest before switching to CPR.


    Fortunately, Silya coughed water thereafter and gasped for breath. The wound she sustained from Signora was healed by the Elixir, but it was clear that she was tired and incapable of doing any drastic movements.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The commander meekly nodded as her wet eyes fluttered, struggling to remain open.


    ¡°We¡¯re safe¡­ for now.¡±


    He lifted her body again and moved it farther from the deep pool of water before surveying his vicinity, afraid that they must attack him from an unnoticed spot.


    Apart from diving into the water again, the cave had no other exits. With no source of light and no resources, Zeke knew that they couldn¡¯t stay here for long. After all, Signora must¡¯ve already sent people after them and though the normal cultists weren¡¯t particularly strong, they still held a great numerical advantage.


    As he was lost in thought, Zeke heard the Witch call for him so he dashed to her side and carefully helped her sit up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to recover a bit more.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be on the lookout.¡±


    He was about to stand up again but she extended her hand and held him back.


    ¡°You¡­ who are you?¡±


    The look in her eyes was devoid of suspicion. It had become clear that he was antagonistic against the Ascetic Blasphemers, nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t be a normal young man, at least that¡¯s what Hext thought after seeing him fight and even injure Signora. It was a feat even she wasn¡¯t able to do.


    ¡°I told you; I¡¯m just a student from Erys.¡±


    ¡°Heh! A student wouldn¡¯t come all the way here to seek trouble.¡± The Witch coughed a few times then continued, ¡°You seem to know quite a bit about them.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± He shrugged and perfunctorily responded, ¡°We have a history, they and I.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t pry. Still¡­ thank you for saving me.¡±


    Right after saying that, Silya Hext broke up in tears, choking like a little girl.


    It was so unexpected that Zeke was left perplexed and startled, not knowing how to react or what to do. In the end, he awkwardly patted her back in a vain attempt to calm her down.


    ¡°I¡¯ve failed¡­ all my soldiers are dead.¡±


    Only when he heard that did Zeke realize what was happening.


    Apart from the two of them, everyone else in the outpost was subjected to a brutal and unwarranted end.


    Now that she had time to process everything, it was natural, even for a strong-willed adult Witch, to feel guilty and break down.


    ¡°Save your tears for the morrow, commander Hext. I know that the burden of being the only survivor is too much, but hold on for a bit longer. You will survive this and, when the time comes, you can honor their deaths by becoming an even better commander!¡±


    It felt strange for Zeke to console someone older than him, someone he had met less than a day ago. Still, she didn¡¯t hurt him and was even going to let him go. It was clear that she was a good and caring person.


    ¡°You are¡­ right.¡± She wiped her tears while sniffing and forcing a soft smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡±


    He stood up again and stretched his sore limbs while taking deep breaths.


    ¡°I will be returning to the other cave. Can you use your ability to force an opening from here?¡±


    ¡°What? Why will you be going back there?¡±


    The youth confidently pointed at himself and chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me hahaha. Before I leave, I need to get some answers, or else my long trip here would have been for naught. We each got a job to do, commander.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ wai-¡±


    Unfortunately, Zeke didn¡¯t let her continue as he dove back into the waters, leaving a troubled Witch behind.


    ¡­


    ¡°Still nothing? This is ridiculous!¡±


    Signora kicked one of the kneeling cultists and cursed, as was her wont. However, moments later, a figure jumped from the pool of water.


    Seeing the lonesome youth drenched in water and grinning back at her, Signora frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m back.¡±


    He shook his body and spat a bit of water as electricity burst from his body, blasting the seven or so enemies that rushed at him.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve hidden the witch, huh? Well, it matters not anymore. It¡¯s you I¡¯m going to take with me.¡±


    ¡°Take? You speak such grand words when I nearly sliced you open.¡±


    He grimaced at her and motioned at her bandaged abdomen and the blood that had splattered on her silver robe.


    ¡°You do not know who you¡¯re messing with, kid. We, the red masks, are not so easily beaten.¡±


    A pillar of light covered Signora before shooting upwards then at Zeke, whose hands were already holding the scythe.


    While empowering his weapon with voltage, Zeke slashed down continuously, somehow managing to protect himself.


    Seeing her not attack again, he chuckled and asked,


    ¡°Would now be a good time for a friendly chat? I just want to know where Red Mask Fanti Fan.¡±


    Alas, she snorted and finally went all-out. Her subordinates also maintained their distance and sent the magical insects, which were either pulverized by the electric currents or disintegrated upon coming into contact with the scythe¡¯s black fog.


    ¡°So be it.¡±


    Zeke readied himself then pierced the lower part of the scythe¡¯s long handle into the ground.


    As Signora¡¯s blinding ability was coming straight at him, he stood motionless as one of his new skills, ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯, was activated.

 Chapter 74 The Seat of Death

    [The skill ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯ has been activated!]


    [All stats have been permanently decreased by 15%]


    A malevolent type of energy, the same as the one oozing from the scythe but stronger in potency and pressure, burst forth like an unstoppable tornado.


    Even someone like Signora was rendered stiff and incapable of reacting as the black fog twisted and turned until it gave shape to a solid archaic black door.


    Maniacal whispers invaded everyone¡¯s heads, including Zeke¡¯s, making them kneel on the grounds.


    The weak-willed ones clutched their heads as they cried in pain, unable to cope with the pain and the soul-shredding whispers. However, that wasn¡¯t even the true effect of ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯, possibly the strongest skill in Zeke¡¯s possession.


    At the cost of sacrificing his hard-earned stats, he would summon the one and only door leading to land of the dead.


    While trying to keep himself together, Zeke raised his head and saw the black door slowly open, letting out a bone-chilling white mist that spread on the ground floor like water.


    All sources of illumination, along with all forms of energies, were rendered obsolete as the aura of the Death Door spread in an instant.


    As she as the primary target, Signora bore the brunt of it as she clawed on the ground while her body was being pulled into death¡¯s sweet embrace.


    The dread she was facing was unlike anything she had ever experienced. It made her voice turn silent and her body tremble non-stop.


    Not even the fear he had felt from the Elf King compared to this one. He was literally two steps away from Death itself, showcasing to him the true potential of the Death Walker Main Path.


    ¡°Arhgh¡­¡±


    Only muffled cries escaped Signora¡¯s fully-open mouth as she tore her teary eyes from the black door pulling her closer and closer to her doom.


    All the other cultists, although not directly touched by the malignant death energy, weren¡¯t spared as their lifeless bodies were engulfed by the knee-length freezing white mist.


    ¡°Things¡­ could have ended¡­ differently,¡± Stutteringly muttered Zeke as he wiped his sweaty forehead and groaned in pain.


    Having his body forcefully weakened by the System was just as excruciating as the ink fire of William Lorson. However, thanks to his high Fortitude Stats and the Pain-junkie path, the agony was significantly lessened, thus allowing Zeke to maintain his consciousness.


    The three-meter tall black door was almost fully-open, which made the grotto turn into a world of darkness, dominated by innumerable whispers from beyond.


    Signora¡¯s body was but a couple of meters away, and no matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t distance free herself or resist.


    She was in possession of several high-graded powerful artifacts, all of which could have killed Zeke. Alas, she got arrogant and severely underestimated him.


    Eventually, half of the red-masked woman¡¯s body was dragged into the Death Door, causing the lower part to convulse and twitch in a strange way.


    Just when she was about to get sent to her grave, the effect of ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯ ended, much to Zeke¡¯s disappointment.


    In reality, he was at liberty to choose the percentage of sacrificed stats before activating the skill. He had thought 15% was largely enough, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case, unfortunately.


    With his body tired, the youth stared at the seemingly unconscious Signora, who snapped out of it seconds after getting ejected to reality.


    She let out a screech of terror then sat up, her arms shaking and her voice cracking.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry! Please forgive me! Please!¡±


    Much to his surprise, one of the high-ranking people of the Ascetic Blasphemers crawled to his feet and practically prostrated herself as she apologized non-stop.


    While her body looked relatively intact, her mind was broken by what had just happened. Whatever she experienced in those few seconds she was at the other side of the Death Door had permanently changed her, though it was unknown if it was for better or worse.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke was at a loss for words as she saw the previously haughty woman bang her head near his feet and apologize like a mad person.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    When she heard him, she stopped banging her head against the ground and just knelt there, teary-eyed and still shaking uncontrollably.


    ¡°I will not betray you¡­ please¡­ don¡¯t do it again. Please¡­¡±


    ¡®Is this the true power of a Death-walker? Or is this a special case?¡¯


    With a golden chance presented in front of him, Zeke didn¡¯t hesitate to ask,


    ¡°Where Red Mask Fanti Fan?¡±


    This time, Signora didn¡¯t dodge the question or mock him. Earnestly and honestly, she instantly responded,


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    ¡°In the Imperial Capital of the Serey Zhan Empire. He¡¯s conducting an experiment with Red Mask Ba¡¯al and Red Mask Zhong. The three are being monitored by White Mask Shepherd.¡±


    ¡°White Mask? Is that another rank below the Golden Mask?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! There are a total of 10 Red Masks and 5 White Masks. But the latter are only protectors and answer directly to the Golden Mask.¡±


    ¡°What kind of experiments are they conducting?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Unless we¡¯re summoned by the Golden Mask, we usually act alone and seek our own personal interests.¡±


    Having gotten enough information, Zeke was about to finish Signora and be done with this.


    Sensing her impending doom, the woman prostrated himself and desperately pleaded,


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me! I don¡¯t want to die! Please! Please! I¡¯ll do anything¡­ anything! Please!¡±


    Zeke frowned and looked at the crying woman, still in disbelief that she was part of the Ascetic Blasphemers. The effect of the Death Door was way beyond his expectations.


    It was unreasonable for someone to change so dramatically.


    ¡®She¡¯s terrified of dying. Absolutely horrified¡­ just what did she see?¡¯


    He even considered using his Skill Point to upgrade ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯, especially after seeing how useful and powerful it was. Admittedly, the cost made it usable only in life-threatening situations, but if the result was going to be like this, then it was definitely worth the loss in stats.


    ¡°Please! I will not betray you! L-look! Look!¡±


    She pulled her right sleeve and revealed a newly-imprinted black mark; It looked like a black burn mark of the Death Door, oozing with a bit of black fog.


    As she presented the mark in front of him, Zeke felt a slight reaction from the Death Rune, and when he activated it, he saw the black fog form a straight line.


    [The Death Rune has absorbed Death Energy]


    [The Death Rune has formed a connection with the subject ¡®Velvet Signora¡¯]


    Without her consent, Signora¡¯s ability suddenly went out of control, engulfing her in a resplendent white light that was slowly being corrupted by the death energy.


    Her hoarse cries echoed within the grotto before she slumped on the ground, gasping for breath.


    [Seat of Death requirements have been met! The Death Link Num 2 has been transfused into the user ¡®Velvet Signora¡¯.]


    [Establishing connection¡­ connection established.]


    [You received 10 PE]


    [You received 20 EXP]


    [You obtained the Survival Skill ¡®Call of Loyalty¡¯]


    [Call of Loyalty(SS): Activate the link between ¡®Voltage Sync, Zeke¡¯ and ¡®Seat of Death, Velvet Signora: For a limited period of time, either of the two subjects can borrow the ability of their linked partner.


    All Death-walker skills will be restricted and only usable by ¡® Voltage Syn, Zeke¡¯.


    To use this skill, the two subjects must be in close proximity (50 meters or less)]


    ¡®What? But I didn¡¯t want this to happen!¡¯


    While gritting his teeth, Zeke looked down at the ecstatic Velvet, who quickly realized that she wasn¡¯t going to die. In fact, despite the unbreakable connection formed between her and Zeke, she felt a strange yet exhilarating power course through her body.


    ¡°Thank you, master! Thank you! I promise I will never betray you! With Death by my side¡¯, I will have nothing to fear!¡±


    ¡°Death?¡±


    She enthusiastically nodded her pale face, which looked horrible after all the crying which ruined her make-up and made her look like a ghost.


    ¡°Yes! You are the only one who controls Death¡­ and there¡¯s nothing stronger than Death! Nothing!¡±


    Her happy mood suddenly shifted as she lowered her head and rubbed her arms. It seemed she was still traumatized by what she had seen. Switching her allegiance and obeying a teenager didn¡¯t seem wrong to her, but Zeke felt uncomfortable and unwilling to keep her alive.


    He felt a slight tingle from the Death Rune again, and when he controlled it and pulled it into the intangible thread linking him to Signora, he saw her writhe on the ground while shouting.


    ¡®At least this is useful.¡¯


    ¡°Forgive me, master!¡±


    The surge of agony lasted briefly, making the woman sweat profusely and prostrate herself. At Death Door had instilled a deep and immovable fear within her, so much so that would do anything to not die.


    Now that he had time to deliberate on the matter, such an outcome, albeit unexpected, was still favorable to Zeke.


    Red Mask Fanti Fan was his target, and based on his fight against Signora, he came to know that he lacked the strength to face his enemies. With an inside man, or woman, it would be considerably easier to track his target¡¯s whereabouts and strike when he was ready.


    ¡°Alright, get up.¡±


    Velvet Signora followed his words to the letter and acted like an overly obedient slave.


    ¡°Are there more of your subordinates here?¡±


    ¡°Three groups were dispatched in the nearby planes to abduct potential ability holders, master.¡±


    Before he could finish, she bowed her head and, while softening her voice, proposed,


    ¡°Shall I call them back? We, the Red Masks, have this artifact.¡± She took out a cylindric brown object and pressed its sides, ¡°With this, we can contact all those below us and regroup them swiftly.


    ¡°You will do that¡­ and you will stop abducting and killing people.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master. I will commence this instant!¡±


    Soon, a connection was formed between the other similar artifact in her subordinates'' possession. While resuming her authoritative voice, she commanded everyone to return to the grotto and abandon their missions.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want, Master?¡±


    ¡°Why were you after Silya Hext?¡±


    ¡°It happened before I joined the order, but the Golden Mask has found a way to steal abilities from people. There are several criteria; First, the person must be younger than 35 years old and, second, their abilities mustn''t have had any kind of unforeseen mutation. Due to her ability to control the four elements, Silya Hext has been one of our primary targets for over a year.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you go after her now?¡±


    ¡°There has been word about unrest spreading across the Witch Association, Master. A man by the name of Jonathan Stellar Link invaded the Western Lands and has gotten his hands on a System. With the exception of 3 commanders overseeing the Southern Borders, all the rest were dispatched to the West.¡±


    ¡°Jonathan? What kind of System?¡±


    ¡°I apologize, Master, but I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Please forgive me. If you give me some time, I can find out more.¡±


    ¡°Who are the other targets?¡±


    ¡°It is difficult to avoid the Witch Queen¡¯s eyes, so Silya Hext was our only target here. Pirate Captain George is our second target, but it has been difficult to ascertain his whereabouts. The third and last target is a vagabond named Frederic Whitefort. He¡¯s been last sighted in the Nezulian Republic, precisely in the Sunken Metropolis.¡±


    ¡°A vagabond? Who, amongst your high-ranked colleagues, is hiding or managing the affairs in the Sunken Metropolis?¡±


    ¡°Currently, Red Mask Viper is there. We also have spies in Erys and the Department of Defense.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You will write their name and positions to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master. I will tell you their abilities. If you desire it, I can hunt them down and bring you their heads!¡±

 Chapter 75 Not Found

    ¡°Remember, Signora. If I hear anything about you getting involved in more killings¡­¡±


    ¡°No, master! I swear I will follow what you told me! With this artifact, you can contact me anytime you want.¡±


    The red-masked Velvet Signora handed a precious contacting artifact to Zeke before grouping all the subordinates who had heard her summon.


    The grotto was dominated by a brief bout of silence as the confused silver-robed cultists stood at a corner and watched in silence.


    ¡°You can go now. Keep me updated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    She deeply bowed before leaving along with everyone else. Meanwhile, Zeke sat down and sighed in exasperation.


    The Ascetic Blasphemers were his mortal enemies, but the main objective was catching Red Mask Fanti Fan, possibly the only person who would know what Zeke was looking for.


    ¡®If it means consorting with the devil, then I won¡¯t mind. Sacrifices have to be made¡­ there¡¯s no room for morality anymore.¡¯


    Silya Hext was saved, however, all the other soldiers were brutally killed. Even if he wanted to explain, there was no way the Witches would let Signora or the rest go freely.


    They were twisted deviants that deserved a tragic end, and even Zeke knew that.


    ¡°No matter the cost.¡±


    The youth pressed his hand against his chest, his eyes chilling cold as he muttered,


    ¡°I will get it back. My heart.¡±


    ¡­


    A fair distance away from the grotto, Signora was speeding away with her robbed subordinates only for a bright dark green light to shoot at them from the distance.


    Signora immediately invoked her ability and surrounded herself in a protective light, which defended against the arrival¡¯s destructive blast.


    The other cultists, unfortunately for them, were caught up by the attack and pulverized into nothingness.


    The red-masked Velvet swept her blue across the short and auburn-haired witch blocking her way.


    ¡°So it was one of the Red Masks.¡±


    Jennifer Savbra glared at Velvet as a translucent bow made of the same dark green energy appeared in her arms.


    Just as the 5-star commander was about to fire an arrow, an agile black shadow leapt at Signora¡¯s rear, aiming to finish her off.


    Alas, it was their misfortune that Signora had just got an unexpected and quite significant power-up thanks to becoming the Seat of Death.


    In addition to her already strong ability, she was blessed with another, one which was in direct relation to what she quickly came to fear with all her being.


    A sinister black fog burst from the Death Mark on her hand, transforming into a tall and slim wraith-like silhouette.


    Like a puppet, the wraith was controlling Signora using illusory thin threads.


    Devastating arrows flew straight at the red-masked woman, who half-turned her body and raised her leg, deflecting the arrows before unleashing dozens of beams at the nimble Katrina and the immovable Jennifer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you people.¡± Declared Signora as the wraith screeched like a banshee, pushing the other two to the back.


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting away!¡±


    With a dangerously cold look, Jennifer changed the bow into a lance as she kicked the ground and descended upon Signora.


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    The wraith moved its ¡®puppet¡¯, but due to a timely and strong sword attack from Katrina, it was momentarily stopped, allowing Jennnifer¡¯s glowing lance to pierce through Signora¡¯s defense and clash with her blinding white ability.


    A deafening shock wave ensued thereafter, pushing the Witch and Velvet.


    Signora made use of the gained momentum to run away, and though Jennifer was about to give chase, she suddenly stopped when she saw Commander Hext.


    ¡°Hext!¡±


    Katrina, on the other hand, was like a rabid dog, crazily chasing after the masked woman while swinging her twin blades.


    Sadly, thanks to the wraith, which considerably increased Signora¡¯s physical capabilities, the chase barely lasted for a minute before the target disappeared from view.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine, Jenny.¡±


    Using her small frame, Jennifer supported her friend and checked her body. Hext was still tired due to the fatal injuries inflicted by Signora, nevertheless, Zeke¡¯s Elixir and the bit of rest she was afforded had allowed her to leave the grotto to look for help.


    Although she wanted to help Zeke and get him out of danger, Silya didn¡¯t want to act recklessly and ruin things. From her perspective, the youth clearly seemed to have a plan and trying to make a difference with what little strength she had left would only complicate things, if not make them worse for both her and him.


    While controlling her rapid breathing, Hext pointed to the way she had come from and said,


    ¡°There¡¯s a boy there. He helped me.¡±


    ¡°A boy?¡±


    Jennifer frowned and looked at Katrina, who returned to their side and was frantically looking for Zeke.


    ¡°It must be your quarry, agent Katrina.¡±


    The stone-faced and bespectacled Katrina solemnly nodded then shot off into the distance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine. Go help her¡­ please.¡±


    After a slight hesitation, Jennifer nodded her head and chased after Katrina.


    It took them only a couple of minutes to reach the entrance of the grotto, which reeked of blood.


    However, even after entering and carefully looking around, neither of the two women found any traces of Zeke. With the exception of signs of battle and blood splattered on the cold ground, there was literally nothing and no one there.


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t with that Red Mask and he isn¡¯t here. This Zeke of yours seemed to have left.¡± Remarked Jennifer, seemingly not that interested in aiding any further.


    ¡°So it seems.¡±


    While gritting her teeth and looking down, Katrina nodded then stormed out of the grotto, planning to continue her pursuit.


    Zeke was fast, but not as fast as she was, so there was a probability she might catch up to him.


    Whatever he was doing here, the fact that there was no corpse and that Signora was clearly leaving, or fleeing, Katrina surmised that Zeke had succeeded and was ready to return.


    That meant he needed to regroup with Sulong and the rest.


    ¡°But where is that Arbert kid? They told me he went after Zeke¡­¡±


    ¡­


    A couple of kilometers away from the grotto, in an open and grassy valley under the clear blue sky, Arbert was surrounded by several armed agents.


    From the way they were dressed, it was clear they were part of the Department of Defense.


    The red-haired Arbert had an unusually chilling expression as he gloomily looked at the man leading the agents.


    ¡°We¡¯re here looking for Zeke Orland¡­ and you. We advise you to not resist and kindly come with us.¡±


    ¡°Why are you after us? What did we do?¡±


    The man, tall and well-fit, scratched his bushy beard and shrugged in disinterest.


    ¡°I was only ordered to take you both home. Since they went to such lengths, the two of you must¡¯ve committed a heinous crime. I don¡¯t know¡­ my position isn¡¯t enough for me to learn everything. Now¡­¡±


    The man motioned for his subordinates as he lifted his modified magical rifle and pointed it at the teenager.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not make things ugly. As long as you cooperate, I promise we will not hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Zeke hasn¡¯t done anything wrong. As for me¡­ I..I¡­¡±


    With a conflicted expression, Arbert raised his hands in surrender while suggesting,


    ¡°I will come with you if you stop going after Zeke. Those are my terms.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, kid, but that¡¯s not a viable option.¡±


    A curtain of blood surged from the ground then wrapped around the youth, alarming the agents.


    ¡°Out of the 12 of you, I am certain I can take down 8 if I go all-out. Will you be willing to take that chance, mister?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The bearded agent stared at the resolute youth before letting out a helpless sigh and lowering his weapon.


    ¡°Considering we¡¯re in enemy territory and you¡¯re a big prize as well. I am willing to¡­ postpone the hunt for Zeke Orland until we get you back. That¡¯s the most I could do.¡±


    From the way the curtain of blood was still present and getting bigger, it was clear that Arbert wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not the one making the calls, okay? This is a pretty serious-¡±


    Before he could finish, maniacal laughter reverberated across the valley as an invisible person exited his Stealth and rapidly spun around while swinging his twin crystalline sickles.


    The agents reacted relatively fast, but that ambush had taken down two of them.


    Just like that, a fight ensued as the unknown assailant started facing against the combined efforts of the agents and Arbert, who, instead of fleeing, saw it fit to assist.


    What neither didn¡¯t know, however, was that the unrecognizable man was equipped with strength beyond their capabilities.


    The Vyrsan household had only sent one person after Zeke, and this was their man¡­

 Chapter 76 Timely Intervention

    All hell had broken loose on that once-peaceful valley.


    Bubbles of blood were appearing in the air and shooting at the rapidly-moving maniac, who, although cornered by several agents and Arbert, could still hold his own quite efficiently.


    ¡°Hohohoho what a monster! The Blood Dawn Society sure knows its stuff!¡±


    After fighting for barely five minutes, Arbert changed from a youth to a middle-aged man, his long red hair almost reaching the ground as it danced in the air each time he moved.


    The magically-empowered sickles were ripping into everything coming straight at it, whether it was the nefarious Blood Magic or the agents¡¯ enchanted bullets.


    Clones identical to Arbert appeared all around him, all conjured using the blood dripping off his fresh wounds.


    With his command, they charged at the crazily laughing assassin, trying to tackle him to the ground while the leader of the agents was completing his masterful spell.


    ¡­


    ¡°Where¡¯s Arbert?¡±


    Zeke was sweating profusely and breathing heavily as he faced the distressed Sulong and the fearful Jack.


    He had went to look for them in the destroyed outpost and when he saw no one, he continued to the nearest settlement.


    Were it not for his companions¡¯ reassurance, the witches, which were on full-alert, would have attacked him on sight.


    ¡°So this is your friend?¡±


    3-star Witch, Freya, Jennifer¡¯s second in hand and the current leader of the outpost, scrutinized the youth while frowning.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­ you are?¡±


    ¡°Freya Lock. Can you tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°The Ascetic Blasphemers have fled. Commander Silya Hext should be alright, though. That¡¯s all I can say.¡±


    Once he briefly and inexplicably recounted the events, Zeke signaled the other two to get into the van.


    He didn¡¯t want to spend more time on this border as there was a high chance he would get implicated in this attack, which would hinder his return home.


    The main objective of this poorly-planned trip was to find the Ascetic Blasphemers and get crucial information about Red Mask Fanti Fan.


    Unexpectedly, and to his benefit, Zeke had made one of the notorious Red Masks into his subordinate and learned quite a bit about his enemies.


    Signora would provide him with regular reports about Fanti¡¯s whereabouts and the ongoing experiments of the order. Moreover, she provided him with a short list of all the cultists'' operations in the Sunken Metropolis, specifically in the Department of Defense and Erys.


    With that in his possession, he would be able to get them off his back and make his return to school as peaceful as possible.


    The only remaining issue was the Vyrsan household, but as long as he was in Erys, they wouldn¡¯t dare send anyone after him. It was for that reason that he wanted to leave this place as the longer he was here, the more he would get exposed.


    Zeke had no doubts whatsoever that his maternal grandfather had sent people after him, and knowing how vengeful that geezer could be, especially after Zeke had nearly killed his daughter, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see a highly-trained assassin tracking his trail this very instant.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, Freya, we have urgent business to attend to. I know you want to know more, but commander Hext should come here anon.¡±


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    ¡°I still can¡¯t let you leave. This is a matter involving our nation¡¯s defenses and security. You don¡¯t look like one of ¡®them¡¯, but I cannot let you leave¡­ at least not until my superior returns.¡±


    ¡°Superior?¡±¡¯


    ¡°Commander Jennifer Savbra. She headed to the attacked outpost on her own to investigate and possibly catch the perpetrators.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the Witches stand behind Freya and make ready to act if he were to attempt something, Zeke sighed and reluctantly nodded his head.


    He leaned against Stellar and took deep breaths, reassuring the nervous Freya that he was going to be obedient.


    Truth be told, he had expended too much energy to rush here after his conversation with Signora. Not only that, but 15% of his stats were removed after using ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯, and though there wasn¡¯t any particular pain, the fatigue, mental and physical, was almost too overwhelming.


    ¡°Z-Zeke¡­ you really didn¡¯t see Arbert?¡±


    ¡°No. But I think I know what might have happened.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me¡­¡±


    Sulong¡¯s face pale as he paced around, unable to calm down due to his adoptive son¡¯s absence.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am! There¡¯s fight South of here!¡±


    One of the Witches run to Freya and informed her of what their detection artifacts had sensed.


    ¡°We can help.¡± Immediately chirped Zeke as he signaled for Jack to get in the van.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come too.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The golden-haired witch bit her lower lips and after pondering for a bit, she nodded.


    She took ten Witches and, soon, they all hastily headed to the valley South of the outpost.


    However, as they got closer, they saw the sickle-wielding man clashing with the agents and Arbert.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Freya raised her hand and stopped her subordinates from interfering. She glanced at Zeke and, with a guilty tone, stated,


    ¡°Those are agents from the republic. We cannot interfere.¡±


    ¡°I never expected anything from you, to begin with.¡±


    Zeke stepped forward with Sulong next to him as the skill ¡®Call of Honor¡¯ was activated.


    ¡°Listen to me, Sulong. That man was sent by the people after me. The agents must be looking for me too, but they wouldn¡¯t kill me. You will take Arbert away.¡±


    ¡°What? No! We can fight this. Come on¡­ you and me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do as I say, Sulong. Be ready.¡±


    ¡­


    A distance away, Freya saw the youth¡¯s body emit an outrageous amount of lightning as he bent his back and took a deep breath.


    The strange rune on the back of his right hand was glowing intensely as blue electric currents were zapping the ground and rising in the air.


    Out of the blue, the youth kicked the ground and vanished, turning into a lightning bolt as he joined the fray.


    Within but a couple of breaths, he reached the assassin and the clash began. The bald man, on the other hand, carefully edged closer while shooting fireballs.


    Retrieving the exhausted and injured Arbert wasn¡¯t particularly difficult since the enemy was more interested in the new arrival.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t worth it! We¡¯re retreating!¡±


    Seeing the witches watching from a distance, and with the casualties so far, the thick-bearded agent retracted his Aether and didn¡¯t even think of helping Zeke as he and his subordinates dashed down the valley.


    ¡°Would you look at this! The famed Zeke Orland! Let us dance!¡±


    The assassin spun around like a tornado, his sickles clashing with Zeke¡¯s scythe, causing loud shock waves that split the earth and extinguished Sulong¡¯s fireballs before they even got close.


    ¡°But what is this?¡±


    The man stopped his attacks and grinned as he looked at the youth spitting blood and barely keeping himself standing.


    ¡°Normally, I would have liked to fight you in your peak state. See what the ruckus was all about. Alas! This isn¡¯t a normal gig, so I must be serious and end this. No hard feelings, ya?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    With cold and narrowed eyes, Zeke lowered his hands as the scythe vanished. More and more voltage was emanating from his body, it was so much that blue and aetherically charged veins appeared across his whole body, empowering it beyond its limits.


    ¡°Go! Go!¡±


    Zeke waved at the hesitant Sulong to retreat as he coughed blood and raised both hands upwards, planning to finish this as fast as possible.


    Just when he was about to attack, however, someone appeared next to the assassin.


    Much to the man¡¯s surprise, his body was hit by a monstrous force which blew him dozens of meters away.


    Before he could even stabilize his body or stand up, the ground split apart and spikes surged from within, piercing his thin body. Still, he managed to move his hand and cut the spikes with the sickles, then he pushed against the ground and leapt back.


    With blood gushing out of his chest, he looked at the short brown-haired witch before cursing under his breath.


    With one final look at Zeke, he snorted and turn tail to run. Sadly for him, even during his escapade, he was hit again by lightning-fast magical arrows shot from Jennifer¡¯s translucent dark green bow.

 Chapter 77 Keep Him

    ¡°You¡¯re refusing to speak? On the account that you¡¯ve been caught within our territory and being implicated with the Ascetic Blasphemers, I have enough reason to execute you this very instant.¡±


    Jennifer had her arms crossed as she glared at the pale-faced Zeke sitting across from her. He was brought to her tent along with Jack and Sulong. Only Arbert, due to his injuries, was spared the Witch¡¯s menacing eyes and threatening voice.


    ¡°What do you want me to do, huh? I helped commander Hext then I left. Why are you insisting I did something wrong?¡±


    Even though he was exhausted due to over-exertion, Zeke refused to be bossed around, especially after all the trouble he went through to save Silya¡¯s life.


    ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    ¡°I already did! Instead of going out there and trying to minimize the damages after a whole outpost was wiped out, you¡¯re trying to push the blame on me? Hah! I¡¯m a citizen of the Nezulian Republic and I have no obligation to answer to you. If you want to execute me or lock me up, do what you want! But don¡¯t lump me with those crazy bastards!¡±


    Zeke banged his fist on the table and glared back at the frightening Jennifer, whose mood has gotten worse after she saw the destruction and death in the other outpost.


    Even though Hext was saved, dozens upon dozens of soldiers were brutally killed. The fact that the Ascetic Blasphemers were able to ambush an outpost and eradicate everyone was a huge blow to the Witch Association, not in terms of military force but in reputation.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really got a tongue on you, kid. I¡¯m not like Silya, don¡¯t think I will let you leave this easi-¡±


    ¡°Jenny. Please.¡±


    Silya Hext, who had slightly recovered, barged into the tent with a worried Freya right behind her.


    ¡°He fought Signora by himself and helped me escape their grasp. Can¡¯t you be more lenient? Come on, Jenny¡­¡±


    Hext approached her superior and pleaded while standing next to the equally angry youth.


    ¡°Freya, take them away and do not leave their side.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    The golden-haired witch motioned for the three men to follow her, which they did. However, before he walked away, Zeke gave one last look at Jennifer,


    ¡°The people after me will not take kindly to this ¡®hospitability¡¯ of yours. It would be to both our benefits if you release us.¡±


    Jennifer snorted and unceremoniously waved her hand at his face, which made him grit his teeth and storm away.


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    ¡°Jenny, he really isn¡¯t a bad person. Don¡¯t let his nasty attitude fool you.¡±


    ¡°I know, Silya. In fact, I already know of him.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you do?¡±


    Silya sat down while groaning in pain, a look of surprise and confusion on her face.


    ¡°My new¡­ student. She¡¯s friends with him.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Amelia? Come to think of it, she did say she was from Erys too. Then again, Zeke is really something else.¡±


    Hext remembered how Zeke not only contended against Signora but was even able to inflict a deep wound. Whether it was his strange scythe or the absurd amount of Lightning-aspected magic he was able to unleash. It defied all reason.


    ¡°He¡¯s a problematic individual.¡± Jenny remarked before lowering her head and quietly adding,


    ¡°This is between us, but he¡¯s the holder of the Paths of Extinction System. It¡¯s because of him we¡¯re dealing with Jonathan on the Western border.¡±


    The tall witch¡¯s shock deepened upon hearing this. She glanced at the closed entrance of the tent before pondering for a bit.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain why so many people are after him. I saw a special agent from the Department of Defense and an assassin from Black Wing. Considering his circumstances, wouldn¡¯t it be better to make an ally out of him? If the Republic doesn¡¯t want him, we can take care of him.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Jenny, why do you seem to hate him this much?¡±


    The auburn-haired witch harrumphed in annoyance and leaned back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how or why, but he¡¯s certainly and deeply involved with the Ascetic Blasphemers. When Amelia recounted her story to me, I investigated everything, including the one behind some of her woes. I¡¯m telling you, the boy is shrouded in mysteries and if the Witch Queen catches wind of a System holder in here, even I wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Then why not let him go?¡±


    ¡°Amelia spoke highly of him. Furthermore, he¡¯s just a kid. You expect me to send him to his death?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Hext let out a soft laugh, ¡°So you were worried. Honestly, Jenny, you¡¯re really bad at expressing yourself. One would think a Witch of your status wouldn¡¯t care about outsiders.¡±


    Jennifer sighed and glanced at the small picture frame on her desk, melancholy and sadness plastered all over her face.


    ¡°Before I¡¯m a Witch or a commander, I¡¯m a human. His displeasing attitude notwithstanding, he¡¯s still a kid and only thinks of the problem in front of his nose. I need to knock some sense into him first.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be kept here temporarily. The special agents suffered quite a loss so I doubt they¡¯ll get close to our radar, but the assassin is another matter. I¡¯ve got contacts in Black Wing, so I¡¯ll begin with securing much-needed information.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Hext slumped back on the uncomfortable wooden chair and closed her eyes, her hand pressed on the wound on her bandaged chest.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to return to the capital and report.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, Hext. It was an unexpected ambush targeting you specifically. There was nothing you could have done.¡±


    ¡°I know but¡­ it feels wrong. Why must I be the one to survive when all my soldiers are dead? I¡¯m inadequate for this position.¡±


    Jennifer wanted to say something, ultimately, she kept her mouth shut and sighed again. Silya Hext was a capable and responsible commander, one of three under her command.


    Considering all the trouble happening West of the country, the Ascetic Blasphemers picked the perfect time for a tactical attack.


    Even if she were to speak for her colleague and friend, Silya Hext would still be unable to avoid punishment. However, until the declaration of the verdict, no one knew what the punishment would be.

 Chapter 78 The Beating

    ¡°So there¡¯s nothing you can do?¡±


    Zeke faced the tall Silya Hext and inquired with a worried expression. He glanced at the small tent behind him, feeling guilty about entering and seeing Arbert¡¯s current condition.


    The spawn of the Blood God had grown from a middle-aged man to an elderly barely capable of moving. His skin had wrinkled and his bones became fragile.


    Were it not for the Witches¡¯ help and the recovery potions in their possession, Arbert¡¯s body would have crumbled due to over-exerting himself.


    ¡°With the resources currently available to us, there¡¯s no way to treat whatever is ailing him.¡±


    She approached Zeke and patted his shoulder apologetically, ¡°Zeke, you and I both know he¡¯s not a normal human. The fact that he¡¯s aging fast means he¡¯s one of the failed ¡®experiments¡¯ of the Blood Dawn Society. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you want to help him, but there¡¯s really no alternative. Yes, there are special kinds of monsters from which you can harvest potent healing materials, but you won¡¯t find them here.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The black-haired youth lowered his head and let out a sigh of helplessness. For the past couple of days, Sulong had been in a depressed state, taking care of the dying Arbert day and night.


    With his current state, Arbert wasn¡¯t fit enough to move, much less get into the van and return home.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Instead of looking for the impossible, I suggest you let him spend his final days in comfort and happiness.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ thank you.¡±


    Commander Hext added a few words before bidding farewell to Zeke. She was going to return to the capital to report on what happened and receive appropriate punishment.


    ¡­


    Late at night, Sulong went to take a breath of fresh air only to be startled by Jennifer.


    The Witch commander was standing outside of the tent, seemingly waiting for him.


    ¡°Do you have a minute to talk? It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    The bald man meekly nodded once and quietly followed the Witch to a secluded spot.


    ¡°First, I¡¯m sorry for your son. I¡¯ve been briefed about your special relationship, but that doesn¡¯t make your familial bond any weaker. You took him under your wing and raised him, albeit for a short amount of time.¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, I don¡¯t need consoling words. I¡¯m no stranger to the loss of people, family or not.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you are. I called you here to warn you about something¡­ or more specifically, someone.¡±


    Sulong scoffed at her words and returned, ¡°Let me guess¡­ Zeke? Why can¡¯t people just leave him alone? It¡¯s not like he¡¯s hurt you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not particularly antagonistic towards him or his nature. But, I thought it better to disclose a couple of details to you. Seeing as you are his friend and also an adult, I have a higher chance of talking sense into you.¡±


    Sulong sighed and crossed his arms, already displeased with how she was portraying things in a negative light.


    ¡°Zeke-no¡­ the System he¡¯s using, the thing that made you obtain an ability, it¡¯s highly dangerous. Now, I¡¯m sure you figured out a couple of things on your own already, but it has to be said. From this point onwards, things will only get worse.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve read Zeke¡¯s files and I know about his circumstances. As his follower and friend, you must understand that, if you continue down this road, expect to lose even more people close to you.¡±


    Sulong glared at the short woman, snorting coldly as he talked back, ¡°So?¡±


    Jennifer frowned, clearly not expecting him to give such a response or appear so unperturbed.


    ¡°When we left the Sunken Metropolis, we were all warned that we might die or even worse. The System? Death? Do you think we haven¡¯t thought about that? Or perhaps do you think we¡¯re doing this for fun? I was offered an opportunity and I took it. If I or Jack die here, then we¡¯ll die knowing we tried our best instead of rotting in a run-down office. Please don¡¯t presume to know me or Zeke just because you¡¯ve read a report or two.¡±


    ¡°Sooner or later, people will learn of Zeke Orland and his connection with the System. Just look how my people reacted to Jonathan, who¡¯s just aiming to get his hands on a System. If they can¡¯t reach Zeke, it¡¯s only natural they¡¯ll target you. They will use you for their own benefit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still failing to get your point, commander Jennifer. You think I¡¯ll snitch or betray? Or that I¡¯m afraid?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the other way around, actually. To keep you safe, Zeke might be the one abandoning you. He¡¯s just a kid and to be confronted with one loss after the other will change his perspective. It¡¯s for that reason that System holders are wont to wander alone.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    This time, Sulong didn¡¯t respond. He clenched his teeth and kept piercingly staring at the solemn Witch.


    ¡­


    ¡°Zeke, it¡¯s time to go back. Your brother is worried about you and he cannot protect you when you¡¯re so far away.¡±


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    Katrina stood next to the silent youth and muttered those words while sneaking glances at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming he knows about the System? Hah! I expected nothing less from Ed. It¡¯s so like him to overly worry and resort to extreme measures.¡±


    After a short about of silence, Katrina turned her body and looked straight at him.


    ¡°What do you hope to achieve by going after the Ascetic Blasphemers? Is this because of what they did to you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking back what¡¯s rightfully mine.¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± There was a hint of mockery and sarcasm in her retort.


    Katrina has had enough of his unruliness, but what bothered her the most was that she couldn¡¯t read him at all. He was wearing an inscrutable mask, one that no one was able to peek through.


    ¡°To tell you the truth, Miss Katrina, if I didn¡¯t get the System, I wouldn¡¯t have done all of this. But now that I can fight and protect myself, no one has the right to stop me. I¡¯ll get what I want and find out the whole truth.¡±


    ¡°At what cost?¡±


    ¡°Pfftt!¡± He chuckled and shrugged nonchalantly, ¡°There¡¯s no cost I¡¯m not willing to play. If you were in my shoes, you would have done the same.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m content with serving my country and obeying my superior.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you admire Ed and want to pay him back. Tell me, then, what if he¡¯s labeled as a criminal? Who would you side with?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. Once Arbert peacefully passes away, I will be going back with you. However, I¡¯d like you to stop spying on me. I¡¯ve got information that will get the Department off my back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re strong, Zeke, but don¡¯t let your newfound abilities get to your head. There are people who can kill you with ease. My role is to ensure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°It will, if you keep being so reckless.¡±


    With an expressionless face, Zeke looked at her and repeated, ¡°That won¡¯t happen. I can¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The bespectacled woman was momentarily confused as she heard his resolute voice, which was brimming with certainty. It was as if he was absolutely confident that he will not die.


    ¡°I may only have gotten the System recently, but I have a few guesses on why I was chosen. I need it as much as it needs me. It will not let me die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous. The System cannot interfere directly, you know that alrea-¡± She suddenly stopped talking as if realizing something.


    ¡°Did you do something? Were you given a special ability?¡±


    Zeke walked a couple of steps away and sat down on a lonely bench while softly laughing.


    ¡°Miss Katrina, as my brother¡¯s most trusted confident, surely you¡¯re eligible to know sensitive information about me. How about an equivalent exchange?¡±


    ¡°W-what? I¡¯m not following you¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to pretend. At least to some extent, you know the circumstances regarding my birth and why the Ascetic Blasphemeres went after my heart. Tell me what you know and I¡¯ll reveal to you why I can¡¯t die. However, if you agree, I want you to keep everything to yourself. Not even Edward must know.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing nothing but silence as an answer, Zeke shook his head in disappointment.


    ¡°Fine. Keep your shadowy stalking. Just know that, when I have the necessary strength, I will be stopping your unsolicited assistance. I require no guardian nor help.¡±


    ******


    ¡°Why are you keeping me here? I know that Zeke is here!¡±


    Amelia has been locked inside one of the tents. She threw a tantrum every time Freya came to deliver food or some news.


    The order came directly from Jennifer, who didn¡¯t want Amelia and Zeke to meet. She said that the former might want to rekindle the fragmented friendship and that might hinder her training.


    ¡°Sorry, Amelia. Jenny seems adamant about this.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ can you tell me what happened? Why is he here? E-emm¡­ is he looking for me?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know you¡¯re here.¡± Replied Freya as she sat next to the girl and caressed her long raven-black hair.


    ¡°From the way you had described him, I thought he¡¯d be friendlier, hehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Once you get to know him, Zeke is a genuinely caring person.¡±


    Freya giggled and gave a light hug to the tearful Amelia.


    ¡°People change, Amelia. Maybe being taken by Jonathan was a blessing rather than a curse.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°All I can tell you is that things are about to get nasty. Like¡­ very nasty. Your friend is in the middle of it all.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°This is as good of a place as any. Let us start?¡±


    Jennifer pulled her sleeve as she faced the perplexed youth standing a couple of paces away.


    Almost all the Witches in the outpost were forming a huge circle around their commander and the youth.


    Sulong and Jack were tending to Arbert, and Amelia was still locked up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the System, do you not? I want to see what a brat like you is capable of.¡±


    ¡°And why is that relevant to anything happening now? Furthermore, why must I prove my capabilities to you, huh?!¡±


    Seeing his stubborn and rude nature, Jennifer snorted as she changed her stance and grinned, ¡°If you¡¯re not attacking, then I shall!¡±


    Her figure turned blurry, and by the next second, she was in front of him.


    Out of reflex to defend himself, Zeke used ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ to move his body and blocked her seemingly slow punch.


    However, even though he successfully blocked the attack, his body was still pushed to the back. His blackened left arm, especially, felt number and unresponsive due to the brute force behind Jennifer¡¯s attack.


    Slightly irritated by the woman¡¯s taunting expression, electricity burst from Zeke¡¯s body, which turned into thin air as he teleported in front of the witch.


    He raised his leg and used the voltage-imbued ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯. Much to his surprise, however, his rapidly-moving leg was easily caught by Jennifer, who spun around while swinging his body like a ragdoll.


    Although he managed to safely land on the ground, she was already upon him, her leg striking his body and smashing him back into the dirt.


    The harmless fight against Jennifer was totally one-sided. She had only made use of her physical prowess, but that was enough to subject Zeke to the most humiliating beat-down of his own life.


    ¡°This is pathetic. My student doesn¡¯t have the System yet she could do much better than you.¡±


    ¡°You wretched wit-¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She pulled him to his feet by his collar then smacked the back of his head, almost making him fall head-first into the ground, ¡°What was that? Were you going to say something?¡±


    ¡°I said you¡¯re a wretched witch!¡±


    Even though he was beaten black and blue, Zeke didn¡¯t seem to care. He gnashed his teeth and cursed at the provocative Jennnifer.


    ¡°All talk, no bite. As someone with an attitude no less nasty than yours, I can tell you that you¡¯re a wimp who can¡¯t do shit with what he has.¡±


    ¡°Bite me!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± She swiftly moved her leg and kicked his chest before mounting him and delivering a torrent of slaps at his face.


    By the end of it, the witches were cheering for their leader. They were enjoying this brief moment of respite and entertainment, especially after what happened a few days ago.


    Once she was done ¡®educating¡¯ him, Jennifer waved her hand and walked away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s more stubborn, him and you. It¡¯s a rare sight for someone to talk back to you this much.¡± Commented Freya as she covered her mouth and giggled.


    She followed her gloomy friend all the way to her personal tent, in which the latter slumped on her chair while sighing.

 Chapter 79 Funeral

    Arbert, whose body turned dangerously thin and on the verge of collapse, moved his head to the side and looked at the three standing next to the bed.


    He focused, especially, on the tearful Sulong who was holding his hand.


    The local physician under Jennifer¡¯s command had informed them that Arbert wouldn¡¯t be able to make it past today. Instead of letting him suffer for a bit more, Sulong, after a lot of convincing, reluctantly agreed to let the Witches offer Arbert a peaceful death.


    Although Arbert had been with them for a short period of time, no one of them considered him strange or unworthy of sympathy and grief.


    ¡°If there is a way to bring you back, we will find it.¡± Resolutely stated Zeke as he stared back at the hollow eyes of the red-haired old man.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡±


    Arbert shook his head while faintly smiling.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡±


    ¡°Come on, man. You¡¯re one of us now, surely there¡¯s a way to get you back.¡±


    Jack turned his head to the side and stutteringly uttered those words.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Sadly, Arbert didn¡¯t have the strength to speak. His monitored vitals went completely silent and his breathing ceased as he entered an eternal slumber.


    Whatever the physician had injected into him, it worked and ended his life in the most painless way possible.


    Jack tried to console his friend but Zeke shook his head and dragged him outside. He wanted to let Sulong mourn alone for a time.


    ¡°This really sucks.¡±


    Jack stomped the ground and took out a cigarette only to throw it to the side and grunt. He glanced at the youth next to him and patted his back reassuringly,


    ¡°You¡¯re not blaming yourself, are you?¡±


    ¡°I just think¡­¡± Zeke clenched his fists and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time.¡±


    ¡°It might sound cruel, but his happiness was never meant to be. If you and Sulong didn¡¯t find him, he would have led a much shorter and worse life. We should honor his life.¡±


    Zeke stared at the man, feeling ashamed that he was the one being consoled instead of the other way around. He realized that, in reality, he was emotionally weaker than Jack or Sulong.


    ¡­


    The next day, all the Witches, along with Freya and Jennifer, were standing in an orderly fashion.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Although it wasn¡¯t an appropriate place, the commander still prepared a funeral for Arbert and all the Witches who died.


    Jack and Sulong carried the huge coffin and, following the instructions, buried it at the top of the valley, next to dozens of other empty graves.


    Sulong had recovered, and though his eyes were red from all the crying, he managed to keep himself together and finish the funeral without getting emotional.


    When everything was said and done, he and Jack went to the van and sat there, enjoying the sunset in silence.


    Meanwhile, Jennifer had called Katrina and Zeke to talk about the present affairs.


    ¡°We¡¯ve searched for the assassin from Black Wing but he seemed to have fled. You will, however, encounter him were you to directly head back home.¡±


    Before Zeke could object and offer an alternative, Jennifer raised her hand to stop him and continued,


    ¡°With a Special Agent within this side of the border, I took it upon myself to call for back-up from the Department of Defense. Due to the urgency of this ordeal, they will arrive tomorrow morning. With them escorting you, you won¡¯t have to fear any ambushes.¡±


    ¡°So you called the snakes to your den? Very good.¡± Sarcastically retorted the disheartened Zeke.


    He didn¡¯t want to meet up with the agent just yet, as there might be spies from the Vyrsan family.


    ¡°They sent the best of the best. Since you were planning to return home anyway, I¡¯m sure you got something that will deter them from locking you up. Stop being childish and be obedient for once, you annoying brat.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke venomously glared at her but opted for keeping his silence. He couldn¡¯t run away from the camp undetected, especially with Jack and Sulong with him. Therefore, the best way was to comply and rely on the agents.


    The two-week long break has ended and it was high time to return to Erys. Although the normal classes didn¡¯t benefit Zeke that much, he still wanted to compete with his peers. Furthermore, under the Principal¡¯s watchful eye, he would be protected from any of the secret organizations, the Vyrsan household, and the people planning to eliminate him due to his connection with the System.


    Until he had the strength to defend himself from all dangers, he had no choice but to rely on outside assistance. Still, with the rate he was improving, it won¡¯t be long before he could act independently and start building his own business.


    ¡­.


    Meanwhile, at the Western border of the Witch Association.


    A group of at least 10 4-star Witches was embroiled in a fight against one human.


    The slim and black-haired man was surrounded by a swirling black mist, a frightening spectral entity floating above him and protecting him from the bombardment of spells.


    ¡°Stop him!¡±


    The Witches were led by a 5-star Witch named Emilia Sapp, someone of equal rank to Jennifer Savbra.


    Jonathan Stellar Link was cornered and almost subdued, his body riddled with injuries of all kinds. Still, as he knelt on the ground and gasped for breath, his left hand was holding a blinding golden light, which was shrouding a mysterious object.


    When the light integrated itself into his body, the man let out a loud cackle as his body was flattened by a monstrously large hand made of black-colored metal.


    Emilia snorted angrily and approached the unconscious man, displeased to see the clear mark of the System engraved on his body.


    She had failed in stopping him in time, but the fact he was at her mercy was a blessing. Instead of killing him, she commanded her subordinates to bind his body with multiple layers of magic before dragging him back to the camp.


    He would be brought before the Witch Queen, who was the only one capable of deciding his fate.


    With so many Witches dispatched to take care of the matter, it would have been an easy task to catch Jonathan. However, the man was exceptionally tenacious, that and his suicidal actions to delve into the dangerous ruins and retrieve the dormant System.


    Now, he had officially become a System holder, which made him a special breed that should either be locked up or killed on the spot.

 Chapter 80 Escorts

    ¡°Is this truly necessary?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Katrina glared at the short and slim agent with an expressionless face. He was also a special agent, one of the best in the Department of Defense. He was part of a large contingent sent to retrieve Zeke Orland and bring him back to the Nezulian Republic.


    The bearded and muscular agent from before was also present, but he just stood obediently at the back.


    In addition to the short and brown-haired agent with a cloth mask covering the lower part of his face, there were also three other high-ranking individuals who were all equipped with a power no weaker than a 4-star Witch.


    Since Jennifer cooperated with them, there were no unexpected complications or fights. However, whether it was the Witch commander, the other witches, or even Katrina, they all frowned in displeasure when they saw how Zeke was being treated.


    The moment the agents arrived, they handcuffed the youth and put chains around his ankles and neck. They even went a step further and covered his head.


    Clearly, they were taking this operation seriously and didn¡¯t want the target to retaliate or attempt to flee.


    Seeing Zeke treated like a heinous criminal about to be sent to the gallows, Katrina gritted her teeth and tried to make them loosen the unnecessary binds, but she was rebuked by the leading agent.


    ¡°You will follow my orders, agent Katrina. Any disobedience will be seen as insubordination.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not disobeying you. Zeke agreed to cooperate. Why this harsh treatment? He¡¯s not going to escape.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a threat and must be dealt with accordingly.¡± After he said his piece, the short man waved his hand to signal the rest to move out.


    The seven massive black trucks roared to life as the agents either jumped on their backs, all holding special rifles and wearing enchanted sets of armors that were highly resistant to Magic.


    As Joshua Ferno, the Special agent leading the contingent was finalizing this ¡®deal¡¯ with Jennifer Savbra and preparing to set out, a black dot came flying from the horizon.


    Quickly, it grew in size until it was visible to everyone. Whether it the Witches or the agents, they all raised their weapons while waiting for their leaders¡¯ orders.


    Jennifer, slightly surprised, loudly shouted, ¡°Lower your weapons!¡±


    Joshua too, motioned for his subordinates to do the same, his beady black eyes glued to the flying creature heading their way.


    In the blink of an eye, the creature was already landing in front of the outpost. It was a feathery green bird with a black beak and a pair of crystalline red eyes.


    Two individuals jumped from its back, one was a pretty woman wearing a black dress and the other was a stoic man with a clean and tidy uniform.


    While Jennifer didn¡¯t recognize the newcomers, it wasn¡¯t the case for Special Agent Joshua, whose ugly expression was a clear indication of his displeasure.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Joshua! At the behest of Principal Solas, we came to escort our dear student.¡±


    Teacher Erva and Teacher Christopher marched closer to Joshua.


    ¡°Why is he bound like that? Remove everything.¡±


    As she glared at the group of agents surroundings the completely immobilized Zeke, they flinched and instinctively looked at their superior.


    ¡°We¡¯re following protocol.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t pose any danger. Don¡¯t make this hard for us.¡± Solemnly stated Christopher Balrand.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you want us to-¡±


    Joshua suddenly stopped talking, swallowing back anything he wanted to say. His body shook for a moment as a bloodthirsty aura burst from Erva.


    She chuckled and retorted, ¡°Are you really going to force my hand, Joshua? Erys is independent of the Department of Defense. Moreover, the Principal has given me full authority.¡±


    Joshua clicked his tongue and ordered the agents to remove the cuffs and the chains. Although he was strong and had dozens of veteran agents, Erva was still on a whole other level.


    It was rumored that she was even stronger Solas. She was a prodigy in Aether manipulation and a barbaric fighter that killed hundreds of Proto-Demons. Due to her pretty face and gentle attitude, many wouldn¡¯t glance twice in her direction, but as someone working for the upper echelon of the Department of Defense, Joshua knew better than to oppose her, especially so far from home.


    ¡°Zeke! How are you?¡±


    When she approached the quiet student, she worriedly checked his body from head to toe.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you, Miss Erva.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here now. You don¡¯t need to worry about them.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke nodded and remained close to Erva. Christopher too, walked to his side and after sighing in exasperation, remarked with a low voice,


    ¡°You really caused quite a mess back home. I hope that our presence here shows you that neither Erys nor the Principal are prepared to abandon you.¡±


    Zeke glanced at his teacher but didn¡¯t comment. Although he didn¡¯t expect the two of them to come, he was secretly pleased.


    It was kind of odd for the dispatched agents to bind him like that, even if it was just precautionary measures. By now, the Department of Defense must know how strong he was and by sending Joshua and the others, it was apparent they either over-estimated him or simply didn¡¯t want to fail again. Either way, Zeke suspected that there might be spies from the Vyrsan Household, which might be why Solas acted with haste and sent Erva and Christopher.


    Fortunately, Jack and Sulong weren¡¯t treated harshly, but they were constantly being guarded by two agents each.


    Soon, when the talking was over, the contingent set forth to the Nezulian Republic.


    Erva remained near Zeke at all times while Christopher accompanied Sulong and Jack in the white van.


    Just like that, they departed from the border and crossed the Whitefrost Planes, which made the trip longer but utterly devoid of any incidents.


    The journey was uneventful and took several days, in which they would rest for four hours each night.


    The blistering cold notwithstanding, all the agents remained on high alert, and patrols were dispatched to scout the vicinity and ensure the assassin wasn¡¯t lurking nearby.


    <hr>


    Ironically, the Witch Association wasn¡¯t a democratic nation; It was ruled by a monarch entity known as the Witch Queen, a woman who was presumably hundreds of years old.


    As a 7-star Witch, the ruler of the Witches was a merciless woman that stood at the peak of the world. She was, undoubtedly, the strongest living being on the Aether Planet, and through strength alone, her position remained unshakable and allowed her to maintain stability and peace in the country.


    North of the Whitefrost Planes, between a long mountain range stood the towering capital of the Witch Association. An ancient city surrounded by protective magical barriers and mountainous stone walls that rendered it impregnable.


    Inside the black castle overseeing the entirety of the city, precisely in a cold and relatively empty spacious hall, all the high-ranking Witches were summoned to meet their leader.


    Whether it was Silya Hext, Jennifer Savbra, or the other Witches.


    In total, there were 72 4-star Witches and 36 5-Star Witches, all standing next to each other based on rank.


    Additionally, there were three women dressed in white clothes standing near the throne. These three witches were 6-star Witches, peak existences whose powers rivaled the strongest of the two neighboring nations.


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    Last but not least was the Witch Queen, Nicneven Sin. She was a tall woman with surprisingly unremarkable facial features, a pair of thin eyebrows, two hazy brown eyes, an oval-shaped face, a small pointy nose, and sultry lips.


    Nicneven wore a dark-red log dress and silver high heels as she sat with a straight back on the impressively big and crystalline azure throne.


    When everyone had arrived, Nicneven raised her had and snapped her fingers, which was a signal to bring the prisoner.


    Not even a minute later, the haggard and chained Jonathan Stellar Link was dragged to the center of the hall. With no strength left in his legs, he knelt on the ground, surrounded by the Witches and facing someone he didn¡¯t even dare look at.


    ¡°So you are Jonathan Stellar Link.¡±


    A chillingly cold voice reverberated across the hall as the Witch Queen scrutinized the weakened man.


    One of the 6-star Witches standing behind the throne walked down a couple of stairs and looked at the quiet and disheveled Jonathan.


    ¡°Speak when you¡¯re spoken to.¡±


    ¡°A-ah¡­ yes. I am Jonathan.¡± He weakly responded, his head lowered and his body shaking.


    He was feeling anxious and fearful, but that was to be expected as he was being gazed at by an entity no weaker than the mythical Gods.


    ¡°Do you know why your life has been spared?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡±


    Nicneven pointed her index at him and shot a hazy thread of magical power which pierced the back of his hand. Unfortunately, not even the Witch Queen was able to interfere with the System or forcefully remove it.


    ¡°Hmpf! Always so repulsive. Very well.¡±


    She retracted her magic and shook her hand as if wanting to get rid of the disgust she was feeling.


    ¡°After so many years, you are the first System Holder I got my hands on. However, don¡¯t think yourself special.¡±


    Confused by her statement, Jonathan snuck a glance at her and saw her threatening and piercing glare.


    ¡°You were brought here to face an ultimatum. Either you are executed or you swore loyalty to me.¡±


    Without any hint of hesitation, Jonathan bowed his head and responded, ¡°I swear loyalty to the Witch Queen!¡±


    ¡°Words are not enough. If your sworn loyalty was truly not an act, then you should feel nothing.¡±


    The 6-star Witch standing next to Jonathan waved her hand, enveloping the chained man in a mysterious black curtain that blocked all light.


    Several seconds later, the Witch turned to look at her Queen and nodded once.


    The curtain vanished moments later, revealing a perplexed Jonathan.


    With so many people after him, it was a stroke of good luck that Nicneven was willing to let him live. If he were to work for her, he wouldn¡¯t be treated harshly.


    Therefore, when he had instantly sworn loyalty to her, he wasn¡¯t faking it or trying to please her.


    Unbeknownst to him, that black curtain had tested his hidden thoughts and proved that his dedication wasn¡¯t merely a trick. If he had failed, he would have suffered a cruel and miserable death.


    ¡°Good. Let us move to the next pressing issue. Your problematic alter ego.¡±


    The moment his twisted other personality was mentioned, Jonathan¡¯s body twitched as he defensively curled like a fetus.


    However, his display of fear didn¡¯t stop Nicnenven from unleashing her power.


    An Invisible and suffocating energy cascaded on the powerless Jonathan, invading his body and making him scream like a pig about to be slaughtered.


    Although it lasted for barely a minute, the man was subjected to inhumane agony. He felt as if his soul was being ripped out, his crying voice became hoarse and blood gushed out from all his orifices.


    It was a gruesome sight, one that not many witches were able to withstand. Some averted their gazes and others covered their mouths and closed their eyes.


    Eventually, a sinister black orb was pulled from Jonathan¡¯s body, and before it could rampage in the hall, it was sucked into the bracelet of the 6-star Witch.


    Jonathan laid on the cold ground, gasping for breath, his dirty clothes reeking of blood as he convulsed and let out soft painful groans.


    ¡°You should know better than to draw power from the Core of a Proto-Demon.¡±


    Nicneven snorted and unceremoniously waved her hand. In a matter of seconds, Jonathan was dragged outside of the hall and the eerie silence returned.


    ¡°Kleya, you know what to do with Jonathan. I want him ready to depart within a week.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Kleya, one of the two 6-star Witches next to Nicneven, performed a bow before vanishing into thin air.


    With this affair dealt with, the Witch Queen dismissed everyone excluding Silya Hext and Jennifer Savbra.


    Even the remaining 6-star Witches were sent outside, much to the two commanders¡¯ surprise.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    The two approached the throne and bowed their heads while waiting for a response.


    ¡°Commander Hext, you will be staying in the capital until further notice. It has been confirmed that you are one of the primary targets of the Ascetic Blasphemers and leaving you on the border will make for an easy target.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Silya was already called by the higher-ups, but she didn¡¯t receive any punishment. Instead, she was provided with a strong artifact that healed her wounds and instructed to rest. She expected the Witch Queen to be angry or dissatisfied, but it wasn¡¯t the cast, unexpectedly.


    Nicneven seemed disinterested, almost indifferent to the whole matter.


    ¡°You two have met the new System Holder, yes? I want to hear your firsthand account.¡±


    While tapping her index on the throne, Nicneven patiently listened to Jennifer and Hext, who recounted everything without leaving any details. They talked about Zeke¡¯s involvement with the cultists, how he helped Silya, how he behaved, and his complicated circumstances.


    When they were done, Nicneven kept staring at Jennifer before saying,


    ¡°As I had thought. Commander Savbra, if I remember correctly, you lost your husband and son during the Black Meteor Incident, correct?¡±


    Surprised by this personal question, Jennifer didn¡¯t know what to say at first.


    ¡°Yy-yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°While I hope it doesn¡¯t affect your work, I feel inclined to clarify a couple of things to you.¡±


    The Witch Queen glanced at confused Silya Hext before continuing,


    ¡°During the Black Meteor Incident, your husband was killed and your son was taken by the Proto-Demons. However, someone of unknown origin had interfered that day and killed the enemies before my arrival. I¡¯ve only caught a glimpse of him before he escaped, but I¡¯m certain he had a newborn in his arms.¡±


    Stupefied by this revelation, Jennifer stood there, forgetting to breathe or respond.


    Nicneven didn¡¯t seem to mind that as she resumed, ¡°Your contribution that day, along with your sacrifice was not unnoticed. At that time, I suspected that the newborn was your son, so I started looking for any signs of him. Alas, my search was fruitless.¡±


    The Witch Queen rested her hand and sighed, ¡°That newborn, albeit having survived that catastrophe, was infused with a Proto-Demon¡¯s heart. Similarly, years ago, the Ascetic Blasphemers targeted Zeke Orland and stole his heart. These coincidences are not enough to warrant a definitive conclusion but¡­¡±


    In the end, Nicneven stopped talking and waved her hand at him, dismissing them both.


    While the pale-faced and shocked Jennifer was leaving the hall, she heard the echoing words of the Queen,


    ¡°You are a smart woman, Jennifer Savbra. I¡¯m sure you can figure out the truth on your own.¡±


    Nicneven remained on the throne for a while before Kleya, her most trusted confidant returned.


    ¡°Your Majesty, was it really wise to tell her that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not wont to hide things from my people, Kleya. The Paths Of Extinction System is one of the three Lost Divinities, so the method that we used on Jonathan will not work. If he turns out to be Jennifer¡¯s son, then that would make things considerably easier.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡­


    Even with Erva and Christopher accompanying him and ensuring his safety, Zeke was still directly led to the HQ of the Department of Defense.


    He felt refreshed to finally return to the Sunken Metropolis, but being surrounded by armed agents around the clocks was discomforting, to say the least.


    Fortunately, and contrary to his expectations, Zeke was taken to his older brother¡¯s office instead of a cell or the meeting room of the high executives.


    Zeke waited for half an hour before his worried brother barged in and gave him a tight hug.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? Do you need anything?¡±


    Zeke sat down across Edward and reassuringly smiled, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ed. They didn¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°Crossing the Living Forest¡­ I mean, what were you even thinking? And messing with the Ascetic Blasphemers?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his siblings keep his counsel and stare at him with a stone-faced expression, Edward sighed heavily and switched the topic.


    ¡°The Vyrsan Family is still out for blood. However, you don¡¯t need to worry about them for now. Even Black Wing has its limits. You will return to Erys and resume being a student.¡±


    ¡°What about your superiors? They must know the truth, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but the Principal vouched for you and vehemently refused to hand you over. He might sometimes be a pain in the ass but that geezer is trustworthy, hahahaha¡­¡±


    Zeke wasn¡¯t wholly satisfied with this, so he cleared his throat and stated,


    ¡°Still, I want them off my back. I have information about the Ascetic Blasphemers¡­ information important enough to move the attention away from me.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Edward¡¯s expression turned serious. He motioned for Katrina, who was standing right outside the office, to close the door.


    When the room was isolated, Zeke continued,


    ¡°A couple of spies from the Ascetic Blasphemers have infiltrated the Department of Defense. I have their names and positions. Will it be enough?¡±


    ¡°Names? Show me.¡±


    Zeke nodded and handed his brother a small piece of paper, on which he wrote the names Signora had given him. Of course, the spies in Erys were written in another paper, mainly because Zeke wanted to take care of them himself.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°I assure you it¡¯s genuine, brother.¡±


    ¡°Assuming it¡¯s true, we need to tread carefully and take them down in one fell swoop. Yes, with this, the General will be most pleased.¡±


    Edward put down the piece of paper and stared at his brother,


    ¡°Zeke, I know that I can¡¯t force you to lay low and avoid trouble. You¡¯re family and I will do my utmost to keep you safe, though you¡¯re not making it any easier for me. The System is a great boon to have, but it casts a big mark on you and makes you the target of many people. Since you¡¯re my brother, the Department of Defense is willing to offer you some leeway, at least until your official graduation.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Ed. I really do. There will be no move disappearances or unlawful incidents, provided that I¡¯m not attacked first, that is.¡±


    ¡°Katrina will be guarding you around the clock.¡± Edward¡¯s eyes narrowed as he warned his brother, ¡°I know you like secrecy, but now is not the time. Trust in me, please.¡±


    Although reluctantly, Zeke meekly nodded his head and leaned back against the chair, feeling slightly guilty.

 Chapter 81 Immunity

    ¡°You wished for a private meeting. I am listening.¡±


    A towering man with long crimson hair and a grizzly-looking face was facing Edward Orland.


    The man was one of the strongest people in the Nezulian Republic and the one with the highest authority in the Department of Defense.


    As a democratic nation, the Nezulian Republic wasn¡¯t solely ruled by one entity like the Serey Zhan Empire or the Witch Nation, nevertheless, the man was one of the pillars holding the country together, and seldom were his decisions erroneous.


    ¡°General Zhang, before I say anything, I want you to grant my brother full immunity.¡±


    ¡°Immunity? It has already been decided that he wouldn¡¯t be locked up. What else do you want?¡±


    Edward, although feeling pressured to be alone with General Zhang, still kept his calm and clarified,


    ¡°A vocal minority might try things behind the curtains. If that were to happen, any retaliation from Zeke or I wouldn¡¯t be viewed as treason, even if the mastermind were to be a high executive of the Department of Defense.¡±


    The man crossed his muscular and scarred arms and scrutinized his subordinate. Eventually, he responded,


    ¡°Any evildoers will receive proper punishment for going against our nation¡¯s best interests. Be at ease and tell me the reason behind this meeting.¡±


    Edward breathed a sigh of relief as he slid the piece of paper toward Zhang Li.


    ¡°This contains the names of spies scattered across the several divisions and teams of the Department of Defense. Zeke gave me this and I do not doubt his veracity.¡±


    ¡°Spies?¡±


    ¡°Yes, General. From the Ascetic Blasphemers. My brother doesn¡¯t want to oppose the Department of Defense nor cause any trouble¡­ unlike what many want to believe. This is an expression of his goodwill.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Zhang Li scoffed at Edward and skimmed through the names before ripping the paper,


    ¡°As a civilian of our Republic, it should be natural that he helps us catch the rotten apples that snuck into our nest. Still¡­ this is good for me.¡±


    The General lowered his voice and continued, ¡°I trust that you will not share this with anyone else. By tomorrow night, after confirming the identity of the spies, they will all be wiped out, thus consolidating my position and quelling the objections of your colleagues. You acted fast and came to me directly, so I¡¯m willing to vouch for your brother. However, you must know that my protection will not hold on forever.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Thank you, General.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, I¡¯m doing what¡¯s right. To begin with, your brother has no use for us in his current state. In times of need, we will call for his aid¡­ that¡¯s when we shall see if he¡¯s an enemy or an ally.¡±


    ¡°I assure you he will not disappoint, General. Thank you again.¡±


    Edward performed a military salute then left Zhang Li¡¯s office, feeling that the conversation, albeit brief, had proceeded relatively smoothly.


    Zhang Li was a tough nut to crack, but he was very patriotic and put the safety of his nation above else. Even if some people wanted to lock up Zeke, they wouldn¡¯t be able to go against the General.


    When he was back in his office, Edward called for Katrina.


    The young woman fixed her loose spectacles then saluted.


    ¡°It has been dealt with. Zeke can return home.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Before she could leave, he signaled for her to wait as he pulled a few documents from his drawer and handed them to them.


    ¡°The Department of Finance and the Department of Health and Human Services will probably make a move. While their agents aren¡¯t particularly strong, they could seek outside help. Be careful, please.¡±


    The Nezulian Republic had many Departments, each in charge of a specific thing. However, only three Departments stood above all the rest; The Department of Defense, The Department of Finance, and the Department of Health and Human Services.


    The head of each of those three was considered the ¡®rulers¡¯ of the nation.


    While the Department of Defense had a strong influence in all three main cities of the country, the other two Departments were relatively weaker and didn¡¯t have a strong military force. Moreover, they couldn¡¯t interfere with many things, especially those related to public safety.


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will do my utmost to ensure Zeke¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Katrina.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Edward approached her and gave her a light hug before they sat next to each other on the sofa.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t part of your duty, but can you tell me your opinion about what happened? Did you notice any strange things?¡±


    Katrina, with her face as solemn as ever, pondered for a bit before answering,


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that Zeke has made contact with the Ascetic Blasphemers. We encountered Red Mask Signora running away, but I don¡¯t know how Zeke had managed to escape unscathed. I¡¯m sure we missed something.¡±


    ¡°That is indeed odd. Considering his hatred towards their order, I¡¯d expect he would have chased them.¡±


    ¡°I suspect he struck a deal with them, sir.¡±


    ¡°Zeke¡­ making a deal with them? That¡¯s a bit far-fetched. The Paths of Extinction System is capable of many things. Maybe he¡¯s got an efficient ability that ensures his safety or else he wouldn¡¯t have recklessly charged at them. Either way, I doubt he¡¯ll give me honest answers if I asked.¡±


    Katrina wanted to argue back and say that Edward¡¯s impression of his brother was affected by his bias. In the end, she kept her counsel and after exchanging a few words with Edward, she left.


    ¡­.


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke, Sulong, and Jack, were escorted by the agents to the busy street in front of the loan sharks¡¯ previous workplace.


    Mentally and physically exhausted, the three travelers returned to the empty and dusty office, a long about of silence flowing between them.


    During the trip back to the Nezulian Republic, they were isolated from each other and weren¡¯t allowed to converse, but now that they were together, no one had anything to say.


    Sulong slumped down on his favorite old couch and dazedly stared to the front. Jack lit up a cigarette and stood next to the window, sighing continuously.


    As for Zeke, he stood near the entrance door, his head lowered and his fists clenched.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry, Sulong. I know how much he meant to you.¡±


    The bald and muscular man turned his head and looked at the lonely figure of the youth. He wryly smiled and shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Such is life.¡±


    Sulong took out a withered red-colored flower, which was the last memento Arbert had left for him.


    ¡°We¡¯ve had enough time for grief and mourning. You got us together, Zeke¡­ it¡¯s ¡®bout time you look to the future and continue what we started.¡±


    Zeke meekly nodded and softly smiled as he motioned for them to sit around one of the small tables scattered across the office.


    Once they were sitting around the table, he cleared his throat and declared,


    ¡°First and foremost, we need to rebrand. As you might have seen, to those secret organizations and the authorities, we are no one. Therefore, we need to build a reputation, we need power, literally and figuratively.¡±


    ¡°What are we rebranding into, though? It¡¯s not like we are experts in anything other than threatening people for money or conning them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s in the past, Jack.¡± Corrected Zeke with a firm and determined expression,


    ¡°We can and we will improve. This office is as good as any¡­¡± He paused for a couple of seconds, taking a deep breath, ¡°Mercenaries. That¡¯s what we will be. We will accept commissions and help people, thus building a reputation and influence. We need to be able to take care of ourselves and not be subjected to anyone¡¯s whims.¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries, huh¡­. I don¡¯t see why not. Any thoughts, Sulong?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aboard. There are no shortage of mysteries and crimes in our glorious city. However, we lack capital, Zeke. We¡¯re practically, penniless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to secure some funds. Meanwhile, you two will handle the paperwork and use your connections to spread the word.¡±


    The two men looked at Zeke, their eyes displaying a mix of uncertainty and trust.


    Zeke, on the other hand, hesitated for a good while before resolutely saying,


    ¡°When I was young, around 6 or so, I was kidnapped by the Ascetic Blasphemers. Although I was saved within a day, those cultists managed to operate on me and rip my heart out.¡±


    ¡°Zeke, we don¡¯t need to-¡± Jack wanted to stop him but Sulong raised his hand and motioned for him to keep his mouth shut and listen.


    ¡°My adoptive parents kept me alive for months before performing a successful heart implant surgery on me. My goal is to find the man who stole my heart, Red Mask Fanti Fan, retrieve my heart and uncover why I was targeted. Many, if not all, will think of me as crazy or suicidal, but now that I have the strength to fight, there is nothing to stop me. It¡¯s just like you, Sulong¡­ once I was given an opportunity, I jumped at it. In the beginning¡­ when I ¡®recruited¡¯ both of you, I thought it unnecessary to disclose my past, but I was wrong. Time and time again, I dragged you two into perilous and dangerous situations, and I think it¡¯s right to know what you were fighting for.¡±


    Once he was done spilling the beans, Jack grabbed another cigarette while leaning back whereas his friend chuckled, ¡°Frankly, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d tell us. Still, it feels better to know our main objective. Also, don¡¯t presume we¡¯re backing out, isn¡¯t that right, Jackie boy?¡±


    ¡°Ye damn right! It¡¯s a pretty dangerous endeavor, but it¡¯s exciting too, ya? I mean, we¡¯re going after a super secret organization!¡±


    ¡°At the border, I managed to subjugate one of the Red Masks, a woman by the name of Signora. Ah, Red Masks are like secondary leaders working for the presumably mighty Golden Mask. That¡¯s how their hierarchy works. Anyroad, Signora is like you, Sulong.¡±


    ¡°Like me? How-...oh! You mean she¡¯s linked to the you-know-what?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You are the Seat of Criminality and she¡¯s the Seat of Death. There are minor differences, however, such as my complete control over her life. She will be sending regular reports to this place, which will facilitate future operations.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s cool! Sometimes I wonder if you¡¯re truly just a kid.¡±


    Zeke frowned at the remark and immediately retorted, ¡°I¡¯m going to be 18 this summer. Furthermore, adults have their wisdom, and teenagers have their unpredictability.¡±


    After conversing with the two for a bit, Zeke excused himself and, at last, headed back to the dormitory.


    He had planned the trip to take no more than two weeks, but there had been a lot of complications. Classes have already resumed in Erys, in after a little more than a week, once revising was over, the Final Exams will begin.


    Zeke had no doubt in his mind that the Special Investigation Squad would have a word with him, same for the Principal. His return to school will not be unnoticed, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    He took his time returning to Erys, not because he was wary, but because he wanted to enjoy the cool breeze as he strolled through the luminous and bustling streets of the city.


    That momentary sensation of clarity and serenity had calmed his heart and eased his tumultuous mind.


    He knew that, most likely, Katrina was following him from the shadows, but he didn¡¯t particularly care. He hadn¡¯t been alone for a while and wanted a bit of solitude to think things over.

 Chapter 82 The Reaper

    In an exquisitely luxurious room, a man no older than thirty wearing a black magician¡¯s hat was looking outside the window.


    The arrival of a visitor caught his attention as he turned around and, with a furrowed brow, looked at his subordinate.


    The sickle-wielding assassin casually sat on the rocking chair and grumbled,


    ¡°Sorry, I failed.¡±


    ¡°And what, pray tell, are you expecting me to say to that? Pat you on your back and congratulate your unprofessionalism and stupidity?¡±


    It was rare for the elegantly-dressed man to raise his voice and react like this, which made the assassin sit straight and clear his throat, seemingly a bit nervous.


    ¡°I was going to succeed but that wretched Witch, Jennifer Savbra, interfered! I can deal with a couple of 5-star Witches, but that woman is crazy dangerous. I didn¡¯t want to risk my life.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Look! The kid is back here. It will be easy to kill hi-¡±


    ¡°You will do no such thing.¡± Solemnly said the man as he walked to his desk and retrieved a black-colored letter.


    ¡°This failure of yours greatly damaged our organization¡¯s reputation. You were reckless and severely under-estimated this job despite my many warnings to not mess up.¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m sorry. Come on, give me another chance.¡±


    ¡°No. Things have changed and a great many eyes have their eyes on Zeke Orland.¡±


    ¡°So what? We¡¯re Black Wing! Nothing can stop us.¡±


    Ghaoul walked to his subordinate and glared down at him, ¡°We are invincible, but you are not, Kley.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ can fix things.¡±


    ¡°The only thing you can do is visit the Vyrsan Family, apologize for your failure, and pay them back triple the commission.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Flabbergasted, Kley stared at Ghaoul with his beady eyes.


    The commission for Zeke Orland was 300 million alc, even if Kley were to take out all of his savings, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get the necessary amount.


    ¡°The job was going to go to Number 3, but you claimed it was, I quote, ¡®A perfect job for you¡¯. If you cannot pay up, you will be at the mercy of the client. They can turn you into their slave or kill you for all we care.¡±


    ¡°Ghaoul¡­ c-come on, buddy! We¡¯ve known each other for five years! If you give me another chance, I guarantee I¡¯ll kill the little shite!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Seemingly interested, Ghaoul chuckled and inquired, ¡°And how will you do that? Sneak into Erys?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What? You seemed so confident a second ago, which makes me think you can deal with Erva? Someone stronger than Jennifer Savbra. Don¡¯t kid yourself and do as I say.¡±


    With a distraught face, Kley lowered his head and reluctantly agreed. If he were to go against Ghaoul, his fate would be much worse.


    As he was leaving the room, Ghaoul stopped him and said,


    ¡°I hope this will be an enlightening experience for you, Kley. If you pass this hurdle, Black Wing will welcome you back with open arms.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, but it sure feels like it has been an eternity.¡±


    Zeke caressed the marks on the tree in the middle of the park. Night has fallen and there were too few people strolling around.


    Zeke returned to the spot he used to train at, feeling it was the best location for some much-needed peacefulness and silence.


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 7 (76/105 EXP)]


    [Strength: 100]


    [Agility: 91]


    [Aether: 99]


    [Fortitude: 21]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9) - Death-Walker(1/100)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 60%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%)  - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(40%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(40%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(10%) - Surge of Pain (40%) - Body Damage(30%) - Self-Injection(20%)- Reaper¡¯s Sweep (25%) - At Death¡¯s Door(5%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstence (82%) - Call of Honor(10%) - Ancient Elven Tongue (10%) - Cycle of Life and Death - Call of Loyalty(0%)]


    [Available PE: 14]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    For now, Zeke has been improving at a steady pace. The Death-Walker main path, although rewarded him with only three skills, turned out to be a well-worth investment. Mastering it required a whopping 100 PE, which wasn¡¯t an amount Zeke could easily afford at the moment.


    Therefore, it was time to shift his attention to something else, either a path already unlocked or something new.


    With the use of Voltage Rune and Voltage Manipulation, he was able to fight his peers on a relatively equal footing. However, whether it was the prodigious Julia Lopmore, or the constantly-improving Azmer, such individuals were hard-working and strengthening their abilities at an impressive pace.


    To not get left behind, or even surpass them, Zeke needed to keep up with the Daily Tasks and not waste any PE on unnecessary paths that wouldn¡¯t benefit him in the long run.


    When he had confronted and fought Signora, he was made aware of the extreme usefulness of ¡®At Death¡¯s Door. It was definitely an overpowered skill, a trump card of some sort.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t a skill that directly harmed opponents, instead, it either killed them on the spot or dragged them into the Death Door. Put simply, it wasn¡¯t a skill that could be used frequently, after all, Zeke didn¡¯t want to always kill his opponents.


    Using the one and only obtained Skill Point might be worth it, but Zeke was still hesitating. The ambiguous explanation of the System told him that the skill point will upgrade the skill, making it stronger and easier to use.


    After a thorough contemplation and enough deliberation, in which Zeke dazedly looked at the star-filled night sky, the skill point was used, at last.


    [Are you sure you want to use ¡®1 Skill Point¡¯ on the skill ¡®Reaper¡¯s Sweep¡¯]


    ¡®Yes¡¯Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    [The skill Reaper¡¯s Sweep¡¯ has been upgraded into ¡®The Reaper(SS)¡¯]


    [Survival Skill ¡®The Reaper¡¯: The user will shroud himself in Death Energy, empowering himself for a limited period of time.


    While in The Reaper Form, all stats will be doubled and the Light Blasphemy Scythe will be available for use.


    While in the Reaper Form, the user will be impervious to all forms of malignant or otherwise Negative energy]


    While in the Reaper Form, the user will be unable to switch Paths.


    While in the Reaper Form, all active and passive Survival Skills will be unavailable


    While in the Reaper Form, all outside beneficiary effects (eg; Elixirs, healing abilities, support abilities, Charms, Magical Arrays¡­) will be negated.


    At the end of the Reaper Form, the user will be able to use ¡®The Baleful Gallows¡¯


    The Baleful Gallows: Use the Light Blasphemy Scythe to perform a diagonal slash imbued with a high concentration of Death Energy. This skill will pierce through all material and immaterial obstacles but will consume a small amount of the user¡¯s Vitality.


    The Reaper Form will last for 120 seconds.]


    [The proficiency of the skill ¡®The Reaper(SS) has automatically been set to 100%]


    [All stats have been increased by 2.]


    ¡®Light Blasphemy Scythe? That¡¯s doubly ironic.¡¯


    Zeke chuckled and re-read the skill information multiple times, feeling satisfied with his choice. He didn¡¯t think the increase in quality will be this significant.


    Before he could enjoy his jubilation, another torrent of System notifications flooded his vision.


    [The Skill ¡®The Reaper(SS) has detected a synchronization with the skill ¡®Drain Aether¡¯.]


    [The skill ¡®Drain Aether¡¯ has been integrated into the skill ¡®The Reaper¡¯.]


    [The Light Blasphemy Scythe has now the ability to supplement itself and its user if it comes into a contact with any object or living being reliant on Aether.


    Draining Aether from opponents can extend the duration of the Reaper Form by a maximum of 30 seconds.]


    Before he was going to use the skill point, Zeke had been planning to use the accumulated PE to unlock another path, but it was no longer necessary. He would save more PE and use them on the ¡®shop¡¯.


    The month of May was going to end and, on the 5th of June, he would be called to that majestic mausoleum, in which he would have access to that special shop.


    Last time, due to the confusion and shock, he didn¡¯t pay much heed. The prices were exorbitant and many of the items lacked an explicit description of their effects.


    Nonetheless, Zeke wanted to gamble and choose something with a special name. The good things definitely were expensive, but there must be a couple of helpful artifacts that could empower him, or so he hoped.


    With the Vyrsan Household after his head and his determination to get stronger to catch Fanti Fan, Zeke didn¡¯t want to remain idle and rely solely on the Daily Tasks.


    He needed to figure out the hidden requirements to upgrade the available paths, just like what happened last time.


    ¡°Ah! Excuse me?¡±


    Zeke snapped out of his daze and turned around, looking wary of the man approaching him. With curly and slightly long hair and casual clothes, the stranger approached Zeke while suspiciously looking around.


    When he was a couple of steps away, he raised his hands in surrender and smiled,


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to attack, now is your best chance.¡±


    Strangely enough, he didn¡¯t seem to be talking to the startled Zeke but to someone else.


    Just as he uttered those words, a figure appeared behind him, her two silver blades on both sides of his exposed neck.


    ¡°I come in peace, Miss Agent.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± the man took out a fake badge and explained, ¡°My current disguise is a journalist. As for my true identity,¡± He swiftly turned his body and with lightning-fast movements, snatched Katrina¡¯s weapons.


    The bespectacled woman speechlessly looked at her empty hands, unable to comprehend how he disarmed her with such ease.


    ¡°Frederic Whitefort, an enthusiastic vagabond.¡±


    Frederic casually handed her back the blades and added, ¡°I seriously mean no harm to you or him. I merely wish to talk.¡±


    Katrina glared at the smiling Frederic but she didn¡¯t say anything. Her body turned invisible whie leaving those words, ¡°I¡¯ll be watching you.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes, I don¡¯t mind that. Now then¡­¡±


    He turned to face the startled student and continued talking,


    ¡°As you have just heard, I am Frederic Whitefort, hailing from the Serey Zhan Empire. I believe we have met briefly in the past, yes?¡±


    ¡°I remember you¡­ at the entrance of the school.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Back then, I was just snooping around. Before we continue, do you mind if we switch to a more appropriate location?¡±


    Zeke hesitated for a moment before solemnly nodding his head.


    Barely five minutes later, the two were sitting across from each other in a decent restaurant next to the park.


    Frederic put down his funny hat and pushed back his curly hair. As he noticed Zeke¡¯s inquisitive and wary gaze, he chuckled, ¡°Just to make things crystal clear, I¡¯m working independently. Additionally, I know that you have the Paths of Extinctions System.¡±


    Seeing Zeke¡¯s body twitch, Frederic reassuringly added, ¡°Please be at ease. I¡¯m here to help, not provoke or antagonize you.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t need any help?¡±


    ¡°Do you not? Look,¡± Frederic leaned his head closer and lowered his voice, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to boast but I know many helpful things about the System. I genuinely believe you will benefit greatly.¡±


    ¡°And? Do you expect me to believe it¡¯s all for free?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, of course!¡±


    Frederic sipped on the lemonade and after savoring the cold drink and clearing his throat, he offered the much-needed exposition regarding his intentions,


    ¡°Although many would view me as such, I¡¯m no Scholar. I like to explore the mysticism and the mysteries of the Systems, yours included. I might have crucial information, but so do you. Therefore, I propose an exchange of knowledge.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke stared back at the excited man but he didn¡¯t offer any immediate response. All of this came out of the blue and he barely had time to process what was happening.


    This could be a trap by the Ascetic Blasphemers or, especially, the Department of Defense.


    ¡®Perhaps I should ask Signora? If he¡¯s from the Empire, then she must know something.¡¯


    ¡°You can think about it and give me an answer wherever you want. I¡¯ll be staying here for the indefinite future. Ah! If you become my collaborator, I can assure you that no nasty people will harm you. Again, I¡¯m not boasting but I¡¯m quite strong, hehehehe¡­¡±


    ¡­.


    [System of Misery and Malediction]


    [User: Jonathan Stellar Link (Human]


    [Level: 2 (10/25EXP)


    [Strength: 76]


    [Agility: 120]


    [Aether: 50]


    [Magic Power: 169]


    [Fortitude: 36]


    [Misery: 20%]


    [Malediction: 1%]


    [Curses unlocked: Abraham¡¯s Sinful Charm (1/45) - Protection Curse (1/12)]


    [Skills: Horror (0%) - Black Retribution (0%)  - Kiss of Misery (0%) - Lover of Pain (0%) - Harmful Barrier (0%)]


    [Survival Skills: Formation Scripture (0%)]


    [Available ME (Misery Points): 79]


    [Available Curses:


    Curse of Love (40ME)


    Curse of Ash and Dust (150 ME)


    Curse of Sreyzhanian Arts (20ME)


    Curse of Malignant Voltage (15 ME)]


    Jonathan was lying on the bed and staring at the black-colored System windows, sighing repeatedly.


    The System of Misery and Malediction was different from Zeke¡¯s. Although his knowledge was severely limited, it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out how Jonathan¡¯s newfound powers worked. It fed on its user¡¯s pain and misery, feeding off all negative emotions, thus accumulating the so-called Misery Points.


    ¡°It pales in comparison to the Paths of Extinctions System¡­ I suppose this has to do. The Witch Queen seems to be aware of the ¡®truth¡¯ too.¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s wounds were healed and he was accommodated in a big room with all the daily necessities. He was banned from going outside and interacting with the Witches, but he was satisfied with how things unfolded.


    When someone knocked thrice on the door, Jonathan jumped to his feet and fixed his clothes.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    A cold-faced 5-star Witch looked at him and said,


    ¡°Her excellency, the Deception Witch, is expecting you. Follow me.¡±


    Jonathan didn¡¯t argue back and obediently followed her for close to ten minutes.


    Soon enough, he was facing Kleya, one of the three 6-star Witches.


    She was labeled as the Witch of Deception, a frightening woman with the power to topple a country.


    In comparison to Nicneven¡¯s average appearance, Kleya was an absolute beauty. She had snow-white tender skin, a pair of jet-black eyes, and a peerless and immaculate face that had no imperfections.


    However, Jonathan was entranced by her beauty, after all, he knew she was the most dangerous of the 6-star Witches.


    ¡°You have recovered?¡± Asked Kleya with her eyes fixated on the folders stacked on her desk.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then you should make ready to depart.¡±


    ¡°To where?¡± The man curiously asked,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you? You will be tasked with locating and bringing back any and all System holders. How you will do that will depend on you.¡±


    Jonathan hesitated for a couple of seconds before saying, ¡°There is too few unclaimed Systems remaining. I know the location of two of them, both of which are minor ones like mine. As for System Holders, the only one I know is Zeke Orland.¡±


    ¡°Then you will begin by getting those two Systems.¡±


    ¡°But their locations¡­¡±


    She cut him off and raised her head, giving her a cold and threatening look, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did I ask about their whereabouts? They could be on Mars for all I care. You will go and bring them here. That is why Her Majesty kept you alive and that will be what you will do.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The necessary provisions will be handed to you at the gate. That and a badge that will allow you entry to our lands. Leave.¡±


    Jonathan turned around and left without adding a single word. He knew there would be no wiggle room and if he wanted to achieve his goal, he had to obey.

 Chapter 83 The Spies

    ¡°Sit.¡±


    Zeke approached the Principal¡¯s desk and quietly sat down. After his brief and unexpected meeting with Frederic, he directly headed to Erys, specifically to Solas.


    It was only natural Zeke came here to discuss what happened last time as well as thank the old man for sending Erva and Christopher to escort him.


    ¡°Just so you know, your clamorous show on my campus didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Not only did you fail to kill Olivia Vyrsan, but you also alerted the Department of Defense of your secrets. I had plan¡­ so if you had trusted in my judgment, things wouldn¡¯t have escalated so quickly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Zeke paused ever-so-slightly before adding, ¡°However, were you in my situation, you would have trusted no one either.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. Much of your skepticism and ignorance stems from your young age, Zeke. You can¡¯t just do whatever you want and pay no heed to the consequences. As a student of Erys, it falls to me to deal with any troubles you concoct. I really hope you will not act recklessly again.¡±


    ¡°It shall not happen, sir.¡±


    Solas gave him a glance before letting out a low grunt. ¡°Eh! Who am I kidding? I¡¯d be surprised if nothing happens. Remember that you are no more valuable than any other student. This is the last time I¡¯ll go to such lengths.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Zeke bowed and left the cozy office only to run into Maxine and Celestia in the hallway.


    The second she saw him, his older sister gave him a hug and, as was her wont, inspected him from head to toe.


    ¡°Sorry, Zeke! I tried to help you but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Max. Nothing serious happened.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­ ugh¡­ nevermind. Please don¡¯t leave the school alone. Moth-...emm, I mean Olivia will be going after you.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zeke faintly smiled and offered no objections. Maxine wasn¡¯t as involved in his affairs as Edward, therefore, Zeke refrained from divulging anything to her. Yes, she was a caring and loving sibling, but she was still a student and got much to learn.


    Ironically, though, he was younger than her and, admittedly, he made a lot of mistakes. However, after coming this far, there was no way he would pull back and be content with a peaceful life as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°I need to talk to the Principal. Take a good rest and we¡¯ll talk more tomorrow.¡±


    Maxine dashed away while Celestia stared at him for a bit before silently walking away.


    ¡­


    Once he returned to his dorm room, which had been repaired after the incident with Maxwell Lepard, Zeke found all three of his roommates deep asleep.


    He sighed and sat on his bed, meticulously removing the bandages around his left arm and putting on new ones.


    He clenched and unclenched his hand but he could only feel an uncomfortable numbness. Were it not for the bandages, people would see his charred skin, which didn¡¯t look human.


    It was like a burned piece of wood, all black and lacking any healthy color.


    ¡®I need to find a way to fix this.¡¯


    The Ink Fire truly lived up to its notorious reputation. Even with the help of Doctor Xavier and the resources of a prestigious institution like Erys, there was no definitive way to revert the supposedly irreversible damage.


    Although the Pain-Junkie Path subsided a great deal of the pain, Zeke sometimes would suffer from agonizing tingling that left him sweating and short of breath. It wasn¡¯t particularly detrimental to his daily activities or fighting, but leaving it like this wasn¡¯t an option either.


    Zeke was lost in thought for a good while before he fell asleep, dreaming about nothingness, as usual.


    ¡°Zeke! You¡¯re back!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    Early in the morning, someone shouted out loud and leapt at Zeke, startling him awake.


    ¡°Can you get off me first?¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡±


    His friend stepped back while cackling joyfully. Alan and Azmer also seemed surprised to see Zeke return.


    ¡°I thought they got to you.¡±


    ¡°They wish.¡± Retorted Zeke while sitting up and tightening the bandages. He was still feeling exhausted, but it was time for classes.


    After almost three weeks of intense fighting and accumulating stress and anxiousness, Zeke thought he would be offered a moment of respite.


    ¡°You¡¯re back just in time to help me and Alan. That damn Christopher chose the hardest Theoretical topics for the Final Exams.¡±


    Just as Samuel was excitedly celebrating his friend¡¯s return, Azmer subtly nodded at Zeke before leaving the room.


    Neither of the two young men forgot about their fight atop that valley. Azmer¡¯s attitude more or less remained the same, and from the looks of it, he didn¡¯t stop training.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    They weren¡¯t considered friends, but much of the animosity between them had been extinguished, which turned them from enemies into simple roommates.


    ¡°Also so arrogant and gloomy, tsk tsk!¡± Samuel clicked his tongue and cursed under his breath before wrapping his arm around Zeke and enthusiastically praising his show of strength.


    Almost everyone in the school had heard or seen how Zeke had dared to attack Olivia and her father, as well as how conjured a devastating bolt of lightning that resounded across the whole school.


    ¡°Next time, you have to take me with you, okay?¡±


    Zeke looked at the happy Samuel and just shrugged in disinterest.


    Soon enough, the two were in the hallway, heading to their respective classrooms.


    ¡°Ah! I¡¯ve no doubts that you¡¯ve grown stronger. I think you should get a better rank before the end of the Finals.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Perfunctorily replied Zeke as he waved his hand and entered the classroom.


    Excluding a warranted reproaching from Christopher due to Zeke¡¯s absence for the past couple of days, the class proceeded uneventfully.


    It was just revising old stuff to prepare for the upcoming exams. Zeke, who had confidence in acing the Theoretical stuff, wasn¡¯t particularly interested as he could study on his own.


    Julia, who sat relatively close to him, kept giving him curious looks but he ignored her.


    However, when the bell rang, Zeke unexpectedly approached her and asked,


    ¡°Do you mind if we talk? Privately.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    The girl furrowed her brows and giggled, ¡°It¡¯s not a confession¡­ is it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing his expressionless face, which didn¡¯t seem to get her joke, she faked a cough and complied.


    Zeke took her outside the First-Year Building, in a secluded spot away from the crowds of students flooding the campus.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me why you¡¯ve been absent, right? I mean, I do have a guess or two.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Hm? I¡¯m listening.¡± She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms, her ears perked as she inquisitive stared back at him.


    ¡°Are you good friends with Rebecca?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Julia was momentarily stupefied. When she collected herself, she hesitated before nodding twice.


    ¡°How long have you been friends?¡±


    ¡°Almost ten years. Are you interested in her? Because she hates your guts.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where she lives? If so, will you tell me?¡±


    Julia¡¯s expression turned serious as her eyes narrowed, ¡°Zeke¡­ you¡¯re not going to do something stupid, are you? I get that you don¡¯t like her, but after what happened, it would be wise to lay low.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! Only if you tell me why.¡±


    Zeke let out a sigh of exasperation and said, ¡°Then forget it.¡±


    He turned around and walked away thereafter, leaving a confused Julia behind.


    ¡­


    ¡®Signora told me that the spies in Erys were lower-ranked, which means they most likely don¡¯t know about me. I don¡¯t she lied to me, but it¡¯s better to make sure of their identity then remove them from the board. Let¡¯s see¡­ two are First Year, one Second Year, and one Third Year. Except one, all are easily manageable¡­¡±


    Zeke looked to the side, focusing his gaze on three students walking together.


    ¡®Beatrice Brand, a member of the Student Council.¡¯


    The problematic target was Beatrice, who was part of the Ascetic Blasphemers and the ¡®leader¡¯ of the little group dispatched to Erys.


    She had long hair dyed pink and piercing in her lips and nostrils. Zeke barely knew anything about her, but he had come up with a plan to disturb her.


    With hastened steps, he approached Beatrice and her two colleagues.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The stalwart Francois, the exchange student from the Empire, creased his brows and looked down at the youth blocking their path.


    A smirk plastered itself on Zeke¡¯s face as he fixated his eyes on Beatrice. Out of the blue, and without any care for the listeners, he stated,


    ¡°Red Mask Signora issues an order for you.¡±


    Apart from those knowledgeable about the Ascetic Blasphemers, normal people didn¡¯t know about the hierarchy of the titles of the higher-ups, therefore, Zeke wasn¡¯t worried that Francois and the cold-faced Elise would notice anything.


    However, when he uttered those words, there was a reaction from Beatrice. She was surprised for half a breath before regaining her composure.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said Signora has to need of you. It¡¯s time to report.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you on about? You¡¯re already on the watch list of the council, so how about you scram?¡±


    In response, Zeke chuckled and obediently stepped to the side. His gaze kept following Beatrice, who kept resumed chatting with the other two as if nothing had happened.


    ¡­


    As it was a period of revision and self-study, all classes ended relatively early.


    Zeke expected to be called by Celestia and the rest but it seemed they were just as busy with the Exams.


    The Third-years especially, paid great attention to their evaluation and spent most, if not all of their time training. The Finals for the Third-years were the deciding factor for their future, so there was no room for entertainment and rest. In fact, it was rare to see students spend all nights buried in the library or tirelessly practicing in the facilities.


    ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­¡±


    Zeke was jogging around the calm forest, sweat dripping from his clothes as he pushed through his limits. The Fatigue Abstinence Survival Skill allowed him to recover from exhaustion and train for a longer period of time.


    Even after completing the simple and easy Daily Tasks, Zeke kept doing physical exercises before sitting down and trying to hone his other skills.


    Electric currents were dancing around him as he maintained ¡®Aether Control¡¯, which absorbed the Ambient Aether and sustained his body.


    [Voltage Body Main Path has gained 5 Points.]


    ¡®I knew it!¡¯


    Ever since the Aether Voltage has been upgraded into Voltage Body, Zeke had begun suspecting that there was an alternative way of increasing the ¡®level¡¯ of the unlocked paths without using PE.


    While it was hard to determine the hidden requirements for all the paths, he still felt pleased with himself now that his assumption had been ascertained once and for all.


    ¡°Katrina?¡±


    As he wiped his sweaty forehead and sat up, Zeke called for the invisible agent but only silence was the answer.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re here. Let¡¯s not pretend I¡¯m alone.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    The black-haired woman appeared from thin air, standing with her back straight and wearing a black military uniform.


    ¡°I want a bit of assistance.¡±


    ¡°My job is to protect you. Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°As long as I¡¯m in Erys, there¡¯s no danger. How about doing productive? I guarantee you won¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing her solemnly look down at him, neither objecting nor agreeing, Zeke continued,


    ¡°I want you to stealthily follow a student. Rebecca, she¡¯s a classmate of mine.¡±


    ¡°Does this have to do with what you did earlier? Is she a spy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ is she?¡± He playfully winked at the stone-faced agent, but she snorted and disappeared seconds later.

 Chapter 84 A Second Chance

    ¡°Show me¡­ show me! Why won¡¯t you show me? Damnit!¡±


    Frederic kicked the table and almost threw the sinister artifact resting before him.


    The Eye of Malediction was a high-grade artifact that revealed many hints to him, but it worked in a mysterious way. Moreover, there were times when it didn¡¯t react at all and just laid there, no different than a creepy decor.


    ¡°Greetings esteemed Frederic.¡±


    Startled by the gentle disembodied voice, Frederic turned around and surveyed his empty hotel room before snapping his fingers. The sound of shattering glass echoed across the room before a figure appeared near the door.


    ¡°Ghaoul. Always creeping around like a stalker.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me, but I didn¡¯t want to interrupt you.¡±


    Frederic grunted and unceremoniously waved his hand, unperturbed by the arrival of this dangerous assassin.


    ¡°Why are you here? Want my head?¡±


    ¡°Good gracious! Of course not!¡±


    Ghoul took off his hat and shook his head, feigning being hurt.


    ¡°It hurts my pride to say this, but you are one of a handful of people our organization cannot kill.¡±


    ¡°I really doubt that. Compared to the big fish, I¡¯m nothing but a powerless insect.¡±


    ¡°Your sarcasm never fails to disappoint, esteemed Frederic.¡±


    ¡°Alright alright, cut through the bullshit and tell me why you¡¯re here?¡±


    Frederic was meticulously cleaning the Eye of Malediction while mumbling to himself. He didn¡¯t even spare a second glance to the smiling Ghaoul, who was curiously looking at the mountain of papers and artifacts scattered everywhere.


    ¡°You made contact with Zeke Orland, yes?¡±


    As he heard that particular name, Frederic stopped cleaning. With dangerously narrowed eyes and a cold face, he glared daggers at the assassin.


    ¡°You are going after him?¡±


    Ghaoul shrugged and sincerely answered, ¡°It¡¯s beyond my power to interfere.¡±


    ¡°Good. You better stay out of it, Ghaoul.¡±


    ¡°May I take that as a threat?¡±


    ¡°A threat? Not at all. You and I have a history and I wouldn¡¯t want to see you killed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a bit bold and ask you; Who will kill me?¡±


    ¡°The System, duuh!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the absolute confusion on his old friend¡¯s face, Frederic softly laughed.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Messing with things beyond your comprehension is what leads to an untimely death, Ghaoul. If I were you, I¡¯d clean my ass and disappear before it blows up in my face.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a better exposition would be in order, esteemed Frederic? Please, enlighten me about the Paths of Extinctions System.¡±


    ¡°Give me your word you will not interfere, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    Ghaoul frowned and pondered for almost a minute before performing an elegant bow,


    ¡°You have my word.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Sit down and listen.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°You failed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will accept any punishment.¡±


    Elder Vas¡¯s face turned purple from anger and rage as he stared down at the kneeling assassin.


    ¡°We paid you 300 million alc! 300! Is this what Black Wing amounts to?¡±


    The disgruntled Kley accepted the humiliation of failure and maintained his calmness. In terms of strength, he was equal to Elder Vas, but he had to bow his head and act inferior.


    ¡°I can work for you, Elder Vas. Killing me now will be pointless. Black Wing didn¡¯t give me a second chance but I assure you I can kill that brat, just giv-¡±


    ¡°Shut up! I need to think.¡±


    After a brief silence, there was an unpleasant feminine cry that resounded across the manor. The startled Vas got to his feet and hurried to his daughter¡¯s room.


    Kley, albeit confused, followed him but didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°M-my face! No! Ahh!¡±


    Olivia was hysterical as she kicked the mirror while crying and throwing a tantrum. She had directly by Zeke¡¯s empowered lightning bolt yet her father, Elder Vas, used miraculous healing elixirs and deployed famed physicians to save her life.


    Unfortunately, her body suffered irreversible damage such as permanent scars and facial disfigurement.


    Even with the bandages on, Olivia saw and felt her ruined face, which only made her crazier.


    ¡°Olivia! Sweety! Calm down. Calm down!¡±


    As her elderly father supported her and hugged her, the crying Olivia stopped shouting. She softly sobbed for a while before clenching the blanket.


    ¡°I want him to suffer! I want to ruin him! Dad¡­ please¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    As he saw his precious daughter like that, Elder Vas sighed and repeatedly reassured her before turning to look at Kley.


    ¡°Riches and power, I¡¯ll give you whatever you want. All you need is to bring that bastard to me. Alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. Upon my honor, I swear that I will succeed this time.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Wait for me outside.¡±


    While coldly smiling, Kley nodded and left the room.


    ¡°Dad¡­ my face. I can¡¯t live like this.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweety. We¡¯ll fix it. We¡¯ll fix everything¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Fucking hell! We can¡¯t even have a day of rest!¡±


    Jack, holding a steel pipe, looked at the dozens of armed men that barged into the office.


    ¡°Gentlemen! To what do we owe the honor?¡±


    With crimson fire wrapped around his clenched fists, Sulong tauntingly stared at the black-suited thugs.


    It was clear that they weren¡¯t sent by the Department of Defense, which left Sulong slightly surprised and perplexed. Whatever their intentions they had, they weren¡¯t friendly.


    Without saying any word of response, the thugs charged at Jack and Sulong; Sounds of fighting and shouts could be heard from the second floor as the recently-redocrated office was turned into an absolute mess.


    ¡°Next time, come prepared!¡± Jack spat on the ground and kicked the groaning man, threatening to hit his head again.


    Some of the relatively unscathed ones scurried away like rats while the incapacitated ones were tied down by Sulong.


    With a spark of fire hovering above his index, he crouched near one of them and amicably asked,


    ¡°Will you speak now or after I burn you?¡±


    ¡°Stephan Dontoryian! W-we work for him!¡±


    The beaten thug immediately spilled the beans, but that only deepened Sulong¡¯s surprise.


    Stephen Dontoryian was one of the infamous underworld gang bosses in The Sunken Metropolis. His little ¡®kingdom¡¯ was in the Northern sector of the city.


    ¡°What does he want with me?¡±


    ¡°Dontoryian? Wait¡­¡±


    Jack scratched his head before thoughtfully adding, ¡°Zeke once told me he was attacked by thugs. He told me to investigate but later on changed his mind.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! We were asked to kidnap you to lure out that boy.¡± Said the fearful thug, leaning away from Sulong¡¯s shiny fire.


    ¡°P-please let me go. I-I¡¯ll never come here again.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Sulong stood up and paced around for a couple of minutes before facing his friend and saying,


    ¡°Hit me with the pipe.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Hit me a couple of times. Not the balls or the head, of course.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Zeke must be busy, so I¡¯ll deal with this problem. First¡­¡± With an evil smile, he looked at the tied-up thugs and explained, ¡°I¡¯ll voluntarily get kidnapped.¡±

 Chapter 85 Young Susu

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there two?¡±


    The mustached Stephan Dontoryian looked at the tied-up Sulong before turning his attention to his bruised subordinates.


    ¡°The other one escaped, sir.¡±


    The underworld gang boss grunted and kicked his fearful subordinate. Once he was done venting his frustration, he shifted back his attention to the grinning Sulong.


    ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve ever met. Sulong Braveheart, at your service.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to know the name of a worthless street thug. Once that brat comes looking for you, I¡¯ll kill you in front of him.¡±


    Sulong chuckled and wriggled left and right, seemingly trying to make himself comfortable.


    ¡°Might I inquire what this is all about? I¡¯m a man of business and I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Spare me your lies. I¡¯ve seen enough of you dogs that I could stomach. Always switching allegiances and trying to look for a quick Alc.¡±


    ¡°Oh? It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    Sulong¡¯s smile widened as he broke free of the bounds and let out a heat blast that sent everyone, including Stephan, flying.


    Albeit a wealthy businessman, Stephan wasn¡¯t a particularly strong person. He had the same ability as Rodrick, but he was more of a talker than a fighter.


    With the captive free and surrounded by flames, all the ability-users under Stephan sprung into action.


    However, whether they used their firearms or magic, nothing went through Sulong¡¯s flames.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard scary things about you, Mister Dontoryian. But¡­¡±


    Sulong swept his gaze at the fallen bodyguards and the small warehouse they had brought him in.


    ¡°This is poor planning. I guess you thought this was an easy matter, huh? After all, Zeke is just a student. A kid. Well¡­¡±


    While clenching his hand and channeling his ability, Sulong cackled and punched forth.


    Even without direct contact, his attack summoned a wave of crimson flames that scorched everything in its way.


    ¡°See¡­¡±


    The two dozens of bodyguards were all groaning in pain and lying on the ground, either trying to put the fire out or downright unconscious.


    ¡°You¡¯re as much of a dog as I am, Mister Dontoryian. And in our society, no one would notice if a dog dies.¡±


    A blinding burst of fire was unleashed by Sulong, concentrating specifically on the fallen Stephan. The man wasn¡¯t even given a chance as his body was turned into ash within a couple of seconds.


    Seeing their boss die with one hit, the somewhat unscathed ability-user stood there, speechless and terrified.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, you will kindly disappear and never let me meet you again.¡±


    Whoever was conscious enough jumped to their feet and scurried away. However, there was someone that got pulled by the nape of his neck and forced to face Sulong.


    ¡°You will stay.¡±


    ¡°B-but I complied with everything you sai-¡±


    ¡°Indeed you did. But, judging by how Stephan talked to you out of everyone else, you must be special, yes?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m his secretary.¡±


    ¡°Secretary, huh¡­¡±


    Sulong was momentarily confused, after all, the secretary was amongst the men that barged into his office. It was also the one who spilled the beans after getting caught.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure dear old Stephan had many a business¡­ monetary assets too. How about you go fetch what you can before the other bosses start hunting?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Sulong softly laughed and supported the secretary to his feet. He fixed the latter¡¯s ruined suit and patted his shoulder.


    ¡°I see a path of cooperation rather than opposition. With your boss down, it won¡¯t be long before you follow in his wake¡­ that is if you go into hiding or try to escape. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to work for me?¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The pale-faced and slim secretary opened his mouth but couldn¡¯t utter any words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. If you don¡¯t want to, you can just walk away.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°See, mister secretary, I¡¯m good friends with Zeke Orland. You¡¯ve seen what I can do, and if you make the right decision right now, you¡¯ll prosper than you could ever have done under Stephan.¡±


    Sulong wasn¡¯t particularly keen on inviting an enemy to his side. However, he remembered that, in the beginning, he and Zeke had fought each other.


    The secretary, while not strong, would still know what to do and could fetch them a bit of Stephan¡¯s money.


    ¡°C-can I think about it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm..¡±


    Sulong pondered for a bit then nodded, ¡°One day. You¡¯ll know where to find me.¡±


    He waved his hand and started walking away, ¡°And don¡¯t forget to bring Stephan¡¯s treasures with you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    When Sulong had completely left, the secretary regained his bearings and panicked rushed out of the burning warehouse. The sirens were getting close and he didn¡¯t want to be amongst the ones who would get arrested.


    A few blocks away from the warehouse, Sulong got into the inconspicuously parked Stella. Seeing his smug expression, Jack excitedly jumped up and down before fist-bumping his friend.


    ¡°Easy peasy, I told you.¡±


    ¡°I never doubted Young Susu for a second.¡±


    Sulong glared at him and smacked his head, ¡°If you call me that again, Imma really break your legs.¡±


    ¡°Sure you will, Susu. Hahahah!¡±


    ¡­


    Five days have passed since Zeke returned to Erys. It was Tuesday and the Finals were beginning next week.


    Except for hanging out with Samuel during the breaks or helping him and Alan at night, Zeke would spend most of his time training. The Daily Tasks were always scheduled for the evening, right before the reset.


    Zeke wanted to upgrade or increase the mastery of either his skills or unlocked paths, but the task was difficult, especially with no hints or assistance from the System.


    Nevertheless, the steady accumulation of PE, coupled with the minuscule increase in Stats, was slowly making him stronger.


    He had complete control over the voltage circulating through his body and he was saving PE for tonight.


    So far, he didn¡¯t have much, but he was hoping it would be enough to procure something of useful value from the magical shop provided by the System.


    When he heard the notifications and did a casual and swift glance at his stats, Zeke readied himself before going to his usual spot.


    Ever since he purposely revealed Signora¡¯s name to Beatrice, he had been camping outside the Third-Year Dormitory every night.


    Due to how unexpected his actions were, Zeke thought she would react instantly and try to contact the rest that day, but nothing of the sort happened.


    ¡®Katrina must be watching Rebecca, who shouldn¡¯t be difficult to tail. Other than having similar to Telekinesis, I don¡¯t know much about Beatrice.¡¯


    Zeke was overly-prudent and avoided any curious eyes that wandered late at night. Fortunately, ever since the curfew notice had been lifted, the Dean was relatively lax regarding Erys¡¯ security.


    Zeke hid in an inconspicuous spot and sat there like a statue, breathing quietly and carefully watching anyone who left or entered the dormitory.


    Eventually, when there were but a handful of students roaming the vast campus, Zeke caught sight of the pink-haired Beatrice.


    She seemed relaxed as she left the building alone and walked steadily and slowly, neither checking her surroundings nor being attentive like a spy should be.


    Zeke frowned and followed from a safe distance; He saw her directly head outside of Erys and enter Kethra¡¯s Arms.


    He purged any unease that troubled his mind and continued his stealth mission, tailing the girl all the way to the Northern end of the bustling district.


    From beginning to end, Beatrice didn¡¯t stop or look around her as if she was certain she wasn¡¯t discovered.


    After a half-hour walk, she entered a hair salon. She was warmly welcomed by either one of the workers or the owner and led inside.


    As for Zeke, he stood on the other side of the street, half-confused, and half-stressed. The hair salon was for women only and trying to break inside wasn¡¯t a good idea.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if this was a hideout or if Beatrice really did come here to get her hair done.


    With no viable solution at hand, Zeke could only wait. His objective wasn¡¯t to divulge his identity but to personally deal with the Spies working for the Ascetic Blasphemers.


    Of course, killing them outright would raise suspicions from both the secret organization and Erys, so, for now, he wanted to see what Beatrice and the rest were up to.


    ¡°Hey you!¡±


    A slightly familiar but unpleasant voice came from behind him, and when he turned around, he saw the short and curly-haired Rebecca.


    ¡°What are you doing here? You want to get your hair done?¡±


    Zeke was momentarily startled to see Rebecca not only appear out of nowhere but also catch him staring at the hair salon.


    ¡°What I do is none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah?!¡± She glared at him menacingly, but he snorted and added,


    ¡°I thought you hated me. Why are you suddenly so interested in my affairs?¡±


    ¡°And here I thought you¡¯re only a pathetic loser. Turns out you¡¯re a pervert too?!¡±


    Zeke stepped closer to her and stared down, his cold and emotionless eyes making her fearfully cower back.


    ¡°W-what? You¡¯re going to hit me?¡±


    ¡°You better watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡°O-or what? You think I¡¯m afraid of you just because you got a taste of power? People like you are just like sickness. You get arrogant by the second!¡±


    ¡°Arrogant?¡±


    Subtle electric currents flowed from Zeke¡¯s hand and zapped Rebecca, causing her to gasp and back further away like a scared cat.


    In the end, Rebecca didn¡¯t dare say anything else and just dashed away.


    Surprisingly, she went into the hair salon, but she didn¡¯t forget to throw a taunting grimace at him as if she was daring him to follow her.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±


    Like a ghost, Katrina appeared next to him, frowning and confused by his actions, as usual.


    ¡°She went into the hair salon.¡±


    ¡°I saw.¡± She solemnly responded, her eyes fixated on him.


    Zeke sighed and stared at the bespectacled woman, ¡°Your hair is a bit messy. How about you go there and make it better? At the same time, you can have a better look at what¡¯s happening.¡±


    Her expression got worse as she glanced at her raven-black hair, which was tied into a long ponytail.


    Of course, she ignored his words and vanished.


    ¡°What? I was being serious. Ugh.. you¡¯re so inflexible.¡±


    Now that he had been seen by Rebecca, and since she was in cahoots with Beatrice, Zeke decided to return. It would unwise to keep his tailing, after all, he lacked experience and didn¡¯t have a skill that made him invisible.


    ¡­

 Chapter 86 Examination

    [Summoning to the Extinction Order completed]


    [Initiating the regular examination and evaluation.]


    [...]


    Zeke stood before the majestic mausoleum, in awe despite seeing it for the second time. It was unlike any building he had ever seen. Below it, the space around it, and below it was nothing but hazy clouds, floating about and obfuscating whatever was lurking below or above.


    Before he stepped inside, he patiently waited for the System to finish the unexplained ¡®Examination and Evaluation.¡¯


    [No malware or interference detected.]


    [Evaluation of ¡®Voltage Syn, Zeke¡¯: 59.7 points.]


    [A total of 20 PE will be rewarded.]


    [Examination will begin in 10 minutes.]


    [Summoning all available seats: Seats of Criminality and Seat of Death.]


    Two rays of lights appeared next to Zeke, lasting for a couple of seconds before Sulong Braveheart and Velvet Signora appeared.


    ¡°W-what? Zeke?¡±


    The bald and muscular man was absolutely gobs-smacked to see himself appear in an unfamiliar place. With a dumbfounded look, he looked, first spotting the towering mausoleum then Red Mask Signora.


    While he was dressed in a black pants and a white tank top, the equally astonished woman was wearing a seductive black night-gown. Her well-developed body was on full display, but she didn¡¯t seem to care as she immediately knelt down in front of Zeke.


    ¡°Master, Velvet Signora is at your service.¡±


    ¡°Z-Zeke? This is the woman you talked about?¡±


    Sulong suspended his disbelief as he forcefully tore away his eyes from her alluring body.


    ¡°Stop gawking like that. Yes, she¡¯s the Seat of Death I had mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ she¡¯s kind of hot. Not gonna lie.¡±


    ¡°You better look away or I¡¯ll rip your eyes out of your egg-shaped head.¡±


    Unlike the reverence she showed to Zeke, Signora was indifferent and even hostile toward Sulong. She gave him a venomous and cold glare that made him tremble.


    However, he composed himself and quickly realized that Zeke had control over her life. Additionally, in terms of seniority, he was above her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that Zeke and I are good friends. One word from me and you¡¯re dead!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare utter Masters mouth with your disgusting and foul mouth. You¡¯re a waste of air.¡±


    ¡°Alright, calm down you two.¡±


    Ironically, the youngest among them had to end the quarrel and direct them on what was important.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t voluntarily call you here, but we will be undergoing an ¡®examination¡¯... Whatever that means.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master! I will help and protect you as best as I can.¡±


    A brilliant radiance emitted from Signora¡¯s left hand; She conjured a dome-shaped barrier that enveloped Zeke.


    ¡°O-oh! I can use my ability here.¡±


    Sulong played with a little ball of fire as he curiously inspected his vicinity.


    ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s this place, Zeke?¡±


    ¡°The Extinction Order. Don¡¯t wander around and be ready. We don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    Signora and Velvet nodded in unison and mentally prepared themselves.


    Despite his stoic face, Zeke was feeling a bit nervous. He wasn¡¯t given any prior notice by the System, which was forcing an ¡®examination¡¯ on him without any explanation.


    Still, since it summoned the available seats, it logically means that it wasn¡¯t going to be easy. Furthermore, a challenge meant rewards, and the harder it was, the more generous the rewards were.


    The 10 minutes passed quickly and when it was time to begin, the seat of clouds right in front of the mausoleum dispersed instantly.


    Zeke, Sulong, and Signora watched a translucent silhouette that slowly became clearer.


    ¡°The hell?¡±


    Sulong drew a deep breath as the dormant beast twitched and then awakened from its slumber. It was an oversized lion with two purple snakes protruding from its back.


    As the two snakes hissed at them, Signora said,A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°That¡­ that is a chimera, Master.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s clear we¡¯ve got to kill it.¡±


    Voltage burst from Zeke body and transformed into a long and buzzing spear.


    Velvet was the first to attack as she extended both arms and unleashed blasts of blinding light at the chimera.


    Whether it was still disoriented or simply weak, it was unknown, but the chimera was hit by Signora¡¯s powerful light and staggered to the back.


    One of the snakes opened its mouth and let out a poisonous violet-colored gas, which was extinguished instantly by a huge fireball shot by Sulong.


    Just as it was recovering and backing away from the crimson fire, Zeke finished empowering [Voltage Arrow] and swung his arm.


    The spear, which was made of high-concentration of voltage, whistled loudly in the air as it pierced its target¡¯s head.


    Half of the lion¡¯s gaping mouth was turned into smithereens but that didn¡¯t stop it from lunging forward while roaring deafeningly.


    ¡°No you won¡¯t!¡±


    Velvet jumped in front of Zeke and drew a symbol made of light in front of her, which caused a destructive blast that sent the beast flying like a cannonball.


    Sulong rushed at it and punched hard, his fist melting the skin and causing a bloody hole that only added to the chimera¡¯s agony.


    Last but not least was Zeke, who used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ thrice to get close to the target before bombarding it, specifically at its fresh wound, with a torrent of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    The voltage invaded the beast¡¯s body, rupturing its muscles, frying its nerves, and pulverizing its bones.


    As blood poured down like a fountain, the still-unscathed snakes hissed even louder. One slithered in the air and tried to bite Zeke only to bump into Signora¡¯s barrier.


    The second aimed for the close Sulong but he reacted in time and raised a wall of fire.


    ¡°Master, please back down.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t act like a hero, instead following her words and teleporting to the back.


    Signora grinned and tauntingly looked at Sulong, who was drenched in the chimera¡¯s blood.


    ¡°This is the difference between you and me.¡±


    Right after she proudly uttered those words, she drew another symbol before closing her eyes and unleashing the real potential of her ability.


    A flash of light emanating from the symbol before it transformed into a tiny radiant speck that flew at the chimera then exploded.


    There was no sound, only gore, and blood that scattered everywhere. Signora had, quite literally, blown the chimera to pieces.


    Even Zeke was left speechless, only now realizing that he had definitely been lucky and wise to use ¡®At Death¡¯s Door¡¯ against her back then.


    If she had used that attack on him during their first yet brief fight, he would have died on the spot.


    ¡°Are you safe, Master?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Zeke nonchalantly waved his hand while retracting his voltage and throwing a cursory glance at Sulong.


    The man was obsessively rubbing the blood off his skin and pants while cursing under his breath, clearly feeling inferior to the Seat of Death.


    ¡°Chimeras are failed products of Alchemy, Master. I¡¯ve faced one before but it was weaker than this one.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke looked at her but refused to comment. Moreover, with the way she was dressed, it made him feel uncomfortable staring for too long. Except for her genitals, her breasts, and a small portion of her abdomen, the rest of her body was all exposed.


    She was a repulsive and bloodthirsty person, but Zeke was at the age of puberty and such a sight left him feeling a bit strange even though it wasn¡¯t the time for that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too close to me, you reek of blood.¡±


    ¡°Screw you. I don¡¯t take orders from you.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf!¡± Signora turned to Zeke and said, ¡°Master, you don¡¯t need this buffoon.¡±


    Zeke was about to put an end to their pointless arguments but he was stopped by the System, which appeared in front of him.


    [Death Defiant, Zeke has passed the examination.]


    [The Alchemy Orb has appeared.]


    [The Alchemy Orb cannot be consumed by the user or any of the available Seats.]


    [30 PE has been rewarded for defeating the Chimera.]


    [Calculating contribution¡­.


    Seat of Criminality; ¡®Flames of Dawn, Sulong Braveheart 19.4%


    Death Defiant, Zeke: 28%


    Seat of Death, ¡®The Collector, Velvet Signora¡¯: 52.6%]


    ¡°At least my title is better than yours!¡±


    Sulong flipped his middle finger at Signora but she snorted and ignored him.


    ¡°The collector?¡±-Zeke


    ¡°Every Red Mask has a specific task, Master. I¡¯m in charge of collecting those with a special or strong ability, so my unofficial title in the order is the Collector. Fanti Fan is the Scientist.¡±


    ¡°And you only tell me this now?¡±


    ¡°I thought it was irrelevant, Master. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Zeke sighed and walked toward the mausoleum.


    Sulong kept flipping the bowing woman, who dutifully followed her ¡®master¡¯.


    Unexpectedly, within the Mausoleum, Zeke¡¯s statue was no longer ¡®T-posing¡¯. He was holding a long scythe and staring at upwards, looking as domineering as the other statues. However, it was


    ¡°Hey hey! That¡¯s you, right?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    ¡°What about those?¡± Excitedly asked Sulong as he approached the statues, inspecting them with interest.


    ¡°Probably the System holders before me? That¡¯s my only assumption.¡±


    Signora, probably the most knowledgeable about them, stopped in front of one particular statue.


    ¡°Master, I know this person.¡±


    Zeke approached her and stared at the jet-black statue of a man standing majestically and authoritatively. He had greasy long hair and blurry eyes, it was the first statue Zeke had checked on his first visit here.


    ¡°This is Edward Heart, the Mad Emperor.¡±


    ¡°The Mad Emperor?¡±


    Zeke had a decent knowledge about the Aether Planet¡¯s history, but any information about Edward Heart was classified and not made public. If one wanted to know more, they either had to be a high-ranking official of the government or a renowned Scholar.


    Students like him were limited to general knowledge that barely covered the tip of Edward¡¯s rise and fall.


    Signora looked at the statute with a slightly shocked expression as if she was feeling oppressed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only read about him when I was in Wolf¡¯s library. Ah! Wolf is also a Red Mask, he¡¯s the only one I¡¯m on good terms with. From what I know, Edward Heart used the Paths of Extinction System and single-handedly founded the Sreyzhan Empire.¡±


    ¡°He founded it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. During his time, the planet was recovering from a cataclysm that almost killed everyone. Edward Heart appeared out of nowhere and invented new ways of using Aether and introduced a myriad of new arts, including Magical Formations. However, in his halcyon days, the Mad Emperor claimed to be a time-traveler hailing from planet Earth.¡±


    ¡°Time-traveler? I call bullshit!¡±


    ¡°Your tiny brain cannot comprehend the mysticism and mysteries in existence. It¡¯s better if you keep your mouth shut.¡± Coldly retorted Signora while apologetically bowing to Zeke.


    After pondering for a bit, Zeke pointed at the other three statues and asked,


    ¡°What about these? Recognize anyone?¡±


    Signora scrutinized them carefully before answering, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the old man and the youth. The woman in a regal dress, however, bears a strong resemblance to the Goddess of Night.¡±


    ¡°Goddess of Night?¡±


    ¡°Red Mask Wolf once told me about her. She was active before the cataclysm, or so he claimed. That¡¯s all I know, Master.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll go meet that friend of yours and inquire more. If we don¡¯t meet outside, you¡¯ll relay the information to me here and here only.¡±


    She was about to propose a method but Zeke cut her off, ¡°I don¡¯t care about your ¡®secretive¡¯ communication lines. Either you¡¯ll tell me in person or here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡±


    ¡°I doubt I¡¯ll find anything, but I¡¯ll snoop around too.¡±-Sulong

 Chapter 87 The Shipment

    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m here. Do you even know we are, Zeke?¡±


    ¡°Either a dimension separate from our reality or a creation of the System. It doesn¡¯t matter where we are¡­ it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°Huh! Tell that to the dead Chimera outside.¡±


    Zeke rolled his eyes and walked away from the talkative Sulong.


    Although Signora¡¯s revelations were surprising, Zeke didn¡¯t have the means to investigate more. There might be useful information in Erys¡¯ library, but the upper floors were restricted to teachers and Fourth-year Students. There was even a so-called ¡®super-secret¡¯ floor that contained ancient Aether-related techniques, records about Alchemy, and historical documents that preceded the Earthling¡¯s arrival to this planet.


    However, that floor was only accessible by the Principal and a handful of other individuals.


    [PE Shop available for use.]


    [List of items:


    Aether Recovery Elixir: 20 PE


    Aether Sensitivity Elixir: 20 PE (one-time use)


    Black Fang Revolver (2nd-grade Artifact): 30 PE


    Ventus Sword (2nd-grade Artifact): 35 PE


    Black Steel Hannish Vest (1nd-grade Artifact): 40 PE


    Rah¡¯loa Thorns (3rd-grade Material): 50 PE (2Kg)


    Sky Bloom (2nd-grade Spiritual Artifact): 55 PE


    Skill Book (Metal Skin): 60 PE


    .


    .


    .


    Skill Point Scroll : 1000 PE


    Elemental Spirit Scroll (One-time use): 1500 PE


    .


    .


    Night Spear (4th-grade Artifact): 2500 PE


    Blade of Dawn (4th-grade Artifact): 2700 PE


    .


    .


    .


    Main-path Book (Night Incarnate): 5000 PE


    Main-path Book (Wisdom Holder): 5000 PE


    Main-path Book (Ultimate Warrior): 5000 PE


    Main-path Book (Creation and Erasure): 15000 PE


    .


    .


    .


    System-upgrade (????): 1000000 PE]


    There were easily hundreds, if not thousands of available items in the PE shop. The most expensive thing was the System-upgrade, which required a ridiculously exorbitant amount of PE.


    Zeke was more interested in the available main paths, but saving up 5000 PE would take a long time and wouldn¡¯t be worth the effort now.


    For now, he had his eyes on the Aether Sensitivity Elixir and the Black Steel Hannish Vest. Admittedly, a weapon would facilitate fighting, but Zeke was no expert in wielding weapons, so going after a special artifact now might be the wrong decision.


    He had 69 PE in his possession, which was a considerable amount. Still, he didn¡¯t feel regret when he spent almost all of it in just a couple of breaths.


    The space around him distorted and a thin black vest along with a hand-sized vial hovered in front of him.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    Signora and Sulong approached him, both surprised to see things appear out of thin air.


    ¡°It can even do this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for free.¡± Commented Zeke as he examined the Black Steel Hannish Vest. It was not overly big, covering only the torso and the shoulders, but it was thin enough to hide under the school uniform or other clothes.


    As for the Aether Sensitivity Elixir, although it lacked any description, Zeke suspected that it might help with controlling Aether.


    One of his objectives right now was to keep ¡®Aether Control¡¯ active while simultaneously using other skills. That way, he would be recovering any consumed Aether and fight for a longer period of time without having to worry about dizziness or mental exhaustion due to over-exerting himself.


    For instance, when he jumped into the fight between Arbert and that assassin, Zeke had already been fatigued yet he pushed himself to the limits. He had been successful in greatly empowering himself by making use of the Voltage Circuit implemented across his body, but the backlash was something he liked to avoid.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯re done here. I¡¯ll come to you in a couple of days.¡±


    ¡°Wait wait!¡±


    Before Zeke could teleport everyone out of the mausoleum, Sulong raised his hand and grinned.


    ¡°I just deal with Stephan Dontoryian.¡±


    ¡°Dontoryian? You mean Rodrick¡¯s father?¡±


    Sulong nodded his head, looking particularly proud.


    ¡°He tried to kidnap me to get to you, apparently. Must¡¯ve been vengeful after what happened to his son, eh? Anyway, I dealt with him and his goons. Furthermore, I offered his secretary to join us if he could bring a bit of money or artifact before the other underworld gang bosses start salivating over the empty seat of the city¡¯s northern sector.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Zeke chuckled and raised a thumbs-up to Sulong. Ever since he was taken by his father, Zeke had completely forgotten about Rodrick. He didn¡¯t think Stephan would try to kidnap Erys students using such a blatant and foolish method.


    ¡°With you being busy at school, I thought it unnecessary to call you.¡±


    ¡°You were right, I guess. You don¡¯t need to consult me for everything, Sulong. We¡¯re in this together.¡±


    ¡°Right right!¡± Embarrassed, Sulong slapped Zeke¡¯s back a couple of times while taunting the expression Signora.


    When Zeke came to his senses and woke up, he saw the vest and the elixir resting on his body. After glancing at his soundly sleeping roommates, he swiftly put the vest on before eagerly opening the vial.


    The vest felt more comfortable than he had expected; It wrapped around his skin and magically synchronized with his Life Aether, causing it to vibrate momentarily.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡±


    After taking a deep breath, Zeke poured the contents of the vial into his mouth and sat on his bed, waiting for a reaction.


    Seconds after consumption, Zeke felt a heat surge from his chest and then spread to all corners of his body. He closed his eyes and concentrated, channeling his Aether to match to heat.


    It lasted for close to a minute before his body returned to normal, but Zeke felt a qualitative change in his perception. Even with ¡®Aether Control¡¯ not active, he could subtly feel the Ambient Aether floating around aimlessly.


    He could not see the tiny green particles, but he still felt pleased with his purchase. It wasn¡¯t the right place to conduct some tests, so he laid on the bed and rejoiced about this advancement until he fell asleep again.


    ¡­


    Wednesday have arrived and all the students were engrossed in their studies and training. Even Zeke had to focus and remove any distractions.


    Although he wanted to tail Beatrice more, he decided against it for the time being. He had been caught by Rebecca, and if Signora was telling the truth, then the four spies hiding Erys must already know that he was after them.


    Therefore, Zeke spent all day revising in the library before doing his Daily Tasks in the small forest and then training some more in the available facilities.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It was a quiet and peaceful day for him, utterly devoid of any unexpected complications.


    Azmer Lorson, on the other hand, experienced a totally different 24 hours.


    When the night fell and the sky darkened, instead of going to train under the Dean¡¯s tutelage, he accompanied a new ¡®friend¡¯ of his to a secret hideout.


    Veronica Serpents, previously known as the 5th Defect, changed into the appropriate outfit for the meeting while Azmer was warily following her.


    After deliberating for a while, the blond and gloomy youth had agreed to join the Ivory Oak Order.


    Of course, with the limited resources at his disposal, he had a decent job investigating the secret organization known as the Ivory Oak Order.


    He didn¡¯t want to get involved with mass-murdering lunatics, which was why he didn¡¯t immediately agree to Veronica¡¯s offer.


    Fortunately, he soon learnt that this secret organization was different from the rest. Just the fact that Principal Solas agreed to let Veronica stay in Erys despite knowing her identity had made Azmer relieved about his decision.


    Today was his first day meeting the other members of their small team. The Ivory Oak Order was divided into several teams that operated under a high-ranking individual, and the group he was in was no different.


    ¡°This balding man is Bibi. This is Maxwell Lepard, the troublemaker behind the dormitory incident. The silent one trying to look cool is Xiao, and the grouchy and grumpy one here is our leader, Frederic.¡±


    Veronica nonchalantly introduced her colleagues to the cautious Azmer. He was wearing the signature white robe of the Ivory Oak Order, but he still didn¡¯t feel welcomed after being subjected to their inquisitive and piercing gazes.


    ¡°I¡¯m Azmer.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We know about you. You had a fight with your father, yes?¡±


    Maxwell Lepard, the lively and talkative one of the bunch, shook hands with Azmer while inquiring with a grin.


    ¡°How is that of any importance?¡± Retorted Azmer with a frown.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not. I was curious, is all.¡±


    ¡°Enough with the pointless questions.¡± Interrupted the stern-looking Frederic.


    He was a middle-aged man with a triangular face, a relatively big nose, a pair of brown eyes, and greasy long hair pushed to the back.


    ¡°Veronica had praised you to no end and recommended you to us. I hope she made the right decision.¡± Said Frederic as he shook hands with Azmer before jumping to the main topic,


    ¡°We¡¯ve been laying low for only a short while, but I¡¯ve received a mission from the messenger.¡±


    ¡°Finally!¡± Exclaimed Maxwell as he excitedly clapped his hands.


    ¡°We are to intercept a shipment transported from the neighboring city to the Sunken Metropolis. Expect heavy security and a lot of resistance. The target in question is a cylindric object stored at the back of the main van, which shouldn¡¯t be difficult to pinpoint.¡±


    ¡°Wait, a shipment? Then we¡¯re messing with the Department of Defense?¡±


    Seeing Azmer getting riled up so easily, Veronica tapped his back and shook her head,


    ¡°Don¡¯t be deluded by the media and what you heard. The Department of Defense isn¡¯t as good as all make it seem.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Bibi spat on the ground and grudgingly added, ¡°Those pieces of shit are the worst. You have no idea the shit they¡¯re up to on a daily basis. Illegal human experiments, colluding with terrorists, and so on¡­¡±


    Azmer didn¡¯t how to respond to their comments, he just lowered his head and opted for silence.


    ¡°Our goal is to intercept and take the shipment. We will meet all kinds of resistance, but it would be wise to incapacitate rather than kill. We already have a target on our backs, remember that.¡±


    Frederic swept his cold gaze across all of them before focusing on Maxwell, ¡°I¡¯m talking to you, Lepard. No funny business or else you¡¯re out.¡±


    ¡°I know I know! Jeez, you¡¯re always treating me like a kid.¡±


    ¡°Because you act like one!¡± Rebuked Frederic while sighing in exasperation.


    ¡­


    As they hid on both sides of the asphalt road cutting the huge forest in two, Veronica reassured the nervous Azmer.


    ¡°You can stay at the back if you want. We might fail, but we always manage to escape.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Muttered the non-talkative Xiao as he held a dark green spear and crouched down.


    Seconds later, the sound of approaching vehicles could be heard amidst the eerie silence.


    The first one to act was Veronica, who extended both hands and conjured dozens of tiny snakes that crawled on the asphalt.


    The wheels of the passing vehicles were bit by the snakes, which made them either crash to the side or come to a screeching halt.


    Azmer, who wasn¡¯t used to hearing the gunshots, was momentarily shocked and couldn¡¯t react.


    He saw how Xiao and Frederic jumped forth, the former sweeping with his spear and sending at least five agents flying, and the latter holding a massive broadsword and unleashing a deafening shock wave.


    Things got intense quickly as bullets flew everywhere, some piercing the ground and trees and others getting deflected by strange and rapid defensive orbs conjured by Bibi.


    ¡°Protect the shipment!¡±


    Shouted an ability-user as he confronted Frederic.


    The leader of Azmer¡¯s small team leapt in the air and swung down his weapon, easily overpowering the agent and crushing his shallow translucent barrier into pieces.


    As he had said before, Frederic did not kill everyone. When he was upon the enemy, he momentarily discarded his sword and punched the man¡¯s face, knocking him unconscious with ease.


    In less than a minute, Frederic reached the huge black van and smashed its back doors open. Xiao was right behind him, deflecting any incoming agents and using his spear to release flashing lights that blocked all projectiles.


    Meanwhile, Veronica was controlling her snakes to bite down the opponents and paralyze them.


    Only Azmer remained in the same spot, stricken with shock and fear. He had mentally prepared himself, and though he was by no means an easily-scared individual, he still couldn¡¯t sober up and do his job.


    Only when he felt a cold chill coming from his back did the blond youth regain his senses and roll to the side, barely evading a dangerous silver glint.


    A slim female agent covering the lower part of her face rushed at Azmer, bashing her electric baton at him with a monstrous force.


    In retaliation, Azmer raised both hands and unleashed a burst of flames that forced the agent to retreat and circle around.


    A distance away, Frederic looked at the shipment in disbelief.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡±


    As the messenger had said, it was indeed a cylindric and transparent object. However, what was shocking was the person stuck inside.


    Much to his surprise, the agent added the voltage on her baton and swept her hand, extinguishing Azmer¡¯s flames before charging at him again.


    This time, she was attacked by a moving wall of light, which made her stagger and grunt in pain.


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± Shouted Maxwell as retracted his wall just in time to defend against another agent. Alas, he didn¡¯t notice another enemy that appeared out of thin air and pierced his back with a long blade.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Shouted Maxwell again as he puked blood and then mumbled an incantation which made several shiny white translucent shields to appeared around him.


    The wound on his back was healing at an insane speed, but the shields around him were relatively weak as they were shattered by the bombardment of the agents.


    Meanwhile, Azmer controlled his trembling hands and shot multiple fireballs, which incapacitated those troubling Maxwell but missed the nimble baton-wielding agent.


    When the golden flaming sword appeared in his hand, Azmer gritted his teeth and invoked more flames, which burned the trees and the ground around him.


    Unfortunately, the female agent suddenly turned blurry as her figure appeared on his flank, and with a swift and decisive movement, she struck him with the baton.


    Whether it was his sword or flames, they all disappeared as Azmer was electrocuted for five full seconds.


    Feeling intense pain, he tried to call for help but ended up falling unconscious.


    The female agent raised her head and looked at the road, but the only people standing were Azmer¡¯s comrades. She snorted and carried his body before retreating to the back along with the two agents attacking Maxwell.


    They didn¡¯t have the manpower to resist, so the best alternative was to take a captive with them.


    ¡­


    ¡°What are we supposed to do with this? Ugh! It hurts!¡±


    Maxwell was poking his rapidly-healing wounds while examining the human trapped in the two-meter-long cylindric container.


    The container was filled with water, but there was also a very young girl trapped inside, curled into a fetus position.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go call the messenger.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Veronica stopped Frederic and gave him a dangerous glare.


    ¡°What about Azmer?¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Questioned Frederic with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°They took him! Are you really going to act as if nothing happened?¡±


    ¡°I told you he wasn¡¯t ready, Veronica. He didn¡¯t fit in with us.¡± Coldly retorted Frederic, seemingly uninterested in retrieving Azmer.


    ¡°Bullshit! I fucking dare you to call the messenger, Fred. Just because he just joined us, you¡¯re ready to abandon him?¡±


    ¡°For a moment who preaches about camaraderie at every chance he got, I also find this¡­ odd.¡± Chirped Bibi while massaging his sore arms. Seeing Frederic glare at him, Bibi shrugged and added,


    ¡°Look, we¡¯re a team. Even if he¡¯s just a newbie, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to abandon him. That¡¯s not who we are.¡±


    ¡°He got what¡¯s coming to him. We can¡¯t barge into their Headquarters and take him back.¡± Sneered Maxwell, clearly agreeing with the leader.


    After a short bout of silence, Xiao, who was wont to keep his counsel, said, ¡°An exchange. We give them the shipment.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you insane?! Look at this!¡± Maxwell pointed at the girl, ¡°She¡¯s clearly a valuable experiment of some sort. And you¡¯re proposing an exchange? The best we can do now is hide here because they¡¯ll be looking everywhere for us. Everywhere. They¡¯ll get to us before we can say anything, much less prepare an ¡®exchange¡¯.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re ready to abandon Azmer, then you¡¯ll be ready to abandon us in the future, Fred. You call the messenger and I¡¯m out of this team. Are we clear?¡±


    Frederic looked at the phone in his hand before letting out an annoyed grunt then lowering his arm.


    ¡°He better be worth it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s inexperienced, but he¡¯s strong and trustworthy. Isn¡¯t that what we need?¡±


    Veronica snorted and walked away only for Maxwell to stop her,


    ¡°Where are you going? We need to hide here.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, smartass? I¡¯m going to try and get help.¡±


    She pushed him aside and exited the hideout, leaving them all either confused or surprised.


    ¡­


    Veronica Serpens stealthily returned to Erys, which was just as safe as the hideout. However, she was deliberating over her limited choices.


    For the course of the last three weeks, she had gotten a bit close to Azmer. His grumpiness notwithstanding, he was a hard-working and honest person.


    By interacting with him on a daily basis, he was slowly able to open up, so she learnt of his circumstances and how he left his family.


    When she offered him a position on her team, she was already confident in her decision. He was talented and ready to make sacrifices to improve himself and achieve the ultimate success, which was no different from Veronica¡¯s objective.


    Put simply, Veronica saw herself in him, which was why she wasn¡¯t ready to give up on him yet, even with his apparent shortcomings.


    Azmer Lorson was a prideful person, one who wouldn¡¯t easily call for help. Nevertheless, his defeat against Zeke had humbled him and corrected his corrupted character bit by a bit.


    ¡®He¡¯s improving and becoming a better person. It¡¯s too late for this to end.¡¯


    While pacing around the campus, Veronica was biting her lips and wracking her brain for a solution. She could ask for the Principal¡¯s help, but there was a high probability he wouldn¡¯t oblige.


    Even though Solas all of his students, Azmer was in the custody of the Department of Defense. Considering the Principal¡¯s sour relationship with the government, it would take no small amounts of favors to retrieve Azmer.


    Then again, Veronica and her team had openly attacked special agents of the Department of Defense and stole a secret shipment, which made the whole situation more complicated.


    After spending a couple of hours walking around in the middle of the night, Veronica resorted to the only available course.


    She snuck into the First-year Dormitory, specifically Azmer¡¯s room. There, she glanced at the sleeping Samuel and Alan before focusing on Zeke Orland.


    She leaned closer and poked him a couple of times, but when he woke up, his hand slid to her throat before smashing her body on the ground.


    The loud thud woke up the other two students.


    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Alan covered his mouth and used the blanket as protection while Samuel jumped to his feet and stared at the girl.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Veronica, who was being suffocated, waved her hand in surrender but Zeke didn¡¯t let go of her.


    He had felt her poking but pretended to be asleep for a couple of seconds to prepare himself. He subdued her with ease, though that was due to her non-resistance.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen her! She¡¯s Veronica Serpens.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Zeke tentatively let go of her but he remained highly vigilant.


    While caressing her neck and gasping for breath, Veronica looked at her cold stare of Zeke. She collected her thoughts before hesitantly saying,


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡±


    Before she responded, she glanced at Samuel and Alan, whom she didn¡¯t want to involve. Noticing this, Zeke nodded and signaled for her to leave.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s talk outside.¡±


    ¡°I can help to-¡±


    Samuel wanted to join in but Zeke stopped him while solemnly shaking his head. With a helpless sigh, the youth sat back on his bed and mumbled inaudible words.


    ¡°No one can hear here. You can talk now.¡±


    Zeke had already heard of the 5th Defect, Veronica Serpens. She had returned right after he left the city, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t suspicious of her.


    Just like him, she obtained powers and quickly rose through the ranks, making him one of the two black horses along with Fylard.

 Chapter 88 The Captive

    Zeke pinched his temples and paced in front of Veronica as he tried to process everything she had said.


    ¡°So, in summation, Azmer joined your little cult then got himself captured by the Department of Defense.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it, yeah.¡±


    Zeke halted his feet and stared at her with narrowed eyes, which made her wryly smile and add,


    ¡°I watched your fight against him a couple of weeks ago. I know the history between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Then, in your infinite wisdom, you decided to come to me for help? Why do you think I would care about Azmer after all he¡¯s done?¡±


    Veronica frowned and, with a slighter higher tone, retorted,


    ¡°You¡¯re not a bad person, Zeke. Neither is Azmer. He doesn¡¯t deserve to be locked up there and tortured.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s got to learn to face the consequences of his mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She solemnly replied, ¡°But this is not the way. The things they¡¯ll do to him are beyond your imagination. They won¡¯t care even if he¡¯s William Lorson¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After looking at her in silence for a period of time, Zeke sighed and signaled for her to lead the way.


    ¡°First, show me this precious shipment of theirs.¡±


    ¡­


    To earn his trust, Veronica didn¡¯t hesitate to take him to her team¡¯s hideout. As they went on foot and avoided bustling streets, it took them some time to reach their destination.


    The moment Zeke stepped inside the dimly-lit basement, Veronica¡¯s teammates freaked out and took out their weapons.


    ¡°Calm down.¡±


    The girl stepped in front of Zeke and raised her hands, motioning for them to not attack.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡±


    Frederic, their leader, glared at his subordinate with his sword raised and ready to strike.


    ¡°Since you witless bunch refuse to help, I¡¯ve brought someone capable.¡±


    ¡°Capable?!¡± Maxwell was the wariest one as, totally surprised to see Zeke¡¯s familiar face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve practically doomed all of us by bringing him here. He¡¯s more of a target than us!¡±


    Zeke also recognized Maxwell Lepard, the one behind the dormitory incident. Excluding his different outfit, the youth looked the same, which meant he had used his real face when infiltrating Erys.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here looking for a fight.¡± Declared Zeke as he shifted his attention to the so-called shipment. His eyes focused on the cylindric object filled with bubbling water and trapping a curled-up little girl.


    ¡°Either lower your weapons or do something. Don¡¯t unnecessarily prolonge this tense atmosphere.¡±


    Her teammates lowered their weapons but they stayed clear of Zeke and kept giving him unwelcome and hostile looks.


    ¡°What makes you think he can help?¡± Asked Bibi as he curiously scrutinized Zeke.


    ¡°First and foremost, he¡¯s got the System.¡±


    Zeke already suspected that they knew about it, so apart from grunting in annoyance, he didn¡¯t say anything. After he had tried to kill Olivia in front of so many witnesses, it was to be expected that the many secret organizations would figure out the truth.


    The Ivory Oak Order was one of the ¡®top¡¯ secret organizations: While, sometimes, their methods left something to be desired, they were still a huge group of capable and strong individuals.


    Still, Zeke came here because he was confident in his own abilities. If things were to get complicated, he had the means to escape in an instant, whether by using ¡®The Reaper¡¯ or ¡®Over-drive¡¯.


    ¡®The Department of Defense is big, so the shipment could be the work of one of the high executives. I don¡¯t think asking Edward for help will change anything¡­ it could even implicate him.¡¯


    ¡°Do you know on whose orders was this ¡®shipment¡¯ brought to the Sunken Metropolis?¡±


    ¡°Vice-president of the Council. Colonel George, who¡¯s in charge of The Special Disasters and Experimentation sub-department. This is why we can¡¯t return this! It¡¯s a big fish!¡±


    Answered Maxwell as he caressed the surface of the container, sounding both proud and anxious.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start talking about Azmer? Or do you still want to abandon him?¡±


    Veronica approached Frederic and stared back at him, looking resolute and unwavering.


    In the end, the middle-aged man sighed and nodded once.


    ¡°He better be worth it. Alright!¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He glanced at Zeke and waited as if wanting him to propose a method.


    ¡°I will obviously need help. I¡¯m sure you have an idea where Azmer is being kept. We will storm in and get him out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡±


    Bibi let out a mocking laugh and shook his head.


    ¡°What? Do you have a brilliant plan in mind? They won¡¯t expect us to barge in. Sure, the security will be tight, but we have the element of surprise.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Frederic face-palmed himself and looked at Veronica, but she shrugged, seemingly agreeing with her guest.


    In fact, Zeke was a bit nervous, but he had already a plan of his own. It was true that, despite their differences, he truly wished to help Azmer. Moreover, he was interested in this shipment. Although it was supposed to be ¡®super-important¡¯, Veronica told him that the agents escorting it weren¡¯t particularly strong.


    That meant that Vice-president George might be acting alone.


    ¡®Since she hasn¡¯t interfered yet, Katrina must be tailing Rebecca or Beatrice. Still, I don¡¯t have much time until she notices something.¡¯


    While the Ivory Oak Order team was arguing about the plan, Zeke took out his phone and sent a short message to Sulong. He didn¡¯t do it stealthily not to arise suspicion, but it was his luck that no one questioned him about it.


    ¡­


    ¡°We know that you¡¯re from the Ivory Oak Order, Azmer Lorson.¡±


    The female agent who had caught him was sitting across from the blond-haired youth. He was in a dark and cold room, handcuffed to a metal table and to a chair, his eyes hollow and his face pale.


    Agent Elizabeth Colton crossed her arms, her expressionless face leaned closer to the tight-mouthed youth.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to walk out of here. Tell us where your hideout is and I guarantee nothing will happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Government dog.¡± Spat back Azmer as he moved his arms, trying to break free from the thick cuffs.


    ¡°You got involved with bad people, I understand that. It¡¯s not too early to correct this.¡±


    Elizabeth sighed and pointed at the wall-side widow to the side, which hid the high executives watching this investigation.


    ¡°If you do not cooperate, there will be no turning back. Not even your father can help then.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help from anyone.¡± Retorted Azmer while gritting his teeth.


    ¡°....¡±


    Eventually, Elizabeth gave up on convincing him and walked out of the room. Right outside, however, a chubby man with a protruding belly walked to her and gave her a vicious slap.


    ¡°Incompetence at its finest! I repeatedly told you to be on high alert and ensure the shipment arrives here safely!¡±


    Vice-president George slapped her a second time before shouting out loud, his spit splashing all over her face.


    Still, Elizabeth stood straight and did not retaliate. She didn¡¯t even wipe the blood leaking out of the edge of her bruised lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I will find the culprits and retrieve back the shipment.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You better hope so!¡±


    He shoved her to the side and signaled the agents behind him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how you do it. Make him talk!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The two agents barged into the investigation room and dragged Azmer to the lower floor.


    Elizabeth followed after them but didn¡¯t interfere with their work. She watched as they strapped the youth into a wooden chair and splashed his body with cold water several times.


    Then, they pierced his hands with metallic clippers before turning the generator on.


    It was a simple yet effective method of torture; The captive would be zapped by a high-voltage electricity.


    As electricity invaded his body and brought with it unimaginable agony, Azmer¡¯s body shook and convulsed for a couple of seconds.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the hideout?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    He was electrocuted again for a longer period of time.


    ¡°Names of your associates.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After merely five minutes, Azmer was bleeding from all of his orifices and barely keeping himself consciousness. Even in this poor state, he kept grinning at the infuriated Vice-president watching this from the side.


    ¡°This is going nowhere!¡±


    ¡°Sir, we can use other methods.¡±


    Colonel George let out an unpleasant screech of anger before walking to Azmer and punching him in the face.


    Both the student and the chair he was in fell backward, but even after that, the pent-up anger within George had yet to subside.


    ¡°He¡¯s a useless piece of shit! I don¡¯t care anymore. Kill him.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Elizabeth stared at Azmer for a couple of breaths before sighing and walking away. As an agent, she was made to watch such scenes unfold many a time, but that didn¡¯t make it any better.


    She had tried to help Azmer, but he was insufferably stubborn, which ultimately led to his demise. If he had confessed, the Vice-president wouldn¡¯t have cared about his fate, thus allowing Elizabeth to interfere and set him free.


    Now, however, there was no way to change anything. Agent Elizabeth Colton was loyal to the Department of Defense and she wouldn¡¯t do anything to jeopardize her position.


    As Colonel George stormed out of the torture room, one of his agents pulled his handgun and pointed it at Azmer.


    ¡°Sorry, kid.¡±


    ¡°C-can I have a couple of last words?¡± Said Azmer while panting heavily.


    The agent frowned before subtly nodding his head.


    ¡°Make it fast.¡±


    Azmer mumbled something in a low voice, but the agent didn¡¯t hear anything.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? I can¡¯t hear you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­¡±


    Azmer was somewhat delirious as he shook his head and tried to stay conscious. Seeing the agent getting closer, he kept mumbling under his breath.


    When the agent was close enough, one of his Azmer¡¯s hands, which was supposed to be cuffed, was extended toward the enemy and let out a burst of vermillion flames.


    The unsuspecting agent was engulfed in fire and started shouting in pain.


    The remaining agent in the room immediately pointed at Azmer and shot, but the latter kicked the ground to make himself fall again.


    Although he dodged the bullet aimed at his head, it still struck his back. Still, while shouting, he hastily melted the cuffs restricting his other hand before letting out another brighter burst of flames that spread across the whole room.


    The whole place turned into a heated furnace as Azmer killed the agent without any shred of hesitation.


    As he got to his feet with difficulty, Azmer saw the red light flashing in the corridor as well as a deafening alarm that echoed across the whole underground facility.


    He had thought he was the cause, but when he saw the armed agents ignore the room he was in, he was slightly confused.


    The only person who came back was agent Elizabeth; With the baton in her hand, she looked at the scorched bodies of the agents before raising her empty hand,


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    He was bleeding from the back and his body was severely weakened. Still, Azmer spared no effort as he used all of his Aether to invoke an unstoppable wave of flames that blasted the whole room and even blew Elizabeth back.

 Chapter 89 The Baleful Gallows

    ¡°S-sir! We¡¯re under attack! You must leave.¡±


    ¡°Under attack? By who?¡±


    While dragging his fat body towards the secret exit, Colonel George¡¯s face distorted as he reproached his subordinates. It was clear that he was afraid and didn¡¯t want to stay here for an extra second.


    Whether the invader was a single person or a group, George didn¡¯t care. He prioritized his safety over anything else.


    ..


    On the ground floor, Zeke, shrouded in a spider-web made of crackling lightning, was dashing forward.


    Thunderbolts were illuminating the corridors as he shot any and all agents in his way. The bullets flying at him were repelled by Bibi¡¯s magical orbs or blocked by Maxwell¡¯s translucent white shields.


    He was the vanguard of the team, taking the lead and eliminating all threats while Maxwell and Bibi supported him.


    Xiao, Frederic, and Veronica separated from them to look for Azmer on the lower floors.


    ¡°Stop them!¡±


    ¡°Where are the Special Agents?¡±


    Special Agents were mostly the ability-users, like Elizabeth. However, such individuals were tasked with important missions instead of guarding the corridors.


    Zeke continued charging forward, the voltage spreading from his body and paralyzing his opponents.


    He was like an unstoppable snowball, flattening everything in his way as he swiftly disposed of the armed agents and looked at all the rooms.


    ¡°He must be dead or locked downstairs.¡± Said Maxwell as shot a finger-sized projectile that ricocheted on the walls a couple of times before piercing a hiding agent.


    ¡°You go on ahead. I¡¯ll search this floor.¡±


    Zeke unceremoniously waved his hand at the two as he stepped out of the room and dashed away.


    Bibi and Maxwell exchanged glances before heading toward the staircase.


    ¡®I¡¯m not feeling anything. It¡¯s strange.¡¯


    Admittedly, Zeke had his fair share of chaotic situations. However, it was his first time doing something like this. He had actually barged into a research facility belonging to the Department of Defense and was being attacked by armed agents.


    The sound of fired bullets and the unfolding chaos notwithstanding, Zeke felt a wave of tranquility and serenity. He neither felt fear nor anxiousness as he nimbly moved his body.


    He appeared in front of two agents and raised his leg, using ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ to send them both flying to the back.


    Then, he used ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to avoid the rain of bullets and throw a lightning arrow that hit the wall before bursting into a storm of electricity that incapacitated the four agents aiming at him.


    Zeke was wearing a mask that covered the entirety of his face, but even with that, he knew that due to his flashy and unique abilities, they would discover his identity sooner or later. Still, he was willing to take the risk and come here.


    Albeit being the younger brother of the team leader of the Secret Intelligence sub-department, Zeke¡¯s impression of the Department of Defense was mostly negative. He had no intentions of allying himself with them, now or in the future.


    Moreover, Vice-president George would try to bury this incident instead of making it public. He definitely had more than one secret experiment here, including that strange shipment, and it wouldn¡¯t do him any good to reveal it to his superior.


    Therefore, the logical response would be to turn this incident into an unfortunate accident and keep the identity of the assailants under tight wraps, or so Zeke speculated.


    ¡­


    On the lower floors, Veronica¡¯s snakes crawled on the ground and on the walls, spreading everywhere as they checked every room looking for Azmer.


    Frederic and Xiao were swinging their weapons, easily getting rid of the agents.


    Even when two Special Agents appeared, they were overwhelmed by the three of them.


    At some point, they crossed paths with agent Elizabeth, who had cuffed Azmer again and was dragging him to a safe place.


    The slim woman¡¯s clothes had burnt marks, but she hadn¡¯t suffered any substantial damage.


    Seeing the three white-robed people blocking her path, Elizabeth¡¯s eyes narrowed as she tightly clenched her grasp on the electric black baton.


    A bout of silence flowed between them before projectiles made of white light came flying at Elizabeth¡¯s rear. In retaliation, she stomped the ground, which surprisingly extinguished the projectiles into nothingness.


    ¡°S-sorry! We¡¯re late!¡±


    Bibi gasped for air while Maxwell stood at the back, glaring menacingly at the Special agent.


    Eventually, Elizabeth pushed Azmer toward Veronica while saying,


    ¡°I¡¯m at a disadvantage so I will not fight.¡±


    She walked to the side and stood still, clearly having no intentions to fight the five of them together. Yes, she was particularly strong, but so were they all, especially Frederic and Xiao.


    As Veronica supported the barely conscious and heavily wounded Azmer, Elizabeth snorted and said,


    ¡°This will end badly for all of you.¡±


    ¡°We will take our chances.¡± Retorted Veronica as she backed away while Fred and Xiao were protecting her.


    In the end, they swiftly left the scene while Elizabeth sped towards the ground floor.


    ¡­


    Five minutes later, after fighting several dozen agents, Zeke finally came face to face with the Special Agents. These were the real threat, the ability-users, and the real strength of the Department of Defense.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Zeke stood at the center of a large intersection, surrounded by no less than 6 Special Agents.


    [Urgent Mission: Survive and escape the Research Facility.]


    [Special Mission: Destroy the Aether Reactor]


    ¡®Oh?¡¯ Although he expected to see a mission, Zeke was pleased nonetheless to see the System notification appear.


    He spotted Veronica and co appear from the stairs and head toward the exit.


    ¡°He¡¯s surrounded. There might be even more on the way.¡± Muttered Bibi as he gritted his teeth.


    They all saw Zeke at the intersection, but they also saw the Special Agents blocking all the escape routes and closing in on him.


    ¡°Fuck! She¡¯s also here! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Maxwell pushed the hesitant Xiao as they ran away. The last thing they saw was a swirling shroud of black fog enveloping Zeke.


    Elizabeth had used another path to reach the intersection, aiming to surround the invaders along with the other Special Officers. However, she was a tad too late and ended up crossing paths with Zeke.


    She saw a long scythe appear in his hands and his appearance slightly change. His eyes turned jet black and his white robe change into a black one shredded at the bottom.


    A sinister and ominous aura emitted from his as he grinned and shot at the targets.


    One of the Special Agents swung his thorny whip at the youth, but, much to his surprise, it was cut in half by the scythe.


    Before he could react, Zeke was already upon him, grabbing his head and smashing it into the wall. Right after disposing of the fist, Zeke kicked the wall and somersaulted while diagonally slashing with his scythe.


    The scythe clashed with a flying shark made of water, slicing it just like with the whip before it descended on the agent, piercing his chest.


    Just as Zeke eliminated the second one, a buzzing sound entered his ears, followed by pain from his flank.


    Elizabeth¡¯s baton struck his side and blew him to the side, but he managed to stabilize his body mid-air and safely land on his feet.


    For a moment, Elizabeth was surprised that Zeke was unaffected by the electricity, but she didn¡¯t stop her rampage.


    She, along with the remaining Special Officers, all jumped at the youth enveloped in a dense black fog.


    ¡­


    ¡°Huff huff¡­¡±


    Zeke looked at the timer, which was almost about to hit ¡®0¡¯. The intersection was completely ruined as there were slash marks on the walls and the ground. Most noticeably, there was a massive hole on the ground, caused by [The Baleful Gallows], which was a skill that accompanied ¡®The Reaper¡¯.


    Exhausted, Zeke walked to the last surviving Special Agent. He looked at the wounded Elizabeth, who had a grievous bloody wound across her chest, which was the result of taking ¡®The Baleful Gallows¡¯ head-on.


    Zeke too, had suffered a fatal wound to his chest, but thanks to ¡®Body-damage¡¯, which activated despite being in the Reaper Form, Zeke was able to avoid dying.


    No words were needed as Elizabeth picked her baton and faced him. Zeke had confirmed that her ability was different from the rest. It was similar to Julia and Maxine, as her body was unusually tenacious as well as monstrously strong.


    Were it not for that, she would have died under his onslaught.


    Electricity crackled around Zeke as he leaned forward and transformed into a lightning bolt.


    He used ¡®Over-drive¡¯ to end this prolonged fight, however, Elizabeth retaliated by simply quickly taking a deep breath and then swinging her baton.


    The azure lightning clashed with her strike, causing a shock wave that cracked the walls and caused light tremors.


    Zeke felt overpowered for a second, but he succeeded in bypassing her defense and piercing the side of her abdomen with a spike condensed from voltage.


    Blood gushed out, followed by a groan of pain. Still, Elizabeth didn¡¯t falter as she half-turned her body, let go of the baton, and punched the ground, causing it to shatter into pieces.


    The hole in the middle of the intersection spread and the underground floor revealed itself.


    Zeke swiftly backed away using ¡®Life Motus¡¯ and saw the agent fall down. He was certain that she did it on purpose, not to harm him but to survive, which meant that she prioritized her survival over catching him.


    Feeling annoyed that he had failed, Zeke snorted and left.


    Although the rest of his escape wasn¡¯t as dangerous, Zeke still had to face a couple more normal agents, all of which were incapacitated using ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯.


    As much as he wanted to also complete the ¡®Special Mission,¡¯ Zeke didn¡¯t have the strength to delve deeper into the facility and find the Aether Reactor.


    Even with the use of ¡®The Reaper¡¯, fighting against multiple ability users at the same time was extremely difficult.


    The Reaper Form significantly increased his stats¡­ which was the reason behind his confidence and why he agreed to help Veronica. Simply relying on ¡®Self-Injection¡¯ and ¡®Over-drive¡¯ wasn¡¯t going to cut it.


    ¡®Still, that woman was really strong. Maybe as strong as Katrina.¡¯


    Zeke kept looking behind as he ran through the darkened forest. Fortunately, he had no pursuers, but that was only because he used the Aether stored in Voltage Rune to teleport non-stop with ¡®Life Motus¡¯.


    An hour later, Zeke stopped near a creek and splashed cold water on his face. His charred and blackened right arm was shaking, his body was numb and fatigued, and his breathing was uneven.


    ¡®It felt a bit thrilling, if not exhilarating.¡¯


    Maybe his thinking was affected by his young age, or maybe it was the thought of successfully breaking out someone from a heavily-guarded research facility, whatever the reason was, Zeke felt proud of his accomplishment.


    He had become considerably stronger, so much so that wanted to train even more meticulously. With the use of the Paths of Extinctions System, he knew he could reach the epitome of power and achieve all of his goals.


    He would get he hear back from the Ascetic Blasphemers, learn the truth behind his mysterious birth, and protect those whom he held dear.


    ¡­


    ¡°Shit! It was here all along!¡±


    ¡°Aaaaah!¡±


    Jack, who saw a rat appear out of nowhere, freaked out and hugged his bald friend.


    ¡°What a wuss! Come on.¡±


    Sulong smacked Jack¡¯s head before entering the hideout.


    Jack tentatively followed him only to see the container and the girl inside.


    ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s with shady experiments and kids?¡±


    Sulong shrugged as he approached the ¡®shipment¡¯ and carefully examined it. It was large than him in size, but the problem wasn¡¯t simply taking it out of here, it was taking it back home without attracting attention.


    ¡°S-shouldn¡¯t we just leave it alone?¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡± Sulong shook his head while cracking his knuckles,  ¡°We¡¯ve come this far. So¡­ might as well try this!!¡±


    He punched the container and broke the glass, which caused all the water to flow outside. Sulong caught the girl in his thick and burly arms.


    ¡°She¡¯s very light.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy! Fuck me! Zeke¡¯s lunacy affected you.¡±


    ¡°Come on, man. This is nothing.¡±


    Sulong beamed at his friend while strolling out of the hideout while humming joyfully. Jack, on the other hand, cursed under his breath and followed his friend.


    ¡­


    Two hours later, after grouping up with Zeke, they all returned to the hideout only to see the broken container.


    The moment he saw this, Frederic rushed toward Zeke and held him by the collar.


    ¡°What did you do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Retorted Zeke while shrugging.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the shipment? You backstabbing bastard!¡±


    He was about to unsheath his sword and stab him but Xiao interfered. The quiet man solemnly shook his head.


    ¡°Bring it back. Right this instant!¡±


    ¡°As I said, I have no idea what you mean. Could you perhaps elaborate?¡±


    ¡°You motherfuck-¡±


    ¡°Fred.¡±


    Veronica also pulled him back as she glared at Zeke.


    ¡°This is not what we agreed.¡±


    ¡°Why are you assuming it¡¯s me? You came to me for help and I helped. Unconditionally. Rather than threaten me, aren¡¯t you supposed to thank me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing them give him menacing looks, Zeke chuckled, ¡°Your hideout has been exposed. I suggest you find another place.¡±


    After saying his piece, he glanced at the unconscious Azmer before leaving.

 Chapter 90 Rabid Dog

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s that freak. I told you we should lock him up!¡±


    Colonel George, who was seething with anger, smashed his hand on the table as he glared at the expressionless Edward Orland.


    ¡°He was wearing a mask. It¡¯s too early to draw a conclusion. It could be a trick to fool us into blaming Zeke.¡± Calmly replied Edward as he crossed his arms and waited for the others to comment.


    The Vice-president did his best to hide what happened, but an invasion of such magnitude wouldn¡¯t be able to escape the Department of Defense¡¯s watchful eyes.


    Within hours, the high executives learnt of the incident and an urgent meeting was called.


    ¡°I agree with Edward. Why would the kid risk exposing himself and even ally with the Ivory Oak Order? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    A middle-aged woman with an eye patch over her right eye tapped her index on the documents before her while uttering those words. From the piercing gaze she gave to the fat Vice-President, it was clear that she disliked him.


    ¡°For the love of! You! Come here and tell them!¡±


    George beckoned the quiet Elizabeth, who was dutifully standing near the entrance. When he signaled her, she approached the large rectangular table and performed a military salute before speaking,


    ¡°There were six invaders, five of which were confirmed to be members of the Ivory Oak Order. Specifically, they are part of the 3rd Division, working right under the Black Templar.¡±


    An elderly man with a muscular body, a tall frame, and a grizzly face with a bushy beard, let out a grunt as he questioned,


    ¡°We know one of them, at least. William¡¯s son, yes? He¡¯s a student. Not even that shrewd Solas can stop us from locking him up.¡±


    ¡°Before that,¡± interrupted the strongest man in the Department of Defense, the red-haired and stoic General Zhang.


    ¡°Why would the Ivory Oak Order attack your agents, Colonel George? They wouldn¡¯t go this far for a normal shipment.¡±


    Caught off-guard, the plump Vice-president stutteringly responded,


    ¡°I-it was a 3rd-grade Artifact. It grants immunity to all kinds of poison.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    General Zhang coldly stared at the fearful George before retracting his gaze and sighing.


    ¡°We will put the matter regarding Azmer Lorson aside. He is of no consequence to us¡­ and do not forget that the Ivory Oak Order is not our enemy. If one of their teams attacked us, then they must¡¯ve had a good reason. I will personally go and talk to the Black Templar.¡±


    ¡°B-but sir!¡±


    ¡°You have no say in the matter, Colonel George.¡± Warned Zhang as he stood up and waved his hand, dismissing all of them.


    ¡°Edward, stay behind.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Barely a minute later, only the two men were left in the meeting room. Edward, feeling a bit nervous, instinctively gulped some saliva as he faced the scary Zhang.


    Although it had been a while, Edward had seen how ludicrously powerful the General was. He was, undoubtedly, one of the strongest in the entirety of the Nezulian Republic. But more than that, he was patriotic and merciless to all of his enemies.


    ¡°We have confirmed the veracity of your brother¡¯s claims. All those people you named were indeed spies from the Ascetic Blasphemers. Excluding one, they all have been dealt with.¡±


    ¡°General¡­ do you mean the Grand Marshal?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I will deal with him tomorrow. However, that isn¡¯t why I told you to stay here.¡±


    General Zhang walked to a monitor and turned it on before playing a certain recording.


    Although it wasn¡¯t the best quality, Edward was still able to see the two opposing parties fighting each other.


    One side was a youth dressed in a white robe and wearing a mask, and on the other were the Special Officers under Colonel George.


    The explosive azure lightning was a clear indication that Zeke Orland was amongst the perpetrators, but Zhang didn¡¯t utter any words.


    Eventually, Zeke ¡®transformed¡¯, becoming shrouded in a sinister black fog and holding a long scythe in his hands. The recording cut off just when Zeke leapt in the air and diagonally swung the spear, unleashing an unstoppable blast that ripped the ground and sent everyone flying backward.


    ¡°Camaraderie and friendship are a good thing, Edward. I doubt not that your brother will keep improving at a rapid rate. Nevertheless, such acts of criminality cannot be condoned. If you do not control him then¡­¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll lock him up?¡± Hesitantly muttered Edward.


    The red-haired man solemnly shook his head, his eyes flickering with a resplendent silver glow.


    ¡°Rabid dogs are not fit for imprisonment. I¡¯m unwilling to take risks, especially with a System Holder. Zeke Orland poses a threat, which, albeit insignificant for now, can potentially grow bigger. All three departments have agreed that any other misdemeanor will result in immediate execution.¡±


    Seeing Edward¡¯s face distort and his expression turn serious, Zhang walked up to him and looked down with a threatening stare.


    ¡°I hope that, when the time comes, you will be wise enough to make the right decision. You care for your brother¡­ but are you willing to sacrifice innocent souls for his sake?¡±


    Zhang softly smiled and patted his subordinate¡¯s shoulder before leaving the room.


    <hr>


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Zeke, who had been absent-mindedly sitting on the bench while the sun was rising, turned his head. He was momentarily startled to see the ashen-haired beauty approach him and sit down.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Although mesmerized by her beauty, Zeke didn¡¯t go out of his way to strike a conversation. Part of it was an embarrassment as, deep down, he knew that he had a slight crush on Vanessa.


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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about last time.¡±


    Vanessa looked at him with an apologetic look as she uttered those words.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it. We all have something to protect.¡±


    Guilty, Vanessa kept looking at him as she shook her head, ¡°No. You are part of the Special Investigation Squad and Max¡¯s little brother¡­ I-I should¡¯ve been braver.¡±


    The girl bit her lips and looked away, but Zeke merely shrugged.


    A bout of silence flowed between the two, turning the atmosphere a bit awkward. Vanessa was admiring the breath-taking view of the rising sun while Zeke was sneaking glances in her direction.


    ¡°You¡¯re very pretty, Vanessa.¡±


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡± Not expecting him to say those words, the girl was startled as she looked at him with reddened cheeks, which contrasted her usual cold or indifferent look.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke smiled before waving his hand and walking away. In some matters, Zeke was a pretty straightforward person, but as someone who has never dated anyone, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to confess out of the blue, especially when he was unsure of his feelings.


    Maybe it was a fleeting crush or he was simply entranced by her beauty. Then again, Erys had no shortage of pretty girls.


    Even though he was tired and didn¡¯t sleep at all, Zeke attended the morning classes and even revised by himself until late afternoon.


    ¡®Fatigue Abstinence¡¯ kicked in and allowed him to remain awake and energetic. Still, by evening, he felt really sleepy, so much so that he postponed the Daily Tasks for later.


    Although he was slightly curious about Azmer¡¯s condition and the consequences of what he and Veronica¡¯s team did last night, Zeke was wise enough to hole up in Erys and lay low.


    No doubt will the Department of Defense look for the perpetrators, and since his abilities were quite distinguishable, they would suspect him sooner or later.


    ¡­


    When Zeke woke up, neither Alan nor Samuel was in the room. The Finals were only a couple of days away, so his two roommates were studying meticulously.


    ¡°What a coincidence, I was looking for you.¡±


    As he exited the dormitory and was heading toward the small forest to train, Zeke met up with Celestia Black.


    The big-breasted girl had a grumpy look, as usual, and was accompanied by John.


    The hooded youth had a dazed look as he stood behind her, his eyes hollow and face pale.


    ¡°We need to talk¡­ and don¡¯t spout that bullshit about busy.¡±


    Zeke frowned and reluctantly nodded his head.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Celestia unceremoniously waved her hand and walked away. Zeke and John followed her into the meeting room of the Special Investigation Squad.


    Except for the three of them, the rest were either resting or training. As a Fourth-year student, Celestia didn¡¯t have to worry about the exams, but it was kind of confusing to see him silently accompanying her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like beating around the bush, so I¡¯ll just go ahead and say it.¡± As she sat across from Zeke, Celestia snorted and leaned back. ¡°I know you¡¯ve got the Paths of Extinction System. In fact, I know more than anyone.¡±


    Zeke¡¯s expression hardened for a split second before it eased up as he sighed and kept his counsel.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a secret anymore.¡± He retorted, feigning disinterest.


    ¡°Why are you such an insufferably little shit? Ugh¡­ never mind.¡± Celestia signaled the dazed John.


    Seconds later, the 3rd-grade Artifact within the youth awakened and ¡®Alexia¡¯ surfaced.


    ¡°Hello there, cutie boy.¡±


    The Talking Sin licked her lips and seductively gazed at Zeke.


    ¡°Voltage and Death? It certainly is a strange combination.¡± Remarked Alexia as her ¡®eyes¡¯ let out a dim luster.


    Upon hearing her words, Zeke tensed up and even raised his guard. With one look, she determined two of his unlocked paths, and that was enough for him to be suspicious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be alarmed, I mean you no harm.¡± While using John¡¯s body, Alexia chuckled and drew a symbol in the air.


    Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t entirely unfamiliar to Zeke. In more than a way, it bore a striking resemblance to the one on Sulong and Signora, though there were slight differences.


    ¡°Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Alexia, otherwise known as the Seat of Truth. I was a companion of the previous holder of the Paths of Extinction System, Edward Heart.¡±


    Zeke was genuinely astonished by this revelation, but he quickly collected his thoughts and maintained composure. He glanced at Celestia, but the girl snorted in annoyance.


    ¡°She already told me enough about that System of yours. I haven¡¯t told anyone.¡±


    ¡°I find it more suspicious for a team-player like yourself to keep silent. What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning anything. I admit that we don¡¯t get along and that you¡¯re an annoying brat, but that doesn¡¯t me I want to screw you over. I made a deal and I¡¯m fulfilling my end of it. Instead of suspecting me of scheming, how about you listen to her?¡±


    Zeke stared at Celestia for a bit before directing his gaze piercing and cold gaze to the Talking Sin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve gotten a Seat or two by now. As the Seat of Truth, I was the companion and supporter of Edward, otherwise known as the Mad Emperor. If you want, I can help you two but¡­ it will not be for free.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°Johnny Boy here cannot support my existence for long. I had been thinking of changing hosts and you are the most suitable option. In case for the valuable information I have on the Paths of Extinction System, which I assure you will significantly increase your progress, I will feed on your Life Aether as I dwell inside your body.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the youth stay silent with a look of disapproval and vehement refusal, Alexia licked her lips and added,


    ¡°You and I both know that you have no shortage of Life Aether. Sacrificing a bit of it wouldn¡¯t affect you in any way. Moreover, it¡¯s not like I will stay inside of you forever. The deal I¡¯m proposing comes with several conditions.¡±


    Still, Zeke didn¡¯t speak. He pinched his temples and pondered for an indeterminate amount of time.


    ¡°With how much trouble you like getting yourself into, I think she¡¯ll be a great help. After all, let¡¯s not forget that you very much adore dealing with everything alone.¡±-Celestia


    ¡°To show my sincerity, I will tell you a method to unlock a very useful and strong path. How about that? Once you got it, you can give me your answer.¡±


    After a slight hesitation, Zeke nodded his head and listened to the eager ¡®Alexia¡¯.


    Once she was done explaining the surprisingly simple method, she went dormant as John¡¯s body fell to the sofa.


    ¡­


    ¡°Gather up¡­. Come on!¡±


    Late at night, once Zeke finished the Daily Tasks and returned to the dorm room, he saw an excited Samuel.


    His friend motioned for them to get closer as he softly laughed.


    ¡°W-what is it?¡± Shyly asked Alan.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡±


    ¡°About?¡±


    Zeke wasn¡¯t particularly interested in whatever Samuel was going to say, but he still asked to get this over with.


    ¡°In two days, Earth¡¯s ambassador will arrive here! Apparently, there will be a big event in the Central Square of our beloved city!¡±


    ¡°A-ambassador? From Earth?¡± Alan stuttered as he nervously bit his fingernails.


    Technically, the Earthlings had a relatively peaceful relationship with the inhabitants of the Aether Plants. However, it was only due to the diplomatic agreement signed decades ago.


    It wasn¡¯t a secret that the earthlings looked down on the humans living here and vice-versa.


    Despite their inability to use Aether, the earthlings had weapons and massive spaceships that could cause mass destruction.


    Out of the three nations on the Aether Planet, only the Nezulian Republic was on good terms with the earthlings. The Serey Zhan Empire and, especially, the Witch Association, loathed the earthlings, if it comes down to it, were ready for war.


    Even the religious teachings in the empire strongly encouraged eradicating all earthlings, as they were nothing but maniacal and power-hungry creatures.


    Zeke¡¯s knowledge about Earth and its people was almost non-existent, though that was mostly due to the scarce records about the far-away neighbors. In fact, only a handful of people knew about Earth¡¯s state of affairs and its small colonies scattered on Mars, which was where the real chaos unfolded.


    [Grand Mission #1 has been initiated!]


    Zeke gasped in surprise as a System notification popped out of the blue


    [Grand Mission #1: Caedes]


    [The countdown has started: 50 hours, 9 minutes, 48 seconds left.]


    [Objective: Eliminate the ambassador from Earth.]


    [Failure in completing this mission will result in the death of the user ¡®Death Defiant, Zeke¡¯.]


    [Rewards will be calculated based on the user¡¯s contribution.]


    [During Grand Mission #1,  Protocol 1 will be lifted.]


    ¡®What?¡¯

 Chapter 91 Grand Mission

    The so-called Grand Mission #1 came out of nowhere, but what absolutely shocked Zeke was that failure would result in death.


    All previous urgent and special missions initiated by the System weren¡¯t obligatory, at least depending on the circumstances. However, it was different this time, which made Zeke inwardly curse.


    It all started when Samuel mentioned the incoming ambassador, which made Zeke suspect that the moment he was privy to that information, the System formulated a plan on the spot.


    ¡®But why does it want me to kill the ambassador? Does it hold a grudge against the earthlings? Fuck! This is impossible!¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zeke?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    He laid on his bed and sighed, feeling tired already. It was foolish and suicidal to try and kill the ambassador. Not only will the target be protected by all kinds of strong people, but it would also be ridiculously difficult to get close to him.


    Even with his current capabilities, Zeke couldn¡¯t achieve such a ludicrous objective.


    Furthermore, he was being forced to kill someone innocent. It wasn¡¯t like Zeke had never killed anyone, but, so far, his victims had been either cultists or enemies.


    The ambassador had nothing to do with him, and killing him, especially when he¡¯s visiting the Nezulian Republic, could potentially lead to an all-out war.


    ¡®This is it¡­ I¡¯m really going to die.¡¯


    Previously, Zeke had a safe alternative in case he faced a life-threatening situation, but he couldn¡¯t go against the System, and nor could he rely on his skills to defy it or its orders.


    ¡­


    The next day, Zeke didn¡¯t even bother attending the revision classes or training. Instead, he called Frederic Whitefort and met up with him early in the morning.


    ¡°I was starting to think you won¡¯t call!¡± Exclaimed the vagabond as he sipped on his coffee, seemingly in a very good mood.


    Unlike him, Zeke had a gloomy look and sunken eyes, making him look like a zombie.


    ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°How much do you know about the Paths of Extinction System?¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you agree to my deal? If so, this isn¡¯t a good place to talk.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the deal.¡±


    Frederic was quick to notice the youth¡¯s grumpiness and bad mood. He erased the amicable smile off his face and thoughtfully asked,


    ¡°Did perchance face a hurdle? The System is quite tricky.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you first tell me what¡¯s going on? Maybe I can help.¡±


    In such a desperate situation, Zeke had no choice but to speak. Although he didn¡¯t fully trust Frederic, he truly was at his wit¡¯s end. There was no one else to help.


    Trying to explain the situation to Edward or Principal Solas would probably lead to nothing. This was about the ambassador! An accredited diplomat representing the entirety of Earth!


    The more Frederic listened, the darker his face become. In the end, he let out a heavy sigh and leaned back.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly an unlucky fellow, Zeke.¡± He paused for a brief moment before continuing, ¡°The Systems act based on the circumstances and the knowledge of the user. Basically, they will generate a type of mission depending on what¡¯s happening. However, in your special case, you would have received a Grand Mission sooner or later as the news about the ambassador is circulating everywhere. Anyway, the first step is to think of a plan to kill him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Frederic clicked his tongue and explained, ¡°What else is there to do? Wait for the countdown then die? This isn¡¯t a game, Zeke. You kill or be killed, that¡¯s how it works with the System. Actually¡­ do you know why Edward Heart was labeled as the Mad Emperor?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°He had grown unimaginably strong, enough to somewhat defy the System. His skills and unlocked paths allowed him to avoid his demise, but it still found a way to corrupt him, for want of a better word. Grand Missions are like an irreversible decree that must be followed, no matter the cost. Unless you¡¯re ready to die in two days, you have no chance but to comply.¡±


    ¡°What of the consequences? Even if, by some miracle, I succeed, everyone will be hunting me.¡±


    ¡°Only if they know it was you.¡± Frederic grinned and leaned closer, ¡°I told you I know some stuff about the System. Time with the limited time at our disposal, I believe I can help you. The question is; Are you ready?¡±


    Zeke clenched his fists and lowered his head. After a long silence, he resolutely declared, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go back to my room.¡±


    Frederic took him to the messy hotel room and instructed him to wait.


    While the man rummaging through his mountain of books and belongings, Zeke curiously studied the scattered artifacts and dusty scrolls. It was hard to believe that such priceless treasures were like trash on the ground, ignored as if they didn¡¯t exist.


    He was a bit relieved after confiding in Frederic, who, although eccentric, seemed to know what he was doing.


    ¡°There it is!¡±


    Frederic pulled a hand-sized notebook and eagerly put it on the table.


    ¡°This here, is the accumulated knowledge about the known Paths. Most of it is either speculation or based on past records, but there are some verified and usable paths that, with enough effort, can be unlocked. First and foremost, the trick with the Main Paths is that they are finite and work the same way as the mission. Basically, unless you complete a requirement or fall into specific circumstances, the paths won¡¯t show up. I¡¯m sure you figured that already. So¡­¡±


    Frederic grinned and scrutinized Zeke, ¡°Can you tell me which paths you have? Ah! I already know about the Aether Voltage.¡±


    ¡°It was upgraded into Voltage Body.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s quite the achievement, buddy! Do you know how you did it or should I explain?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a guess, but I don¡¯t mind hearing more.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Frederic took out a pen and drew lines on an empty sheet of paper.


    ¡°Each line is a Path, and each path can either merge with another or be upgraded into a higher variation. I haven¡¯t confirmed this yet, but I think there are a total of 32 Main Paths, though only half can be upgraded. The rest will merge with other compatible paths. For instance, the Hydromancer, Aeromancer, Electromancer, Cryomancer, and Pyromancer Paths can merge into the Elemental Path.¡±


    ¡°What about the time-gated paths?¡±


    ¡°Those are¡­ peculiar and hard to determine their exact number. I only know of the Assassin Path, the Sun Knight Path, and Space Master Path. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know how to unlock them. Anywho, your other paths¡­ hehehe! Tell me!¡±


    Seeing the overly-excited man gaze at him with twinkling eyes and a beaming smile, Zeke hesitantly responded,


    ¡°Martial Arts, Groundbreaker, Sreyzhan Rune, Inexhaustible, Pain-Junkie, and¡­. Death-Walker.¡±


    ¡°Hot damn! You¡¯ve got the Death-Walker? You don¡¯t look like a survivalist but you must¡¯ve gone through some fucked up shit, yeah?¡±


    Frederic was so enlivened that even his manner of speech changed dramatically. With a slightly red face and rapid breathing, he enthusiastically scribbled on his notebook.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the Groundbreaker Path. If you haven¡¯t done it yet, I suggest you max it out. The time-gated paths are very strong and usually don¡¯t cost much. Then again, my advice is based on the ones I know about.¡±


    Frederic covered his mouth and waved his hand, ¡°Wait wait! Forget what I said! Save your points. You¡¯re going to need them for the new path.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how I¡¯m going to kill the Ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±


    Frederic flipped the pages of the notebook and once he found what he was looking for, he stated,


    ¡°The Shooter Main Path. On its own, it¡¯s not particularly strong, but it is diverse and compatible with many paths, like Aether Voltage¡­ or in your cage, Voltage Body.¡±


    The vagabond put his index on his lips as if signaling Zeke to be quiet.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to snipe the earthling bastard.¡±

 Chapter 92 The Shooter Path

    ¡°How is it? Do you think you can manage?¡±


    Frederic, with his arms crossed, was sitting at the back and watching Zeke half-kneeling on the ground while squinting.


    ¡°The recoil is manageable, but my accuracy is bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s to be expected. Instead of baby steps, you¡¯ve jumped to a sniper rifle. Of course it¡¯s going to be hard. Still, don¡¯t worry about the accuracy.¡±


    Zeke nodded and resumed training. He was taken to the shooting range, in which Frederic taught him the basics and then let him ¡®play¡¯ with a sniper rifle.


    After a couple of hours, as Frederic had assured him, the Shooter Main Path had become available.


    Right after unlocking it, Zeke was no longer troubled by the recoil and his control over all guns had become significantly better. It was at the level of a soldier.


    Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t easy to use a sniper rifle and he had hit the target only five times in the last hour.


    Fortunately, his sturdy body was able to handle the recoil and not be subjected to pain or fatigue.


    For the whole day, all Zeke did was practice while listening to Frederic¡¯s random remarks and incessant grumbling about the bad state of his friend¡¯s gun range.


    By the time night has fallen, Zeke was physically and mentally exhausted, but he was pleased with his progress, however, he still didn¡¯t know how he would kill the Ambassador, and whenever he asked Frederic, the vagabond would just shrug and order him to continue shooting.


    To not waste a single second, Frederic took Zeke to his hotel room.


    ¡°What? You thought you¡¯ll be able to sleep? Nice one!¡±


    He made Zeke sit on the ground then continued,


    ¡°With the use of your voltage-imbued circuit within your body, you would be able to overcome the most difficult hurdle in this whole operation. What you¡¯re going to use is not a normal bullet but one made using voltage. A significantly, ridiculously¡­ insanely large amount of it. So, for the next 10 hours, all you¡¯ll be doing is injecting voltage into this.¡±


    Frederic put a small black orb in front of Zeke and pointed at it,


    ¡°What are you looking at me for? Start!¡±


    While inwardly grumbling, Zeke put his hands on the orb and began. Lightning currents crackled around him before going into the orb, which had no reaction whatsoever.


    Half an hour later, Zeke was sweating profusely and swaying left and right, almost on the brink of collapse.


    ¡°Drink this.¡±


    Frederic handed him an elixir and urged him to continue, so he did.


    The elixir had removed some of the exhaustion and even restored some Aether. At the same time, Zeke used ¡®Aether Control¡¯ to calibrate his absorption-consumption rate as well as charge the Voltage Rune, which kept glowing resplendently.


    Four more passed, in which tiny and innumerable electric currents danced inside the black orb. Zeke¡¯s face was dangerously pale and his hands were shaking uncontrollably.


    Yet, even despite of that, Frederic showed no pity. He pressed his hand on the youth¡¯s back and, with a serious tone, stated,


    ¡°This is nothing. Bear through this and continue. This is the only way, Zeke.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke slowly nodded and channeled his Aether, causing a burst of voltage to come out and enter the black orb.


    His consciousness was fading and his vision was blurry, however, he didn¡¯t stop. Frederic supplied him with Aether every time he got tired, and thanks to [Fatigue Abstinence] and [Surge of Pain], Zeke was able to barely hold on.


    [Countdown: 12 hours 35 minutes 9 seconds.]


    Zeke¡¯s body fell to the side only to be caught by Frederic. The vagabond lifted the student¡¯s body and put him on the bed while praising him.


    ¡°You did it. You can rest for one hour. There¡¯s much more to do.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    After saying that, he took the orb and left the hotel room.


    ¡­


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Zeke sat up with a groan, but his left arm was numb, and refused to obey him.


    ¡°I know of a way to cure that, but not now.¡± Commented Frederic, who barged into the room with a large box under his armpit.


    He put it on the ground and opened it, revealing a specially-crafted sniper rifle.


    ¡°This is a magical artifact made by an acquaintance of mine. It¡¯s good quality, but it will disintegrate with one use because of the high concentration of voltage in here!¡±


    He retrieved a glistening azure bullet from his pocket. It was long with a pointy end and many lines around it.


    ¡°This was made by another acquaintance and it cost me a lot of damn Alc. I hope this is enough to make you trust me.¡±


    ¡°I told you my paths and everything I know. If I didn¡¯t trust you, I wouldn¡¯t have said that.¡± Retorted Zeke while eyeing the bullet curiously.


    ¡°Mhm¡­ you do have a point. I still have other stuff to tell you, but now is not the time. First, how many PE do you have left?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done my Daily Tasks yesterday, but I do have 9 left. It¡¯s not enough to max the Shooter Path. I need 6 more.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. The gained proficiency in using firearms is enough for now. For all the remaining time, I want you to absorb as much Aether as possible. I want you to be like a sponge, okay? I need to prepare a suitable spot and etc¡­¡±


    Frederic waved his hand and swiftly left the room, leaving a perplexed Zeke behind.


    Ten hours later, Zeke was sitting on the same spot, but his body looked a bit different.


    Starting from the Voltage Rune, there were the familiar blue veins spreading across his body like a massive spiderweb.


    The veins were shining with a blue light and the rune was buzzing with voltage.


    Zeke felt suffocated, but what was cumbersome was his body, which felt incredibly heavy. He wasn¡¯t able to walk properly, much less move.


    He felt as if he was about to burst from all the Aether he forced himself to absorb.


    ¡°You just need to focus on the task of firing the bullet. Everything else is for me to take care of, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    *****


    At the Central Square of the Sunken Metropolis.


    The place was crowded with curious and excited civilians, which, in awe, stared at the massive spaceship looming in the distant sky.


    Dusk was approaching but the number of people attending the event was increasing. Nevertheless, the Department of Defense was strict in its security.


    The side roads were barricaded and the civilians were segmented into small groups to avoid any complications.


    Close to 100 Special Agents were on the artificial plateau that oversaw Central Square.


    They were dressed in black military uniforms and stood next to each other with their hands behind their backs and half of their faces hidden by a mask.


    There were even renowned individuals attending this celebratory event. One such person was Michael Lopmore, one of the famed heroes of the Stellar War.


    The old man was wearing casual clothes as he stood amongst the crowd. Holding his hand was the cheerful Julia, eager to see an earthling for the first time.


    ¡°Papi, is it true they wear weird costumes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a costume.¡± Replied Michael while chuckling and caressing his bushy grey beard.


    ¡°Their bodies cannot handle Aether, so they must rely on highly-advanced equipment to breathe. If you ask me, it looks a bit disturbing.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Are those?¡±


    Soon, the crowd quietened as dozens of figures got down from a relatively small airship.


    They were dressed in metallic black outfits while wearing a semy-transparent helmet that covered their entire heads. The glass on the helmets was pure black, making it impossible to clearly see their faces.


    In addition, they held large rifles as they orderly walked toward the plateau and stood at the opposite end of the Special Officers.


    ¡°Those are called ¡®Space Soldiers¡¯. Their bodies are empowered by nano-technology, which grants them special abilities. As for their weapons, they are strong enough to pulverize anyone into shreds.¡±


    Julia didn¡¯t seem that impressed as she sulkily said, ¡°They¡¯re a bit lame.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let their goofy appearances fool you. They¡¯re no different than killing machines.¡±


    ¡°Are they stronger than you, Papi?¡±


    Michael softly laughed and shook his head, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far. Earthlings'' real strength comes from their massive spaceships and nuclear weapons.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! So what if they have weapons? Don¡¯t we have the divinities to protect us?!¡±


    Seeing his granddaughter pout, Michael caressed her head dotingly.


    After waiting for close to an hour, the crowd finally got to see the special guest; the Ambassador.


    Unlike the so-called Space Soldiers, he wore the same ¡®armor¡¯ but the helmet was transparent. He looked no different than a normal human; He was a middle-aged man with plump cheeks and short dark brown hair.


    He was welcomed to the stage by the three leading people of the Nezulian Republic.


    First, it was General Zhang, the man in charge of the Department of Defense. The second was Madam Jevani, an elderly woman close to 80 years of age, the head of the Department of Finance.


    Last and not least was a short man wearing a flashy yellow Taoist robe. His arching eyebrows and dull eyes made him look unremarkable, but he was still the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Minister Bhak Djinn.


    There were also five other influential figures, but they weren¡¯t as famous or authoritative as the other three.


    Just as the two parties greeted each other and the ambassador shook hands with General Zhang, the whole plateau shook before there was a loud noise of shattering glass.

 Chapter 93 One Shot

    The cheering crowd sprung into mass panic as the air cracked and a massive dark violet portal revealed itself.


    Almost instantly, dozens of frightening devilish creatures, known as Proto-Demons, jumped from the portal.


    Michael¡¯s expression turned grim as he grabbed Julia¡¯s hand and dragged her away.


    Meanwhile, the Special Agents and the Space Soldiers defended their leaders. Bullets, beams, and flashy spells exploded in the air, turning the festival atmosphere into a battlefield.


    The Proto-Demons were being killed left and right, but even more kept jumping from the portal.


    There were so many of them that it was impossible to take the ambassador to safety. The Special Agents formed a defensive group around General Zhang and the other high-ranking officers, whereas the Space Soldiers protected the scared ambassador.


    The Proto-Demons paid no heed to the fleeing civilians, nor did they care about General Zhang and the rest. They were stubbornly trying to break through the earthlings¡¯ defense and get to the ambassador.


    ¡­


    ¡°Breathe, Zeke. Inhale and Exhale periodically.¡±


    Zeke was crouched on the ground while holding the large sniper rifle. He was currently on the roof of one of the city¡¯s skyscrapers, right at the edge as he leaned close to the scope and followed Frederic¡¯s instructions.


    Everything was ready, but neither of the two expected Proto-Demons to appear.


    ¡°This works in our favor. Don¡¯t get distracted and get ready.¡±


    Frederic was pacing around as he prepared the escape route and used a binocular to look at what was happening in the Central Square.


    Albeit their numerical advantage, the Proto-Demons were literally getting slaughtered by the Space Soldiers.


    There was one soldier, especially, who kept ripping the hideous abominations into shreds with his bare hands. He was equipped with an outrageous speed and monstrous strength, not even needing to use the special firearms.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Special Agent Katrina had been following Zeke for the past two days, but, from her perspective, he wasn''t doing anything suspicious. Unbeknownst to her, however, she was fooled by Frederic or else she would have stopped Zeke.


    Although she didn¡¯t approve or trust Frederic Whitefort, her job was only to protect Zeke and nothing else: Everything had been relatively well until an hour before the main event in the Central Square.


    Frederic used a teleportation device to take Zeke away. It took Katrina some time to locate them, and when she did, Zeke was on the edge of the roof with a sniper rifle.


    Seeing Zeke momentarily lose his focus, Frederic clicked his tongue and said,


    ¡°Pay her no heed. You only get one chance.¡±


    With her twin blades in hand, Katrina rushed at the vagabond but he stopped her with ease.


    ¡°Unless you want him to die, you better stay put.¡±


    ¡°What do you me-¡±


    Her voice was cut-off by deafeningly crackling lightning that manifested from Zeke¡¯s body.


    There was an astronomical amount of Aether pulsing within him, quickly transforming into voltage thanks to the special circuit implemented inside of him.


    ¡°He needs to kill the Ambassador.¡± Solemnly said Frederic as he forced her arms down and snatched her weapons.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It is a gross oversimplification of the matter, but that¡¯s how it¡¯s gotta be.¡±


    Katrina bit her lips and tried to fight back but Frederic was simply too strong. She was stopped and disarmed before she could do anything, and he didn¡¯t even use any ability¡­ purely physical prowess.


    A distance away, Zeke isolated himself and purged any dark thoughts. He filled his mind with a domineering silence as he calmed his heart and breathed cyclically.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to die. I need to succeed. Focus¡­. Focus!¡¯


    The sniper rifle was already shocking cracks as a massive amount of electricity flowed through it, originating from Zeke and the bullet already stored inside.


    With one eye closed and the other on the scope, Zeke concentrated and unleashed everything.


    Frederic blocked his ears and motioned for Katrina to do the same, but she was too confused and surprised to react.


    Her eyes were glued on the youth whose body was literally covered in lightning.


    And just like that, with the Ambassador protected by dozens of Space Soldiers, the bullet was shot. The sound was so deafening that it reverberated across the entirety of the Sunken Metropolis.


    Katrina, who was unprepared, fell to her knees. She was dizzy and disoriented as the booming bullet shone brighter than the sun as it travelled unidirectionally.


    Everything happened so fast. The bullet exploded mid-air and became something born of Zeke¡¯s imagination: An unstoppable and brilliant pillar of azure lightning that descended upon the Ambassador.


    There was a loud explosion which destroyed the plateau and blew everyone away, including General Zhang and the rest.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The place in which the target stood was absolutely obliterated, leaving nothing but a mass of blood and gore. Even the Space Soldiers stationed near the Ambassador weren¡¯t spared.


    The super Space Soldier was startled by the unfolding events. He jumped back and looked at the massive crater with electric currents around it.


    He frantically looked around before taking out a long black sword and directing his attention to a skyscraper a long distance away.


    Without any hesitation, he charged ahead with unbelievable speed, and when he was at the foot of the building, he kicked the ground and leapt hundreds of meters in the air.


    Alas, the crime scene was left and he couldn¡¯t find any traces that might lead to the culprits.


    ¡°We have nothing to do with this.¡±


    The soldier turned around and saw the red-haired general coldly looking back at him.


    With lightning-speed and loud breathing, the soldier took out a handgun and pointed it at Zhang.


    ¡°Do you really want to escalate this?¡±


    A growl akin to that of a lion came out of the general''s body, which seemed to be getting bigger.


    After a couple of seconds, the Space Soldier lowered his hand and jumped from the roof.


    ¡°Proto-Demons and this? What the hell is going on.¡± Zhang gritted his teeth and walked away too.


    In a matter of minutes, the plateau was destroyed, a massive portal appeared, and the Ambassador from earth was killed.


    Even if the earthling believed that the republic wasn¡¯t behind this, there was no amicable way to mend their diplomatic relationship.


    To begin with, Earth and the Aether Planet had a rocky relationship, especially since the latter was in alliance with the Zyth Race.


    Now that an earthling was killed here, no matter how many apologies or excuses the General professed, war would be inevitable.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t like Earth had any significant advantage. Admittedly, they had massive spaceships and strong weapons, but the Aether Planet was protected by a dense shroud of Aether. Moreover, the Ultima Mothership, which was the homebase of the Zyth, was close to the Aether Planet.


    ...


    ¡°We¡¯re screwed! There¡¯s no turning back now!¡±


    Madam Jevani was livid as she shouted atop her lungs. She was taken to a safe location along with the other high-ranked government officials.


    The earthlings returned to their ship and departed shortly after the incident. It was clear they were hostile and the only reason they didn¡¯t retaliate was due to the heavy losses they suffered from the lightning explosions and the suicidal Proto-Demons.


    The portal had disappeared right when the Ambassador died, which made it clear that the monstrosities¡¯ objective was the earthlings and not the republic.


    ¡°Calm down first.¡± Said the relatively young Minister Bhak Djinn.


    With clasped hands and a stone-faced expression, he motioned for Madam Jevani to sit down, which she begrudgingly did.


    ¡°The portal could have been a distraction. This was clearly the doing of the Proto-Demons.¡± Declared Bhak as he glanced at the gloomy General.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who it was. We need to organise a meeting with the Emperor and the Witch Queen. I already sent someone to contact Zyth Commander Null. We should be expecting a positive response and reinforcement in case war really breaks out.¡±


    ¡°You want an alliance? What makes you think that the Emperor won¡¯t help those earthling bastards?¡±


    ¡°Because he stands to gain nothing. We don¡¯t have time for arguments. Stop gawking and get moving!¡±


    The officials hastily nodded and dashed out of the room. Madam Jevani kept cursing as she was escorted by two Special Agents.


    Only Minister Bhak Djinn and General Zhang were left.


    ¡°You clearly saw it, right? It was lightning that killed the Ambassador. Proto-Demons cannot use that which is lethal to them. Someone is trying to cause trouble.¡± Commented the Minister as let out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it. Can you go talk to The Witch Queen? Anyone of us will be killed at the entrance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it, but I cannot guarantee that she will help. Out of the three nations, the Witch Association is the safest. The harsh climate makes it impossible for the earthlings to launch any kind of offensive, and that¡¯s while ignoring all the secrets holed up in the Witch Palace.¡±


    ¡°I know. This is just a precaution. Maybe the earthlings will see reason and not act impulsively. If they want compensation, I would be more than happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to find the killer.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Shit! Hold him down! Quickly!¡±


    Frederic urged the dumbfounded Katrina, who snapped out of it and pushed back the convulsing Zeke against the ground.


    His body was letting out steam and twitching uncontrollably, which freaked out Frederic. They had successfully escaped the scene, but Zeke¡¯s condition worsened out of the blue.


    Even if it was over-exertion, it shouldn¡¯t have caused such an extreme reaction, which was why the vagabond was confused and panicking a bit.


    ¡°Do something!¡± Yelled the distressed agent but Frederic was clutching his head and mumbling to himself.


    ¡®Have I missed something? Nononono, his body should have been capable of withstanding the backlash. Except a minor exhaustion, he should have been okay? What¡¯s going on? Think Frederic¡­. Think goddamnit!¡¯


    ¡°C-call¡­ Celestia¡­¡±


    Zeke barely managed to squeeze these words as his eyes closed. System notifications appeared in front of him but he couldn¡¯t register anything.


    It wasn¡¯t pain that he was feeling but suffocating; It was as if his body was distorting and crumbling.


    ¡­


    ¡°Sir¡­ sir?¡±


    Edward was holding the phone while in a daze, unable to process what was happening. His subordinate¡¯s repeated calls snapped him out of it.


    ¡°You take care of it. I need to go.¡±


    While ignoring the fearful and desperate expression of the agent, Edward stormed out of his office with the phone still close to his ear.


    ¡°Jan, go to Erys and bring Celestia. I¡¯ll message you the exact coordinates.¡±


    Thirty minutes later, Edward Orland arrived at the hotel room. He first saw Katrina kneeling next to Zeke then the curly-haired vagabond.


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    He held his brother¡¯s body but was instantly zapped by a burst of voltage.


    ¡°He stopped convulsing, but he isn¡¯t waking up.¡± Said Katrina as she apologetically lowered her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure either.¡±


    ¡°This was because of you¡­ wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Edward stood up and glared at Frederic, but the latter snorted, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me, he would have died!¡±


    Droplets of water slid from Edward¡¯s fingers, but he didn¡¯t attack.


    ¡°Ed, I¡¯m here.¡±


    There was a knocking on the door, followed by the arrival of Jan, a surprised Celestia, and a very perplexed John.


    The newcomers saw Zeke¡¯s body letting out steam, but they didn¡¯t say anything.


    Celestia had guessed the reason behind all of this, so she motioned for John to remove the stitches, which he did albeit wanting some answers.


    Seconds later, the Talking Sin ¡®Alexia¡¯, surfaced. Her eyes were glued on the unconscious youth, though unlike her natural calmness, she was slightly startled.


    [Processing¡­.incompatibility with the heart¡­ unable to upgrade the Voltage Body.]


    [Advancement reverted.]


    [Grand Mission #1 completed: Calculating Rewards.]


    [+400 EXP]


    [+10 to all stats.]


    [+100 PE]


    [Congratulations! You¡¯ve reached Level 10!]


    [+1 skill point]


    [Initiating the second Tribulation.]


    Alexia was the only one who saw the System notification, which made her ¡®expression¡¯ change.


    ¡°Oh¡­ fuck.¡±

 Chapter 94 New Heart

    The sky darkened for a moment and the blinding light from the sun disappeared.


    Frederic looked outside of the window and at the canopy, his mouth half open.


    ¡°When it rain, it fucking pours.¡±


    Although it was still far away, an ominous crimson light akin to a falling meteor was approaching the Sunken Metropolis.


    ¡°You two will stop it. The rest will help me.¡±


    Alexia wasted no time and started ordering them around. Even Edward and Katrina obeyed her without objecting.


    Edward Orland and Frederic Whitefort hurried to the roof of the hotel whereas Celestia, Katrina, and the Talking Sin moved Zeke¡¯s body to the bed.


    ¡°I need him awake.¡± Solemnly said ¡®Alexia¡¯ as she signaled the two women to do something. While Katrina stood there, not knowing what to do, Celestia walked to the unconscious Zeke and viciously slapped his face multiple times.


    She even grabbed his collar and shook his body back and forth. Fortunately, her attempts worked and Zeke¡¯s eyes fluttered before opening.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    He groaned and looked around, still processing what was happening. Seeing Celestia, he was momentarily shocked but he quickly remembered what had occurred.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to think.¡±


    Using John¡¯s body, ¡®Alexia¡¯ put both of her hands on top of the Death Rune and started releasing a swirling gust of black-colored energy.


    ¡°Absorb everything and do not resist.¡±


    Zeke gulped down some saliva and nodded his head, looking a bit frantic. He didn¡¯t know what was happening, but the red light shining across the whole city was a clear indication that it was yet another tribulation.


    ¡°I, Alexia Mary Ba¡¯al, swear to not harm my Zeke Orland. Do you agree to be my host?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just nod. I need a verbal agreement. Do you agree?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes!¡±


    Right after he said that, Zeke felt an influx of an unfamiliar and overwhelming energy invade his body from the Death Rune. For a couple of breaths, he couldn¡¯t breathe as a massive burden spread across every corner of his body.


    Although it disappeared quickly, he was left sweating profusely.


    ¡°Now, do exactly as I say. Direct whatever Aether you have left to your heart. You need to burst it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Stop mumbling and do it!¡±


    Zeke closed his eyes and, with difficulty due to the exhaustion and over-exertion he had done earlier, channelled his Aether and, like an unstoppable wave, it crashed into his rapidly-beating heart.


    He felt a sharp and intense pain in his chest as his weakened heart couldn¡¯t stand the pressure. However, ¡®Alexia¡¯ intervened and enveloped the heart with the black-colored energy from before.


    Zeke let out a pain cry before falling down.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Celestia softly shook him but he didn¡¯t wake up. Still, she could feel that his condition had significantly improved. The only frightening sight was his left arm, which was still a mess of blackened skin and scorched bones. It was a miracle that he could use.


    On the Roof


    ¡°You¡¯ll protect this place and I¡¯ll take care of the meteor.¡±


    In response, Edward let his actions speak. Large waves of water poured down from his open hands and cascaded below, enveloping the whole street in a huge bubble.


    Still not satisfied, Edward conjured a large shark made of translucent water and sent it at the bright and flaming meteor closing in.


    Simultaneously, Frederic removed his bracelet, which caused an invisible and dangerous pressure to emanate from his body.


    He took a deep breath before looking upwards and clenching his fist. He performed a punch toward the ¡®tribulation¡¯, but the moment he extended his arm, the space shattered like glass and the meteor disintegrated into innumerable tiny pieces.


    The shark sent by Edward flew in the air, swiftly swallowing the debris and disappearing thereafter.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°That tired me out.¡±


    Frederic held his chest and gasped for breath. Although what he had done looked simple, he still got rid of the massive meteor with one strike.


    It was a clean sweep that left that resulted in no collateral damage.


    ¡°Go check on your brother. I need to rest.¡±


    Frederic sat on the ground and e put back the bracelet. As for Edward, he silently gazed at the vagabond before hastily rushing to the room.


    ¡­


    A bit later


    ¡°The longer you stay here, the worse it will be for me. I¡¯m here only as a witness.¡± Commented Frederic as he shooed all the guests.


    ¡°Zeke is gonna be alright. I¡¯d even say he benefited greatly. And you¡­¡±


    Surprisingly, he directed his gaze to John, who was dejected after losing the Talking Sin.


    ¡°Take this. It¡¯ll help you a lot.¡±


    He threw an old pocket watch to the youth, who instinctively caught it.


    ¡°This is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called the Voice of God. It¡¯s a 4th-grade Artifact.¡±


    ¡°What?! That¡¯s the Voice of God?¡± Edward stared at the watch in stupefaction.


    ¡°Stop shouting in my ears and get out. All of you.¡±


    The irritated Edward glared at Frederic before leaving along with Katrina.


    ¡°S-sir¡­ but why?¡±


    ¡°You helped Zeke this time. Aren¡¯t you also a student of Erys? With this, you wouldn''t notice ¡®her¡¯ absence. Furthermore, I wouldn¡¯t want you to hold a grudge against Zeke.¡±


    ¡°You really do value him, huh.¡± Commented Celestia as she inquisitively stared at the eccentric man. He went as far as handing out a priceless 4th-grade Artifact to John just to avoid any possible trouble? Even if he was generous, it still seemed strange to her.


    Very soon, everyone but Frederic left. Zeke was sound asleep but otherwise healthier than ever.


    Time passed and by Sunday morning, Zeke woke up from his slumber. He had been resting for close to a day and when he woke up, Frederic was scribbling on his notebook while enjoying the cool night breeze.


    ¡°Welcome back.¡± He said while chuckling. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    Zeke stretched his limbs and checked himself but found no peculiarity.


    ¡°Quite good, actually.¡±


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 10 (12/190 EXP)]


    [Strength: 153]


    [Agility: 139]


    [Aether: 144]


    [Fortitude: 34]


    [Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9) - Death-Walker(1/100)- Shooter (1/15)]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 60%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(85%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(40%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(30%) - Surge of Pain (100%) - Body Damage(60%) - Self-Injection(20%)- At Death¡¯s Door(5%) - Firearm Proficiency (29%) - Sharp Sight (20%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstinence (100%) - Call of Honor(10%) - Ancient Elven Tongue (10%) - Cycle of Life and Death - Call of Loyalty(0%) - The Reaper(33%) - The Talking Sin (???)]


    [Available PE: 109]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path (5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path (6 PE)


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Fighter Sub-Path (2 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path (4 PE)


    Blood Heart Path (20PE)


    Aeromancer Path (8 PE)


    Cryomancer Path (10 PE)


    Besides getting the two new paths ¡®Aeromancer¡¯ and ¡®Cryomancer¡¯, Zeke had the mysterious ¡®Talking Sin¡¯ skill, which lacked any explanation. Still, he was aware that ¡®Alexia¡¯ had replaced his heart and managed to save him from a possibly fatal backlash.


    In addition, his stats had increased by a significant amount, which elevated his dampened mood.


    ¡°If you¡¯re well enough to sit up, you¡¯re well enough to talk.¡±


    Frederic motioned to the seat in front of him while taking out a burger for his guest to eat. Zeke didn¡¯t say anything, he first filled his empty stomach and listened to the vagabond recount the events of yesterday.


    Special Agents had come to question all the residents of the hotel about the conspicuous and blinding meteor that appeared out of nowhere. Fortunately, Frederic wasn¡¯t implicated in their thorough investigation and was left to his devices.


    ¡°And that sums it up. You turned out to be quite the handful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help. Although, to be honest, that happened because I followed what you said.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t you just be grateful?¡±


    Seeing the youth give him a strange look, Frederic scratched his head and crossed his arms sulkingly.


    ¡°Okay okay! It was a slight mishap on my part. I still don¡¯t know why the backlash was so intense, but you survived. However, you have to be ten times more careful since you killed the Ambassador. No doubt will all three Departments be looking for the perpetrator. In fact, leaving for the Empire would be the wisest choice.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just run away anytime something happens.¡±


    ¡°You do realise you¡¯re not immortal, right? Yes, you can grow stronger extremely quickly, but that isn¡¯t enough. There are some real powerful people out there. The Nezulian Republic, especially, doesn¡¯t lack manpower. While the Empire focuses on the Blessings of the Divinities and their knights, and the Witch Association focuses on their talented witches, this nation has technology and an absurd amount of Special Agents. It¡¯s literally the worst place to be right now.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke sighed but didn¡¯t argue back. He had nothing convincing to say back, and regretting his actions wouldn¡¯t change anything. Even if the Ambassador was a kind soul, Zeke had to kill him to survive. That was all.


    The guilt and self-doubt will wash away with time, or so Zeke forced himself to believe.


    ¡°I¡¯m here as your associate. I am ready to step in and help when things get rough, but I only do that when I¡¯m certain of my survival. If things get really messy¡­ I¡¯m out. After all, I have as many enemies as you do, if not more.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Now, can you tell me about the Paths of Extinction System? I want to know more.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Frederic Whitefort smiled and nodded his head. After isolating the room using an artifact, which he should have done earlier, he cleared his throat and began.

 Chapter 95 Truth and History

    ¡°The System, or Systems, date back to before the discovery of the Aether Planet by the earthlings. Going back even further into the past, there were three ¡®Holy¡¯ Artifacts known as the Three Divine Scriptures. One of them is the Paths of Extinction System.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an Artifact?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of the highest grade. Throughout history, there have been only 6 8th-grade Artifacts, and the Paths of Extinction System is one of them. Two more are also systems, one is the moon you see at night. I don¡¯t know what the last one is, however.¡±


    Although he was morbidly curious about how the moon could be an artifact, Zeke perked his ears and listened.


    ¡°Anyway, it was said that the Three Divine Scriptures originated from the Creator God. Think of him as the one true celestial entity behind existence itself. That¡¯s what the records I have read claimed, at least. The Paths of Extinction appeared only a handful of times¡­ five to be exact. However, with each appearance, there is a cataclysm that follows. The Age of Eternal Night is an example.¡±


    ¡°Does it have to do with the Goddess of Night?¡± Asked Zeke as he remembered the woman in a regal black dress back in the Extinction Order.


    ¡°Precisely! With the use of the System, she ascended to godhood. She disappeared shortly right before the Age of Eternal Night. I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I think she was the 3rd-user. Edward Heart was the 4th.¡±


    ¡°What do you know about him?¡±


    ¡°Well, he started out as a soldier and quickly climbed the ranks. He was an undefeatable fighter that built his own empire through strength alone. He was especially cynical towards the System and wanted to uncover the truth. I also know he unlocked all 32 Main Paths and tried to max them all out. His demise was mainly due to resisting the System, which limited his capabilities and tried to ¡®erase¡¯ him. Of course, since he killed himself, I dare say it succeeded. History-wise, that is all I know.¡±


    From the look on the man¡¯s face, Zeke had a hunch that Frederic still hadn''t told him everything. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t press any further.


    ¡°Instead of rambling about the paths, I¡¯ll give you this. It¡¯s a copy and has detailed information about certain Paths and their subsequent upgrades. There are also some plausible methods that can assist you in either unlocking or upgrading said paths.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be in a hurry?¡±


    ¡°Look around, Zeke. The whole street is infested with Special Agents. As much as I want to hang out with you more, it isn¡¯t the time. We shouldn¡¯t be seen together. My enemies, or rather, pursuers, are so lovingly clingy that they won¡¯t care about attacking me in public. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t care, but with your tribulation and the Grand Mission, there¡¯s bound to be nasty repercussions. Speaking of which, expect the next tribulation to arrive at Lv15.¡±


    Frederic clapped his hands and stood. He started gathering his belongings and tidying up the room.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°From the paths I have available, which one do you think I need?¡±


    ¡°Need? Hmm¡­ The Blood Heart Path is obsolete since Talking Sin is inside of you. Besides the Fighter Path, you should max the ones already unlocked.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Zeke did what?¡±


    Katrina faced the exhausted Edward, who had been busy with the chaos unravelling in the Department of Defense, and apologetically bowed.


    ¡°I should have been more careful. I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±


    Edward fell back on his chair, appearing slightly delirious. The Ambassador¡¯s death turned the whole nation upside down and everyone, especially him, were being overworked to death.


    As the Head of the Secret Intelligence Team, Edward was in charge of closely monitoring the spaceships of the earthlings and ensuring no spies infiltrate the Headquarters.


    ¡°Sir¡­ I think it had to do with the System. He seemed pretty desperate.¡±


    ¡°I know, there¡¯s no need to explain. We will keep this between ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been ¡®officially¡¯ dismissed, but I require your help now more than ever.¡±


    Edward handed her a document while continuing, ¡°A very special mission. You will only be accompanied by Jan. If this works, I might even be promoted.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I will not disappoint you.¡±


    Katrina barely glanced at the document, seemingly not caring about the risks. She saluted and left thereafter. Her job had initially been to protect Zeke, but Edward didn¡¯t order her to return to his brother¡¯s side, which clearly showed how important the mission was.


    <hr>


    Zeke was teleported several streets away from the hotel. However, instead of returning to Erys, he headed to Sulong¡¯s office to relax a bit.


    The past couple of days had been hectic and unimaginably tiring. He needed a brief respite to collect himself and check on his friend. After all, he had yet to contact them after they stole the shipment from the Ivory Oak Order.


    Unexpectedly, however, Zeke stumbled upon a strange sight the moment he entered the re-decorated workplace.


    The fragrant aroma of tea lingered in the air, the place was swept clean, the furniture was sparkling new, and the walls had been changed.


    The place definitely looked more presentable and welcoming. There was even a logo saying ¡®Lightning Flame Merc Group¡¯.


    Jack and Sulong were wearing black-suits, the former was sitting behind his new desk and flipping through stacks of paper whereas the latter was sitting across from a woman.


    What surprised Zeke the most was that Sulong¡¯s face was slightly red as he smiled fawningly at the guest. When he spotted Zeke, he signaled him with eyes to be respectful and follow along.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ...


    The woman was unfamiliar to Zeke, but her fancy attire and her elegant demeanor made her assume she was their first client.


    ¡°Madam Rodrey, it¡¯s always a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Sulong was speaking with extreme politeness as he fawned over the beauty.


    Even Zeke was momentarily stunned by her seductiveness as she crossed her legs.


    He averted his eyes from her exposed thighs and went to Jack.


    The lanky Jack leaned closer to Zeke and whispered,


    ¡°She¡¯s madam Bella Rodrey, the owner and manager of the brothel opposite this building, but rumor is¡­¡± Jack gulped some saliva and lowered her voice even more, ¡°She has several secret identities, like being  a lobbyist and a weapon dealer in the underworld.¡±


    Zeke could remember Sulong talking about her, but as she wasn¡¯t an enemy, he didn¡¯t think much of it back then.


    A soft feminine chuckle echoed within the relatively silent office as Bella glanced at Zeke, who only nodded back in greeting.


    ¡°Isn''t it time you introduce your new friend?¡±


    ¡°A-ah! Right right!¡±


    Sulong dragged the perplexed Zeke in front of her the woman and said,


    ¡°This is Zeke. He¡¯s a bit of a stuck-up.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Zeke shoved the thick arm of the man and glared at him.


    ¡°Shhh! Don¡¯t ruin this for me.¡± mumbled Sulong as he widened his smile and served another cup of tea to Bella.


    ¡°Quite young for this line of work, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    In response, Zeke shrugged and retorted, ¡°As long as I get the job done, does it matter?¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe indeed.¡±


    Bella extended her hands and skimmed through the contract before signing.


    ¡°There. It¡¯s official now.¡±


    She stood up while maintaining her gaze on the flushing Sulong, ¡°I¡¯m trusting you with this, Sulong. If I see positive results, then not only will you be paid generously, but I¡¯ll vouch for your newly-founded merc group. That way, it won¡¯t be difficult to secure more clients.¡±


    After that, she winked and departed, leaving only the fragrant scent of her perfume behind.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! Hahahaha!¡±


    Like excited kids, Sulong and Jack jumped around with clenched fists and  hearty laughs.


    Meanwhile, Zeke sat on the couch and sighed. Once the two were done celebrating, Jack resumed doing the paperwork while Sulong provided a much-needed exposition about what was happening.


    ¡°So, that person was Bella Rodrey. Apart from being a hottie, she used to be a lobbyist and is quite close with the current acting general, aka, General Zhang. Also, she¡¯s an arms-dealer, which is why she¡¯s come to visit us today. We will be guarding a warehouse and ensuring the exchange proceeds safely.¡±


    ¡°I get that you were talking about work, but¡­¡± Zeke pointed at the banal name of their organisation, clearly disliking the sound of ¡®Lightning Flame Merc Group.¡¯


    ¡°It was Jack¡¯s idea. He claims it¡¯s sool.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t claim¡­ I know it¡¯s cool. Zeke uses lightning and you use Fire. It¡¯s perfect!¡±


    Zeke sighed again and changed the topic,


    ¡°Alright, moving on. Where¡¯s the girl?¡±


    ¡°Oh, in my room. She hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡±


    Zeke was taken to Sulong¡¯s messy room which lacked ventilation and reeked of  cigarettes.


    On the old bed, there was a shivering figure wearing a tattered white piece of cloth that covered her petite body. The girl had unusually long light-brown hair and a bronze-colored skin.


    The moment the two entered the room, the young girl sat up and, while letting out a frightened squeal, jumped to the closest corner.


    Sulong, who was equally surprised, raised his hands to reassure her while taking slow steps. Unfortunately, his huge build and thug-like face scared the girl even more as she curled like a foetus.


    She was shaking intensely, so Zeke pulled Sulong to the back.


    ¡°You¡¯re scaring her, man.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The bald man had a dejected expression as he distanced himself and hunched his body to seem non-threatening.


    As for Zeke, he knelt down and softly talked to the girl,


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to hurt you. It¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    She was momentarily unresponsive as her eyes peeked.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Zeke half-turned his head and waved his hand at Sulong, ¡°Go bring some food and water.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I¡¯m not your lackey!¡± Sulong hissed but ended up leaving obediently.


    ¡°See? He¡¯s gone now. My name is Zeke¡­ what about you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Still, the girl, who couldn¡¯t have been older than 5 or 6, didn¡¯t leave the corner.


    Zeke sat on the nearby bed and enjoyed the silence along with her, opting to her calm down by herself rather than being forceful.


    He wasn¡¯t particularly good with children, but this girl was special. She was considered a ¡®shipment¡¯, and there was a high probability that she was being experimented on, hence her unnatural reaction and fear-stricken face.


    Ten minutes later, Sulong returned with plastic bags in both hands.


    However, Zeke cursed him with a low voice and kicked out of his own room.


    ¡°You must be hungry, right?¡±


    Zeke gently put the food and water close to the girl and backed away. He had a tender smile on his young face as he appeased her with subtle motions.


    ¡°That¡¯s all for you. It¡¯s okay¡­ don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Eventually, the girl¡¯s shaking subsided and she tentatively stretched her hands toward the food.


    After biting on the hamburger, her expression drastically changed and her eating-speed accelerated. She gobbled up the food excitedly, getting cheese and mayonnaise all over her mouth.


    ¡°Was it good?¡±


    Once she was done, she shifted back her attention to the youth. In fact, she even nodded her head when he asked, which relieved him.


    ¡®We¡¯re making progress.¡¯


    ¡°I promise that the bad people won¡¯t get to you here, okay?¡±


    Zeke stood up and was about to leave but the girl quickly jumped to her feet and opened her mouth. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t utter any words and ended up packinking and hyperventilating.


    As her body wobbled left and right and was about to fall, Zeke caught her and put her on the bed.


    ¡®We need a doctor or a physician¡­¡¯


    Zeke knew nothing about the medical field and couldn¡¯t treat her. He held her small hand until her condition became better.


    She looked at him with teary-eyes before falling unconscious.


    ¡­


    ¡°You two will take care of her while I¡¯m not here.¡±


    ¡°We were already planning on doing that.¡± Rebuked Sulong as he menacingly growled at Zeke.


    ¡°By the way, Madam Bella¡¯s mission. When is it?¡±


    ¡°Next Sunday. We have exactly a week to prepare.¡±


    Zeke nodded and was about to leave but Sulong stopped him,


    ¡°I registered myself as the founder of our merc group. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a minor and I have no interest in dealing with the paperwork. You do what you think is best and I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡±


    *****


    ¡°W-what¡­¡±


    Freya was standing next to Commander Jennifer Savbra.


    They were inside a main tent, which had a sound-isolation spell cast on it.


    The two women were staring at a strangely-colored pyramid that was split in two parts.


    The experiment they had been conducting had only two results; Either the two parts would fuse into a single pyramid or they would be destroyed.


    Despite the simplistic of the process, its only purpose was to identify the relation between two material or immaterial matters.


    In this case, Jennifer used her own blood and someone else¡¯s and the result was, as she had expected, positive.


    ¡°This means¡­¡±


    With a look of disbelief, the big-breasted blonde witch looked at her superior.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Muttered Jenny as her knees plopped to the ground.


    The 5-star witch covered her pale face with shaky hands, unable to process everything. Even before conducting this experiment, she was almost certain of her guess, but to see tangible confirmation made her emotional.


    Freya knelt down and hugged the relatively petite Jennifer, squeezing her grip and whispering comforting words.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jenny. Don¡¯t cry¡­ I¡¯ll help you deal with everything.¡±


    Jennifer cried her heart out for a whole hour before Freya supported her to the nearby chair.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thank you, Freya¡­¡±


    With reddened and teary eyes, Jennifer wiped her face and stopped sniffing. Unlike her usually solemn and cold attitude, she currently looked fragile and emotionally distressed.


    However, the tears she shed were both of joy and sadness. After all, she had just learnt that her son was alive.


    ¡°Still, I can¡¯t believe that kid is your son. Then again, his attitude was similar to yours.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking¡­ just joking, hahahaha!¡± Freya was successful in lighting up the mood as her superior chuckled and absent-mindedly looked at the only picture on her desk.


    It was of her hugging a baby and standing next to a tall and handsome man.


    She had thought both of them died in that incident, but, fortunately, it wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see my son, of course.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Freya lowered her head and momentarily hesitated, ¡°He¡¯s in the Nezulian Republic and he has the System. Her Majesty is hunting all System Holders.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t bring him back here, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll abandon him. I will protect him this time.¡±


    ¡°Ehmm¡­ Jenny, please wait a bit. Please. The Ambassador was killed and the situation isn¡¯t good there. If you¡¯re spotted there, you¡¯ll be the first suspect considering the grudge between the earthlings and our kind.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ****


    It has only been a few hours since Zeke woke up, but not only did he get to ¡®meet¡¯ the unknown girl, but he and his two colleagues were given their first mission.


    He had intended to rest at the office, but Sulong and Jack were noisy.


    As the Final Exams were starting tomorrow, Zeke headed back to Erys. He was planning to study a bit and get a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Even after his return from the North, every day has been chaotic and filled with one problem after the other. It didn¡¯t seem like a coincidence anymore¡­ he had been embroiled in several life-threatening affairs right after the acquisition of the Paths of Extinction System.


    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s the fate of System Holders? I guess a life of monotony and peace will severely limit my progress and significantly decrease the chance of unlocking new paths.¡¯


    As he reached the entrance of the school¡¯s campus, Zeke was startled to see a large crowd of students and civilians.


    There were at least forty of them gasping and shouting in horror and dread.


    He squeezed himself between them and soon arrived at the large and fancy gate only to see a sight that shook him to the core.


    Zeke forgot to breathe as his pupils constricted and his heartbeat accelerated.

 Chapter 96 Ultimatum

    Hanging from the top of the gate was an eviscerated and mutilated headless body.


    The rest of the corpse, which was the head, was right next to it, pierced by a bloodied hook.


    Zeke stood there, in absolute shock, for close to a minute. His hands were clenched into tight fists and his mouth was wide-open.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time he saw a corpse or a gruesome sight, but it was the identity of the corpse that caused him to have such an extreme reaction.


    ¡®N-no¡­ it can¡¯t be. It can¡¯t be.¡¯


    Zeke¡¯s body twitched as he lowered his head and mumbled incoherently. His eyes were hollow and his face was dangerously pale.


    The students were panicking and calling for help while the civilians notified the authorities.


    Barely two minutes later, the Dean, Professor Nayro and even Solas arrived at the scene.


    The Principal used his magic to lower the corpse to the ground. The elderly Dean covered it with a large cloth and shouted at the crowd to step back.


    Meanwhile, Zeke was kneeling on the ground and staring down, still in disbelief.


    Only when someone tapped his shoulder and helped him stand did he snap out of it.


    ¡°Are you okay? What happened?¡±


    The ashen-haired Vanessa, who was as horrified as the rest, supported the shaky Zeke.


    ¡°This is not the place. Take him inside.¡± Said Solas.


    The old man had a grim expression as he swept his narrowed eyes across the crowd. Alas, the perpetrator had already fled the scene.


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    Nayro raised his long arm and pointed at the bloodied words written next to where the corpse was hanging.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure you can guess who¡¯s next.¡¯


    They weren¡¯t random words, rather, they seemed to be directed at a specific individual.


    ¡°Take him to Xavier.¡±


    Solas ordered Nayro while he and the Dean vanished into thin air.


    ¡°Breathe calmly.¡±


    Vanessa took Zeke to a secluded bench and patted his back as she softly muttered. She was trying her best to help him but he was totally unresponsive.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    After a while, he barely managed to squeeze these words before standing up and walking away.


    Vanessa extended her arms in an attempt to stop him, but she stopped at the last second. Unable to console him, she had a pained expression as she gazed at his disappearing back.


    Zeke didn¡¯t know how he reached his dorm room, but he didn¡¯t care. He closed the door and looked at Azmer, who seemed to be waiting for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Even then, Zeke didn¡¯t react. He climbed to his bed, hugged his knees and just stayed like that.


    Azmer tried to say something but gave up and just opted for silence. It was clear that his roommate wasn¡¯t coping well. Then again, who would be fine when their friend had been brutally murdered?


    ¡­


    ¡°I know him. First year student, class B, Samuel Valort.¡±


    Doctor Xavier covered the head and sighed.


    Along with the President of the Student, Harold Grimes, Erva Erayne, Christopher Balrand and some of the members of the Special Investigation Squad were also present in the infirmary.


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought him.¡±


    The pink-haired Beatrice entered the room with the timid and bespectacled Alan behind her.


    The youth was tearful and shaking fearfully, not even brave enough to meet the gazes of the others.


    ¡°He¡¯s the victim¡¯s roommate¡­ and a witness, apparently.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Alan kept repeating the same words as he glued back to the wall and clutched his chest.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk to him.¡± V and James signaled each other before taking Alan away. It was clear that the youth was uncomfortable to be in the presence of so many, therefore, it was better to take him to a comfortable and welcoming space.


    ¡°Before the autopsy, I can¡¯t know any details.¡± Stated Xavier as he put a cigarette in his mouth but didn¡¯t light it up.


    ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± Retorted Erva, who was getting emotional over the loss of one of her students.


    ¡°I need the guardian¡¯s approval.¡±


    After a short bout of silence, the solemn-faced Christopher opened his mouth,


    ¡°Judging from the bloody left the murderer left behind, it was clear this was but the beginning. Neither Samuel nor his family were involved in serious stuff, at least not to the point of receiving such brutal retaliation.¡±


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t done by a student. He was mutilated by an expert.¡± Added Xavier as he inspected the headless corpse.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Celestia Black clicked her tongue and continued, ¡°The real target should be Zeke. He provoked the Vyrsan Family.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to draw such a conclusion.¡±-Christopher


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Zeke and Samuel were good friends as well as roommates. Anyone in the school would know that.¡±


    Celestia¡¯s argument made everyone stay silent and ponder for a while.


    ¡°Did you inform Max? She should be with her brother.¡±-Celestia


    ¡°I sent her a message.¡± Replied the hooded John as he took out his phone again and called Maxine.


    ¡°No reply.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    <hr>


    Either because they were busy with the murder or just wanted to leave him to grief, no one visited Zeke.


    Eerily silent, he sat on his bed like a statue, undisturbed by the commotion happening outside.


    Only when his phone vibrated once did he snap out of it and look at the notification.


    ¡°I know what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Azmer stood next to scary-looking Zeke and muttered those words. After what happened in the facility and his breakout, Azmer had to fully recover, but that didn¡¯t stop him from returning to Erys.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to stop you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯ll come too. Even though I wasn¡¯t Samuel¡¯s friend, I was still his roommate.¡±


    Zeke walked away without offering a response. However, Azmer was surprised to see him speed away with an outrageous speed.


    The only left in his wake were crackling lightning currents that dispersed moments later.


    Azmer inwardly cursed and hastily chased after Zeke.


    In fact, Zeke¡¯s intention wasn¡¯t to lose Azmer off his trail. In his current mental state, which was nothing short of turbulent, his only goal was exact vengeance.


    The message he had just gotten was from the killer, the same person Zeke had briefly faced at the border of the Witch Association.


    The crazy assassin wielding two sickles, an agent from the notorious and dangerous organisation known as Black Wing.


    ¡®I¡¯ll slice her up for you.¡¯ Were the only words written, along with a picture of Maxine.


    Due to his sorrow and anger, Zeke totally forgot about his older sister, who would have been the first to calm him down after the incident. However, even after the passing of some time, she was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡®I need to kill him. No one¡­ nothing will stop me.¡¯


    Zeke could have gone to Solas for help, but he didn¡¯t. His whole mood had totally changed as he was blinded by vengeance.


    Admittedly, he didn¡¯t hang out a lot with Samuel, but he had still considered him as his first friend. He had helped him a lot of times and he didn¡¯t deserve such a feat.


    Zeke pushed away the overwhelming guilt that tried to consume him and rushed outside of Erys. Only then did he receive yet another message, which were coordinates.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Within the small forest in which the Dean resided, Azmer, who was trying his best to chase after Zeke, was unexpectedly seen.


    Celestia Black barred the youth¡¯s path while eyeing him suspiciously.


    ¡°The whole school is under lockdown until the matter is deal-¡±


    Before she could finish her warning, Azmer kicked the ground and circled around her. He didn¡¯t even hesitate to shoot small fireballs to distract her.


    A silver light glowed from Celestia¡¯s eyes as she copied his ability and retaliated by raising a wall of white flames.


    Seeing him in such a secluded spot, acting suspiciously and even running away, Celestia immediately gave chase.


    Unfortunately for Azmer, he wasn¡¯t physically strong and his speed was mediocre, at best. Within twenty seconds, he was pushed to the ground as Celestia locked his arms behind his back.


    ¡°L-let me go! Ugh¡­ Stop.¡±


    ¡°Azmer Lorson, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Zeke¡­. He went on his own. Let me go!¡±


    A burst of vermilion flames was unleashed from Azmer¡¯s body, forcing Celestia to jump back and surround herself with the copied white flames.


    ¡°Where did he go? And why?¡±


    ¡°To kill the bastard, of course!¡± Retorted Azmer as he turned around and sprinted away.


    Celestia bit her lower lips and hesitated for a couple of breaths before following him.


    ¡­


    The sky was dominated by a sea of grey clouds as the weather seemed to worsen. Soon enough, it began to heavily pour and the rumbling of the thunder reverberated across the Sunken Metropolis.


    Above the Headquarters of the Department of Defense, which was situated East of the city, there was a large spaceship.


    ¡°Permission to conduct an investigation?¡±


    General Zhang looked at the document before throwing it to the side and glaring at the earthlings facing him.


    In addition to the special Space Soldier from the event at the Central Square, there were two more people. One was an elderly woman whose helmet didn¡¯t cover her facial features.


    She was no younger than 60 years old but she had several stars on her outfit¡¯s collarbone, indicating that she was pretty high-ranked.


    The other was a youth who seemed to be her assistant, though he exuded an ominous aura that seemed to push the Ambient Mana away from him.


    ¡°General Zhang, this is the least you could do.¡± Rebuked the old woman as she sat down, looking relatively composed.


    ¡°We will not let you roam our streets. It was a mistake from both of our parts that the Ambassador was killed and we are in the midst of looking for the perpetrator.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t enough, General.¡± Said back the old woman as she looked at the messy weather outside.


    ¡°We know it wasn¡¯t a Proto-Demon. You are the only nation on this planet that we are willing to compromise with. Otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Otherwise what? Are you going to attack us, Madam Jorie?¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Of course not, General Zhang.¡± Madam Jorie shook her head and continued,


    ¡°We do not wish for war or bloodshed. We understand that we have many enemies, be it the Imperials, the Zyths, or the Witches, but, from a logical perspective, don¡¯t you find it strange that the Ambassador was killed in your city? So far, he has been to more dangerous and exposed locations yet nothing happened. This makes me think that it was done by someone from here.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case then we will find him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where the problem lies, General.¡±


    The old woman walked to the window, her wide-open eyes reflecting the blinding lightning slithering between the clouds.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that, in the case you find the killer, you might be¡­ hmm¡­ unwilling to hand them over.¡±


    The red-haired man pinched his temples and grunted in annoyance as she kept talking in a confusing manner.


    Seeing frustration written all over his face, Madam Jorie smiled and explained,


    ¡°We have reason to believe that this was done by a System Holder.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    For a moment, Zhang¡¯s expression changed, but he quickly composed himself.


    ¡°Oh? So you have someone in mind? Can you enlighten me?¡±


    ¡°First, tell me why you think it¡¯s a System Holder.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it natural, General? Whichever system it was, it wouldn¡¯t want us to join forces.¡±


    Zhang grinned and rebuked, ¡°Or it simply doesn¡¯t trust your kind.¡±


    ¡°Be not mistaken, General. The Systems are a blight upon all mankind¡­ not just us.¡±


    Right after saying that, she, her assistant, and the Space Soldier walked to the exit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two months, General. After that, it will be every man for himself.¡±


    <hr>


    Zeke arrived at a stretch of dry land as the pouring rain wet his clothes. His already messy hair stuck to his skin and fell on his face, making him look quite terrifying, especially with his hollow and desolate eyes.


    ¡°Zeke!¡±


    Maxine was kneeling on the ground as a sickle was inches away from her neck.


    The assassin, Kley, was grinning from ear to the other as he licked his lips and stared back at the youth.

 Chapter 97 Vengeance

    ¡°Aren¡¯t ya going to attack? Hehehehe! I can¡¯t wait to slice you up.¡±


    Kley kicekd Maxine in the abdomen, sending her body rolling dozens of meters away.


    Zeke injected himself with an illusory syringe before shooting forward.


    Thunderbolt shots from his hands, but the assassin spun around and easily extinguished the voltage.


    ¡°You¡¯re at your peak state. Show me what you can do, boy!¡±


    In but a couple of seconds, Zeke crossed the distance separating them and clashed with Kley.


    Using [Sreyzhanian Arts] and the empowered from [Self-injection], he avoided the rapidly-moving sickles and unleashed a torrent of punches.


    While [Fists of Fury] landed on Kley¡¯s blody, they barely made him budge as he cackled and swept both his sickles downwards.


    A violent gale made of a black-colored aura descended upon Zeke, who leapt back while leaving a lightning orb.


    [Spark] exploded upon contact, letting out a rain of thin thunderbolts. This time, Kley was hit by the voltage, his clothes had small holes and a bit of blood leaked out.


    ¡°Impressive¡­ but it¡¯s still not enough.¡±


    His figure blurred as he appeared in front of Zeke and slashed diagonally. The attack hit but the sickles weren¡¯t able to impale the youth.


    While holding onto the enemy¡¯s sharp weapon, Zeke grinned and unleashed the voltage stored in [Voltage Rune].


    Everything happened instantly as the electricity traveled from him to Kley.


    ¡°Ugh..¡±


    The assassin¡¯s bony face distorted as he groaned and tried to pull his weapons. Fortunately, Zeke had superior physical strength, which allowed him to hold onto the sickles at the cost of injuring his hands.


    More voltage burst out, electrocuting the assassin and invading his body.


    The black and ominous aura emanated from the sickles again, so Zeke teleported using [Life Motus] and raised his hand.


    A spear of lightning quickly formed in his hand, which he threw at the immobilized Kley.


    When it landed, there was a massive explosion which caused a small crater to appear. Kley appeared meters away, somewhat unscathed but looking enraged.


    He glanced at the remnant lightning currents around the crater, frowning in confusion.


    When he had last faced Zeke, although their fight was brief, he was certain that the youth wasn¡¯t this strong.


    Instead of blaming his judgement, Kley roared in anger and rushed toward Zeke while spinning his whole body vertically like a wheel.


    He became a rolling sharp weapon as he drilled into the air and reached Zeke within three seconds; In retaliation, Zeke gritted his teeth and let out a thin thread of lightning that surrounded him and protected the charging assassin.


    Deafening shock waves echoed throughout the field as Kley and Zeke¡¯s voltage clash, ending with the former¡¯s victory.


    Zeke was blown to the back, leaving trails of blood in his wake. As for Kley, he cackled crazily and continued spinning.


    It was then that Zeke raised his hand toward the cloudy sky, which, unexpectedly, made a thunderbolt descend from the canopy and hit the unsuspecting Kley.


    As he fell to the ground and coughed blood, Kley looked dumbfounded. However, this wasn¡¯t the end as thunder rumbled up above before more lightning bolts rained down.


    Instead of hitting the assassin, they formed a circular cage that trapped Zeke and Kley inside.


    ¡°Now, you won¡¯t be able to run.¡± Muttered Zeke as a devilish smile plastered itself on his pale face.


    The storm raged forth and all the thunder was being pulled by Zeke¡¯s body, which was no different than a massive circuit.


    Zeke felt as if he had an infinite amount of energy. His body was enveloped by an azure curtain of lightning as he moved at outrageous speed.


    Like a literal bolt of lightning, he crashed into Kley then circled around and hit again.


    The assassin, riddled with wounds and defenseless, stood there as Zeke was bombarding him with voltage.


    It continued for close to a minute before Zeke felt exhaustion. To end it all, he extended both hands to the sky then quickly lowered them, resulting in a soul-rending pillar of lightning to cascade upon Kley.


    By the time the cage lightning cage disappeared, Kley was bathing in his own blood as his entire body was charred.


    He was vomiting blood as he laid on his back, his face completely disfigured and his limbs twitching from the agony.


    However, even then, he kept holding his sickles and trying to get to his feet.


    Sadly for him, Zeke appeared next to his fallen body and looked down with a cold and bone-chilling gaze.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    He crouched down and used a razor sharp voltage in the form of a blade to brutally behead Kley.


    ¡­


    A distance away, Maxine was being supported by Celestia. The two girls, along with Azmer, were flabbergasted by the sight. They had been planning to interfere, but Zeke had completely overwhelmed his opponent.


    Most surprising was how he expressionlessly cut the man¡¯s head and turned his corpse into ash using the still falling thunderbolts.


    Due to how uncontrollable the lightning was, none of the three dared to get close. It was clear that Zeke was being empowered by the storm, that and his unstable mental state made him unapproachable.


    While holding the decapitated head in his hand, Zeke transformed into a lightning bolt which disappeared into the distance.


    ¡°Z-Zeke!¡±


    Maxine called for him but it was too late. Celestia and Azmer glanced at each other, both speechless by what they had just witnessed.


    <hr>


    ¡°Agghh!¡±


    Each time the thunder rumbled, Olivia cried out in fear. She was traumatized by what she went through and the storm was making it worse.


    Elder Vas, her father, sat next to her and muttered reassuring words. However, after some time, he noticed that the falling lightning seemed to be getting closer.


    It was creeping closer to the manor until it reached the entrance, which was being scorched by the thunderbolts.


    Although it was a fair distance away, the elderly saw a blood-soaked youth stand there, unperturbed by the guards surrounding him.


    He was unresponsive for a couple of breaths before lifting his head and staring right back at Elder Vas.


    ¡®It¡¯s him!¡¯


    Zeke extended his hand backwards then threw the decapitated head straight at the manor. It flew at great speed before crashing into the window of Olivia¡¯s room.


    As it Kley¡¯s head rolled on the ground, Olivia screeched in terror and passed out.


    Elder Vas, on the other hand, had an ugly expression as he kicked the head away. He was about to go after Zeke but he had disappeared.


    Not long after that, the raging storm calmed down and the rain slowly ceased.


    The Vyrsan Family¡¯s manor was located in the prestigious district of the Sunken Metropolis. It was where the vastly wealthy and high-ranking government officials resided.


    Still, thanks to the storm¡¯s lightning, Zeke was able to escape with ease. Only when he arrived at the park he used to train at did he stop and sit down near one particular tree.


    Feeling physically exhausted, he hugged his knees and buried his head in them.


    His shoulders trembled non-stop as he cried for half an hour. He did what he set out to do and killed Kley, the man who murdered Samuel, but he exacted vengeance not to make himself feel better but to make things right.


    From the beginning, he knew that it wasn¡¯t going to relieve his sorrow, sadness, and anger, yet he still did it.


    He knew how Detective Vans would react, and since the man was relatively weak, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avenge his son¡¯s death.


    Initially, Zeke was planning to use [The Reaper] after strengthening himself with [Self-Injection] but the storm¡¯s timely help was more than enough.


    Not even an expert assassin like Kley was able to defend against a rain of thunderbolts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sam. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Zeke wept until he could no longer do so. He paid no heed to his bleeding right hand or his wet body reeking of blood and ash.


    ¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Back in his shallow shed, the elderly Dean caressed his small beard while listening to his pupil recounting what happened outside.


    Even when he heard that Zeke killed the assassin, he didn¡¯t seem that shocked.


    ¡°At least the matter was dealt with.¡± He commented at the end as he beckoned Azmer into the shed.


    ¡°Sir¡­ how was that possible?¡±


    Azmer had been training meticulously and never stopped improving, but after witnessing Zeke command the lightning like that, his pride was slightly hurt. He dejectedly sat across from his ¡®teacher¡¯ and sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to keep what you¡¯ve seen to yourself, okay? Zeke¡¯s abilities are a sensitive matter.¡±


    ¡°I already know that. It¡¯s just that¡­ I¡¯m curious how he became like that.¡±


    It was rare for the Dean not to be strict, but this time, he spoke with a gentle voice as he faintly smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s better that you don¡¯t know, Azmer. I do not oppose your sense of rivalry, but Zeke got himself in an inescapable labyrinth of misfortune. You should focus on yourself. On your life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Responded the youth with a relatively low voice. It was apparent that he was still shocked and confused, silently demanding answers with his eyes.


    ..


    In the lounge of the Special Investigation Squad.


    Maxine had a warm towel wrapped around her as she sat on the couch. V and James were sitting her left and right, trying to calm her down.


    Were it not for Celestia¡¯s constant¡¯s reassurance that Zeke was going to be alright, she wouldn¡¯t have obediently returned to Erys.


    ¡°His friend was killed. He needs some time alone.¡± Said Celestia as she sat at the meeting table while absent-mindedly drying her hair.


    ¡°Still¡­ It''s quite unbelievable. He defeated an assassin from Black Wing!¡±


    John was slightly excited as he conversed with Vanessa, who was furrowing her brows.


    ¡°There was a storm. He got lucky.¡± Remarked the stoic James.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that luck. I¡¯m sure he had more cards up his sleeve or else he wouldn¡¯t have gone in the first place.¡± Retorted V while glaring at his friend.


    The two were about to engage in a heated argument but a cold look from Maxine silenced them both.


    ¡­


    ¡°What do you see?¡±


    Solas was in Mary¡¯s room, impatiently waiting for her divination to bear fruit.


    The Mystic Diviner, who was the counsellor in Erys, was trembling from over-exerting her ability. Still, she bore through the fatigue and kept her eyes closed as vivid images flooded her mind.


    After the passing of mines, she leaned back while gasping for breath. She controlled her shaky hands and wiped her sweaty forehead before opening her mouth,


    ¡°It¡¯s as you suspected. I wasn¡¯t able to see clearly but that interference could only be due to the System. It was either Zeke or another System Holder.¡±


    ¡°Hmpf! It can¡¯t be a coincidence that the Ambassador was killed by a lightning attack.¡± The old man grunted in anger, ¡°This could get troublesome.¡±


    After advising Mary to rest, he hastily left the room.


    Mary sat on the sofa for a while and eventually fell asleep. She forcefully peeked at past events, which was a difficult task made harder due to the gaps and inconsistencies caused by the System.


    Time quickly passed and it was finally Monday morning, the first day of the Final Exams.


    Just as the sun rose, someone lightly knocked on the counselor¡¯s door.


    Mary¡¯s body twitched before her eyes abruptly opened. She drowsily looked down then stared at the door.


    It was unprecedented for someone to visit her at dawn, which made her surprised and curious.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The visitor opened the door and slowly approached her, looking miserable with black-circles under his eyes.

 Chapter 98 Counselling

    Counsellor Mary was so surprised to see Zeke that her drowsiness and sleepiness disappeared. She fixed her slightly messy attire and positioned her special tools as she motioned for the gloomy youth to sit down.


    ¡°I¡¯d like some counselling, please.¡±


    Zeke lowered his head as he uttered those words, looking dejected and sad.


    ¡°I know it has been hard for you ever since our last meeting. I also heard about your friend¡¯s death¡­ my condolences.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He wryly smiled and kept looking down, his hands clenched as he struggled to voice his thoughts.


    ¡°Let me prepare some tea for you first. It will help.¡±


    He meekly nodded and patiently waited for her as the unique fragrance of the tea leaves spread across the oddly-decorated room.


    Soon, a small cup of tea was in front of Zeke, who sipped from it.


    ¡°This one is different from the tea I served you during our first meeting. It¡¯ll ease your heart a bit.¡±


    Just as she said, Zeke felt inexplicably serene a minute later. A warm sebastian swelling within him, granting him a much-needed clarity of mind.


    ¡°Sometimes, I don¡¯t know what to do, Miss Mary. I-I¡­ I¡¯m trying my best, but¡­¡±


    His voice quietened down into silence as he rubbed his tearful eyes. It was unusual for Zeke to become emotional in front of others, but he had no one else to confide in.


    Zeke knew that his siblings had their own troubles to deal with, especially Edward. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to appear ¡®weak¡¯ in front of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for what happened, Zeke. Life has always been a tapestry of tragic fates.¡±


    ¡°Amelia and Samuel were my first two friends in Erys. Look what happened when they got involved with me. Even Max almost died because of me. I used to think that with enough power, I¡¯ll be able to protect everyone.¡±


    Mary grabbed a wooden chair and sat next to the youth. She even stretched her hands and held his while softly speaking,


    ¡°You will continue falling into this abyss if you shoulder everything on your own. Friends and family are not just there to be protected. Rely on them just as they rely on you. Isolating yourself will not help you. Trust me.¡±


    Seeing him slowly raise his head and look at her, Mary hesitated for a second before continuing,


    ¡°I¡­ was an explorer once. I roamed the world with my friends, treasure hunting and chasing after many mysteries. One day, however, we were trapped in old ruins and, one by one, my friends died. I watched my lover starve to death.¡±


    Her voice became shaky, nevertheless, Mary didn¡¯t stop, ¡°I¡¯m a Mystic Diviner, so I was no fighter. I¡¯m able to glimpse at the future and see the material plane, but I was still weak and couldn¡¯t compare to them. Still, they protected me and ensured that I escaped that hellish place. Back then, I wasn¡¯t the least bit happy. I was like you, if not worse, and I tried to kill myself.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke listened in silence, his eyes lingering on her sorrowful expression.


    ¡°Do you know what I thought back then? I don¡¯t deserve to live¡­ Why couldn¡¯t I save them? I shouldn¡¯t have joined them. I was going to do the unthinkable, judging myself inadequate and undeserving of kindness or even the chance to live. It¡¯s not that I misjudged my apparent weaknesses, but that I didn¡¯t look beyond them.¡±


    Mary sighed and caressed his hand, ¡°Zeke, I know that your situation is different from mine, however, don¡¯t drown yourself in grief and sadness. Cherish your memories with those lost and honor their lives by moving forward. Don¡¯t forget about them, but also don¡¯t dwell on the past because no amount of regret will change anything.¡±


    She pulled him into her embrace and hugged him while whispering calming words.


    Although Zeke didn¡¯t cry, he didn¡¯t break free from her grasp and simply enjoyed that moment of serenity and peace.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Mary.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m always here to help¡­ not just for counselling too, okay? Don¡¯t do anything reckless like fighting alone.¡±


    Sensing that she knew about yesterday, Zeke guiltily averted his gaze.


    ¡°The Final Exams start today, so I wish you good luck. I know you¡¯ve got other matters to deal with too, but I hope you return here to talk with me. It¡¯s quite lonely here.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    A faint smile appeared on Zeke¡¯s face as he bowed his head and left the room.


    A couple of hours later, the first set of Theoretical Exams began.


    Third year students were on edge, Second year students were nonchalant, and First years were nervous and apprehensive.


    Zeke postponed his inevitable meeting with Samuel¡¯s father to later and headed to the classroom.


    The glances he got from all of his classmates were to be expected, but he paid them no heed and just sat down.


    By now, all students must have learnt of Samuel¡¯s tragic fate and since he had been close with Zeke, it was no wonder they were curious and surprised.


    Even Julia wasn¡¯t her cheerful self. Seeing Zeke quiet, she didn¡¯t approach her and busied herself with the chatterbox Rebecca.


    Azmer sat at the far back, absent-mindedly staring at the seat besides him, which used to belong to Rodrick.


    ¡°All present? Good.¡±


    Christopher Balrant entered the classroom and swept his gaze across all of them before taking out the exam papers from a big document.


    ¡°No cell phones or electronic devices allowed. Anyone caught cheating will be expelled.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Finals were a pretty serious matter for Erys as it determined the student¡¯s ranking and played a huge role in establishing their foundation for the next year.


    Zeke seemed detached from the whole thing as he calmly sat through for two hours and answered the best he could.


    The recent and incessant problems notwithstanding, he wasn¡¯t particularly worried about the Theoretical Exams.


    As for the Practical Exams, which will begin on the 4th day of the week, they were a long series of monitored fights between the First Year students.


    Throughout the day, the students were given little to no rest. Depending on the subject, the Theoretical exams took between two to four hours each with Mathematics being the longest.


    In the evening, everyone¡¯s brains were fried and they weren¡¯t in the mood to have fun or do anything. After all, there were more exams tomorrow too.


    Zeke, who was confident in scoring in the top 5, headed to the Infirmary.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need your help, please.¡±


    Doctor Xavier, looking as grumpy as ever, stared at the youth standing near the entrance with his head bowed.


    ¡°This ¡®patient¡¯ you speak of¡­ why don¡¯t you take it-ugh¡­ nevermind.¡±


    The man sighed and took off his head white coat, replacing it with a casual jacket and unfashionable hat.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do this once, you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t hesitate to beg for Xavier¡¯s help. He was the only one who could inspect the young girl staying at Sulong¡¯s apartment.


    ¡®Twas clear she was infected with some kind of sickness and bringing her to the hospital would be the epitome of folly.


    The Department of Defense must be looking everywhere for her, them and the Azmer¡¯s new ¡®colleagues¡¯.


    Fortunately, Xavier had a car so the trip was short. Although, amidst the awkward silence, Xavier glanced at Zeke¡¯s bandaged arm and asked,


    ¡°Are you experiencing any pain or difficulty in moving it?¡±


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just numb.¡±


    The lack of pain was partially thanks to the Pain-Junkie Path, specifically [Surge of Pain]. Zeke would activate whenever he felt tingling pain from his charred left arm. Maybe it had to do with his strengthened physique, the voltage circuit implemented in his body, or the Death Rune¡­ whatever it was, it saved him from amputating his arm.


    ¡°You got strange runes on both hands and impressive regenerative abilities. Is this the System¡¯s doing too?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Hearing only silence as an answer, Xavier didn¡¯t pry any further and focused on driving.


    Soon enough, the two arrived at the workplace of the Lightning Flames Merc Group.


    The office looked fancier than last time; There were boxed and unboxed laptops, a surveillance system, a large TV screen, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff.


    In addition, there was an unfamiliar man sitting behind a desk. Although it was his first time seeing him, Zeke knew that he was Stephan¡¯s previous secretary, the one Sulong seemed to have successfully recruited. Not only that, but, from the looks of it, they got new funds too.


    Sulong was the first to get up and greet Zeke and Xavier, mistaking the latter for a client.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Sulong Braveheart.¡±


    ¡°Xavier.¡±


    The doctor shook Sulong¡¯s hand while frowning in confusion.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t explain anything, he guided the man to the corridor then opened the door to the apartment.


    Inside, the young girl was momentarily startled before sighing in relief when she saw Zeke. She jumped from the bed and ran to him, tugging his pants as if trying to convey something.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±


    Zeke crouched down and caressed the top of his head as he softly smiled.


    ¡°This man is a friend of mine. He¡¯s a doctor.¡±


    Zeke pointed at Xavier while uttering those words, but the girl seemed afraid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡±


    While being overly-careful not to startle her, he took her back to the bed and continued,


    ¡°He¡¯s going to examine you, okay?¡±


    She shook her head furiously while clutching his finger. Even though they had only met once, it looked like she trusted Zeke and didn¡¯t mind physical contact. It was apparent that he had left quite an impression on her, which was fortunate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here too. I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t feel any more pain.¡±


    Zeke raised his pinky towards her and added, ¡°Pinky promise.¡±


    She tilted her head in confusion but ended up imitating him, so he grabbed her pinky and proceeded with the childish custom.


    Eventually, after much persuasion, the girl lied down on the bed while holding Zeke¡¯s hand.


    Xavier¡¯s constant frowning and his grumpiness didn¡¯t help at all, but Zeke was able to reassure the girl.


    Xavier put his hand on the girl¡¯s stomach and closed his eyes as a faint white glow emanated from his fingers.


    The girl, expecting to feel pain, gasped in surprise before biting her lips and tightly closing her eyes.


    After ten to twenty seconds, Xavier retracted his hand.


    ¡°Using my ability isn¡¯t enough for a proper diagnosis. I did discover a few things, however.¡±


    As Zeke perked his ears and listened with a serious expression, Xavier continued,


    ¡°First, she had an unreasonable large quantity of Aether in her heart. Usually, that alone would be fatal and lead to the deterioration of the body, but her body is rapidly healing itself. Basically, it¡¯s two opposing forces, one is the crashing wave of Aether and the other her superb regenerative capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way to fix this? A surgery or something?¡±


    Xavier shook his head, looking a bit solemn, ¡°I only mentioned what I detected. There¡¯s definitely something wrong with this girl and since you¡¯re clearly hiding her here, I can only presume she¡¯s been experimented on. I have pills that would fix the Aether problem, but it¡¯s only a temporary solution. As I said, proper tests need to be conducted.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke sighed and looked at the girl, who pulled down her clothes and sat up, drifting closer to him as she snuck peeks at the doctor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy the pills from you.¡±


    Xavier stood up and paced around the room while pressing his thumb against his temples, seemingly pondering about something. In the end, he grunted and said,


    ¡°Alright alright, I¡¯ll give them for free. I can also bring some equipment here for a legitimate check-up. As a doctor, I can¡¯t just pretend nothing happened after examining her.¡±


    Zeke stared back at the man for a couple of moments before bowing his head.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll definitely pay you back.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I don¡¯t need anything. Just stop getting into trouble.¡±


    Xavier turned around to leave but stopped after a couple of steps,


    ¡°By the way, she seems to have an ability similar to mine, but it¡¯s in its ¡®infancy¡¯ stage and uncontrollable. Maybe she¡¯s the key to fixing your arm.¡±


    Zeke shook his head and retorted, ¡°That¡¯s not why I brought her here.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    *****


    At the peak of a small mountain dozens of kilometers South of the Sunken Metropolis, Frederic Whitefort whistled in fascination as a small spaceship descended from the sky.


    Ten Space Soldiers, led by Madam Jorie, appeared from within a stop a distance away from the wandering vagabond.


    ¡°Hello there! I¡¯m Frederic¡­err, you must know that already, right? After all, you answered my call!¡±


    Frederic seemed awkward as he waved his hand and talked non-stop.


    The old woman looked around and once she received a confirmation that no one but Frederic was present, she stepped forward.


    ¡°You said you can help us find the killer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to make a deal!¡± Declared Frederic while laughing, ¡°I give you something, and I get a payment of equal value.¡±


    ¡°I know what a deal is.¡± Coldly said back Madam Jorie, already giving the vagabond a look of contempt.


    ¡°Great! I know who killed your precious Ambassador. I¡¯m disinclined to capture him, but I can point you in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°Who was it?¡±


    ¡°Not so fast!¡±


    Frederic took out an ominous black scroll from thin air and stated,


    ¡°Even Earthlings are not exempt from Divine Oaths bound by the powers of Gods. We will swear on the name of the Night Goddess. That way, there¡¯s no room for trickery.¡±

 Chapter 99 Birthday

    The first three days of the Final Exams were uneventful and devoid of unexpected tragedies.


    Except for revising, Zeke busied himself with the mundane Daily Tasks of the System. In his free time, he would just stay in his room buried in books.


    At last, the tired students glimpsed a glimmer of peace as the Theoretical Exams, which were infamous for being soul-draining, were over at least.


    Beginning from the fourth day of the week, Thursday, and ending on Saturday, the First Year students will be undergoing the Practical Exams.


    Just like last time, it was a long chain of one on one fights while abiding to several conditions and restrictions.


    Zeke would have been excited for it were it not for Samuel¡¯s death and the subsequent disappearance of his father, Vans Valort.


    When Zeke went to talk with the detective at the police station, he was told that Vans quit his job right after his son¡¯s death and hasn¡¯t been seen since.


    There was also the noticeable absence of Katrina, but Zeke didn¡¯t care much about that. He focused the remaining time to strengthen himself and master the paths he had already unlocked.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one who showed impressive improvements in terms of Aether Manipulation and Magic. Julia Lopmore had stolen the first stop and was dubbed as the strongest amongst all First Years.


    Fylard too, was amongst the rising black horses, managing to climb to the top 10. His tomfoolery, which almost caused him to get expelled, seemed to have greatly humbled him. He transformed into someone who trains from dawn to dusk.


    One of Zeke¡¯s minor goals was to display his prowess during the Practical Exams and try to score in the top 3. However, he didn¡¯t want to show all his trump cards, like [The Reaper].


    ¡°We¡¯re going to keep her, right?¡± Questioned Sulong as he glanced at the young girl sitting on the new sofa while dangling her legs and watching a cartoon show on the TV.


    She had grown accustomed to Sulong¡¯s apartment and was no longer afraid or startled by visitors.


    Zeke, especially, seemed to be her favourite as she would run up to him every time he appeared. She was like an eager puppy awaiting its master.


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Sulong¡¯s shoulders dropped as a sigh escaped his lips. Even though he didn¡¯t say it, it was clear that he was reminiscing about his time with Arbert.


    His apparent hesitation and slight unwillingness to interact with the girl stemmed from fear rather than indifference.


    ¡°I-...no, we will not let the same thing happen.¡± Zeke extended his arm and lightly slapped the big man¡¯s back.


    ¡°We got this, Sulong.¡±


    The burly and bald man meekly nodded and walked back to the office.


    Meanwhile, Zeke went and sat next to the girl.


    ¡°How are you today? Any pain?¡±


    ¡°...¡± She shook her head, though her eyes were glued to the screen.


    Not wanting to disturb her, Zeke sat there and ended up dozing off. He only woke up when he felt someone poking his cheek.


    As he sat up in surprise, the girl gasped before giggling playfully.


    Zeke feigned anger as he wiggled his fingers,


    ¡°I wonder who it was?¡±


    He looked around before focusing her gaze on her, ¡°It¡¯s you, right?¡±


    He proceeded to tickle her for a bit, enjoying seeing her being so carefree and relaxed.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Do you have a name?¡±


    Later on, when she calmed down, he caressed her head and softly asked, but, yet again, she shook her head.


    ¡°I can choose a name for you if you want, but I¡¯m not good at-¡±


    Before he could even finish, she grabbed his hand excitedly. She tried to say something, however, only silence came out of her half-open mouth.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    With a serious face, Zeke pondered for close to a minute before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve got three names. First is Sarah.¡±


    He glanced at her to see her reaction before continuing,


    ¡°Angel.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Mey.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    When he muttered the second name, her body twitched ever-so-slightly.


    ¡°You seem to like Angel.¡±


    She lowered her head and nodded once as she fidgeted with the new dress Sulong had bought for her.


    ¡°Angel it is, then.¡±


    Zeke then clapped and chuckled, ¡°Your birthday will be today! How about it? Want to celebrate?¡±


    He lowered his voice and added, ¡°There will be a cake and lots of sweets.¡±


    With clenched fists, Angel giggled joyfully and leaned closer to Zeke, giving him a small hug.


    ¡­


    ¡°We would¡¯ve deeply appreciated a prior notice!¡±


    ¡°Shut up and finish that!¡± Shouted back Zeke as he busied himself with decorating the office.


    ¡°I-is this good?¡± Hesitantly asked the newest member of the Lightning Flame Merc Group, a relatively young man named Jeremy.


    He used to be Stephan Dontoryian¡¯s secretary, but after his boss¡¯ untimely death, he decided to join his former ¡®enemy¡¯ rather than run away.


    Jeremy was quite the hard-working secretary and his arrival facilitated Sulong and Jack¡¯s work as well as quickened the required paperwork to officially declare their new organisation.


    However, Jeremy was instinctively afraid of Zeke, especially after witnessing what Sulong was capable of.


    ¡°Yeah yeah! Now go blow the balloons. I need to bring the cake!¡± Ordered the exhausted Jack as he picked his favourite van¡¯s keys and dashed outside.


    Finally, when the clock hit 7, all the preparations were complete. Angel, who had been inside Sulong¡¯s apartment, finally left and was welcomed by celebratory music, happy shoes from the four men, and lots of food.


    Although she was slightly overwhelmed at first, she quickly wiped her tearful eyes and ran to the cake.


    Even though the whole ¡®birthday party¡¯ was out of the blue, they all had a lot of fun. They were people of different backgrounds yet, on that night, all their worries and troubles were temporarily forgotten.


    Angel slowly opened up to them and they played a lot of games, including karaoke.


    Zeke, who had been stricken by grief and sorrow, felt happy and relaxed for the first time in a while.


    At midnight, after Jeremy dragged the drunk Jack to the apartment, Sulong sat next to Zeke.


    Angel was soundlessly sleeping on the sofa while hugging a large teddy bear she received from Jack.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± Confused by the man¡¯s question, Zeke half-turned his head.


    ¡°Your friend just died, did he not? We recently lost Jimmy too, whom I considered a brother of mine¡­ like Jack. I know how it feels. The powerlessness, regret, and sadness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Sulong. I¡¯ve had time to grief and think about everything. I can¡¯t wallow in self-hate and misery forever.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! As if I¡¯ll let you fall behind, kiddo! Maybe not tomorrow or next month, but I¡¯m certain we will achieve unimaginable feats. We must not ourselves be shackled by tragedies.¡±


    Zeke sneered at Sulong, who tried to sound deep and wise.


    ¡°I¡¯m cringing from this pep talk.¡±


    ¡°Tch! You¡¯re a real prick.¡±


    ¡°Says the man who tried to con me.¡±


    Sulong grunted and downed what remained of his beer while getting to his feet.


    ¡°Good luck on the exams. Show ¡®em hell.¡±


    ¡°You bet.¡±


    ¡­


    After the eventful and fun night, Zeke had a good night¡¯s sleep at the dorm room.


    The inability to dream notwithstanding, he woke up refreshed and energetic. There will shortly be an announcement about the upcoming fights, so the three students prepared themselves.


    ¡°Good luck, you two!¡±


    Alan, the Defect among them, beamed and cheered them on as he changed his clothes and left first.


    Azmer and Zeke momentarily looked at each other but no words we spoken, at least not at first. Before he left the room, the blond-haired youth faced Zeke and, with a low voice, said,


    ¡°Veronica and the rest would like to talk to you. Sunday, at the latest¡­ if possible.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Azmer then hesitated for a moment then stated,


    ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t care because they¡¯re from the Ivory Oak Order, but they¡¯re not bad people.¡±


    Zeke shrugged in disinterest as he wore the standard uniform and followed after his roommate.


    Soon, all First Year students were orderly standing inside a spacious room. At the front was a small podim, behind which stood Professor Nayro.


    ¡°We will be beginning the Final Practical Exam. I¡¯m sure you know the rules already, but I will be reciting them nonetheless. The exam, which is also an evaluation of your training and hard work so far, will be in the form of one versus one battles. It¡¯s like a mini-tournament. You only need three victories to pass, but you have the choice to continue fighting to earn this year¡¯s prize.¡±


    Nayro¡¯s slimy and long hands wiggled like tentacles, letting out a strange miasma which pulled a large black box from thin air.


    ¡°Lo and behold! This is a 3rd-grade Artifact: Zorand¡¯s Sword. There are prizes for the 2nd and 3rd place, but in my honest and humble opinion, they¡¯re not that good. So, I advise you to aim for this beauty!¡±


    The black box opened for ten seconds, revealing a slightly curved sword with black handle and glistening silver lower part. It was resting on a big red cushion and had a thin and golden snake wrapping around its pommel.


    ¡°For your three individual fights, you will be against those of rankings close to you. If you choose to continue, however, you will have to battle against the so-called geniuses.¡±


    The Zyth professor paused and watched the excited reaction of the crowd, his beady black eyeballs squirming around disgustingly.


    ¡°Ahem! The rules are the following; A student will win if his opponent forfeits, is knocked unconscious, or the overseer interferes. Still, feel free to go all-out as all the fights will be closely monitored by yours truly¡­ me!¡±

 Chapter 100 Winners and Losers

    After Nayro finished his explanation, the First Year students were instructed to split into evenly-numbered groups as their opponents showed on a massive screen behind the podium.


    There wouldn¡¯t be more than one fighting arena, but, generally, the fights would last for one to two minutes, at most.


    Even with over a 100 students, the whole thing wouldn¡¯t take more than a couple of hours.


    For the first day, the students would only fight three fights to determine if they passed or not. However, most students- excluding the few defects- perform relatively well in the Practical Exams.


    As mentioned earlier, Zeke¡¯s first three opponents would be of ¡®similar¡¯ ranking to him.


    He was more than confident to win, but he didn¡¯t act overly-arrogant.


    With Samuel gone, he had no one to actively talk to so he stood there and patiently waited while the final preparations were completed.


    The fighting arena was at the center of the large room, surrounded by a semi-translucent half-spherical barrier.


    The students would stand at the back to spectate and have a little bit of fun in seeing the geniuses pitted against each other.


    In addition, Christopher Balrant and Erva Erayne were also present, sitting closer to the arena and conversing with each other.


    Only some curious second year students were here, after all, the Third Years were busy doing their own Practical Exams.


    ¡°Order and silence, boys and girls!¡±


    A snapping sound reverberated across the gymnasium-like room, bringing a long silence as the Zyth Professor glided to the center of the arena.


    ¡°We will be descending through the rankings. So¡­ the first two are, Emma Jak of class C and Brandon Ila of class A. Come forward.¡±


    The individual fights began and proceeded at a rapid pace. Some students forfeited on the spot or won with one or two strikes. Of course, there were some heated battles, but they weren¡¯t particularly flashy or that interesting.


    The real show would begin when the top 20 will take the stage. Julia Lopmore, Azmer Lorson, Fylard Yak, Veronica Serpens, Francesca Moon, Francois Chivaux, and Harold Volcun, these were the prominent and especially gifted students that towered above their peers.


    Amongst them, Francois Chivaux was ranked 4th, and two of his close friends were in the top 10. Undoubtedly, his ¡®circle¡¯, albeit lacking members, was made of strong people.


    After waiting for a while, it was finally Zeke¡¯s turn. As he walked to the stage, he scrutinized his opponent; It was a short youth with a round face, long black-colored braids that reached his back, and a shit-eating grin.


    He was Brack Yol, ranked 29th and previously part of Fylard¡¯s group, before it was prematurely disbanded.


    By now, all the students knew a lot of things about Zeke. How he was a Defect then gained a powerful lightning-aspected ability, how he challenged and won against Rodrick, how he attacked his ¡®mother¡¯ on the campus and almost got himself killed.


    There were some that admired him, some that envied him, and some that didn¡¯t care.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°Ready?¡±


    Nastro glanced at the two before signalling the beginning of the fight.


    Two small arrows made of ominous darkness appeared behind Brack, however, before he could shoot at them at his opponent, he felt an unstoppable force hit his chest.


    Zeke had appeared in front of him and delivered a straight and powerful punch, one which was enough to blow Brack to the back and knock him unconscious.


    Looking neither happy about his victory nor smug, Zeke returned to his seat while ignoring the cursory glances he was getting.


    When it was time for the top 20 to fight, the fight noticeably became longer and more exciting.


    The difference between the top students and the weak ones became distinctively clear. The top 20 were adept at controlling their Aether and manifesting explosive attacks and jaw-dropping techniques.


    Azmer¡¯s opponent had forfeited without fighting, Fylard displayed an impressive control of his Wind-aspected ability, Veronica fought against one Francois¡¯ friends and won after a bit of difficulty, and Julia smashed her win to victory by one-sidedly beating her opponent ¡®Harold Volcun¡¯, the previous 1st-ranked First Year student.


    It was clear that the lively granddaughter of renowned Hero ¡®Michael Lopmore¡¯, had considerably improved her monstrously powerful physique.


    Her ability allowed her to control the speed of her movements, but that didn¡¯t explain how she had outrageous defensive capabilities.


    Even when she was struck by Harold¡¯s lightning, she was unscathed and all smiles, seemingly enjoying the challenge.


    ¡°We will begin the second round after a 10 minute rest. This time, we will be ascending through the rankings. Furthermore, those who won their first fight will be battling against other winners and vice-versa.¡±


    Some of the students went outside to clear their minds and steel themselves while others remained inside and chatted about the previous fights, some asking for pointers and other betting on who was going to emerge as the strongest.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Zeke snapped out of his daze and looked to his left. Azmer Lorson approached her and even handed him a cold soda as he sat down and motioned toward Julia.


    ¡°Are you going to fight her?¡±


    Their past differences notwithstanding, Zeke did not lash out in anger. In fact, he reacted positively and accepted the soda, sipping from it as he responded,


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll stop after your first three victories?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to win those first.¡± Calmly answered Zeke as he swept his gaze across those he deemed particularly strong.


    ¡°Everyone knows you¡¯re going to win. As much as I don¡¯t want to admit it, I do think you¡¯re the strongest here.¡±


    ¡°So Azmer Lorson learned how to be humble?¡± Retorted Zeke as he clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯m not delusional. I¡¯ve lost to you already and although I improved, I still need to train more. If I have to guess, I¡¯d say Francesca would be the most troublesome foe for you.¡±


    ¡°Because of her ability?¡±-Zeke


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s really annoying, especially in your case. You lack proper defensive magic, which is a huge disadvantage against her Bombardment Magic.¡±


    Francesca Moon had two abilities; One was similar to Maxine¡¯s, as in it significantly empowered her body, precisely her bones. The second was a long-ranged ability that would unleash a successive chain of literal explosions.


    ¡°Anyway¡­¡±


    Once he finished saying what he wanted to say, Azmer stood up and shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you to continue or not, but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time to shed your previous mask? You¡¯re no longer a Defect, nor does anyone still think you¡¯re weak. It¡¯s about time you rise to the top.¡±


    <hr>


    Three hours later, the so-called ¡®preliminary¡¯ fights concluded. Zeke¡¯s last two opponents forfeited on the spot, which saved him a bit of energy and time.


    Amongst all the fights that happened, only four were interesting. Fylard Yak fought against Harold Volcun and lost, Julia fought against Francesca and won, Azmer fought against James Loppo (9th ranked) and won, and Veronica defeated Raul Jackob (4th-ranked).


    ¡°113 students passed the official Practical Exam. Those who failed will undergo extra lessons during the summer and hope that their grades in the Theoretical Exams are good.¡±


    Professor Nayro declared the winners and, just as excited as all the rest, swiftly moved to the real show.


    A couple of other teachers also came to spectate, but what surprised many was that the Principal himself arrived. He casually sat down next to Erva and looked at the 21 students that were going to compete against each other.


    In summation, only 21 students agreed to continue fighting in order to win the ultimate prize.


    Excluding Zeke, the remaining students were in the top 20.


    ¡°This will be simple; If you lose, you¡¯re out. It¡¯s a mini-tournament. Same rules as before.¡±


    Zeke and co, who were lined up in front of the Zyth, nodded once and waited for the large screen to refresh and show the matches.


    As the tension rose and silence dominated over the arena, the names on the screen changed.


    Zeke, like the rest, searched for his name before glancing at one particular person.


    ¡°Alright! First fight is Zeke Orland against Veronica Serpens.¡±

 Chapter 101 Snakes and Lightning

    The two students took the stage; Zeke was solemn-faced and didn¡¯t look particularly excited, as opposed to the seemingly frustrated Veronica.


    There was a hint of animosity in her eyes as she stared at him, though her anger was to be expected after he had stolen the shipment from her team.


    Azmer did say that the Ivory Oak Order wanted to have a word with him, but even if they threatened him, Zeke wasn¡¯t going to return Angel to them.


    The child was mentally and physically scarred and she was suffering from a serious medical condition.


    ¡°Get ready, both of you.¡±


    They stood 20 meters away from each other and patiently waited for Nayro to signal the beginning of the fight.


    The Zyth¡¯s beady eyeballs were fixated on Zeke, eager to see more of his ability. It wasn¡¯t just him, Solas and the other teachers were interested too.


    ¡°Go easy on me, okay?¡±


    Veronica playfully winked at him as snakes slithered from her clothes and hissed menacingly.


    The second the fight started, deafening azure lightning burst from Zeke¡¯s body, crackling deafeningly as it swirled before shooting at the girl.


    Seeing the multiple thunderbolts, Veronica sacrificed her snakes to protect herself, but she failed to notice Zeke¡¯s silhouette blurring before it appeared next to her.


    She snorted as a hazy purple fog came out of a tiny snake on her shoulder, but Zeke ignored it and swept his leg upwards.


    The kick connected and Veronica was sent flying away like a kite. Although she hastily got back to her feet, she was genuinely surprised.


    She had expected Zeke to avoid the poison or attempt to block it, but he didn¡¯t do anything.


    Things got even crazier when he rushed at her again while throwing a buzzing spear of voltage.


    The projectile whistled before cascading on the girl. A large human-sized snake appeared out of thin air curled around Veronica, successfully blocking ¡®Voltage Arrow¡¯.


    Then it bared its open mouth at the incoming youth and hissed as a purple liquid was spat.


    Zeke used his damaged left arm to protect himself, though some of the poison splattered on his clothes and melted them.


    His charred and bandaged arm was dominated by numbness as the acidic poison invaded his body.


    He felt a wave of dizziness, but he gritted his teeth and bit his tongue. The tinge of pain sobered him up and allowed him to retaliate against the large snake slithering toward him at a remarkable fast speed.


    He used ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯, imbuing his hands with voltage as they glowed with a subtle orange glow.


    The punches clashed with the snakes¡¯ scales, shattering them before piercing through its skin and causing blood to gush out.


    Veronica¡¯s face distorted from the pain, but she didn¡¯t stop her attack. The snake¡¯s head dove straight as it crashed into Zeke, making him stagger.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Before he could recover, the snake curled around his body, attempting to crush it.


    Alas, two seconds later, a blue glow pierced through the snake¡¯s thick body and riddled its body with countless holes.


    ¡®Spark¡¯ did its job wonderfully, but Zeke ended up covered in the snake¡¯s blood. Just as used ¡®One-star Side-kick¡¯ to blow it away, dozens of finger-sized snakes crawled on the ground and bound his feet before climbing upwards.


    He snorted in annoyance and pointed his hands downwards, shooting bursts of voltage which pulverised the tiny magical creatures.


    Just then, to his surprise, Veronica transformed into a red snake which shot at him and wrapped around his neck.


    It lifted him mid-air and tried to suffocate him, which made the overseer, Nayro, frown and prepare himself to intervene.


    Veronica approached Zeke, a soft smile plastered on her slightly pale face. Unfortunately, she had severely under-estimed Zeke¡¯s ability as a brilliant radiance emitted from the strange rune on his right hand.


    By the next second, a massive and destructive wave of lightning was unleashed, forcing Veronica to retract her arm and retreat.


    Sadly for her, it was too late as her body was cornered by the unstoppable storm of lightning. She tried using her snakes to protect himself but they were pulverised instantly.


    Zeke¡¯s lightning suddenly was extinguished as Nayro appeared between the two of them.


    ¡°Victory goes to Zeke Orland.¡±


    He sounded enthusiastically as he focused on the subtle lightning currents still lingering in the air. He had used his magic to stop Zeke, but the voltage wasn¡¯t completely erased, much to his pleasant surprise.


    Veronica signed gloomily as she returned to her seat. She wasn¡¯t aiming for the prize, but she didn want to show Zeke that she was strong, thus making him think twice about tricking her and her friends.


    What made her angrier was that she knew he was capable of much more. After all, she had seen him transform into something sinister and demonic back in that facility.


    He had fought against all those Special Agents alone, therefore making it clear that she was holding back.


    ¡°Next up is Fylard Yak against Raul Jackob. Step inside the arena.¡±


    The slim Fylard¡¯s eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists and stepped forward. Unlike him, Raul, who was muscular and tall, seemed relaxed.


    Fylard, albeit being a dark horse and stronger than normal students, still couldn¡¯t compare to the 4th-ranked student.


    Raul Jackob was a studious youth with short light blond hair, a handsome face, and an impressingly well-built body.


    He looked older than 17, especially with the small beard and moustache.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be going easy on you.¡± Declared Raul as he smashed his fists together and changed his stance.


    His skin, which turned metallic, glistened under the sun-rays piercing through the transparent roof.


    Soon, the fight started and Raul charged like an unstoppable bull. His speed was mediocre, but even when Fylard activated his ability and let out invisible Wind Blades and strong gusts of wind, they didn¡¯t do anything.


    With a worried face, Fylard tried to roll out of the way but he wasn¡¯t fast enough, thus receiving a direct hit and flying to the back.


    He had a frail, non-trained body, so a single hit from Raul, dubbed ¡®Metal Man¡¯, was enough to break his ribs and make him cough blood.


    ¡°I¡¯m built different than the rest. Wind Magic, especially, doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    While spitting the last bit of blood forming in his mouth, Fylard  stood up and retorted,


    ¡°We shall see about that!¡±


    He extended both hands and channelled his Aether, which resulted in a screeching gust of wind that took Raul by surprise.


    He felt the air compress around him before a clean but pitifully small cut appeared on his collarbone.


    For the first time, the muscular youth was surprised. He stomped on the ground, inclined his knee forward, then rushed like a bullet.


    Fylard, however, used his ability to rise into the air and avoid sustaining any more damage.


    He seemed to be trying his best as the air compressed around Raul again, cracking the ground and slicing the rectangular white tiles.


    With his arms crossed and protecting his vitals, Raul was motionless. He had trouble breathing and couldn¡¯t get out of Fylard¡¯s ability, thus receiving several minor and inconsequential injuries.


    After a minute, Fylard¡¯s face was dangerously pale and his arms dropped from fatigue and lack of Aether.


    He was confident that his ability was strong enough to even damage Julia. However, Raul was truly his worst match. His direct counter.


    Wind Magic was strong against Ice, Darkness, or even Fire in some cases, but it was practically useless when pitted against metal.


    ¡®No¡­ I can cut him. I will.¡¯


    ¡°Is this allowed?¡±


    Raul looked at Nayro, hoping for him to interfere but the latter ignored him.


    Fylard was keeping himself in the air and Raul didn¡¯t have any way to reach him, much less attack. The battle had reached a stalemate and there wasn¡¯t any clashes happening.

 Chapter 102 Heart of Fire

    As he looked at Fylard, Zeke used ¡®Aether Control¡¯ and saw how his body acting like a vacuum, absorbing the tiny green particles in the air non-stop.


    Fylard was like a sponge as violent gales whistled within the arena, swirling uncontrollably. A milky aura covered the metallic Raul, further increasing his defences. He had confidence in his own ability, but Fylard¡¯s Wind-aspected magic was getting stronger by the second and it would be folly to underestimate him.


    The two students prepared themselves before Fylard¡¯s body was enveloped by a vibrantly-colored wind; Like a bullet, he shot at Raul while unleashing all of his stored energy.


    Likewise, Raul leapt in the air and performed a swift and strong punch that let out a milky-colored blast.


    For a split second, there was a blinding light and a deafening silence before the ground cracked and shattered and the barrier protecting the arena shook momentarily.


    When the bit of dust and the clashing energies subsided, the crowd saw Fylard covered in blood and looking at his opponent.


    Unexpectedly, Raul also suffered a heavy wound on his chest. He pressed his hand against the gushing blood, looking astonished, to say the least.


    Still, he was able to remain on his feet. Fylard cursed under his breath before he fell backwards, his vision turning black.


    Nayro caught him in a timely manner and fed him a potion before declaring the winner.


    There were loud and excited cheers, but Raul had an ugly expression. His body was riddled with small cuts, but injury in his chest did hurt his pride.


    He was supposed to be the ¡®Metal Man¡¯, someone with an impenetrable defense, yet someone using Wind Magic had actually hurt him.


    Not particularly pleased about his defeat, Raul got treated by one of the teachers before gloomily returning to his seat.


    So far, after two battles, Veronica Serpens and Fylard Yak were eliminated whereas Zeke Orland and Raul Jackob ¡®passed¡¯.


    The third fight was between two people Zeke was unfamiliar with; One was part of Francois Chivaux¡¯ circle and ranked 12th, while the other was the 6th ranked Sarah Girm, a friend of Francesca.


    The fight lasted 3 minutes and ended up with Sarah¡¯s win. Surprisingly, she was a very good sword-user who didn¡¯t rely that much on her ability, though that might¡¯ve been due to its inefficiency in battle. Basically, Sarah was someone really good at fighting rather than a gifted individual who purely relied on their ability.


    Zeke knew nothing about her, but he was fascinated by her sword attacks, her precise strikes, agile movements, and composed demeanor even in the face of danger.


    ¡°Next up is¡­¡± Professor Nayro paused for a bit and glanced at the Principal, who nodded in approval.


    ¡°Azmer Lorson against Francesca Moon.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a secret that Azmer had significantly improved, but Francesca was 3rd-ranked and many, if not all, expected her to win with ease.


    Soon, the blond-haired Azmer and the free-spirited girl walked to the arena and faced each other.


    ¡°Ready? Begin!¡±


    Even after Nayro gave the signal, the two students were motionless. Neither invoked their abilities, they just looked at each other in a tense silence.


    Eventually, Francesca shrugged her shoulders and stated,


    ¡°I would like to save some energy. How about you forfeit?¡±


    In response, Azmer snorted and extended his arms, resulting in subtle waves of flames to appear and spiral in the air in a beautiful manner.


    Upon seeing this, Francesca sighed and, in a disinterested manner, stretched her right hand and moved her fingers in a strange way.


    By the next second, there was an explosion right at Azmer¡¯s face. However, when the savage energy unleashed by Francesca vanished, Azmer appeared, looking unscathed as the flames protected him like a barrier.


    Slightly surprised by this, Francesca repeated the same process but, this time, there were several and stronger explosions all around Azmer.


    Again, Azmer was at the same spot, totally unaffected by her frighteningly loud and dangerous explosions.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Francesca furrowed her brows and changed her stance. Before she could attack again, she was hit in the back by a thin and short flaming arrow.


    Even with her empowered physique, the fire arrow pierced her shoulder and momentarily surprised her, therefore, Azmer didn¡¯t hold back anymore and shot fireballs the size of his body.


    While snorting angrily, Francesca snapped her fingers and caused more explosions, which easily stopped the fireballs. However, from behind the dust and clashing energies, Azmer appeared with a golden and flaming sword in hand.


    He thrust his weapon forward, but Francesca blocked it using her bare hands before stomping the ground and spinning her body.


    She held onto his sword and threw him away, but Azmer¡¯s flames appeared behind him, allowing him to glide in the air and safely land on his feet.


    He sensed a deep rumbling as the space twisted and a red-colored savage aura formed, followed right after by an explosion that ravaged the half of the arena.


    His clothes were shredded and he sustained a couple of wounds, but so did Francesca. For the second time, she was hit by another arrow from a random direction.


    She didn¡¯t sense it or even know how he was able to attack like that. Her left thigh was bleeding and her skin was burned, making her look haggard.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Alright, then. I¡¯ll get serious.¡±


    The girl snorted and rushed at him with remarkable speed, her hand stretched forward and clawing the empty air, which extinguished all the flames spiralling around Azmer¡¯s body.


    Still, when she reached him, he was able to move his hand and slash his sword at her.


    Golden flames clashed with Francesca, suffocating her with the heat and rendering her unable to properly use her ¡®explosion¡¯ ability.


    Just as she was about to be overpowered, she managed to touch his chest with her open palm; At that moment, Azmer felt an agonising pain inside of his body. It was as if an explosion happened inside, injuring his organs and disorienting him.


    While gritting his blood-covered mouth, Azmer swiped his empty hand at her, but she swiftly kicked his knee then punched his jaw, blowing him to the back.


    Even then, Azmer kept holding the golden sword as his body crashed to the ground and rolled several times.


    He groaned in pain and, with difficulty, got to his feet, but an explosion occurred, sending him flying again.


    Half of his outfit was gone and he was bleeding from his head, right arm, and right leg.


    Nayro had been intending to interfere, but the Principal signaled him to merely watch.


    It was apparent that Azmer was heavily wounded and continuing this fight would lead to an untimely and unfortunate death, however, he needed to be in such a situation to be able to break through his limits, or so thought the Dean.


    He had specifically asked his old friend, Solas, to let the fight continue no matter what. As Azmer¡¯s teacher, he trusted his students and knew that Azmer could do more than this.


    ¡°It¡¯s futile.¡±


    Francesca was annoyed by the two injuries she sustained, and when she saw Azmer¡¯s sword disappear, she grinned.


    He closed his eyes and concentrated, soon resulting in a heat to spread outside of the arena and past the barrier. Beginning from a tiny spark, a golden flame was getting bigger until it formed a miniature blinding sun.


    Looking deathly-pale and spent, Azmer glared back at the nonchalant girl and pushed his hands forward.


    The golden sun moved slowly toward Francesca, but she counterattacked with another powerful explosion.


    A third of the ¡®flaming sun¡¯ was gone, but it still kept floating closer to Francesca.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s make it flashy.¡±


    She interlocked her two hands together and muttered inaudibly, thus making the ground shake and a small red-colored particle appeared in front of her.


    Upon seeing this, Solas chuckled and motioned with his chin,


    ¡°The girl¡¯s ability is truly terrifying.¡±


    Erva Erayne, who was expressionless, unlike her usual cheerfulness and beaming smile, wasn¡¯t that impressed.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have full control over it. Nayro needs to intervene.¡±


    Solas looked at the barrier around the arena, focusing on the cracks all over it. He threw a glance at the elderly Dean, but the old man had a serious expression with his arms crossed and breathing rapid.


    ¡°Xavier is on standby. To begin with, we are preparing our students for real-life fights. This would be a good display.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Erva tried to object but she felt a cold and sharp aura emitting from the Dean, so she closed her mouth and prayed in silence.


    The crowd of students, including Zeke, were dumbfounded by the magnitude of the clash. The barrier was on the verge of breaking and, within it, raging flames and an explosion confronted each other, destroying the rectangular arena made of white tiles and resulting in a deep rumbling akin to an earthquake.


    When the two silhouettes of the fighters became clear, the spectators saw an overly-exhausted Azmer barely able to keep standing and the relatively unscathed Francesca.


    Her uniform was burned, specifically around the chest area, so she used one arm to cover her breasts while menacingly looking at the youth.


    Her other hand was extended forward, her finger moving strangely as if she was to use her ability again.


    She had burn marks all over her body, and her long hair was dishevelled, making her look undignified.


    ¡°It¡¯s over. Forfeit now.¡±


    In comparison to her, Azmer was breathing heavily and no longer able to invoke his flames. He was almost about to fall unconscious, but he gritted his teeth and straightened his back.


    ¡°It¡¯s not¡­ over yet!¡±


    There was an ear-piercing screech that echoed across the arena, and by the time Francesca realised it, there was a large vermillion bird flying at her from behind.


    Although she was fast enough to trigger her explosions, the bird passed through them and crashed into her with full force.


    She let out a shout and tried to defend herself but the fire was inextinguishable and highly-dangerous. Right after, a wave of water fell from above, saving her and ending the fight.


    ¡°The victory goes to Azmer Lorson.¡±


    ¡°What? But why? I could have-¡±


    Francesca wasn¡¯t pleased with this and immediately tried to protest, but Nayro looked down at her with a cold look.


    ¡°You would¡¯ve died if I didn¡¯t interfere. Those were not normal flames.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Francesca¡¯s face was red and her eyes were tearful as she couldn¡¯t believe she lost. Not only that, but her clothes were burned and most of her body was exposed, making this situation even more embarrassing.


    Although Nayro quickly covered her with a large cloth, that didn¡¯t make things any better.


    A distance away, the swaying Azmer was caught by the Dean. He supported his student while smiling and saying,


    ¡°You did good.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­ha¡±


    Even with blood leaking out of his lips and shortness of breath, Azmer had a satisfied smile as struggled to keep himself conscious.


    To ensure fairness, all the winners will be healed and given time to rest, so Azmer wasn¡¯t worried about the next battle. He wanted to prove to himself that he could do it, that he could reach the top through hard-work.


    His talent was mediocre compared to his father and brother, but he kept pushing himself to the limit, and now, he had defeated Francesca Moon.


    She was someone whom he would never have dared to face in the past, but everything changed after Zeke ¡®awakened¡¯. Azmer sorted his goals and stopped fooling around. Seeing that his efforts weren¡¯t for nothing, he felt a wave of bliss and unbridled happiness.


    <hr>


    ¡°Normal flames will eventually become a weakness. Artifacts and the right type of magic could counter them. You need something special¡­ something that¡¯s unique to you.¡±


    Azmer was sitting on the ground and listening to the Dean, who was pacing around while speaking.


    ¡°Your father has the notorious Ink Fire, but you didn¡¯t inherit it. The thing with genetically-transferred abilities is that they could be awaken given the right trigger. However, the Ink Fire isn¡¯t something for you.¡±


    ¡°Then what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Fourth-year students are given the chance to undergo what¡¯s commonly called the ¡®Second awakening¡¯. It¡¯s not an awakening, per se, but forming a unique speciality using one¡¯s ability. There are many techniques that were proven efficient, but the best way is to discover your own speciality by yourself. To dig deep into your consciousness and heart and unleash the so-called hidden potential. Yours is Pyromancy, so you¡¯ll have to obtain a special type of fire.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing the youth¡¯s confused face, the Dean frowned and continued,


    ¡°It¡¯s more about comprehension than talent or genetics. You need to truly understand what your ability is about, to fathom its complexity and simplicity and form something that belongs to you and you alone. It¡¯s an arduous task, but I know you can do it, Azmer.¡±


    Much to the old man¡¯s surprise, it didn¡¯t take long for Azmer to achieve the ¡®second awakening,¡¯ albeit it not being complete.


    Late at night, when the students were asleep, Azmer was sitting on the dirt in front of the Dean¡¯s shed, his eyes reflecting a beautiful vermilion fire.


    In terms of appearance, it was no different than normal Pyromancy, however, this one had a barely noticeable and majestic luster. It was equipped with a frightening heat and it illuminated its dim surroundings.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±


    Seeing the gentle flames burning in the air, the Dean, in contrast to his usually solemn mood, burst out in laughter.

 Chapter 103 Sreyzhanian Champion

    While the other fights continued, Azmer was brought to the infirmary and treated by Doctor Xavier.


    In a matter of minutes, his wounds were healed. He was even given an Elixir that accelerated his energy recovery.


    Then again, his next fight would be tomorrow instead of today, so he had ample time to recuperate.


    As he was lost in thought, gazing at the empty campus, the door to the infirmary opened and a tall middle-aged man entered.


    William Lorson, his father, came in and stopped near the bed on which Azmer was lying on.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this, nonetheless, I¡¯m pleased and proud.¡±


    He was acting as if nothing happened and was about to pat Azmer¡¯s shoulder but the latter shoved his hand away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your praise.¡±


    ¡°You are part of the Lorson Family, Azmer. Did you think that, by simply leaving home, you¡¯re no longer part of it?¡±


    ¡°I was going to remove my name from the family tree. Is that good enough for you?¡±


    William¡¯s face turned ugly, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his son.


    ¡°You¡¯re going too far, Azmer. Family is the most important thing for people like us. We will only thrive if we stick together. After all, blood is thicker than water.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Some people are trying to rest here!¡± Chirpled Francesca, who was also in the infirmary.


    She was two beds away from Azmer and looked annoyed by William¡¯s loud voice.


    When she saw him looking her way and frowning in displeasure, she pulled out her tongue provocatively.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t sign up to hear bullshit fatherly talk. Clearly, he doesn¡¯t want to talk to you, so how about you piss off, okay?¡±


    William was about to lash out at her only for another person to come in.


    The man¡¯s expression turned even worse as he stared at the approaching youth with eyes filled with malice and animosity.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t Mister Lorson. How¡¯s your body?¡±


    Zeke faced the man and sneered, fully knowing how much the latter hated him after what happened last time. Not only did his eldest son get heavily wounded, but William himself got injured by the voltage, which penetrated through his internal organs.


    Of course, Zeke also had his whole left arm burned by the Ink Fire and he still hasn¡¯t recovered from that.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t lock you up for matricide.¡± Retorted William as he maintained a relatively composed demeanor, betrayed by his twisted face.


    ¡°It was self-defense, sir. Knowing them, they would¡¯ve abducted or killed me before even arriving at the Prosecution Office. Then again, I don¡¯t have to explain myself to you.¡±


    Right after Zeke was done talking, Azmer raised his voice and coldly told his father to leave.


    William snorted in anger and stormed out of the infirmary. Trying to be intimidating with Azmer didn¡¯t look and with how his image had fallen since the last incident, the last thing he wanted was to provoke Francesca, who hailed from the Moon Family.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you, Zeke!¡±


    Francesca amicably waved her hand at the expressionless Zeke. Unlike her nasty attitude with Azmer¡¯s father or her indifference toward his son, she was particularly friendly to Zeke.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown really strong, eh? I¡¯m impressed and more inclined to get you to my circle.¡±


    ¡°Zeke has beaten me, you know.¡± Remarked Azmer as he looked at Francesca with a smug look.


    Since Zeke had beaten Azmer, and Azmer had beaten Francesca, then, logic would say that Zeke was stronger than her.


    ¡°What? Really?!¡±


    ¡°It was a while ago, but yes.¡± Confirmed Zeke as he walked to Azmer and inspected his body.


    While Francesca was looking at Zeke¡¯s back in deep contemplation, Azmer chuckled and looked at the solemn black-haired youth whom he used to be enemies with.


    They had been through many things together. In fact, Azmer was dumbfounded to learn that Zeke had helped Veronica and co to get him out of the facility.


    While he had been on relatively good terms with Zeke, they weren¡¯t in a relationship in which they would risk their lives to save the other, or so thought Azmer.


    Then again, after what happened, Azmer had to reassess his impression of Zeke¡¯s character.


    ¡°How surprising to see you come see me.¡± He calmly said as he leaned on the cushion and stretched his sore limbs.


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke just stared at him in a long and slightly awkward silence, which made Azmer furrowed his brows and, with a quieter voice, said,


    ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    ¡°I thought about this a lot¡­¡± Muttered Zeke as he paused for a couple of breaths, ¡°You and I have quite the history, but, I confess that both of us changed. I¡¯ve come to ask for your help in a future matter.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Help?¡±


    Azmer was momentarily stunned, but he regained his demeanor and listened.


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter that concerns you too, in a way. Rodrick Dontoryian is missing and I want to get rid of him.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He was last seen locked up in his father¡¯s basement. Apparently, his Life Aether had run out of control and he transformed into a monster. He¡¯s a thorn at my back and I don¡¯t want to repeat what happened to Sam.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Azmer looked a bit sad as he heard about his friend¡¯s fate. Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t try to oppose Zeke or offer an alternative¡­ because there wasn¡¯t.


    Aether Imbalance was a rare but an irreversible occurrence that would turn people into abominations. The only mercy was to kill them and end their suffering.


    ¡°A friend of mine took down Stephan Dontoryian, but Rodrick was missing. Either he had run away or someone took him.¡±


    Azmer nodded and contemplated for a bit before asking, ¡°And why come to me out of all people?¡±


    ¡°Because, as much as I hate to admit it, there¡¯s no one I can trust in Erys. And I don¡¯t want to involve Maxine. You¡¯re part of the Ivory Oak Order, and Rodrick was your friend.¡±


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll talk more about this when the Exams are over.¡±


    Zeke turned around and was about to leave but Azmer stopped him,


    ¡°We might fight each other again. Don¡¯t expect me to forfeit.¡±


    ¡°The prideful Azmer Lorson forfeiting? Hah! I¡¯d never expect that from you.¡± Rebuked Zeke as he scoffed mockingly.


    ¡­


    When the sky darkened, the first round of fights ended; 11 students passed to the next round and the remaining lost.


    After his conversation with Azmer, Zeke returned to the arena and watched the remaining fights.


    Including him and Azmer, 9 more students were left; Julia Lopmore, Francois Chivaux, Harold Volcun, Raul Jackob, Sarah Girm, Zack Bornie, Harry Nost, Katlyn Jan, Fakih Knight.


    The 11 participants were given a night¡¯s rest to recuperate and prepare themselves for the last day of the so-called ¡®mini-tournament¡¯.


    Zeke wasn¡¯t feeling particularly tired, therefore, he sat on a lonely bench and gazed at the star-filled sky once he was done with the Daily Tasks. He had saved up quite a bit of PE and was deliberating on what path to upgrade.


    He was already strong enough to contend with the top students, including Julia and Harold. However, he wanted to be stronger and confident in winning.


    He had seen how strong Julia had gotten. She improved at an alarming rate, so much that her physical prowess was superior to his own even though his stats had increased drastically.


    She was practically a moving fortress, an unstoppable force of nature that was equipped with a ridiculous speed and outstanding strength.


    Harold Volcun, on the other hand, was a long-ranged fighter who relied on an ability similar to Zeke. He used lightning, yellow thunder that was versatile in its uses and quite destructive, to say the least.


    [You have unlocked the Fighter Sub-path: +5 Strength | +5 Agility]


    [The Fighter Sub-path has reached full mastery (10/10): +2 to all stats | +10 EXP]


    [The Sreyzhanian Rune Main-path has reached full mastery (9/9): +5 Aether | +5 Agility | +15 EXP]


    [The Martial Arts Main-Path has reached full mastery (12/12): +10 Strength | +10 Agility | +20 EXP]


    [The necessary condition to upgrade ¡®Sreyzhanian Rune Path¡¯ has been achieved; Fuse the Sreyzhanian Rune path with the Fighter Sub-Path and Martial Arts main path?


    WARNING: Upon accepting the fusion, it cannot be reversed.]


    [The Groundbreaker Path has reached full mastery (32/32): +5 to all stats | +20 EXP]


    [You obtained the Survival Skill ¡®Breaker Body¡¯.]


    [You obtained the skill: Ground Wall]


    Zeke read the notification before accepting the fusion. Frederic had already told him that the 32 known Main paths could be upgraded individually or fuse with others to become an even better path. Admittedly, his knowledge about this whole thing was limited, but Zeke didn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    To begin with, when he used his saved up PE to upgrade the paths that increased his close-combat capabilities, he didn¡¯t expect such an outcome.


    [The Sreyzhanian Rune Main path has fused with Fighter Sub-Path and Martial Arts-Main Path.]


    [Congratulations! You¡¯ve unlocked your first Variant Path: Sreyzhanian Champion.]


    [+35 EXP]


    [The Sreyzhanian Champion Variant Path: The data of three separate paths have been accumulated into one, thus resulting in a newly-created path.


    This path has no recorded history.


    You are the first user of this path.]


    [The skill ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts'' has been upgraded to ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts Catalogue¡¯.


    If the ¡®Sreyzhanian Champion Variant Path¡¯ is active, the user can use the skills integrated into ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts Catalogue¡¯.


    Available Skills: Champion of Strength Mode / Champion of Speed Mode / Fists of Fury (100%) / Sreyzhanian Arts (100%) / Block Spell (0%).]


    Zeke, who was excitedly reading the new things, was suddenly assaulted by a head-splitting pain that made him fall to the ground and groan while rolling on the grass.


    The agony lasted for a whole minute, and when it was over, the youth was soaking in sweat and breathing rapidly.


    He was shocked as all sorts of new information was forcefully engraved into his mind. It was a mentally exhausting process, but when he collected his thoughts and composed himself, he was pleasantly surprised.


    It turned out that the new path ¡®Sreyzhanian Champion¡¯ has imparted new information directly to his mind.


    It was general but useful details about the new skills and how to properly and efficiently make full use of ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯.


    [Sreyzhanian Arts(100%) can be used simultaneously with either ¡®Champion of Speed Mode¡¯ or ¡®Champion of Strength Mode¡¯.


    WARNING; Prolonged use of the two skills will lead to a fatal physical backlash.]


    [Champion of Strength Mode: The user will be granted absolute physical strength.]


    [Champion of Speed Mode; The user will be granted absolute speed.]


    [Block Spell: Mutter the following incantation ¡®Srey Kam¡¯ to block a spell aimed at you.]


    [Break Body(SS): Envelops the user in a magical armor made of reinforced Black Stone.


    This skill lasts for 15 seconds and continuously drains Life Aether.]


    [Ground Wall: The effect of this skill depends on the consumed Aether. The Groundbreaker will conjure an impenetrable wall.]


    [User: Zeke Orland]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level 10 (149/190 EXP)]


    [Strength: 190]


    [Agility: 185]


    [Aether: 166]


    [Fortitude: 40]


    [Paths: Sreyzhanian Champion Variant Path (1/200) | Voltage Body(1/44) active | Groundbreaker (32/32)| Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9) - Death-Walker(1/100)- Shooter (1/15)-]


    [Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 60%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%)  - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(85%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(40%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(30%) - Surge of Pain (100%) - Body Damage(60%) - Self-Injection(20%)- At Death¡¯s Door(5%) - Firearm Proficiency (29%) - Sharp Sight (20%) - Ground Wall (0%) - Block Spell (0%) - Champion of Speed Mode(0%) - Champion of Strength Mode(0%)]


    [Survival Skills: ¡®Voltage Rune¡¯ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstinence (100%) - Call of Honor(10%) - Ancient Elven Tongue (10%) - Cycle of Life and Death - Call of Loyalty(0%) - The Reaper(33%) - The Talking Sin (???) - Breaker Body(0%)]


    [Available PE:31 ]


    [Available Skill Points: 1]


    [Available Paths of Extinction:


    Pyromancer Path (5 PE)


    Hydromancer Path (6 PE)


    Electromancer Path (10 PE)


    Pugilist Sub-Path (4 PE)


    Blood Heart Path (20PE)


    Aeromancer Path (8 PE)


    Cryomancer Path (10 PE)

 Chapter 104 The Sword Dance

    ¡°Good morning everyone! I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all excited for today¡¯s battles, so shall we begin?¡±


    Nayro was exceptionally good at riling up the crowd of youngsters. His orotund and loud voice reverberated across the arena as the 11 remaining participants stood next to each other.


    Whether it was Azmer or the others who got injured yesterday, they were back to full health today.


    There were a bunch of Second Year and Third Year students present too. The latter were only able to come and watch after finishing their own ¡®Exam¡¯, which explained their few numbers.


    To be precise, only Celestia Black, Maxine Orland, Vanessa, Harold Grimes, and Beatrice were there.


    The President of the Student Council seemed to be in a bad mood as he kept his distance from Celestia and sometimes glared at Zeke.


    He was still of the thought that a trouble-maker like Zeke should be expelled, however, his incessant complaints were all ignored by the teachers and Solas.


    {Julia Lopmore Vs Sarah Girm}


    {Zeke Orland Vs Raul Jackob}


    {Azmer Lorson Vs Zack Bornie}


    {Harold Volcun Vs Fakih Knight}


    {Harry Nost Vs Francois Chivaux}


    As there were only 11 participants, Katlyn Jan was lucky enough to directly pass to the next round.


    ¡°The first two¡­ to the stage.¡±


    The two girls, Sarah Girm and Julia Lopmore stepped into the arena.


    Julia was as energetic as ever, cracking her knuckles and stretching her legs while giggling.


    On the other hand, Sarah was cool-headed and had a serious expression. She was a tall girl with long black hair tied into a pony-tail, a pair of sky-blue eyes, a round face and glistening black skin that made her look breath-taking.


    Sarah Girm was holding a slightly curved longsword and wearing a traditional long robe that many thought would hinder her movements.


    She performed a strange salute as Nayro signaled the beginning of the fight.


    The two students shot at each other, and when they physically clashed, there was a deafening sound followed by Aetherical fluctuation around them.


    Julia¡¯s ability to manipulate her speed at will granted her an absolute advantage in attacking. She moved with a ridiculously fast speed and struck Sarah from all directions, however, the latter was moving her sword rapidly, blocking the dangerous attacks and willingly getting hit by the weaker ones.


    From the eyes of the inexperienced students, it looked like a one-sided fight, but it wasn¡¯t actually the case. Sarah might be overwhelmed, but she was able to properly defend and not get blown away by Julia¡¯s outrageous physical prowess.


    At one point, Sarah thrust her sword toward the opponent who approached her flank, causing a milky-white spiralling aura to burst forth.


    Surprised, Julia tried to pull back and successfully evaded the attack, but it was then that Sarah appeared behind her and slashed diagonally, causing a rumbling and a majestic roar of a translucent beast that hovered above her.


    A translucent silver dragon curled in the air before diving at the defenseless Julia. It crashed into her with full-force, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to defeat her.


    She staggered a few steps then hastily somersaulted to the back, dodging a sword thrust from Sarah.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty good!¡± Remarked Julia, but Sarah was as silent as ever.


    Even from a distance of twenty meters, Julia performed a rapid punch that sent a booming wave of energy straight at Sarah, who raised her weapon and retaliated by stabbing it forward.


    The destructive wave of energy unleashed by Julia clashed against Sarah¡¯s suppressed and razor sharp milky-white aura, resulting in a flashy explosion that split the arena and caused light tremors.


    Right after that, Julia continued her relentless onslaught while Sarah switched back to the defensive.


    For two minutes or so, the status quo remained and Sarah was sustaining more and more damage. Her heavy breathing and sweating forehead indicated that she was reaching her limit.


    On the other hand, Julia was still bursting with energy and in a very good mood as she kicked and punched anything that came at her.


    ¡°What a gorilla. Hah!¡±


    Francesca, who was standing next to Azmer and Zeke, snorted in annoyance.


    Seeing the two young men glance at her, she shrugged and added,


    ¡°What? I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I? Just look at her! She doesn¡¯t tire and seems to have an unlimited reservoir of Aether. It¡¯s unfair.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°She deserves to be the strongest amongst us.¡± Exclaimed Azmer while deeply sighing.


    Only Zeke remained silent, his eyes glued to Sarah rather than Julia. He was genuinely impressed by the girl¡¯s swordsmanship, which resembled a beautiful and elaborate dance.


    In contrast, Julia was like a mad dog that attacked non-stop and didn¡¯t care to efficiently defend or think of a tactic.


    Five minutes into the fight, Sarah¡¯s movements became sluggish and her unique aura became noticeably thinner and weaker. As for Julia, she sustained a couple of minor wounds, all of which were inconsequential.


    ¡°You¡¯re stronger than Harold, you know.¡±


    Julia stopped her attacks and joyfully stated, but Sarah still didn¡¯t respond.


    The tall girl tightened her grasp over the sword and closed her eyes.


    ¡°One final big attack? I¡¯m up for it.¡±


    Julia did the same as a heavy pressure exploded from her body.


    One second, two seconds¡­ after ten seconds, the two were ready; Julia rushed forward like an unstoppable cannonball whilst Sarah, with her eyes still closed, just performed a simple and seemingly slow sword slash.


    Julia¡¯s punch was about to connect only for her pupils to constrict. She urgently retracted her hand and crossed her arms, but it was too late.


    She sensed imminent danger the second Sarah had swung her sword, but the result was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations.


    There was no flashiness or loud rumbling, there was only a deafening and eerie silence as a nasty and bloody slash wound appeared on Julia¡¯s arms and a bit on her chest.


    For the first time ever, she was blown dozens of meters away until her body crashed into the arena¡¯s barrier.


    She was bleeding profusely and in shock, nevertheless, she slowly got to her feet.


    ¡°I forfeit.¡±


    Upon seeing her opponent non-incapactiated, Sarah immediately surrendered. She had spent all of her power. What she, and no one else expected, however, was that Julia took two steps before falling unconscious.


    It was Solas who appeared next to the wounded girl and applied emergency healing. When he saw the deep cuts that pierced through her tough skin and even cracked her bones, the Principal glanced at the sweating Sarah walking out of the arena.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    Zeke was dumbfounded by the girl¡¯s attack, but when he turned his head and asked Azmer and Francesca, the two looked even more shocked.


    It was apparent that no one, including the Principal, knew what technique Sarah had utilised.


    ¡®If I remember correctly, there is a small province led by a Sword Saint South of the Serey Zhan Empire. Is she from there?¡¯


    Zeke¡¯s strongest attacks were ¡®Over-Drive¡¯ and ¡®The Baleful Gallows¡¯ both which had a high probability of fatally injuring even someone like Julia. However, from his perspective, both those skills felt inferior to that subtle and strange sword strike of Sarah Girm.


    ¡°Impressive display! Impressive!¡± Nayro clapped his slimy hands as he cackled outloud.


    ¡°Zeke Orland and Raul Jackob. You two are next.¡±


    ¡°Since you beat Azmer then Raul shouldn''t be much of a problem, right?¡± Muttered Francesca as she winked at Zeke and motioned for him to walk to the arena.


    Soon enough, the two students were facing each other. Raul was solemn and looking especially wary of Zeke, whom he had many things about.


    Zeke¡¯s blue lightning was notorious in Erys and his previous fights clearly displayed how strong it was.


    Seeing the black-haired youth take an odd stance with his fists clenched and arms raised, Raul frowned but didn¡¯t comment. His skin turned metal as he impatiently waited for the Zyth Professor to signal the start of the fight.


    When the battle officially started, Zeke didn¡¯t rely on voltage. He had tried his new skills yesterday night, but there was nothing better than an actual fight to measure his improvements.


    He activated ¡®Champion of Strength Mode¡¯ and ¡®Sreyzhanian Arts¡¯ before running at Raul.


    Without ¡®Life Motus¡¯, Zeke¡¯s speed paled in comparison to Julia, nevertheless, he quickly reached his opponent and struck out his glowing fist.


    Raul too, punched back with his metal-covered fist, but as the clash happened, he felt a bit of pain and even staggered back.


    Much to everyone¡¯s surprise, Zeke¡¯s punch overpowered Raul and even pushed him back. However, that was only the beginning as ¡®Fists of Fury¡¯ were unleashed on the Metal Man.


    Even with a hardened skin and a remarkable defense, Raul was literally subjected to a one-sided beating as he kept staggering step by step. In the end, Zeke pulled back ever-so-slightly then swept his leg upwards, striking the enemy¡¯s head and slamming his body to the ground.


    Raul, although startled and feeling acute pain in the areas he was struck at, hastily extended his arms and caught Zeke¡¯s leg, which was about to hit his chest.


    Unfortunately, Zeke¡¯s strength was way superior and if Raul didn¡¯t realise that faster, his wrists would have been broken.


    In the end, Raul was kicked a second time and he was body rolled on the ground. Zeke mounted the muscular blond youth and delivered one last powerful punch, which knocked his opponent unconscious.


    Just like that, in less than a minute, the fight came to an end. Zeke stood up and walked out of the arena, inwardly feeling satisfied with ¡®The Champion of Strength Mode¡¯.


    Although it looked easy in the eyes of the spectators, Zeke felt differently. He had caught Raul off-guard and used that opportunity to relentlessly attack, but the truth was that Raul¡¯s skin was extremely tough.


    It would have been particularly difficult to inflict incapacitating injuries with only physical attacks.


    Zeke being adept at Martial Arts wasn¡¯t a secret in Erys, after all, they had seen him use strong kicks and punches, but what he had done was outrageous.


    Only those who knew about the System weren¡¯t surprised, the rest were speechless as they kept looking at the expressionless youth.


    ¡°Now I want you even more!¡± Declared Francesca as she boldly linked her arms with his and seductively winked.


    ¡°That was¡­ something else.¡± Said Azmer as he faked a cough and averted his eyes.


    ¡°Ignore him!¡± Francesca grimaced at Azmer then leaned closer to Zeke, who looked bothered by her.


    ¡°Join my circle and I promise you¡¯ll never have to worry about anything. My mother will want to recruit you to the family! Speaking of which¡­ I¡¯ve yet to find a suitor!¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    Zeke awkwardly slipped his arm away and walked to the other side of Azmer. Fortunately, when Francesca tried to cling to him again, Azmer was witty enough to stop her, which only resulted in an argument.


    ¡­


    ¡°So it¡¯s him? Quite the freak, if you ask me.¡±


    A middle-aged woman with short deep orange hair and naturally narrowed eyes looked at Zeke while muttering in a voice filled with displeasure and disapproval. She was one of the teachers, one in charge of the Second Year Students; Teresa Zigg.


    ¡°Please mind your words, Miss Zigg.¡± Retorted Erva, who sat next to Teresa.


    ¡°Mind my words? I find it ludicrous that the Principal agreed to let someone like him into our prestigious institute. The boy needs to be put down or sent to the Department of Defense.¡±


    ¡°That is not for you to decide.¡± Rebuked Christopher, who, despite his strict nature, was quite fond of the hard-working Zeke.


    ¡°Hah! There will be a Board Meeting next week. I¡¯m sure this matter will be discussed at length then.¡±


    Erva bit her lips, wanting to lash out, but she refrained from escalating things, instead choosing to keep her counsel.


    ¡­


    Somewhere in the Sunken Metropolis, a short and serious-looking brown-haired woman wearing casual clothes was muttering to herself as she tried to navigate the countless maze-like streets.


    She was the 5-star Witch Jennifer Savbra, who couldn¡¯t wait for things to calm down and impatiently rushed here. She left Freya to take care of things at the outpost while she came to the Nezulian Republic to see her biological son, Zeke Orland.

 Chapter 105 Spirit Beasts

    Alexandra Jevani, Bhak Djinn, General Zhang, Madam Jorie, and Frederic Whitefort were sitting around a table and watching a recorded footage of Zeke Orland lying on the ground.


    From beginning to end, it showed how Zeke shot the bullet that killed the Ambassador. Even if the three leaders of the Nezulian Republic wanted to deny or buy some time, they couldn¡¯t. After all, the footage was clear and undeniable evidence of Zeke¡¯s crime.


    ¡°There you have it. Are you satisfied now?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The red-haired General¡¯s face looked frighteningly scary as he glared at the vagabond.


    His Department had been investigating the whole incident, but they weren¡¯t going to reveal the whole truth to Madam Jorie. They needed some leverage and didn¡¯t want to submit so easily, but now things have taken a sudden turn.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hesitate now.¡± Calmly stated the elderly earthling, who looked pleased with this outcome.


    In contrast, Jevani, Bhak, and Zhang seemed enraged and furious.


    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have the liberty of freeling roaming your city, we would like to go with you to take that boy. We wouldn¡¯t want any complication appearing out of nowhere, would we?¡±


    Jorie chuckled and glanced at the equally pleased Frederic. He smiled and added,


    ¡°As per our agreement, I will have his eyes.¡±


    ¡°Madam Jorie¡­ you do realise what this man wants to do, right?¡± Asked the monk-looking Minister, Bhak Djinn.


    ¡°You mean the System or whatever? We don¡¯t care about that.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Retorted Zhang with gritted teeth and a piercing glare.


    ¡°The System is something beyond us. Why do you think this man came to you instead of catching Zeke on his own? It¡¯s because he¡¯s afraid. He¡¯s using all of us.¡±


    ¡°Come now, General¡­¡± Frederic softly laughed, ¡°You¡¯ve seen what the kid is capable of. I''m a vagabond. I can¡¯t win against him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try this with us, Frederic Whitefort.¡± Alexandra Jevani snorted and spat with a venomous and cold voice as a suffocating pressure emanated from her.


    ¡°Your reputation precedes you and everyone knows of your fanatical obsession with the System. You know what it¡¯s capable of so you want us to do the hunting.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s all this fuss about? If you¡¯re so disinclined to catch him, we will be more than willing to do it in your stead.¡± Declared Madam Jorie, looking unperturbed and particularly disinterested in all the talk about the System.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of unknown moving parts, Madam Jorie. Even if we know the killer¡¯s identity, we cannot act recklessly. Give us a week to make some preparations.¡±


    Surprisingly, Madam Jorie nodded without any objections, which made Frederic frown.


    ¡°It would be wise to take him down now. He¡¯s an unnatural force of nature that improves at an alarming rate.¡±


    Even after she heard him, the old earthling woman kept her silence and didn¡¯t even spare him a glance.


    ¡­


    The excitement only grew after Zeke¡¯s fight. The remaining participants were equipped with powerful abilities, which they made full use of to offer a spectacle worthy of watching.


    Azmer fought Zack Bornie, a friend of Harold and someone who used the rare Darkness Magic. Ultimately, Azmer prevailed with the use of his unique fire, which he dubbed ¡®Origin Flames¡¯.


    The battle lasted only for 5 minutes, but it clearly took a great physical toll on him. He sustained corrosive damage from the Darkness-aspected spells, but he managed to hold on and deliver the finishing blow.


    Right after, he was handed powerful recovery elixirs in preparing for the remaining fights.


    This was the 3rd and last day of the ¡®Exam¡¯, so the Principal prepared enough resources to heal the students¡¯ wounds and ensure they were at peak state before each fight.


    Next was Harold Volcun and Fakih Knight, which ended with the former¡¯s overwhelming victory. Harold¡¯s yellow thunder was like a raging storm that absolutely demolished Fakih¡¯s relatively weak Earth Spike Ability.


    Last but not least was Francois Chivaux against Harry Nost. The latter¡¯s ability was direct and not overly diverse, but it allowed him to freeze everything he touched.


    As for Francois, he was a staff-user; A true and talented Martial Artist that could call forth ¡®Spirit Beast¡¯ to empower his body in different ways.


    ¡°This round will be considered the quarter-finals. Later on, one lucky person of the three winners will leapfrog to the finals while the remaining two will fight. It¡¯s pretty straightforward, yes?¡±


    The six nodded in unison, so the Zyth rushed back to the podium and quickly prepared the chart for the upcoming battles.


    Soon, the participants¡¯ names appeared, divided into three small groups with two students in each one.


    {Julia Lopmore Vs Katlyn Jan}


    {Azmer Lorson Vs Francois Chivaux}


    {Zeke Orland Vs Harold Volcun}


    ¡°Oh¡­ damnit! I wanted to fight you!¡±


    Julia pouted and exclaimed in displeasure as she looked at the solemn Zeke. She was already considered to be the strongest, and out of the remaining participants, only Zeke had sparked her interest and ignored her fighting spirit.


    ¡°After I deal with him, we will be having our rematch.¡± Loudly stated the serious-looking and arrogant-sounding Harold.


    ¡®Samuel wasn¡¯t wrong to describe him as a worse replica of Fylard.¡¯


    Harold was an average-looking youth with a slim body, slightly short height, and short brown hair. However, he was a haughty and prideful individual, so much so that he liked to speak down to others, especially those he deemed as ¡®weak¡¯.


    Even after witnessing Zeke¡¯s impressive display of physical and magical strength, he still kept his arrogance and contempt.


    Instead of arguing with him or denying his confident claim, Zeke sighed and walked away.


    ¡°You should be careful. During the previous fights, he hasn¡¯t shown everything he could do.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°...¡±


    Seeing Azmer give him meaningful advice, Zeke glanced at the youth but didn¡¯t speak. In fact, he was thinking about the job he and Sulong were going to have tomorrow.


    Zeke trusted in his own abilities and knew that he could defeat Harold. However, his primary objective had changed in the last couple of days.


    He already showed everyone that he became strong and even if he were to lose, he would still rank in the top 10 or top 5, subsequently lowering next year¡¯s fees to a negligible amount.


    This ¡®Exam¡¯ was the last thing Zeke worried about. His current goal was to continue training and getting stronger as well as building a solid reputation to the ¡®Lightning Flame Merc Group¡¯ and build good relationships with important figures. That way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry even if the Department of Defense were to change their stance and target him.


    Additionally, spreading the influence and name of his new organisation would facilitate the search and capture of Red Mask Fanti Fan and the re-acquisition of his stolen heart, which he was certain was hidden way for experimentations.


    After the spectating crowd was given a short break and the participants a brief respite, the second to last round had finally begun.


    By then, most of the Third-year students had finished their ¡®exams¡¯ and came to watch the climax of the mini-tournament.


    Unexpectedly, however, Katlyn forfeited as soon as the fight started. She looked slightly embarrassed as she hastily ran out of the arena while covering her flushed face.


    Then again, it was a logical and safe decision on her part. She knew her limits and opted to avoid unnecessary injuries by surrendering prematurely.


    ¡°Okay then, we will proceed to the next fight right way.¡±


    Nayro beckoned Harold and Zeke to the arena then raised the translucent spherical barrier.


    As the Zyth Professor was giving the signal, an illusory syringe appeared next to Zeke¡¯s shoulder and pierced it, injecting a transparent fluid into his body.


    [Self-Injection] increased his stats, which boosted even more when [Over-Drive] was activated.


    When the battle came to a start, Zeke literally transformed into a bolt of blue lightning that shot toward Harold like a bullet.


    A net of thunderbolts appeared in front of Harold, but it disintegrated as Zeke passed through it and struck the startled opponent.


    Unfortunately, [Over-Drive] lasted for two short breaths, but it was enough for Zeke to inflict a grievous injury to his target.


    The left side of Harold¡¯s chest sustained a heavy wound that bleeds profusely. Stricken with agonising pain and disoriented, Harold unleashed a wave of uncontrollable thunderbolts all around the arena.


    Alas, Zeke kept either dashing out of the way or sparingly using ¡®Life Motus¡¯ to dodge the projectiles.


    Seeing his opponent getting tired quickly due to the wound, Zeke extended his right hand and threw an arrow crackling with voltage.


    It clashed with Harold¡¯s yellow thunder and they both cancelled each other.


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t beat me!¡±


    Harold roared in anger as deafening thunder exploded forth, enveloping the whole arena.


    Blinding thunderbolts were ricochetting everywhere as they struck Zeke and pushed him back. However, instead of damaging him, it actually empowering him.


    This was something that even he was surprised about. His Voltage Rune was being charged and he felt a surge of power spread throughout his body.


    He grinned and drew all the absorbed energy, then he let out dozens of ¡®Voltage Zap¡¯ that overwhelmed Harold¡¯s thunder and hit him.


    His head, legs, arms, and chest were hit consecutively. He was covered in scorched spots as his face distorted in anger and shame.


    However, he didn¡¯t fall down or forfeit, instead, he went all-out. The final and desperate attack of Harold was a brilliant swirling mass of thunder that flew straight at Zeke.


    Zeke just stood there and smiled as his whole body was hit.


    A couple of breaths passed before the crowd realised what happened, thus resulting in loud cheering and unbridled excitement.


    ¡°T-this is impossible!¡±


    When he saw the totally unscathed Zeke standing at the same spot, Harold was speechless and in full denial. He even became hysterical as he shouted outloud and tried to attack once more.


    Alas, his vision was getting blurry and his legs were shaking, so Nayro intervened and ended the fight.


    ¡®Was it because his ability was inferior to mine? The feeling is similar to when I absorb negative energy with the Death Rune. Still, I just learnt that I¡¯m impervious to lightning-aspected magic.¡¯


    Feeling satisfied, Zeke walked out of the arena when Nayro declared the winner.


    Harold was taken to the infirmary and the next two fights walked to the ¡®stage¡¯.


    ¡­


    It was Azmer¡¯s turn to fight one of the ¡®famous¡¯ students of Erys, Francois Chivaux.


    In fact, Francois was formerly an imperial citizen, but he had come to the Nezulian Republic along with his family.


    Except hailing from a family of merchants, not much was known about him. His ability was peculiar and totally different from the norm, and he was not that outspoken.


    He did have that ¡®privileged¡¯ aura emanating from his demeanor, but he had the strength to back it up.


    ¡°Ready? Begin!¡±


    The second the fight began, Azmer released a rising wave of flames that cascaded upon his opponent.


    The handsome and stalwart Francois closed his eyes for a breath, and just like the previous fights, a Spirit Beast appeared above him. It was a large turtle with silver shells, which transformed into a barrier protecting its caller.


    When the wave of flames crashed into him, Francois got out unscathed thanks to his barrier, but he also retaliated swiftly and efficiently.


    An illusory black leopard replaced the turtle, which allowed Francois to charge ahead with an incredible speed.


    He arrived in front of Azmer and struck his fist as a grizzly brown bear manifested above him.


    Azmer grunted and clumsily jumped back while leaving an explosion ball of flames in his stead.


    Caught by the raging fire, Francois rolled out of the way and changed the Spirit Beast again, this time using a praying mantis.


    He leapt in the air then rapidly glided toward Azmer, who finished casting the blinding miniature flaming sun.


    Francois slashed his illusory and razor sharp blades at the sun, causing a clash of energies that covered the protected arena in a blinding light.


    When the light vanished after a couple of seconds, the two students were on their feet. Azmer had an X-shaped wound on his abdomen and Francois¡¯ right hand was burned and bleeding.


    ¡°This is fun. How about we step it up?¡± Asked Francois while smiling.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡± Responded Azmer as a long sword made of golden-colored flames appeared in his hand.


    Two Spirits beasts, the turtle and the leopard, appeared together, thus boosting their caller¡¯s physique and granting him superhuman and unique abilities.


    Undeniably, this fight, which didn¡¯t last long, was the best one so far. Azmer and Francois clashed against each other dozens of times. Raging golden fire and multi-colored auras were dancing in the air as they tried to overwhelm each other.


    When Azmer used his ¡®Origin Fire¡¯, Francois reciprocated by invoking his strongest ¡®Spirit Beast¡¯... a large white roc.


    The roc spread its wings and dove into Francois¡¯ body, allowing him to call forth a violent storm that, when it clashed with Azmer¡¯s fire, immediately shattered the barrier protecting the arena.


    Nayro and Erva raised other smaller barriers to protect the students as the two fighting students finally ended their battle.


    Neither of them fell unconscious or sustained heavy wounds that needed immediate treatment. In terms of prowess, they were more or less equal.


    However, Azmer had run out of stamina and could no longer use his ¡®Origin Fire¡¯ or any other powerful spell.


    As he patted the dust off his clothes, Francois walked up to him and stretched his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s my win.¡±


    The youth had a genuinely sweet smile as he helped Azmer stand up and praised his Pyromancy.


    ¡°Seeing it and fighting against it are two different things. I seem to have underestimated  you.¡±


    ¡°The victory goes to Francois Chivaux.¡±


    His loss, Azmer didn¡¯t feel dejected or ashamed. He had tried his best and learnt many things during his fights. He knew what he had to improve on and best to counter certain abilities that fell into the same ¡®category¡¯. Overall, the whole mini-tournament was worthwhile.


    ¡­


    The three remaining participants were given another break as the lots were drawn to determine which one would get to proceed to the finals.


    ¡°My my! Aren¡¯t you a lucky one, Zeke?¡±


    Nayro¡¯s beady and overly-inquisitive eyes drilled into Zeke as he declared the results of the drawn lots.


    ¡°Which means I¡¯m fighting Francois?¡±


    Julia, who became even more bummed out, sighed and dragged her feet to the arena.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m forfeiting.¡± Stated Francois with a clear and clarion voice.


    Seeing  so many gazes land on him, the youth shrugged and explained,


    ¡°My ability works differently than the rest. I¡¯ve already exhausted myself and it takes time for me to recover even with an Elixir. Furthermore, I¡¯d like to see Zeke and Julia fight.¡±


    The crowd agreed with a cheer as Julia jumped in delight.


    ¡°There you have it.¡± Nayro patted Zeke¡¯s shoulder and urged him to step forward, which he did while scrutinising the enthusiastic girl.


    ¡°This will be different from our spars! I¡¯m going all-out!¡±


    Julia pointed her fist at him and giggled joyfully. She even kicked the air a few times as she readied her body.


    Zeke had already thought of a tactic to use against her. It was bound to be highly-effective, but he had to get beaten down first.


    In his current form, even with ¡®Self-Injection¡¯, he would still be physically weaker than her, therefore, he had to rely on ¡®Surge of Pain¡¯ to further augment his physical capabilities.


    Admittedly, ¡®The Reaper¡¯ would increase his stats to a level that would allow him to overpower her, but that was a trump card he wanted to keep hidden for real fights.


    Right before the fight was about to start, the Principal suddenly stood as a deep frown appeared on his face.


    Seconds later, a commotion broke out outside, followed right after by the arrival of General Zhang.


    The red-haired middle-aged man was accompanied by at least 10 Special Agents, all dressed in black and with masks covering the lower part of their faces.


    The crowd of students quietened down and opened the way as the General walked to Solas and whispered a few words.

 Chapter 106 The Night Goddess

    Special Agent Elizabeth, along with all her colleagues, walked to Zeke.


    Before speaking to their target, she glanced at the cold-faced Azmer and said,


    ¡°Step aside.¡±


    She recognized him immediately, but that whole incident was covered, there was no reason to target him.


    As for Zeke, he stood still and kept looking at the red-haired general.


    After a minute or so, in which Zhang and Solas whispered to each other, the latter stood up and loudly declared,


    ¡°The final fight will be postponed indefinitely. Cooperate with the Special Agents and orderly leave the arena.¡±


    The students were confused and surprised, but no one objected. Even Maxine, who wanted to go and help her brother, was pulled outside by Vanessa and James.


    Meanwhile, General Zhang looked to the eerily-quiet Zeke and said,


    ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking of doing¡­ don¡¯t.¡±


    He noticed a sinister and decaying energy emanating from the youth. Even someone as powerful as him felt the chills run down his spines the closer he got. Nevertheless, he stopped in front of Zeke and grabbed his hands.


    Zeke¡¯s hands were cuffed as numerous Special Agents surrounded him with their weapons unsheathed.


    ¡°Am I under arrest?¡± Calmly asked Zeke as he lowered his bound hands.


    ¡°We can¡¯t talk here.¡± Perfunctorily responded to the General as he turned around and headed for the exit.


    As for the Principal, he appeared at Zeke¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t try anything. He¡¯s not going to hurt you.¡±


    Although Zeke didn¡¯t expect such a turn of events, he didn¡¯t feel particularly afraid. He had a special skill preserved for unforeseen complications exactly like this one, but it was too early to draw any conclusions or act rashly.


    For now, he acted obediently and followed the General outside the campus. There, he saw five large black armored trucks parked all around the streets.


    He was taken to the biggest one and sat across from the red-haired man.


    Elizabeth and one other Special Agent were on either side of Zeke, cautiously glancing at him from time to time.


    Soon enough, the military trucks started moving and heading outside of the Sunken Metropolis. Zeke expected the man to talk to him, but there was only a long silence, at least until they reached a side-road a couple of kilometers away from the main highway.


    With a signal from the General, the two Special Agents left the vehicle and left him alone with the youth.


    While his agents were patrolling the vicinities, Zhang sighed and finally opened his mouth,


    ¡°Why did you kill the Ambassador?¡±


    Zeke¡¯s expression slightly changed, but he swiftly composed himself and retorted,


    ¡°Kill? I¡¯m not following, General.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please! I wouldn¡¯t have personally come if we didn¡¯t know for sure. Let¡¯s get past all the pretence and denial.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°The Earthlings also know about this.¡± Added Zhang as he clicked his tongue.


    Zeke was momentarily silent as he racked his brains to figure out how he got found out. Only two people knew what he did: Katrina and Frederic.


    Katrina was absolutely loyal to Edward and wouldn¡¯t do anything to endanger his younger brother, so the suspect could only have been Frederic. Then again, the vagabond was very friendly and helpful, so why would he switch sides and snitch to the Earthlings?


    ¡°It was Frederic Whitefort who told on you. He made a deal with the Earthlings¡­ he wants your eyes, for some reason.¡±


    ¡®My eyes? Jonathan was also after them. Wait¡­ what if there was a way to get my System through my eyes? Still, there are some inconsistencies. Frederic was strong enough to forcefully take my eyes. Ah¡­ was it because I told him my unlocked paths? Does he know about the Cycle of Life and Death?¡¯


    ¡°Ever since I learnt of you, Zeke Orland, I¡¯ve always had my doubts and didn¡¯t want to take any risks. System Holders have always been a source of calamity. Were it not for your brother¡¯s assurance and pleas, I would have either locked you up or killed you.¡±


    Zeke sneered in response and rebuked, ¡°Surely it wasn¡¯t just my brother¡¯s sincerity that changed your mind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ve yet to take any hostile action against you. Basically, there are no grudges or animosity lingering between you and us.¡±


    ¡°Your point is?¡±


    ¡°I want to turn you into an asset. Just a couple of months ago, you were just a Defect yet now you killed the Earthling Ambassador and eliminated an assassin from Black Wing. And yes, I know everything that happens in this city, including your feud with the Vyrsan Family and William Lorson. I also know your friend has recently taken down Stephan Dontoryian, which is something I¡¯m grateful of, by the way.¡±


    Zeke raised his hand and showed the cuffs to the General, ¡°This isn¡¯t what I would call ¡®gratefulness¡¯.¡±


    ¡°It was necessary to fool everyone. Provided you are willing to cooperate and accept our terms, you will be set free and can do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I can¡¯t escape on my own? I don¡¯t really need to agree to anything.¡±


    Zhang nodded his head unworriedly, ¡°Yes. The Systems provided their users with myriad abilities, mystical and dangerous. There is a possibility you¡¯ll be able to fool me and the other Special Agents and escape from here. However, that¡¯s it. You will be hunted down by the three Departments and the Earthlings. You would be forced to escape to the Empire, if that¡¯s even possible. Furthermore, you¡¯d have to abandon your friends and family.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    As he saw the young man lower his head and keep his counsel, the General continued,


    ¡°Or you could work with us. What we want is pretty simple, actually. You¡¯ll continue your life doing whatever you want, but there will come a day where we call you. It might be after a year or 10 years. At that time, we want you to help us face whatever crisis might befall on our nation. Considering the pace at which you¡¯re improving, you¡¯ll definitely become a powerhouse.¡±


    The General paused and let out a self-deprecating sigh,


    ¡°The Witch Association has Nicvenevn and her three Nightmare Witches. The Serey Zhan Empire has its knights, its big armies, and the Sword Saint. Our nation is the smallest and we were able to be independent thanks to our advanced technology and a handful of hidden artifacts. Simply put, we do not have enough manpower. We lack strong people. It¡¯s shameful to say this, but I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against any of the 6-star Witches. See what I¡¯m getting at, Zeke?¡±


    General Zhang stared at the youth for a couple of breaths then spoke again, ¡°This nation is your home and, as you can see, we are ready to protect you from the Earthlings. However, if things turn sour, then war might break out, which is exactly why we need your cooperation and wholehearted agreement.¡±


    ¡°Cooperation as in what? Do I just need to promise?¡±


    ¡°An oath on the name of the Night Goddess.¡±


    The General took out a triangular jet-black token with a small raven¡¯s head sticking from the front.


    ¡°This is an ancient relic of the Goddess. It doesn¡¯t have any offensive or defensive effect, but it can be used for Oaths.¡±


    Zeke scrutinized the token but besides looking exquisite and old, it didn¡¯t give off any type of energy, unlike high-graded artifacts.


    ¡°¡®I, Zeke Orland, swear that I will help the Nezulian Republic in times of need. I swear this upon the Eternal Goddess of Night, I swear this on my soul and heart that shall slumber in the soothing darkness.¡¯ Say that and I will consider our ¡®deal¡¯ sealed.¡±


    Zeke didn¡¯t answer or react in any way, he sat there, absent-mindedly looking at the token for an indeterminate amount of time.


    The General wasn¡¯t asking too much of him, at least right now. Zeke had something that ensured his survival no matter what, but he needed to be free and organise things with Sulong as well as train without having to worry about pursuers or dangers.


    Moreover, since Edward and Maxine were living here, Zeke would lend a hand if something were to happen.


    Eventually, after deliberating for a long while, Zeke nodded toward Zhang and was handed the token.


    With one hand on top of it, he repeated the same words.


    ¡°I, Zeke Orland, swear that I will help the Nezulian Republic in times of need. I swear this upon the Eternal Goddess of Night, I swear this on my soul and heart that shall slumber in the soothing darkness.¡±


    Right after saying that, he felt a powerful and ominous darkness that invaded his body and wrapped around his heart, tightening momentarily.


    After a couple of seconds, the darkness vanished and everything returned to normal.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    The General faintly smiled as he took back the token and explained,


    ¡°The Earthlings, specifically the Captain of Spaceship Z-01 Madam Jorie, knows of your identity and wants to take you back to Earth alive. We will tell her you resisted our attempt and we had to kill you.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be enough.¡±-Zeke


    ¡°If we didn¡¯t have your body, then yes. As I told you, our nation has no shortage of miraculous artifacts, which can fool almost anyone. The Earthlings¡¯ knowledge about Aether and Magic is limited and superficial, so the trick should work just fine. We have already provided a place for you to hide until they leave.¡±


    ¡°What about Frederic?¡±


    A cold glint flashed across Zhang¡¯s eyes as he muttered with murderous and low tone, ¡°We will take care of him.¡±


    Zeke sighed in relief and leaned back, feeling a bit calmer.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it? You will not bother me ever again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can run rampant and oppose us. I¡¯m talking about the incident at the facility.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you.¡± Rebuked Zeke as the two Special Agents got back into the car.


    <hr>


    In a messy laboratory filled with broken potions, dusty books, old parchments, and broken furniture, a man with black fur covering a third of his body and a pair of fluffy wolf ears was pacing around while talking to himself.


    ¡°Wolfie!¡±


    He jumped from fright and shifted his gaze to the entrance, from which barged a woman with a revealing black dress and a distinctive red mask.


    ¡°Velvet? Why are you here?¡±


    Red Mask Wolf grunted and rushed in front of a massive strange machine, which he had miserably failed to hide.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to snoop around, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°As if! You¡¯re always plotting something!¡±


    Signora found a somewhat non-broken chair and sat down, her legs crossed and her eyes focusing on the man with wolf-ears.


    ¡°I can¡¯t begin to recount what happened to me recently.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember asking.¡± He retorted while sitting on the floor and scratching his head. Red Mask Wolf looked like a haggard scientist that lacked any talent or accomplishments. However, he was actually a genius inventor and a valuable member of the Ascetic Blasphemers.


    ¡°Even if you asked, I¡¯m not at liberty to talk. Anyway, can you tell me what you know about the Night Goddess?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    Wolf knew Signora for more than ten years, so he was naturally surprised to see her inquire about historical figures. She was usually a self-centered and arrogant woman that cared only about herself and never paid heed to myths and legends.


    ¡°You¡¯re being strange today. Are you under hypnosis? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it and tell me. I know you like to talk about that stuff.¡±


    ¡°And I know you hate listening! Ugh¡­¡±


    He glared at her with his deep yellow eyes for a bit then sighed and relented.


    ¡°Fine fine. She appeared a bit before the Eternal Night Era, so the records and books that mention her can be counted on one hand. The rest is hearsay. Her name and appearance are unknown, but I know for certain that she was one of the previous users of the Paths of Extinction System.¡±


    ¡°How can you be certain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because she was briefly mentioned in the Mad Emperor¡¯s biography. I¡¯m talking about the genuine one, not the one sold in public markets and whatnot.¡±


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Continue? You think I can shit information about her? She¡¯s an enigma. The last thing I know about her is that she was, by far, the strongest System user in history, so much so that she broke free from the limitation and literally ascended to become a Goddess.¡±


    As he noticed Velvet Signora pondering in silence, Wolf frowned and asked,


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? What¡¯s with the sudden curiosity?¡±


    ¡°My Master asked me to learn more about the Night Goddess.¡±


    ¡°M-Master? What in the blue hell is going on? You, the Collector, are calling someone ¡®Master¡¯?¡± Red Mask Wolf viciously slapped himself, ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m not dreaming? What the fuck?¡±


    When the temporary dizziness from the slap was gone, he saw Signora stand in front of him, her mask lowered as she smiled coldly.


    ¡°Fancy switching sides, Wolfie? You¡¯re a dear old friend of mine, and I wouldn¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Instead of wasting words explaining everything, Signora preferred a visual display.


    The strange rune engraved by Zeke let out a sinister energy as a frightening wraith-like silhouette manifested above Velvet.


    Red Mask Wolf wasn¡¯t a good fighter, but he was still decently strong. However, he kept shaking non-stop when the energy of death and decay washed over him.


    Fortunately, Signora cancelled her new ability right after and offered a bit of verbal exposition.¡±


    ¡°A gift from my Master. If you help me, I can put a good word for you. You no longer lack funds, Wolfie, you¡¯re in need of something new. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯re suggesting?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve looked at Death right in the face and I can tell you that there¡¯s nothing¡­ nothing scarier than that.¡±

 Chapter 107 The Corpse

    Sunday morning, the day after the final Exams ended.


    Subsequent to Zeke¡¯s agreement, General Zhang, Madam Jevani, and Minister Bhak Djinn acted swiftly and prepared everything by the next day.


    The Space Soldiers escorted Madam Jorie to the conference room, which was filled to the brim with the strongest Special Agents as well the Team Captains of all three departments.


    It was the first time in a long while that all the powerhouses of the Nezulian Republic were all present in one place. Even when the Ambassador came, not all the Special Agents dispatched to foreign nations were present.


    Upon seeing the big crowd,  the elderly representative of the humans furrowed her brows and walked toward a corpse lying on a small bed.


    She scrutinized the lifeless body of the youth, recognizing it as Zeke Orland.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but he caught wind of our plans and tried to escape. We had to eliminate him.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Jorie¡¯s frown deepened as she touched the corpse before glancing at the leader of the Space Soldiers, the same man who displayed superhuman capabilities during the incident.


    The man, whose facial features were the long helmet with black-colored glass, approached Zeke¡¯s body and used somesort of identification device.


    After a few moments of silence, he received a positive result so he nodded at his superior. It seemed that not even the Earthling¡¯s advanced technology was able to bypass the might of magic and artifacts.


    ¡°This is regrettable¡­ but still satisfactory. We shall take the body with us.¡±


    ¡°We have no need for it. Use it as you see fit.¡± Solemnly responded Zhang, who was the de-facto leader.


    ¡°...¡±


    The old woman tried to read the man¡¯s inscrutable and expressionless face, but she was unsuccessful, which made her sigh and dismissively wave her hand as she walked away.


    ¡°I trust we will see no retaliation from your part?¡± Asked Zhang right before she left the conference room.


    ¡°You misunderstand me, General.¡±


    With her head half-turned, she stared back at the red-haired man and explained,


    ¡°Personally, I neither want a war nor a confrontation. I¡¯m a soldier and the captain of my ship¡­ and I care more about the wellbeing of my soldiers rather than exacting vengeance. Ultimately, however, the final verdict will be decided by my superiors.¡±


    She paused for a half a beat before adding, ¡°But I think they won¡¯t recklessly declare war either. It¡¯s not beneficial for either side.¡±


    When she finally left along with her Space Soldiers, Bhakk Djinn clasped his hand and silently prayed whereas Jevani and Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡­


    North-West of the Sunken Metropolis, Frederic Whitefort was driving a large silver van while swearing non-stop. He kept looking to his rear and using an artifact that sent lazer beams to hinder or eliminate his pursuers.


    Many large black trucks were in hot pursuit, and it was clear that they were from the Department of Defense.


    Frederic was going to attend the meeting and ascertain Zeke''s death, but, to his surprise, he was ambushed by none other than an old friend of his, Ghaoul.


    He had immediately fled, but successfully losing his chasers proved to be much more difficult than anticipated.


    His van had diverged from the dirt road and speeding through a rocky valley as bullets were raining down on it.


    Eventually, the vehicle''s tires were hit and Frederic was forced to jump away. He was holding a round crystal oozing a black fog on one hand and a short dagger on the other.


    Frederic was unscathed but his escape route was blocked by one person. Two people were on either side of him, one was a handsome black-haired man and the other was a gentleman wearing an exquisite suit and a monocle.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    Frederic kept his composure as he glared at the assassin from Black Wing. The two were particularly close, which made it all the more surprising to see the man try to assassinate him.


    Ghaoul spread his hands and shrugged while softly smiling,


    ¡°Whatever do you mean, Frederic? Was it not you who told me the truth? Furthermore, this was a job commission by dear old Zhang.¡±


    Frederic gritted his teeth and glanced at the other person, who was, in fact, Edward Orland.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake. I will not go down so easily.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t, old friend.¡± Retorted Ghaoul as he chuckled. ¡°This is precisely why he came to help me. Now then¡­ any last words?¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    Ghaoul extended his hand forward and clenched it, causing the space around Frederic to shatter like glass.


    The vagabond jumped in the air then stabbed the dagger into his chest, which made his body grow bigger and turn golden.


    Two large flying and spiky sharks made of water flew from Edward¡¯s direction, crashing into Frederic and blowing him away.


    Ghaoul, like a ghost, appeared next to the destabilised vagabond and snapped his finger, which made the latter¡¯s arm get pulled into a void-like rift.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    Even with his body reinforced by the dagger, Frederic¡¯s arm was easily cut-off. He shouted in pain and clutched his profusely bleeding shoulder. He threw the orb in the air then muttered an incantation, which made an ominous darkness spread at an alarming rate and form a dreadful black sphere.


    Edward creased his brows and moved his hands, casting a defensive spell that enveloped his body into a big bubble of water. Ghaoul, on the other hand, literally pulled the air like a curtain and turned invisible.


    Frederic didn¡¯t wait for the black sphere to explode as he broke into a sprint. His golden body was shining brighter and brighter and his speed was outrageous.


    Alas, Ghaoul and Edward came fully prepared; The former ripped the air again, but with a stronger force, which made the sphere disintegrate. The latter shot in the air before conjuring a frightening big wave of water that cascaded on the valley and swept Frederic along with it.


    The pressure from the water flattened the vagabond, causing his bones to be broken and his legs to be quasi-crushed.


    ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t¡­¡±


    Frederic, vomiting blood, tried to resist and say something but he was near-death and in a miserable state.


    Edward approached him and used a Crystalline blue spear to stab his chest then his head. Unexpectedly, a couple of seconds later, Frederic¡¯s body turned into sand.


    ¡°Survival Sand Watch. He escaped, but the artifact he used only switched his body with sand, it didn¡¯t heal his injuries. There¡¯s a strong chance he¡¯ll succumb die.¡±


    Edward snorted and pulled his spear from the sand, his expression ugly and filled with anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally, Mister Orland.¡± Calmly stated the elegant man.


    ¡°Frederic targeted your brother solely because of the System. He wanted the eyes to attempt somesort of ritual that might transfer the System to him. After all, he¡¯s ever been infatuated, if not obsessed, with the Systems.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about his motives. One day, I¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    ¡°Well, good luck with that.¡± Ghaoul performed a polite bow, ¡°I believe my job here is done. I¡¯ve fulfilled my end of the contract.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Edward hesitated for a bit then asked, ¡°Why did you accept? We didn¡¯t offer you a lot of money. If you went to Frederic, he would¡¯ve paid much more.¡±


    ¡°That will risk souring my relationship with the General. Moreover, were Frederic to get the System, there¡¯s no telling what he might do. In comparison, Zeke Orland is manageable and relatively docile. We¡¯re a business, Mister Orland, and businesses chase after profits.¡±


    ¡°That sounds contradicting


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Ghaoul shook his head and happily delineated, ¡°Directly or not, we believe that Zeke Orland will bring us more money than Frederic. Plus, we¡¯re on particularly good terms with the Whitefort Family, therefore, siding with the heir they exiled wouldn¡¯t be beneficial.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. I¡¯m fine. Look!¡±


    Zeke flexed his grown muscles at the dejected Angel, who insisted on visiting him.


    He was currently staying in the hideout provided by the General. The place is situated at the outskirts of the Sunken Metropolis and heavily guarded by dozens of Special Agents.


    No electronic devices were allowed and Zeke had to be inside the estate at all times. It was a necessary precaution that had to be followed until the Earthlings departed, which shouldn¡¯t take long.


    As one of his close friends, Sulong was contacted and notified about what happened. In fact, Zhang was cooperative enough to let Angel and Sulong come visit during the evening.


    Zeke chuckled and caressed the little girl¡¯s head as she slightly cheered up.


    She had become more expressive and less scared or sad, especially after her birthday party. She also no longer avoided the scary-looking Sulong and seemed to be getting along with him.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m going alone tonight?¡±


    Sulog referred to the job commissioned by Madam Rodrey.


    ¡°That seems to be the case. Still, you¡¯ve become quite strong so it shouldn¡¯t be hard.¡±


    Sulong laughed outloud as he enjoyed the comfortable sofa while gobbling up the delicious dishes on the cart.


    ¡°I have indeed grown stronger. Look!¡±


    The muscular bald man conjured his crimson flames then manipulated with deep concentration, making it take the shape of a rabbit then a sword then a teddy bear.


    ¡°I know nothing about Aether, but I can feel it more distinctly. Speaking of which..¡±


    Sulong glanced at Angel, who was munching on a cookie, and continued,


    ¡°She told me she can see Aether. Is that normal?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that true, Angel?¡±


    The girl nodded her head while sweetly smiling. She pointed all around her while making comical motions as if trying to explain something.


    ¡°Here, your notebook.¡±


    As she was incapable of speaking due to physiological and psychological issues, Angel relied on a pen to write her thoughts.


    ¡°Aether. Green. Pretty.¡±


    She wrote those words while clinging to Zeke and wobbling her head left and right.


    ¡°Wow! Our Angel is really good¡­ isn¡¯t that right, Sulong?¡±


    ¡°Yes yes! She¡¯s the best!¡± Sulong subtly winked back.


    Angel giggled and shyly dangled her feet as she avoided Zeke¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°But you should be careful, okay? We¡¯ll play more together when I come back.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what did Doctor Xavier say?¡± Asked Zeke as he handed her another cookie.


    ¡°Umm¡­ I don¡¯t know a lot about the medical field so the only thing I understand is that she needs an operation. Ah! He also said he can¡¯t do it alone and that you should decide.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Zeke lowered his head and looked at the girl for a bit as he pondered. From the outside, Angel¡¯s looked healthy and energetic, but Xavier did say that her body was crumbling and reforming itself.


    Were it not for her strong regenerative ability, she would have died a long time ago.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this once I¡¯m out of this place. There¡¯s many things to sort, after all.¡±


    ¡°Alright. One last thing¡­¡±


    Sulong grunted in annoyance as he lowered his voice, ¡°That wench, Signora, she contacted me. She¡¯s coming here, apparently. She didn¡¯t deign to tell me the details, though. Shit! I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±


    Seeing Sulong act too repulsed, Zeke sighed.


    Velvet Signora might be one of the high-ranking members of the Ascetic Blasphemers, but she had become the Seat of Death and a valuable and absolutely loyal subordinate to Zeke.


    Recruiting her was not a deliberate act from Zeke¡¯s part, but he was eventually pleased with the outcome. Velvet, known as the Collector, was strong before and even more now.


    Her arrival would significantly facilitate the apprehension of Rebecca and Beatrice, the spies from the Ascetic Blasphemers.