《The Great Conqueror》


 Chapter 0 - His World

    The empire that controlled all of the known world for two hundred generations fell as a result of a mass rebellion by three of their four subordinate kingdoms, only the Ject Kingdom didn¡¯t rebel because the Royal family of the Royaume Empire were the direct rulers of the Kingdom.


    The rebellion was indeed massive but the power of the Royaume Empire was not small causing the fighting to go on for three years, alas, the Royaume empire was not able to hold on and eventually fell.


    After the fall of the Royaume Empire, the Royaume royal family descendants dispersed all over the world and were hunted down, and the Ject Kingdom fell into the hands of the Holt family who were a branch family of the Royaume Royal family.


    The connection between the Holt family and the Royaume Royal family caused the other three kingdoms to be weary of the Ject Kingdom, however, the four Kingdoms were reluctant to continue fighting mainly because the Ject Kingdom which was the base of the Royaume Empire had tremendous power and wealth as well as their own need to consolidate their powers.


    The world fell into a state of fragile peace as the four kingdoms started to heal the wounds of the long struggle. However, the tensions between these newly founded powers was not small. Each Kingdom wanted to be dominant power, perhaps even take the role of the Royaume Empire.


    Seven Years after the fall of the Royaume Empire, the drums of war sounded as the Norn Kingdom from the north invaded the Ject kingdom, this led to the Tamin Kingdom to the east to invade the Norn kingdom, while the western Entaf Kingdom Invaded the Tamin Kingdom. This was the Beginning of the First War of Four.


    Because the four kingdoms all shared borders with one another, no kingdom could commit their entire force to one front lest they risk being invaded by the other Kingdoms, So the First War of Four quickly descended into a deadly stalemate that drained on the resources of all the Kingdoms.


    After a year of no progress by any of the four countries, the four Kingdoms'' leaders held a conference. This conference marked the first time since the fall of the Royaume Empire that the four kingdoms met in official capacity which led to a heavy atmosphere caused by numerous things mainly the presence of the Ject Kingdom''s King who the others saw as an extension of the Royaume Family.


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    Fortunately, everyone present understood the importance of this conference, so no direct altercations occurred and after four days and four nights of negotiations, the conference was concluded and the Blackreach Treaty was signed.


    The Blackreach Treaty, named for Blackreach County which was a sort of an intersection at the center of the continent, where the negotiations took place. The treaty outlined numerous things such as the official borders of each kingdom and limits on each kingdom''s military capabilities, the treaty also included numerous minor details of the peace such as the Norn Kingdom paying war reparations to the Ject Kingdom and so on.


    The Blackreach Treaty also included a clause known as the Balance clause which outlined numerous things such as:


    No one King can sit on the throne of any of the two of the four kingdoms.


    No King Descended from the Royaume Family can sit on the throne of any of the four kingdoms.


    Blackreach County is to remain neutral from any of the four kingdoms'' control.


    The first two points of the Balance clause served to keep the balance of power between the kingdoms while the third served to establish a buffer between the four kingdoms as well as keep any one kingdom from gaining control of the strategically superior Blackreach County.


    Of course this treaty did not stop future wars between the four Kingdoms, however, it did decrease the chances of a Continental war by maintaining the delicate balance between the four Kingdoms, while at the same time ensuring that the Royaume Empire or anything like it never appears in the future.

 Chapter 1 - His Birth

    Thousand years have passed since the fall of the Royaume Empire.


    In the Heart of the Ject Kingdom, In the rear side of castle Holt, there were hundreds of small houses reserved for visiting dignitaries, servants and low ranking members. These humble homes would hardly ever attract one''s attention because of their simple and unadorned facades and measly sizes.


    However, today In the courtyard of one of these houses stood four men. Of course seeing four men stand in a courtyard still does not warrant the attention of anyone, however, what was amazing about these four was the fact that they were unequivocally the most powerful men in the Ject Kingdom.


    The road outside the small house was currently being occupied by at least two hundred knights of the royal guard and all the roofs of all the small houses around the area were occupied by archers. This intense gathering of soldiers caused the area to feel almost like a battlefield.However, the atmosphere outside the courtyard of the small house could only be considered mild compared to the atmosphere inside the courtyard.


    The first man, who appeared to be in his late fifties, wore a golden shirt with similar golden trousers. His hair was blue almost like ocean with a tint of green which contrasted against his blue hair. His face was pale and his jawline defined. His eyes, however, were the most captivating feature of his face with their jade green color which gave people a sense of familiarity.


    Slightly to the man''s right was a large, muscular man wearing full body armor with two giant swords crossed on his back. He was at least half a head taller than the first man, and his eyes although jade green as well, were far sharper and more fierce than the first man. If the first man''s appearance made one feel calm, then this man''s appearance made people feel true dread in their hearts.


    The third man stood to the left of the golden man, but unlike the first two he seemed more amiable. He wore a white robe that glittered in the sun which gave him the feeling of a scholar or doctor of some sort. His eyes were obstructed by his long dark hair which went all the way to his shoulders almost covering his entire face.


    Finally the fourth man stood behind the other three. He was an old man with short gray hair and a short but stubble gray beard. This old man almost seemed like a shadow, his eyes were closed and he stood slouching with a dark cane in his left arm and a thick book in his right.


    All four men stood in that small courtyard motionless, so much so that one could easily mistake them for four statues. They were all staring at the small wooden door of the house in front of them as if waiting for a judgment from a god. As they stood there, they exuded an air of royalty around them, invisible to the naked eye but enough to make one''s heart tremble and their head lowered. They stood there for minute upon minutes with each second feeling like an eternity and no one daring to make a sound.


    Ever so often, as the men stood there, a shrill scream full of agony would come from within the door. Normally it would be ignored without a second thought, but as the four men stood there motionless, each scream was like thunder and each scream made them flinch.


    After half an hour of a soundless sermon only interrupted by the occasional scream, the small door of the house creaked and slowly opened. At that moment the all four men looked up. And as they kept staring at the slowly opening door, they felt time grind to a bloody halt. But eventually, after what felt like an eternity, the door fully opened and a small maid walked out.


    As the small maid approached the four men, one could notice a bright smile on her a face. As the golden man looked at the maids smile, he felt his heart tighten, and he slightly trembled. As soon as she stepped out the golden man almost lashed at her:


    "Speak"  His voice was melodious but firm and held tremendous amount of authority, but one could still notice the excitement in his voice.


    The maid simply kept walking towards them slowly until she was at least three feet away from the golden man. When she was certain she was within speaking distance she spoke:


    "It is a boy your Majesty"


    The golden man felt euphoria spread throughout his body. How many years has he waited and waited but with no success. But now he finally had a son. After forty years on the throne, three queens, and dozens of concubines, he finally had a son. His joy was visible on his face as he felt the weight of the world disappear from his shoulders.


    The man immediately walked towards the residence in a hurried but dignified manner which further emphasized his air of royalty. While he was walking towards the small house, millions of thoughts swarmed his mind and he couldn''t help but show a jubilant, bright smile.


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    The golden man was King Edmund Holt, the thirty first king of the Ject kingdom. He was known throughout the Ject kingdom for his fairness as well as his kindness. The other three kingdoms also recognized his ability to rule and his clear-minded and diplomatic approach to conflicts. During the forty or so years of his reign, aside from minor border skirmishes, there has not been any major wars.


    However, Edmund was often criticized for his inability to produce an heir. He was called the aimless king behind his back and most of the influential people in the royal court starting currying favor with his younger brother, Robert Holt, whom they believed was destined to the next king. This caused Edmund no small amount of stress, but today he has finally achieved his ultimate goal.  he finally had a son.


    While engrossed in his thoughts, Edmund found himself standing besides a bed with a pale tired lady in it. The thing that caught Edmund''s attention, however, was not the lady but the crying little bundle in her arms. He looked at that tiny bundle as if he was looking at some godly treasure and his eyes showed a small glint as they started watering.


    After barely managing to collect his thoughts, Edmund reached towards the little gray bundle and almost tore it from the lady''s arms. The young lady was ghostly pale with beads of sweat rolling of her forehead and one could not help but feel a hint of sympathy for her, but Edmund payed her no attention for his mind was warped by the little baby in his arms.


    Holding the child, Edmund felt incomparable happiness. He looked at the child with his eyes glittering as he saw strands of the Holt family''s traditional blue hair on the baby''s head. He felt like he could almost fly, and perhaps he would have tried to if he was not afraid he might break little treasure. Behind Edmund stood the other three men. The armored warrior and the white robed man both had brilliant smiles on their faces, only the dark robed old man was stoic as always, and as if to bring Edmund out of his daze, the warrior spoke:


    "Brother, what will you name him"


    Edmund hearing his younger brother''s inquiry was startled. He had been so overwhelmed by the happiness in his heart that he forgot to think about a name for the child. after a short moment of thinking, he suddenly had a spark of insight, and with a smile and a proud said sound he announced:


    "Wesley, His name will be Wesley Holt."


    As soon as they heard the words out of Edmund''s mouth, the armored warrior and the white-robed man, both instantly frowned and the brightness on their faces turned ghastly dark, only the black-robed old man remained the same.


    The name Wesley was not an uncommon name. However, in the known history of the world there has only been one Wesley who stood above anyone else who shared his name. That was Wesley Royaume, the founder of the Royaume Empire, its first emperor and the greatest conqueror in the history of the world.


    This was the worst possible name for a child from a family who tried for the last thousand years to distance themselves from any association with the Royaume Empire. However, as they were about the voice their objection to the name, the dark robed old man walked forward towards Edmund.


    The moment he was next to Edmund, the dark book in his right hand started floating in the air. This was an amazing sight because while mages are not too uncommon, they still only constituted about a millionth of the whole population making them rare enough. As for this seemingly feeble old man, he is considered the most powerful mage in the ject kingdom and some even argue the four kingdoms. He is monikered throughout the world as Rale the keeper.


    The old man started writing something in the dark book that was still floating in the air and after a short while, he spoke in a soft voice:


    "By giving him the Holt name, you now legitimize the child"


    While his words shook the hearts of both the armored warrior and the white robed man, but they did not dare retort, so they simply shook their heads in resignation and tried their best to smile. Seeing that there were no objections, Edmund smiled and nodded his head not turning away from the baby in his arms.


    ..................In year 8134 of the Common Calendar, Wesley Holt was born...................

 Chapter 2 - His Childhood

    Edmund was standing in that small bedroom staring at his tiny son with a look that conveyed his pride as a father and his dignity as a king. While standing there motionless, Edmund''s mind was frantically planning out Wesley''s future. After a few minutes Edmund who seemed to have gathered his thoughts spoke with a respectful tone:


    "Old man Rale, do you mind testing his magical affinities" Edmund said while looking over at the dark robed Rale.


    The old man simply nodded and took a small step towards Wesley then placed his hand on his head. He muttered something under his breath and his had small glow but then instantly dimmed down. Old man Rale had a faint smile on face and then he spoke:


    "He has an average affinity with darkness, not enough to become a mage"


    Edmund felt dejected at Rale''s words but he wasn¡¯t too bothered after all mages were quite rare, so next he looked over at the armored warrior and spoke:


    "Robert, now test his warrior affinities"


    Robert walked forward next to Wesley, as soon as he was next to Edmund and Wesley, He started probing Wesley''s body, moving his arms and legs, tapping his abdomen and son on. After a few minutes of probing and prodding, Robert looked up at Edmund and spoke in an almost regretful voice:


    "His muscles are average brother, he could be trained but he won''t be able to compete with those with innately strong bodies."


    Edmund was somewhat disappointed at the words of both Rale and Robert, he instantly knew that this son of his will not be able to achieve great things in the future, but he consoled himself with the belief that at least his line was secure.


    After a short moment of silence, Edmund started walking towards the exit with Wesley still in his arms, not even staring at the mother who was on the bed unconscious. The moment he reached the gates of the small courtyard, the soldiers who were lined outside instantly stood at attention. Edmund and the other three climbed into a huge, extravagant carriage and headed towards the Royal Palace.


    Castle Holt, for the next few days, was in a celebratory mood. Huge festivals were held in many parts of the castle, numerous merchants, circuses and entertainers rushed towards the castle from all over the kingdom, and it soon turned into one big festival. Even most of the nobles and notables of the Kingdom came to congratulate Edmund on his achievement and littered him with gifts and marriage proposals. For the next few years, Wesley lived the uneventful life of a baby prince, being pampered, with the occasional ball where he was showed of to visiting dignitaries and nobles. Unfortunately for Wesley, on his second birthday, an event occurred that changed his future tremendously.


    King Edmund Holt, the thirty first King of the Ject Kingdom, had his second son. When Edmund heard the news he couldn¡¯t believe it, he who was childless for so long suddenly had two sons In the span of two years. The happiness in Edmund''s heart could not be concealed furthermore, this second son of his when tested showed that he has a high affinity for fire, and an above average warrior affinity. He was simply ecstatic, his first son and second son were like heaven and earth.


    The second son was christened Delan Holt, and was instantly named as the crown prince. This was not a totally unexpected surprise, Delen did not only have far greater potential than Wesley, He was also the son of the queen while Wesley was the son of a concubine.


    The life of a Second prince was not that different from that of a first prince, so Wesley still enjoyed his pampered life, however, since Edmund finally had a genius son he hardly paid any attention to Wesley, and because Wesley''s mother died shortly after his birth, he was essentially left in the hands of the maids and servants.


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    Five years later.


    Castle Holt was in a celebratory mood today, because today is King Edmund Holt''s Fiftieth year on the throne, a tremendous achievement considering most kings reign for thirty or so years. Numerous nobles, notables and dignitaries from all four Kingdoms came to pay their respects, some also came to see the genius crown prince that became the envy of the world.


    Edmund was sitting in his study wearing a formal golden robe, with a blue, green eyed eagle emblem of the Holt Family on its back. Next to him sat the queen with a small child that was around five or so years old wearing a white robe with an emblem similar to Edmund''s on her lap.


    Edmund was about to head out to the ball, when he noticed that Wesley was not present. In any other situation, he would ignore the absence of Wesley, but he couldn''t today since the absence of the second prince from the celebration of the king''s reign could be interpreted as a form of insult to the king. So with his frown Edmund turned to one of the servants and barked:


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    "Find Wesley"


    The servant as if ordered by a god darted out of the study. All the servants knew Wesley well, after all they were the ones who raised him, so it wasn''t hard to guess where he would be because he spent most of his time either locked in his room or in the Royal library. After checking the library and not finding him, the servant immediately ran towards his room.


    Once the servant reached the room, he immediately opened the door and walked in. An action he wouldn¡¯t do on any normal occasion, but the scream from the king terrified him  out of his wits causing him to just enter the room without permission.


    The moment the servant set foot inside the room, before he could even regret his lack of decorum in just rushing in, he was surrounded by darkness. Unnatural darkness that seemed to stretch as far as the horizon. The servant was instantly terrified and fell on his knees. He felt unimaginable dread in his heart and in the depths of his mind he knew he wouldn¡¯t life was forfeit in this darkness.


    While the servant was on his knees sobbing, he felt a hand on his shoulder and instantly looked up only to see a pair of deep green eyes staring at him. He felt his heart shudder. Then he heard a familiar voice:


    "You really should knock before you enter"


    Looking around him the servant noticed that the darkness was gone, and while the room still looked dark and unadorned, it was nothing compared to the initial darkness he saw, and next to him stood Wesley who had  a small reassuring smile on his face. The servant immediately felt at ease, he somehow managed to survive when he was certain he wouldn¡¯t, but he still had a fearful expression as he looked around, then he looked at the only person near him and asked in a shaky voice:


    "Young master, what was that"


    Wesley just shook his head with a self-reproaching smile, then he helped the servant up and said:


    "It was nothing, Now why were you looking for me?"


    The servant realizing that he not only entered the prince''s room without permission he also proceeded to question him felt deep embarrassment and regret. His voice still shaky, he said:


    "The King is waiting for you, the reception is about to begin"


    Wesley remembered that today was the Kings'' fiftieth year on the throne celebration. He simply snorted then look at the servant who was wiping his face and said:


    "I see, lead the way please."


    The servant acknowledged with a slight bow and started walking out towards the study. The moment they got to the study, the servant stood to the side of the door and gestured to Wesley to go in. Wesley looked at the servant, then he said with a small smile:


    "Oh, and keep what you saw today to yourself"


    Saying so, Wesley walked in to the study not glancing at the servant whose face was drained of all colour. The moment Wesley walked in, he was met with a tackle from little Delan. Delan truly liked Wesley, and although Wesley didn¡¯t have any close friends to spend time with he spent all his free time with little Delan. After he met Delan''s hug, Wesley simply rubbed his head, which Delan seemed to like and went towards Edmund without speaking a word to Delan. When Wesley was within four feet of the king, he kneeled down and said:


    "Forgive my tardiness father."


    Edmund looked at Wesley with a face devoid of all emotions and simply snorted saying:


    "You have kept us waiting long enough, let us go"


    Saying so he simply walked out of the room with little Delan walking on his right and the Queen on his left. Wesley simply smiled then walked directly behind Edmund.


    ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


    Hey Guys:


    Nice to meet you. if you really like the story, if you just wanted to check it out, or if you simply wanted something to keep you entertained until the new chapter of coiling dragon comes out, then welcome.


    I am new to this Writing thing, am sure you noticed a lot of errors- I blame my primary school english teachers- so be strong


    and if you like the story, please let me know, and if you don''t like it let me know as well, your feedback is a tremendous help to me.


    thanks to all those guys who sent me tips about how to fix my spacing. i tried it in this chapter.


    Anyway, nice to meet you, and see you next chapter.

 Chapter 3 - His Teacher

    After having walked for a few minutes, Edmund and his procession made it to the ballroom. Edmund then proceeded to signal his arrival to the servant who stood by the door who then promptly, in his clearest and loudest voice announced the arrival of the king and queen.


    The entire ballroom instantly quieted down, and once Edmund was certain all eyes were on him he started to walk towards the throne in a slow and deliberate pace. He politely nodded to few people as he walked forward and he made sure that he smiled to seem as kind and kingly as possible.


    As Edmund walked between the people towards the crown, his golden robe flickered under the lighting of the ballroom, giving all the observing people a feeling of ease. However, as soon as the people noticed the shining golden robe Edmund wore they couldn''t help but notice the youth that walked behind him.


    Unlike the golden saintly robe Edmund wore, the youth behind him wore a dark robe. While Edmunds robe seemed to leak light and made people gasp at its elegance and beauty, the youth''s robe seemed to absorb light like a black hole, he gave people a sense of dread as he exuded a faint aura of emptiness with his ice cold green eyes that never seemed to blink.


    Most of the kingdom''s nobles recognized Wesley as the second prince but the visiting dignitaries from the other kingdoms as well as those who were not very familiar with Holt family immediately assumed that Wesley was the renowned genius prince.


    Eventually, Edmund reached the throne. He turned around elegantly, then looked towards the visitors and simply sat down on his throne. The queen sat down in a smaller throne on the right of Edmunds throne with little Delan on her lap, while Wesley simply stood to the left of Edmunds throne. After making certain that everyone took their places, Edmund spoke in a dignified, merry voice:


    "Welcome"


    The entire hall broke into an applause and many people started walking towards the throne to pay their respects and convey their congratulations. The first noble to person to approach was an old looking man. After bowing to Edmund, he spoke in a croaky voice:


    "The King of Norn sends his best wishes to his Majesty King Edmund Holt, and the crown prince"


    That last part with the crown prince was said while looking at Wesley. This startled Edmund a little but he regained his composure immediately and smiled at the old man saying:


    "We appreciate the Kings good wishes, please enjoy the ball"


    Wesley simply stood there unmoving without even a hint of emotion on his face. This impressed most of the people in the hall, and some of the women even eyed him with a hint of red on their cheeks, after all, Wesley was not too bad looking, his slender frame and childish face gave him somewhat girlish features.


    Another person approached the throne, this time it was an impressively dressed young man with golden blonde hair and similarly golden eyes, he bowed slightly at towards Edmund and spoke in a melodious, almost singsongy voice:


    "The King of Tamin sends his best regards and facilitation to his majesty, king Edmund Holt, and the crown prince"


    This young man, just like the old man before him, bowed slightly to Wesley as he spoke. Edmund was startled as he couldn''t understand why the people kept calling Wesley the crown prince, but he kept his thoughts to himself and returned the greeting hoping that those two people were simply mistaken about Wesley''s identity since they came from other kingdoms.


    Unfortunately for Edmund, all the other people who were lined up behind the first two took their ques from them and started greeting Wesley as the crown prince. Wesley didn¡¯t really mind, after all this was but a bother to him since he would very much rather be doing other things, but Edmund who was sitting next to him was greatly stressed, he couldn''t stop people from thinking Wesley was the crown prince since so many has already greeted him as such and correcting them now would cause them to lose face, but he was also afraid that false news might spread that Wesley was now the crown prince which will cause him headaches later.


    After everyone was done with their greetings and congratulations, they all went back to dancing, chatting and general merrymaking. Wesley went to the far corner of the hall and sat in a small bench. He inwardly sighed with relief but was immediately interrupted by numerous young ladies wanting to chat or dance or some such things.


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    ....................................................................................................................................................


    After almost ten minutes of sitting in his little corner, and fending off the advances and invitations of at least a dozen young ladies, Wesley was finally alone. After ensuring that there were no eyes on him, the shadow of the corner of the room where Wesley sat got darker, and a short moment later, Wesley was gone. He re-emerged almost a hundred feet away in a dark hallway. After making sure that there was no one around he slowly started walking.


    After having walked for almost ten minutes, Wesley finally reached the west tower of the palace. After reaching the entrance to the tower, Wesley respectfully knocked on the door. This was not very surprising since the west tower was known to be the dwelling of the  most powerful mage in the Ject Kingdom, Rale the Keeper.


    "Come"


    After hearing the short response, the shadows around Wesley intensified again and he walked in, only to reappear at the top of the tower. The moment he walked out of the shadow, Wesley immediately cupped his hands and said respectfully:


    "Master"


    If anyone looked they would notice that in the dark room, there was only Wesley while everything else was In utter darkness. However for some reason Wesley spoke out as if there was someone there.


    "You are late"


    The darkness spoke once again, and this time it seemed to have slightly gotten darker in the room. Wesley shuddered for a moment then replied in a baritone voice:


    "I had to attend the king''s celebration"


    A small hmph resounded in the darkness then the voice in the darkness spoke again:


    "Have you finished memorizing the basics yet"


    "Yes master" replied Wesley respectfully.


    "Show me your dark globe"


    The darkness commanded and immediately after the command, Wesley muttered something under his breath, then a mist-like shadow spread all over the room with Wesley as the epicenter, the mist continues to spread until it covered a circumference of two hundred feet.  The tower completely disappeared, only darkness stood where the tower was.


    "Good, that should be enough"


    Hearing those words, Wesley immediately released his dark globe, and sweat could be seen rolling off his forehead. His face was paler than usual and his eyes were flickering slightly, but he didn¡¯t show any hint of discomfort as his face remained as stoic as a rock.


    "Your range seems to have increased again"


    The whole room got a lot less darker as if a veil of night was lifted from it, and a small figure, half a head taller than Wesley could be seen standing in front of him with a faint but proud smile on his face. Rale looked at Wesley as if he was looking at a painting, his grey, almost closed eyes sizing, and evaluating him, then with a small approving nod, he said:


    "You are now ready for the next level of your training"


    His hand reached into a shadow that came out of nowhere and he withdrew half a dozen books. After looking at each individual book, he looked up at Wesley and said:


    "Take these books. You will learn them by heart for the next three years"


    Then he let the books float from his hand towards Wesley. Wesley then raised his hand towards the book and muttered something incoherent under his breath leading to the books being covered in darkness and disappearing, then he bowed slightly and said:


    "Yes master"


    "Good, now go back to your room and start refining, your mana capacity is pathetic"


    "Yes master"


    The shadow on the wall behind Wesley suddenly got darker, and Wesley without hesitation stepped into it only to appear a hundred feet away. He immediately started heading to his room to start refining mana, and to look at the books he got.


    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 Chapter 4 - His Training

    Wesley simply walked through the dark hallways of the palace towards his room. The royal palace naturally always had its hallways well lit and bright, but with every step Wesley took towards the lamps, they would start to dim and when he was close enough to them they would completely die out. If someone saw this spectacle they would not notice Wesley, rather they would only see darkness steadily creeping towards them.


    Wesley soon reached his room. Walking in he made sure to have locked the door this time so as to avoid a similar situation to the debacle with the servant earlier. Having locked the door, Wesley simply sat cross legged on his bed and then reached muttered something under his breath causing a small shadow to appear in front him. He reached into the shadow and pulled out the five or so books he received from Rale.


    The first thing he noticed was that three of the books had dark covers and gave of an dark aura and each of them had fifteen or so pages, the other three simply had brown covers and were significantly larger than the other three but not by too much. He opened the first of the dark books, which was titled [Refining Darkness], it outlined specific refining methods for those who use dark magic to refine mana. The second dark book was titled [Embracing Darkness] and seemed to have contained numerous techniques. The last of the three dark books was simply titled [History of Darkness].


    Wesley then turned his attention to the three brown books. They all seemed to be technique books and were titled [The Silent Sword], [The Silent Dagger] and the [The Silent Step]. Wesley instantly understood why rale gave him these books that had nothing to do with magic: it was because they are very compatible with Darkness but also served to hide his magic capabilities.


    Having understood the things he received from his master, Wesley immediately started reading the [Refining Darkness] book. This book outlined the most suitable refining method for a dark mage. The first method called for the use of Dark Globe. This Dark Globe does not have to have a range of two hundred meters like Wesley did earlier, rather it is only supposed to cover the body of the person, then the person is supposed to start refining while maintaining the Dark Globe around them. This causes the person to deplete their mana, however, because they are also refining at the same time they won''t completely run out of mana. This balances enables one''s mana pool to grow since it is being depleted and refilled constantly, and as the mana pool grows the range of the dark globe grows as well.


    Next, he started reading [Embracing Darkness]. The techniques outlined in this book were advanced versions of Dark Globe; Dark Warp, the technique Wesley used to teleport from places; and Dark Dimension, the technique of storing items in darkness which Rale and Wesley used to store the books. These techniques were a little too advanced for Wesley to grasp alone, so he decided to visit Rale often to learn them there.  As for the three Silent techniques, he would simply need to practice them often.


    .................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................


    For the next three years, Wesley''s life was nothing but constant practice and training. He would spend one third of the night sleeping, the other two thirds will be spent refining according to the [Refining Darkness] method. During the day, Wesley would spend three hours practicing his Silent techniques, a few hours reading his [History of Darkness] and other books, spending some time with little Delan, then he would spend sometime listening to lectures from various tutors and finally every evening, he would go to the West Tower to learn the advanced Darkness techniques from old man Rale. These last three years of constant training caused his understanding of Darkness and his mana pool to increase tremendously, his physical training also progressed smoothly.


    His hectic life of training was hardly ever interrupted. Since Wesley was the second prince he was not required to attend too many meeting or parties, especially since Edmund wanted to avoid a repeat of the embarrassment when Wesley was confused for the crown prince, as well as the fact that he thought Wesley was simply too lacking to force him to train or study.


    Despite only being ten years old, Wesley was now around a head taller than kids his own age because of his physical training with the Silent techniques, however, because the Silent techniques were more agility type techniques his body was slender and thin. Also, because he spent most of his time inside the castle his skin was pale causing his blue hair and jade green eyes to be exceedingly bright.


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    This afternoon Wesley was in the library listening to a lecture from one of his tutors about tactics and strategy. Although he was never interested in such things, he was nonetheless required to attend because he was the second prince. And even though he had no interest in war or similar things, he still paid adequate attention to the lectures to gain a general understanding of them.


    After the lecture, Wesley went to his room to read something before heading to the West Tower to meet Rale. Reaching his room, Wesley immediately locked his room, a habit after being barged in by a servant once, and invoked Dark Dimension to pull out his [History of Darkness] book. This book, unlike the other two books didn¡¯t contain any techniques of methods, however it contained a lot of information about famous dark mages, myths about dark magic throughout the ages, and a lot of miscellaneous information about darkness.


    After three hours of reading, Wesley decided to put away his book, then decided to head over to the West Tower. Wesley simply muttered some words and the shadow on the wall got darker, then he simply step into it only to reemerge inside Rale''s room a few seconds later. The distance between Wesley''s room and the West tower was at least four hundred feet apart, but after three years of practice, his Dark Warp was enough to take him at most five hundred feet away, but it cost him a third of his mana so he rarely used it.


    Rale''s room was engulfed in darkness like always, but this did not bother Wesley as he simply bowed and said respectfully:


    "Master"


    "You have come. Good, Good"


    Rale who was sitting in a small chair spoke without even looking up from the book he was reading. Wesley''s Dark Warp did not surprise him in the least because since he himself practiced the dark arts, his immediately perceived that someone invoke Dark Warp somewhere near him, and since Dark mages were a very existence, the only other Dark mage in his vicinity was Wesley.


    Closing his book, Rale looked up at Wesley with a look of laughter clearly visible in his eyes, this surprised Wesley a little since his teacher hardly ever showed any reaction, but he still maintained his stoic face and waited for his master to speak.


    "You just turned ten a while ago, correct?"


    "Yes Master"


    "Good, Good. It seems you will receive some news from the king soon"


    Rale voice had a hint of ridicule and laughter as spoke which ignited Wesley''s curiosity, but before he could ask what, Rale continued talking:


    "Either way, you will learn of that soon, for now return those three Dark books to me, you can keep the other three"


    "Yes Master"


    Wesley knew that he would have to return the books eventually since he already grasped everything they had to offer, so he simply invoked his Dark Dimension and pulled the three books out, then he respectfully handed them to Rale who promptly stored them in his own Dark Dimension.


    "Good. Now I have a few things for you as well"


    Rale then reached into his Dark Dimension and pulled out a few things, the first was a thin long black Sword, a short black dagger and a book. After handing the things over to Wesley who was looking at them curiously, Rale spoke:


    "Now, go back to your room and start refining, you should hear from the king soon, Oh, and also, there is no need for you to come here for the next few weeks, simply continue refining until after your meeting with the king"


    Wesley was somewhat puzzled, he didn¡¯t understand why the old man will tell him to not come over, but he was more interested in this meeting with the king that so amused the otherwise stoic Rale. However, he didn¡¯t question Rale, and after simply storing the things he received from him into his Dark Dimension, he bowed politely, then said:


    "Understood Master"


    Receiving a nod from Rale who went back to his reading, Wesley immediately invoked his Dark Warp and reappeared in his room.


    ..............................................................................................

 Chapter 5 - His Departure

    After Wesley reemerged out of his Dark Warp into his room. He immediately sat on his bed crossed legged with his eyes closed and started refining to restore his used up mana, after all he did invoke Dark Warp twice in a matter of minutes and was only left with a third of his mana.


    Almost an hour passes before Wesley is done refining. He then immediately invokes his Dark Dimension and withdraws the Sword, dagger and book he received from old man Rale. The thing he was interested in most was the book so he set aside the sword and the dagger and started probing the book.


    This book had a dark cover just like the other books he received from Rale,  only this book was a little thicker and more personal looking than the other ones, it was almost like a journal. Opening the book to the inside cover Wesley saw the title which was written by hand and read [Record of Darkness]. The handwritten title confirmed Wesley''s suspicion that this book was in fact a journal, which made him wonder if it was written by Rale or someone else.


    The first page of the book was a short contained a short introduction which was also handwritten. It read [ The ways of Darkness are infinite, each child of the night has his own personal understanding, practice and application. I write this book to share with others like me who train in Darkness so that they also share it with others. You might not understand what is written here or you might not wish to share your techniques, but his book was made by those who train in Darkness so that their knowledge and names would survive the eternal darkness of time].


    Having read the first excerpt of the book, Wesley''s heart shook. he instantly understood the value of this book. This books contained the vast knowledge of numerous masters from long ago. Each of their techniques were priceless in their hearts yet here he is holding a collection of them in his hand.


    Excited at the prospects of gaining such powerful techniques, Wesley immediately started reading. For the next few days Wesley didn¡¯t leave his room except for food, he kept reading and reading and pondering the mysteries of the techniques described in the book. These techniques were extremely powerful, some were capable of sacking entire cities, while others were  capable of blocking the sun.


    Unfortunately for Wesley, He could not comprehend exactly how the techniques worked. Although a lot of master wrote their techniques on this book, they only wrote the most basic descriptions and some basic explanations, not even touching on the mechanics or mysteries of each techniques. Wesley felt somewhat dejected at the idea of obtaining such a treasure but being unable to use it. But he wasn''t disheartened, even though he couldn''t use these techniques, he realized that Dark magic is vast and diverse.  Finally, having read the book cover to cover a ew times, Wesley put it away and set his eyes on the sword and dagger.


    The sword and dagger were both pitch black as if they were made from obsidian, however, unlike obsidian they didn¡¯t give off a shiny luster rather they seemed to absorb light. The sword unlike regular swords had a double edge and a short leather bound hilt. What caught Wesley attention, however, was that despite the fact that both the sword and dagger seemed to have been made from the same material and were designed the same way, the dagger gave off a dark, bloodchiling aura, that caused all that saw to feel deep dread.


    While looking over the dagger curiously, Wesley heard a sudden knock from the his door. Wesley almost instantly stored the sword and dagger in his Dark Dimension, and canceled out his Dark Globe. This was a habit that Wesley picked up after years of practice, so every time he was in his room he would invoke his Dark Globe.


    Getting up from his bed Wesley opened the door only to find a little servant girl in front of his room, looking around in a daze.


    "Yes?"


    Wesley was curious why this little girl would seek him out, after all he rarely ever got interrupted. The little servant girl seemed to have perked up at his word and was brought back from her dazed. She spoke in a small voice:


    "Sorry, uhm, the king, h.....he is calling you to the study"


    Wesley was rather amused by her tone of speech, it was almost as if she has never done this before, so he wanted to tease her a little, but he restrained himself since the meeting Rale hinted at days ago was finally here.


    "I see, Excuse me then"


    Wesley immediately headed towards the King''s study, it wasn''t too far away, but Wesley intentionally walked slow thinking about why the King would require his attendance. Many thoughts popped up in his head, but he eventually ran out of guesses and decided to just hear it from the king himself.


    When Wesley reached the study, he knocked respectfully before entering. The king was sitting behind a desk stacked with book, letchers and papers and was staring at some paper, to the left side of the room, little Delan was reading a book while sitting in a small chair near the window of the study. Having noticed Wesley walk in, Delan''s face lit up and he started waving to him in very childlike manner, seeing this Wesley flashed him a small wink and smile then turned towards the King who was now staring at him.


    "Come in Wesley"


    "You¡¯ve called for me, father"


    "Yes, I have some news for you. Since you¡¯ve just turned ten, you are now old enough to attend the Four Moons Royal Academy."


    Wesley was startled, he has heard about the Four Moons Royal Academy before, and although most people knew it as an elite school reserved for the nobility of the four kingdoms, it was still beneath his status as a prince. He instantly recognized that this was essentially an exile, and his face showed his confusion. He couldn¡¯t understand why his father would send him to such a faraway place when he could learn the same things and more from his current tutors, so he asked in a small voice:


    "But father, such a school is ..........."


    Before he can even finish his sentence, Edmund raised his hand to stop him from continuing and said:


    "The decision has been made Wesley. You will leave for Blackreach city in a week"


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Wesley regained his calm and started thinking about how his master had known this would happen, meaning that he must have had something to do with it. Wesley simply nodded his head and said:


    "Understood father"


    "Excellent, furthermore, you won''t be assigned an escort to take you to Blackreach county since it is a neutral area so you will have to go there on your own"


    Wesley was surprised at his father''s decision. Not being given an escort since they cant enter Blackreach county because of its neutrality is not a good excuse at all, after all there is at least four hundred miles between Holt Castle, which  is one of the southernmost cities of the Ject Kingdom, and the borders of Blackreach county, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem with getting him an escort until the border. But Wesley, not understanding his father''s peculiar behavior kept his thoughts to himself, and replied with a simple:


    "Yes father"


    "Good, now go back and prepare what you need, you will leave in one weeks time. It shouldn¡¯t take you more two weeks to get to Blackreach city, and the entrance examination is in a month''s time"


    "Understood father. I will take my leave"


    Wesley politely bowed then headed out of the room. As he was about to go out, he noticed the distressed look on little Delan''s face, and he shot him an apologetic smile, then simply left the study and headed back to his room.


    After reaching his room, Wesley simply locked the room and went back to analyzing the strange dagger he got from Rale. He continued fiddling with the dagger until the evening. Then he immediately invoked his Dark Warp and appeared in the West Tower. Wesley immediately greeted his master and before he could ask about what happened earlier Rale spoke first:


    "Have you spoken to the king yet"


    "Yes master" answered Wesley after a moment''s pause.


    "Good, I assume you want to know if I had something to do with it"


    "Yes master"


    "I was the one who asked young Edmund to send you to the Four Moons Royal Academy. do you know why?"


    "No master" Wesley confirmed his suspicion that old man Rale had something to do with the King''s decision, but he honestly had no idea why.


    "It is because you are too inexperienced. You have only known this place, but the world is wide and only those who are tempered through hardships of reality become strong"


    Wesley was not too surprised, he had always felt that his life in the Royal palace was too lax, but he though he would just go on a long trip when he was older, still he replaid:


    "Understood Master"


    "Now, I want to talk to you about the [Record of Darkness], have you finished reading it yet"


    "I have master"


    "Good. This book is a record of the techniques of Darkness, so even if you can''t understand them you must study them.


    "Yes master"


    "Also if you meet another Dark Mage in your time out, if he''s a friend, update each other''s records and if he''s an enemy kill him and claim his record. Though I doubt you will meet other Dark mages"


    "Understood master" Wesley was thinking about the possibility of meeting other mages and perhaps obtaining their records.


    "Finally, you must make sure you remember one thing while you''re out there, no one is supposed to learn about your magic"


    "Yes master"


    "And if they by some chance learn about your magic?"


    "Then they will die" Wesley answered his voice resolute, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.


    "Good. Now go, you have a lot to prepare" Rale seemed satisfied by his answer so he opened up a book and looked down.


    "Understood master, but........." Wesley had a hint of hesitation in his voice which captured Rale''s attention who looked up with an amused look on his face.


    "What is it?"


    "About the dagger...."


    "Ho, it seems you have discovered something about my gift, however, am afraid I can''t tell you much about it. You''ll have to discover its mysteries on your own" Rale answered in an amused voice as he grinned at Wesley.


    Wesley instantly knew that there was something special about that dagger, but he didn¡¯t press the issue any further, and replied with a short:


    "Yes master, then I''ll take my leave"


    Wesley invoked his Dark Warp and seconds later walked out of the shadow in his room, and started to reorganize his thoughts about all the things that happened.


    ....................................................................................................................................................................


    A week later, a young man stood at the northern gate of Holt Castle. He is around five feet tall wearing a dark shirt with dark pants, and a dark sheathed sword hanging from his right hip, his blue, shoulder length, hair fluttering in the wind as he stared forward into the horizon.


    This was the first time Wesley had ever set foot outside of Holt Castle. In his heart a storm of emotion waged, as he looked into the far horizon, his eyes shining with excitement, and his body trembling at the thought of the adventures that await him.


    ......................................In the year 8144 of the Common Calender, Wesley Holt, Left his home...........................................


    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


    Hey guys, here''s another chapter, hope you enjoy.


    Please leave some criticisms or ideas behind as you read through, aside from spell/grammar checks, am sure those are everywhere am just too lazy to go back and check.


    Anyways, have fun.

 Chapter 6 - His Encounter

    Hey guys, sorry for the late chapter. i had an AP Exam to flunk.


    anyway here the chapter. Enjoy.


    ..............................................................................................................................


    The distance between Holt Castle and Blackreach city was about four hundred miles. Wesley knew that it would take him at most four days to reach Blackreach city if he remained on the main road, however, Wesley decided to not take the main road so that he could see more things as went forward rather than just remaining on the safe but boring path, he also knew that the Academy''s entrance exam was in a month''s time, so there was no need for him to rush.


    Walking of the main road, Wesley took a small branch road that was unpaved with far less traffic than the main road and kept walking for a few hours. As he walked forward towards the unknown, Wesley truly felt excited, this was after all his first time going anywhere outside of Holt Castle, and as he was looking around at the trees, birds and rocks with an excited look on his face, Wesley noticed something.


    A small wooden building was on the side of the road with a sign that read Restaurant. Such buildings were very common along the main road since many merchants and travels often needed places to eat and rest, but this was not the main road, making one wonder what reason anyone would have to open up a business at such a desolate place.


    Overcome by his curiosity, Wesley decided to check out this odd restaurant. After Walking in, Wesley was surprised further by the scene in front of his eyes. This secluded restaurant in the middle of nowhere was packed to the brim with people who shouted and laughed while eating and drinking. It was incomprehensible to Wesley who has yet to encounter a single person to suddenly find so many people in one place.


    After Wesley walked in, the bustling hall that was full of laughing and shouting instantly quieted down. It seems the people in the restaurant also were not expecting someone. Wesley noticing their astonishment simply smiled and walked forward to the counter. Although Wesley was five feet tall and was considered rather tall for his age, but compared to the men in this hall, his head didn¡¯t even reach their shoulders.


    Wesley simply sat down in an empty spot at the counter, and without concerning himself with all the stares directed at him, he turned to the bartender and spoke:


    "The house special please"


    Wesley''s voice seemed to have pulled the bartender, who was staring at Wesley with a surprised look, to his senses, then with a meek smile he spoke:


    "Yes, yes. Coming right up"


    Wesley just nodded and then pulled out a book from a small dark satchel that hung from  his shoulder. He knew he couldn¡¯t use Dark Dimension in front of people so he carried some books and some gold in the little satchel. This was also the reason why his dark sword hung from his hip. Wesley was indeed shocked by the people in this restaurant, the simple fact that they were in this desolate place was astonishing enough, but couple that with the fact that each of them seemed like a soldier was enough to startle even the normally coolheaded Wesley.


    He concluded that these men were either soldiers on patrol from a nearby fort, or they were bandits. Either way, he was very interested in them, but he chose not to approach them since he was still not clear which of the two options they truly were.


    The bartender immediately brought a dish in front of Wesley and spoke in a mild voice:


    "Here you go, roasted rabbit"


    "Thanks."


    As rabbit food is considered a commoner''s food, Wesley never had a chance to taste it before, so he was really excited to taste it, but as he was about to dig in, a croaky voice sounded behind him:


    "Young man, I don¡¯t think you can eat a whole rabbit alone, why not let this old man help you with it"


    This elicited a round of laughter from the surrounding men, but Wesley only smiled at the gray bearded man who stood behind him and spoke:


    "Haha, old man, where are my manners. I was just excited since I never had rabbit before. Please join me"


    Wesley''s words instantly caught the attention of the whole room, that part about never having eaten rabbit before told them instantly that Wesley was a noble, and their eyes started shining with an inexplicable light. The gray bearded man looked at Wesley with a sharp gaze but immediately started laughing and sat next to Wesley and spoke:


    "That''s the spirit young man, you should never eat alone when your elders are standing around"


    "Haha, I will keep that in mind, now let''s eat"


    Wesley and the gray bearded man started devouring the rabbit, and after a few minutes, there was nothing but bones left on the platter. Wesley sighed at the taste of rabbit meat, although it wasn''t cooked with extreme skill, its taste could be was still great, he couldn¡¯t understand why nobles would avoid such a delicacy. While Wesley was engrossed in his thoughts, the gray bearded man next to him suddenly spoke:


    "Young man, since you fed this old fella, I will give you a friendly tip"


    "Yes?" Wesley was rather interested at what this old man would say.


    "You see unlike the main road, these back roads do not have as many guards patrolling, so there are a lot of bandits around. In fact I hear there is a band of bloody bandits that hang around this area, so you should be careful when you travel"


    Hearing the man''s words, all the other men in the hall started laughing. This confirmed Wesley''s theory about them being bandits. Suddenly from behind Wesley, another man approached while laughing with a look of arrogance on his face and said:


    "Haha, young brat. That is a nice sword you have there, mind if I take a look at it"


    Wesley turned around with a smile and said to the man:


    "Of course, here you go"


    As soon as the words left Wesley''s lips, the man''s head has been chopped off and fell to the ground with the arrogant look still plastered on his face. This was one of Wesley''s Silent Sword techniques, Silent Draw. Wesley than started laughing and said in a clear voice:


    "Did I mention that those who see my sword often end up without a head."


    The whole room fell into a deathly silence, all anyone really saw was Wesley reach towards his sword with a smile of his face, and then next moment, the man''s head flew off and his body fell to the ground. They didn¡¯t know what happened, but as soon as Wesley spoke with mocking sarcasm in his voice, they instantly realized that Wesley was the culprit.


    Wesley just turned around, again ignoring the stares, and spoke to the gray bearded man as if nothing happened and said with a ominous smile:


    "I will keep that in mind old man. Thanks for the warning"


    Seeing Wesley''s smile, the gray bearded man felt a terrible shudder, and without even waiting for Wesley to finish his words, he jumped five feat away and pulled out a sword. All the other men also pulled out their swords and spears and stared at Wesley hatefully. However, none of them dared move towards him, after all they did see what happened to the man who approached him before.


    Wesley just turned around and looked at the gray bearded man and spoke:


    "what''s wrong old man. You seem rather pale all of a sudden"


    "You....Do you know who we are?" The gary bearded man spoke with a shaky voice


    "Nope, just came here to eat"


    "You will die for killing our brother"


    Before the grey bearded man could even reply, another man spoke, this time with a shout and started running towards Wesley. As soon as the man started running, four more ran behind him. Wesley just shrugged his shoulders and unsheathed his sword. He couldn¡¯t use Silent Draw since the other guys were already on guard against his quick draw. He slowly walked to the group of five or so men rushing towards him, and as soon as he was in range, they started swinging towards him.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Wesley simply walked forward towards the swords that were swinging towards his body, as soon as a swing was about to hit, he would dodge slightly. After Wesley, dodged the five swings, the scene around him shocked everyone that was present. Wesley was standing there unharmed with his dark sword in his hand, while four of the men were on the ground headless, and the fifth had his hand holding the gushing wound on his throat.


    This was Wesley''s second Silent Sword technique, Silent Counter. It simply took advantage of an enemy''s attack momentum to kill them. Seeing the one man who was still alive, Wesley was surprised, he didn¡¯t think that any of these men would be able to survive his Silent Counter, but it seems this one man somehow managed to keep his head from falling. This meant that these men were experienced bandits who went through a lot of battles. And as if agreeing with Wesley analysis, the reaming thirty or so bandits, immediately formed a shield wall with their back to the wall.


    A shield wall was a common tactic when fighting against superior numbers in small spaces since it protects the flanks and makes the group like an immovable rock. However it is unfathomable to use a shield wall against a single opponent, but after seeing the results of simply rushing towards him. Wesley was rather impressed by this group of bandits, so he sheathed his sword and spoke to them in a soft voice with a smile:


    "My apologies old man, it seemed I have killed some of your friends."


    The Bandits were startled, this kid didn¡¯t even seem to think of them as opponents, but what surprised them more, was that this kid, that was clearly not even fifteen, was unfazed after killing half a dozen men, in fact it seemed like he enjoyed it, this caused a cold sweat to run down the backs of the bandits. The  gray bearded old man walked out from within the shield wall with his sword drawn, and looked at Wesley with face full of anger and caution as he spoke:


    "Brat, we don''t care if a few hot blooded idiots died. But who the hell are you?"


    "Haha, old man, I am just a simple traveler who came here to eat."


    Hearing that he was not here for their heads, the bandits let out a breath. Even the gray bearded man seemed to have felt a little relief, but he didn¡¯t dare let his guard down, he knew Wesley was not a simple traveler, but he was still reluctant to face such an enemy. He sheathed his sword and looked at Wesley with a smiling look on his face and said:


    "Am afraid, however, that we can''t let you go without paying"


    This caused all the bandits in the room to curse the gray bearded man, why the hell would he continue provoking this monster when they would rather just walk away. Wesley however, was glad, he knew his sword techniques were only a cover for his magic, and if he was to continue fighting then these experienced fighters would see through his techniques and he would be forced to use magic, but after hearing the man''s words he started laughing heartily and pulled out a small pouch from his satchel then he said:


    "Bartender, drinks and food all around" he then tossed the small pouch to the bartender who caught it with a surprised face.


    The gray bearded man also started laughing and turned to the men behind him and barked at them to clean up the bodies, he then turned to Wesley and said:


    "Haha, Young man, you keep surprising me. Come let''s eat."


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    Hours later, the small restaurant was once again filled with laughter and merry making as if nothing happened. On the restaurant''s counter Wesley and the gray bearded man were talking while eating a roasted rabbit.


    "Tell me Wesley, where have you learned how to fight. I have never seen such sword techniques before"


    "Haha, Orion, you flatter me too much. These techniques of mine are nothing, I am more impressed by how organized you and your friends are."


    Orion noticed that Wesley wasn''t comfortable talking about his sword techniques so he simply scratched his gray beard and let it go. And then he spoke again with a laugh:


    "Ah, you don''t want to talk about it. But tell me, where are you headed, You can''t just be going around killing random bandits"


    "I am headed to Blackreach City, I have some business there"


    "Oh, Blackreach City. I haven''t been there since my mercenary days. The ladies there are worth spending all your wealth on." Orion laughed loudly after the thought.


    "Old man Orion, you are turning out to be a bad influence on me" Wesley laughed as well.


    Wesley really liked this old man Orion. He was straight forward and never hid his thoughts. Wesley enjoyed talking with these common bandits more than he enjoyed chatting with the Kingdom''s nobility.


    After hours of talking with Orion, Wesley learned that this restaurant was one of many all over the back roads of the kingdom that were specifically made for bandits since they can''t go visit normal restaurants. He also learned that Orion was the leader of a troop of about three hundred bandits known as the Crimson Troop and that they were celebrating here today after a raiding a caravan.


    Eventually, Wesley decided that it was time to head off. As he was saying his farewells to the men, Orion suddenly called out to him:


    "Little Wesley, I have something for you"


    Wesley instantly looked back with a look of interest as Orion approached him with a small parchment in his hand.


    "This is a detailed map of the back roads. Unlike the main road which runs straight, these back roads can get rather confusing, it also has all bandit friendly restaurants marked on it"


    As Wesley looked at the map, he noticed that it was far more detailed than the normal maps he saw at the palace, only the details on this map were specifically designed for bandit use so they showed bandit restaurants, hiding places, army forts and so on.


    "Haha, old man Orion, this is a rather handy map. Thank you" Wesley spoke with sincerity.


    "Don''t mention it. Although we are bandits, we respect strength, and you little Wesley, are indeed strong"


    "Thank you old man Orion, I will come visit next time I am in the area"


    "Yes, yes. Make sure you do. Then I''ll have you treat me to some roasted rabbit"


    Having said his goodbyes, Wesley immediately set out. He had a map of the back roads so he wasn¡¯t too cautious about where he went. But as he walked, a multitude of things ran through his head. The biggest thing being his need to improve his Silent Sword techniques since at their current level, if he faced strong opponents he would be forced to use magic, and he would very much rather not do that. Also, the fact that bandits such as Orion''s Crimson Troop were so numerous showed that the situation in the Kingdom was not as great as he was led to believe while in the palace, however, this was none of his concern.


    He simply continued moving forward, feeling a surge of excitement as what marvels he would find in these back roads.

 Chapter 7 - His Journey

    Hey guys. Here''s a chapter for you. Thanks to those who sent me some tips and ideas.


    for those of you who didn''t, Get on it guys.


    anyway enjoy


    ...........................................................................................


    Wesley continued his exploration of the backroads with great excitement and anticipation at what he might find. However, he felt great appreciation towards Orion for the map he gave him because these back roads were a giant web of interconnected path''s that went one way at first then immediately went another way, meaning that if you didn''t know these roads well or didn¡¯t have a map like Wesley, then you were certain to get lost.


    Most people stayed away from these backroads for many reasons, first, all the major cities of the kingdom were located along the main road making it pointless to go into the backroads, second, the backroads were known as hotbeds for all sorts of bandits and cutthroats making most people reluctant to go there.


    This made Wesley even happier to be here since the lack of constant human contact caused the forests to prosper and the animals to roam freely. Wesley, who never really left the confines of the palace, was even more amazed at how beautiful nature truly is. So Wesley continued his exploration of the treasures of this hidden world he discovered for a whole week.


    However, regardless of his fascination with the beauties and wonders hidden in this forgotten place, Wesley was not aimlessly walking around with no regard to his destination. In fact he was, slowly but steadily inching forward in the direction of Blackreach City. But Blackreach City was simply his ultimate destination and Wesley was in ro rush getting there, so he marked a few spots on his map that he would visit on his way to Blackreach City.


    These places were naturally villages and towns that are located within the backroads, this was only natural since not everyone can live in the major cities that are along the main road. Also most of these towns and villages were farmers, hunters or miners.


    Naturally, Wesley was not going to miss the chance to visit some such places. Having lived all his life in Holt Castle which is a metropolitan city, he longed to see how life in a small village was compared to such big cities, he also wanted to eat some more roasted rabbit. He was also rather interested in learning more about these back roads, he recognized that even though his map was quite nifty, there are still something it can''t show everything so it only makes sense to ask the people who actually live in the area.


    His most immediate destination was a town named Dustine. He noticed on the map that it has two rivers that ran along it, meaning that it is most likely either a fishing a farming village. Aside from being the closest town to his location, Wesley also wanted to taste some fish dishes.


    The town was not too far away, around ten miles or so, so Wesley reached it at around noon. The whole town was surrounded in a ten feet tall wooden barricade, and had a few guard towers facing the road. The main gate was also made out of wood, only it had iron bracings and spikes protruding from its top. To the sides of the main gate stood two men, each of them holding a long spear.


    As Wesley got closer to the gate, he noticed that the two guards were both dozing off. This made him almost burst out laughing because from the distance one would think that they were both dutifully doing their jobs, and the fact that they were able to sleep while masterfully managing to look like they were standing in attention meant that they were used to doing this.


    Seeing this spectacle made Wesley snicker. The snicker immediately doused one of the guards from his nap. The guard looking around in a daze, but then his gaze fell on Wesley who was standing not five feet away from him holding his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud. The guard was in his early twenties, so seeing some child laugh at him made him rather embarrassed, then the embarrassment instantly turned to anger. He pointed his spear at Wesley, and shouted as loud as possible:


    "Stop right there. Who are you?"


    "Haha, Mister Guard. I am just a traveler who''s passing through"


    The guard''s shout woke the other guard. This guard was a little older than the young man. He appeared to be around thirty or forty. He looked around in a daze at first, and then seeing the laughing Wesley and the embarrassed young guard, he seemed to have understood the situation. He started Laughing and then spoke in deep amused voice:


    "Haha, traveler, it seems you caught us in an embarrassing position" this caused him and Wesley to laugh at the same time


    The younger guard hearing their laughter felt even more embarrassed and even more angry, then he roared:


    "Captain, he must be a bandit trying to sneak into out town"


    The captain was still laughing with Wesley, then he spoke:


    "Does he really look like a bandit, also If he was a bandit he would have already killed us while we were dozing. Tell me young traveler, why have you come to our village"


    "Haha captain, I needed a place to rest, I also wanted to taste some fish dishes" Wesley laughed heartily as he spoke.


    "Well you''re in luck young traveler, our town is famous for its fish dishes. My name is Kader and this hotheaded fellow is my junior, Sern"


    "Nice to meet you Kader and Sern, My name is Wesley" Wesley''s grin seemed to have gotten bigger when he mentioned Sern''s name which made him even more angry.


    "Well don¡¯t just stand there little Wesley, Let me take you to the Inn so you can try our dishes"


    "Ah, yes. Let''s go."


    "Stand guard here Sern, I will send someone to keep you company so try not to fall asleep until then" This made Kader laugh even louder while making Sern''s face bright red.


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    As Wesley and Kader walked on the main road, Wesley could see the stores and shops lining the road were all mostly closed and there were a lot of people seated along the roads, most of them children and women, with depressed looks on their faces. He knew that since these towns were far from the main road, they would be isolated and poor, but he didn¡¯t expect it to be to this extent.


    Seeing the agony and pain on the faces of these people that littered the street, Wesley felt his stomach turn, he has lived his entire life without worrying about anything and now seeing these people sit there with dejected faces, he felt a tremendous guilt. He knew that the world was not fair, and that regardless of what is done there will always be someone, somewhere suffering. But nothing was being done for these people, so while nobles and Royals like him lived in their lavish castles and cities, these people are starving right under their feet.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The scene in front of Wesley made him rather sad, and his smile on his face instantly turned to a deep frown as he looked at the children and women sitting there with their heads either looking down, or between their knees. Seeing the look on Wesley''s face, Kader also immediately frowned, then he patted Wesley''s shoulder and said:


    "Don''t be like that little Wesley, this is practically the state of all minor towns in the Kingdom."


    "Why?" Wesley spoke without even looking at Kader, his voice coarse as if he could barely force it out.


    "It is because we are far away from the main road so there are no merchants who come here. We manage to sustain ourselves with farming and fishing, but that is only enough to keep us alive." Kader''s voice was solemn as he spoke.


    "What about the lord of this town, why isn''t he doing anything" Wesley''s voice was starting to show his anger.


    "The Lord, he...." Kader restrained himself from saying something rash in front of this traveler, then he spoke again.


    "The Lord is currently residing in Sater Castle. This town has nothing to offer him" The frustration and anger were evident in Kader''s voice, but he still spoke in a restrained manner.


    Wesley couldn''t even speak. The lord of the town was enjoying himself in some other place while his people starved and rotted away. This was simply too incomprehensible. Wesley felt an immense killing intent in his heart, and his eyes flashed with a cold light as he imagined what treatment such a person truly deserved.


    Seeing Wesley''s reaction, Kader felt some rage as well, he knew what the true situation in their town was like but what made him feel even more angry was the fact that this young child, who seemed barely ten years old, understood their pain, while their own lord ignored them. However, there is nothing that can be done, so he just shook his head and spoke to Wesley saying:


    "Come little Wesley. You are yet to taste our fish delicacies." Kader''s voice was filled with pity and sadness, and his face had a fake half-smile plastered on it, then he just pulled Wesley towards the Inn.


    When they walked into the Inn, it was almost empty except for a few people who seemed like guards. Wesley was dragged by Kader towards one of that was currently occupied by two guards. Seeing Kader approach the two guards immediately stood at attention, Kader just smiled at them and said:


    "Mel, Set, go relieve Sern at the main gate. He seems to be almost asleep"


    The two guards saluted and immediately left the Inn. Kader than sat on their table and pointed for Wesley to do the same.


    "Mark, two of you best fish dishes please."


    The man named mark who was standing behind the counter simply nodded and went to the back. Kader then looked towards Wesley and started speaking:


    "Tell me little Wesley, where are you headed."


    Wesley who seemed to be in some sort of a thoughtful daze looked up at Kader.


    "Uhm......Blackreach City"


    "Oh, Blackreach City, now that is a place to go. I hear they have every kind of delicacy sold there. Why are you going there?"


    "I am planning on attending school there, although it is bothersome."


    Kader had a thoughtful look on his face. Going to school was in itself amazing enough, but going all the way to Blackreach City to do it was even more so amazing, considering how expensive everything there is. This made him think that maybe Wesley was some sort of a noble''s son, but then he discarded that idea since no noble''s son would be traveling alone, let alone in ragged and dirty cloth.


    Kader kept talking and laughing with Wesley making sure to keep his mind away from his thoughts. He spoke about his time in the army, his little son, how he met his wife, even the time he was chased by a bear. Kader spoke so much that Wesley almost felt like he knew him forever, he continued listening, even telling Kader about his little brother, of course without mentioning that he was the second prince.


    After a few hours of eating and talking with Kader, Wesley decided to continue his journey. He still had a few more hours before the sun sets. Most people would rather reamin in the town until next morning before resuming their travels, but Wesley still needed to refine during the night, and he would rather be very far from people when he does. However, Kader didn¡¯t understand why Wesley was leaving when the sun was about to set so he spoke trying to urge him to stay:


    "Little Wesley, are you sure you need to leave?"


    "Haha, Old man Kader, Blackreach City is still far, I can''t remain in one place for too long, lest I miss my examination."


    "But you might meet bandits. They often roam these parts" He was hoping that Wesley would be too scared to leave.


    "Old man Kader, I arrived here on my own didn¡¯t I. If I couldn¡¯t avoid bandits I would have died days ago"


    "I see. Well I won''t keep you then. Just remember to be careful" Kader felt powerless as he spoke.


    "I will. Thank you old man Kader, I will make sure to come and visit again, then you''ll definitely treat me to some fish again. Hahaha"


    "Haha, of course. Now go."


    "Goodbye then"


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley continued his journey for two more weeks. In this period of time he has visited around four towns after Dustine, and at every village he saw the same scenes he saw in Dustine. A multitude of people sitting aimlessly all over the streets while the lords of these towns absent enjoying the comfort of their wealth.


    This made his heart clench, and his opinion on the Ject kingdom and it''s nobles dropped to an all time low. In fact he felt tremendous disgust at the thought of being in any way related to these lowly beings called nobles.


    While Wesley was caught up in his extreme rage and anger, few bandit groups attempted to rob him, only to find themselves minus a head. Of course, killing a few bandits was not going to settle the raging emotions in Wesley''s heart so he would keep one bandit alive and then torture the position of their lair from him. Then he would proceed to wipe out any bandits he found in the layer.


    Fortunately,  Wesley reached Blackreach City.


    Its giant thirty feet tall walls that seemed to shine under the sun and it''s bustling streets filled with all sorts of counters and shops was not enough to distract him.


    In fact Wesley felt that his entire outlook on life was altered forever. He believed that he couldn¡¯t do anything for everyone, but that only made him more and more depressed. The fact that he who had enough power to kill a hundred men, lacked the power to help all those children, was almost like a cruel joke.

 Chapter 8 - His Entrance

    The Four gates of Blackreach city were currently filled with thousands of people who all stood in line under the scorching light. Since Blackreach City was located at the center of the continent, it was constantly visited by multitudes of people from all four kingdom. Merchants, traders, mercenaries, and all sorts of people converged upon city in droves. This staggering number of visitors led to people standing in line for a long time just to be allowed entrance into the city.


    Wesley was currently standing in line at the southern gate, he could have easily skipped the line since his being a noble exempts him from the process, however, Wesley felt nothing but disdain towards being a noble. He chose to stand in line for god knows how long, amongst the masses rather than being associated with such people as nobles.


    His wait in line was not easy, the sun was high In the sky, and he was drenched in sweat with his originally pale face almost red from sunburn, but his anger was more than his discomfort. After three hours of standing in line, around early afternoon, Wesley finally reached the gate entrance.


    The first thing Wesley noticed as he reached the gate was the ten or so guards who stood In attention at the gate. They all wore white armor with a shield emblem on their chests with each them showing great professionalism. Behind the white guards, sat a middle aged man wearing a golden armor with a head full of gray hair, he seemed to be the commander since he looked far more impressive than the rest. He had his eyes closed as if he was meditating which  made him seem even more imposing for some reason.


    As Wesley continued looking at the golden armored man, an annoyed shout came from a guard who was standing a little ahead of the other ten guards.


    "You country bumpkin. Stop looking around like an idiot and step forward"


    He sounded rather arrogant and pompous but that didn¡¯t anger Wesley, it only caught his attention. Wesley noticed that the guard was a golden haired youth with a handsome face. His armor was white like those other ten guards, only he had few golden stripes on his shoulder signifying that he was an officer. Wesley just shrugged off the insult, and stepped forward. The guard looked at Wesley from top to bottom, and seeing his ragged and dirty appearance, a clear look of disgust appeared on his face and he spoke in a similarly disgusted voice:


    "I don''t think a beggar like you can afford to enter the city, leave"


    Wesley was somewhat irritated, but he knew his appearance was indeed rather poor so he didn¡¯t get angry and spoke in a soft respectful voice:


    "My apologies mister Guard. I traveled far so my appearance is not great, but I can......"


    Before Wesley could even finish his sentence, the guard cut him off and spoke with an annoyed voice:


    "I said be gone trash"


    Wesley was starting to get angry, but he still restrained himself and spoke again:


    "Like I said mister guard, I need to ........"


    This time the golden haired guard did not even speak. He drew his sword and swung towards Wesley''s head intending to kill him. Seeing the sword that was aiming for his head, Wesley instinctively drew his own sword and used his Silent Counter.


    A shrill scream full of agony filled the air. A hand was on the ground holding a sword and the golden haired guard was kneeling in front of a dark clothed youth screaming from the top of his lungs while staring at his now handless arm that was gushing blood by the gallon. He looked up at Wesley with a face full of hate and spoke in an agonized voice:


    "You...You dare. I am the third son of Count Viten of the Ject Kingdom. I will have your head for this, I will have your entire family''s heads for this."


    It was not uncommon to find Ject Kingdom nobles serving in the Blackreach Army. Since Blackreach was a neutral buffer zone between the four kingdom, each kingdom sent contributed some soldiers. This was a popular assignment for nobles since it was a relatively safe, and they could enjoy the amenities offered by this metropolitan center while fulfilling their military service requirement.


    Unfortunately for this one noble, while hoping to deter Wesley from further hurting him has resorted to his noble status. Hearing this Wesley felt a deep fire ignite deep within his heart and he let out a cold snort then swung his sword once more.


    Suddenly, the screams of agony instantly disappeared. There was a deathly silence in the air and in the middle of it all stood one blue haired, dark clothed youth, and in front of him kneeled a headless body.


    As soon as that first scream was heard, the golden armored immediately stood with an astonished look on his face, before he could even move, he heard the golden haired guard''s words then his tension eased a little thinking that no one would dare hurt a noble, then he heard a small hmph leave the dark clothed youth''s mouth, and next the golden haired youth lost his head.


    His heart instantly dropped. He couldn¡¯t believe that someone would dare kill a guard in broad daylight, in front of so many people, while knowing he was a noble and not even blink an eye. He felt his very core was shaken, and fear crept into his mind, but he steeled himself and shouted at the youth:


    "You, What do you think you''re doing. I''ll have you hanged for this"


    Wesley hearing the words of the golden armored man, looked up at him with cold eyes as if he has forgotten about his existence completely. He reached into his satchel, then pulled out a small, black rectangle. He tossed the little black rectangle towards the golden armored man, and spoke in a cold voice:


    "And what is a proper punishment for a dog that attempts to bite its master"


    The golden armored guard immediately caught the black rectangle and with a cautious face glanced at it. At first he wasn''t expecting anything from the little rectangle, but the moment his eyes landed on the emblem on the rectangle, his heart almost stopped. A blue dragon with jade green.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Seeing this, the guard instantly understood, killing the third son of a noble was nothing in front of those who hold this emblem. He could kill the noble''s entire family and there would be no complaints. He was surprised why the emblem was in the hands of such a poor looking youth, or why he was alone and amongst the commoners, but the words and actions of the youth confirmed his identity. He immediately fell on one knee and spoke in an apologetic and terrified voice:


    "My Lord"


    The scene baffled the hundreds of people who were standing closest to the gate, but the ones who were most surprised were the ten guards who were about to rush towards Wesley, however, seeing their commander kneel down, they reluctantly kneeled down as well. Wesley just walked slowly towards the golden armored guard.


    The moment he was within arms reach of the guard commander, he reached towards the little rectangle with his sword still drawn. The moment he put the emblem in his satchel, Wesley sheathed his sword and spoke to the guard commander:


    "Clean up that mess"


    Then he just walked past him and into the city.


    ......................................................................................................................................


    A few hours after the incident at the gate, Wesley was currently sitting in a small Inn. He was sitting alone with a dark look on his face. He felt truly horrible about what he did earlier. Every time he thought back about what he did, his stomach would contract and he would be on the verge of throwing up.


    No, not the killing of that noble. Actually he rather enjoyed that, it seems that only remedy to his aching heart and the rage within himself was the blood of those arrogant and mighty nobles who think themselves special. They for some reason believe that they can''t be killed since they are nobles, so seeing them terrified as death approached them gave him an incomparable thrill.


    What truly disgusted him beyond measure was what he did after he killed that trash of a noble. Using his status as a noble to justify his actions caused him a tremendous amount of stress. He was reluctant to use that damn emblem, but if he didn¡¯t he would have had to kill all the guards. And since they were all well trained soldiers, he would have needed to use magic, but if he did that, he would be needed to kill every person who was present. How different is he from those nobles he despised most that hide behind their names and status to make people suffer, when he himself was doing the same thing.Perhaps, he isn''t different at all, maybe, he was the exact same.


    As Wesley continued his pondering, he was approached by the bartender. The bartender would rather ignore such a ragged looking child, but he couldn''t just let some beggar occupy space that could have been used by paying. As soon as he was writing speaking range of Wesley, He spoke with a rather disrespectful tone and said:


    "You must buy something to sit here."


    Wesley who was engrossed in his self pity, suddenly looked up. Looking at the frowning face of the bartender, Wesley instantly understood that he was confused for a beggar. For some reason, this made him feel better, he convinced himself that if he truly was a noble he wouldn¡¯t be confused for a beggar. He suddenly smiled at the thought of being a beggar, then spoke to the bartender with the grin still on his face:


    "Haha, apologies mr. Bartender. The house special please."


    Hearing Wesley''s words the bartender was startled, then he frowned even more. He still believed that Wesley was still a beggar who was planning on dining then dashing. But his surprised returned once again as Wesley tossed him a gold coin and spoke again:


    "Also, arrange a room for me please."


    Seeing the gold coin in his hand, and seeing the ragged cloth Wesley wore, he felt conflicted, but money was money, and he would never turn away a paying customer, so his attitude made a complete turn:


    "Certainly Sir. Anything else you would like"


    "Haha no, that should be all, thank you" Wesley spoke in a cheerful tone which helped the bartender breathe a sigh of relief since he was exceedingly rude before.


    "Understood Sir."


    Wesley felt a slight dejection at how the bartender''s attitude suddenly changed, but he still felt some relief at being treated like a beggar.


    ................................................................................................................................................


    For the next few days, Wesley remained in his room at the Inn refining. A lot of things weighed on his young mind, so he decided to remain inside his room to sort out his thoughts until the examination day.


    The morning of the examination, Wesley finally left his room and went downstairs to have some breakfast and ask the bartender for directions to the Four Moons Academy. Surprisingly, Wesley didn¡¯t change out from his travel clothes, although they were less dusty after being washed, they still looked ragged and poor. He truly seemed to enjoy being confused for a beggar, since he believed that the opposite of a noble is a beggar, the more virtuous and honest of the two is the beggar.


    After eating a filling breakfast and getting directions to the academy, Wesley left the inn after paying his tap, and headed towards the Academy.


    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


    Is Wesley bipolar? Maybe


    Is He a sociopath? Maybe


    is He based on someone i know? Maybe


    Does he get any crazier???? YOU BET YOURE A**

 Chapter 9 - His Examination

    The Four Moons Royal Academy is perhaps the most prestigious school in the world. It was founded almost thousand years ago after the Blackreach Treaty by the four Kingdoms to foster cooperation and understanding between the future leaders of the kingdoms. As the name suggests the majority of the students who attend it are nobles, however, there are some talented or promising commoners who received sponsorships to be eligible to attend.


    Once every five years, the academy holds an admission examination. Although, technically there is no age limit for attendees, meaning they can stay until they die, examinees on the other hand must be younger than fifteen to be admitted. However, no one remains past the age twenty since that is when they, as nobles, become eligible to receive a title making it pointless to remain at school any longer.


    Today was the day of the examination. Every examination day, at least a thousand people attend in hopes of gaining admission, however, only two hundred are picked and today was to be no different.


    There were currently a  four long lines of people outside the gates of the academy. In front of each line was a desk with a staff member sitting there and processing the examinees one by one to verify their documents.


    Wesley was currently standing near the end of the first line. Even though he woke up early, he was surprised to find that there were at least eight hundred or so people before. Thinking about how early the first person must ve arrived made him shudder.


    Fortunately for Wesley, there were four lines, so he only had to wait for two hundred people or so, and he didn¡¯t mind waiting in line. However, the majority of applicants were nobles, so they didn¡¯t share Wesley''s view of lines, and most of them grumbled and complained.


    The guy behind Wesley was even more so disgruntled at having to wait in line than the other people. He kept complaining to god knows who about how he has never been humiliated before, he even cursed at the school.


    Eventually, he calmed down after realizing that most of the other people were nobles as well making his complaints about his mistreatment rather stupid. However, he suddenly felt a tinge of anger after noticing the guy in front was nothing but a beggar. He looked at Wesley, then spoke in the most condescending and arrogant tone possible:


    "Ha, I didn¡¯t know beggars could apply to this school."


    Of course he didn¡¯t speak to Wesley directly, but Wesley knew he was talking about him. Only Wesley didn¡¯t mind being called a beggar, so he just ignored the guy. Seeing that he was being ignored, the guy started getting angrier, so he raised his voice even further and spoke again:


    "I wonder if they have an alms program for beggars. Haha, that must be it, it must be the alms program"


    Wesley already shut the annoying person behind him so he didn¡¯t even hear what he said. The guy was starting to get really annoyed at the audacity of a beggar ignoring him, and the giggles from those near him who saw what was happening made him even angrier.


    He reached for his sword thinking that no one should complain if he killed a random beggar, but the moment he was about to pull out his sword, he heard a cold voice full of killing intent come from the beggar:


    "Unsheathe that sword and you will die"


    The guy instantly froze, he honestly saw his head roll off his body the moment he heard Wesley''s voice filled with murderous intent, in fact everyone around them who heard Wesley speak felt their heart tighten and didn¡¯t dare utter a word. The guy didn¡¯t even dare remove his hand off the hilt of his sword for fear that it might be mistaken as unsheathing. He simply stood there, his face pale.


    Wesley just stood there waiting for the idiot to unsheathe his sword so that he wouldn''t be blamed when he killed him since it was self defense. He kept waiting but was disappointed since the guy didn¡¯t even move, maybe he should just kill him, but then he would lose his chance to attend school here forcing him to return to the palace, so he retrain himself with a heavy heart and just continued waiting for his turn in line.


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    After a few hours, it was finally Wesley''s turn. He stepped forward to stand in front of the desk were the staffer was sitting. This staffer wore a light blue robe and seemed to be in his late forties, only his face showed signs of an older man with wrinkles all over it. He looked unconcerned at Wesley''s appearance and spoke in a professional voice:


    "Your Documents."


    Wesley instantly dug out his invitation from his little satchel and handed it over. The old staffer looked at the document, then his face showed a hint of surprise but then instantly returned to its original tranquility. He wrote some things down then pulled out a little blue rectangle and while handing it to Wesley spoke in a voice that was still professional but with a hint of respect:


    "Number 217, please head towards the second hall."


    Wesley nodded at the words and walked towards the second hall. There were 2 halls behind each staffer and an extra hall at the far end, and it seems that each hall is supposed to hold around a hundred people since only the sixteen people before Wesley were sent to the second hall.


    The moment Wesley walked in, he saw that there were indeed sixteen people in the hall, and in front of them were three doors. Two small doors next to each other, and one giant door to the side. In front of the sixteen people stood and elderly man with a blue robe and a hunched back. His eyebrows seemed to cover his eyes making it seem like he was sleeping and his face was full of wrinkles.


    Wesley didn¡¯t approach the old man since he felt that there was more to this old man than met the eye. However, the old man seemed to have taken note of Wesley, and he scrunched his drooping eyebrows to look at Wesley showing a pair of shady silver eyes that seemed to gleen in a threatening way. After looking at Wesley for a short period, the old man went back to his original look.


    The moment Wesley noticed the old man''s eyes on him, he felt a dreadful pressure similar to whenever he experienced his teacher''s Dark Globe, only when facing his teacher he at least knew he was safe, but this strange old man was different, he felt like he was going to die that instant. The difference in power was evident to Wesley,


    He thought of releasing his Dark Globe and fleeing but that wasn''t going to have too much effect on such an opponent, but he didn''t give up on living, he kept racking his brain about what he could do to escape from this old monster.


    Fortunately for Wesley, before he could start his escape, the old man looked away and the tremendous pressure instantly disappeared. Wesley let out a deep breath of relief as he relaxed a little, alas with some fear still lingering in his heart.


    For the next few hours, regardless of how many people entered the hall, Wesley didn¡¯t leave the corner of the room. He didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near that old man and was preparing to invoke his Dark Warp as soon as he felt danger. He planned on using Dark Globe to at least slow down the old man, and use Dark Warp to flee, but he still wasn''t certain of his escape.


    Finally, the hall was filled by people. As soon as the last person walked in, the hall gates slammed shut and old man stepped forward. While everyone was looking back at the gates Wesley was staring intently at the old man and the moment he saw him move forward he truly started feeling nervous.


    The old man didn¡¯t open his eyes this time and spoke up in a clear but commanding voice:


    "Welcome to the first admission test. I am the Second Elder, and I will be your examiner today. Now, this exam is simple, all you have to do is walk into that door and come out of the next. Simple right, now who will be first."


    The moment the elder finished speaking, the hall erupted into chatter. These people were not idiots, they knew that the tests were not going to be so as simple as the elder made it sound like so everyone was cautious. But after a few minutes, a burly guy with a great sword on his back stepped forward. The elder gave him a nod and the youth walked into the door.


    After almost half a minute of the burly guy walking in, a deafening scream was heard from within the room which startled everyone, what sort of thing was inside these doors. The elder simply shook his head and spoke again in his usual monotone:


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "Failed, next."


    Everyone was startled by the sudden declaration. They realized that this test was not only complicated but potentially deadly. But these youths were relentless, one after another stepped forward but one after another scream came out from behind the doors. Almost thirty people were pronounced failed by the elder. Eventually, no one dared to step forward anymore.


    Suddenly, and slim youth about Wesley''s height stepped forward. He wore a white robe with blue patterns embroidered on it. The youth had had one hand behind his back as he walked towards the door. The elder turned his head to look at the youth and a faint smile appeared on his face for a split second, but no one noticed, no one except Wesley who was unconcerned with anything else but the old man.


    The white robed youth walked into the door without a hint of hesitation. No one was really expecting much from him since stronger looking guys failed before him. But no matter how long someone waited no scream came, and after three minutes, the other door opened and the white robed youth walked out. He didn¡¯t seem injured, but his robe was torn in many places and his face was covered in sweat.


    Seeing the youth emerge out of the exit, the hall erupted once again into shouts, some cheering, while other''s cursed. Immediately, the elder raised his hand to quiet down everyone, and after the whole hall was silenced, he spoke:


    "Passed in three minutes and fourteen seconds. You may proceed"


    The moment the words left his lips, the giant door opened and the white robed youth walked in. Everyone was emboldened by the youth''s passing, it meant that the test was not impossible, but everyone was still hesitant to go.


    Wesley however, was delighted, if he passed this damn test, then he could leave this place and get the hell away from this old monster. So Wesley started walking towards the door, only he kept glancing at the old man as he kept walking. The old man seeing Wesley walk forward turned his head towards him but didn¡¯t open his eyes this time. Then he spoke in an almost amused voice contradictory to his usual monotone:


    "You are allowed to use any technique."


    Wesley didn¡¯t even speak back to the old man, his only objective was getting into that door, getting out of the other door, then getting the hell out of here. He didn¡¯t have any time to spare on words so he just pretended like he didn¡¯t hear anything, but the other people in the hall grasped the situation. This youth who looked like a beggar elicited words out of the elder. something was not right.


    Wesley walked into the door without hesitation and as soon as he set foot inside, he was greeted by darkness. Wesley didn¡¯t mind the darkness, in fact he felt at home in it, so he looked into it and what he saw made him exclaim in surprise. He was expecting some scary things since a lot of people failed, but this room that was about fifty feet long was filled with traps; arrows coming from the wall, pits, trip wires, swinging swords and so on. It seems that those who failed were simply horrible.


    He laughed in his heart, then he invoked his Dark Warp and reappeared at the end of the hallway, then he turned into the other hallway. Since the two doors were side by side, the hallways were shaped into a U shape. The second hall was not very different from the first hall since it also had traps all over it. He again used his  Dark Warp and reemerged next to the exit.


    Wesley however didn¡¯t walk out immediately, it people saw that it took him ten seconds to pass this test, it would attract too much unwanted attention, especially from that old monster, he definitely wanted to avoid that. After he waited for a few minutes, he walked out.


    The moment he walked out, he immediately walked towards the giant gate, he really didn¡¯t want to be near this wretched old man for any more than necessary. All he heard behind him was the shouts coming from the people in the hall and the old monster''s declaration:


    "Passed in three minutes and ten seconds. You may proceed."


    .................................................................................................................................


    The moment Wesley set foot into the giant gate, his eyes stung because of the bright light. He stopped for a moment but as soon as his eyes adapted, he noticed that he was in a hallways that was brightly lit by odd crystals on the roof. The hallway didn¡¯t seem to long, around fifty feet, so Wesley walked towards the exit.


    After stepping through the exit, Wesley, noticed he was in a square room, and in front of him was a black pillar. On the opposing wall behind the pillar were two gates, and between the two gates was a viewing balcony with three blue roped people sitting there.


    Seeing the three people sitting in that balcony, Wesley cursed his fortune. These three elders gave Wesley the same feeling he got from that old monster, and the fact that there were three of them, was enough for him to believe that today was truly the last day of his life.


    While Wesley was engrossed in his self pity, the middle elder spoke in a similar monotone voice as that old monster:


    "Welcome to the second test. Please use your best technique on that pillar."


    Wesley was surprised at the command, and then he spoke in a surprised voice:


    "What are the requirements to pass?"


    "That is for us to decide." The reply came as soon as the question asked.


    "What kind of techniques do you want to see?"


    "That is for you to decide."Again the reply was fast.


    Wesley just shrugged his shoulder. Then he bent his body forward twisting his upper body until his right shoulder was perpendicular to the pillar and then he put his hand on his dark sword. Wesley was planning on using his final Silent Sword technique: Silent Beheader. It is comparable to Silent Draw, only while Silent Draw depends on the speed of the sudden draw, Silent Beheader uses more strength from the swing like action of the draw.


    Wesley then suddenly swung his sword towards the pillar. This swing was not too fast, but it was still fast, and the moment the sword came into contact with the pillar, a loud ting sounded throughout the room.


    Wesley felt his sword arm recoil from the impact, while the black pillar did not even have a scratch on it. Wesley was flabbergasted. His Silent Beheader was the strongest physical technique in his arsenal, in fact he was certain it could even slice steal, so what the hell kinda metal was this pillar made from to not even get a scratch left on it.


    While Wesley was pondering at the marvel in front of him, the middle elder spoke:


    "Passed. Please step into the left gate."


    Wesley was brought back from his daydream, and after bowing slightly to the elders, he walked towards the left door. Immediately after entering the left gate, Wesley was in a long hall with around two hundred chairs. The hall was currently occupied by around seventy people, including that white robes youth who was the first to pass. Wesley simply sat in one of the unoccupied seats.


    He was really happy to have left those damn geezers.


    .....................................................................................................


    Back in the second testing room with the three elders. The three elders were currently leaning towards one another while speaking in a hushed voices.


    "That sword technique was rather impressive." The left elder said with a smile.


    "Indeed, only I was expecting him to use magic given his body and aura." The right elder spoke only he had a slight frown.


    "His technique was very powerful. But I am still surprised he was sent by that bastard Rale. Why would he send a swordsman" The middle elder spoke while staring at some sheet.


    "Do you think he......." The left elder was about to say something when he was interrupted by the right elder.


    "Impossible. That Rale would''ve never let him live if he was. There must be something else" the elder''s face was ugly as he imagined something


    "Either way, we''ll keep an eye on him. After all, that bastard never did anything without reason."


    ..................................................................................................................

 Chapter 10 - His School

    An hour has passed since Wesley passed the second test. The hall was almost entirely filled with only a few seats remaining. The atmosphere was jubilant inside the hall, after all these guys all passed the extremely hard tests, so the room was buzzing with introductions. But while everyone was busy socializing, a few people didn¡¯t bother mingling.


    One was a White robed youth who gave people a feeling of superiority so no one approached him; another was a tall, burly youth with a mean face who just glared at anyone who approached him; there was also a blue robed girl who was sleeping on her chair, and even though she looked really cute sleeping, no one was heartless enough to wake such a beauty; and finally, there was a black robed youth who looked like a beggar who just kept looking forward as if he was seeing a play.


    After a short while, a short hunched back old man with a blue robe walked into the room. The moment Wesley saw this old man, he almost spit out his heart. This was the second elder who conducted Wesley''s first test.


    After walking to the front of the room, the old man cleared his throat to get everyone''s attention then  spoke in a loud crisp voice that almost seemed to echo:


    "Congratulations on passing the entrance examination of the Four Moons Royal Academy. Now you are all officially students of the Academy."


    The old man paused as if to give the students a chance to cheer and jump around in excitement. After the shouting and cheering has passed, he then continued with his speech:


    "Now that you are official students of the Academy, there are a few things you should be aware of. First, this school is not subordinate to any of the four Kingdoms, so your titles and backgrounds hold no meaning here."


    There were small murmurs here and there, but no one complained since this was common knowledge. The elder then continued:


    "Second, Killing or otherwise permanently cribiling other students is forbidden. Failure to comply will lead to severe consequences."


    This time the elder didn¡¯t even pause for a moment showing that there was no room to argue this rule.


    "Third, harming people who are not students is forbidden and will lead to expulsion"


    Expulsion from the most powerful  and prestigious Academy in the world is no simple matter. Everyone present simply nodded inwardly.


    "Good, now are there any questions?" Don¡¯t be shy and ask away."


    The hall was quiet for a moment then someone raised their hand.


    "Elder, What are our living arrangements." This was one of the students'' biggest concerns, since they were mostly nobles, they wanted to make sure they would be living as comfortable as possible.


    "There are two living arrangements open to the students, first are the dorms, and if that is not satisfactory, they could arrange for their own lodgings in the city."


    The questions continued for around thirty minutes, most of them rather dump such as if the school will provide maids, or how the quality of the food is, and the elder answered them all without a complaint. Then as the room was running out of questions, the elder spoke once again:


    "Anymore questions?"


    It seemed like no one was going to raise their hand, but then suddenly the burly youth with the mean face raised his hand:


    "Elder, how do we graduate?" His voice was almost like a growl as he spoke with his jaws clenched.


    Although this seems like a simple question, there is a reason no one asked it, that was because these students just arrived, who in the world was already  thinking about graduating. The elder just smiled sincerely and spoke:


    "The graduation requirements are simple. Spend a minimum of five years at the Academy and pass the Graduation examination. Anymore questions?"


    Another hand shot up, this time it was the sleeping blue robed girl:


    "How many classes do we have to take." Her voice was melodious to the ear


    "There are nine classes available. Each student is required to take a minimum of five classes and no more than seven classes."


    "And what are those available classes?"


    This time it was the white robed youth who spoke. He didn¡¯t even wait for the elder to ask for questions, but the elder didn¡¯t seem to mind and answered with a smile still on his face:


    "The classes are studies of five elementals, that is  Water magic, fire magic, earth magic, wind magic and light magic. There are also strategy and tactics class, swordsmanship class, history class, and geography class."


    The students all listened carefully to the elders words, but everyone already knew what they were going to learn so no one was that surprised. No one except Wesley who was surprised that dark magic was not included in the curriculum. He was about to raise his hand to ask why it was so but he restrained himself. Fortunately, another student already raised his hand:


    "Why isn''t dark magic included. I heard that there are people who have affinities for it."


    The elder seemed amused at the question and spoke with that amusement evident in his voice:


    "It is true that there are people who have affinities for darkness, but they are very rare. In fact almost one out of million people would have a dark affinity, and even then it would most likely be an average affinity which is not enough to become a mage. However, occasionally, there are people who have a high dark affinity, but if those people are not trained from and early age, the darkness will affect their minds and they would go insane. This means that dark mages are too rare an existence to waste resources on."


    Wesley was listening closely to the elder''s words, but he was very surprised. He didn¡¯t expect dark mages to be this rare, in fact, he was hoping to meet some other dark mages and compare records with them but now it seems that won''t be happening anytime soon.


    The elder finally spoke again:


    "Now, we should get going to have you register your classes. Are there anymore question?"


    Wesley who was thinking about something, raised his hand:


    "How often are we required to attend the classes."


    His question caused the people near him to shoot him looks of disdain, after all, they thought that he who looked like a beggar now also had the work ethic of one, but Wesley didn¡¯t pay them any attention and just looked at the elder, albeit somewhat fearfully.


    "You are expected to attend classes once a month. Anything more than that is voluntary, but keep in mind that you are expected to take the end year assessment and pass more than half of your classes."


    Wesley only nodded his head and didn¡¯t say anything back. The elder seeing that there were no more questions, smiled brightly and spoke:


    "Good, it seems there are no more questions. Please proceed to the door on your left and start registering for your classes and receive your uniforms and identification tablets. And once more, Congratulation on being admitted to the Four Moons Royal Academy."


    ..................................................................................................................


    Wesley was currently walking in the Central District of Blackreach City. He has opted to arrange for his own lodgings since he definitely didn¡¯t want to live in that Academy. First, he wouldn¡¯t be able refine if he was in a dorm with roommates, and second, that academy has those annoying elders, especially that old monster from the first test, and Wesley really didn¡¯t feel comfortable being around them.


    As for which classes he chose, they could only be described as a waste. He strategy and tactics, swordsmanship, history, geography and finally Light magic studies. Swordsmanship was an obvious choice since he needed to improve his Sword techniques so that he wouldn¡¯t be forced to use dark magic, as for light magic, since there was no dark magic studies his second best option is to learn about the opposite of darkness and strengthen his weaknesses. As for the remaining three classes, they were simply chosen to fill his required number of classes.


    Now all he had to do was find a proper place to live. After a short period of thinking, he concluded that he only had three options. First he could live in an Inn for five years, second he could rent a house, and third he could buy a house. Wesley was told he would only receive around five thousand gold for living expenses each year so he had to be mindful of his spending. Five thousand gold is more than enough for a small family to live off for a year, but in a metropolitan city like this, it was a rather measly amount.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The first thing Wesley needed to do was go to the housing department located in the Central District. Anyone who wanted to live in Blackreach City for an extended period of time had to visit the housing department to search for a place to live as well as register.


    After reaching the housing department, Wesley was glad there wasn¡¯t a long line, he was rather tired of lines for the day. Wesley simply walked in and was greeted by a small reception desk with a pretty dark haired lady sitting behind it.  Seeing Wesley walk in,the lady smiled and spoke to him before he even reached the desk:


    "Are you here with your parents."


    Wesley only smiled and didn¡¯t answer. He wasn¡¯t angry that she assumed he was here with a parent since he was just ten, and he didn¡¯t want to shout across the room so he kept walking towards the desk. The moment he was within two feet of the desk, Wesley spoke:


    "I am here to search for housing options. Mind helping me please."


    Wesley showed her the identification tablet from the Academy, and smiled at her sincerely, she was rather pretty after all. Looking at the tablet in his hand, the receptionist lady was shocked, she recognized that the academy was attended by nobles meaning Wesley was also a noble. She immediately straightened herself and smiled at Wesley while speaking in a respectful manner:


    "Yes sir. Please go on ino that the room on your right. Inside you shall meet a representative that will show all available options."


    "Thank you"


    Wesley walked towards the door, and walking in, he noticed that it was a small office with a small desk in it. Behind the desk sat an elderly man who seemed to be sleeping. Seeing the sleeping old man, Wesley coughed to douse him and then sat across from him. The old man instantly awoke, and seeing Wesley had a clear frown on his face. He immediately spoke in an annoyed voice:


    "How can I be of service?"


    Wesley noticed that the old man was annoyed but he understood since he just woke him up so he didn''t mind, he then spoke while showing his identification tablet to him.


    "Please show me all available listing for houses that are for renting and buying in the city."


    Seeing the tablet the old man was startled and regretted his tone earlier, but he still kept his professionalism and pulled out two long sheets of paper and handed them to Wesley. Looking at the renting sheet first, Wesley was startled. The cheapest house for renting was five hundred gold a month. He could never afford. So he put the renting listings down and looked at the buying one. This one was even more so startling the most expensive house cost two hundred thousand gold.


    But one thing caught Wesley''s attention. At the bottom of the houses for sale listings, there was a house that was priced at three thousand gold. This was the cheapest house by far since the next cheapest house was fifteen thousand gold. Wesley immediately turned to the old man and asked while pointing at the listing for the house:


    "Tell me about this house."


    The man seeing what Wesley was pointing at nodded then rummaged through some paperwork and pulled out a file. Looking at the file in his hand, the man''s face changed slightly and then he spoke with a shaky voice:


    "Uhm....This house''s old owner died recently without kin so the city took ownership. Only sir........This house is located in the seventh district, I don¡¯t think it is suitable for you."


    Wesley has heard about the seventh district from the bartender at the Inn he first stayed in. It was the outer most residential district and was occupied by the poorest people in Blackreach City. It was also the most lawless since the people who live there are not even considered by the ruler''s of the city so no effort was expended to keep the law.


    Hearing this, Wesley was pleasantly surprised, am affordable house in a place far enough from the stench of nobles. Wesley spoke without a hint of hesitation:


    "I''ll take it. What do I need to do now."


    The old man was startled, he wasn¡¯t expecting this young child from the noble academy to pick such a shabby place. But he still had a job to do so he simply nodded and spoke:


    "I see. Well you first need to pay the price, then I''ll transfer the deed of the house to you."


    Wesley immediately paid the price for the house, received the deed as well as direction to the house. Since the house was in the Seventh District he was accompanied by a guard.


    After almost half an hour later, Wesley reached the seventh district.  Wesley, however, was extremely disheartened at the scene in front of him. This was exactly the same as all those towns before he came here. Sad looking people sitting all over the roads with empty looks on their faces. Even in the most prosperous city in the world, to see such poverty and pain was extremely depressing.


    Only, unlike those towns before, the majority of these people were men, so Wesley was not as depressed as before, but he still felt the anger in his heart burn even more. What is the point of all this wealth that Blackreach City boasts of if there are still people like these right next to them.


    Wesley really hated the unfairness that is so ingrained into the fabric of this world. What is the point of Kingdoms, communities and governments if there are so many people living as if they were animals. Who gives the nobility the right to govern, where does this right come from, who decides that one person should be a noble while the other a beggar.


    Wesley was engrossed in his thoughts, which seemed to be happening far too often lately. It seems that as a noble, he was shielded from the realities of the world, and just like him from a month ago, all the nobles must live in a false world full of happiness. But that is a false world, and the true world is this which he sees with his own eyes. The true world is filled with pain, suffery and perpetual agony and every aspect of it reinforces and increases these realities.


    Wesley came upon a thought. If one was to end this cycle of pain and agony, the there is only one way. Break the systems of this world and forge  a new world.


    .............................................................................................................................................


    Wesley while engrossed in his ponderings about the reality of this world, he was suddenly taped on the shoulder by the guard who was escorting him.


    "This the house Sir."


    Wesley jerked at the guards words and was awakened from his daze. He then looked up to see that they were standing in front of giant two story house with a seven feet tall wall. Wesley was extremely surprised, seeing the price of the listings and where it was located, he really expected a shack, but in front of him stood a house that was not one bit inferior to the houses of nobles.


    Wesley immediately walked towards the gate, and pushed it in. He was really interested in this house. The moment Wesley walked in, he saw five children sleeping on the grass of the courtyard. They were young children, around five or six years old, and each of them wore rags and looked malnourished and on the verge of dying.


    The guard who was with Wesley seeing these kids, reached for his sword and was about to chase them off the property, but Wesley frowned and then raised his hand to stop him. The guard stopped and looked at Wesley questioningly, then Wesley spoke:


    "I''ve got it from here. Leave."


    The guard was startled, then he simply bowed his head and left while staring at those sleeping kids with a scorn.


    Wesley walked behind the guard then he shut the gate. As soon as he was finished closing the gate, Wesley turned around towards the sleeping children, and then from the top of his lungs, he shouted:


    "Wake Up"

 Chapter 11 - His House

    Hey guys.


    This chapter is kinda like a trial. i changed my writing style from omniscient narration to one where you can somehow hear Wesley''s thoughts.


    Honestly, i favor the omniscient approach since i don''t have to spoon feed you information and you can make connections and inferences on your own, but some of you have pointed out that this causes you to become distanced from the MC.


    And since this is for you guys,  your preferences supersedes mine, so tell me which you prefer more.


    peace and enjoy


    ...........................................................................................................................................................


    The five children upon hearing immediately jumped back and stared at Wesley with angry but fearful eyes.


    ''Haha, these kids are great. Their eyes show strong will and their reaction was not bad. Impressive, really impressive.''


    Wesley in his heart was really impressed. These five children whose oldest was not even seven showed an impressive amount of willpower lacking in even most adults. Also the fact that they reacted so well to Wesley''s scream was a complete surprise to him. Of course he didn¡¯t show his excitement, and just stared at the children while releasing intense amounts of killing intent. Wesley then slowly pulled out his sword. He really wanted to see how capable these five children truly are.


    "Why are you in my house?"


    Wesley''s voice boomed loudly, he also started walking towards the children with his sword drawn. This would have terrified most adults, but aside from turning pale and showing fearful expressions, these children didn¡¯t resign themselves to death. The oldest boy who was around Wesley''s height only a little shorter walked forward with a small dagger in his right hand. The other three immediately spread out to the sides of the first kid, while the youngest girl was furthest towards the back.


    ''ah, a formation of sorts. It seems they really want to live.''


    The oldest child who was directly in front of Wesley spoke. His voice was weak but determined:


    "We apologize. This house used to belong to our family so we didn¡¯t know where else to go. Please let us leave, we won''t return."


    ''Such coolheadedness, I wonder what they would do if I pushed them a little more.''


    Wesley was extremely interested in these children. Even though they are weak, their willpower, determination and calm is many years beyond their age. What do mere children have to go through to turn this way. He truly was interested.


    "Why should I let you go. Perhaps I should just kill you all now."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, the oldest kid''s face turned ugly. He knew he couldn¡¯t face Wesley so he was counting on him just letting them scurry away, but it seems that won''t be happening now.


    "We haven''t done anything to you. Please let us leave."


    The kid''s voice was a pitch higher showing his frustration and fear. Wesley, however, was not going to let these little enigma''s just leave.


    "And if I said no."


    "Then we will have to fight you. We can''t just die yet."


    ''oho, it seems these little kids have something they must accomplish. This explains their determination. I wonder what it might be''


    "Is that so. Tell me, why can''t you die just yet? if I like your answer you might just live, if not, then you''ll have no other option than to die"


    The oldest Kid''s face showed a small sign of relief. It seemed like he has found a way for them to escape this predicament with their lives intact. He hesitated slightly, then spoke in a calm voice:


    "We are from the Black family that used to own this Manor. Our family were one of two minor noble families that reside in the seventh district. Our family never bothered with politics but we were, for some reason, perceived as threats by the other noble family, the Shorn Family. So one night a few years ago, they attacked us, killed most of our family members and looted out belongings. The five of us survived after being hidden away by our parents. Since then our only goal in life is to make the Shorn family pay for what they did, so we can''t die just yet."


    Wesley felt a tinge of pity for these children. It seems that the only people who suffer at the hands of nobles were not just commoners. Wesley already made up his mind the first time he saw the fire in these five children''s eyes, but after hearing their story, he was even more certain of his decision.


    "After hearing your story, I will give you two choices. You can freely decide which suits you better."


    Hearing Wesley''s words the children were delighted, only the oldest showed a hint of worry. He really is smarter than he looks. He instantly realized that these choices would most likely be an ultimatum, only he didn¡¯t know what Wesley would demand of them.


    "The choices are simple. You either swear fealty and eternal loyalty to me, or you die."


    The initially delighted faces of the children  instantly turned dark.  Swearing fealty would make them his servants. How could they who were nobles become servants. However, before they could even complain, Wesley spoke again:


    "If you swear fealty to me, then I will wipe out that Shorn Family that you so hate. What do you say."


    The oldest kid had a thoughtful look on his face. He really wanted the Shorn Family to pay, but he wasn''t sure if Wesley, who looked not that much older than him, could do it. He felt that this might be a ruse to get them to serve him. So he looked directly at Wesley and spoke:


    "We will swear fealty to you. But there is only one condition."


    ''Haha. This kid keeps surprising me. He not only knows when to give up, he also makes sure that he is not swindled.''


    "Speak."


    "You have to wipe out the Shorn Family within a month. If not, then we will be absolved of our duty to serve you, and we''ll leave. If this is not acceptable, then we refuse your offer."


    ''haha, this child is truly one of a kind. Not only does he know when to give up, he also knows when to stand his ground.''


    "Those terms are acceptable. Now, all of kneel and swear fealty to me." Wesley spoke as he sheathed his sword.


    The oldest kid sighed inwardly, then he signaled to the other four who approached him with hesitant steps. The oldest then immediately kneeled followed by the other four, he then spoke in a strong voice:


    "I, as the current head of the Black Family, now swear fealty to you. We are bound by our honor to serve you with the utmost loyalty until eternity."


    The other four immediately repeated after him, but their voices were not as strong. Wesley just stood there unmoving as he nodded in approvement. He then tossed the house key to the oldest kid and spoke to them, this time, in a kind and friendly voice:


    "Good. You guys go inside the house. I will be back shortly."


    "Yes Master." They all spoke at the same time.


    ....................................................................................................................................................................


    An hour later, Wesley returned to the Manor with some food and clothes for the children. He was in no rush to go anywhere because he wasn¡¯t expected at the academy for a few more days, and the matter with the Shorn Family will have to wait until he has more information. For now, all he wanted is to get to know those little treasures he came upon.


    After going inside the Manor, Wesley was surprised to find all five children sleeping in the main hall.


    ''These children are always sleeping, they must be quiet tired.''


    Wesley just let them sleep and after setting the food down, he started exploring the Manor. The Manor was not too big, however, compared to most houses in Blackreach City, it was quite big. It has two floors. The moment one walks into the house they would see two sets of giant stairs leading to the second floor. The first floor had the main hall, the kitchen and around four servant''s quarters tucked neatly behind the kitchen, some bathrooms, a storage room and a study.


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    The second floor had around five rooms, each was a decent size and with a couple of windows, cupboard and a personal bathroom. There was also the master bedroom which was twice the size of the other rooms with a giant bathroom and cupboards. Aside from these rooms, there was nothing else upstairs, so Wesley came down stairs.


    The moment he was downstairs, Wesley immediately went to the study to see what was there. The study was even bigger than the master bedroom. It had tall shelves on all four walls, each of them around ten feet tall. What surprised Wesley, however, was that all the shelves were stocked to the brim with books. In fact it seemed that the looters completely ignored this study, and the housing department didn''t even bother coming to check the house since it was in the Seventh District so the study remained virtually untouched.


    ''haha, who would''ve thought I would find a treasure trove. All the books in this room combined were worth more than the price of the entire Manor''


    Wesley then left the study with a happy look on his face, then he walked towards the back of the house. The description of the house indicated that the Manor had a basement, so Wesley naturally wanted to check it out. The door that leads  to the basement was inconspicuously placed at the kitchen. It looked like a simple storage room so it was easy to overlook.


    Wesley immediately descended into the darkness of the basement with a makeshift torch in his right hand. The moment Wesley reached the bottom of the stairs he was immediately startled. The basement spanned the entire length and width of the house including the courtyard and the backyard. Furthermore, it was completely empty, not even a scrap of metal was to be seen anywhere inside.


    ''This place must''ve been a weapons or treasure storage for it to be so thoroughly cleaned out.''


    Wesley walked around the basement for sometime, then after not finding anything noteworthy, he immediately headed up. But before leaving the room, Wesley locked the basement door from the inside, then used his Dark Warp to appear outside the room.


    ''haha, this basement is perfect for refining as well as training. I''ll have to do something about the entrance.''


    Wesley then headed back towards the main hall was those kids were sleeping. A faint smile was plastered on his face because this house was truly worth his money. After reaching the main hall, Wesley Found that the four children were awake and busy eating the food he brought.


    ''It seems that they were really hungry. I wonder what these children had to go through in these last few years''


    Wesley truly felt his heart ache at the thought. While he was leisurely enjoying his life at the Royal palace, these kids were starving on the streets, and there was no doubt in his mind that hundred if not millions of other children suffered like them all over the world.


    ''What a world we live in. The wicked enjoy life, and the kind suffer''


    After the children noticed Wesley, they all looked up with gratitude visible on their eyes, and grease all over their mouths. They were skeptical of this new master of theirs but their hunger that was now gone set their hearts at ease. The oldest kid instantly stood up, and bowed towards Wesley, then he spoke in an apologetic and somewhat embarrassed voice:


    "Master, We ........"


    Wesley interrupted him before he could even finish his sentence, and spoke with laughter:


    "haha, don''t worry. Eat first and we''ll talk when you''re done."


    Wesley just sat down on one of the chairs and pulled out a book from his satchel and started reading.


    .........................................................................................................................................................


    After around thirty minutes of eating, the five children seemed to have been satisfied, so they cleaned themselves and then looked towards Wesley with some embarrassment and reverence, but they were still scared of him, after all, he was about to kill them not so long ago. The oldest kid stood up, then turned to Wesley and spoke In a low voice:


    "Master."


    Wesley immediately looked up, and then seeing that they were done, closed his book and said:


    "I see you''re done. Good. Now introduce yourselves."


    "Yes Master. I am the oldest of us siblings, my name is Lane."


    Lane then looked at the other four who all stood up immediately and started introducing themselves from oldest to youngest.


    "Master, My name is Stein."


    "Master, My name is Wannel."


    "Master, My name is Lavar."


    Wesley memorized these names instantly. It seemed like these kids were all well educated since they all spoke in a respectful and dignified manner. Then the youngest of the five, was a little girl, stepped up and said:


    "I am Sala."


    Her tone of speech made the other four glare at her, but Wesley just laughed out loud and spoke:


    "Haha, Sala. Good, Good. My Name is Wesley. Now let''s get to work."


    Wesley stared at each of the children separately, everyone, except for Sala who was looking around like a child, was standing as if in attention.


    ''These children really are something else. They are inside the house where their family was killed and their pain started, but none of them seems to be wavering.''


    These kids whose oldest was barely seven showed the altitude of an adult far older than them. This impressed Wesley who always prided himself as being wiser than those snot nosed kids his age.


    "First of all, those clothes are for you guys so change out of those rags. Then go pick your rooms upstairs and sleep. Lane, you stay."


    The four kids took their clothes, then after bowing to Wesley, left the room. Only Lane was left standing there.


    "Lane, tell me about the Shorn Family."


    "Yes master. The Shorn Family are one of the two minor noble houses of the Seventh District. However, because our Black Family never meddled in politics, they were recognized as lords of this district only they don''t do much for the district. They collect heavy taxes from the residents and businesses here, and hardly ever show themselves in the area, in fact, they spend most of their time in the inner districts."


    ''hmm, it seems that this Shorn Family are typical nobles who leech of their people and give nothing in return.''


    "I see. Tell me Lane, how many people does the Shorn Family have."


    "The shorn Family is a relatively small family. With the lord and his wife and their two sons."


    ''Sons. I would very much like to not kill children.''


    "And how old are these sons."


    "The oldest son is around forty while the younger is in his thirties. Master, the two of them were part of the group who attacked our family." Lane realizing why Wesley asked that question, added a little more information than was asked of him.


    "I see. Good. That''s all lane. You go and get some rest tonight, the master bedroom is yours since you''re the family head. We''ll talk some more tomorrow."


    "Yes Master. Thank you"


    ''haha, this Lane is smarter than I thought him to be. To see the meaning behind my question so well is no small feat.''


    Wesley, decided to go to get some sleep as well, this has been a long day.

 Chapter 12 - His Preparation

    The Black Family''s study was indeed a treasure trove of knowledge. Thousands of books, all in good condition, were collected here. Wesley was sure that he would spend most of his time in here. After staying in the study for an hour or so, Wesley decided to go get some sleep.


    Of course since he gave the master bedroom to  Lane, he would sleep in one of the smaller rooms. When he reached upstairs, Wesley checked to see if the kids were sleeping well, but he was surprised to find that most of the rooms were empty.


    ''Hmm. Could it be that they decided to run away.''


    Wesley thought that maybe those kids were unwilling to serve him so they decided to escape when he was not looking. However, when Wesley opened the Master bedroom, he saw that all five children were sleeping together, with little Sala in the middle. He realized that it was somewhat thoughtless of him to treat these children like adults and give each of them a bedroom.


    Wesley left them to their sleep, and went into one of the unoccupied rooms. Wesley was really tired. This day was longer than most. Having to take the entrance exam, finding a home, buying the home, taking in five children, he felt as if that he did enough for a whole week.


    ''I really don¡¯t feel like refining tonight. I should just go to sleep.''


    Wesley immediately set his dark sword aside and went to sleep.


    Wesley after having closed his eyes for almost a second, a knock from the door brought him out of his slumber.


    ''This better be an emergency or someone might lose a head.''


    "Who is it."


    "Master, it is Lane. You¡¯ve been asleep for half the day. We were worried."


    ''Half of the day, I just closed my eyes''


    Wesley instantly glanced at the window to his let and seeing the sunlight was peering through the shades, he was convinced that what Lane said was true.


    ''Haha, it seems I was more tired than I thought.''


    "Give me a second Lane."


    Wesley immediately got up and changed from his dark, beggar like travel clothes, and donned on an easier to move in, but still dark, pants and shirt. He then took his dark sword and walked out of the room. Lane was waiting respectfully outside Wesley''s room. Wesley was really impressed by this kid''s sense of etiquette. He was everything nobles claimed to be.


    "Lane, call your siblings and come see me in the study."


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley immediately headed down to the study. He was in no hurry per say, but he still had to take of  a few things before school starts a day later. When Wesley reached the study, he took a book that interested him last night titled [Blackreach City] which outlined the city history, government, and outlay. Wesley sat down on one of the numerous seats around the study and started reading.


    A few minutes later, Lane knocked on the door.


    "Come in Lane"


    Lane walked in instantly with the other four sleepily following him.


    ''It seems that they also slept through most of the day.''


    Wesley was amused by the fact that Lane was the only one who woke up early enough. This kind of diligence even made himself feel somewhat embarrassed. However, before Wesley could dwell further on his embarrassment, Sala walked off to one side, climbed into one of the seats in the study, and went to sleep. The other four including Lane where flabbergasted but Wesley couldn¡¯t hide his amusement. Lane was about to wake her up when Wesley spoke:


    "Lane, let her sleep. I didn¡¯t want her to hear what I want to say anyway."


    "Yes Master" Lane''s voice contained a hint of surprise. What could Wesley want to tell them.


    "Lane, does anyone know about your family''s death at the hands of the Shorn Family?"


    "Yes Master. But no one did anything since the Black Family was simply a minor family without any influence or wealth."


    "I see. And does anyone know that you five a survivors from the Black Family."


    Lane immediately understood why Wesley was asking him these questions.


    "No Master. We were nothing more than street urchins so no one bothered to look into our background. Also, only Stein and I were old enough to remember what happened two years ago, the other three were simply to young to remember things clearly, especially Sala who was only one at the time."


    ''Good. This means I can proceed without much worry of backlash on me.''


    "Lane, Stein, Wannel, Lavar. Tonight I plan on getting you the justice you yearned for. I will wipe out the Shorn Family. However, there is one thing before I can proceed."


    Wesley paused for a moment to observe the reactions of the four brothers to see if they understood his words. Lane and Stein as the oldest immediately nodded, but Wannel and Lavar simply stared at Wesley with a confused look. Wesley just continued speaking:


    "If I kill off the entire Shorn Family, and people find out that there are descendants of the Black Family around then it wouldn¡¯t be hard for them to connect the dots. So what should we do?"


    Wesley again paused again to observe the four brothers. This time, both Wannel and Lavar also seemed to have understood what Wesley was talking about. Wesley just nodded in satisfaction and continued speaking;


    "There is only one thing we can do. There will no longer be a Black Family. For all intents and purposes they have all died that night. You siblings are now the Grey Family."


    The four brothers knew what Wesley was saying was in fact true, but they still felt some reservation in the depths of their hearts. Giving up one''s family name was no simple matter for nobles. Wesley seeing their hesitation, spoke again:


    "Don¡¯t be so worried. I checked your Black Family''s family tree last night. Your Black Family were originally descended from the Grey family."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, the four siblings all relaxed slightly, and Lane stepped forward and spoke:


    "We understand Master. We are now the Grey Family."


    "Good. Now for less important matters."


    Wesley tossed a coin purse towards Lane and spoke:


    "There is a thousand gold in that purse. I want you to hire some guards and maids. Only make sure you hire them from the Seventh District. Also see if you can find some people to renovate the Manor."


    Wesley told him to hire from the Seventh District, because the people of the Seventh were the ones who most needed work. He also felt that it would be easier to gain the loyalty of those who believe they are delivered from dire straits than those who believe they are simply getting compensation for their skill.


    "Understood Master. We lived on these streets for years now, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find loyal and capable people."


    "Good. Also remember to inform the people you hire that the basement and study are off limits. Only you five siblings can come inside the study, while the basement is still off limits for you guys. Now go, you have a lot of work to do."


    "Yes Master" They all spoke at the same time, and promptly left the study.


    Wesley immediately used his Dark Warp to appear at the center of the basement, then he immediately released his Dark Globe and started refining. Refining often didn¡¯t require this much effort from regular mages, however, according to the [Refining Darkness] book, if one released their Dark Globe and refined at the same time, then their mastery of Dark Globe would increase while at the same time increasing their mana capacity because of the constant expenditure and collection of mana. Making this kind of open expansive space perfect for practice.


    ..............................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley continued refining for eight or so hours. Most mages only refine for an hour or two, just enough to replenish their spent mana. Wesley on the other hand, refined for more four times that amount. Wesley''s mana capacity didn¡¯t increase at an astonishing speed, in fact his mana capacity was not that much bigger than his peers, however, the quality of his mana was astonishing, he could do twice as much as other mages, with half the mana expenditure, while his understanding of Dark Globe increased. Of course Wesley didn¡¯t know this, since he didn¡¯t have any dark mages his age to compare with, and old man Rale was simply too monstrous.


    ''This should be enough. I am sure the sun has already set.''


    Wesley immediately warped out of the basement and reappeared inside the study. After looking around the study for sometime, he decided to go out and see how Lane''s work was progressing.


    The moment Wesley set foot outside the study, he was startled by the scene in front of his eyes. The desolate Manor was now bustling with activity. There were around four women ceaning the main hall, and two more in the kitchen. There were men all over the hallways, some painting the walls, others fixing the lambs and chandeliers. There were screaming everywhere, men shouting at other men to do something, others grunting under the heavy loads they were carrying. Wesley was pleasantly surprised.


    ''haha, it seems Lane went all out.''


    He walked through projects going on all over the house and made his way to Lane, who was talking to a tall burly man who was twice his size. Lane was holding some sheets in his hand and was pointing towards the sheets while the tall man also looked at the sheets while nodding his head.


    "The foundation of the outer walls seemed to need some reinforcement. Send some men to do that as well."


    "Understood. But the top section of the walls will need to be rebuilt. Adding up all the expenses, I would need around a total of hundred gold." The burly man spoke in a low, almost whispering, voice.


    As soon as Wesley approached Lane and the burly man, they immediately looked up from what they were doing. The burly man only had a questioning look on his face as if asking Wesley who the hell he was, but Lane immediately bowed respectfully, and said:


    "Master, I didn¡¯t know you came out."


    The burly hearing Lane''s words was startled. He thought that Lane was the master of the Manor, which was plenty surprising, but it seems that this child who seemed to be not much older than Lane himself was the true master. Wesley didn¡¯t pay any attention to the burly man and spoke to Lane:


    "How are things proceeding. There seems to be a lot of activity."


    "Yes Master. We have started renovating the Manor. I have also hired a few maids to handle the cleaning and cooking, I left the hiring of the guards to a later date after the renovations are done."


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    Wesley was impressed at how competent Lane was. He simply nodded his head in satisfaction as he listened to Lane''s report, then he asked:


    "Where are Stein and the others."


    "Stein, Wannel and Lavar are overlooking other projects around the Manor, while little Sala is playing in the backyard."


    "Good. Keep up the good work. I will be going out for a short bit to take care of some business. Is there anything you need of me before I leave."


    "There is nothing Master. Please don¡¯t worry, I have everything under control."


    "Good, I''ll be going then."


    As Wesley was walking out of the Manor, he saw that there were at least a hundred people working all over the Manor, but the amazing thing was that despite doing tedious physical labor for god knows how long, each of them had an incomparable look of satisfaction on their faces.


    ''The satisfaction one gets from gaining their living from their own sweat is tremendous. If only nobles understood this simple fact then this world wouldn¡¯t be in it''s current state."


    The looks of dejection and hopelessness he saw in the faces of people in the Seventh District was nowhere to be seen on the faces of these people. These people don''t want wealth or gold, all they want is to be able to feed themselves and their families and the dignity of doing with their own hands. Take away people''s ability to provide for their families, you take away their dignity and toss them into the depression.


    Wesley had millions of thoughts running through his mind, but he cast them aside and started focusing at the task in hand. It was going to take care of the Shorn Family, but he still lacked information about them.


    ''First, I''ll need to collect as much information about this Shorn Family as possible. And the best place for information is...''


    Wesley knew that if you wanted to collect information, then the best place to go was the local pub.


    ''Since the Shorn Family are from the Seventh District then I''ll first go to the biggest pub in the Seventh. Afterwards, I''ll make my way to a pub in the Sixth District where Lane said they lived."


    .......................................................................................................................................................


    The pub In the Seventh District was almost a shanty. The only way Wesley found out this was his destination was because of the small sign that hung outside with the words ''Tavern'' on it.


    ''It seems this District really is rundown to the core.''


    Wesley was surprised to find a pub in such a condition, after all, one of the most resilient business were taverns.


    ''In a place like this district that is full of misery, there should be a lot of people drinking themselves to forget their worries. But that won''t happen if there is no money to be spent.''


    Wesley was starting to hate the unfairness in this world more as time went by. Walking into the pub, Wesley noticed that it was completely empty except for the bartender who was behind the counter.


    The moment Wesley walked in, the bartender''s eyes lit up as if he has just seen diamond. He immediately walked towards Wesley, and bowed while speaking respectfully:


    "Welcome Sir. Please have a seat."


    Wesley was not too surprised, it seemed that this pub didn¡¯t get that many customers. Wesley just sat down one, then looked up at the bartender who was standing by his side:


    "Two of your house special please."


    The bartender was delighted beyond words, and his face lit up as he heard Wesley''s words. He immediately spoke:


    "Coming right up."


    The bartender almost ran towards the kitchen. Wesley chuckled inwardly, but still felt some pain at the misfortune that surrounds this entire District. He kept thinking of ways to help these people. While engrossed in his thoughts, the bartender returned and set to roasted quail in front of Wesley.


    Wesley looked at the dishes in front of him and then looked up and spoke to the bartender:


    "I don''t think I can eat this all by myself. How about you join me. On me of course"


    The bartender was delighted. He wasn¡¯t starving, but who would say no to a free meal, in fact, he was actually getting paid to eat, so of course he accepted.


    "Thank you."


    Wesley and the bartender started eating their food. After finishing their respective dishes, they looked at each other with satisfied looks on their face and both burst out laughing. Wesley spoke first:


    "Thank you for this meal. This was truly delicious."


    "No thank you. To grace me with your patronage and still invite me to a meal. Truly, thank you."


    "Don''t mention it."


    ''Good. Now should be a good time to get some information''


    "You see, my family just moved to the area. We were really surprised at the state of the district. What happened here."


    The bartender''s laughing face immediately turned ugly, and a fierce look flashed in his eyes. He then looked straight at Wesley and spoke:


    "It is all thanks to those vultures from the Shorn Family. They bleed us dry."


    ''Good, good. Direct to the point.''


    "The Shorn Family? I never heard of them."


    "They are the nobles in charge of the Seventh District. They are nothing more than leeches that suck the life out of this place. Did you know that this place did not use to be like this. Life was never easy, but we had enough, but then those bastards killed off the Black Family and took sole ownership of the District. Since then, they tripled taxes, and closed down any businesses that were unable to comply. This place became what you see within a year."


    The bartender was truly angry. He told Wesley about how the Shorn Family would send their guards to terrorize businesses. And after most businesses closed because of the high taxes, they started taxing the houses, which led to many people becoming destitute and homeless. He also found out the most of the transgressions of the Shorn Family were conducted by their two sons.


    After listening to the bartender for a while, Wesley decided to leave. He stood up and looked at the bartender who was still sitting with a sad look on his face. He patted at the bartender''s shoulder and spoke:


    "I''ll be leaving old man. I will visit again soon."


    The bartender looked up, and then realizing that Wesley was trying to console him, he squeezed out a smile and said:


    "Yes, yes. Please do."


    Wesley immediately left the pub and headed to the Sixth District. The Sixth District was mainly a middle class residential area, with one story houses with small courtyards lining the streets. There were also a few minor noble families with houses similar to the Black Manor, but they weren''t as often.


    Wesley headed to the Inn he stayed in when he first arrived at Blackreach City. This Inn compared to the one at the Seventh District, was like a palace with its two stories and giant, well lit, sign.


    Wesley simply walked in and found that the Inn was half filled with people drinking and chatting. Wesley walked towards the counter where the bartender was currently standing, and sat down. The bartender looked up at Wesley with a disinterested look, then his eyes suddenly lit up and he said:


    "Little Wesley. Why didn¡¯t you come back last night. How did the examination go."


    "Haha, Michael. I did get accepted into the academy. I also found a new place to live, so I came to tell you and have some of that famous tea you made me yesterday morning."


    "Haha, Wesley. Congratulations. Let me get you some of that tea, On the house. Tell me where are you now living."


    "Oh yes, I found this little house in the Seventh District."


    Hearing the Seventh District, Michael''s face changed and he asked Wesley with a concerned voice:


    "The Seventh. Why would you live in such a place, i thought i told you how that place was."


    ''Good, this talk is heading in the right direction''


    "I was short on money, and the houses in that District are rather cheap. Only I didn¡¯t expect the condition of the area to be so bad. I should have listened to your words from before."


    "I guess it couldn¡¯t be helped. The Seventh.....Sigh......I used to live there a few years ago, but after the Shorn Family took control, those who could afford it moved out of there and opened business in other districts. Unfortunately, only very few could afford such a move, the rest were bled dry."


    ''It seems that the actions of the Shorn Family are known by most people. That means that there would be less outrage after their death. Good.''


    "But why isn''t anyone doing anything. What the Shorn Family are doing can''t be right."


    "of course no one would bother to do anything. The people who live in the Seventh are simply too poor to be worth the efforts of the city''s higher ups. Also, the Shorn Family are extremely rich, so people are reluctant to offend them."


    "But how rich could they be, they are only a minor noble family."


    "It is true that they are minor nobles. However, before becoming nobility, they were a successful merchant family with huge wealth, and after becoming nobles, they taxed the people in the Seventh to death. If it weren''t for the fact that they only became nobles a short time ago, they would have already been one of the ruling families of the City."


    "I see. Such a shame." Wesley''s voice was filed with genuine concern.


    "Don''t worry little Wesley, that is simply how the world is, the nobles do what they want, and the rest of us do what we must. Let''s celebrate your acceptance."


    Wesley and Michael talked until midnight. During their conversation Wesley managed to learn about the location of the Shorn Manor from Michael as well as learning that most of the guards of the Shorn Family are privately hired so while they are not numerous in number most of them remain within the Manor. Wesley finished his chat with Michael, and decided it was about time he began.


    "I will be leaving now Michael, I''ll come visit often."


    "Haha, little Wesley, make sure you do. And be careful on your way home, the Seventh is not known for its safety."


    "Will do. Goodnight Michael."


    ''haha, time to pay this infamous Shorn Family a visit. I wonder if I should kill them in their sleep, or wake them up so that they can beg for their lives.''


    ............................................................................................

 Chapter 13 - His Atrocities

    Hey guys.


    Surprise <del>buttsex</del> chapter.


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    Any way enjoy.


    ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


    Within the Shorn Manor, in the master bedroom, the family head, Aceen Shorn and his wife were currently sleeping in their bed. This was not an odd scene since it is only normal for people to sleep. However, at this instant, a dark robed figure with jade green eyes was staring intently at the sleeping couple.


    ''I wonder how I should do this. Being too quick won''t be any fun.''


    Wesley was currently thinking of a way to kill these two. He didn¡¯t want to kill them in their sleep since that would be too easy an escape, but he also didn¡¯t want to spend too much time here since he has already used half of his mana pool warping into the Manor and looking for their room.


    ''hmm, lets try doing it this way.''


    Wesley having made up his mind instantly released his Dark Globe to cover the entire room. The moment the Dark Globe was released, all traces of light disappeared from the room and a chilling cold spread. Dark Globe was not a complicated spell, one only uses their dark mana to stimulate and attract all the darkness elements in the area.


    This causes all the other elements to be ejected from the area where the darkness elements converge, especially the two elements of light and fire are immediately ejected since they are not compatible with darkness, while wind,water and earth can be expelled as well, only it will take a tremendous amount of mana to do. Therefore, when Dark Globe is activated, gloomy darkness and chilling coldness engulfs anyone within the range.


    The moment Aceen and his wife felt the cold in the room they instantly sat down and looked around. Only they could not see a single thing, in fact they could not even see their own hands when it was in front of their eyes. How could they see anything when all light has been expelled. While the couple where wondering what was going on, a low, cold sound reached their ears:


    "If you shout, you will die."


    The voice was so filled with cold killing intention, that the moment they heard it, they instantly realized there was no way they would leave this room alive. But at that moment, the wife couldn¡¯t stand the pressure:


    "Aaa........."


    By the time the first sound left her lips, a second didn¡¯t follow. A deafening silence descended upon the room. Aceen instantly realized his wife was most likely dead as he felt her body slump lifelessly next to him. His heart felt like it was stabbed by a million needless, but he didn¡¯t want to die so he kept his mouth shut and started calculating. This person could not be an assassin since he would''ve just killed them in their sleep, which meant that he wanted something. If he wants something, it must be something I have which means I can get out of this alive. Aceen decided to speak, but did so in a low whisper like voice so as not to be confused with a shout:


    "What do you want from me. Anything you want I''ll give, just spare my life"


    ''Oh, this one is not too dumb. I wonder how far he''s willing to go to life.''


    "How much is your life worth?"


    Aceen immediately let out a breath of relief. If money is all he wanted then this could be easily solved.


    "I will give you one million gold. What do you say?"


    There was only silence. Not a single reply came which caused Aceen to become extremely worried. He instantly realized that his offer might have been too small.


    "Five million gold?"


    Aceen was once again surrounded by silence. He was starting to be anxious. How much could this guy want from him. Perhaps his entire wealth, although he was somewhat unwilling to part with his family''s entire wealth, it still was not worth him losing his life over it. Gold could be earned back with time, but a life lost is gone forever.


    "Fifteen million gold. That is the entire wealth of my family, I can''t give you anymore."


    "That is acceptable."This time a reply came.


    Aceen instantly felt a tremendous weight of his shoulders. It seems he was going to get out of this alive.


    "The gold is in my vault which is in the basement. I''ll take you there........"


    Before he even finished his sentence, his head left his body with a somewhat relieved look still on his face.


    ''Thank you for your donation.''


    Wesley instantly canceled his Dark Globe and walked towards the wall. He then invoked his Dark Warp and reappeared inside a room ten feet away where a bearded guy was snoring. Wesley didn¡¯t even bother with waking this guy up as he just swung his sword towards his head and chopped his head off.


    ''There is no easier death than dying asleep. You should be glad i feel too sleepy to play with you''


    Wesley then warped out of the room and reappeared in the next room to find a similarly snoring man, only this one seemed a little younger than the first. But without even hesitating Wesley chopped his head off the same way.


    ''What are the chances.....''


    Wesley had a thought that maybe these people were not the actual Shorn Family members so he went around a few more rooms in the Manor. Aside from the servants rooms which were packed full of maids and soldiers sleeping, the only people in the upper level rooms were those four he already killed. This eased his worries and he proceeded to the basement where the vault was.


    This basement was just like the Black Manor one, only this one had a metal gate at about the halfway point and was very well lit. The gate was about three feet thick, making it rather hard to break into without a key, fortunately Wesley didn¡¯t need a key.


    Wesley''s Dark Warp enabled him to not be bothered with barriers and doors. Dark Warp was far more complicated than Dark Globe. It requires almost double the mana consumption and needed a lot of fine control. One would use their mana to form a tunnel of darkness between the shadows in two different points. The more mana spent the longer the tunnel, however, one should still not use their entire mana since that would cause the tunnel to collapse with them inside getting them stuck in a material less void.


    Wesley warped to the inside of the vault, and was surprised to find that the room was filled to the brim with neatly stacked. He was impressed at the wealth this Shorn Family managed to accumulate, but he knew that most of this wealth was collected from the blood and sweat of other people.


    Wesley immediately stretched his right hand out and a dark Shadow seeped out of his hand like fog covering all the stack of gold.Dark Dimension was a basic storage spell used by most dark mages. Its mechanics were very similar to Dark Warp, only when one puts the materials in the tunnel, they immediately withdraw their mana, collapsing the tunnel and keeping the materials suspended in the void. The things that are suspended in the void can be retrieved, but it requires the original casters mana, making it impossible for dark mages to steal each others treasures.


    The stacks of gold that filled the vault immediately disappeared with the shadowy fog. with that done Wesley walked to the furthest room of the vault and warped to the outside of the Manor. Since these basements spanned the whole length of the Manors including the back and front yards, the furthest walls were the outer border of the house.


    Wesley found himself in an alley behind the Shorn Manor, then he warped away and reappeared in an alley five hundred away.


    ''I Should be careful not to be seen by anyone. I would rather avoid people talking about seeing a shadowy figure near the place where a noble family were wiped out.''


    Wesley walked from alleyway to alleyway until he found himself outside of the Sixth District and in the Seventh District. He wouldn¡¯t dare warp since his mana pool was nearly empty so he had to stick to walking thought the inconspicuous alleyways.


    As Wesley was walking towards the Black Manor through the alleyways, as if making Michael''s prophecy come true, three figures blocked Wesley''s path with dark hoods and small short swords in their hands.


    "Give us everything on you little one, or we''ll take it off of your dead body."


    ''Great. I would rather avoid killing near where I live since it''ll leave a trail.''


    "I am in a good mood tonight so I will let you live as long as you move out of my way"


    Wesley spoke in a cold detached voice that was filled with indifference as if he didn¡¯t even feel threatened by these three armed men in front of him. The three men hearing Wesley''s words felt odd, they knew that this kid in front of them couldn¡¯t be older than ten, but to be able to speak with such confidence, he must have something up his sleeve. But the three men were not willing to believe that such a child could do anything to them, so they looked at each other, nodded, then swung at Wesley all at the same time.


    ''Sigh.....Now it can''t be helped.''


    Wesley seeing the three short swords swing towards him, didn¡¯t even show a single strand of fear, he only put his hand on his hand, and the moment the swords were half an inch away, he pulled out his swords while dodging forward, and after half a breath, three headless bodies fell to the ground behind Wesley.


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    To the inexperienced eye, it would look like Wesley just walked between the three men and suddenly his sword appeared in his hand as the three men lost their heads. In reality, however, Wesley swung his sword three times with each swing bypassing each man''s sword to his neck. This was Wesley''s Silent Counter.


    Looking back at the three dead men who lay behind him, Wesley felt a little bitter, he knew that perhaps they resorted to crime out of necessity, but he also knew that there are some people who commit crimes when they had other options, and he wasn''t kind enough to ask for their reasons if they swing their blades at him. In the depths of his heart, he knew that they wouldn''t hesitate to kill, so why should he.


    ''Sigh, these idiots'' bodies look similar to the ones I left back at the Shorn place. Anyone with half a brain would notice the similarity. Now I have to dirty my hands.''


    Wesley started mutilating the three bodies of the robbers. He didn''t want the leave similar bodies to the ones back at the Shorn Manor near his actual residence, so he had to resort to making it look like these men were killed by some sort of psychopath with a different method than the guy who killed the Shorn Family.


    Wesley resumed his walk towards the Black Manor. Fortunately he didn¡¯t meet anymore robbers on the way and made it back to the Manor without any further complications. The Manor that was bustling with activity a short while ago was now deathly quiet without a single souls in sight.


    ''it seems everyone is asleep.''


    Wesley walked through the front door and headed upstairs to change out of his bloodstained clothes and get some sleep. When Wesley reached upstairs, he was surprised to find Lane sitting in front of his room while asleep.


    ''This Lane is really diligent. I wonder if he was waiting for some news.''


    "Lane. Hey Lane. Wake up."


    Wesley called out to Lane while patting his shoulder. Lane groggily opened his eyes and after seeing Wesley, his eyes immediately turned sharp and he stood up with haste.


    "Master"


    "Haha, You should go get some sleep Lane. You look tired."


    Lane had a hesitant look on his face, and his lips quivered as if he wanted to say something, however, after noticing the blood all over Wesley''s cloth, he realized what happened and a faint smile crept on his face and he spoke:


    "Yes Master. And thank you."


    "Yes, Yes. Now go."


    Wesley patted Lane on the shoulder as he walked past him and into his room. He then took off his bloodied cloth and stored them in his Dark Dimension to be disposed of later.


    ''This has been a fruitful day.''


    Wesley decided to get a short sleep, before he goes to the basement to refine, after all he had spent quite a lot of mana.


    .......................................................................................................................


    After a few hours of sleeping, Wesley woke up at around four in the morning. He wore a light green rope since he was starting to run out of his favorite dark clothes. He then immediately warped out of the room and reappeared inside the basement. He immediately released his Dark Globe and started refining.


    After five hours of refining, Wesley noticed that the activity outside has increased tremendously with a lot of pounding and shouting.


    ''It seems that the renovations started again. I should go see how things are.''


    Wesley walked towards the basement door. He didn¡¯t want to Warp since that made it possible that someone would see him reemerge, so he didn¡¯t risk it and decided to take the simple exit.


    The moment Wesley walked out, he surprised to find that there were even more people running around the Manor than yesterday. There were people painting the walls of the house, others were fixing fixtures and doors around the house, while some where changing broken tiles on the floor and roof. It was truly a hotbed of activity.


    Wesley immediately headed to the main hall to look for Lane. Lane was currently guiding two men who were positioning furniture in the hall so that they can place the furniture at the right spots, he was also holding some sheets in his hand and would glance at them ever so often.


    ''This Lane seems to working hard again.''


    "Lane, you should really take a break."


    Lane hearing those words jerked his head towards Wesley with a surprised look, then seeing Wesley there, his face lit up and he smiled as he spoke:


    "Master. When did you come down. I told Lavar to tell me when you woke up."


    "Well don''t mind that. Tell me, how are things going with the renovations."


    Lane noticed that Wesley evaded answering his question so he didn¡¯t pursue it any further and spoke while looking at the sheets in his hand.


    "Well Master, the roof, the inside walls and the inside floors have been already renovated since they had minimal damage. However, the foundation of the outer wall has been neglected for far too long so it''ll take a few more days to restore it, and the walls themselves will be reinforced and heightened, which should take a few more days at most."


    "I see. How about funds. Do you need more?"


    Wesley did just come into a substantial amount of wealth so he wasn''t too worried about money.


    "No Master. I have barely spent three fourth of the gold you gave me yesterday. The rest should be enough to finish the current projects."


    "Good,good. Well it seems you have everything under control. I''ll go to the study and read. Come see me if you need anything."


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley immediately turned around and headed towards the study. As he walked past the workers, a conversation between two maids who were supposed to be mopping the floors caught his attention.


    "Did you hear about what happened last night."


    "You mean how the Shorn Family were eradicated."


    "Yeah. They say their eyes were gouged and their hearts were missing."


    "I also heard their flesh was gone and only bones remained. They must''ve been killed by a devil."


    "That must be......."


    The maid stopped her talking when she saw Wesley was near them. Rumors have already spread between the workers that the true master of the Manor was not Lane but the mysterious Wesley.


    Wesley hearing the maids'' conversation was on the verge of laughing out loud.


    ''Their flesh gone? How the hell do these kinds of rumors spread. Either way, now that news of the Shorn Family''s demise has spread, I wonder who will take control of the Seventh District. I really hope that they aren''t like the Shorn, but if they are......''


    Wesley just walked into the study. After walking in, he was surprised to find Sala sitting in one of the seats attempting to read a book. Only she was holding the book upside down and was just looking blankly at the pages. Wesley seeing this was really amused, and he spoke in a kind voice with a hint of laughter:


    "Little Sala. What are you reading."


    "Oh, Master Wes. I wanted to read this book but it is too hard."


    Wesley was extremely surprised at her Master Wes. He didn¡¯t mind it, in fact he liked it a little. So he spoke with a laughter:


    "Haha, Sala. Have you ever been taught how to read?"


    "No. Big Brother Lane said he would when I grew older."


    ''ah, she was too young when their family was killed otherwise her education woul have started right about now.''


    "How about this little Sala. I will teach you how to read and write from now on."


    "Really Master Wes."


    "Yes. But I will be very strict and give you a ton of things to do. Do you still want to learn"


    "Yes, definitely."


    "Good, let''s start then."


    Wesley walked around the study to look for a suitable book. Luckily this study had a lot of different books so it wasn¡¯t too hard to find one that could be used to teach reading. It was a small book with less than fifty pages titled [Traditional Fables of The Four Kingdoms].


    "Good, this book should be good enough."


    Wesley handed the book to Sala and sat next to her as she eyed the words on the page. Wesley then started pointing at words and speaking them out loud for Sala to say after him.


    An hour later, Sala was starting to get bored so Wesley decided to stop the lesson. It wouldn¡¯t be good to make her resistant to learning by forcing it on her.


    "This is enough for today little Sala. Go out and play. Also remember to come here everyday for you lessons."


    "Yes Master Wes. Thank you." She spoke as she ran out of the study.


    ''haha, she must have been really bored to bolt out of here so fast."


    Wesley started looking through the books in the study for something interesting to read for the remainder of the day. He had nothing urgent ot do until tomorrow when he''ll have to go to the Academy.

 Chapter 14 - His Warning

    Hey guys, here a chapter for you.


    This chapter is a little filler-ish but i am still setting the base for the story so it is necessary.


    anyway, enjoy.


    ..............................................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley spent the next five or so hours reading inside the study. The study was insulated so that noises from outside wouldn''t disturb those inside, however, the ruckus outside could still be heard. Wesley just ignored the noises from outside and continued immersing himself in his reading.


    The book he was currently reading was title [Terrid the Honest]. It was a biography of one of the most famous kings of the Royaume Empire. He was known for improving the empire''s tax laws so that the common people wouldn¡¯t be exploited by the nobility. Naturally, the laws of the Royaume Empire are shunned by the four kingdoms, and while each kingdom does have a similar law, it is neither as comprehensive or as effective as Terrid''s law.


    ''I guess we would rather maintain our independence from a long gone Empire than even consider what is best for their people.''


    Wesley was really disappointed by the current governments of the world. These four governments struggle for wealth and domination, yet they forget that the only reason they exist is by the will of the people. How can there be kings and rulers If the common people didn¡¯t choose to make them so. Where does one get a mandate to declare themselves above other humans if not for the consent of others.


    While Wesley was pondering about the legal and philosophical justification for the existence of social classes, a knock on the door interrupted him.


    "Yes. Come in" Wesley was slightly annoyed that he was interrupted, but he didn¡¯t mind it too much.


    Lane walked in with a slightly apologetic look on his face as if he noticed Wesley irritation at his interruption. He bowed slightly and spoke:


    "Master pardon me for the interruption, but there are some people who wish to meet you."


    ''I wonder who it could be. It can''t be an unimportant matter or Lane would have handled it.''


    "Who are they Lane."


    "They said they are from the Central Government of the City."


    Wesley was somewhat startled as only one thought passed through his mind.


    ''For the central government to come to me so soon after the Shorn Family incident...''


    "Let them in Lane."


    "Yes Master."


    Lane bowed and immediately went out. Almost half a minute later, Lane came back with three white robed men in tow. The one who walked furthest ahead of the three seemed to be the leader. He was an amiable looking old man with a chest long white beard that matched his white robe. He had his hands behind his back and gave off an air of dignity that the other two simply didn¡¯t.


    Wesley was slightly worried but he kept it from showing on his face. He simply kept sitting on his chair and continued reading until the three men with Lane were about ten feet away. Wesley then looked up from his book with a smile on his face and spoke in a clear but non condescending voice:


    "Welcome. Please have a seat."


    The old man didn¡¯t smile, he didn¡¯t even blink. He simply looked at Wesley without a hint of emotion on his face. Wesley had absolutely no way to know what this old man was thinking. The old bowed slightly man spoke in a soft voice brimming with authority as he said respectfully:


    "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."


    ''It seems like he knows who I am.''


    "Please, no need to be so formal. I am but a guest at your great city."


    Wesley maintained his smile as he spoke, However, Lane who was standing slightly behind the three men had an incomparably confused look on his face. He knew Wesley was someone with a powerful background, but he just assumed he was a simple noble.


    The old man was now sitting across from Wesley with the two other men standing respectfully behind him. He maintained his expressionless face, and spoke once again:


    "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."


    Wesley only continued smiling without acknowledging that the old man continued being formal meaning that he was here for business. Wesley was starting to get agitated by this old man''s stoicism, so he slightly changed his tone from a friendly one to a more businesslike one.


    "Well then, Why has the Central Government come to visit me?"


    The old man raised his eyebrows slightly at Wesley''s change of tone, but his face was still as rigid as a sculpture.


    "Your Royal Highness, My name is Wale, and I am from the Central Government''s Office of Management.We have come to inform you of a few rules regarding royalty from the four kingdoms that stay in our city."


    ''Royalty that stay in the city? Hmm, it seems there are others like me around. Interesting.''


    "I see. Please go on."


    "First, In Blackreach City, your status as a member of a royal family does not entitle you to any rights or privileges beyond that of normal nobles."


    The old man paused to see if Wesley had anything to say, but Wesley simply nodded as if this isn''t news at all. The old man simply continued:


    "Second, you may not participate in anything regarding the functions of Blackreach City."


    The old man paused again but Wesley acted continued to smile and nod. This was really odd since the old man half expected Wesley to start shouting or at least complaining, but he was met with an unconcerned attitude.


    "And finally, anyone under you command are excluded from meddling or influencing any of the functions of the City."


    The moment the old man said these words, he slightly glanced towards Lane who was off to the side. Lane noticed this but ignored it since he was still occupied with Wesley''s identity. Wesley on the other hand was surprised at the old man''s actions.


    ''Could it be that he knows who Lane is. There is something I am missing.''


    "Is that all mr. Wale."


    "Yes Your Royal Highness. These are laws extending from the Blackreach Treaty and failure to comply will lead to expulsion from the city and heavy fines on the Ject Kingdom."


    ''Hmm, this city is really hostile towards foreign powers. That almost sounded like a threat.''


    "Understood. Lane, please see mr. Wale out." Wesley''s tone turned slightly cold after the old man''s threat like statement, but the smile was still there.


    "Yes......Master."


    Lane was somewhat confused, he didn¡¯t know if he should say Your Royal Highness or Master. He immediately motioned to the three men who followed him promptly after bowing respectfully to Wesley. Wesley turned back to his book as if this was only an insignificant interruption.


    ''I am sure that there will be people watching me from now on.''


    Wesley wasn¡¯t that interested in interfering with Blackreach City to begin with, but he couldn¡¯t help but frown at the thought that there will be people watching his every move. He really did enjoy his freedom, and the idea that he will be constantly monitored didn¡¯t sit well with him. He was also worried that their monitoring operation already was underway, making his actions at the Shorn residence was known.


    ''I guess it can''t be helped. I''ll just have to take some extra precautions from now on.''


    Lane returned a few minutes later. Wesley looked up and noticed that the confusion was still visible on his face, and he seemed somewhat unsure about how he should act. Wesley seeing this was extremely amused.


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    ''I sometimes forget this Lane is still but a child.''


    "Haha Lane. You seem rather pale. What is the matter?" Wesley was enjoying how flustered Lane was, since it was rare to see the normally calm headed Lane act this way.


    "Uhm, Master....Your Royal Highness?"


    "haha, don¡¯t mind that Lane, you can call me like you always do. Anyway, come sit, we have things to discuss."


    Lane was slightly relieved that Wesley wasn¡¯t acting differently, but he was still somewhat reserved, after all, this was a royal prince. He walked forward hesitantly and sat across from Wesley in the spot that the old man was sitting a moment ago. Wesley was the first to speak, his voice turning serious and the laughter and amusement disappearing from his face:


    "what do you think about what just happened?"


    Lane, upon seeing how Wesley''s change, was startled. He had listened to everything that happened and understood it, but none of it was as serious as Wesley''s true identity, so he didn¡¯t pay it any mind, but now that Wesley asked him so seriously, he immediately forgot his initial worries and spoke in a calm voice:


    "This was most likely a warning. Blackreach City is rather serious about the influence of foreign powers."


    "I thought so too. What do you think we should do."


    Wesley wanted to see how far ahead this lane could see. He really wanted a glimpse into the complicated mind of this kid.


    "I believe we should hire a few more guards. Also, I will make the hiring process alittle stricter to weed out any potential spies."


    ''Haha, this kid is something else.''


    "Good, Good . I''ll leave it up to you Lane. Also, I want you to come up with some way for us to earn a decent income. I won''t be able to support us indefinitely."


    Wesley actually had enough gold to last them for a long time without any worries, but he didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention. He also didn¡¯t want Lane to become too complacent in luxury, so he''ll have to innovative. Wesley really wanted to temper this little treasure of his.


    "I was thinking of that lately Master. As long as we have decent capital, we can invest in some of the businesses in the city for a return of their profits."


    ''Oh, that is an impressive idea. This Lane seems to have a knack for management.''


    "That sounds like a good idea. How much gold do you think will be enough."


    Lane was silent for a short period calculating somethings in his head, then he spoke:


    "Around a million gold should be enough. The profits will be need to be reinvested, so we''ll get even more return in the future."


    Lane had a hint of hesitation while he spoke. How much was a million gold? Very few people can even imagine such a sum, and even less are able to spend it, considering that the average wealthy family would make around two hundred thousand gold a year. However, Wesley was not alarmed, and his next words shocked Lane to his core.


    "That is acceptable. I''ll arrange for the gold. Do you have any potential businesses in mind."


    Lane was shocked. How could someone who wasn''t that much older than him, even if he is a prince, have such a wealth. But he wasn''t distracted too much, as he answered.


    "Yes Master. The construction company that is currently doing the renovations is a great candidate. They are based In the Seventh District so they get access to a lot of cheap labor making them the favorite of anyone who wants to build something in the city. Also, when I was talking to the owner of the company yesterday, he let slip that they were recently commissioned by the City to renovate the city walls, and such a massive project is bound to bring in a lot of profits."


    ''haha. It seems that when it comes to finances, this Lane has no equal.''


    "Good. You seem to have everything figured out. You will deal with financial matters from now on."


    Lane simply nodded, and was about to get up when a thought surfaced in his mind making him hesitate. Wesley noticed this and immediately asked:


    "Is there anything else Lane?"


    Lane was somewhat hesitant, but he still spoke his mind.


    "Uhm Master. Do you want the other to know about your identity."


    The others being his siblings. Lane didn''t want to hide anything from his siblings but if his master wanted him to do it then he''ll have no other choice.


    ''This Lane has a tendency to overthink. That might be good sometime, but other times....''


    "My identity was never a secret Lane. I just didn''t say anything. There should be no problem in telling them."


    Lane seemed to light up at Wesley''s words, it seems he didn¡¯t like keeping secrets from his siblings.


    "Yes Master."


    ''Good grief. Such an honest person. It seems that there is no such thing as a flawless treasure. But out of all the possible flaws one could have, honesty is not too bad.''


    Lane immediately left the study and Wesley was left alone to his lonesome.


    ''I will read for some time, go refine for a few hours, then get some sleep. Sigh...Tomorrow is going to a long day.''


    .............................................................................................................................................................


    A few hours later, in the building that was currently occupied by the Office of Management, in a big, impressive office, a blue robed man was sitting behind a desk while staring at some sheets of paper. In front of the desk stood a white robed elder with a white beard and an emotionless face.


    "What did you think of him Wale."


    "Lord, he is an odd child. His face doesn¡¯t show any change even when I half threatened him. I couldn¡¯t gleen anything from his face, one could immediately sense that there is more to him that meets the eye."


    The blue robed man''s eyebrows furrowed a little as he continued staring at the sheets in his hand.


    "I don''t like his being here, but there is nothing we can do. Did you notice anything else?"


    "Yes Lord. His attendant is a survivor of the Black Family. I saw him once before a few years ago."


    The blue robed man immediately looked up with a look between anger and fear both evident on his face.  He almost roared at the old man:


    "Why is there a survivor of the Black Family. What the hell are those Shorn Idiots doing?"


    "Lord, the Shorn Family was wiped out last night. None of them are left."


    The blue robed man''s face turned uglier as he heard the old man''s words.


    "How? Do you think it has anything to do with that prince brat?"


    "I don''t think so Lord. The investigators concluded that it was a professional who killed them. And as far as our intelligence goes, the prince is here alone, but we can''t ignore the fact that he might be involved somehow."


    The blue robed man seemed to be caught in a torrent of thoughts, his face still retaining its ugliness.


    "Increased surveillance on the prince brat and the Black descendant. Also inform the other three families about your findings, but omit the details about the Black Family, if they find out on their own we''ll just blame it on incompetence of the Shorn."


    "Yes Lord."


    The old man bowed respectfully and promptly exited the office. The blue robed man however, didn¡¯t relax, his face twitched with worry and his eyes reflected his deep thoughts.

 Chapter 15 - His First Day 1

    Ok guys.


    My favorite/most hated part of the story is starting.


    I love the school scenes but it is going to be a nightmare to write.


    anyway enjoy.


    .........................................................................................................................................


    Wesley continued reading for a short while after the three men from the central government left, then he left the study and headed towards the kitchen to look for something to eat.


    The maids in the kitchen were currently just sitting around relaxing, it was around four in the afternoon and it seems like they finished most of their work and the renovation works were starting to slow so there was nothing much left for them to do.


    The moment Wesley walked in, the four maids immediately stood at attention as if they were soldiers, only they had no idea what to do, they were all hired by Lane making him their boss, but everyone knew that Wesley was the true master of the house. Wesley just ignored their confused looks and started looking around the kitchen for something to eat.


    While Wesley was rummaging around the kitchen, the four maids looked at each other, and after a short moment of silent conversation, one of the maids stepped forward and spoke:


    "Master, do you need help with anything."


    Wesley who was currently starting to get flustered at his not finding food, looked up at the maid who spoke. She was an elderly women, around fifty if not older, her face was full of wrinkles, but her eyes shined with a youthful luster that gave her an amiable and kind feeling. Wesley just straightened himself and spoke while trying to hide his frustration:


    "I was looking for something to eat, but I couldn¡¯t find any."


    Wesley was really trying his hardest to save some dignity in front of these maids, but he failed miserably as his words came out sounding childish. One of the three maids behind the old maid snickered at Wesley''s words but was met with glares from both the elder maid and Wesley. The elder maid turned back to look at Wesley and spoke with an apologetic look on her face:


    "Master, It is still too early for supper so there is no food prepared yet. We will prepare something for you now."


    Wesley was really embarrassed, so he didn¡¯t want to spend anymore time than necessary in this damned kitchen.


    "No need, I''ll eat when everyone else is eating. Have Lane inform me when it is supper time. I''ll be in the basement."


    The old maid was surprised at Wesley''s word, they were all told by Lane when he hired them that the study and the basement were not to be entered at all. She somewhat understood why the study was off limits, but why the basement?


    Wesley immediately left the kitchen with haste. He really hated situations like that where people would look at him like a child. But it couldn¡¯t be helped, so he didn¡¯t get angry, only really embarrassed.


    ''Damn, I hate it when things like this happen.''


    Wesley walked into the basement and locked the door behind him. He then went to the center of the basement and started refining, he never really bothered to put any lambs or light sources in the basement since they will be extinguished when he invokes his Dark Globe so the basement was naturally dark and gloomy, however, when combined with his Dark Globe, the basement gets even darker, only this darkness is beyond words, it is like looking into a bottomless abyss where you know there is something there but your eyes simply can''t register anything.


    Wesley continued refining for about five hours. A knock on the door nudged Wesley causing him to immediately cancel his Dark Globe, he then walked to the door and opened it only to find a pale looking Lane standing there.


    ''Hmm, I wonder if he felt my Dark Globe."


    "Lane, what is the matter. You look pale."


    Lane who looked to be in some sort of daze looked up at Wesley with eyes full of confusion and said:


    "Master, the basement...Such a cold feeling was coming from it. What...."


    Lane managed to restrain himself before finishing his sentence. He knew that there was a reason why Wesley told them to never enter the basement, but for him to feel such an intense cold from simply standing outside, he couldn¡¯t imagine what was going on inside, furthermore, the moment he knocked on the door, the coldness disappeared meaning that it was Wesley who controlled it.


    ''Ho, I wonder what Lane''s affinity is for him to be able to feel my Dark Globe. Probably light or fire.''


    "Lane, Do you know what your elemental affinity is."


    Lane hearing Wesley''s question seemed to have understood something, he looked at Wesley with excitement visible on his face.


    "Master, I have an average affinity for fire. How about you master, what is your elemental affinity."


    ''Average affinity with fire, huh? Too bad it is not enough to become a mage, but it is still enough to feel the expulsion of fire elements caused by my Dark Globe. Interesting''


    "That is a discussion for another day. Let''s go Lane, I am starving."


    Lane was slightly disappointed that Wesley didn¡¯t tell him his affinity, but he didn¡¯t mind too much, affinities were, after all, a personal matter, and his master seems to prefer using the swords meaning that he probably didn¡¯t have a high elemental affinity, but what was the bone chilling coldness he felt.


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley and Lane walked towards the main hall where a dining room has been set. Wesley noticed that the three brothers and little Sala were already there, the four maids were also there only they were standing near the wall.


    Wesley sat at the head of the table while Lane sat on his right, surprisingly, on his left, little Sala was sitting while looking at the food in front of her greedily. Wesley laughed at this in the depth of his heart. He then turned to the elder maid who was standing to the right.


    "You guys can go eat as well. There is no need for you to just stand there."


    The four maids looked at each other with confused looks, everyone knows that it is common etiquette to wait on the masters of the house while they eat so that if they need anything it is easy to provide it. Lane simply sat there unconcerned with the maids, while the other four where each just sitting there. The five siblings, although nobles by birth, grew up as urchins, being waited on was hardly a necessity.


    "Yes Master" the eldest maid replied then promptly walked out of the dining room followed by the other three.


    Wesley then turned to the siblings and spoke:


    "Well, Let us eat."


    "Yes Master" they all replied together and started devouring their food.


    They continued eating for another half an hour, after everyone was done eating, Wesley told them to take their dishes to the kitchen and clean them since he really didn''t want them to start behaving like nobles. Although the siblings were surprised, they really didn¡¯t mind since only a few days ago they were starving on the streets. The ones who were really surprised were the maids, they didn¡¯t know what to do with these odd employers.


    When the siblings returned from their chore, they sat around the table and started chatting. Wesley had something on his mind so he turned to Lane and asked:


    "Say Lane, do you know what affinities you siblings have."


    Lane thought for a moment then replied:


    "Stein and Wannel both have average affinities for fire like me. Lavar has a high affinity for wind as for Sala we don''t really know since the attack happened before we were told by our parents."


    ''High affinity for wind. That is not too bad. And little Sala, I wonder what her elemental affinity is.''


    Wesley turned to Sala and said:


    "Little Sala, come closer, I want to see check your affinity."


    Everyone at the table looked towards Wesley with odd expressions, the other three were simply curious about Sala''s affinity and how Wesley would check it, but Lane was surprised, he thought that Wesley didn¡¯t have a strong affinity, but to be able to check another''s affinity, one needs to a mage.


    "What is that Master Wes." Sala had no idea what affinities were since she was only three at the time.


    "haha, little Sala, affinities are what kind of magic you can practice. Now come"


    Wesley reached towards her and set his hand on her forehead. He then muttered something under his breath and his hand lit up with a bright light then instantly dimmed down.


    ''Hmm, seems like she has a high affinity for light. Impressive.''


    Checking affinities was not a complicated procedure. One only needs pour a small portion of their mana into the other person''s body, and depending the mana reacts, it is easy to figure out the affinity of the person. For example if its light affinity, and the testers mana is darkness then the two will reject. As for the strength of the affinity, that is completely dependent on the strength of the reaction.


    "Little Sala, it seems you have a high affinity for Light."


    Wesley was currently all smiles, of course he would have liked it if she had a darkness affinity so he could teach her, but the chances of that are really too slim, and to get the chance to observe and study his natural opposite is not a bad thing. The other four siblings, however, had their mouths hanging. A high affinity for light is not a simple matter, after all, light magic is hailed as the most noble and powerful of the affinities.


    "What is that Master Wes?"Sala had absolutely no idea what was going on.


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    "It means you''re a little genius. Don¡¯t worry"


    "Master, could you possibly teach Sala and Lavar."


    Lane was the first to ask since he was now convinced that Wesley was a powerful mage, only he didn¡¯t consider that Sala and Lavar had different affinities. Wesley only laughed at Lane''s words and spoke with an amused voice:


    "Haha Lane, the two of them have different affinities, and neither of them has the same affinity as me so I can''t teach them. But don''t worry, we''ll find them some good teachers."


    Wesley''s words caught Lane''s attention, he really wanted to know what his affinity was, but Wesley didn¡¯t want to tell him so he naturally wouldn''t ask again. Wesley seeing Lane''s face sighed inwardly.


    ''I would really hate to have to kill you, so you''ll have to settle for not knowing''


    "Anyway, time to get some sleep. Lane, tomorrow I''ll be going to school so you''ll need to hire those guards, also make sure they are trustworthy and capable."


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley then got up from the table and headed towards the stairs to get some sleep.


    ...........................................................................................................................................


    The next morning, Wesley woke up at four. He wasn''t expected at the academy until six in the morning, but he still felt slight anxiousness and woke up too early. Wesley''s anxiousness was not caused by the fact that this was his first day of school, rather it was caused by a completely unrelated issue.


    ''Ugh, I really don''t want to meet those old freaks again, especially that second elder.''


    Remembering the dread he felt when that second elder gazed at him caused Wesley to question whether he should go or not. But his master had told him that being at this academy would benefit him, and he would never dare disobey his master.


    Wesley immediately wore his uniform. The uniform composed of a shirt and pants, he could have chosen a robe, but that would make him look like a mage and that was not a good idea. The light blue clothes matched his similarly blue hair and coupled with his slender but tall stature, gave him a majestic feeling that was sure to draw a lot of attention. The only thing that stood out was the dark colored satchel that hung from him shoulder and the dark sword that he carried on his left hip.


    After getting ready, Wesley walked out of his room, only the whole house was quiet since everyone was probably sleeping. The first thing Wesley did was head down to the kitchen to look for something to eat, only he couldn¡¯t find anything again.


    ''Where the hell do they hide all the food in this damn kitchen''


    Since he couldn''t find anything to eat, Wesley just left and headed outside. It wasn''t too dark outside, but the sun hasn''t come up yet so it was hard to see very far, but Wesley could still feel some eyes were on him.


    ''It seems I will be watched constantly from now on.''


    Wesley Ignored the eyes on him and just headed down the road. The Academy was located in the Central District so it was almost an hour''s walk away, and Wesley needed to get some breakfast so he headed towards the sixth district, to Michael''s Inn.


    Wesley reached Michael''s Inn in ten or so minutes, and was greeted by an excited Michael. After eating his breakfast and chatting with Michael for a while, it was already five. Wesley decided that it was about time he left and after saying farewell to Michael walked towards the academy.


    Since it was about time for the day to begin, there were a lot more people on the streets compared to earlier. Most of these people would stare at Wesley when he walked past them. A student from the Royal Academy walking amongst them was sure to catch some attention, and factoring in Wesley''s appearance, it was not that surprising that a lot of people noticed him.


    Wesley simply ignored the stares and briskly walked towards his destination. After almost an hour of walking he finally reached the gates of the Academy. There were a few students standing outside the gate chatting, Wesley was not interested in such things, so he just walked past them, of course the students noticed him and spoke somethings in hushed voices.


    The moment Wesley walked in, he was greeted by an older youth who was slightly taller than Wesley wearing a red robe.


    ''He must be an upperclassman.''


    The youth looked at Wesley with an appraising look, then as soon as his eyes landed on Wesley''s sword, a look of disappointment crept on his face, he then spoke with a calm voice:


    "Please head to the left. The new student welcoming ceremony will start soon."


    ''It seems people don''t like swordsmen in this school.''


    "Thank you."


    Wesley gave a simple reply and headed towards the place he was told to go. After walking for almost a minute, Wesley reached an open courtyard with marble floors. Inside the courtyard, there were at least two hundred blue clothed students standing in five ordered lines facing a raised stage. The stage had a short podium, and behind the podium there were twenty one chairs with the center chair being larger and more impressive than the others.


    ''That must be the headmaster''s chair. Meaning there are twenty teachers at this school''


    While Wesley was looking around the courtyard, a red robed girl with dark hair approached him. As soon as she was within speaking range of him, she spoke in an annoyed and irritated voice while extending her hand.


    "Your identification Tablet"


    Seeing her attitude Wesley only smiled back at her. He reached into his satchel and pulled out the rectangular blue tablet he received when he was admitted. The girl almost snatched the tablet from his hand, and looked at the number, she then handed it back to him while still speaking with her annoyed tone:


    "The first line."


    Wesley immediately walked away without even replying, there was no need to reply when someone was clearly being rude, however, the black haired girl seeing Wesley attitude felt unfathomable anger well up in her heart. She thought of beating him senseless but managed to restrain herself and only shot him a hateful glance.


    The lines each had about forty or so people and each person was standing inattention. Wesley simply get into the first line and stood there as well.


    ''I hope this won''t take too long''


    Fortunately for Wesley, they had to stand there for thirty more minutes before a large gong captured everyone''s attention. As soon as the gong sounded, twenty blue roped people walked to the stage and took sat on the seats that were there. Out of the twenty blue robed people, five had swords while the rest didn¡¯t. After a closer look at the ones who had swords, Wesley noticed that the second elder he encountered during the first test.


    ''Great. That old monster is also here.''


    Wesley was reprehensive about being close to that elder. But before he could start wallowing in regret, a luxuriously dressed old man walked onto the stage. This old man wore a white robe with blue and gold patterns on it. His face was filled with wrinkles and his hair was white without a single dark strand. He exuded an air of nobility and appeared to be surrounded by a faint light. Everyone in the hall was focused on this elder as he simply walked to the podium.


    The elder stood in front of the podium without uttering a word as he stared at the students. Then he spoke up, his voice containing a tremendous amount of authority as it echoed throughout the entire hall:


    "Welcome to the Four Moons Royal Academy."


    The entire hall was silent after the old man''s words. Not even a breath could be heard as everyone directed their complete attention to the stage. It was as if time slowed down in that moment.


    ''This old man must be even stronger than that second elder. What tremendous presence.''


    Wesley was initially really surprised that this Academy that had monsters like the that second elder, but now he realized that the second elder was not as scary as this old man who stood before them. To be able to have such a presence with simple words was no simple feat.


    ''No wonder master wanted me to come to this place. Compared to all these freaks, am afraid I am not worth more than dust.''


    "I am the Headmaster of this Academy, and on behalf of all the elders of the Academy, we welcome you to your home for the next few years."


    The Headmaster paused again as if to add to the suspense that already filled the room. Then he spoke again:


    "You are all talented youths from all over the world. Harness your talents, train your bodies, and strengthen your minds in this Academy. You will never get a chance such as this to meet and learn from masters such as those present in this Academy, so relish it and take advantage of it. Do not for a moment believe that your talent is special, look around you, there are hundreds of others as talented as you, and hundreds more talented, but if you work hard, if you persevere, then one day, you will leave a legacy and your name on these walls. I have no desire to give a long speech so I''ll leave you with some words of wisdom: This Academy has no need for the mediocre, you will be the best or spend the rest of your time here in obscurity."


    Having said his words, the headmaster walked off the stage followed by the other twenty elders. Everyone in the hall was silently contemplating the headmaster''s words.


    ''It seems this Academy will be fun."

 Chapter 16 - His First Day 2

    Hey guys and gals.


    It has been a while since i posted a chapter since they are getting longer and harder to write.


    Next, i received a lot of questions regarding some of the finer details of the story, the maid thing was a big hit for some reason, so from now on i will start being really detailed.


    I am a big fan of the concept of negative capability, where you ignore some details to give way to the readers'' interpretations, but this is not for me to read, so what you want is what you get.


    anyway enjoy.


    ......................................................................................................................................................................................


    Leaving the assembly hall, the students were directed to the next hall where they would receive their schedules. The students were then instructed to remain in their respective lines at which point staffers from the Academy will give them their individual Schedules.


    The whole procedure was not too complicated, the student will present their identification tablet to the staffer, then the staffer will pull out a corresponding sheet of paper from a box in front him and proceed to the next student.


    Wesley was standing near the back of the line so it was almost thirty minutes before he  reached the staffer and had to present his tablet. The staffers were all wearing blue robes similar to the ones the elders wore, however, their robes looked less impressive than the elders''.


    The staffer in front of Wesley was a young man, in his early twenties. He looked at Wesley''s valiant appearance and with a spoke with serene clear voice:


    "Identifications Tablet please."


    Wesley immediately handed over his tablet to the young man. The young man looked at the tablet for a short moment then pulled out a sheet of paper from the box. He then spoke with again:


    "Here''s your schedule. You will proceed to your first class immediately. But before you go there are a few more questions I must ask you."


    ''hmm, I didn¡¯t see him asking the people in front of me any extra questions. Odd.''


    "Of course"Wesley''s reply was short and to the point.


    "Since you are a swordsman, we had no way to ascertain your affinity during the entrance exam, so we would like you to submit to a test."


    ''An affinity test, I wonder why.''


    "Why do I need an affinity test since I am a swordsman?"


    The staffer was quite for a moment as if he was pondering something, then he spoke again in his clear voice:


    "The test is to better determine each student''s abilities so as to decide which method of teaching best suits them."


    ''Something seems off.''


    "Is the test mandatory?"


    Wesley was unwilling to submit to an affinity test. It is impossible to test someone''s affinity without their permission when they are older because the mana that builds up in their bodies over the years repulses the testers mana, so if one wants to test a person, the  person must suppress their own mana to allow the testers mana access to the core of their mana pool that contains their affinity. Wesley knew he couldn¡¯t be tested against his will, he was just worried that he''ll have to give up on the Academy.


    "No the test is not mandatory. However, you will be listed as without an affinity, and your ranking In your class will be dropped to the bottom."


    ''Good, it seems my admission is not dependent on this test.''


    "That is acceptable. Is there anything else."


    Wesley''s words caused the staffer''s face to turn into an expression of surprise. He really hadn''t expected that someone would forsake their rankings as simply as Wesley just did.


    "Are you sure. Rankings are hard to gain and this will put you at the very bottom of your class."


    ''Ramkings? I couldn¡¯t care less about such things.''


    ''Yes,I am sure. Now is there anything else."


    "No that is all. Please proceed to the interior of the Academy and head to your first class."


    "Thank You."


    Wesley immediately walked passed the young staffer into the door that was behind him.


    ........................................................................................................................................................


    A little while later, in a large rectangular office located at the fourth floor of the Academy''s staff building, three blue robed elders were standing in front of a desk currently occupied by a white robed, white haired old man.


    The three blue robed elders were the same elders who presided over Wesley''s second test, while the white robed old man was the Academy''s Headmaster. The Headmaster stared at the middle elder and spoke in a soft but rigid voice:


    "Speak."


    "Headmaster, we tried figuring out his affinity, but he refused to submit to a test at the cost of being dropped to the last spot in the rankings."


    The headmaster had a thoughtful look on his face as if pondering a complex problem.


    "That Rale said in his letter to simply teach the child well. Surely there is something besides his identity that makes him worthy of Rale''s attention."


    The left elder immediately spoke up:


    "Headmaster, that kid was very proficient in the Silent Techniques that Rale was fond of in those days. Maybe he just inherited his sword techniques."


    "We all know where Rale''s true strength lies. Those sword techniques were but a childish hobby of his." The right elder chimed in with a hint of irritation in his voice.


    "Headmaster, this kid is no doubt talented in swordsmanship, I think it is highly unlikely that he could be this proficient in sword techniques if he was a dark mage like Rale."


    The headmaster still had the look of thoughtfulness on his face. He then simply shook his head and spoke in a resigned voice:


    "Considering how rare a person with a high affinity for darkness is, this child is most likely not a dark mage. However, we can''t completely disregard the possibility. So for now, we will just keep a close eye on him. The moment he exhibits even the smallest hint that he is similar to that Rale, then we''ll expel him."


    "Yes Headmaster" The three elders responded.


    .............................................................................................................................................


    Wesley walked through the hallways of the academy''s main building searching for his first class. The first class on his schedule was History. Wesley searched for the room number for almost ten minutes since the academy''s halls were almost made like a maze, but eventually, he found it.


    Wesley immediately walked into the class. The room had three columns of seats arranged in five rows. The rows of each column were paired in twos. Wesley immediately noticed that the class was almost entirely filled safe two seats at the very front of the room. He also noticed that most of the students in that class all wore shirts and trousers and all had swords.


    ''This must be one of the favorite classes for soldier types.''


    Wesley was not completely wrong. Since most students at the academy were mages they preferred magic classes, however, the academy also accepted non mages, so these students took classes like this since there was no point in taking a magic class.


    Wesley immediately sat in one of the open seats at the front. He was reluctant to sit there but there were no other open spots. Moments after Wesley sat down, another person sat in the spot next to him. This student was burly with excessively bulky muscles and was almost half a head taller than Wesley. He carried a giant four feet long great sword on his back which he set next to him when as he sat down.


    ''This is that guy from the exam. The one with the graduation question


    This burly student was one of the few who left a favorable impression on Wesley during the entrance exam. He not only exuded an air of martial prowess, but seemed to be more mature than the other kids there. It was not very easy to be recognized by Wesley since he viewed everyone who is the same age as him as children, but this burly youth seemed to have plans for the future.


    While Wesley was thinking about the youth next to him, a door opened at the front of the class. A blue robed old man who seemed to be in his late eighties with a hunched back and drooping eyebrows walked in. He walked in a slow pace with a cane in his right hand and his left hand behind his back. His slow walking pace made it look like he would keel over any moment and die, but he eventually reached teachers desk at the front of the class and immediately sat down. The old man then sighed loudly and spoke while sitting down, his voice almost whisper like:


    "I am the Eighth elder. I will be your History teacher for the year. Start introducing yourself to your classmates. You begin."


    The elder pointed towards the burly youth next to Wesley with his cane. The youth immediately stood up and spoke in a deep clear voice:


    "My name is Kellan." He then proceeded to sit down without another word.


    ''haha, what an odd guy. A nice to meet you wouldn¡¯t kill him.''


    "You''re next."


    The elder pointed his cane to Wesley. Wesley stood up as well and spoke in a stoic clear voice.


    "My name is Wesley, nice to meet you."


    The introductions continued for five more minutes since there were around thirty students in the class. Once all the introductions were done, the elder slowly nodded his head and spoke:


    "Good. Now that were are done with the introductions. Let us talk about history. History is perhaps the most fascinating of the social studies. Imagine living the lives of the greatest people in the world, imagine living the most profound and historical moments of our world. History is one of the only classes where you escape from the shells of your existence and look back into time to learn from it, to understand how and why we are here, what caused the things...."


    While the elder was ranting about the greatness of history, some students in the back started whispering and giggling, and then one of them spoke in a not so whispering sound and said:


    "Haha, this geezer is so excited about a useless class like this it is almost heartwarming."


    Everyone, after hearing the student''s words looked towards the elder. The elder who was talking about  History in an excited voice, but he suddenly stopped. The moment the elder stopped talking, an eerie silence descended upon the classroom. After a short moment of silence, the elder started laughing amiably and spoke:


    "Haha, a useless class indeed. But would you like to know a fun fact?"


    The elder directed his question to the student who spoke out while laughing. Then all of a sudden, his laughter died out and a tremendous pressure emerged from the elder as he looked towards the student who spoke.


    Wesley and Kellan who were sitting closest to where the elder was immediately jumped out of their seats and away from the elder while drawing their swords and taking defensive stances. The other students, however, were stuck in their seats barely breathing from the deathly dreadful pressure that the elder was emitting. The elder didn¡¯t even pay any attention to the two who bolted out of their seats as he kept staring at the now sweating pale student at the back of the class. He then spoke, his voice now more vigorous than before:


    "You might believe that my class is useless. But if you ever speak again while I am speaking then......"


    The elder didn¡¯t even finish his sentence, he didn¡¯t need to. Everyone understood the meaning behind his words, considering his pressure, they all truly felt that they would die instantly is this elder desired them to. The pressure immediately disappeared, and the elder spoke with his original whisper like voice:


    "Now, let us continue. You two, put away those dangerous things and return to your seats."


    Wesley and Kellan looked at each other, their faces full of sweat. They then proceeded to sheathed their swords and reluctantly returned to their seats.


    ''Damn this place. I don''t even think I''ll live long enough to graduate.''


    The class continued as the elder continued talking about the things they would learn in this class. The elder continued his speech about History as if nothing happened, but the students were all pale from the experience. None of them dared speak, in fact none of them even dared to breath too loudly lest they offend elder.


    After an hour of listening to the elder''s excited speech, a loud ringing reverberated throughout the academy. This signaled that the period was over and that students should head to their next class. However, no one in the classroom dared to move. The elder stopped his speech and spoke:


    "That is all for today. Remember that you must attend class at least once a month."


    With that all the students hastily left the classroom with some of them vowing never to return and others vowing to return daily so they don¡¯t offend the scary elder.


    Wesley started walking around the hallways again searching for his geography class, fortunately for him some of the students from his history class, specifically Kellan, also had the same geography class as him, so it wasn¡¯t hard to find the classroom this time.


    Unlike the history classroom''s unadorned walls, the geography classroom was far more vibrant with charts and maps lining the four walls. The seating arrangement was set up the same as the history class and the teacher was already sitting behind his desk when the students walked in.


    Wesley and Kellan almost simultaneously sat towards the back of the room. Neither of them was willing to be too close to the front this time around and it seemed that most of the students were also reluctant to sit in front but some eventually sat there since all the back seats where occupied.


    The geography teacher was much younger than the history teacher. He seemed to be in his early forties or late thirties and his face contained laughter and friendliness as he looked at the students silently. He wore the standard blue robe of the elders but his robust well built body made him look heroic. After everyone was seated, the teacher simply stood up and started speaking with an ordinary calm voice:


    "Welcome to Geography. I am the seventeenth elder. Now let us do some basic introductions to get to know our classmates a little."


    After everyone introduced themselves, the elder once again started speaking again:


    "Good. Now, as you all no doubt know, Geography is one of the less popular subjects in the academy. However, always remember that it is no doubt one of the most essential. We live in a world of magic and mystery, and although it might seem powerful and random, but there are far more powerful natural laws that govern this world. Geography is the study of these laws. It is important that we know the world we live in so that.........."


    The elder''s speech continued till the end of the period at which point Wesley and the students headed to their next class. There was no incident like that of the first period but all the students behaved themselves nonetheless as if they all went through the same experience in their respective first periods.


    Wesley''s next class was strategy and tactics. The class was similar to the geography class in seat arrangement and in that there were maps on the walls, only these maps were clearly meant for military use. The instructor was a giant burly man who had scars all over his face. He seemed constantly agitated and spoke in a low growl like voice:


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    "I am the ninth elder. This class is to study and learn how to apply the principles of war. You will learn everything relating to war, from its conduct to its history. That is enough talking, open the textbooks inside your desks to the first page, we will start."


    ''What a diligent and straightforward teacher.''


    Wesley was surprised that they would immediately start learning, since in all his other classes. Introductions and speeches took the whole period. For the next hour, the teacher continued speaking about what war is and its many different forms from civil wars, offensive wars, defensive wars and so on.


    The hour went by rather fast since it wasn¡¯t spent listening to long speeches. After the ringing sounded throughout the academy, Wesley immediately felt excitement well up in his heart. The two classes he was most interested in was Light magic class and swordsmanship, and the next class was Light magic.


    ''Finally, It is about time to test my theory.''


    Wesley concluded beforehand that if there were no dark magic classes, then his next best option is to learn the opposite magic and see if he could improve his own magic. It is not uncommon knowledge that opposite affinities restrict one another, so by observing his natural oponnet, Wesley hoped to learn how to better counter it.


    Wesley Found the Light magic classroom with relative ease. Walking in, he immediately noticed that the seating arrangement was different. There were only chairs no desks, and the chairs were arranged in a semi-circular pattern facing one chair. There were eighteen or so seats and all but one were currently occupied by blue robed students.


    The moment Wesley walked wearing trousers and with a sword on his hip, all the other students were confused. Why would a swordsman attend a magic class. Wesley ignored the confused stares and sat in the one unoccupied seat at the far end of the semicircle. As soon as Wesley sat down, the student next to him turned his head and spoke with a disdainful smile on his face:


    "Are you lost friend? This is the light magic class."


    "So?" Wesley really didn¡¯t want to chat with this guys since he felt the disdain in his voice.


    The youth''s brows twitched alittle at Wesley''s uninterested tone but he still maintained his smile and spoke again:


    "Are you a Holy mage or a swordsman. I thought you were a swordsman from how you dressed and your sword."


    ''Holy mage? What a condescending name. What is holy about light magic I wonder.''


    "Yes I am" Wesley''s response could only be considered mocking since it didn''t answer to the question he was asked at all.


    Hearing Wesley''s mocking response, the smile on the youth''s face disappeared and as he was about to explode at Wesley, a blue robed elder walked into the classroom.


    This elder''s face was emotionless without a single discerning feature. He walked slowly towards the single seat opposite the semicircle of students with his hand behind his back. At first glance he appeared to be in his late thirties but with a closer inspection, one would notice that his mostly grayed hair was indicative of his old age.


    The elder sweeped his gaze over the students, his gaze resting on Wesley for a moment then looking away monechallantly in disinterest. The moment he reached his seat, he simply sat, then after a moment of silence he spoke in a slow and lulling voice that was almost enough to cause people to fall asleep.


    "I am the third elder and this is light magic studies. Please raise your hand if you can perform light magic"


    ''hmm, it seems that last part is for my benefit.''


    Wesley instantly realized that the question about ever having practiced light magic before was directed at him since he clearly didn''t belong, however, he wasn¡¯t alarmed since all students were allowed to take whatever classes they want without restrictions.


    Everyone in the class immediately raised their hands, everyone except for Wesley who only sat there unblinking as if this whole matter didn¡¯t even concern him. The elder seeing this simply nodded and continued speaking:


    "I see. Hmm. Well, Welcome to light magic studies. As you all know, light is the strongest and noblest of the affinities, and its practitioners are also the strongest and nobles. Light magic is also the most versatile and adaptable magic. There is one thing you should know about this class: I will not teach you any advanced spells, every holy mage applies their magic differently so it is hard to teach one''s spells to another."


    ''Strongest and noblest? I wonder if there is a limit to the narcissism of light mages.''


    "Now, light magic has three basic spells used by all holy mages. This class will be focused on improving and expanding your understanding of these three spells. These three spells are not too powerful on their own, however, the higher your understanding of them, the more applications you can think of. Take for instance the spell Holy Jump, that enables us to teleport to another place as long as it is within our line of sight, however, this can be a slow process, but if your understanding is sufficient you can....."


    The elder who was speaking in a lazy tone while sitting on his chair suddenly shone in a bright light and disappeared from his seat. He then reappeared near the entrance behind the students and continued speaking as if nothing just happened:


    "decrease the time it takes for the spell to be invoked or alter it completely. What you just saw was my version of Holy Jump called Holy Port. Unlike Holy Jump which requires time of be invoked, Holy Port is instantaneous albeit with a range of thirty feet or so."


    Wesley was really surprised. This Holy Jump was similar to his Dark Warp, but that Holy Port was unlike anything he has ever seen or heard before. To be able to teleport instantaneously is no small matter.


    "I wonder if I can modify my Dark Warp to do something like this.''


    The elder lazily walked back to his seat. Of course he continued lecturing while he walked back.


    "Do not for a moment think that the fact that there are only three basic light magic spells makes holy mages inferior to other mages. The fact that there are only three basic spells is precisely what makes light magic the strongest. It has unlimited potential, you can apply it in multitudes of ways, come up with multiple spells and so on."


    Wesley was immersed in his thoughts so he didn¡¯t even pay any more attention to the teachers lecture anymore. The one hour period flew by in an instant and Wesley was aroused from his thoughts by the ringing that signified the end of class.


    ''haha, It was a good decision to attend this class. I''ll have to see if I can replicate that so called Holy Port.''


    Wesley immediately stood up and was about to walk out when a voice called him from behind him.


    "You with the sword. Stay behind."


    Wesley turned around immediately and saw that the one who called him was the teacher. Wesley immediately walked back towards the teachers location. As soon as he was within five feet, he slightly bowed and spoke in a respectful voice:


    "Yes Elder."


    The elder looked at Wesley with eyes that seemed to have just been woken from a deep slumber. But Wesley noticed that behind the hazy sleepiness in his eyes, a deep light that hinted at his wisdom shone in the elder''s eyes.


    "Are you able to practice light magic."


    "No Elder."


    "Then why are you in my class?"


    "Elder, I needed an extra class to take. And since I have no elemental affinity, I wanted to at least have a glimpse of the strongest magic, so I chose this class."


    ''I hope a little flattery is enough to appease his curiosity.''


    "No affinity. I could have sworn you were a mage with your physique."


    The elder looked at Wesley with suspicion. His assumption was not off mark since mages often have slender bodies while those who rely on the sword are often burly and muscular. Wesley''s face didn¡¯t even have a hint of a change as he responded.


    "Elder, I am a practitioner of the Silent Techniques. My physique is necessary to be able to practice these techniques."


    "Is that so. Hmm, Well get going then or you''ll be late for your next class."


    "Yes Elder."


    Wesley curtly bowed and immediately left the classroom. The Elder''s gaze was still on his back as he walked out but the suspicious look seemed to have lessened.


    Wesley''s third class was Swordsmanship. This was one of the two classes, besides light magic, that he actually looked forward to. Since Wesley depended on his Silent Techniques rather often, he wanted to improve his mastery of them so that he could at least convince people that he was a genuine swordsman.


    Wesley reached the swordsmanship classroom after a while since the class was held in a building that is located outside the main school building. Wesley walked in and noticed that there were no chairs or tables anywhere inside the open interior of the classroom. This classroom was five times the size of the other classes in the main building, and there were training dummies lined up around the circumference of the room.


    There were currently fifty or so students standing randomly around the classroom, each of them with swords. Wesley immediately noticed that Kellan was also standing amongst the students alone, so Wesley headed towards him since he was the only person he recognized.


    ''This Kellan and I share three classes, it shouldn¡¯t hurt to get to know him.''


    "Hey Kellan, I am Wesley." Wesley spoke in a friendly voice with a smile on his face.


    Kellan turned his head towards Wesley and looked at him with a confused look. He was used to most people avoiding him because of his temperament and appearance since he always looked so imposing, but this slender youth actually approached him with a smile.


    "Uhm, Hello." Kellan spoke in a more friendly voice than his usual growly voice but it sounded rather forced.


    ''Haha, this Kellan seems to lack basic social skills. What an odd fellow.''


    Wesley was about to say something to Kellan when the entire bustling room suddenly quieted down. Wesley looked around and saw that everyone was currently staring back at the entrance to the classroom.


    Wesley immediately turned to look at the entrance as well, however, after seeing the blue robed silhouette with the almost closed eyes and short stature, his face turned ugly as he felt his heart almost stop.


    ''This old freak again. Is he appearing in front of me on purpose.''


    This was indeed the second elder that conducted Wesley''s first entrance test. He left a lasting impression on Wesley when he caused him to feel an incomparable dread and fear. This was one of the few people Wesley wanted to avoid at all costs.


    The elder looked at the students'' faces, and then he noticed the look on Wesley''s face and proceeded to flash him a reassuring smile. This smile seemed friendly but to Wesley it resembled the kind of smile a devil would have before he claimed your soul, he was not comforted by it at all.


    The elder walked all the way to the front of the class, then he simply faced all the students and spoke In his always amused and amiable voice:


    "Haha, hello again. I am the second elder and I will be your swordsmanship instructor. I believe you¡¯ve had plenty of chances to introduce yourselves to your classmates in other classes so we won''t bother with that. Now, this class will be a little different: since there are too many styles of swordsmanship out there, it is impossible to teach each one of you the same thing, so this class will focus on building your bodies and foundations. Of course there will also be a lot of sparring, because we can''t grow without testing ourselves constantly against others."


    Wesley didn¡¯t hear a single thing the elder said. He really was too traumatized by this elder last time, so the moment he laid eyes on him he started planning his escape.


    ''Dark Globe should slow him for a second and a Dark Warp should get me away. I hope.''


    "....now, line up in two lines, the first line is for those who use agility based techniques, second is for those with strength based techniques."


    ''Huh.''


    Wesley was instantly aroused by the elder''s last words. Why are they dividing into lines based on their technique types. But Wesley didn¡¯t think too much about it and immediately joined the agility based line. After the everyone joined their respective lines, the elder spoke again:


    "Good, now I know what methods of practice each of you should do. Now I should tell you some regulations of my class. First, you must attend every class, no exceptions. Second, you can not injure or kill sparring partners. And third, you must under never let me see you without your swords."


    The smile on the elder''s face vanished and a cold light flashed across his eyes as he continued speaking:


    "It is common for people to look down on swordsmen since they are not as flashy as mages. But, swordsmen don¡¯t run out of mana, their bodies are stronger and their abilities are their own, not just borrowed powers. If I ever see any of you hide his sword because of shame from being look down upon, then you have no place in my class. Any questions."


    The elder still had the rigid expression on his face as he waited for someone to ask a question. Suddenly a hand shot up from the back of the room, a tall youth with an arrogant face spoke up:


    "Elder you tell us that we must never walk without our swords, but how come you don''t carry one yourself."


    The youth''s tone contained a hint of condescension, but the elder only looked at him, then the rigidity left his face and smile crept in as he spoke with a hint of laughter:


    "Haha, good question. My sword is always with me, only I don''t need to carry it. Here have a look..."


    The elder removed his right hand from his back and extended it forward, then after two breaths, a long sword, at least five feet long, materialized in his arm. The scene of the sword appearing from thin air left all the students slack jawed. This elder clearly wasn¡¯t a magician so how in the world did he manage to make a sword appear out of thin air. The elder simply laughed at the surprised expressions of the students and spoke again:


    "When you reach a certain level you will be able to bond with your weapon and keep it within your body. You don''t have to worry about that for now, only I want you to remember that swordsmen are not inferior to mages, we have our own techniques and methods."


    ''What an odd technique. I felt minute mana coming from his body, but not enough for a spell. Odd''


    Wesley really was interested in that technique and wanted to ask what it was but he still harbored some fear for the elder in his heart so he didn¡¯t dare ask anything. In fact he really wanted to leave this classroom. Fortunately for him, the remainder of the class went by pretty fast, and soon a clear ringing sound reverberated in the ears of all the students marking the end of the day.


    "Good, that should be all for the day. Remember, you must come to class everyday. Now get going."


    Wesley didn¡¯t need to be told twice as he immediately left the classroom with haste.


    ''That should be it for me. From now on I will attend light magic class, and...swordsmanship.''


    Wesley really didn¡¯t want to attend the swordsmanship classes anymore, but he had to for two reasons. One, he needed to get his Silent Techniques to improve, and Second, he was really scared of the second elder and since the elder said that he must attend daily then he''ll attend daily.

 Chapter 17 - His Enterprise

    Hey guys.


    It has been a while since i posted so sorry. You know the last weeks of school are filled with projects and make up work so i hardly had anytime.


    Anyway enjoy the chapter.


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    Around eleven In the morning, Wesley''s first day was finally over. Wesley promptly left the Academy grounds and walked back towards his house. Wesley really didn¡¯t want to spend any more time than necessary in this academy.


    ''From now on I will attend the light magic and swordsmanship classes daily, the other classes will be once a week.''


    Wesley was only interested in light magic and swordsmanship, as for the other classes, he could simply read books to cover keep up with the studies and not be bothered by them. Wesley was going to take advantage of the light magic studies to improve his Dark magic, and he would use the swordsmanship class to improve his Silent Techniques.


    It took Wesley a little longer than in the morning to return to the Black Manor since the streets were more crowded now than in the morning. When Wesley reached the Manor, he was slightly surprised to find two men standing guard at the front gate.


    The two men were both about six and half feet tall, and both of then wore jade green uniforms while each of them had a long sword on their hips. The two men stood at attention and exuded a sense of professionalism.


    ''These must be the new guards Lane hired. They look rather impressive.''


    The moment the two men laid eyes on Wesley, they squinted their eyes a little, but as soon as he walked close enough for them to better look at his face, they both seemed to realize who he was and spoke in unison:


    "Lord."


    ''Hmm, it seems they recognize me, Lane''s work no doubt."


    Wesley didn¡¯t worry about the fact that they called him lord because it was easy for them to come to that conclusion since the Lane who hired them serves him. Wesley simply nodded to the two men and walked in.


    Walking in, Wesley noticed that there were still some renovations still being done on the outer walls, there were also a few people working on the outer facade of the Manor which fell to disrepair over the years. Wesley also noticed that there were two more green uniformed men standing at the entrance of the house.


    Wesley simply walked towards the house and was showered by stares by the workers who not only recognized him as the master but were also surprised by the Royal Academy uniform he wore. Wesley just ignored the stares and the whispers that no doubt followed. As soon as he entered the house he was greeted by the figure of Lane. Lane slightly bowed and spoke in his high pitched yet serene voice:


    "Welcome back Master. How was school."


    Lane''s voice held a hint of excitement which he tried to mask as he spoke about school.


    ''haha, It seems Lane also wants to attend school.''


    "It was fine Lane. How are things progressing?"


    Wesley immediately started walking towards the study as soon as he asked his question. Lane simply followed and spoke as they walked:


    "The renovations will be completed in two more days. Some guards have also been hired. I have also scheduled for the owner of the construction company as well as the owners of few more companies to come meet with us later to discuss some business."


    Wesley and Lane reached the Study by the time  Lane finished his report. Wesley walked in without responding to Lane and headed towards one of the chairs and then simply sat. Wesley then spike while gesturing for Lane to sit as well.


    "Good, Good. Tell me about these guards you hired."


    "Yes Master. They are all residents of the Seventh District. They were once soldiers in the service of the city who for some reason or another found themselves jobless. I hired ten, six of which will be living in the Manor."


    ''Former Soldiers. That explains their impressive attitudes.''


    "How about finances?"


    Lane''s face seemed to slightly turn red as Wesley asked him about the finances. He was about to run out of the thousand gold Wesley gave him a few days ago but he was reluctant to ask Wesley for more.


    "Master, I am almost out of gold. From the renovations to the hiring of ten guards and four maids as well as buying essentials, uniforms and furniture, I have spend a total of nine hundred and forty gold."


    Lane didn¡¯t ask for more because he knew that a thousand gold was not a small amount, in fact, middle class families will earn a thousand gold in two months, while he spent It in three days. Wesley noticed Lane''s embarrassment so he couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he spoke:


    "Haha, Lane. Don''t be so shy. It is only normal to spend such an amount when one is starting out and doing all the things you did. How much do you estimate our monthly expenditure to be from now on since we are done with the renovations and hirings?"


    Lane''s face lit up as he heard Wesley''s words. He was worried that Wesley would chastise him for spending so much money in such a short period of time. Lane immediately started calculating somethings in his mind and answered a few seconds later:


    "Master, six hundred gold a month should be enough. Adding up the total for the...."


    "No need for too many details Lane, six hundred gold is good. Now, tell me about these business owners that are coming over."


    Lane was momentarily startled by Wesley''s sudden interruption but he didn¡¯t mind it and proceeded to answer the question he was asked:


    "Master, I have arranged for us to meet the owners of five businesses that we can potentially invest in. Each of the five businesses are based in the seventh district and managed to be successful even under the Shorn Family."


    "Hmm, I see. What sort of investing are you planning to conduct with these companies."


    "Master, I have to plans. First, we buy shares in the companies and gain a portion of their profits as partial owners. However, most businesses are not willing to give up shares of their companies easily, so the second option is to lend the companies money and charge them interest."


    ''Oh, like a bank. Interesting.''


    Banks were not a rare thing in the four kingdom and Blackreach County, in fact the kingdoms themselves had national banks that lend businesses money while charging them interest. Banking is also a favorite of noble families who have the capital since they have access to the businesses that operate in their lands.


    "And how are you planning on determining which businesses we lend money to?"


    "Master, I will examine each business'' financial record to see how they fared in the last few years. I will also require a business plan from each of the businesses outlining how exactly they plan to make profits. And just as a save measure, if one business fails to make payments then we will automatically receive payment in shares that will be worth half their original price."


    ''What a shrewd mind for business. It is far more complex than I thought.''


    "That is an acceptable plan. Only, I am sure most of these businesses receive loans from Banks, how do you plan to compete with them?"


    "Master, there are only two major businesses in Blackreach City and they do offer substantial loans, however, their interest rates are rather steep. Since we are not a bank that is obligated to pay a portion of their profits back to the people whose money they spend, we can offer lower interest rates."


    "Good, just make sure that we don''t commit to too many businesses. The amount of funds I have is not unlimited."


    "Yes Master, You will only need to pay for these first five companies'' loans. We will charge them an interest rate of ten percent and then rotate the profits from the interest we gain back to do further investments in the future."


    "Good. Is there anything else I need to know."


    "No Master."


    "Good. Go prepare the contracts before the owners arrive. Also find little Sala and tell her to come see me for her reading lesson."


    "Yes Master."


    Lane immediately stood up and left the study leaving only Wesley sitting alone in the study.


    ''Lane seems to have quite the talent for finances. I should search for a proper school for him to further hone his talent.''


    Wesley always knew that this Lane was an impressive child, and now that his skills in financial management was apparent, Wesley wanted to further polish him, however, he didn''t want to push him to hard lest he might be unable to unable to handle the stress, after all, he is only a eight year old.


    A short while later, Sala came for her reading classes. After a short hour, Sala was starting to get bored so Wesley let her go back and he started reading.


    .................................................................................................................................


    Three hours later, the noises outside the study started to quiet down while Wesley himself continued reading his book. Wesley was engrossed in a copy of the book that was used in his strategy and tactics class. The Black Manor library contained thousands of books so it wasn¡¯t too big a surprise to find a copy of the Academy''s textbook.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The book was titled [ War I ], apparently it has four volumes and each volume covers a time period, with the earliest covering the first two hundred years following The First War of Four. The accounts were rather detailed with maps and different points of views causing the book to be very thick with almost thousand pages.


    Wesley was not interested in War strategy itself, but he still needed to pass the class, and since he will only be attending it once a week, then he would need to do some self study to keep up. While Wesley was reading his book, a knock on the door ripped his attention from the book.


    "Come."


    Lane immediately walked in followed by five men. Four of the men seemed to be in their early fifties while the fifth seemed to be in his late seventies with a head full of grey hair and wrinkles all over his face. Lane immediately walked to Wesley''s side and leaned in to speak:


    "Master, these are the owners of the companies."


    "Haha, good good. Please have a seat gentlemen. Would you like some things to drink?"


    "Thank you young master, we are fine."


    The old man who was in his seventies was the first to speak, even more he spoke as if he was the representative of the other four which slightly puzzled Wesley, but he didn''t mention it and continued speaking:


    "I see. Well gentlemen, I assume you know what we''ll be discussing today."


    The five men continued looking at Wesley with confused looks on their faces. When Lane told them that his master would be the one to make the decision, they didn¡¯t expect his master to be this juvenile kid. The old man spoke again this time with hesitation:


    "Uhm.. Young master, could it be that you are the master who we''re supposed to deal with."


    ''Hmm, interesting.''


    "Yes, I am him. Are there any problems?"


    The five men were flabbergasted. Without even mentioning Wesley''s age, the terms of the agreement outlined by Lane couldn''t have come from the mind of a child, and second the amount of gold that was involved was astronomical. Who in their right mind wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the person they were dealing with has not even reached adulthood. One of the five men, a skinny man with blonde hair and a youthful face, suddenly burst out, his voice full of disdain as he pointed to Wesley:


    "What kind of a joke is this. Stop wasting our time and go inform the true master."


    Wesley simply continued smiling as if he didn¡¯t even hear the scorn in the man''s voice. He simply looked at the blonde man and spoke, his youthful voice firm:


    "Haha, I am indeed that Master, but if you gentlemen would rather not deal with me then you can leave. I will not be begging people to take my gold."


    The five men were quiet for a moment. Who would have expected that this youth was in fact the master they came to see. The old man spoke again:


    "Sain, stop making a scene, we are here to do business. Apologies young master, we may proceed."


    ''It seems they really don''t want to deal with the banks. Good, that should make them more receptive to my proposals''


    The blonde man names Sain sat down with a bitter look on his face as he glared at Wesley. Wesley simply ignored him and continued speaking with his constant smile:


    "Haha, well gentlemen. First of all, my name is Wesley. May I know who you are."


    The old man was the first to speak up:


    "My name is Eleme. I am the owner of the second biggest plantation in Blackreach City."


    He was followed by the blonde Sain who spoke with his voice full of irritation and disdain:


    "I am Sain. I am the owner of the Sain Merchant Company."


    Wesley simply ignored his arrogant tone and looked at the remaining three men.


    "I am Walter. I own a weapons forging factory."


    "My name is Silen. I own a mining company."


    "Haha, my name is Foren. I am the owner of the construction company that is currently renovating your Manor."


    Wesley smiled and nodded to each man as they introduced themselves. When they were all done, he spoke again:


    "Now that we are done with introductions, I want to reiterate the conditions of our agreement once more and hear any concerns you might have. First we will lend you money with an interest rate of ten percent, this shouldn¡¯t be a problem since the Blackreach bank charges an interest of thirteen percent. Second, the loan will need to be paid back in yearly installments for a period of five years. And finally, If you fail to pay back the loan, then payment will be made in shares of your companies sold at half their price and worth the amount of money you owe. Any questions or concerns."


    The five men stared at Wesley without blinking each of them considering his words. The owner of the weapons forging company, Walter, raised his hand hesitantly and spoke:


    "Young master, is it possible to extend the period for the loan a little."


    Wesley looked towards Lane who was standing next to him, and Lane seeing this spoke:


    "That won''t be a problem, only the interest rate will be increased slightly."


    "I see. Don''t worry about it then."


    Wesley continued looking at the five men who were each staring back at him. After seeing that there were no more questions, he spoke again:


    "Good. I take it that there are no objections. Lane will give each of you three copies of a contract outlining these points for you to take. When you read it over, if you decide to proceed then simply have them signed and return with them. We will keep a copy, you will keep a copy, and a copy will be stored at the Department of Law."


    Lane immediately walked towards the five seated men and handed each of them the contracts, he then simply walked back to Wesley''s side. The five men looked at the sheets in their hands, and then the old man Eleme spoke up again:


    "Thank you young master. Only, when are we going to receive the loans?"


    "haha, when you return the contacts bring sufficient guard because that is when we''ll give you the gold."


    "I see. Then we''ll be taking our leave."


    The old man Eleme immediately stood up and bowed to Wesley respectfully before departing, the other four men did the same except for Sain who simply swung himself around arrogantly, but Wesley continued smiling amiably like always.


    After the five men were gone, Wesley turned to Lane and spoke:


    "How much gold will we need to spend for to spend in total for these five companies."


    "Master, when I discussed our proposition with the owners first, We agreed on two million gold each."


    "Hmm. I will arrange for the money. You should scout some more business, only make sure these business are not as big or as successful as these five. Also make sure that they are not in the Seventh District, the central or second district would be preferable."


    Lane was surprised at Wesley''s request. Why would he want to lend gold to business that might fail.


    "Master, such businesses might fail. I don''t think we''ll benefit much from giving them loans."


    "haha, Lane. What will happen if we do lend them gold and they fail while under the same conditions as those five companies."


    "Then we''ll gain control of the....."


    Lane stopped his talking halfway as if he had some sort of epiphany, he then sated at Wesley with an honest smile on his face. Wesley was amused at Lane''s action, so he spoke again with laughter:


    "Haha, Lane, it seems you understand my intentions well. We can''t solely depend on the interest we gain from loans, we also need direct sources of income, that is why we should try to get a few businesses directly under our control. Just make sure they don''t deal in the same merchandise as those five."


    "Yes Master. I''ll get on it immediately."


    "Yes, you go do that."


    Lane immediately bowed and walked towards the door. But before he could exit the study, Wesley spoke up:


    "Hey Lane, Would you like to go to school?"


    Lane immediately turned around with a surprised look on his face, his eyes shone with a clear luster as if he was about to cry then he spoke with a shaky voice:


    "Yes Master. I really want to go to school."


    ''haha, it seems he really did want to go to school.''


    "Good. You''re still young now. Go search for different schools, and I will send you to any school you want the day you turn ten."


    "Yes master. Thank You Master."


    Lane immediately bowed and left the study with a huge grin plastered on his face. Wesley simply continued smiling at how talented yet childish this Lane could be.

 Chapter 18 - His Meeting

    Hello.


    It has been a while, but rest assured it is summer, and i will now proceed with the story, expect time skips, not coiling dragon quality, but Spanish telenovela quality time skips.


    Enjoy.


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    Wesley continued reading until sundown at which point he went to the basement. After getting to the basement, Wesley didn¡¯t immediately start refining, rather he just sat cross legged in the center of the basement pondering.


    ''Holy Port? Since darkness and light are opposites, then it is possible that they have similar techniques''


    Wesley was really interested in the Holy Port that the teacher showed. Dark Warp is a very handy technique for escaping and infiltrating closed places, but it is more than useless during a fight since it wastes immense amounts of mana and takes a long time to invoke. However, that Holy Port was almost instantaneous, meaning that it could be used to dodge or even aim for the opponent''s blind spots.


    Unfortunately for Wesley, He has absolutely no idea how to drive a similar technique from his Dark Warp based on the brief demonstration the elder gave during class. An idea is just that, Wesley recognized the similarity between light and darkness, but to be able to mimic the techniques of the opposite affinity, not only are theory needed, but luck and flashes of insight are equally as important.


    Inventing a technique is never easy since you first need to conceive it, then apply it. Application is easy compared to conceiving a technique. Because the conceiving of a technique is never easy, most people derive their techniques from other people''s techniques just like Wesley, only Wesley is having a hard time with the application since he has no idea what the mechanics behind the Holy Port are.


    Furthermore, while the difficulty of deriving one technique from another is already substantially high, using another affinity, let alone the opposite affinity, exponentially increases the difficulty. Different affinities have different characteristics, it is hard to emulate the ferociousness of fire if a person is a water mage because water''s gentle and malleable nature is polar opposite to fire. However, the opposing nature of affinities only increases the difficulty but does not make the process impossible, after all, waves are water while still being ferocious.


    Wesley continued thinking for about two hours but after not making any leeway he gave up and started refining. It was very unlikely that he would decipher another person''s technique on the first try. Wesley refined for a third of the night then went to his room to sleep a little.


    If it was up to Wesley, He would keep on pondering for days until he found a solution, but Wesley realized that one cannot force or rush this process, furthermore, he had classes the next day, and although he could skip four of them, he wouldn¡¯t dare skip the swordsmanship class through by that monster second elder.


    ......................................................................................................................................


    In the blink of an eye, a year has already passed.


    Wesley''s life during this year was awfully monotonic, he would wake up in early in the morning to practice his swordsmanship and exercise his body for a few hours. Then he would go to the academy and attend the light magic and swordsmanship classes, while attending the remaining classes once a week. He would then come back to the Manor and head straight to the study to give Sela her reading lessons then read a little until it is dark outside at which point he would go into the basement and refine.


    Ever since Wesley was five years old when he was first approached by Rale, Wesley''s daily schedule was varied too much from this. He would exercise his body in the morning, study from tutors, read some books, then refine for two thirds of the night before sleeping. Such a rigid schedule can never be followed by regular people since most people.


    As for the management of the Manor, everything was handled by Lane. In this year Wesley and Lane took direct control of three small businesses while lending gold to at least ten including the five major businesses. All of the financial aspects of the Manor were managed by Lane, and although Wesley still held most of the wealth, the revenue from the three controlled businesses as well as the other businesses that owed them gold, Lane had access to enough funds to keep the Manor running.


    Wesley hardly ever interfered in Lane''s work because first, he had very little talent for management and finances, and second, he wanted Lane who is naturally talented at this to garner some more experience. Of course Wesley still held onto the gold, entrusting such copious amounts of gold to a nine year old is asking to be robbed.


    As for the remaining siblings, the three brothers, Stein, Wannel and Lavar, started practicing sword techniques. Both Wannel and Lavar favored conventional sword techniques that rely on strength so they practiced with the guards everyday. As for Stein, he seemed to have developed a liking for Wesley''s Silent Techniques, so Wesley allowed him to accompany him in his morning practice everyday.


    As for little Sala, Wesley only focused on teaching her how to read and write. Although he was interested in examining her light magic, he realized that teaching magic to a three year old is both not smart and pointless because magic studies requires a certain amount of understanding and discipline which is simply not present in the a three year old. Wesley himself started learning from Rale at the age of five which is the standard age.


    Currently Wesley was sitting cross legged In the basement of the Manor with his eyes shut. The basement was completely dark without a single thing visible, in fact if one waved their hand in front of them they would see it. Vision is only possible because of light and in this instant there was no light in this basement. However, if one was able to see in this basement, they would notice Wesley sitting crossed legged in the dead center of the room with a pitch black sword swirling around him as if it were alive. This was a technique derived from Wesley''s Dark Globe which he named Dark Domain.


    The book [Refining Darkness] outlined that the most suitable refining technique for a dark mage is to release his Dark Globe while refining, causing him to simultaneously deplete and refine mana. This technique both increases one''s mana pool as well as the quality of their mana while increasing their control since a balance between depletion and refining needs to be constantly kept. However, after almost three and a half years of using this method Wesley encountered a flaw in it. Space.


    As one''s mana capacity and quality increases, the circumference of their dark globe also needed to increase to make keep the balance between the depletion and refining of the mana. But Wesley only has the this basement, and after a year the circumference of the Dark Globe he could maintain while refining increased from a few dozen feet till it reached the borders of the basement, meaning that anymore increase and the outside will also be affected by his Dark Globe.


    So, instead of looking for a bigger space, Wesley exponentially increased the amount of mana he used to stimulate the dark elements in his surroundings. Dark Globe is simply using one''s own mana to stimulate the naturally occurring dark elements in one''s surroundings making them expel the other opposing elements of fire and light. This causes the surroundings to become pitch black disabling the vision of one''s vision and making them susceptible to attacks.


    Wesley saturated his surroundings with his mana, making his surroundings not only dark but also extremely corporeal. It almost seemed like a dark fog filled the basement. The ratio of mana to dark element needed to invoke Dark Globe is one to one, Wesley on the other hand used a ration of four mana to each dark element.


    To Wesley''s surprise, after doing this, not only did Wesley stimulate the dark elements, he could leverage the strong connection they had with his mana to move it around. Furthermore, Wesley discovered that he control did was not only limited to the dark elements but certain objects as well. For example, Wesley''s sword was easily moved around by Wesley as if it was a dark element itself, but once Wesley tried to move other objects like a steal sword or a cup, they could still be moved but with exceeding difficulty compared to moving the sword.


    This excited Wesley, since he was able to come up with a combat application for his Dark Globe as well as being able to continue with the Refining Darkness Technique without the need to look for a new place.


    The time was around midnight, normally Wesley would be heading to sleep about now, but tomorrow was a weekend so Wesley didn¡¯t have to attend any class so he instead opted to continue refining and further improve the control of his Dark Domain.


    However, suddenly, Wesley felt a foriegn, human shaped, object entered his Dark Domain based on fluctuation at the southernmost border of his Dark Domain. Because Wesley had tremendous amounts of mana in his surroundings when using Dark Domain, he could easily feel anything or anyone that is within it.


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    Wesley immediately stood up and spoke, his sword pointed menacingly towards the place where he felt the fluctuation while at the same time invoking his Dark Dimension and pulled out his dagger:


    "Who dares intrude upon my Manor."


    Wesley remained silent for a moment as he waited for a reply. After almost two breaths a voice came from the place where the person was at. This voice clearly belonged to a man because it was low and manly, but it was almost whisper like and had the effect of making people extremely uncomfortable.


    "This Manor originally belonged to my family. I only wanted to investigate what happened to the previous owners."


    As soon as Wesley heard the "this Manor used to belong to my family" part, he felt like he understood the situation but he wouldn''t dare lower his diligence because this person was not normal. He not only managed to enter Wesley''s basement from the outside but he also seemed unfazed at being surrounded by Wesley''s Dark Domain. This showed that he was extremely powerful. Wesley spoke again while his sword hovered in front of him, pointing at the man and his dagger in his hand:


    "And what is the name of this family of yours."


    "The Black Family. This is our ancestral Manor. Mind telling me how you came to own it."


    Wesley thought for a moment, then ignoring the man''s question, asked him another question:


    "Can you prove that you are from the Black Family?"


    The man was quiet for a moment, then his low, soft whisper like voice emerged again:


    "I can''t prove it since I never needed to before. How do you suggest I do it?"


    Wesley thought for a moment. He knew it was not easy to prove if one belonged to a certain family, insignias and emblems are most commonly used, but they are easy to forge or steal. After a moments silence Wesley spoke again:


    "How many children does the head of the Black Family have?"


    This question was Wesley''s way of probing the honesty of this man''s words. He made it sound like the Black Family''s head is still alive on purpose, if the man spoke in the past tense, it would indicate that he knows the Black Family is no more, making it improbable that he would launch an investigation three years later. If the man also included little Sala in his cont then he would have known about Sala''s birth which around the same time as the Black Family''s massacre, again making it odd that he would start his investigation three years later or even need an investigation.


    "My brother has four children; Little Lane, Stein, Wannel and Lavar."


    Hearing the man''s answer, Wesley felt certain that he was indeed from the Black Family. Wesley immediately reached to catch his sword that was floating in the air and canceled his Dark Domain. As soon as he did this, the extreme darkness in the basement receded. The basement was still unlit so Wesley pointed towards the exit and spoke:


    "Let''s go. We''ll speak in the study."


    The man simply walked the exit in an unharried manner. Wesley was certain this man is a Black, but he still would lower his guard too much so he still held his sword and dagger while looking at the dark robed figure of the man heading towards the exit. Wesley wanted to test the man further and see if he could find the study since this should have been his home.


    The man walked out of the basement and headed towards the study without any hesitation. The moment Wesley and the man emerged from the dark basement into the lit hallways of the Manor, Wesley noticed that the man wore a totally dark uniform with a hoodie. His shoulders were broad and his six foot body seemed to be filled with muscles that were bulging only without making him seem burly,  also had multiple daggers hanging from his hips.


    Wesley was surprised at the man''s attire. To be able to enter the basement through the outside meant that the man was a mage, but based on his attire and body, one would almost certainly think he was a swordsman.


    Wesley and the man reached the study. The man immediately walked in and Wesley followed soon after. After walking in, Wesley shut the door and walked towards one of the seats to the side and sat while the man simply stood opposite of Wesley.


    The man looked at Wesley very closely his eyes showing an odd light. When he experienced Wesley''s Dark Domain, he felt as if he ran into some expert which is why he was polite and composed, but now that he saw the Wesley''s youthful face, he couldn¡¯t help but have some complicated emotions creep in his heart.


    Wesley, seeing the look on the man''s face decided to break the silence:


    "My name is Wesley, I am the current master of the Black Manor. Mind telling me who you are?"


    The man seemed to have been awoken from his stupor and spoke with his regular whisper like voice:


    "My name is Neal Black. I am the younger brother of the head of Black Family. Now mind telling me how you managed to own this Manor, my brother never would have sold our ancestral home?"


    Neal''s voice, although still low and whisper like, showed his anxiety. Wesley felt regretful that he had to tell him what happened but he couldn¡¯t lie or misguide him:


    "The Black Family was massacred three years ago. I bought the Manor from the city."


    Neal''s face paled and his eyes turned glossy as if he was about to cry, but he pinched his nose bridge and spoke with his voice clearly showing his shaken state:


    "I see........It seems I was too late."


    Wesley was startled at Neal''s words. Neal implied that he knew about the Black family''s impending doom before it happened, making Lane''s information faulty. Lane said that they had no idea they would be attacked.


    "What do you mean. How were you able to know that the family was in danger?"


    Neal looked at Wesley his face still pale and spoke again:


    "My brother sent me a message some three or so years ago. He said that the four families were preparing to make their move only........only I was too late"


    Wesley was surprised at Neal''s words.The four families were the rulers of the Blackreach City, they held tremendous power and influence for a millenia. Furthermore, he believed that the Shorn Family were responsible for the attack on the  Black Family.


    "What do you mean the four families. It was the Shorn Family that killed the Black Family"


    Neal was still clearly shaken but he was slowly regaining his composure, as soon as Wesley mentioned the Shorn Family, his eyes shone with a murderous luster and he spoke:


    "Shorn?........Those trash serve the four families. I will make sure they don''t have a single root left in this world."


    Wesley was In deep thought. If the Shorn Family served the four families then the moment he killed them off then he caused the four families to be on their guard. His only chance was if they didn¡¯t associate the death of the Shorn Family with the Black Family matter or to him. Wesley suddenly thought of something and immediately looked at Neal who was almost fuming and excluding a thick bloodthirst.


    "Neal, Calm yourself. The Shorn Family are all dead. Also Lane, Stein and the others are alive and well, it is best if you don''t make any rash actions that might put them in danger."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, Neal''s eyes shone bright and the glossy on his eyes fell as tears as he felt great joy in the bottom of his heart.


    "Is it true.....are they truly alive."


    "Yes they are. Only I had to change their last name to Gray because I feared they might be suspected when I killed the Shorn Family. It seems that was the correct decision."


    Wesley felt extremely glad he made some contingency plans before killing the Shorn Family, otherwise, who knows if right now he would be laying dead in some ditch. He knew that the four families could easily kill him without fearing retaliation from the ject kingdom because of the fact that if his father invaded the Blackreach County, then he would have to fight the other three kingdoms, and to risk another War of Four for Wesley who he viewed as useless.


    Neal Spoke up again with excitement still present in his voice as if he has forgotten all about the death of his other family members:


    "Where are they. Can you take me to them. Please"


    "Haha, it is past midnight, they are definitely sleeping. Go to the Master Bedroom upstairs, they should all be sleeping there."


    Neal didn¡¯t even wait for Wesley to finish his words as he darted towards the study door.

 Chapter 19 - His Networks

    Currently in the Black Manor, two men were standing at the entrance to the Master Bedroom staring at the soundly sleeping siblings.


    Wesley was standing next to Neal who just stood there staring at the kids with a red face full of tears and smiles. In any other occasion, Wesley would have let him stand there alone, but Wesley still had reservations regarding this mysterious visitor.


    After standing there for more than five minutes without either of them uttering a single word, Wesley was the first to break the silence as he spoke in a whisper so as to not wake the children:


    "Neal...Let us head back to the study. We still have some things to discuss."


    Neal turned his head to look at Wesley then looked at the sleeping children once more before nodding his head and closing the door. A few moments later, Wesley and Neal were both sitting in the study, staring at each other motionlessly. Once again Wesley was the first to speak:


    "Tell me Neal. Why would the four great families bother with your Black Family. If I heard correctly your Black Family was neither involved in politics nor had any great wealth."


    Wesley''s extremely blunt question made Neal shake his head with an embarrassed yet resigned smile creeping on his lips. He looked at Wesley as if trying to see through his emotionless yet youthful face, but after a few breaths he spoke:


    "Before I answer that, Who are you? How do you know about what happened to my family, and why are you sheltering my nephews. Also, what was it that you were practicing in the basement?"


    Neal showered Wesley with a barrage of questions. Up until this point Wesley was the one doing the interrogating, So Neal had no idea who this mysterious youth in front of him was, in fact if it weren''t for the fact that he felt Wesley''s power when he first entered the basement, he would not have taken him seriously.


    Wesley just stared at the questioning Neal. In any other occasion, Wesley would ignore those questions but he realized that he needed to know what this man knew. Although a year has passed since Wesley killed the Shorn Family and nothing happened that, that did not mean that those four families were not planning something. Wesley knew that those who had more information had an advantage, and right now, he was in too much of a disadvantage.


    "Like I said my name is Wesley. I am a student at the Four Moons Academy. I bought this Manor a year ago, where I met Lane and the others. They told me everything that happened and pledged and oath of service to me if I killed the Shorn Family, which I did. As for what I was practicing...."


    Wesley paused for a moment thinking what he should say, he didn¡¯t want to defy his master''s commands but he needed Neal''s information. But before he could say anything else, Neal spoke up:


    "No need to say if you don''t want to. However, I would like you to release my nephews from their oath. I would like to take them away from here."


    Wesley hearing Neal''s initial words felt relieved he didn¡¯t have to say anymore, he knew Neal realized that it was darkness but Wesley chose to ignore this as well. However, as soon as he heard Neal''s next words about releasing them from their oath, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but become anxious again:


    "I will not do that."


    Wesley emphasized the not in that sentence as if telling Neal that there was no way this was going to happen. Neal just stared at Wesley, his head rumbling with thousands of thoughts. Should he kill him, beg him, or pay him. But seeing the resolve in Wesley''s eyes and remembering his odd power, he sighed inwardly and spoke:


    "I see. If you are unwilling then we''ll need to modify the terms of your agreement with the children."


    Wesley felt like he knew what this Neal was going to say. But he nonetheless asked:


    "How do you suggest we do that."


    "You will have to kill the four families. The Shorn family were nothing more than lackeys, the true perpetrators of my families murder were the four families."


    Wesley felt his heart clench. Kill the four families, how hard was that going to be. The four families combined are comparable to any of the monarch families of the four kingdoms, killing them was not only hard but close to impossible. Thousands of ideas were rushing allover Wesley''s mind regarding how to go about this. The worst case scenario is his death while the least worst is his escape from the County, but even with the worst case scenario, he could at most kill of one or two of the families, no way to kill all four. Wesley looked at Neal and spoke hesitantly:


    "First you will tell me what I need to know. Why are the four families trying to kill of your Black Family."


    Neal who was expecting Wesley to resign and release the oath was stupefied by Wesley''s question. There is no way any sane person would try to kill off the four families, it was practically impossible. Neal looked at Wesley with a complicated look and spoke:


    "If you want to understand the grudge the four families have against our Black Family, then you need to go back to thousand years ago. Thousand years ago, our Black family were the rulers of this Blackreach County and we were direct subjects of the Royaume Empire. However, we were not a simple family, in fact we were the Intelligence Corp of the empire, and Blackreach county was our domain because of its central location allowing to better conduct operations and collect information from all corners of the world."


    Wesley was startled as he heard Neal''s words. Direct subjects of the empire, intelligence Corp, he was actually rather surprised that they survived for this long. Neal simply continued with his explanation:


    "Our family''s wealth was immeasurable, so even when the Empire fell, we used our wealth and spy networks to ward of all attacks on us. However, as the years went on, with the demise of our paymasters, our wealth decreased exponentially, and we had to strip down our networks to their skeletons. The Family elders decided that we could not continue along this path, so we started to withdraw from politics in the hope that we might be forgotten some day. This plan seems to work great to some extent, only we weren''t completely forgotten. The Four Families were our vassals when we ruled the County, there is no way they could be fooled by our ruse, so they spent as much effort as possible to wipe us out, but we always persevered with the help of our networks. But as our power decayed thier''s grew, and you know the rest."


    Neal having finished his talking, looked at Wesley to gauge his reaction. Wesley''s brows were furrowed as he thought about what he heard. The implications of being associated with the Royaume Empire were dire in all four kingdoms, even his Holt Family that has astonishing wealth and power still tries their best to distance themselves from the Royaume family they are descended from. However, Wesley was astonished by something else, he looked up at Neal and said:


    "There is one thing I don¡¯t understand. Where were you, that you needed three years to return."


    Neal just looked at Wesley with some thoughtfulness. He somewhat expected this youth to panic or at least show some form of awe or surprise, but aside from becoming more thoughtful, he was as stoic as a rock.


    "Around four years ago, my brother and I noticed that the four families were getting more aggressive so my brother and I came up with a solution. I would abolish our remaining networks that were scattered throughout the four kingdoms and have them converge on Blackreach City, that way we could increase our power. Only, neither of us expected them to make their move so quickly. I returned today, only to find strangers living in our Manor."


    Wesley''s mind was thinking up a storm as he tried to find a way to deal with this situation. He somehow felt that the four families were aware of his connection to the Black Family, he also felt that they knew of his killing the Shorn Family, making his options clear, either kill them or run. Only he had no idea how to go about killing them, but as soon as he heard Neal''s last words, he saw a way. Wesley''s eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at Neal.


    "Neal, how did your assignment go. Are you able to set up those networks in the city."


    Wesley''s excited tone and the odd glittering of his eyes startled Neal greatly. He hadn''t expected that anyone would have such an expression after having heard his words.


    "Uhmm....Yes, It is possible to set up the networks in the city, only now that my brother is dead and our remaining wealth gone, it is impossible to set them up."


    "How much is needed?"


    Neal still has not recovered from his initial surprise when he heard Wesley''s questions, causing him to further feel lost. He just stared at Wesley as if trying to see if perhaps Wesley was joking with him, or if he simply didn¡¯t fully understand the situation.


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    "Around two hundred thousand gold for the initial set up. Then we''ll need around one hundred thousand gold each year for maintenance and collection of information."


    Three hundred thousand gold was not a small amount. This was about the total revenue of some small cities, and could be used to fund an entire army of ten thousand for about two months. This was not the amount of gold one would expect anyone to easily give out, in fact Neal was even skeptical his Family''s entire wealth was enough to cover this for long, let alone this little juvenile kid in front of him. But Wesley''s next words shook him to his core:


    "That is acceptable. Start setting up the networks as soon as possible. If things go like I hope they would, we should be able to deal with these four families."


    Wesley''s words showed his clear relief. The prospect of facing off against the powerful four families alone was virtually impossible, however, if there was an information network in place that enabled Wesley to observe and plan then the difficulty would be extremely lower, even bordering on manageable. Wesley''s idea was not too different from the one Neal and his brother came up with, only he was planning on using it offensively while they were going to using defensively.


    Across from Wesley, Neal still couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Producing three hundred thousand gold as if it were nothing is not something a normal person can do. He was really interested in knowing this Wesley''s identity and since Wesley purposefully left out his Family name Neal couldn¡¯t help but grow weary of this mysterious person. After almost five breaths of silence, Neal once again spoke up, his voice somewhat shaky:


    "Why.....Why are you going through so much effort for people you don''t even know?"


    Neal was worried that Wesley had some hidden agenda. After all spending such a wealth instead of just letting the children go meant that Wesley saw the kids to be worth more than gold, but Neal simply couldn¡¯t see how. Wesley on the other hand having guessed Neal''s thoughts let out a dry laugh for the first time during this encounter:


    "Haha Neal, no need to be so paranoid. I believe that since the siblings and I had an agreement, it is only fair that I keep my end of the deal, also..."


    Wesley''s eyes suddenly turned sharp and a gloomy dreadful feeling emanated from him:


    "After I killed the Shorn Family, there is a chance I might be targeted by the four families. I am simply clearing any potential sources of danger in the future."


    Neal seeing Wesley''s change of attitude and feeling the oppressive atmosphere that surrounded him, felt a cold sweat run down his back. Wesley didn¡¯t wait for Neal to say anymore and continued speaking:


    "Now, tell me how this network of yours will be set up. I need to know what its capabilities are and see if it can be traced back to me."


    ............................................................................................................................................


    Around six in the morning, the sounds outside the study where Wesley and Neal were increased as the maids were preparing for the day, and the guards were changing shifts. Wesley and Neal''s discussion continued for five hours, and although Neal felt some reservations regarding Wesley, He knew that if he was to safeguard the safety of his remaining family, Wesley was his best option.


    The plan that Neal and his brother devised was simple. Collect people from the four kingdoms that are loyal to the Black Family and have them reside in Blackreach City while working in different places such as pubs, stores or as guards. Then simply collect information regarding the movement of the four families and plan countermeasures accordingly. This plan was not very comprehensive since the Black Family did not have a lot of gold.


    After hearing the details of the plan, Wesley realized that this entire plan was more like a dying struggle than an actual plan. The plan would have only allowed the Black Family to see glimpses of whatever the four families were planning, and although these glimpses might have allowed them to escape one or two plots, it would have eventually failed.


    After discussing his thoughts with Neal, they decided on a way to improve the plan. Using Wesley''s tremendous Wealth, they could now not only place people in pubs and stores but also in the government offices, and perhaps even as servants to the four families. Placing people in government positions not only allowed Wesley to have a better glimpse at what the four families were planning but also enabled him to slow or hinder them to some extent.


    At the end of their planning, the initial cost which was around three hundred thousand almost doubled. Neal was worried that Wesley might not be able to cover the cost because of the increase, but Wesley assured him that such a thing was not a problem which surprised Neal slightly.


    "When do you think everything will be set up?"


    "The initial plan was going to take a little more than two weeks, but now it should take no less than two months considering we have to infiltrate the government offices and the families."


    "Good. Also remember to make sure that your people are insulated from one another. It would be troublesome if one person''s failure causes the entire network to crumple."


    "Don''t worry, our family has done this for far more than thousand years."


    "I see, also ........"


    Before Wesley could even finish his words, a knock on the door interrupted him. Wesley looked up at the door and a faint smile crept on his lips as he spoke:


    "Come"


    As soon as the words left Wesley''s lips, the door was opened and pushed in. A slender youth with dark hair walked in. This youth was not too tall, around five feet four at most, but his neatly cut hair, strong jaw and sharp eyes gave him a cool demeanor.


    As soon as Lane walked in, his eyes drifted to the dark robed person who sat across from his master with his back facing the entrance. What surprised him was not the fact that his master had a guest, rather it was because he was told that nothing was out of the ordinary by the guards, yet there is a person sitting in front of his master whose arrival was not reported. Lane was greatly alarmed but seeing his master smiling face he decided to put it aside and spoke after bowing slightly:


    "Good Morning Master"


    "Haha Lane. Good Morning. Are all your siblings awake."


    Wesley purposefully spoke Lane''s words out loud, and as soon as he did that, the quiet Neal who was sitting in front of him opened his eyes wide with a multitude of emotions flashing across his face. Lane didn¡¯t see this since Neal had his back towards him so he just spoke:


    "Yes Master."


    "Good. Bring them here, I have someone for all of you to meet."


    Lane''s eyes once more drifted towards the back of the dark clothed man who sat in front of his master. Who could this man be that his master would want him and his siblings to meet him and how did he manage to enter the Manor without anyone noticing.


    "Yes Master."


    Lane immediately turned back and exited the study. Wesley looked at Neal and spoke:


    "Haha, what is wrong Neal, I thought you would be more excited to see your nephews."


    Neal didn¡¯t even look at Wesley anymore and simply looked at the ground with tears streaming down his face. His brother, his wife, his uncles, they are all dead. His only remaining relatives in this world are those children. Neal couldn¡¯t help but cry for those who died but he also cried for those children, those children who now carry the remainder of his family''s legacy and future.


    Wesley simply sat there with a smile on his face, he has never experienced what Neal is going through, but he knew that Neal''s tears were those of Joy. After a few minutes, Lane returned with his four siblings in tow.


    As soon as they entered the room, Neal immediately stood up and looked at them with his eyes teary and his cheeks red, his eyes swept across the five siblings one by one. The siblings stood there motionlessly staring at the sobbing man in front of them not realizing what was going on. Neal''s eyes finally rested on the giggling Sala, then he spoke:


    "Y...you look just like your mother."


    Hearing Neal''s words, all the children had their jaws drop. What did it mean for someone to know their parents. But before they could say anything, Wesley stood up and walked towards the exit with a wide grin on his face and simply left the room.


    ...................................................................................................................................

 Chapter 20 - His Refusal

    After leaving the study to give Neal and the kids sometime to catch up and talk, Wesley headed to the kitchen to get something to eat.


    Wesley, being a prince, was always served food at his leisure, however, now that he was free of the constraints of the Royal Palace, Wesley has picked up a habit of going to the kitchen to eat. This, at first, startled the maids who had no idea how to react, but as time went on, they adapted to the point of always leaving some food somewhere in the kitchen for their odd master to eat.


    After eating something, Wesley graped a bottle of water and immediately headed to the backyard. The backyard of the Manor was almost twice the size of the front yard. The most eye catching thing In the backyard was the fountain that was in the center of the yard with water spouting out of it in pretty arcs that looked dazzling under the sun. There was also a table with numerous seats near the fountain.


    In a small corner of the yard there stood a pitch black pillar which had numerous slashes and cracks all over it. Leaning on the pillar was odd upper body armor with sleeving, and the odd thing about this armor was that it had numerous springs connecting its joints. This was where Wesley practiced his sword techniques.


    Wesley walked towards the black pillar. Wesley immediately donned on the odd armor and started practicing each of the silent sword techniques. If one looked at Wesley''s movements as he executed his techniques, he would notice how slow each of Wesley''s strikes were.


    The slowness of Wesley''s movements were due to the odd armor. The armor had Iron Springs connecting all its joints, so everytime Wesley wanted to move his arms, the springs would prevent him. This armor, bequeathed to him by the second elder, enabled Wesley to train the muscles needed to execute his techniques without the need to bulk up one''s entire body. It also enabled him to observe and correct his posture. Also the armor, although not as heavy as the ones given to the strength based students, was still heavy, enabling Wesley to improve his general stamina and strength as well as his Silent Steps footwork.


    After a few hours of practice, Wesley noticed that Neal, Lane and the others were walking towards him. Their faces had bright smiles plastered on them and their eyes were red probably from crying. As soon as they were within few feet of Wesley, Neal who had little Sala sitting on his shoulders was the first to speak. Even though his voice was still whisper like, it contained a lot of excitement:


    "Wesley!"


    "Haha, Neal. Am glad to see you guys finished with your introductions. I was starting to worry."


    Neal looked at Wesley with eyes filled with infinite gratitude. And spoke:


    "Yes. It seems that aside from Lane here, none of the others recognized me. And I didn¡¯t even know Sala."


    "Haha, that¡¯s good. You guys should go have some breakfast. Come see me later Neal, we should continue our discussion from before."


    "Understood."


    Neal immediately turned around and headed towards the Manor. Lane and his three brothers respectfully bowed to Wesley before turning and running after Neal. Wesley only shook his head with a laugh and continued his practice.


    After another hour or so, Wesley''s practice was once again interrupted by Neal who walked towards him. This time Wesley was not accompanied by the kids and his face, although slightly red, was stoic and emotionless.


    Wesley slowly sheathed his sword and took of the armor. He was practicing for more than three hours so his shirt was drenched by sweat and his well toned muscles stuck out from underneath the wet shirt. Neal was surprised to see Wesley''s body since he was under the impression that Wesley was a mage, but after seeing his muscles and long sword practice, he was doubtful.


    "Neal, Please have a seat, I will be with you shortly."


    Wesley immediately took off his drenched shirt and put on a clean one. Then he slowly walked towards Neal who was already sitting in one of the seats and sat across from him. Wesley and Neal sat motionlessly for a moment then Wesley spoke up:


    "Neal. You need to set up your networks as soon as possible. I am not comfortable with waiting for the four families to move without my knowledge."


    "Yes. Everything has already been prepared since I expected my brother to still be alive. I only need to do some minor alterations to the original plan, but everything should be ready soon."


    "Good. Also, incase Lane hasn¡¯t already told you, there are some businesses that I directly control, so avoid those businesses so as not to have me in any way connected to the network."


    "I understand your point, but that is a mistake. If at some point our network is found, and someone notices that hundreds of businesses were infiltrated except for the ones that are associated with you, then it''ll just look suspicious. So I will place some low level agents at these businesses."


    "Haha, I didn¡¯t think of that. Clearly you''re better at this than I am, so I''ll let you take care of the details. I''ll prepare the funds for you tonight."


    "Good, I''ll be heading out then."


    "Before you go Neal, I have a question"


    "Yes?"


    "Tell me, how did you manage to get into the basement last night."


    Neal was surprised at Wesley''s question. Of everything that happened last night, his entrance seemed to be the least precarious, but he immediately realized the point behind Wesley''s question and immediately answered.


    "It was am Earth technique known as Earth Meld. It enables me to go anywhere as long as it is made of earth."


    Wesley knew that this was some sort of magic, but that wasn¡¯t what puzzled him most.


    "Then tell me Neal. If you had such power, then why didn¡¯t you just go kill the four families."


    Neal simply shook his head with a resigned look on his face and spoke:


    "Sigh....I can''t indeed be blocked by walls and things like that. But Earth Meld is a famous technique of Earth Mages, meaning there are ways of countering it. For example, building walls with.a layer of metal."


    Wesley suddenly understood why Neal who clearly had the power to go anywhere was somehow restricted. But he was also surprised that his Dark Warp was not restricted by something like this. He immediately made a mental note to research the capabilities of his Dark Warp as soon as possible. Wesley then glanced at the standing Neal and spoke:


    "I see, that¡¯s a shame. Come see me later to collect the funds."


    "Till then."


    Neal immediately muttered something under his breath and soon sank into the ground, disappearing from the backyard. Wesley also got up and walked into the Manor to take a bath.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    Two days later.


    Currently Wesley was heading towards the academy. Only it was not yet six in the morning, meaning this was his once a week attendance of all his classes. Wesley was only interested in the two classes of light and swordsmanship with the other three simply being fillers, this meant that he consistently attended these two classes while only attending the other three once a week to keep up.


    Coincidentally, today was also the day Wesley received the results of his end of year exams. The academy held their annual examinations at the end of the year and all students required one to pass at least half of their classes to be allowed to go on to the next year.


    Naturally, Wesley passed by Michael''s Inn to eat breakfast. Since Wesley went to the academy early once a week, it has become almost routine for him to have breakfast at Michael''s, causing his relationship with Michael to increase.


    After almost an hour, Wesley finally reached the academy at around six in the morning. The bell that signaled the start of the day reverberated across the academy causing Wesley to head straight towards his first period: History.


    As soon as Wesley walked into the class, he saw that the class was half filled with the eighth elder lazily sitting out front with his eyes closed as if he was sleeping. This eighth elder seemed like a kind, amiable old man, but Wesley wasn''t fooled by his appearance, he knew that this old man was a wolf in sheep''s clothing.


    Wesley simply walked towards the front of the class where a burly youth with a large great sword sitting next to him. Wesley himself had his sword on his hip, but compared to the incredibly menacing size of that great sword, his seemed like a plaything. Wesley sat to the seat next to the burly youth and looked towards him with a friendly smile on his face:


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    "Hey Kellan."


    The youth who seemed to be half asleep due to the time jerked his head to look at the person who spoke his name. He hardly ever had anyone sit next to him, and even less speak to him, so hearing someone speak his name so friendly was to say the least, rare.


    Seeing the thin, blue haired green eyed youth who sat next to him, Kellan smiled at him and spoke in his croaky roar like voice:


    "Wesley. Good morning. I didn¡¯t see you there."


    Over the last year of school, Wesley and Kellan developed to become rather close friends. Not only were they swordsmen, but they also shared three classes making it very hard for them to not meet. Furthermore, Kellan''s quiet, aloof nature made it hard for people to approach him, but Wesley often sat with him and talked to him without reservation causing them to naturally become friends.


    Wesley and Kellan continued speaking for a few minutes as did most of the people in the class, however, everyone was instantly quieted down after a few coughs from the elder who was sitting up front:


    "Good Morning children. As many of you already know, today we won''t be learning anything. Rather, I will be announcing you end of year exam results for this class. First, you must understand how the ranking works, those of you who are in the top twenty pass, while those at the bottom twenty fail. Any questions."


    This was how the Academy evaluated who passed and who failed. Your passing and failing in a class was done through your ranking in that class, this means that fifty percent will always fail regardless. This served as a motivation for students to do better in their studies, but it also served to distinguish those with potential from the rest by always separating the herd. Furthermore, the percentage of those who fail and pass gets more stringent as one advances in grades, for example, for second year students, forty percent pass while sixty fail, and for third year students, thirty percent pass while seventy percent fail.


    After no one raised their hands to ask any questions, the eighth elder continued speaking:


    "First place, Menail Cel; Second place, Elmer Treo; Third Place...."


    The elder continued with his list until he got to the tenth place at which point his face showed a pleasant surprise and his eyes landed on Wesley:


    "Tenth place, Wesley. Hohoho, Wesley, to be able to pass while attending only once a week...Impressive. Eleventh place..."


    Although the elder''s praise caught the attention of some students, what caught their attention the most was how none of them ever heard Wesley''s family name. To be without a family name implied one of two things, first Wesley is from a super famous family and is unwilling to let people know his name, or that he is a beggar orphan without any family hence no family name. Most people thought the latter was the case which only served to deepen their contempt for him.


    After the elder finished with his list, half of the class was frowning while the other half were smiling. Wesley simply turned to the Kellan who was sitting next to him with an elevated smile on his face because he surprisingly placed twentieth in the rankings, hence barely passing.


    "Haha, Kellan. Stop smiling so much and let''s go. We have geography next."


    Kellan simply nodded his head while smiling, then got up. He and Wesley walked out of the door to their next class. Their next class was  geography which Wesley was somewhat proficient in while Kellan was terrible at it. The smile that was plastered on his face all but disappeared as he realized what was about to happen.


    And as if it was agreeing with Kellan''s fear, he miserably failed in geography. Wesley on the other hand barely passed by placing in the near the cut off line. Wesley looked at the dejected Kellan and let out a small laugh while speaking:


    "Kellan, Don¡¯t be so heartbroken, we have strategy and tactics next, you are great in that class so you should have passed it."


    "Do you really think so?"


    "Of course. You''ll see when we get there."


    After getting to the strategy and tactics class, Wesley''s prophecy came true, Kellan place first while Wesley placed in tenth once again. This extremely improved Kellan''s mood causing him to puff out his chest and smile continuously like some idiot. Wesley couldn¡¯t help laughing and bid Kellan farewell as he headed to his next class which was Light Magic study.


    Wesley already passed more than half of his classes so he did have the minimum requirement for advancing a year, but he still went to his next class, but Wesley knew that there was no way he passed his Light studies exam.


    After reaching the class, Wesley simply sat in the one empty seat near the edge without talking to anyone. All the students In the class thought very little of Wesley, some couldn¡¯t even be bothered to think of him at all, however, Wesley also never bothered with anyone in that class so he just sat there waiting for the teacher.


    After a moment''s wait, the third elder walked in and headed towards the front of the room. His gaze swept across the students, but the moment it reached Wesley, the elder simply looked away as if there was no one sitting where Wesley was at. Wesley laughed inwardly at how little this teacher thought of him but didn¡¯t really mind it.


    "Now it is time to announce your end of year exam results. First place.."


    Since there were eighteen students in this class, only the top nine passed. So the moment the elder announced the ninth person''s name he simply stopped and said:


    "The rest failed so there is no need for me to continue."


    The elder simply walked back nonchalantly. Wesley only shook his head at how apathetic and cold this third elder was, but he hardly cared about how him so he simple got up and left the class to head to his final class: Swordsmanship.


    After leaving the main school building and going to the swordsmanship classroom. Wesley was surprised to find that the second elder was already standing in front of the class with his ever present smile still plastered on his face.


    This second elder was the one who left the most profound impression on Wesley. Unlike his amiable and easy going appearance, Wesley viewed this elder as a monster, the kind that would walk when you walk and stop when you stop, to the point that you believe that there is nothing there, but pounces at you the first chance he gets.


    Wesley didn¡¯t dare to look at this elder straight In the eye, so he walked with his head down and stood quietly. After all the students were present the elder started speaking:


    "Good, everyone is here. Let''s begin with your rankings. First place, Kellan Dole; Second place, Wesley; Third place...."


    Wesley and Kellan placing first and second was not a great surprise to anyone since Kellan''s great strength and Wesley''s techniques were extremely above their peers. There were nearly fifty students in the class, and the elder announced each of their ranks. After finishing, the elder put away the sheet with the rankings and spoke:


    "Congratulations to those of you who passed. As for those of you who failed, do not be discouraged, the way of the sword is as boundless as it is deep and cannot be summarized by these simple tests, but we must do so for our convenience. Remember, one learns thousands things more from failure than they do from success."


    "Now I have a few more announcements regarding your rankings. At the end of each school year the academy holds a rankings competition where students spar against each other with their rankings on the line. It is a great opportunity to test your skills and improve them in combat. Naturally, it is not possible to have the entire student body to participate so each class appoints two students to represent, and if those two students get good results then the whole class gets their rankings boosted. I was thinking of sending Kellan and Wesley since they are the top two in this class."


    The entire class burst into murmurs and whispers. A chance to increase one''s rankings were very rare, and now they had such a chance so every student was naturally excited about it. However, amidst all the excitement, a single person raised his hand as if to ask a question. Seeing this raised hand, the elder slightly furrowed his brow and spoke:


    "I am not taking any questions Wesley."


    The entire classroom quieted down at the elder''s words and all eyes fell on Wesley who slowly retracted his hand then taking advantage of the silence spoke with his soft, yet firm voice:


    "It is not a question elder. I just wanted to say that I decline to participate."

 Chapter 21 - His Competition

    I decline to participate.


    Wesley''s words reverberated throughout the classroom. The heads of all the students present looked at Wesley in disbelief then turned to the second elder to see what his reaction might be.


    The elder simply stood there on that raised platform with his trademark smile still present. This smile caused a cold sweat to form on Wesley''s back, he recognized this smile, this was the same amiable smile the elder always had, but Wesley didn''t see a smile, he saw a sneer, the devil''s sneer.


    The classroom was deathly quiet for what seemed like an eternity as the elder satered at Wesley who just stood there pale. After a short moment, the elder spoke up with amusement in his voice:


    "You can''t decline."


    "Is the competition mandatory."


    "No, it is not."


    "Then why can''t I decline."


    "Because it is not in your best interest.."


    This sounded a lot like a threat, as if saying that if Wesley declined, he would be in some sort of jeopardy. Hearing this threat Wesley didn¡¯t know how to react or what to say, but before he could even say anything, the elder continued speaking:


    "Hohoho, You can decline, but if you do then I will fail you and then you''ll spend one extra year with me."


    Hearing this, Wesley immediately made up his mind, he would participate if only to pass this class since the last thing he wanted to do was spend an extra year with this elder. This was another one of the academy''s rules, that if a student fails a class then they will definitely retake it next year. The elder continued speaking:


    "Furthermore, your rankings are so low that a single win could increase your classmates'' rankings by a lot. So do you still decline?"


    This was simply beating a dead horse. Wesley was already willing to participate so that he wouldn¡¯t be forced to retake the class,but he wasn¡¯t going to expend too much effort, but now that the students heard about how he could improve their rankings by a lot, there was no way he could just blow it off. As if synchronized with Wesley''s thoughts his surroundings started buzzing with discussions and even some of the students around him started shouting:


    "Do it Wesley, we believe in you."


    "Don''t you dare refuse Wesley. Don''t you dare."


    Wesley only looked begrudgingly at the students who were all shouting at him then shook his head resignigly and said:


    "Then, I''ll participate."


    "Hohoho, good choice. The competition starts tomorrow at ten, so don''t be late."


    .............................................................................................................................................


    The day of the competition, Wesley had to leave the Manor earlier than usual, around ten in the morning, since the second elder specifically told him not to be late. Wesley really despised this second elder, not only did he give Wesley a constant feeling of dread and fear since their first meeting, but his fickleness that fools people into thinking that he is only an amiable senior, made Wesley continuously sigh inwardly. Of course Wesley knew that this old monster meant him no harm, but that didn¡¯t alleviate the fear in his heart one bit.


    When Wesley reached the academy, he noticed a blue robed young man leaning against the entrance of the academy with a giant broad sword on his back. Kellan always had an impressive countenance that captured the attention of people around him, be it his massive body, his equally massive sword, or his cold and aloof face. As soon as Wesley saw Kellan leaning against the entrance, a smile crept on his face as he walked up to him:


    "Kellan, were you waiting for a while?"


    Kellan immediately glanced up at Wesley and spoke with a friendly smile:


    "No, I just arrived. Only, I didn''t want to go in there alone."


    "Yeah? Well let''s go and get this done with."


    "Yeah."


    Kellan and Wesley immediately walked in and headed directly to the meeting hall. The rankings competition was being held in the same hall as the entrance academy except there are now raised stage that was used by the Headmaster was now going to be used for the battles.


    There were six different columns of seats arranged in pairs in front of the raised stage. Each of the columns was reserved for the students of each of the six major classes of the academy; water, fire, earth, wind, light and swordsmanship.


    Although some students belonged to more than one of these classes, and all had other classes as well, there was no doubt that each student identified with one of these classes, making this competition, essentially, between the classes rather than the students.


    Kellan and Wesley walked to the front of the left-most column where the first to seats were reserved for them. While walking to the front, Wesley noticed that all the other contestants were present meaning that the competition was about to start. Wesley heaved a deep sigh and sat in his seat, he really didn¡¯t want to be part of this.


    After a few minutes of waiting, six azure robed elder walked into the hall, Wesley instantly recognized two of these elders as the second and third elders. Each of the elders walked to their respective columns and whispered something to the competing students. The swordsmanship class was in the far left so the second elder was the last to reach his destination.


    Standing in front of Wesley and Kellan, the second elder still had his classic smile on and his hands behind his back as he inspected the two of them carefully. Then he spoke:


    "Kellan, Wesley, your numbers are eleven and twelve respectively. You both have low rankings so you got the last numbers...."


    The second elder paused slightly to see how Wesley or Kellan reacted to his comment about their rankings. He knew how talented they both are, and they too know how talented they are, so having such low rankings despite their talent shows how biased the system is. Fortunately, neither Wesley nor Kellan cared much about rankings since it is utterly pointless.


    Seeing that neither Wesley nor Kellan reacted to his words, the elder approvingly nodded and continued speaking:


    "...however, since your rankings are so low, you should increase by quite a bit if you win. Remember, in one on one battles, the swordsman has the advantage."


    "Yes elder."Both Kellan and Wesley replaid together.


    "Oh, and Wesley, You don''t have to force yourself too much. If you show me something interesting, then you can forfeit the remaining matches."


    Having finished his words, the second elder simply nodded and walked away to the back of the hall and so did the other elders. As soon as the elders walked away, another elder walked onto the stage and cleared his throat to quiet down the students, after everyone had their attention on him, the elder spoke:


    "Now, we will begin the first year rankings competition. The rules are simple, have your opponent submit, leave the stage or fall unconscious to win. You cannot fatally injure, maim, or cripple your opponent. There will be three rounds to this competition, and the opponents will be randomly drawn for every round while ensuring they are not from the same class. The entire competition will be held today. Finally, please limit your area spells to the size of the stage, that is thirty feet by thirty feet."


    ¡­................................................................................................................................................


    "First match. Number 4 and number 8."


    Two students came up, the first was a wind mage while the other was a earth mage. This match was not very since the two elements counteracted one another, so it went on for more than ten minutes, until the wind mage ran out of mana and submitted.


    "Second match. Number 10 and number 5."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.These two were a fire mage and the other wind mage. Although the power of the fire mage was ferocious, the wind mage was simply too fast for him, so he continued evading him while inflicting small damage here and there until the fire mage couldn¡¯t continue.


    "Third match. Number 6 and number 12."


    Wesley was currently slouching in his seat with his eyes lazily shut. Suddenly Kellan who was next to him slightly nudged him with his elbow causing him to open his eyes only to notice everyone looking at him. Wesley immediately looked on the stage and found that there was only one guy standing there while staring at him.


    "Wesley. It is your turn."


    Kellan''s voice rang next to him causing him to instantly stand up. Wesley immediately walked towards the stage with an embarrassed smile on his face while all the other students laughed and giggled.


    Wesley walked onto the stage and stood opposite of the other students while shooting him and apologetic smile. The other student looked at Wesley from head to toe, and seeing the sword in his left hand and his foolish expression, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disdain towards him.


    "My name is Paelar Rol. Water mage, rank ninety seven."


    Wesley looked closely at this Paelar''s face and seeing the blatant look of disdain on his face, he couldn¡¯t help but shake his head as he realized that he was being looked down upon.


    "Wesley. Rank two hundred."


    Wesley''s words not only shocked the Paelar, but the entire student body. What does it mean to be rank two hundred, it meant that you were the lowest ranking person in the entire class since there are only two hundred students.


    Hearing Wesley''s words, Paelar became even more disdainful, furthermore, he couldn¡¯t help but curse his luck. Facing off against an opponent with such a low ranking meant he won''t be getting any increase from winning since if the winner has a lower ranking then they get the loser''s ranking.


    Now that that the two have exchanged their introductions, an elder who was standing near the stage shouted:


    "Begin"


    As soon as the words left the elder''s lips, Raelar started muttering something as for Wesley, He just stood there motionless. In one on one battles, a swordsman has the advantage since they don''t have to wait for the mage to finish his preparation, but Wesley just standing there surprised everyone present.


    "Why do you think he is just waiting."


    "I don¡¯t know. Maybe he''s just dumb."


    "haha, at least now we know why he''s ranked last."


    Similar conversations were going all over the hall. After a ten heartbeats worth of time, Raelar finally finished his preparation and shouted:


    "Water Fog."


    As soon as shouted this, a white, obscure fog spread out from his body enveloping the entire stage. The moment the fog enveloped Wesley, everyone present knew that he had lost, the advantage a swordsman has over a mage is in the preparations of spells period,but once that chance was missed, then there is no guessing who won. This Water Fog spell provided Raelar with cover by hiding him from Wesley, hence giving him time to prepare for another spell. There is no possible way left for Wesley to win now.


    After a few more breaths, another energetic shout came from Raelar who was inside the fog:


    "Water Prison."


    The fog that was governing the entire stage suddenly started compressing, and continued compressing until it become a ten feet wide sphere of blue water, centered at where Wesley stood. Raelar currently had his right hand facing the sphere and had a smirk on his face, he had won this match in less than a minute.


    However, everyone present was not staring at the blue sphere, rather they were staring at Raelar with unbelieving looks on their faces. Raelar noticed the looks of the audience and felt extremely proud, how could they not be impressed by his marvelous skills.


    Only, the audience were not really staring slackjawed at Raelar, but at the area behind, Behind Raelar stood a blue robed, blue haired boy with a dark sword in his hand. Somehow, Wesley has managed to evade Raelar''s spell and snuck behind him without him even noticing.


    Wesley simply shook his head at how bothersome this entire thing is, then without a warning, his right hand that still held his sword swung towards the back of Raelar''s head. The moment the sword came into contact with Raelar''s head, he tumbled forward and immediately lost consciousness with his smirk still on his face.


    Wesley then lazily walked away from the unconscious body on the floor and straight to his seat. However, no one dared to remove their eyes from him, as they followed him with their eyes while their mouths were wide open. This sluggish youth who was ranked last in their class suddenly defeated a person ranked in the top hundred so thoroughly.


    The entire hall was deathly silent as if the people couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing. But the moment Wesley sat down, the entire column of students behind erupted into loud cheers. Why wouldn¡¯t they cheer, they all just witnessed a swordsman like them so perfectly beat a mage.


    "Wesley how did you do it?"


    Kellan who was sitting next to Wesley spoke up and asked what everyone was wondering.


    "Huh. Do what?"


    "How did you get behind him without his notice?"


    "Oh, that. It is one of my Silent Techniques, Silent Flicker."


    "Is that so."


    While Kellan and Wesley were talking, an elder was on stage examining the unconscious Raelar, after probing him a few times, he nodded towards the elder who at the bottom of the stage who then spoke loudly:


    "Next match. Number 2 and number 7."


    "Next match. Number 1 and number 9."


    "Next match. Number 3 and number 11."


    This time it was Kellan''s turn. He faced off against a earth mage, but Kellan didn''t wait for his opponent to finish his preparation and attacked as soon as the elder spoke and although Kellan was not fast, he was still fast enough to cover twenty feet before his opponent can finish. This gave Kellan a quick bu bland win.


    Wesley was now ranked ninety seventh while Kellan was ranked twenty third. The two of them combined gave their classmates an average increase of ten ranks which was tremendous.


    The announcing elder once again stepped onto the stage and spoke again:


    "We will now begin the second round. There will be three matches for this round. First match, number 5 and number 11."


    This was Kellan against a wind mage. Kellan tried to rush his opponent before he finished preparing his spell, unfortunately for him, Wind mages are naturally very agile and their spells reflect this, so before Kellan was able to reach him, the wind mage finished his incantation and continued evading Kellan for the rest of the match. Kellan was a strength based swordsman, so stamina was not his strong suit causing him to become exhausted after a few minutes of chasing the mage around. Eventually Kellan gave up and submitted causing his ranking to fall from twenty third to thirty fifth.


    "Next match. Number 1 and number 12."


    It was once again Wesley''s turn. But this time Wesley was not dozing off, rather he had his hand up and looking straight at the elder who was doing the announcements. The elder looked back at Wesley puzzled and spoke questioningly:


    "What is it?"


    Wesley turned his head to look at the second elder who standing at the far end of the column with a smile on his face. Seeing that Wesley was looking at him, the elder slightly nodded at which point Wesley turned his head to the front and spoke:


    "I submit."


    Saying those, Wesley immediately caught up with Kellan who was heading towards the exit and left the hall.

 Chapter 22 - His Discovery

    Hello, it is me again.


    I know the speed of release is really slow, sorry bout that, you see i have procrastination syndrome, it is no joke.


    any ay enjoy the chapter.


    .............................................................................................................................................................................


    As Wesley was walking towards the exit, the entire hall was quiet. Everyone present understood how powerful Wesley''s swordsmanship is to be able to beat a mage after he cast his spell, this made him one of the candidate for champion, because not only does he have the advantage of being a swordsman, but he also lacks the disadvantages.


    However, Wesley''s sudden surrender caused everyone present, excluding the swordsmanship students, to be stupefied. The swordsmanship students knew how lazy and uninterested Wesley truly is, but the other students were still pondering as to his reasons.


    "Halt."


    Before Wesley could even walk half the distance to the exit, a deafening shout came from the stage causing Wesley to stop in his tracks and turning to see why someone is shouting at him. As soon as Wesley turned around, he saw that the student on top of the stage was currently staring daggers at him. Wesley only looked at him blankly and spoke in a sleepy, confused voice:


    "Yes?"


    "You can''t concede."


    Wesley instinctively rolled his eyes; this was the second time he was told that he can''t do something when he clearly could do it. Wesley was forced to participate by the old monster, but why would he care about what some random person demands. Wesley immediately turned around and continued his walking without even replying.


    Seeing Wesley ignore him and continue walking, the student on top of the stage was angered beyond his wits. He immediately muttered something without puasing to think and shouted:


    "Light Sword."


    Almost a second later, a bright, three feet long sword without a hilt materialized in front of the student. He immediately pointed towards Wesley whose back was turned to him willed the sword to stab him. The bright sword immediately rushed towards Wesley. A whistling sound reverberated across the hall as the sword flew through the air.


    This was a famous spell of light mages that is derived from the equally famous spell Wind Sever. Although it has a relatively fast invoking speed, it is not nearly as destructive as its wind counterpart.


    The student wanted to face Wesley because of this spell. The speed at which this spell was invoked took away the advantage that swordsmen have over mages, but seeing Wesley win even after a spell was cast made his desire to test this spell increase. Unfortunately, Wesley''s submission caused him to become infuriated and unable to think clearly, but it was too late.


    Most of the students stared unbelievingly at the sword that was flying towards Wesley, as for the elders, each of them had a ghastly look on their faces, but there was no way they could move dozens of feet in the few seconds it will take the sword to traverse the distance. As for the student who cast the Light Sword, he only stood there motionlessly as he understood what he did.


    Wesley who was walking suddenly felt danger approach him from behind. He immediately turned around only to see a bright streak of light rush towards his head. The bright sword was within five feet of Wesley meaning that he had less than a second to react.


    As soon as Wesley saw the bright light heading towards him, he understood that death was approaching him. A ruthless light emerged from Wesley eyes as he bent his upper body forward and made relaxed his muscles.


    When the light sword was within two feet of Wesley throat, Wesley immediately unsheathed his sword in an arch, causing the sword to become a dark blur because of its speed. The moment Wesley''s sword was halfway through the swing, the light sword collided against it and the sound of metal being hit rung throughout the hall.


    But Wesley didn¡¯t stop there. He took advantage of the momentary pause caused by his sword swing and its arching movement to change the trajectory of the light sword. Almost a tenth of a second later, the light sword that was heading towards Wesley''s throat followed the arching swing of Wesley''s sword and completely turned a hundred and eighty degrees.


    This was a combination of two of Wesley''s Silent Sword Techniques; Silent Draw and Silent Counter. Silent Draw enabled him to move his sword fast enough to collide with the light sword and Silent Counter enabled him to redirect the strength of the light sword to change its trajectory. Of course Wesley didn¡¯t do this on purpose, rather in the moment before death, his body, In last ditch effort to survive, reacted.


    The light sword was now heading towards its original source, the student who cast it. This was a scenario that could not have been dreamt by any of the students present. The light sword that they feared would take Wesley''s life was not only blocked but used against its master. They all watched as the light sword traveled astonishingly fast towards the student on stage. The student now had a pale, fearful look on his face, he knew perfectly well how powerful this spell of his is, and furthermore, he has no way of stopping it.


    The moment the light sword was within two feet of the student, the area in front of the student brightened and a shrill, cold voice emerged from the bright zone:


    "Disperse."


    The light sword immediately stopped mid air, and then simply crumpled. A moment later, the brightness in front of the student subsided, revealing an azure robed elder with a cold face stood there. It was the third elder who just used his Holy Port to appear in front of his student in the last second.


    The student, seeing that his life was saved, knelt as his legs gave out. He stared at the floor thinking of how his life would have been over by now, then a small smile appeared on his face as he realized that it didn''t. He immediately looked up at the elder who saved him and spoke in a shaky voice:


    "Thank you Elder. I don''t know wh......."


    Before he could even finish his sentence, a powerful slap connected against his face caused him to roll backwards twice. He immediately looked up at the third elder who was glaring at him with a look of disgust clearly visible on him. He then spoke in an equally disgusted voice:


    "You dare speak after what you did. Begone, I''ll deal with you later."


    "Yes elder."


    The third elder then turned around and looked at the Wesley who was standing in his original spot with his sword drawn.


    "I apologize for my student''s actions. Come, I''ll heal your injury"


    Wesley''s currently had blood dripping from his face. A long, straight cut that was caused as the light sword was being redirected went from the left side of his neck to his left jaw. Although the cut was not deep, it was still bleeding profusely, and most of the students who has never seen blood were feeling somewhat queasy.


    Wesley on the other hand only stood there, unmoving, as he stared at the elder. This third elder was capable of using his Holy Port to stop the light sword when it was heading towards Wesley, but he didn¡¯t move until his student was the one in danger, and yet,here he is apologizing and offering to heal Wesley as if this was all a minor misunderstanding.


    Wesley laughed inwardly and spoke as he sheathed his sword:


    "Thank you for the offer, but It is not necessary."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, the third elder narrowed his eyes and spoke again:


    "It is best to heal injuries immediately lest they become permanent."


    "Like i said there is no need."


    Wesley didn¡¯t even wait for a reply and immediately resumed his walking towards the exit. Seeing Wesley walk away from him, the third elder couldn''t help but be infuriated, he now understood why his student did what he did.


    As for all the other elders who were present, they all shook their heads resignigly. They all noticed how the third elder opted not to save Wesley but was quick to save his own student, and yet, here he is offering to heal Wesley. What kind of idiot would ever trust a man that had no qualms about them dying to heal them.


    .........................................................................................................................................


    Wesley immediately walked out of the hall and went to find a washroom so that he can clean the blood off. The washroom was fortunately empty so Wesley immediately took off his shirt and used it to wipe the blood off of his neck. He then started circulating mana around the wound on his neck to stop it from bleeding.


    The so called healing that the third elder was offering was simply using mana to close a wound by stimulating the body''s natural process of clotting. However, light magic is used the most because the wound will not show any oddity after it heals, whereas other affinities cause the wound to become slightly different.For example, if one used a fire affinity mana to close a wound, then in the future when the wound heals, the scar that is left behind will be more red.


    Wesley stopped the bleeding, then he proceeded to clean the blood from the shirt. After ten or so minutes, Wesley left the academy grounds and walked towards the Manor. His walk did not take too long so Wesley reached the Manor after thirty minutes.


    As soon as Wesley walked into the Manor he ran into Lane who was currently instructing some of the guards to do something. Lane caught Wesley''s figure in the corner of his eye, then he turned to greet his master, but as soon as he turned he noticed something.


    "Ma...Master. You are wounded."


    Seeing the clotting wound on Wesley''s neck and jaw, Lane couldn''t find the words to speak. Wesley seeing the astonished and worried look on Lane''s face, couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly happy at his concern for him. But Wesley currently had something else on his mind so he replied in a firm, uninterested voice


    "Lane, this is but a scratch. Come, I have something to talk to you about."


    Lane was surprised at Wesley''s tone. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what it is that Wesley wanted to talk to him about that is much more important than his injury. But Lane simply nodded.


    Wesley immediately started walking towards the entrance to the Manor and Lane followed. While walking, Wesley continued speaking:


    "Lane, I need you to move my bed, training armor and post into the basement."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Lane was puzzled at Wesley''s order. So he hesitantly asked:


    "Are you planning on remaining in the basement for a long time Master."


    "Yes. The academic year is over, since I won''t be going to classes anymore for a month, I''ll spend my time training."


    "Understood Master. I''ll have the things moved immediately. Is there anything else you need me to do master."


    "Remember that I am not to be disturbed for this month."


    "Understood Master."


    Wesley immediately went upstairs to change out of his bloodied uniform and take a bath. He then headed downstairs at which point Lane was already waiting for him.


    "Master, everything has been prepared."


    Wesley nodded and then proceeded to pat Lane on the shoulder:


    "I''ll leave everything up to you Lane. If there is an emergency, be sure to notify me. Also, make certain that little Sala continues with her lessons."


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley immediately headed towards the basement and unhesistantly walked in. The basement was as dark as usual since there were no sources of light anywhere. The only difference was that there was now a bed in the center of the room and a dark post near the bed.


    Wesley proceeded to lock the door to the basement and then walked towards the bed and sat on it cross legged. However, Wesley didn¡¯t invoke his Dark Domain to refine, rather he just sat on the bed staring at the darkness with eyes full of thoughtfulness.


    ............................................................................................................................................


    For the last year, Wesley has spent numerous hours pondering how to derive a spell similar to Holy Port from his Dark Warp. Unfortunately, Wesley has only seen the spell once and has never seen it again. This caused him to have no way of knowing how to go about the deriving of the technique.


    Nevertheless, he continued pondering and experimenting, he tried countless methods and came up with countless application, but all of them ended up failing to bring out the results he desired.


    However, when the third elder used his Holy Port to save his student, Wesley had a moment of epiphany. Everything from the anger he felt from being attacked, to the pain of the wound he received suddenly vanished as he heard something click in his mind.


    How is it that the third elder is able to use his Holy Port to appear in open space. For example, Dark Warp opens a tunnel between two points, however, there needs to be a shadow or darkness in those two spots for the tunnel to be opened forcing Wesley to use the shadows of walls or corners to open the tunnel. It is also safe to assume that the light equivalent of Dark Warp, Holy Jump, works the same way.


    But the third elder appeared in a place that was without a wall, or some other medium. Wesley immediately understood that there was a medium, only not what he expected. The third elder must ve used the light elements in the surroundings as a medium to open a tunnel.


    Of course this was not the biggest shock that Wesley received, since shadows are essentially dark elements, so he already knew that they could be used as mediums, but after thinking the third elder''s Holy Port, Wesley faced another question, where does the tunnel come from?.


    The tunnel that is the centerpiece of all these spells has been taken for granted by Wesley who only thought about opening it but never tried to understand its origins. However, now that Wesley started focusing on the tunnel, he understood something.


    The tunnel is simply put, the connection between elements. And mages simply use their mana to forcibly increase the size of the tunnel and walk through it. This is not too profound of a knowledge, but it led Wesley to another conclusion; the tunnel is always open.


    Since mages only use their mana to expand the tunnel to be able to walk through it, they do not create the tunnel, meaning that the tunnel is always open between elements.


    The moment Wesley came to this conclusion, he suddenly realized that the incantation for invoking Dark Warp is essentially useless. If Wesley wanted to Warp somewhere instantaneously, all he has to do is use tremendous amounts of dark elements to make a large combined tunnel rather enlarging one tunnel forcibly.


    Of course Wesley was not sure if his theory was going to work, but he rushed home and decided to lock himself in the basement to try it. Naturally, the basement was the best place to test his theory since the need for a copious amounts of dark elements disqualified most other places.


    Currently Wesley was sitting cross legged on his bed thinking of a way to collect a a lot of dark elements to converge on his body. He could invoke his Dark Domain and manually move the elements to his body, but that would be similar to killing a chicken with lightning, extremely wasteful.


    So Wesley decided to try another method. He would pour his mana into a single element and cause it to attract the other elements like a magnet. This method was less wasteful than using his Dark Domain, the speed by which the elements converged was too slow to be of any use to Wesley during combat.


    Next, Wesley tried using the elements while they were in their natural positions, but this proved insufficient as well since the tunnel was simply too small to be used by Wesley.


    So now Wesley was faced with another problem. He needed a way to instantaneously attract dark elements to his body, if the speed is too slow then it would be useless during battle, and if the mana needed is too high then it would be simply pointless. However, Wesley wasn¡¯t too disheartened, he already had the end product insight, all he has to do know is connect the dots.


    A week went by in a flash. During this week, Wesley spent everyday in the basement only walking out to go to the bathroom once a day. And aside from sleeping a few hours each night, exercising a few hours each morning and eating twice a day, Wesley spent the remainder of his time trying to think up of a way to solve the problem with converging the dark elements on his body.


    Right now, Wesley was training with his armor on as he continued doing each of the Silent Sword techniques countless times, he that he wondered if there was perhaps a way to use mana in conjunction with swordsmanship. With this thought in his head, Wesley impued some mana into his sword hoping to perhaps make it sharper or move faster or some other reaction.


    The moment Wesley impued mana into his dark sword, he felt that his mana was following some tiny veins in the core of the sword. These veins were microscopic and in the millions. It seemed that the entire sword was made out of these veins, furthermore, they were set in odd patterns that Wesley couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    As soon as Wesley''s mana entered the sword, dark elements all over the room rushed towards it as if they were being pulled by a tremendous magnet. Wesley was startled greatly and immediately retracted his mana from the sword causing The dark elements in the room returned to normal, but Wesley just stood there astonished at what he had discovered.


    Wesley has noticed before that this sword of his has some connection to dark elements since he was able to easily control it in his Dark Domain, however, he never truly gave it another thought and has never tried to impue it with mana. Wesley has simply decided to ask his master the next time he saw him.


    But now that he saw the reaction of the dark elements to his sword Wesley was ecstatic. He has finally found a way to instantaneously converge dark elements around him, furthermore, his sword certainly had a mystery and Wesley enjoyed such things tremendously.


    Wesley immediately took of his training armor and walked to his bed then proceeded to sit cross legged on it. After taking a few deep breaths, Wesley impued his sword with mana again, and just like last time, dark elements rushed towards the sword in droves from all over the room, only Wesley didn¡¯t stop them this time.


    Tenth of a second later, Wesley was surrounded from head to toe with dark elements causing him to become a dark spot in the middle of the basement. Then with a single thought, Wesley''s body disappeared from the bed and reappeared in the furthest corner of the basement while still being covered in darkness.


    This entire process took less than quarter of a second which is many time faster than the third elder''s Holy Port. Wesley was excited beyond words, he simply stared at his sword like it was some sort of treasure. He couldn¡¯t believe how lucky he was to find the solution to his most vexing problem so easily, this must be the equivalent of some people''s luck for a lifetime.


    Wesley immediately warped to his bed and sat down again. Now that he has succeeded in deriving a technique similar, if not better, than Holy Port, Wesley wanted to further probe his mysterious sword. The thing that interested him the most what would happen if the dark elements were allowed to enter the sword unobstructed.


    Wesley immediately impued mana to the sword and watched as the dark elements poured like a torrent into the sword, only they were not being attracted by his mana, rather they were being absorbed by the sword then circulated around the veins of the sword over and over again. While those elements were being circulated in the veins, more and more elements were being absorbed.


    After around two hours of this constant absorption and circulation of the dark elements, the absorption stopped as the sword''s veins were filled with dark elements. The dark elements in the sword simply stayed there unmoving.


    Seeing the elements just sit inside the sword, Wesley couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. His sword was a storage device for dark elements, furthermore, it is capable of storing such a tremendous amount.  Wesley needed only a second''s worth of collected dark elements to be able to perform Dark Port, yet this sword of his collected dark elements for two hours, this was simply unfathomable to Wesley.


    Wesley realized that his new technique that he derived from Holy Port, which he will call Dark Port, needs a lot of dark elements, and while Wesley can easily perform it in dark places or at night, there is no way to perform it during the day, or in well lit places. Yet, now, he can simply carry his dark elements with him at all times.


    This realization made Wesley happy beyond belief. He would need to thank his master for this treasure of a sword, because this sword not only made it possible for him to use a great technique, but also eliminated that technique''s one weakness.

 Chapter 23 - His Second Year

    Wesley continued probing and experimenting with the capabilities of his sword for two more weeks. In these two weeks, although Wesley did spend time refining and practicing his sword techniques, most of his time was spent with his sword.


    During his countless experimentation, Wesley discovered a few more things about the sword. First, the amount of dark elements stored in the sword cannot exceed a certain limit, meaning that Wesley needed to know exactly how many times he can use Dark Port with his sword so that he won''t be forced to find out during a fight.


    Second, the amount of dark elements Wesley can withdraw from the sword is dependent on the amount of mana Wesley is willing to expand. this meant that, even though Wesley can use Dark Port without any incantations making it instantaneous, he still needs to use mana, hence he would need to watch for that.


    But regardless of how often Wesley thought about this sword origins, he simply couldn¡¯t fathom it. After spending these two weeks probing and prodding the sword in every possible way, Wesley gave up on trying to decipher its origins or how it was created and made a mental note to ask his master about it when he sees him again.


    Wesley simply put the matter in the back of his mind and continued his training in the basement. However, since this sword of his was extremely valuable, Wesley wasn''t willing to use it to practice his swordsmanship wantonly, so instructed Lane to have a similar sword forged.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    Currently two white people, a man and a women, were walking shoulder to shoulder on the streets of the Seventh District looking around in a confused manner as if the they have never seen such a dirty and poor place before.


    The woman whose nose was scrounged a the smells that were around her looked at the man next to her and spoke in a hushed voice:


    "Cal, are you sure this is the correct place. I don''t think a student from our academy could be living in such a place."


    The man''s expression also showed his disgust, but it didn¡¯t show as much as it did on the women. He looked at the women as she spoke and replied in an equally hushed voice:


    "I also think it might be a mistake. But we can''t return without verifying."


    They continued walking deeper and deeper into the seventh district, and the deeper they went the more their surroundings decreased in quality and the more they stood out with their spotless white ropes and pretty faces.


    After almost ten minutes of walking, they arrived in front of a gray walled Manor that seemed to not belong in this god forsaken place. In front of the Manor''s entrance stood two green clothed guards with swords on their hips and shields on their backs.


    Seeing the majestic Manor and the guards who stood at its gates, the two people rejoiced as knew they have reached their destination. They immediately walked towards the entrance of the Manor and stopped five feet away from the entrance. The women was the one to speak first with a lofty and proud voice:


    "We are here to see someone named Wesley. Tell him we are from the Four Moons Royal Academy."


    The two guards looked at each other, and then one of them walked into the Manor while the other turned to the two white robed people and spoke in a professional voice that was neither condescending nor subservient:


    "The young Master will come and receive you shortly. Please wait a moment."


    The man and women looked at each other surprised at the guards words. Could this Wesley be some sort of high noble, but why would a high noble live in the middle of this cesspool. Their faces showed their surprise but neither of them said anything and just stood there.


    A few minutes later, the green clothed guard returned and the spoke in a similarly monotone voice as the other guard.


    "Please follow me in."


    The guard immediately turned around and walked in. The man and women looked at each other once more, then immediately proceeded to follow the guard in.


    As soon as they walked in, they couldn¡¯t help but be astonished at how beautiful the Manor front yard was. The pathway to the main Manor was made of stone that was wide enough for two people to walk side by side, as for the surrounds, they were filled with all kinds of followers and plants. Looking at the breathtaking scenery around them, the man and woman couldn¡¯t help but be astonished at what kind of person this Wesley was.


    Before they even knew it, the two of them reached the entrance to the main Manor. At the entrance stood a young dark robed youth with shoulder long dark hair. His facial features were well defined, but considering his age, he was most certainly going to be a handsome man when he grows.


    The guard immediately bowed respectfully to the youth and left, leaving the two, man and woman, standing there without a thing to say. The youth looked at the two with a faint smile and spoke in a small, yet mature voice:


    "You must be from the Academy. Please come in, we''ll prepare some refreshments and the Master will be with you shortly."


    The two couldn''t believe their ears, they had expected this youth to be Wesley, but he turned out to be some other servant. How many servants would they need to meet before they can be received by this Wesley. The white robed man, Cal, couldn¡¯t help but speak in an annoyed manner:


    "How long do we have to wait for this master of yours. Tell him to come meet with us immediately."


    The dark robed youth only continued smiling as if he didn¡¯t even care about the man''s annoyance and spoke again:


    "I was told that you arrived only minutes ago, my apologies if you have waited for long. Please come in, I will immediately inform master of your arrival."


    The youth''s words caused Cal to become exceedingly embarrassed. They have indeed arrived only a few minutes ago, however, the frustration from their walk through the seventh district and the shock of this Manor made it seem like they have waited for a long time.


    While Cal was wallowing in his embarrassment, the white robed women was the one to reply and they immediately followed the dark robed youth to a study. The study was filled to the brim with thousands of books and there were books laying in various places giving it a feeling of being used often.


    After they were seated the dark robed youth order some maids to bring refreshments to the two guest and proceeded to leave the study.


    .........................................................................................................................................


    Wesley was currently sitting crossed-legged on his bed surrounded by darkness as he refined mana while expanding it through his Dark Domain. His sword was also fly all around the basement.


    Wesley''s control of his sword using Dark Domain has reached a high level, and although his sword cannot leave the range of his Domain, it could move extremely fast while within it. This gave Wesley''s Dark Domain tremendous application during battles.


    Suddenly a knock came from the entrance to the basement. Wesley was somewhat surprised since he has instructed Lane to not disturb him unless there was an emergency. Lane has heeded his order well and has never disturbed Wesley during those weeks, meaning that there was something important that required his attention.


    Wesley immediately canceled his Dark Domain, sheathed his sword and walked towards the door. After opening the door, Wesley Found Lane standing there.


    "Lane, what is the matter."


    "Master. There are people from the Academy here to see you."


    Wesley was surprised that there are people from the academy in his residence. He felt that something was not right, but he simply could put his finger around it. He looked at Lane and said:


    "I see. Let''s find out what they want."


    "Yes master."


    Wesley immediately walked towards the study and Lane followed quietly. After getting to the study Wesley immediately walked in and saw a white robed man and women sitting to the side while sipping some drinks.


    As soon as Wesley walked in, the man and women immediately looked up from their drinks. They were startled to find a gray clothed youth with blue hair and green eyes walking towards the Master''s seat. What surprised them even more was that this youth''s complexion was deathly pale as if he had no blood flowing through his veins, as well as a dark scar that ran from his left next to the lower part of his left jaw.


    If the first youth gave them a refreshing feeling with his sharp features and calm face, the this other youth gave them a subconscious feeling of dread that caused them to feel stifled without knowing why.


    Wesley simply ignored their looks and took his seat with Lane standing behind him. He then looked at the white robed duo and spoke in a firm, business like voice:


    "My name is Wesley. How may I help you."


    The man and woman were both quiet for a while. They simply had too many things running through their minds to reply, but after a short while, the woman was able to shake off her distracting thoughts and spoke:


    "We...We are from the Academy. We are here to verify your return for a second school year as well as remind you that you are to report to the academy at the beginning of next week for the start of the term."


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    "Is that so. Is every student informed in person."


    Wesley had some doubts that the academy would send two people to inform every student when they can do the same thing by sending a letter through a courier. Yet they not only sent someone to inform him, but they actually sent two, something was amiss.


    The two people were confused by Wesley''s question, but they woman replied nonetheless:


    "No, every student is not informed in person."


    Wesley''s eyes narrowed slightly as he was not convinced by the none answer that he received.


    "Then why am I being informed in person."


    "We are not aware with the reason. We are simply messengers. Now, are you going to return to the academy for a second year?"


    Wesley''s mind was filled by questions, but he knew he wasn¡¯t going to find the answers from these two so he simply let it go and spoke:


    "Yes, I will."


    "Good. Here''s your new identification tablet as well as your second year uniform. Please remember that you must report to the academy next week, absence will not be tolerated."


    The women produced a folded red shirt and pants with a small rectangular tablet on top. Lane immediately walked forward to accept the things, then placed it in front of Wesley. Wesley spoke again:


    "Is that all?"


    "Yes, that is all"


    "Then excuse me. Lane, see our guests out"


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley immediately got up and left the room. This was against everything Wesley was taught of etiquette as a prince, but he cared very little for the Academy and those who represent it, so he wasted no effort in being cordial or welcoming. He immediately headed to the kitchen to get something to eat.


    Lane came to the kitchen after a few minutes and told him that the two have left. Wesley only nodded as he continued eating while Lane waited near him. After he was done with his eating, he turned to Lane and spoke:


    "Did I miss anything this last month."


    "Aside from us finally gaining  control of the last two small businesses we loaned gold to, nothing of worth happened."


    "Oh. How are those businesses, are they profitable?"


    "Currently Master, they are in dire straits, but if we provide them with more funds and have them work in conjunction with those five big businesses, then they should prove to be rather profitable."


    "I see. I''ll let you arrange it. How are the owners of the businesses dealing with us gaining control?"


    "They were all reluctant, However, since we are not interfering with their management and even helping them make more profits, they are starting to became more used to the idea."


    "That''s good. Did you find a school you want to attend yet."


    Lane''s was immediately flushed with excitement as soon as Wesley asked the question, he has been looking forward to going to school, but didn¡¯t know how to approach the topic.


    "Yes Master. The treasury department has an affiliated school that I am interested in."


    "Oh, the treasury department?"


    Wesley was somewhat worried about letting Lane be two close to the central government that is controlled by the four families, but he was not going to hinder Lane''s growth because of fear. He would almost make some preparation so that Lane is safe and take care of the four families before anything happens.


    "Good, You should apply. It will benefit you greatly."


    "Yes Master."


    "I''ll go sleep for a while. I am somewhat tired."


    ..................................................................................................................................................


    Four days later.


    A red clothed Wesley with two dark swords hanging neatly from his left hip was currently walking to the entrance of the Four Moons Royal Academy. Wesley face was emotionless since he held no feelings of sentiment or longing to this place. Aside from his desire to learn things and his master''s words, there is no other reason for why Wesley brothers to even show up.


    There were hundreds of blue robed students walking in with lost expressions of their faces. The admission examination was a few days ago and today was the entrance ceremony for the first years, hence all the blue robed students pouring in through the academy''s entrance.


    There were also dozens of red robed students mixed in with the blue robed ones. These second year students just like Wesley were reporting in for the first day to receive their class schedules and meet their instructors. The blue robed first year students upon seeing these red robed students were filled with veneration and respect and made way for them.


    As for those who saw Wesley, with his deathly pale face, his dark scar and his cold aloof demeanor, they subconsciously moved away from him, no one was willing to be within three feet of him, but Wesley seemed to not have noticed this and continued walking forward.


    Naturally, Wesley was not being intimidating on purpose, rather his pale appearance caused by his spending a month in the basement, his dark, ominous scar, and his lazy and uninterested look, made those around him feel as if they were seeing a walking corpse.


    When Wesley reached the entrance a white robes man was standing in the center of the entrance guiding the new students towards the hall where the welcome ceremony was being held. As soon as the man saw Wesley approaching him, he straightened himself and spoke in a respectful manner:


    ¡°Second year students are to report to the second floor of the arcade if building to receive their schedules.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡±


    Wesley said those simple word and continued walking forward while the white robed man stared dumbly at his back for a few. Moments passed before the man awakened from his stupor, he seemed to have been intimidated by Wesley''s demeanor.


    After reaching the main Academic Hall, Wesley lined up behind a dozen or so students who were standing in an orderly line in front of a desk that was occupied by a white robed women, A few minutes later, it was Wesley''s turn.


    "Identification Tab..let"


    The white robed women was the same one that was sent to inform Wesley a few days ago, so when she saw him standing in front of her, she couldn¡¯t help but be slightly startled. Wesley simply took out the small rectangular tablet from his pocket and handed it to her without even acknowledging her.


    The women took the tablet from him with slightly trembling hands and then pulled a piece of paper from the folder in her arms a few seconds later. She immediately handed the pice of paper and the tablet to Wesley and spoke:


    "Please head straight to your classes."


    "Thank you."


    Wesley was about to walk away from the table when something on the piece of paper caught his attention. There were five classes listed, History, Geography, Strategy and tactics, Light Magic and Swordsmanship, However, Light magic and Swordsmanship were written in blue ink while the rest was written in red. This meant that Wesley was going to retake these two classes.


    What startled Wesley was that he only failed Light Magic, yet Swordsmanship was also written in blue. Wesley couldn¡¯t help his complexion turning even paler as a thought emerged in his mind. That monstrous second elder has failed him.


    Wesley turned to the white robed women who was staring at him with a confused look and spoke in  a similarly confused voice:


    "This schedule is wrong."


    "Oh...Is it someone else''s?"


    "No."


    "Then why is it wrong?"


    "It say''s am taking first year swordsmanship when I should be taking second year swordsmanship. This clearly a mistake."


    "Oh..Let me check."


    The white robed women turned to the folder in front of her and started flipping through it, as for Wesley, he was simply hoping and praying that this was a mistake. Another year with that monster could lead to his early death.


    "It seems there is no mistake."


    Wesley felt his head get dizzy as he heard the women''s words.


    "There must be something you can do."


    At this point Wesley was simply grasping at straws, of course there is nothing she can do, and he knew that, but he simply couldn¡¯t resign himself to his fate. The women looked at Wesley with a hint of annoyance emerging on her face and spoke:


    "There is nothing I can do. You can talk to the teacher about any grievance you have. Next"


    Wesley couldn¡¯t believe what was happening, his heart was filled with unwillingness, why must he spend another year being around that old monster. He has somehow made through an entire year of being around the monster, and now he must spend yet another year, whose luck can be so terrible.


    "Please keep moving. I must get to the other students."


    Wesley slowly walked away from the desk. He couldn¡¯t understand why his luck was so wretched.


    ...................................................................................................................................................


    Oh, you say my Wesley is not as OP as he could be..... Well....He does certainly look OP and that is what truly matter.


    Amma Rightt.


    See you soon.

 Chapter 24 - His Weakness

    Wesley continued walking towards the academic building with his shoulders stooped and his head down. He really was unwilling to spend anymore time than absolutely necessary with that old monster. Very few people made Wesley deep dread and fear, and aside from his master, this old monster ranks up there.


    Unfortunately for Wesley, He couldn¡¯t drag his feet forever as he eventually reached the Academic Hall. Wesley immediately went to the second floor and headed to his first class of the day; History.  Wesley was already used to how classes were located in the academy after spending a year here, so he easily found the History classroom.


    Wesley immediately saw a red clothed youth sitting in the very front of the class. This youth was burly with bulging muscles showing through his shirt and a giant broadsword leaned on his table. Seeing that Kellan was already here, Wesley was somewhat delighted, he immediately headed towards the desk next to him.


    "Good Morning Kellan."


    Kellan immediately turned his head with his eyes half clothed and his face showing a lazy expression.


    "Oh, Wesley. Good Morning."


    Suddenly Wesley had a thought and spoke up with slight hesitation:


    "Hey Kellan."


    "Yeah?"


    "What swordsmanship class are you taking?"


    Kellan''s face suddenly flashed with a tint of red because of embarrassment, and he started scratching his head as he replied:


    "It seems I have failed last year''s swordsmanship class, so I am retaking it this year."


    Wesley suddenly understood that his being flunked by the second elder was not him being singled out. However, that did not make him too much at ease, he still had to spend another year with that old monster.


    "Haha, it seems we''ll be taking the same class together again."


    "Did you fail too."


    "Am afraid so, I don''t know how though, we did pass the final examination after all."


    "Am really not too worried about it. I always liked the second elder."


    Hearing Kellan''s words, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly at how nice it must be to be ignorant of someone''s true nature. He wondered if Kellan would feel so comfortable with the second elder if he felt his bloodthirst like Wesley did on the first day he met him. Wesley also felt that the second elder was not evil perse, but he still he didn¡¯t want to be too close to him after the incident on that day.


    Wesley and Kellan continued talking for a while before the class started, at which point they did the customary self introduction then the teacher proceeded to speak about the importance of this class, what the students will learn, and what to expect throughout the following year.


    After the allocated hour, the class ended and Wesley proceeded to his Geography class, then his Strategy and Tactics class. The periods in both of these classes were also spent student introductions and monologues from each of the teachers either praising or introducing their subjects while outlining what the students need to know.


    Now Wesley had to go to his Light Magic class since Wesley has failed this class last year, however, Wesley was not looking forward to attending that class. During the ranking competition, Wesley was almost killed by the light sword of that student, at that time Wesley Found out that this third elder did not care if Wesley died or not, In fact, Wesley felt that he very much wanted it to happen, but that is simply speculation.


    Even though Wesley does have some reservation regarding the third elder, he was still not going to stop attending his class because he has gained tremendous benefits from simply being there, namely his Dark Port. And as far as the third elder goes, Wesley will simply minimize interactions with him.


    Wesley headed downstairs since this was a first year class. The hallways downstairs were filled with blue robed students, causing Wesley with his red cloth to stand out like a sore thumb. Wesley simply ignored the confused and sometimes condescending looks around him and headed straight to the light magic class.


    What did it mean to be a second year student walking around the first floor, it meant that you have failed a class, earning you plenty of mockery a disdainful looks from the first years. Fortunetly, Wesley was always seen as a talentless faliyre, a few looks of disdain were simply not enough to get his attention.


    Walking into the class, Wesley noticed that the third elder was already sitting in front of the class lecturing while all the seats were filled with blue robed students. The class had about twenty students and the seating was arranged in the usual semi-circle facing the one seat which the third elder sat on. As soon as Wesley walked in, the third elder stopped his lecturing and looked at him with a surprised look on his face for a short amount of time and then spoke in his usual monotone voice:


    "Oh Wesley. I wasn¡¯t expecting that you''ll come. Usually when people fail a class, they don¡¯t attend class."


    Wesley noticed the meaning behind the elder''s mocking words. He simply stood there motionless while the blue robed students started giggling and murmuring amongst themselves. Wesley didn¡¯t pay them any mind and spoke:


    "It seems I misunderstood something elder. Am I not supposed to attend?"


    "Of course you can attend. But, unfortunately I wasn''t counting on you attending so there are no seats available. Do you mind standing for the remainder of the period."


    Wesley simply smiled as the elder spoke his words. This elder clearly disliked Wesley but Wesley always felt that denying the satisfaction of your anger to those who provoke you causes them more pain than if he responded the way they expect, he answered:


    "Of course not elder."


    The elder couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed at how composed and calm Wesley was in front of his clear provocation, but he simply spoke in a monotone voice:


    "Good. Now where were we. Ah yes; the fact that there are only three basic light magic spells makes holy mages inferior to other mages. In fact that is precisely what makes light magic the strongest. It has unlimited potential....."


    Wesley cared very little what others thought of him, even more of what those he disliked thought of him, so he didn¡¯t mind standing there. But more than the elder''s insult, something else caused Wesley to frown.


    The third elder''s lecture was the exact same one he gave on Wesley''s first day of taking this class. This meant that he was planning on reteaching everything like he did last year, meaning that Wesley won''t be learning anything new.


    Wesley deeply cared about his time so he was not too keen at the prospect of listening to the exact same things he heard last year, but he decided to listen for a short while to ascertain whether this elder would truly teach the exact same things as last year. After more than half hour of listening to the third elder''s lecture, Wesley was convinced that it was the exact same thing he heard on his first day, hence verifying his suspicion.


    Now that Wesley was sure that this third elder was going to teach the same things as last year, Wesley had no more reason to remain in this class so he immediately walked out. Wesley was not one to disrespect others, but Wesley''s attitude towards someone was reflective of the person''s attitude towards Wesley.


    Seeing Wesley walk out of the class without taking his leave from him like a student must from his teacher, the third elder couldn¡¯t help but frown. This was the second time Wesley has turned his back to him, and just like last time, the third elder felt his annoyance increase. Wesley, on the other hand, didn¡¯t care what this elder thought anymore.


    ...........................................................................................................................................


    Wesley immediately walked towards the swordsmanship class to inquire about the reason behind his failing. In any other occasion, Wesley would just ignore the entire issue and go on with his life, but everytime Wesley thought back to the pressure he felt from the second elder on his examination day, Wesley couldn¡¯t imagine spending another year being near him.


    Walking in to the swordsmanship classroom, Wesley noticed that there were no students present since the earlier class has not ended yet. Only an azure robed old man with a sincere smile and half closed eyes sat in a chair that was at the front of the class.


    Seeing this old man sit there, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart clench. Wesley stood at the entrance considering if he should leave and come back when there are more people present, but before he could even make up his mind, an amused elderly voice rung out throughout the hall.


    "Oh Wesley, come come."


    Hearing this voice, Wesley knew that turning back was no longer an option so he bit his lip and walked forward. While walking forward, Wesley sunconciously placed his hand on his dark sword. After getting within five feet of where the elder was sitting, Wesley bowed respectfully and spoke:


    "Elder."


    "Wesley, why have you come to class so early. I wasn¡¯t expecting you for another half hour."


    Wesley was thinking of a way to bring up his failing the class while not angering the old monster. After a short moment of silence, Wesley immediately spoke while still being respectful:


    "Elder, I came early so that I can ask why you failed me and Kellan."


    Wesley used Kellan''s name so that it didn¡¯t sound like he was the only one wondering why they failed. The elder simply continued looking at Wesley with his ever present smile and spoke:


    "After seeing your performances at the ranking competition, I felt that you two were lacking and needed some more tutoring. That¡¯s all."


    Hearing the elder''s words, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly. If he and Kellan were lacking then their entire class should''ve failed as well.


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    "Elder, is there anyway you can let me proceed to the next level."


    "Out of the question. If I sent you to the next level with your pitiful skills, I would be embarrassing myself."


    "Elder. You call us lacking and yet pass the other students? This is simply...."


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice as he felt his anger swell, but realizing that he was talking to the one person he feared most in this school, Wesley immediately stopped talking and looked at the elder to see if he was angered.


    "Haha Wesley. You actually raised your voice at me, you always avoid me so I was under the impression that you were afraid, but it seems you can actually get angry. Good, good."


    The second elder started laughing loudly while Wesley simply stared at him dumbfounded. Only one thought was floating around Wesley''s mind; this elder might actually be crazy.


    "Let me ask you Wesley, why do you really want to leave this class."


    Wesley was surprised at the elder''s question. Is ''I am terrified to death by you'' a proper answer. Wesley thought for a moment and spoke:


    "Elder, I need to improve my swordsmanship, and I can''t do that if I am stuck in this first year class."


    "Oh, so you feel you¡¯ve learned everything you can from me and this class?"


    Wesley knew that this was not a simple question. If he said no then he would stay here, but if he said yes then he risked offending the elder. After weighing his two options, he spoke:


    "Yes Elder."


    The second elder''s eyes narrowed as Wesley spoke and his smile disappeared.


    "Let me tell you why you really want to leave this class. On the day of you admittance examination, I pressured you alitle causing you to feel that I was dangerous to be around."


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but curse this elder inwardly, this so called little pressure caused Wesley to feel like he could die at any moment. He even considered warping out because he was so terrified.


    "Wesley, that was nothing but a probe. If I wanted to kill you, then you wouldn¡¯t even have time to think...."


    As the second-elder said those words, a tremendous, invisible pressure descended on Wesley. This pressure was so intense that Wesley immediately felt that he has finally met his end. Wesley''s heart started beating exceedingly fast and his blood boiled, but Wesley couldn¡¯t even move an inch.


    Wesley''s entire body locked up, he knew that staying there meant death, but he also believed that moving would also lead to his death. Wesley immediately decided to use his Dark Port, but to his surprise, even though he had his hand on his sword, he simply couldn¡¯t circulate any mana.


    Wesley simply stood there with a fearful look on his face as his face was drained of any semblance of blood and his forehead was filled with sweat. He simply stared at the second elder who was casually sitting in his chair as if he was the king of death staring at an ant.


    "As for learning everything I have to offer, you simply have no idea. I could kill you two dozen times before you even realize you''re dead."


    Hearing this, Wesley felt something cold press against his neck. Wesley fearfully and hesitantly turned his eyes from the second elder and looked downwards only to see a five feet long, green bladed, longsword floating magically midair, with its tip already on his neck.


    Wesley was startled beyond compare. He was so fearful of the tremendous pressure he felt, that he couldn¡¯t even notice that he was already standing with one foot in the grave. The second elder only looked at Wesley with an unamused look on his face.


    "Let me tell you a little secret."


    The second elder waved his hand and the sword that was at Wesley''s throat returned to his side and floated behind him while pointing menacingly at Wesley. The elder simply continued his speaking while lessening the pressure on Wesley until it completely disappeared:


    "Even though killing you is truly effortless. No one in this academy would dare to, least of all I, who is such good friends with your master."


    After hearing the elder''s words and felt the huge  pressure was lifted, he breathed a sigh of relief. Wesley felt that he has somehow evaded death after hearing the elder''s words about being friends with his master. He still wanted to ran away as far as possible, but he realized that he was simply too weak, and that id the elder wanted to kill him then he would have already died. The second elder continued talking


    "Your master Rale and I were classmates in this Academy some sixty years ago, we are practically brothers. I would never harm my brother''s protegee, so stop being so afraid. Also, your master''s power is simply tyrannical, no one in their right mind would harm you lest they incur his wrath, although am not too afraid of him, hahaha."


    Wesley was relieved at the elder''s words. But he felt that something was not right, he has never performed any magic, and he always kept a low profile, so how did this elder figure out who his master was. Wesley looked at the elder suspiciously and then spoke hesitantly:


    "How do you know who my master is."


    Seeing Wesley''s hesitant expression, the second elder couldn''t help but smile and spoke with his usual amused tone:


    "Haha, Rale sent a letter to the academy regarding you. But even if he didn¡¯t do so, I would have just as easily recognized you."


    "How."


    Wesley started feeling uneasy, he didn¡¯t dare believe that people could easily figure out that he was a dark mage or else his master wouldn¡¯t have sent him here.


    "Simple. Rale and I were friends yes, but we were also rivals. I have faced his magic and sword countless times. If I couldn¡¯t recognize that that sword you carry and those techniques are his,  then wouldn¡¯t I be counted as a senile old man. Haha..."


    Wesley was now somewhat at ease, but recalling the tremendous power the elder showed, he couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how week he is. Seeing the look on Wesley''s face, the elder spoke as if he could read his mind:


    "You are young little Wesley. Your talent for swordsmanship is above average, and I assume your talent for magic is extremely high for you to be Rale''s student. There is no need to doubt your own abilities and you absolutely must not compare yourself to old snakes, haha. But, you will still must attend my class. Right?"


    Wesley immediately nodded his head. Seeing this the second elder burst out in a loud laugh and spoke:


    "Good. Your talent for the sword is not bad, I will make a great swordsman out of you."


    While speaking the elder suddenly raised his head and looked at the entrance to the classroom and spoke again:


    "Speaking of talent for the sword, here comes someone who exceeds even you."


    "Kellan, come over quickly."


    Kellan who just walked in was surprised to find Wesley already there, but after hearing the elder''s words, he immediately ran over. Reaching the place where the elder was, Kellan shot Wesley a smile and spoke:


    "Elder."


    "Kellan, Wesley. Now that you''re both here, let me tell you the plan for this year."


    "Yes Elder." They both responded.


    The elder looked at both Wesley and Kellan with the praising eye of a senior. In Wesley''s eyes, this elder has instantly transformed from a monstrous old man who he feared would one day end his life to a revered senior whose power was enough to plant the seed of admiration in his heart. Wesley was still but a youth in his early years, and all children shared the love and admiration of powerful figures.


    "Now the two of you are already second year students so you wont have to participate in the regular class. However, everyday, after the regular class is over and the first years leave, the two of you will remain behind for special lessons."


    The second elder emphasized on the ''special lessons'' bit with an eerie smile on his face. this caused both Wesley and Kellan to feel ominous thoughts surface in their minds. Wesley truly trusted this elder since he was his master''s friend, he also respected him for his strength, but his heart still trembled at the thought of this elder''s special lessons.


    The second elder continued speaking while Wesley and Kellan simply stood there and listened. The elder talked about how their performance at the ranking competition was simply unsattidafactory and how they would help him teach the first years.


    After almost ten minutes, the bell signifying the end of the period rung. This meant that the first years would be heading towards class about now.


    "Wesley Kellan, the two of you stand behind me, those little first years are coming soon."


    "Yes elder."


    Both Wesley and Kellan immediately stood behind the elder''s seat with Wesley on his right and Kellan on the left.


    ....................................................................................................................................................................


    Hola guys.  I have some things i want to ask you all.


    First, This school arc is getting so long, i feel like am reliving my school days all over again, tell me if you would rather have me go on like this for a while or if you would prefer some coiling dragon quality time-skips.


    Second, Do you guys feel like Wesley''s age is somewhat uncharacteristic of his actions.I made him young because i have so much planned, and i don''t want to waste too many years with hm just doing childish things. so tell me what you feel. Should i slow down Wesley''s development, or are you guys willing to pretend that the development of children in this world is simply different than ours. Screw you Piaget and your stages of cognitive development.


    Just leave a quick comment, i don''t know how to do polls, so we''ll just do it like our forefathers did it.


    Anyway, enjoy and hasta tarde.

 Chapter 25 - His Swordsmanship

    The swordsmanship class started being filled with blue robed students. Today was the first day of school for these blue robed students, so their eyes continued bouncing everywhere as if everything they saw was an interesting find.


    As soon as those walked through the entrance to the swordsmanship classroom, they immediately noticed the azure robed elder who sat at the front of the class who was flanked on both sides by two red robed youths. The two red robed youths seemed to not be too much older than the students, but there was an air of strength and majesty around them, especially the burly, muscular youth who carried a large broadsword, as for the other red robed youth, aside from his pale complexion and dark scar on his neck, he was simply unimpressive.


    As for the elder, he sat casually on his chair and had an amiable and sincere smile on his face that caused those who saw to want to great him.However, none of the students approached him, in fact most of the students had a fearful look on their faces, as if they couldn¡¯t trust anyone who wore the elder''s uniform regardless of how welcoming or amiable they appear.


    Seeing this sight, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh. It seems that letting all the students taste the pressure of the elders is a common practice in this academy, he only experienced it a little earlier. In a school filled by snot nosed nobles such this academy, it was imperative tat all the students learn early on to fear these elder.


    After almost five minutes, the bell that signified that start of the period rung throughout the academy. As soon as the bell rung, the second elder immediately got up from his seat and walked a little bit forward. Then he immediately clapped his hands together once to get the attention of the students.


    "Hello students. I am the second elder, you might remember me from the reception after you finished your admission examination. I will be your swordsmanship instructor. Swordsmanship is not like other classes, there is no one thing you''ll all learn since each of you has their own style, so this class will focus on building and improving your physical foundations."


    The elder paused for a short while to let the students soak up his words a little, then he immediately continued:


    "Now, your methods of training will differ based on what type of swordsmanship you practice. Please divide yourselves into two group. To my left will be those who practice strength based techniques, and to the right will be those who practice agility based techniques."


    The students started scrambling into their respective groups. As expected, the strength based students were almost double those agility based ones. This is only normal since strength is the prototype for swordsmen, if you ask someone to describe a swordsman, they will describe a strongly, built muscular man rushing headfirst into battle.


    After the students were formed into their two groups, the elder continued his speaking:


    "Good. The way you practice and train depends on what you want to achieve. If you want speed then you''ll train accordingly and if you want strength you''ll do the same. Wesley!, Kellan!"


    "Yes Elder." Wesley and Kellan said together.


    "Introduce them to the training armors they be receiving later."


    "Yes Elder."


    Wesley and Kellan immediately walked in front of their respective groups. Wesley''s agility based group had about twelve people while Kellan''s had upward of thirty. As soon as Wesley was within five feet of the group, he stopped and started speaking:


    "Hello, My name is Wesley. Just like you, I practice in an agility based sword style. Agility based swordsmen rely on speed, precision and maneuverability, so we have no need for bulging muscles. These vests you''ll receive will enable you to improve your respective styles while adhering to this principle. Each of you will take a vest with you, wear it whenever you train or practice. Any questions."


    Wesley''s words were spoken all in one breath, while his face didn¡¯t change a single time throughout his speaking. The blue-robed students simply stood there listening, and as soon as Wesley asked for questions, a hand shot up. Wesley immediately spoke as he saw the hand:


    "Yes?"


    "Do we have to use these things."


    Wesley looked at the youth who spoke. The youth had  neatly cut golden hair and his face was pale, however, unlike Wesley''s sickly paleness, his was that of a healthy jade, hinting at his status. As he spoke, the student showed clear disgust and disdain, only one couldn¡¯t tell if he dislike the armor or Wesley.


    "No you don''t have to use them, but it is strongly recommended. The armor not only helps you improve your body, it also enables you to improve your overall techniques."


    "I still think that those things are as useless as they are inelegant."


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh at this students words. He immediately recognized that this youth is some sort of noble, and Wesley simply could not abide by nobles and their air of superiority that caused to disdain many things including people. Wesley spoke again, his voice showing hints of irritation:


    "Like I said, you are not required to use them. Since there are no more questions..."


    Wesley was about to walk away when a voice from behind him stopped him in his tracks:


    "Wesley, stop being so unsociable. Youngster, what is your name?"


    The second elder seemed to have caught whiff of Wesley''s exchange with the student and was hoping to fan the fires a little. Seeing this, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but frown, this elder seems intent on making everything twice as complicated for Wesley.


    "My name is Eltier Fellar."


    The youth''s voice held a hint of pride as he spoke his name.


    "Oh, Fellar. I knew a swordsman named Jay Fellar long time ago. His techniques was rather impressive."


    "Oh, that was my grandfather."


    "Is that so, hahaha. Well Eltier, Let me tell you that that armor is extremely important, If you don''t believe me, you can test yourself against Wesley. He has used the armor for a year, so he is a testament to its proficiency."


    Hearing this the golden haired youth was excited beyond words, as for Wesley, he couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. It was clear that this elder simply didn¡¯t want Wesley to have an easy time. He could so easily ignore this Eltier, but this elder is fanning the fire and throwing Wesley in it. Wesley immediately turned to the elder and spoke:


    "Elder, is that really necessary. This junior clearly doesn¡¯t want to use the armor, there is no point in convincing him."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, Eltier took it as Wesley not wanting to face him and be embarrased. This caused him to be more emboldened and he spoke again:


    "Haha, I think this elder is worried I might hurt him elder. I don''t feel like bullying this senior."


    "If you hurt him, then that¡¯s because of his weakness and lack of skill, no need to worry about it."


    "Well put elder."


    Wesley was feeling a headache as he listened to the exchange between the elder and Eltier. Eltier walked forward and stood ten feet from Wesley. He immediately unsheathed his sword which was a long, thin Foil with a highly decorative hilt and wrist guard.


    Wesley immediately recognized that this was a fencing sword, a sword technique preferred by nobles. Compared to the dazzling and elegant foil of his opponent, Wesley''s dark replica sword was simply too common. Wesley only unholstered his sword from his hib without unsheathing it and spoke as he shook his head in resignation:


    "You may begin."


    Seeing that Wesley didn¡¯t even unsheath his sword to face him, Eltier felt some anger, but his angered paled in comparison to his disdain; this second year who failed the class is facing him and is even doing so without unsheathing his sword. He believed that Wesley simply gave up on this fight.


    "hmph."


    After a single snort, Eltier slowly inched towards Wesley. As soon as he was within three feet, he immediately lunged forward, the tip of his Foil heading directly for Wesley right shoulder. Normally, one would aim for the center of the chest to minimize the chances of being parried, but Eltier believed that Wesley had no such capability, he also didn¡¯t want to kill Wesley.


    The sword tip rushed towards Wesley in an astonishing speed. Wesley, however, simply stood there unalarmed. The moment the sword was within half a feet of Wesley''s shoulder, Wesley immediately raised his right hand which held his sword up.


    As soon as Wesley''s right hand reached his shoulder level, the foil reached the sword''s hilt. Wesley then simply swiped his right hand to the side causing the foil to completely swipe past him.


    Eltier was slightly startles at how easily Wesley parried his lunge, but he didn¡¯t pay it too much mind; any idiot can parry by luck. He immediately pulled his sword hand back, and then performed another lunge, this time aiming for the center of Wesley''s chest.


    Seeing the foil fly towards him, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely disdainful of this entire style. Fencing was a nobleman''s style because of it''s elegance. But Wesley immediately noticed that its practicality is almost none-existent. Continuing to send your sword in a straight line, regardless of how fast, is simply too predictable.


    Wesley once again waited until the tip of the foil was within half a feet, then he raised his sword hand to his chest. A soft ringing later, everyone noticed that the tip of the foil didn¡¯t hit Wesley, rather it only hit the hilt of Wesley''s sword.


    Eltier was instantly dumbfounded. If the first was luck, then could the second be luck as well. How could someone count on luck when failure would lead to their injury. He simply couldn¡¯t believe that he was blocked twice by a repeater. He immediately fumed and shouted towards Wesley with irritation:


    "Is defending all you''re capable of."


    Eltier''s words were tantamount to a childish tantrum, it was clear to everyone present that Wesley was far above him, yet he simply wasn¡¯t willing to accept.


    "Yes, is defending all you''re capable of. Haha"


    The second elder''s words also came after Eltier''s. Wesley was continuously sighing at this hateful second elder efforts to escalate this joke.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Eltier immediately withdrew his foil and then lunged once again, this time much faster than before.


    Eltier''s foil was exceedingly fast, causing it to be hard to follow. But Wesley couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at how simple this fencing was. Regardless of the speed of the lunge, it can be easily seen through. All one has to do is look a the wielder''s arm, figure out his target, then prepare accordingly.


    Eltier''s target this time was Wesley''s head. This time, Wesley didn¡¯t parry, rather he simply leaned slightly to the left causing the foil to buzz beside him. Then he simply moved forward and casually swung his sword towards Eltier.


    Wesley''s sheathed sword struck against Eltier''s sword arm causing him to drop his foil, and then Wesley used his shoulder to lightly push against Eltier''s chest. Eltier immediately fell on his butt, since Eltier was mid-lunge, he was easily toppled by Wesley''s shoulder charge.


    Eltier couldn''t believe what just happened, But before he could even collect his thoughts, a voice broke him from his thoughts:


    "Elder, Are we done. This is somewhat pointless."


    Eltier immediately looked up and saw that Wesley still had his uninterested, emotionless face and was not even looking at him, rather he was looking at the elder. The second elder gave off a hearty laugh and spoke:


    "Yes, that is enough."


    Wesley immediately withdrew his sword and looked at the Eltier who was still staring at him with a surprised face. He then shook his head and spoke:


    "You should maybe consider rethinking your........."


    Wesley wanted to tell him the deficiency in his style, but stopped halfway as he realized that he really didn¡¯t care. He laughed inwardly then walked back towards his position behind the elder''s seat. As for Eltier, he simply sat there unable to understand what just happened, he was certain that this Wesley was a simple failure, yet here he was toying with him like he was an infant. How could he have failed if he was this skilled.


    The second elder immediately spoke towards Eltier and those other students:


    "Don''t be too discouraged, these two are a year older than you, it Is only natural that they are more experienced. Young Eltier, Fencing is generally too weak a style when you''re younger, your grandfather''s fencing was as profound and deep as the sea, yours is simply too superficial. You''ll need to train harder, that also applies to the rest of you."


    "Now, there are a few things you need to know about this class...."


    The second elder then proceeded to tell the students about always carrying their swords and attending class everyday. He also spoke about the different ways class would be conducted and what they should expect. Before long, the class period was over and the students were dismissed.


    ................................................................................................................................


    The entire classroom was soon emptied of students leaving on Wesley, Kellan and the second elder behind. The time has finally come for the elder''s so called special lessons. As soon as everyone was gone, the elder waved his hand and two golden colored armors appeared out of thin air. One of the armors was made completely of Golden Springs, while the other was far thicker and heavier than the other and was like a solid block with iron joints.


    "Wesley, Kellan, put on those armors. Then immediately start sparring."


    Wesley and Kellan looked at each and nodded. Then they immediately put on their respective armors. These armors, although similar to the ones they were assigned were both heavier and harder to move in. In fact, it is safe to say that Kellan''s is three times heavier, as for Wesley''s armor, it was simply incomparable to his old one; the joints were harder, and there were more springs causing even the smallest of movement to be a strain.


    Wesley and Kellan immediately started sparing, only they moved so slow that one might suspect that they were doing a dance rather than a spar, however, both Wesley and Kellan were giving their very most.


    "Wesley, don''t evade him. Face his sword head on."


    The second elder would shout instructions at the two of them ever so often, as the two continued sparring. The elder wouldn¡¯t let Wesley use his superior speed to run away, he also prevented Kellan from turtling up and fighting defensively, causing the two to continuously class. Fortunately, they were so encumbered by their armors that their clashes held very little power.


    Their spar went on for an entire hour, at which point, bth Wesley and Kellan were exhausted beyond words and were sitting down lifelessly on the floor. The second elder simply sat on his seat looking at the two sitting on the ground, and after letting them catch their breath, he immediately walked towards them:


    "That''s enough lazing around. Sit cross legged."


    Wesley and Kellan had very little energy or willpower left, but they still listened and sat cross-legged. The elder then proceeded to sit cross-legged in front of them.


    "I will teach you special breathing exercises. These exercises are similar to a mage''s refining, only it is focused on strengthening our bodies and recovering from fatigue. Now relax your bodies and take deep breaths."


    Wesley and Kellan both did as they were instructed. As Wesley did so, he started feeling his body be flushed by a cold feeling. Wesley instantly felt that this cold air poured into his mana pool giving him a deep feeling of comfort.


    "Now, follow the cold air and try feeling your core, or mana pool as mages call It. It is the place where the cold air revolves around before you breathe out."


    "Now, rather than breathing out, slowly try moving that air from your core and through your channels. It should be a little hard to effectively move the air but you can do it if you focus."


    Wesley immediately moved the cold air to his channels. Wesley was familiar with his channels already since he''s a mage, but he has never tried moving air through them, only mana. To be honest, he was a little skeptical that this would be useful, since when the air was sent through his channels, it would be sent to the different parts of his body, which is just like breathing, only more roundabout.


    As soon as the air entered his channels, they were sent to every part of his body, the cold feeling of the air flushed through his entire body and continued spreading. Wesley immediately felt his body gulping up the air as if it were medicine.


    Wesley instantly understood. Because the air was passed through his mana pool and circulated there, it mixed with some mana, and when that air was sent to the cells of his body. Naturally, the air was used by the cell as food, but the mana that was mixed in gave the cell further nourishment, increasing its recovery speed.


    Normally, mana is used externally to stimulate the elements in the atmosphere, furthermore, mana is a neutral existence, without form, or nature, making it impossible for the cells to absorb it, but clearly, this was easily bypassed when air that was going to be used by the cells has some mixed in it.


    "Good. Now, breath in, circulate, channel, then breath out. Keep doing this for another half hour."


    After half an hour, Wesley and Kellan were still doing their breathing exercises while the elder quietly sat cross-legged in front of them.


    "That''s enough. Start sparring again."


    Wesley and Kellan opened their eyes and immediately got to their feet, then they started exchanging blows again. Although their blows were still slow and looked strained, they both felt that it wasn¡¯t as hard on their bodies as the first time.


    They continued sparring for another hour. After the hour was up, the elder once more walked up to them and told them to do the breathing exercises, which they immediately did. After they got rid of most of their bodies'' fatigue, the second elder spoke once again:


    "That will be it for today. Both of you head back home and get some rest, your lessons will only get harder."


    "Yes Elder." They both replied.


    "Good good. Now get going."


    Wesley and Kellan immediately bowed respectfully and left the classroom. As they walked towards the exit of the academy, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but feel astonished at how marvelous the breathing technique was, although his muscles were somewhat sore, he felt like it was still manageable.


    "Wesley, how are you feeling?"


    Wesley who was deep in thought was pulled back by Kellan''s words, he immediately turned his head and spoke while smiling:


    "Not too bad actually. I never knew such a technique existed."


    Kellan was surprised at Wesley words, and spoke with a voice full of question and curiosity:


    "Are you saying that you¡¯ve never done breathing exercises before?


    "Nope, Never. Why do you ask?"


    "Well, I was taught breathing exercises when I first started training five years ago. You''re sword is so strong, i though you were the same."


    "haha, Kellan. Maybe that''s because you''re just extraordinary."


    "haha."


    Although Wesley joked about how extraordinary Kellan was, he knew that this Kellan''s background is deep and his skill is as deep. Wesley really admired this Kellan, who even while being so talented, never looked down on anyone.


    ..........................................................................................................................


    Okay guys. The responses for last chapter''s unscientific poll were great.


    After reading all the comments, and analyzing it with a group of well trained science monkeys i came to the conclusion:


    The school arc is essential so well continue it, but not for so long that it''ll feel like actual school, so i''ll use with monthly to yearly time-skips, coupled with the famous recap.


    As for age, it is the general consensus that it is ODD, especially Lane [damn you lane and your talent], so i''ll throw in some childlike things for lane and his posse, as for Wesley, we''ll keep our MC cool and aloof.


    Thank you to theosewho responded, your feedback is much appreciated.


    Ciao.

 Chapter 26 - His Calling

    Wesley bid Kellan farewell and made his way to the Manor. After walking through the buzzing streets for a short while, Wesley, who currently seemed to be in deep thoughts about something, couldn¡¯t help but feel some hunger so he immediately looked around and found a small Inn and decided to get something to eat.


    After walking into the Inn, Wesley sat in the corner and ordered a small meal, then he started pondering. This caused his eyes to have an odd glaze of thoughtfulness over them, and he seemed to be unaware of his surroundings as he was constantly thinking about the breathing exercises the second elder showed him.


    Those breathing exercises were not profound, in fact, one could say that they were rather simple and straightforward, yet Wesley couldn¡¯t imagine how hard it must''ve been to envision such a technique for the first time. Wesley himself has trained as a mage for almost six years, but not once was he able to imagine that mana could be used to strengthen and nourish his body cells.


    Mana is as part of nature as air, however, it is infinitely more complex, as such both mages, swordsmen, and even normal folk have mana in their bodies, and while the stored mana in normal people''s bodies is hardly ever noticed or used, mages and swordsmen rely use mana constantly, albeit in different ways.  Mages use mana to manipulate their surroundings, they actively collect it and refine it, while swordsmen only passively use mana in conjunction with strengthening their bodies.


    These two polar opposite methods of using the same mana leads to different results. Because mages rely on mana to be able to perform their spell, they are able to use more profound abilities however, they are entirely dependant on mana making them defenseless without it. On the other hand, swordsmen use their bodies and skills while only using mana to strengthen their bodies, this makes them more versatile, however, their techniques lack the profoundness of magic.


    Even though mana is mana, and there is no difference between the mana used by a mages and swordsmen, it is still impossible for a swordsman to imagine using mana like mages, and it is impossible for mages to envision using mana like swordsmen do. The reason for this is simply because of conditioned points of view.


    In the eyes of mages, mana is nothing more than a inanimate tool that enables them to manipulate the elements in their surroundings, they cast their mana outwards and only view it as something that can be used externally. While swordsmen who rely on their bodies, think of mana as something that can be used to strengthen their bodies, so they only think to used internally.


    After the second elder introduced Wesley to the breathing exercises, he couldn¡¯t help but feel some thought gnawing at him from the depths of his mind. Wesley was both a mage and a swordsman, but he was mage by nature and a swordsman by choice, so his thoughts about mana was always in line with those of mages.


    Yet, now that he saw a glimpse of the other point of view, he couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled as to which of the two methods was the correct one. The profoundness of a mage or the independent versatility of a swordsman.


    Wesley knew that not anyone can be a mage, but anyone can be a swordsman. If a mage wanted to use the mana methods of swordsman like Wesley just did, they should be able to, but a swordsman can never use mana like a mage does. However, no mage will ever bother using swordsman''s methods, since their own methods are more profound and powerful.


    Wesley, however, felt that this was not right. A mage does indeed have more powerful abilities compared to the simplicity of swordsmen, but the second elder''s methods were also extremely profound, this means that the swordsman methods are initially weaker than mage methods, but increase in power overtime.


    Two paths, two completely different methods of using the same thing, which is the correct way, which will ultimately prove to be the true way. As Wesley thought about all these things, he couldn¡¯t help but feel some restlessness, the seemingly minor discovery that was those breathing exercises shook Wesley to his core.


    Not only was his entire view on mana being only an external force changed, he also discovered that there was a completely opposite method of utilizing it that was possibly as profound. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t figure out which of the two methods was right. While this could be considered as pondering the size of the sun from the bottom of a well, there was one thing that made Wesley excited about his discovery; If mana can be utilized in two opposite ways, then it is safe to assume that there are other ways of utilizing it as well.


    Wesley spent the next few hours sitting in that corner of the Inn while constantly pondering, Wesley was immediately awakened from his deep thoughts as he noticed that it was getting dark outside. Wesley reluctantly decided to put his pondering on hold and head home.


    As he walked out of the Inn, Wesley noticed that the streets were now devoid of the masses that filled it earlier. Aside from a few store owners who were closing up and very few people like Wesley who are heading home, one couldn¡¯t catch a whiff of the earlier liveliness of the street. Since Wesley lives in the seventh, he takes small side roads like these to head home because the main road doesn¡¯t reach the seventh district, so most of the stores on these side roads, unlike the ones on the main road, closed as soon as the sun sets, causing the street to seem deserted.


    Wesley simply shook his head and started moving towards the seventh district. As he started moving, a few more people also started moving with him. Wesley immediately noticed that these people were following him and he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Ever since a year ago when a government official came to see him, Wesley was watched constantly.


    Wesley simply ignored them and continued his walking. After more than twenty minutes of walking, Wesley reached the Manor.


    ..........................................................................................................................................


    In the blink of an eye, a month has already passed.


    During this entire month, Wesley continued his attempt to decipher the mystery of mana and its uses. He cataloged the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods as well as their characteristics in his mind, he then tried to utilize mana in ways similar to those two methods.


    He first tried casting his mana outwards towards random objects to try and manipulate them like a mage does the elements. Wesley Found out that one can use mana on objects to manipulate them, however, not to the extent of the elements. Wesley could make a book levitate, with some effort, but he can''t change the books shape, size or form. Wesley noticed that the amount of mana needed to levitate a book was extremely high, which led him to conclude that with enough mana, one should be able to do more, only it is too wasteful so he didn''t bother with it any further.


    Next, Wesley thought of ways to use mana inwards. After thinking about the breathing exercises, Wesley tried mixing in mana with foods and drinks. The results of this experiment was just as disappointing as the other one. The mana that was mixed in the food is simply distilled out by the body''s digestive processes by the time the nutrients reached the cells, with only small amounts reaching this far. The digestive process is simply too long to allow any substantial amounts of mana to reach the cells.


    Wesley also tried numerous other methods, from saturating his surrounding with mana so that the air he breathes in is naturally mixed in with it, to trying to form mana into different shapes, to some too ridiculous to mention. Unfortunately, the results were always the same: Impractical.


    Either, the mana needed is too much, or the results are too weak, so everything Wesley tried turned out to be a failure. Wesley originally knew that there was no way he would be able to emulate the two methods that were used, researched and improved for countless millennia in a single month, but that didn¡¯t mean he should stop.


    If anything, in this month of experimentation, Wesley discovered that even though his experiments were failures, he still found different ways to use mana. Mana is not only mysterious and ancient, it is also neutral, it has neither affinity, form, or physical state, yet It has so much potential.


    After his experiments, Wesley came to two conclusion; first, mana has far more uses that the two main methods; and second, there has to be other people out there who know of different methods of using mana, after all, he never even knew of the existence of breathing  there who know of different methods of using mana, after all, he never even knew of the existence of breathing exercises, and yet Kellan has been doing it for years.


    Wesley wasn¡¯t too discouraged by his fruitless endeavor, rather he was extremely excited by it. Wesley from a young age didn¡¯t have too many friends or close confidants, he spent most of his time either training or reading. This caused him to become more independent as well as making him more calm and collected, however, it also caused him to enjoy mysteries and oddities.


    Wesley, in order to alleviate the boredom caused by his rather gray existence, developed a taste for adventure, for the unknown, and for discovery. And now that he has found what can be considered the most mysterious force in existence, he was instantly charmed and trapped.


    ......................................................................................................................................


    Currently, Wesley was standing in the swordsmanship classroom overseeing around dozen blue-robed students as they struck training post with multitudes of different techniques. Each of the blue-robed students was wearing an armor with numerous springs at its joints, and their movements were extremely slow, almost crawl like.


    Wesley simply stood facing the backs of these students with his hand clasped behind his back. On the outside, the red robed Wesley was overseeing the training of these students, but on the inside, Wesley was thinking up a storm regarding mana.


    Where does mana come from, why is it able to stimulate and manipulate the elements, can it be destroyed, can it be created. Wesley''s mind was buzzing with questions, in fact the more he thought about mana, the more he realized that there was very little he knew about it and the more questions that arose.


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how complex this seemingly small thing truly is. Most likely he would need to spend a lifetime studying It, and even then he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand it all. However, regardless of how pointless and bleak this seemed, Wesley felt like he has found something.


    Most people would spend their entire lives without finding their calling. Some even start believing that life is nothing more than a pointless existence that has no end goal. They spend their days working, eating and sleeping, so they convince themselves that life really is pointless, however, in the depths of their hearts, they feel that there is something amiss.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    It is inconceivable that one is born only to die. If existence is truly pointless, then how and why must we exist. This extremely complex question arises subconsciously in everyone''s life, causing them to be disillusioned by this so called ''pointless'' existence.


    Wesley himself has wondered about this question many times. As a prince, Wesley could spend the remainder of his life sitting on a chair without any worry or need. Yet, he always felt that there was more, there has to be, he always wanted more than simply existing.


    This is why Wesley spent so much time and effort training, it gave him a sense of longing to what he might find at the end of the path, he felt like he could find something there, be it a purpose or a quick death. And now, this path which he remained on was at a crossroads. One, he could continue to walk on the beaten path and follow the footsteps of his master and countless others, or he could take this foggy and thorny road, which might not lead anywhere.


    Wesley didn''t even need to think about it, because perhaps this was his purpose, his calling. Of course he''s going to follow it, and perhaps he''ll find something. This prospect made Wesley extremely jolly, and filled him with satisfaction. Not only did he find a potential purpose to this pointless existence, he also felt that whatever was at the end of this path was simply unimaginable.


    "Senior"


    While Wesley was enamored in his pondering, he lost track of his surroundings. But a clear, firm voice that was brimming with respect pulled him back to reality. Wesley immediately looked over at the source of the voice, only to see a golden haired youth standing in front of him.


    "Eltier, what''s the matter."


    This was the youth who challenged Wesley a month ago. After their spar, Eltier avoided Wesley because of pride or shame, but after a short while, he started warming up to Wesley and even started interacting with him more and more.


    "Senior, can we spar a little before class ends."


    This was a common occurrence nowadays for Wesley. Eltier would approach him almost daily for a spar, at which point, Wesley would try weasel out of it, but be it Eltier''s insistence or the second elder''s nosiness, Wesley would be pulled in.


    Hearing Eltier''s words, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but curl his lips to a frown and spoke:


    "Eltier, I have to oversee the other students'' training. Let''s do it some other time."


    "But senior, I want to try out a new technique."


    "Why don''t we do it tomorrow."


    "Haha, senior, tomorrow is the weekend, I won''t be seeing you."


    "Then how about....."


    "Senior please, I think you''ll like this technique."


    Wesley couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. This Eltier, although haughty and proud, was extremely hard to turn down, aside from being very insistent, he sometimes guilts Wesley to spar with him, he simply had no conscience and would resort to any means to achieve his goal. Wesley saw the potential for a horrible politician slumbering deep within him.


    "Fine, show me this technique."


    Eltier was immediately gladdened as he unsheathed his foil while Wesley unholstered his replica dark sword. Eltier seeing that was ready to start, Wesley let out a helpless sigh and spoke:


    "Begin."


    Without another word, Eltier immediately lunged towards Wesley with the tip of his foil streaking menacingly towards Wesley''s chest. Over this last month, Eltier has sparred with Wesley dozens of times, and each time Wesley would effortlessly block his attacks, since Wesley could always block his sword, Eltier wa not going to be lenient so he aimed for the center of Wesley''s chest.


    Seeing the foil travel towards him in a straight line, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh. This fencing was simply to monotonous, always going in a straight line, unless the person was immobile or blind, this sort of attack will never find its target.


    As soon as the foil''s tip was within a feet of Wesley''s chest, Wesley brought up the hilt of his replica dark sword to where it was aiming towards. This was Wesley''s method of choice when dealing with Eltier''s fencing.


    Wesley was currently looking at Eltier''s sword hand rather than his sword. Because Eltier''s lunge was extremely fast, it was almost hard to follow, so Wesley opted to look at the sword hand to extrapolate Eltier''s target that block. While Wesley was looking at Eltier''s hand, Eltier slightly jerked his hand to the right then returned to it''s original position.


    By jerking his hand slightly, eltier managed to change the foil''s trejectory causing Eltier''s foil which was about to hit Wesley''s hilt curved slightly to the right, enough to bypass the hilt that was obstructing its path and heading straight for Wesley''s chest.


    Wesley was instantly startled. Eltier''s extremely simple fencing suddenly took another form that is far more complex and deadly than its original form. Fortunately for Wesley, he has always been focused on Eltier''s sword hand, so he was able to notice the change, but if he was instead looking at the foil, he would have only seen the foil curve outwards then inwards as if it were avoiding his sword.


    Wesley''s eyes instantly sharpened. He was passively planning to stop the foil with his hilt but now that the foil has passed his hilt, he couldn¡¯t afford to be passive anymore. Wesley immediately swiped his sword to his left colliding against the body of Eltier''s foil was instantly thrown off target by the collision and was heading towards Wesley left side.


    Unfortunately, the distance between Wesley''s body and his hilt was less than half a foot, so Wesley couldn¡¯t avoid the foil''s tip from scratching his shoulder as he parried it to the outside of his body. This caused a wound to appear on Wesley''s left shoulder, and although it was not deep, blood started oozing from it.


    Seeing the wound on Wesley''s shoulder, Eltier dropped his foil and stared slack jawed. He has never injured someone before, so seeing his sword draw blood for the first time was not a minor thing.


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he saw Eltier''s terrified face. The first time he has killed a person was when he was seven; Rale took him outside the castle and told him to kill two thieves he had captured. At that time, Wesley was unwilling to take a life, and his heart ached after he did it, but since then, the number of people Wesley has killed has long reached the hundreds. Wesley himself developed a callousness to the value of life itself, and although he wouldn¡¯t kill for no reason, he has no qualms about killing if he had to.


    As for Eltier, he has most likely never killed someone and it seems that he also never drawn blood. Wesley felt some sympathy for him, he believed that the earlier one experienced death, the less the shock would be, as for Eltier, the older he gets, the more society views on life will become ingrained in his mind, and the greater his shock when he kills for the first time.


    Rale has told Wesley that the greater the conflict between one''s beliefs and their actions, the greater the shock they will receive, so it is better to have someone experience killing when they are young rather than when he''s older. Wesley immediately walked towards Eltier and spoke in a concerned voice:


    "Eltier, what is the matter?"


    Wesley knew what the matter was, but he simply wanted Eltier to wake up from his daze and express his feelings. Eltier immediately looked away from Wesley''s shoulder and focused on his face that was smiling at him amiably causing his eyes to be misty. He spoke in a soft voice that was filled with grief:


    "Senior, I injured you, you almost died."


    Wesley was surprised at this Eltier''s kind nature. From first glance, this haughty youth with his extreme pride and sharp tongue seemed anything but kind, but right now, he simply seemed like a different person. Wesley shook his head and laughed loudly as he spoke:


    "Haha, this is just a shallow scratch. If I died from such a thing, wouldn¡¯t I be useless senior. Hahaa."


    Wesley immediately picked up the foil that was lifelessly laying on the floor and spoke as he handed it back to Eltier.


    "Don¡¯t worry over such a small thing, and tell me about that technique you just used."


    Eltier''s face turned a shade better from his pale countenance as he recalled that his technique was effective against Wesley to some extent. He immediately spoke in an excited voice:


    "Senior. You said that the weakness of my style is that it travels in a straight line, but my style has a technique that doesn¡¯t travel in a straight line called Fencing Viper. Only..."


    At this point Eltier started thinking about how his sword was still swiped away by Wesley. He did indeed manage to reach past Wesley''s sword, but that was because Wesley was only waiting passively. If Wesley wanted to dodge or attack him, then the results would be very different. Seeing the look on Eltier''s face, Wesley laughed and spoke:


    "Haha, that is indeed a good technique. Next time, wait a little longer before you perform to give your opponent less time and space to react. Now get back to practice."


    Eltier nodded his head repeatedly and immediately ran back to practice against the training post. Wesley simply stood there, staring at the practicing Eltier with a look of deep thoughtfulness. Wesley was wondering about what would happen if one mixed in a sword technique with a mage''s attack.


    At the moment when Wesley faced Eltier''s sword, he was surprised at how fast it was, but he wondered what would happen if Eltier also practiced Wind magic. Wind mages have the ability to control and manipulate air currents making them extremely fast.


    Combine their speed with the naturally fast speed of Eltier''s sword and it would become unfathomable. However, Wesley knew that aside from him, no mage would bother learning swordsmanship since it is simply too weak compared to magic.


    Wesley immediately put the matter to rest and started thinking about mana. He really enjoyed his pondering about mana, and although he knew that this only brought more questions than answers, Wesley was still tremendously excited.


    The more questions he faced regarding the nature of mana, the more he wanted to find the answers and the more excited he got.


    ......................................................................................................................................................................


    Heyo good people.


    Here''s your chapter. Anyway, if you feel that the Philosophy in this one is too strong, then i want you to ask yourself, Why are we here? Hmm, no answer, i thought so. Wesley Knows the answer.


    anyway enjoy the chapter, and happy Eid to those of you who celebrate and those who don''t.

 Chapter 27 - His Start

    As soon as the period ended and the first year students were released, Wesley and Kellan donned on their respective training armors and started sparring. During the last month, Wesley and Kellan sparred everyday in front of the second elder.


    Their movements while they were sparring were still extremely slow, but compared to the first time they sparred, they were three times faster. However, the strain these armors still had on their bodies was not small.


    Furthermore, the more they got used to the armors restrictions, the longer their sparring sessions got. The original session that was three hours long was now five hours, this rate of increase caused Wesley and Kellan no small amount of worry.


    However, the benefits of these sparring session was extremely clear, especially I Wesley who was not a swordsman by nature. His understanding of his sword technique increased, and his experience also increased. Wesley had plenty of experience in fighting and killing, but he often relied on his magic to gain the advantage over his opponents because his sword skills were simply too weak, but now, he felt like he could rely on his sword more.


    "What kind of halfhearted parry is that. Use your opponent''s strength against him, twist your arm when his sword comes into contact with yours."


    The second elder''s screams reverberated throughout the hall as he guided the two. The second elder would usually just stand there, but ever so often, he would scream at either Wesley and Kellan to tell them to improve something.


    The second elder never tried to teach either of them a technique, rather he would just let them spar and spar without end using their own styles. Although this seems like a natural thing to do in order to allow for his students to improve by themselves, It also meant that the students have no idea what is required of them.


    The sound of metal colliding against metal rung out unceasingly throughout the classroom causing all those who might have heard it to cringe at the force that could have caused such a sound.


    If one saw Wesley sparring with Kellan right now, they wouldn¡¯t think that he was an agility based swordsman. Wesley, while wearing his lanky, oddly made, armor was actually facing Kellan without dodging or running. This was unfathomable for an agility based swordsman, since speed and evasion was their forte.


    This was because the second elder specifically ordering Wesley to fight Kellan head on without being evasive while Kellan was told to not simply block behind his giant sword. At first, neither Wesley nor Kellan could understand the reason behind this, however, after almost a month of constant sparring, they now understood.


    By colliding head on without tricks, they first had to learn to face their opponents, this erased the fear one might have against colliding with the enemy''s sword. Second, because neither of them can rely on their advantages to win, they had to come up with new ways to gain the advantage. They would use fients, counters, misderection, and a bunch of other things.


    Although some of these things can be considered immoral and prideless ways of achieving victory, the second elder never protested nor voiced discontent. In a real fight, it is either life or death for all those involved, no one will ever be willing to trade their life for the sake of their pride, and if they were willing, then they truly deserved to be killed.


    Both Wesley and Kellan understood this. They both relied on underhanded and sometimes shameless methods to gain the advantage. Kellan would often punch towards Wesley, Wesley would drop his sword and use his other sword, Kellan would sling the sweat accumulated on his forehead. It was an endless barrage of shameless acts.


    Wesley and Kellan thought of each other as friends, in fact, it was safe to say that they were each other''s only friend in this academy, however, when they spared, neither of them was thinking of the other as a friend, rather they saw each other as enemies out for their head, so each of them was not above using the most despicable of methods to survive. That was the mentality that the second elder planted in their brains.


    "That¡¯s enough. Sit and breathe for a short while."


    Wesley and Kellan immediately stopped their movements and sat where they stood. These short breaks where all they had to rest and recuperate, if they wasted it, then they''ll have to wait another hour before they can rest again while sparring. Neither of them were willing.


    .....................................................................................................................................


    While Wesley and Kellan were sitting inside the classroom resting, four blue robed students were slowly walking towards the classroom. One of them, a black haired youth, with a round face and a slightly crooked nose looked at another golden haired student who was walking next to him and spoke in a hushed voice:


    "Eltier, class ended a long time ago. We won''t find anything, let''s just go back."


    "Janal, stop being a wimp. If there is really nothing we''ll just leave."


    "But, why are we even going there."


    "Hmph, the two seniors always stay behind after we leave. Seeing how senior Wesley is so strong, they must take secret lessons from the second elder. We''ll just go have a look."


    These four youths were all aware of how powerful Wesley and Kellan were, and as children who were not even past ten, they revered power and might and wanted to be powerful themselves. They not only wanted to figure what made their seniors so strong, they also hoped that they could also become strong after they figure it out.


    The four of them, led by Eltier, sneaked to the entrance of classroom. After nodding towards each other, Eltier slowly pushed the door open. As soon as the door was opened slightly, the four of them looked through the crack.


    They were expecting a grand sight, something akin to a bloody battle with swords flying everywhere, but they were extremely disappointed. All they see were to cross legged figures in the middle of the classroom, and although the figures were wearing odd looking armors, they were simply too ordinary compared to their expectations.


    But before they could even understand what they were seeing, the two cross legged figures suddenly shot up from their sitting and stood up while facing where they were standing. The figures both had their eyes plastered on the group of four with their swords drawn. The chilly gaze of the two armored figures caused the four students to feel a cold sweat roll down their backs. They truly believed that the two figures could see them through the door.


    While Wesley and Kellan were doing their breathing exercises, they still kept their guard up to its maximum. This was because, the second elder made their thirty minute break a competition. If one of them felt that he has recovered completely before the thirty minutes were up, he is allowed to immediately attack the other. Although Wesley and Kellan had a silent understanding to wait until the thirty minutes were up, they nonetheless kept close watch for potential ambushes from the other.  This forced the two of them to always remain vigilant.


    Suddenly, while they were breathing, a small creek to their back captured their attention. Since they should have been sitting next to each other, no one should be behind them, so after hearing the creak, one though arose In both of their minds; he''s making his move.


    They both immediately shot up and turned towards the source of the voice only to find no one there which surprised them slightly. However, looking to their sides, they both saw the other standing, they immediately thought that they were correct about the ambush, but before they could start sparring, the second elder''s voice interrupted them.


    "Young Eltier. Why are you here."


    The whole classroom was silent for a moment before the front door was pushed in and four blue robed students appeared. They immediately bowed to the second elder, and Eltier immediately spoke:


    "Elder, We wanted to observe the seniors'' secret lesson."


    "Haha, is that so. Wesley, Kellan, the two of you are done for the day. You youngster''s come forward, I have an even better idea than just observing. Hahaha."


    Hearing the second elder''s words, Wesley and Kellan were delighted, while the four first years were terrified. Wesley and Kellan got out of their armors and walked towards the four students who were standing dazed at the entrance while smiling.


    When Wesley and Kellan were about to go past the four, Wesley slightly leaned towards Eltier and spoke in a low voice while laughing:


    "Haha, good luck Eltier."


    "Senior?"


    Eltier couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. Not only did he not learn what he wanted to learn, he also seemed to need luck for what the second elder was planning. This caused him to curse his damn nossiness.


    Wesley and Kellan knew first hand the second elder''s personality. Although he wouldn''t hurt his students, that didn¡¯t mean that he couldn¡¯t cause extreme amounts of anguish. They simply laughed at what was coming towards these unknowing juniors of thiers.


    ......................................................................................................................


    Wesley and Kellan bid each other farewell and went their separate ways. Today was the first time they managed to leave class early so both of them had somethings they wanted to do.


    In Wesley''s case, he had asked Lane to scour the study for any books dealing with mana. Because of the sheer multitude of the books in the Black Manor study, Wesley couldn¡¯t possibly search through everything during what short periods of free time he had between studying, training and school.


    Wesley immediately went to the Manor and walked in without pause. After a year of being in the Manor, all the guards and maids were clear on Wesley''s personality. He was neither interested in greeting nor small talk, he always had somewhere to go, and he hardly bothered to inquire about any of the Manor''s proceedings. While they all recognized Wesley as the true Master, they all started associating Lane with the role.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.As Wesley walked past the guards and maids in the Manor, aside from few respectful bows, no one stopped him from moving. He immediately went to the study. As soon as Wesley reached the study, he found a green robed Lane sitting in one of the chairs reading.


    The moment Wesley opened the door to the study and Lane saw him, he immediately stood up and bowed respectfully while speaking:


    "Master."


    "Lane, sit. Tell me did you find any books that fit my description?"


    "Yes master. Only there are three in the entire study."


    Lane spoke as he pointed to three books piled on the main desk in the study. Wesley immediately walked towards the desk, sat, then started looking at the books. Seeing this, Lane also went back to his reading.


    The three books were extremely small, almost having fifty to hundred pages each. Two of the books had official looking covers while one of them was more worn and looked extremely journal like. Wesley reached for one of the official looking books.


    This books had a white, eggshell like, cover with the words [The Gift of Mana] written in golden cursive letters on its front cover. Seeing the title Wesley started to get a premonition, but still proceeded to the introduction which read: [ In the name of the lord of light, beginner of all beginnings, and master of all things...]


    Seeing these first words, Wesley sighed heavily, then unceremoniously tossed the book to the side of the desk. Lane who was sitting with his back turned to Wesley turned his head, and seeing the tossed book, a complicated, questioning look appeared on his face.


    Wesley immediately reached towards the second official looking book. This book was less grand looking than the first, with a simple brown cover with the words [The Nature of Mana] written in green letters. Seeing this, Wesley immediately recognized this books origins, then proceeded to toss it towards the other white book with a frown.


    The reason Wesley was dissatisfied with these two books was because he recognized that they held absolutely no relevant, or useful information. The reason for this was simple; these two books contained the philosophies of the two major religions of the continent, making them rather shaky sources.


    There are two major religions in the four kingdoms, The Light Bishopry, and The Green Heraldry. Both of these two religions were highly centralized with extremely rigid hierarchy and even more rigid believes.


    The Light Bishopry, believes in the Lord of Light. They believe in a single deity as the source of the world. They also claim that light magic is an extension of their lord''s original form, which is why light mages call themselves Holy Mages. They have temples all around the four kingdoms, however, their strongest presence is at the Entaf Kingdom which also serves as their center. The other three kingdoms, the Norn and Tamin Kingdoms have a neutral stance with them; allowing their subjects to be members, but without giving them any power.


    As for the Green Heraldry, they are more philosophical than religious. They claim that everything in the world is connected with nature, and that nature is the source of all things. They claim that the origin of everything is nature and that nature is where everything will end. The Heraldry has no official temples, but their shrines are built in numerous places all over the continent and are mostly found near forests, springs, or otherwise natural scenes.


    In terms of influence and presence, the Bishopry held the advantage over the Heraldry, but in terms of followers, the Heraldry held the clear advantage. The Bishopry favored light mages and hailed them as saintlike figures alienating the common masses to some extent, while the simplicity of the Heraldry attracted the people more easily.


    Wesley held neither positive nor negative views on either religions, but he still couldn¡¯t use neither of them to try and find answers. Religions tend to explain things so that they are in line with their core beliefs, making it prudent to take whatever they have to say with a grain of salt.


    Wesley immediately turned to the last book of the batch. He hoped that this one last book would be different from the last two. As he brought the book close to him, Wesley was surprised to see that the only words on its brown, leather cover were [Mana]. Wesley was excited at the prospect at finding a proper book regarding the topic, but before he could read the book, something caught his attention.


    To the side of the study, near the edge, a naiscule falctuation of mana caught Wesley attention. Wesley instantly recognized that this was the invocation of a spell, so he immediately reached for his dark sword, while staring at the place where the fluctuations were at.


    After almost five breaths, a six feet pillar of earth rose from the ground then started taking the shape of a person. After another few breaths, the human shaped earth pillar disappeared, and a sturdy, dark clothed man stood in it''s place. Seeing this person, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but smile and immediately spoke:


    "Neal. Good of you to visit."


    Lane who was immersed in his reading immediately turned his head towards Wesley, then followed his eyes until he saw his uncle Neal standing there. He couldn¡¯t help but be startled at how Neal could have entered without him noticing.


    "Uncle....How..."


    Wesley immediately interjected and spoke to Lane:


    "Lane, your uncle is not a simple person."


    Neal looked at Lane with tender and affectionate eyes and spoke in his hushed voice that caused people to strain to try and hear:


    "Lane, I have something I want to discuss with Wesley. Mind giving us some time."


    Lane simply switched his head between Wesley and Neal not knowing what to say or do. He simply couldn¡¯t understand how his uncle got in, or what he wanted to speak to Wesley about. But after processing the information in his mind for a few seconds, he immediately got up and spoke before heading out:


    "Then I''ll take my leave."


    As soon as Lane was out of the study door, Neal walked to the seat opposite of Wesley and sat down. Wesley, whose face was smiling while Lane was still here, instantly turned emotionless as soon as the door closed behind him.


    "Neal, is it done?"


    "Yes. The preparations are complete."


    "Give me a breakdown of the general structure and potential."


    "Yes. In the last two months, I have managed to plant nearly five hundred agents in various business, the city guards, and the Manors of the four families. Since the city is divided into the seven sectors and the walls where the guards reside, I have established a system where every sections is independent from the others; the agents in each section will send their intelligence to specific collectors, who will then send it to me."


    Wesley nodded a few times pondering what Neal was saying. By dividing the agents into different independent groups, it insulates them from one another so that if one group is compromised, the others are not. This also enabled Neal to systematically scour the intelligence he receives, to better pinpoint which sector needs improvement and or attention.


    Wesley was extremely impressed with this Black Family''s expertise regarding these covert spy networks. It was no surprise that they were able to serve as the eyes and ears of the Royaume Empire.


    Neal simply continued with his explanation:


    "Although I couldn¡¯t manage to plant too many agents in the four families, they should still be enough to give us a general view of the families. On the other hand, it was easier planting agents in the government and the city guards. As for the business, I focused on places like Inns and Brothels, but there are still a few agents in other business so as to not let any relevant information slip by."


    Wesley was listening to Neal intently. This arrangement was not bad at all, not only did it allow for them to have the capability to go on the offensive against the families, it also gave them the ability to predict the families'' movements against themselves. As Wesley continued nodding, a sudden thought came up to him and he spoke:


    "Neal. How many of your agents are able to recognize you."


    "None of them. I always have my face covered, and I can appear in most places unhindered, making it very hard for someone to follow me."


    Wesley suddenly cracked a smile that if seen by anyone else would be considered sincere, but in Neal''s eyes, it appeared extremely devious.


    "Neal, I think It is time for the Black Family to return to Blackreach City."


    Neal was instantly started at Wesley''s words. They held the advantage when their enemies thought that they were dead because then their enemies would have to divert some of their resources to protection against the unknown enemy, some to investigation, and some to current operations, but if they stepped into the spotlight, then the enemy''s entire focus would be on them....


    Before Neal could even finish his thought, he suddenly understood Wesley''s intentions. Neal was not a slow guy, and when it came to shadowy maneuvers, very few were better, but this Wesley somehow saw something he didn¡¯t.


    "You....You are planning to.."


    "Haha. As expected of you Neal. To be able to see so much ahead, I am impressed."


    "Why."


    "No special reason really. I am not very ambitious, I just think that there are many neglected people in this city."


    Neal thought about Wesley''s words for a few moments. He kept looking left and right as if he was calculating something, then his gaze froze on Wesley and he spoke:


    "Understood. I''ll ''officially'' arrive in the city tomorrow. Then I''ll proceed to start waves and catch their attention."


    "Good. Take Lane and the other kids. It is best that there is nothing that connects us."


    "Understood."


    "Good. Let it start."


    ........................................................................................................................


    I have nothing quirky to say today, so enjoy

 Chapter 28 - His Manipulation

    As soon as Neal left the study, Wesley immediately got back to his reading. Although the issue with the four families was not minor, Wesley was not too worried about it since all he could do is play his hand and hope that everything goes as planned. On the other hand, Wesley''s incursions into the mystery of mana is far more pleasing that worrying, so Wesley went back to his reading.


    The last book was simply titled [Mana]. Looking at its worn out brown cover, or its more than modest lettering, Wesley''s hopes for finding some answers for his many queries. Wesley immediately opened the book to the first page which read:


    [I have spent the last forty years of my life researching Mana. It was, at first, something I did as a hobby, by as I delved into the mystery that is mana, all I found were questions and inconsistencies. I have come up with more than dozen theories, but each of them proved short of explaining the entirety of mana. If you are looking for answers in this book of mine, you won''t find any. I recommend that you stop looking into this subject lest you waste your life like I did mine, but if your are adamant in your search, this book contains all my failures, make sure you don¡¯t repeat them.


    Oliver Reme]


    Wesley''s heart clenched as he read the first page of the book. He was counting on this book to give some explanation regarding even the basics of mana, but it turns out that the writer faced the same wall Wesley is currently facing and even spent forty years of his life stuck in that same spot.


    Next when Wesley read the name of the author of the book, he almost spit a mouthful of blood. If there was a mage in the four kingdoms who haven''t heard of the name Oliver Reme, then it was more likely than not that they were an imposter. A Grand elder water mage who lived six hundred years ago, he was one who truly stood at the top of the mage community. It is said that his magic was so strong that he could drown entire cities without even being near a body of water.


    Wesley was truly starting to become discouraged. To have caused someone like Oliver Reme to waste forty years of his life without even finding any answers, how deep and unfathomable is mana. Wesley truly liked to challenge himself, and to explore the unknown, but he was not so dumb as to face the impossible. Wesley was suspecting that mana is one of those existences that can never be understood or explained.


    If this was true of mana, then Wesley was also doomed to waste his life without finding anything. This was the dilemma of those who search for the unknown. What lies in the hidden by the shadows of ignorance? And if they are to delve into these shadows searching for the unknown, then what are the chance that they will find absolutely nothing. What is the difference between the unknown and the non-existent. Are things we don¡¯t know nonexistent, or do the nonexistent things exist only are unknown.


    Wesley suddenly faced an ultimatum. Continue on the path of discovery and search for something that most likely does not exist, or find something else to spend the remainder of his life doing. If this was any other occasion, Wesley would''ve abandoned his curiosity for practicality since wasting his life searching for something that might not exist is simply unacceptable, however, this book he held in his hand added another variable.


    This book contains forty years of work by the continents greatest figures, it can be considered a forty year head start. For all Wesley knows, the key to the mystery of mana could take forty one years or five hundred years to find. If Wesley decides to continue his search from where Oliver stopped, his chances of finding the answers would increase, but there is also the possibility that he might not find anything.


    Wesley thought of the repercussions of the continuing his search and a hint of fear touched his heart. There are many fears that linger in the depth of people''s hearts, the fear of death, or the fear of old age, but the greatest fear is the fear of the unknown. Wesley stood at the border between the known and the unknown. One side is secure and bright, the other is unknown and filled with uncertainty.


    Thinking of his dilemma in this way, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but laugh loudly. His laughter reverberated throughout the manner causing everyone who heard it to stop whatever they were doing and stare.


    Wesley was so amused by his minds analogy that he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Wesley is a dark mage, he lives and thrives in darkness. If asked to choose between a well lit existence or a dark one, Wesley''s choice would always be the dark one.


    Thinking of this extremely comical coincidence, Wesley turned the book that was In his hand to the next page. He has chosen to face the unknown. With this decision, Wesley still felt some lingering doubts and reservations, but as a dark mage, it is only natural that he seeks the darkness rather than the light.


    This train of thought might seem ridiculous to most people, but when faced with a choice, even the smallest of equivocations are enough to tip the balance to one side or the other.


    ......................................................................................................................


    The next morning in a rectangular office at the top floor of the Office of Management, two men were facing each other. One of them was a white robed old man with a graying beard and hair and an emotionless face, while the other man seemed barely past his forties with a scruff dark beard covering most of his face and sharp dark eyes.


    If Wesley had seen this dark bearded man, he wouldve opened his mouth in amazement. This man was Neal, only this Neal wasn¡¯t wearing his usual dark attire, and his clean shaven face was somehow bearded.


    Neal stared daggers at the old man, while the old man only sat there neither avoiding his gaze nor confronting him.


    "Lord Silus. Are you saying that my entire family was wiped out under your noses, and you don''t know the culprits."


    The anger in Neal''s voice was evident, but this so called Silus'' face was unwavering, he simply looked at Neal without a hint of emotion evident on his face.


    "Mister Neal. I never said we didn¡¯t know the culprits, everyone in the city knows that the Shorn Family was behind the attacks on your family, only we don''t have enough evidence to take any actions. Also, the Shorn Family were killed a year ago."


    "Is that so. Have you questioned the Shorn Family in the least?"


    "No."


    "Have your investigators found anything of worth?"


    "No."


    "Then tell me, Lord SILUS. What have you been doing in the last three years."


    "Mister Neal. Our policy isn''t guilty until proven innocent, we couldn¡¯t have questioned the Shorn without amble evidence. Also, When the Shorn Family were destroyed, we assumed that it was done by the Black Family, so we halted our investigations."


    "Done by the Black Family? By my dead relatives, or by my four starving and homeless nephews, or by me who was thousand miles away. By who exactly."


    Hearing the words ''four nephews'', Silus'' eyebrows quivered slightly. Not only did the Black Family have this Neal left, but they also have four young children around. Considering the amount of resources and effort the four families expended to arrange the demise of the Black family, five remaining members was simply unacceptable. Before he could even finish cursing the graves of the Shorn Family, Neal''s words once more reached his ears.


    "Enough of this incompetence. I want the investigation resumed, and all the culprits found and accounted for."


    "Understood. Anything else?"


    Neal was quiet for a moment and then he spoke again:


    "Yes. I want all the assets of the Shorn Family given to my family as recompense. As well as the rulership over their Seventh District."


    Silus''s eyes sharpened as Neal finished his list of demands.


    "The matter with the assets of the Shorn Family is doable. But are you sure you want the rulership of the seventh district, your Black Family never showed interest in such things before."


    "Hmph. I have no interest in such things like politics, but it seems that if we are not involved then we''ll be treated like the common rabble and trampled upon to the point that even our deaths are not worth your time."


    Neal''s words were like daggers striking at Silus'' heart. The four families have expanded a lot of effort to eradicate the Black Family, yet they not only failed to do that, they even brought this Neal, who is not a pacifist unlike his elder brother, to power. This can only be seen falling in the holes they dug for their enemies.


    "Master Neal. No need to be abrasive. I will contact the higher ups about your request."


    "NONESENSE. My Black Family is High Nobility of Blackreach City, Unlike those Lowly Families that buy their nobility like the Shorn Families. We are claiming the Seventh to govern regardless if your higher ups like it or not."


    Neal''s words were indeed true. The Black Family were high nobility the four families, so they do have the right to govern a district of the city, just like how the four families govern their districts. However, Neal''s words also meant that he was equating himself with the four families. This was exactly what the four families feared, and their actions were the direct cause of it.


    "I Understand. Is there anything else."


    "Hmph. Have it arranged."


    With a simple disdainful snort and a command, Neal immediately stood up and exited the room, leaving a frowning Silus behind. As soon as Neal left the room, a young attendant walked in. Silus immediately barked at the young attendant:


    "Contact the heads of the three families. Tell them to come see me immediately."


    The attendant was frightened and spoke In a shaky, trembling voice:


    "Y..Yes Lord."


    The Black Family once ruled over these four families, causing them to harbors enmity and be wary of them over the years. The four families remember their years of serfdom, and although they prospered, they always felt inferior to their old master, and feared that they might stake their claim once again.


    the Black Family was extremely low-key for the last thousand years, and each head of the four families always opted to simply watch over them without making a move. However, this generation''s heads of the four families decided to take action, and now the Black Family are starting to become active as well. This was exactly what the four families wanted to avoid at all costs.


    .........................................................................................................................


    Almost five months passed since the revival of the Black Family. The emergence of another High Noble family was tremendous news causing no small amount of talk because everyone knew that the four families were the only high nobility In Blackreach city.


    The Black Family''s governorship of the seventh district also caused another sensation. Not because of the governorship; it was only natural for a noble family, especially high nobility to receive their own  district, rather it was what they did after receiving the govership that caused the sensations.


    Blackreach City has a total of seven districts. Four Residential districts governed by the four families, a Central District, a market district, and a seventh district. Out of all these districts, the seventh district was the poorest and most desolate. In fact, most of the residents of Blackreach city actively avoid it because it is known for its crime and filth.


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    However, as soon as the Black Family took control of the district, sweeping actions were taken by them. First they accounted for every resident of the district which came up close to twenty thousand. Then they hired every capable man and women and started working on the district.


    Thousands upon thousands of houses were built, then stores, schools, orphanages and parks were built. After all the construction was complete, the houses that were built were given to the residents of the district who were recorded when the initial accounting was done.


    Then the Black Family started investing in various businesses in their district and almost every adult in the district had a job. Everyone who lived in the seventh district was either directly or indirectly working for the Black Family, be it the guards who kept the peace, the people who taught at the schools, those who worked in stores and businesses, or the bureaucrats who ran everything.


    In short five months, the seventh district that was like a dead spot in Blackreach City experienced a tremendous rejuvenation at the hands of the Black Family. They not only invested and reconstructed a torn down and forsaken place with their own personal wealth, they also maintained a minimum tax and always seemed to be putting their subjects first.


    The popularity of the Black Family skyrocketed all over Blackreach City, and they were even seen as something close to deities in the seventh district. Their fame was so high, that the Seventh District became known as the Black District, and a single in favorable word towards them would earn you a sound beating in most places.


    Although their actions in rebuilding and reviving the seventh district earned them no small amount of praise from many people, what caused them to be even more popular amongst the people was that very few people ever saw them.


    Aside from a few high ranking members of the bureaucracy and some business owners, no one else knew who the members of the Black Family are. Their Manor is very heavily guarded since it also serves as the management center of the district. Since people enjoy gossip and empty speculations, many discussion arose regarding the identity of the mysterious Black Family, unfortunately, that is all they are, speculations.


    At the top floor of the building the contained the office of Management of Blackreach City, three men and a woman sat around a table with forlorn looks on their faces. The woman who was wearing a blue dress with embroidered patterns spoke with a soft voice towards a white robed elder:


    "Silus. Did you hear anything from that Neal. Do you think he suspects us being behind his family''s demise."


    Silus furrowed his brows at the question. He couldn¡¯t help but think back at how enraged Neal was five months ago when he spoke with him in this same exact office. If Neal knew that the four families were behind the events of his families death, he couldn¡¯t have possibly been so calm in front of him.


    "He hasn¡¯t contacted me, and I don''t think he knows anything."


    "Why do you think so?" The woman asked again.


    "Last time I spoke to him, he seemed upset the Shorn Family. He is a hot headed person so couldn¡¯t have been so collected in front of me if he knew."


    ''Bang''


    A fist striking the round table the four sat around moved everyone''s attention to a red robed man with similar red hair and a square face who was sitting across from Silus. He Looked straight at Silus and Spoke:


    "Why are there even surviving members of the Black Family, and not only one but five. Also, why did you agree to give them all the assets of those Shorn morons. I can''t help but think this entire thing was caused by your negligence."


    Silus'' eyes sharpened as he listened to the red haired man''s words. He couldn¡¯t help but frown at how the blame was being shamelessly directed towards him.


    "Watch how you speak to me Napar. The failure of the Shorn had nothing to do with me. As for the assets, we four decided it was best to give it to him, in order to avoid Neal suspecting us. Are you saying that I made your decision for you."


    Napar''s eyes redened at Silus'' words and was about to speak when a firm, authoritative voice reverberated throughout the room:


    "Enough."


    This was the fourth man speaking. He was quietly listening to the other three discuss what was going on. The moment the other three were quiet and looking at him, he leaned slightly forward and continued speaking:


    "We can''t afford to have discord amongst us anymore. Our actions have directly led to this problem, so we are all equally responsible. Now the Black Family is almost as popular as our families, and although their wealth is far from comparing to ours, it is only a matter of time before they catch up, so we must think of a solution."


    The other three stared at the man with focused eyes as if waiting for him to give them the answers they so yearn for. The blue robed women suddenly spoke with a melodious voice:


    "Arthur. What do you think we should do?"


    This Arthur stared directly at the eyes of the blue robed women, then shifted his gaze towards each of the other two.


    "As I see it, we have two options. First, We attack the Black Family now while they are still relatively weak and wipe them out. Or, We avoid the Black Family altogether, and simply watch them like our predecessors."


    Hearing Arthur''s words, the blue robed women and Silus both nodded their heads, only the red haired Napar was staring directly at him without moving. He remained quiet for a moment and then spoke:


    "I say we go with the first option. It is better to get rid of them once and for all."


    Arthur looked at Napar with no discernable emotion on his face and then spoke:


    "You are correct Napar, it is quicker to just kill them now. However, there are repercussions. Those Blacks are very popular in their district, If we kill them then it is possible we''ll have an uprising on our hands. Also, this Neal is extremely meticulous, there are very few people who actually come into contact with him and his district is like a fortress, so if we attack and he escapes, he will most certainly connect us to the deed."


    "Hmph"


    Silus looked at Napar with a slight hint of amusement on his face, then he spoke towards Arthur:


    "I believe the second method is better. It was our rush to action in the first place that led to this problem."


    The blue robed woman also chimed in:


    "I agree with Silus. We can bide our time and wait for an opportunity."


    Arthur simply nodded his head and spoke again:


    "The second method is the sound options. We''ll distance ourselves from the Black Family but still keep an eye on them. Silus, make sure that no one outside the four of us knows of our connection to the death of the Black Family."


    "Understood."


    "And Napar. Don''t do anything rash, If we notice even a hint that they know of our connection to their incident, then we''ll wipe them out with prejudice."


    "Hmph."


    "Good. Then we all agree. Hopefully we don¡¯t come to regret this decision, like we did our initial one."


    ..................................................................................................................................


    In Wesley''s Manor, in his study. Wesley was sitting across from a dark robed, broad shouldered man with a noble aura emanating from him. Wesley has been very pleased in the last few months because the seventh district which caused his heart no small amount of agony was improving, and all of this was due to this man in front of him.


    "Well Neal. How are things progressing."


    "Regarding the District or the four families."


    "Regarding the district."


    "Well, things are going smoothly. We have spent around five million gold over the last five months which accounts to almost three fourths of the assets of the Shorn Family we received. We also established a nice base in the district so it should give you some room to move around."


    "Haha, who would''ve thought that the four families would actually give you gold to destroy them.Tell me about the four families."


    "Yes. The four families have not made any major movements aside from a few meeting between the four family heads. I don''t know if they will decide to attack us now while we''re weak, or simply decide to wait and see. Based on how often they¡¯ve been meeting, I think they''ll choose to attack."


    Wesley listened quietly to Neal''s words while thinking and then he spoke:


    "I think they will decide to wait and see."


    "Why do you think so."


    Neal was surprised at Wesley''s words. The more prudent choice was to attack your enemy while they are weak. Waiting is simply giving them time at the expense of your life.


    "Haha. Considering you popularity in the District, with twenty thousand supporters, I would never risk a direct confrontation, lest a rebellion occurs. Also, they are probably counting on you not knowing what they did, so the safer bet is to avoid you and hope you never find out."


    "Hmm. That does make sense. But I am still going to make plans incase they do attack. I would very much rather not count on them being considerate of the repercussions of their actions."


    "Haha. True. It will be great if they were rash and attacked. It is far easier to kill an enemy amidst a giant rebellion than a quiet afternoon."


    "Either way we''ll be prepared."


    "Give it a few more months. If nothing happens, then we''ll proceed with the second part of the plan."


    "Understood."


    Neal immediately stood up and emerged with the floor and disappeared from the study only to reappear in the Lord''s Mansion almost half a mile away. After reaching his Mansion, Neal couldn''t help but be amazed at the amount of foresight and knack for strategy Wesley shows.


    Over the last almost half year, Neal has started to see Wesley as the not naive child he looks like, but rather an extremely smart and ruthless person. His nephew Lane could be considered a genius amongst his peers, but compared to this two or three years older youth, he is simply ordinary.


    He didn¡¯t know the circumstances behind Wesley, or his identity, or his desire to help the Black Family. In fact, he knew very little about Wesley, which would normally cause him to be wary of a person. But he felt that Wesley had no malice towards his family, rather he thought of him as one of his nephews, only far more mysterious and far more deadly.


    ..............................................................................................................................


    Hey old chaps.


    The story is finally progressing.  Enjoy.


    Also Shout out to [ SkullCrusher ] who read from chapter one to last chapter in like two days and commented thank you on each of them.


    It is great to see that there are still new readers following the story, brings tears to my eyes.

 Chapter 29 - His First Move

    Wesley and Neal''s decision to wait two months was not only intended to ascertain how the four families would react to the rise of the Black Family, it also served to give Neal enough time to strengthen his base in the seventh district as well as consolidating his network around it.


    Blackreach city has existed for nearly three thousand years, and ever since its establishment, the city always had six districts; the Central District where management of the city occurred, the Main district which includes the four main roads and most of the businesses in the city, and the final four residential districts.


    The central and main districts are controlled by the city. These two districts, although not big in size, serve as the heart of the city for two reasons. First, almost all the businesses in the city are in the main district, along the four main roads, meaning a lot of taxes for the city. And second, the Central District, which is the actual switchboard of the city because that¡¯s where the management of the city takes place.


    As for the four residential districts, these four districts are far larger than the central and main districts because they house the entirety of the city''s population. Although these four districts don¡¯t have many businesses in them, they do have a lot of people residing in them, which in turn leads to a lot of tax revenue.


    The four districts are each ruled by a noble family. These four families are known as the four families and are the undisputed hegemons of Blackreach city. Each of the four families govern their respective districts, and they share control of the main and central districts with no single family being superior to the other.


    Blackreach City has existed for countless years, and although its splendor seemed everlasting, it was only inevitable that poverty and destitution arose amongst its citizens. This inevitably led to the emergence of a Seventh district.


    This seventh district was located in the fringes of the city where the Eastern and Southern city walls met, and only encompassed a fifth of the area of the other four districts. This district was instantly transformed into somewhat of a dump for the city, housing the poor, the homeless, the orphans, the incapable, and all sorts of undesirables.


    Furthermore, the district was not claimed by any of the four families causing the central government to turn a blind eye to it. This made the district a hotbed for misery, crime and lawlessness. The district was governed by whomever had the power to control it, and it will often go without anyone being in charge of it.


    This was the status quo for the city for almost thousand years. Blackreach City as a whole prospered, while the Seventh only grew more solemn, and everyone seemed to be fine with it because regardless of what was preferable, reality dictated that a place like the Seventh was a necessary evil, and as if saving themselves the guilt, words like lazy and incable were attached with the residents of the district. But this changed almost seven months ago.


    Now, a new noble family were in charge of the seventh family. This family, unlike the previous and numerous rulers of the seventh district, are high nobility. Furthermore, under their governorship, the Seventh District was transformed from a wretched place of crime and misery, to a haven comparable to the four residential districts.


    Under the Black Family, every resident of the district was given a decent home to live in and these homes, although neither luxurious nor special, are far better than homelessness. Furthermore, many more things such as schools, and orphanages were built.


    It was originally unprecedented that anyone would spare any effort in building up such a rundown place, and when you add that to the fact that all this was done with the Black Family''s own wealth and in short five months, then it simply becomes inconceivable. Many people couldn¡¯t understand why the Black Family.


    However, before anyone could at length discuss the reason behind the Black Family''s actions, the Black Family surprised them once again. They arranged a job for every capable adult in the district. Be it in the various businesses in the district, as guards, as constructors, or as teachers, no one who was able to work was unemployed.


    This mass employment, coupled with the levying of monthly taxes by the Black Family made their message abundantly clear: no free handouts, everyone gets what they work for. Their idea was not very innovative, many people believe that the difference between poor people and wealthy people is simply the opportunities they are given.


    Under the governorship of the Black Family, the seventh district that was once a cesspool, was in short seven months transformed into a lively place, and its once hopeless and wretched residents became filled with liveliness and industry as if they were all given purpose and direction.


    The Black Family''s actions garnered them the admiration of the masses, especially those of the seventh district. They became targets for reverence and respect throughout the city and they were almost seen as saints by those of the seventh district. However, a few of their policies led to a few raised eyebrows.


    For example, no one was allowed outside their homes between midnight and dawn. The seventh district was the only district with a curfew making many people surprised as to the reason behind out. When representatives of the central government inquired about the reason, all they received was a simple: So as to ensure the safety of our residents.


    Another example, is that if someone who is not from the seventh tried to live in the district, they must not only buy a home, they must also find their own work and the taxes they pay would be slightly higher than the others. This caused many people in the other districts to became angry, however, the Black Family maintained that this was in accordance with the city rules.


    No one could really understand the reasons behind these policies, and most people thought them to be either excessive or unfair, but the  Black Family''s reputation and clout was enough that no one really paid to such minor things. No one really knew the reason behind any of these policies, no one but two people.


    .................................................................................................................


    Wesley and Neal were currently standing in Wesley''s study staring down at a map on the table. This map didn¡¯t have any words on it, only lines numbers, numerous dots of different colors, squares, and triangles, but if one looked closely, they would immediately realize that this was a map of Blackreach City.


    Using Neal''s capacity as a lord, he had access to numerous maps and reports of the city. This specific map, although not an official map, was extremely detailed and had everything he and Wesley would need to move on with their plans.


    Wesley and Neal both stared intently at the map, then Wesley put his finger on one of the dots on the map, a red dot, and spoke:


    "We''ll start here."


    Neal stared at where Wesley''s finger was pointing. This was not a simple matter, so he was thinking up of possible consequences so that they could correct them or choose another option.


    "Are you sure. I think it would be easier if we started here."


    Neal spoke as he pointed to another dot that was blue. Wesley instantly looked at where Neal''s finger was at and he thought for a short while before speaking again:


    "I know it will be easier if we went after the Blume Family first, but if we go after the t after the Blume Family first. But, going after the Ranes would be better in the long run."


    "How do you figure so."


    Neal was skeptical of Wesley''s words. Going after the easier target would not only be faster but also relatively faster. Wesley only nodded his head and spoke again:


    "From what you I could glimpse from your reports, the Ranes family is most likely in conflict with the Wayle Family."


    "So?"


    "So, If something happens to the Ranes Family, then the first suspect would not a third party, but their known adversaries."


    "Hmm, I see your point. But, I don''t think anyone would believe the four families would act against one another, especially the four families."


    "That is true, but what if you used your networks to spread the rumor that an assassin was sent by the Wayle family."


    Neal thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up as he seemed to understand what Wesley was getting at. He looked at the issue at hand with a rigid point of view making him only see the obvious road, however, Wesley''s manueverings were far more intricate, he seemed to have calculated a few steps ahead.


    "Then, regardless of what the four families do know, there would still be some doubts, after all, a lot of people would be talking about the assassin sent by the Wayle Family."


    Wesley''s face also had a smile on it, half charming and half wicked, as he saw the outline of his plan come together. He once again spoke:


    "Right. And If something were to happen to the Wayle family?"


    "Then it would be thought of as retaliation from the Ranes Family."


    "Indeed. We would have dealt with half of the four families without us bthe four families without the rest becoming on guard from a phantom enemy."


    "Then we can deal with the relatively weak Blume Family, however...."


    Neal stopped his sentence midway and stared at a green dot. This dot represented the Kader Family, the strongest and oldest of the four families. Out of the four families, the Kader families were the hardest to deal with.


    Wesley also looked at the green dot, and the smile on his face almost disappeared. He really couldn¡¯t think of anyway to deal with this specific family. They not only were the strongest of the four families, they also seemed to be the most cautious and diligent. When dealing with them, there is no room for failure. Wesley only shook his head and spoke:


    "We''ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now we''ll do things step by step."


    "Indeed. But are you sure you can do this."


    Neal was hesitant to let Wesley get involved, after all Wesley was hardly past twelve. Wesley only looked at the smear of worry in Neal''s face and he instinctively reached for his dark sword as he spoke:


    "Don''t worry too much, I am pretty good. And if I do fail, I can always run. Haha"


    Wesley''s words did indeed hold some merit. He was the best one for the job since the four families are most likely not on guard against a dark mage as they are an earth mage, he also is a prince of the Ject Kingdom, so he could always escape to the protection of his family. However, to Neal, he had some hard time accepting his words at its value.


    Seeing that the look of worry on Neal''s face was still there, he spoke once again:


    "Tell me Neal, could you have used Earth Merge to sneak into the Shorn residence and kill them?"


    Wesley knew that Neal''s earth merge enabled him to go anywhere unhindered as long as the walls of that place where made from either earth or stone. Neal thought about it for a moment and them firmly shook his head as he spoke:


    "Impossible. Any noble would proof their homes against earth mages lest they be assassinated. I am sure the Shorn Family did the same."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Neal''s response could not be anymore true. Earth Merge is a very famous spell, so as to avoid being killed in their own homes, many nobles build their homes with steel walls.


    "Then tell me Neal, how did I kill the Shorn Family?"


    Neal only stared at Wesley surprised. He knew Wesley was a dark mage, and although Wesley himself never mentioned it, he knew he used some Dark Magic, only let alone Neal, it would be very hard to find someone who knows anything about Dark Magic.


    Neal shook his head in resignation and spoke:


    "I get it."


    "Good. Now, You will only have a day between when I go to the Ranes Manor to when I visit the Wayle Family, so you need to ensure that the rumors of the Wayle Family hiring spies spread fast in this day."


    "Don''t worry. My agents are in every place where rumors start and spread. I will have the whole city buzzing by noon tomorrow."


    "Good. Then I will make my move tomorrow night before the Ranes Family grows too guarded."


    "Now..."


    Neal immediately dug into a pile of paper on the table and pulled out one of them and scanned its contents. After a few moments he spoke again:


    "The Ranes Family Manor would be very heavily guarded. Around a hundred soldiers living in the Manor with twenty five being on guard at any given time. Guard shifts change every five hours, and tomorrow night, the shift end would be around one in the morning. That would be your best chance to sneak in or out."


    Neal''s research was simply too detailed, and although he wasn¡¯t expecting to go after the Ranes Family first, he still did his research and collected enough information. One of the reasons he wanted to avoid the Ranes Family was because his research showed how hard it will be to get past all the guards they have.


    Wesley simply nodded his head as he listened. He wasn¡¯t going to charge past the guards, but it never hurt to know what he was about to walk into it.


    "Understood. You go back Neal. I want to refine for a short while."


    "Understood."


    Neal imedailty packed his maps and sheets of papers and used his Earth Merge to disappear from the study and to the Lord Manor. Wesley was left standing in the study with a solemn look on his face.


    He immediately slumped weakly onto the chair that was behind him and started thinking. His plan for dealing with the four families was a simple divide and conquer, pitting the enemy against each other and then picking them one by one.


    However, regardless of how simple the plan is, it is extremely complicated to put into action. Wesley needs to make sure that his actions are not traceable to him or the Black Family, he also needs to make sure that the actions by the four families do not throw his plans into chaos.


    Doing all of this required quite a lot of focus to be accounted for, and a rigid schedule to be followed so that everything plays out as dictated. However, the plan also needs to be flexible enough to account for the enemy''s actions without falling apart.


    All of this combined caused Wesley no small amount of headache. Wesley thought more than once that the whole affair was too taxing. But, considering how Wesley thought of the five Black siblings as little treasures, he couldn¡¯t help but clench his jaw and carry on.


    .........................................................................................................................


    The sky over Blackreach City was extremely dark. It is said that the hours after midnight are the darkest, and tonight was especially so since there was no moon shining in the sky, giving the whole city a solemn feeling of emptiness.


    Wesley walked out of his Manor without a slight hint of hesitation. There could be no one keeping an eye on him right now because of the curfew that was imposed in the seventh district, so Wesley could easily walk out without worry.


    Wesley glanced at a small parchment in his hand. This parchment was a map given to him by Neal showing him the routes of night patrols so he can easily avoid them. Wesley who was wearing dark cloth from head to toe walked to one of the alleyways and continued walking until he reached the borders of the sixth district.


    The Ranes Family are the rulers of the sixth district, which is another reason why Wesley chose to start with them. The distance between the border of the seventh district and his target was not even an entire mile, making the chances of him being discovered less.


    Although it was past midnight and a lot of people are home asleep, the contrast between the curfewed seventh and the regular sixth was too clear. Wesley could see a few people walking here and there In the seventh district. Avoiding the well lit roads, Wesley stuck to the alleyways and small roads.


    What should have been a ten minute walk took Wesley thirty minutes as he made sure to avoid people on the streets. Standing at the roof of a small Manor adjacent to Ranes Manor, Wesley seemed to have melded in with the dark night.


    The Ranes Manor was indeed worthy of such a great family. The entire Manor had about area of ninety thousand feet. At the center stood the main house which was a five story house with each story being slightly smaller than the one below it giving it a somewhat pyramidal shape.


    The front yard of the Manor had guards patrolling in groups of two. The same two-man team would reach the same spot once every fifteen minutes, and there were ten such teams zigzagging across the front and backyards. Seeing this, Wesley estimated that there is less than a minute for any given spot to be clear, and that is assuming the guards all walk in the same pace.


    If someone tried to sneak in, then they would be caught before they even reached the main house. Wesley was extremely impressed at whomever came up with this patrolling pattern. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to worry about that.


    The distance between the roof Wesley was standing on and the main Manor was about two hundred feet. Wesley''s range when using Dark Warp is five hundred feet, putting the main house well within his range.


    Wesley simply stood at the roof waiting motionlessly. After almost half an hour of waiting, a soft bell rung throughout the Ranes Manor. This bell was not enough to wake anyone, and even Wesley barely heard it, but the moment it rung, the entire Manor seemed to have come to life.


    Dozens of guards walked out noisily from within the main house and those that were outside started walking in. As soon as this happened, Wesley immediately invoked his Dark Warp and reappeared moments later at the roof of the Ranes main house. Wesley could have done this anytime earlier, but he wanted to see how accurate Neal''s reports were, and they were on the dot.


    Wesley once again used his Dark Warp to reappear inside the top floor of the house. As soon as Wesley reappeared inside the house, he noticed that this room served as a study as it was filled with papers and books. Wesley simply shook his head at his luck and walked to one of the walls of the study.


    Wesley once again used his Dark Warp to move into the next room. Silently appearing in this room, Wesley noticed that this was a bedroom  with a giant bed in the center of it. On this bed layed a red haired man who seemed to be in his fifties and a dark haired women.


    Seeing this, a wicked smile surfaced on Wesley''s face as he muttered something and invoked his Dark Domain. Only this Dark Domain was extremely small as it covered only him and the bed where the couple were sleeping.


    "How Long are you going to be asleep."


    A soft voice resounded throughout the room causing the red haired man to jump up hastily while the women only groaned and continued sleeping. Hearing this voice, the red haired man knew that things suddenly took a bad turn.


    "Who is it. What is going on."


    The red haired man twisted his neck left and right trying to see where the voice came from, but all he could see was darkness, earie, unnatural darkness that seemed to extend for countless miles. He couldn¡¯t see a speck of light or life, only silent darkness. The red man was about to convince himself that it was just a dream but the sound came once again:


    "Lower your voice. Your wife is still sleeping."


    Hearing this voice, the man''s heart churned. He realized this was not a dream, he knew that today was most likely going to be his last. In any other occasion, the man would have screamed his head off, but seeing how his wife wasn¡¯t even aroused to wakefulness, he felt that was utterly pointless.


    This red haired man knew that if an assassin was skilled enough to bypass his security and catch him sleeping, then there was no way he was going to make such a simple mistake as letting his target wake up when they could simply scream. But he still held on to some hope and spoke again:


    "Who are you."


    "You don''t need to know that."


    "What do you want?"


    "I am sure you already know that."


    The voice in the darkness was serene and sounded almost childish. Hearing this the red haired man''s heart was filled with dread. He would''ve rather liked a loud or vicious voice come at him, because that would mean they were at least human. But this childish, unharried voice made him wonder if there really was a person around. The red haired man spoke once again:


    "Do what you must fiend. You will not hear me beg today."


    The entire room was plunged into silence. This silence was like daggers stabbing at the red haired man as he waited for his life to end. But while waiting, the cold voice once more reached his ears startling him.


    "You will most definitely die tonight, so don''t worry about that. The question is how you will die and what will happen after your death."


    The red haired man has already steeled his resolve. He knew he was going to die today, but he still acted as a proper noble; full of dignity and loftiness. But when he heard the words of the faceless voice, his heart trembled slightly and he spoke again:


    "What do you mean."


    "Answer all my questions and you will die a quick painless death. Refuse, and your death will be anything but quick or painless. Oh, and every member of your family will most definitely die."


    "YOU BAST........AHHHHHH"


    The red haired man opened his mouth to shout at the figure and curse, but before he could even finish his words, a piercing pain ran through his body. His right thumb has been chopped off almost instantaneously.


    "You have ten fingers, twenty if you count your toes. Or maybe it is better if I tortured your wife in front of you."


    "Stop please. I''ll tell you anything you want. Just stop."


    "That¡¯s better. If only you were this understanding one finger ago, you could have saved both of us some effort. Now....."


    ........................................................................................................


    Hey guys.


    i know it has been a few day, and before you say it, i have an excuse-----> My WIFI is trash.


    In other news. I think the economy is getting better. It is the best time to invest in hot place like the Seventh District. Invest today.

 Chapter 30 - His Temperament

    In the highest floor of the seventh district Lord''s mansion, two figures were talking in a semi-lit room while looking down at a nameless map. One of the figures is a dark clothed person, with a hood covering his face and a small dark sword on his hip. Going by his slim body and small stature, he exuded a youthful feeling.


    The other person was a bearded man with broad shoulders and stern eyes. His face hinted that he was in his late forties, but his strong, vigorous body, coupled with his pitch black hair made him seem like a person in his prime.


    As the two figures stared at each other, bearded man was the first to speak:


    "Is it done?"


    "Yes."


    "How did it go?"


    "Entering was not too hard, exiting also was not hard. Only I had to make look like I fought my way through, leaving a few guards dead here and there."


    "I see. Well, rumor has it that the Wayle family head hired an assassin to kill the Ranes family head. The rumors should gain some traction in the next few days."


    "Haha, is that so. Let us give a day or two to grow nicely. For now, I have something for you."


    The dark closed person extended his hand. In his hand was what seemed to be a parchment that was folded. The bearded man looked at the parchment suspiciously and then took it. He immediately unfolded the paper and stared at it. As he stared at it, he couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows slightly and spoke again:


    "I don''t know what this is."


    "Haha. It is a treasure map."


    The bearded person furrowed his brows further as he heard the words '' treasure map'' causing him to look at the parchment further. However, no matter how hard he looked he couldn¡¯t make out where exactly this map was. In fact, this entire map was a bundle of crisscrossing lines with a single red line.


    "A treasure map that leads where exactly."


    "Before I tell you that Neal, Let me ask you; Exactly how rich do you think the four families are."


    Neal couldn¡¯t help frown at the question. The four families ruled over Blackreach City, which is one of the richest cities in the continent, for almost a millennia; imagining the amount of wealth they accumulated over the years, one needs to have great imagination, and even then it would be a modest estimate.


    Neal simply shook his head trying to calculate it or even imagine it and just spoke resignigly:


    "Innumerable. That is all I can say."


    "Haha. Indeed. But when I went to the Ranes Family treasury, the amount I found was simply too small. I also found this little parchment. So tell me, where do you think this map leads?"


    After he heard these words, Neal''s eyes lit up and a look of excitement flashed through them. He looked at the parchment in his hand and then back at the figure that stood across from him and then spoke again with excitement evident in his voice:


    "Wesley...Are you saying.."


    "Haha. Indeed. I believe this map leads to some sort of treasury where the four families horded all their accumulated wealth. Unfortunately, the Ranes Family head was already dead by the time i found this, so I couldn¡¯t verify."


    "What now?"


    "Now? Now we proceed with the original plan. I don''t know where this map leads or where it is exactly, so I''ll ask the Wayle Family head soon."


    "I see. Did you find anything else that might be of use."


    Neal''s voice contained some hints of his initial excitement, but he still maintained a dignified appearance. This caused Wesley to laugh inwardly, he knew that the allure of such an enormous wealth was not small, and even Neal, was not immune to it.


    "I didn¡¯t find anything as great as the map. But I did learn one things that make our lifes much easier."


    "What?"


    "Well, it seems that the four families have completely buried any evidence that they were involved with the Black Family killings. Now, aside from you, me, and the heads of the four families, no one knows what truly happened."


    After Neal heard Wesley''s words, he couldn¡¯t help but become furious. He slammed his hand down on the table in front of him and spoke:


    "Those bastards. They kill without remorse, and then distance themselves from association. How exactly is this good for us?"


    Neal wasn¡¯t an easily excited person so there are very few things that anger him, but seeing the four families act like nothing happened after killing almost a dozen of his relatives was enough to push anyone beyond their wits.


    "Relax Neal. This indeed would have been bad for us if we wanted to shed light on the whole matter. But, am sure your Black Family would get the worst of it."


    Wesley''s words were, admittedly somewhat insensitive and blunt, but still held some truth. If the general public were made aware of the four families'' actions, then there would be very little Wesley and Neal could further. The wealth and influence of the four families is so much, that they could kill the Black Family ten times over and no one could do anything to them.


    Furthermore, if the conflict between the four families and the Black Family was made known to the whole world, then it would not be long before the true identity of the Black Family is discovered. If that happened, then the four families would be the least of their worries. Wesley continued speaking:


    "Also, we have already decided to settle your debt in blood and in the shadows. The less people who know of our conflict with the four families, the less people I have to kill, and the less repercussions we''ll face after everything is done."


    Neal was quiet for a moment. Then he lifted his head up and spoke with a slightly resigned voice:


    "I know Wesley. No need to lecture me."


    "Good, Good. I will head home for now. Come visit me tomorrow, I''ll have the gold I received from the Ranes Manor ready for you."


    "When are you planning on moving against the Wayle Family?"


    "Hmm, I''ll give it a few days. Every noble in the city would be on edge for a few days after they hear of the Ranes'' tragedy. It will also give enough time for your rumors to spread nicely."


    Neal thought for a moment and then spoke:


    "What will you do if the four families meet again. This entire plan could fall apart if they discuss the matter."


    "Haha. It would indeed be troublesome if the new Ranes Family head talks to the other family heads and they realize what happened was a ploy by a third party. Fortunately, that would never happen."


    "Why not. The four families have always been close, and I don¡¯t think a few common folk rumors could change that."


    "Haha, I know the four families are close. But the seed of mistrust have already been planted. Also, if the Wayle head is confronted he will definitely deny any involvement, which is exactly what he would have done if he was guilty."


    "Wesley. You count too much on happenstance and chances. Your strategies are indeed impressive, but as they are, they can be seen through easily."


    "Haha. Neal, for  as long as I can remember, I was taught about politics, intrigue, duplicity, and many other things, I can compete with the best of them when it comes to subterfuge and planning. Do you know what the greatest lesson i learned is."


    "What?"


    "Haha. I learned that humans are very simple creatures. Faced with the same situation, nine out of ten react the same way. This makes it very easy to predict human behavior."


    Neal was surprised by Wesley''s words. He knew that Wesley was not like other children his age, he seemed too cold and calculating, but he also seemed more mature. Now, hearing Wesley talk about his childhood education, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of life this youth led that made him the way he is.


    "I understand Wesley. Just be careful, if your any of your plans fall short, you risk walking in on a trap."


    "I got it. I got it. Neal, try figuring out where that map leads. I''ll get going."


    Wesley immediately walked to the exit to the small room and promptly exited leaving Neal standing there alone. Neal was not stupid; he realized that Wesley was not as simple as he seemed. In fact, if one took into consideration his age, his ruthlessness, and his mysterious background, it wasn¡¯t too hard to see a glimpse of Wesley''s background.


    Neal couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was a good idea to get involved with him at all. Unfortunately, he needed Wesley for his revenge and Wesley seemed to genuinely care about his nephews, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.


    ......................................................................................................................


    The next morning, at around seven in the morning, Wesley, dressed in his red school uniform walked out from the his Manor. If anyone saw this seemingly still half asleep youth, with his innocent eyes and simple smile, they would never, in a thousand years, believe that he killed someone in his own house.


    As soon as Wesley set foot outside of the Manor, he felt a pair of eyes glued to him causing him to slightly snicker; the same mechanism the four families put in place to keep him in check, now serve as his alibi.


    Wesley simply ignored them and walked towards the academy. Normally, Wesley wouldn¡¯t go to the academy this early since the only class he had to attend was swordsmanship and that was at around elven, however, today Wesley needed to go to the academy earlier to spend some time at the library.


    Over the last seven months, Wesley continued his research into the mysteries of mana. Using the Oliver Reme''s journal, Wesley was able to rely on the recorded theories to save himself forty years of pointless research.


    Oliver Reme''s theories were not only well documented and researched, it also seemed that a lot of time was spent on retests until each theory was disproved without a single shadow of doubt. Some of these theories even seemed accurate, but they were nonetheless disproved through intense testing by Reme.


    Each of Reme''s theories caused Wesley to exclaim as he thought that he found the true essence of mana, but each time Reme would disprove it so thoroughly that Wesley was left dumbfounded.


    After reading all the theories and after each of them was disproved, Wesley was at a loss. He couldn¡¯t come up with any other theories regarding the nature of mana. So after a period of pondering where to go from here, Wesley decided to search for more books regarding mana.


    If Wesley decided to slowly think up of possible theories and then slowly test them until they are disproved or maintained, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Wesley spent eighty years while still not finding anything. And, this is assuming that he is as capable as Reme was, which he isn''t.


    So, Wesley decided on the alternate path; find other research regarding mana learn from those like he did Reme''s. Wesley convinced himself that standing on the shoulders of giants to reach greater heights is not inappropriate, rather, he is simply doing his part to help those died before reaching their goal.


    Wesley soon reached the academy and headed straight to the library which is located in the main building. Over his almost two years at the academy, Wesley has never once gone to the library. It was simply pointless since he had all the books he needed in his study.


    Wesley immediately walked into the library. The library was very dimly lit and the musky scent of books and wood covered the air. Wesley headed straight to the main desk which was facing the entrance.


    There was scramy azure robed old man sitting behind the counter reading some book. At first glance, this old man seemed extremely fragile and half way to the grave, but his eyes shone with a vigorous light and seemed to contain boundless wisdom.


    Seeing this old man, Wesley didn¡¯t dare be disrespectful. An azure robe signified an elder, and Wesley have learned to never underestimate the elders of this school, even the one who seemed to blow away with a simple gust.


    Wesley walked up to the elder causing him to look up curiously from his book and at Wesley. Wesley simply bowed slightly and spoke with no small amount of respect in his voice:


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Elder. I wish to inquire about some books."


    The elder looked at Wesley from head to toe, seemingly sizing him up. Wesley felt like he couldn¡¯t hide anything from this elder''s gaze that seemed to fathom every truth. However, after a few moments of silence, the elder spoke with a voice so soft that one would wonder if he really spoke at all:


    "What books?"


    "Anything on mana."


    The elder once again looked at Wesley with a deep gaze that contained a hint of surprise. There were many reasons behind his gaze; first, Wesley was clearly a swordsman, so what use does a swordsman have for mana. Also, this academy is predominantly an academy for mages, and the first thing one learns about as a mage is mana control and refining, so no mage reads about it.


    Wesley, as if seeing what the elder was thinking, smiled back and spoke once again:


    "Elder, I am learning breathing exercises for swordsmen. I want to see if I can understand something about the process."


    Hearing this, a somewhat slight sneer formed on his lips;it was clear that mages looked down on swordsmen and their techniques. The elder simply put his book aside and pulled out a thick book from the counter and immediately started going through it. After almost two minutes of back and forth page turning, the elder nodded at a certain page then turned to Wesley and spoke:


    "Row ten, column seven, book 432 and 433."


    "Thank you Elder."


    Wesley immediately headed to the designated area and looked for the two books. He wasn¡¯t surprised that there are only two books regarding mana in this entire library, after all, mana is only but a tool to most mages, and side from few odd ones like Oliver Reme, most mages ignore as such.


    After finding the two books, Wesley tried finding a place to sit. Surprisingly, even though it was still early, the library was almost filled to the brim by students. Most of these students were second years studying for specific classes they either failed last year or are failing now, while others, like Wesley, had something to do.


    Wesley walked around the library trying to find a place to sit, only to fail. After, sighing resignigly and cursing how studious the other students are, he couldn¡¯t help but go back to the elder and check out the two books to read them somewhere else.


    Wesley immediately headed to the courtyard which is a small open space outside of the academy''s main building. Most of the students use the courtyard to socialize and just relax.


    Reaching the courtyard, Wesley went up to the one of the many trees scattered around the courtyard and sat underneath it. It was still pretty early, so not many students were around the courtyard giving Wesley a nice, quiet, place to read.


    After a few hours of reading, Wesley was disappointed at these two books. Whomever wrote these books did so thinking that they deciphered the truth behind mana. Their theories were in fact slightly different than the ones Reme found, but unlike Reme who spent a long time disproving his theories, these two books were just based on initial tests.


    One book claimed that mana''s source is from the core of the earth. This theory was indeed similar to one of Reme''s theories that claimed that mana originates from the center of the earth. However, he noticed that mana levels are the same regardless of where is at, which means that this theory can''t be true, because, places that are underground should have higher mana levels.


    The other book claimed that mana is a recyclable form of energy that exists in the atmosphere. This was one of the hardest theories for Reme to disapprove because it contained some truth, mana is indeed somewhat unlimited, but not necessarily recyclable. If a mage refines mana and stores it in his mana core, then does then does the space that that portion of mana occupied in the space remain empty. It does not, so there is mana is replaced rather than recycled.


    "Oh, what do we have here, some trash under my tree."


    Wesley was brought back from his musings by a voice filled with disdain and arrogance. Wesley looked up from the book he had to the source of the voice.


    Standing around ten feet from him were five or so students. The foremost students was surprisingly a blue-robed first year while the others were red robed. Wesley had no idea who spoke, but going by how the red robed students were standing respectfully behind the blue robed students, it was most likely the blue robed student.


    This blue robed students had blue hair, which unlike Wesley''s blue hair, was far deeper. His face was also somewhat tanned with a healthy glow and handsome features. His eyes contained no small amount of arrogance as he looked down on Wesley who was sitting down.


    The blue robed students spoke once again with the disdain still present in his tone of speech:


    "You, trash. Leave, this is my spot."


    Wesley simply stared at this bashful youth who seemed to own the very ground he was sitting on and sighed inwardly. Wesley smiled kindly at the youth and spoke:


    "My apologies. I didn¡¯t know that this was your tree."


    After Wesley finished speaking, he slowly got up and started dusting his pants. As he was dusting his pants and was about to leave, the blue-robed student spoke again:


    "Oh..Mind leaving your shirt behind for me to sit on. You seem to have dirtied the ground."


    "Young master...."


    "Quiet."


    One of the red robed students spoke trying to tell something to the blue robed student but was silenced promptly. The red robed students shot Wesley an apologetic smile as he took a step back to where there the other red robed students were.


    Seeing this exchange, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but be down. He somehow attracts all the spoiled brats that this world has. It almost feels like they seek him out for no reason, however, looking at the two swords at his hip, he knew the reason.


    Swordsmanship is considered a commoner''s practice. And the students at this academy are mostly nobles, so they just can''t help but see anyone with a sword as beneath them. Wesley simply shook his head while smiling and spoke again:


    "Little Junior. Let us be reasonable."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, the blue robed students eye''s almost turned red and his proud countenance turned to one of rage as he roared at Wesley:


    "What junior you bastard. I am a second year student."


    Seeing the youths reaction, Wesley was astonished. This youth was apparently a second year student who failed to go up one class.


    Suddenly Wesley felt playful and somewhat vengeful as he honed in on this youth''s greatest insecurity and spoke with a mock surprise on his face:


    "Second year. Little Junior, are you color blind? You''re wearing blue, while second years wear red. You know like this."


    Wesley pointed to his own uniform as he spoke. The blue robed youth was so enraged that the makings from his frown would most definitely leave permanent marks. The student glared at Wesley, as if imagining how to make him suffer most.


    "Trash. You dare mock me. I''ll show you."


    The blue robed student muttered something beneath his breath and a few seconds later, a fierce fire ball appeared in his hand. The student looked at the fireball, then at Wesley hoping to see some sort of fear only to find Wesley giving him the thumbs up.


    "Is this what you wanted to show me Little Junior. It is indeed a pretty ball of flames. Can you do some tricks?"


    Hearing Wesley''s words, the blue robed student fumed. He felt his vision tunnel and focus on the approvingly nodding and smiling Wesley. He immediately tossed the fireball towards Wesley while shouting:


    "Die Trash."


    The Fire Ball rushed towards Wesley who was only ten feet away. Wesley noticed that this fireball was extremely wobbly and its course weak. Wesley now understood why this youth failed to pass on to the next level. This amount of skill was pitiful, in fact, Wesley was wondering how he even managed to pass the entrance examination.


    Wesley waited until the fireball was with half a feet of him and then he leaned slightly to the left. The fireball has been so wobbly that by the time it reached Wesley, it was almost off target. All Wesley had to do was lean away slightly and it passed by him.


    Wesley looked back at the blue robed youth who was now glaring at him while heaving heavy breaths and spoke:


    "Little Junior. This is unacceptable. With this level of skill, you won''t be able to become  a second year student and you''ll wear blue for another year."


    The blue robed student could almost spit blood. This person he approached seemed to be a horrible bastard who clung on to a person greatest insecurity like a leach until every single drop of blood has been sucked.


    Wesley continued speaking in his seemingly sincere tone while viciously attacking the blue robed student:


    "Ah, I know. Little Junior, you magic is utter trash, but you could definitely become a swordsman. I could even tutor you..."


    Wesley paused for a moment as if in deep thought, and then he continued speaking in a dejected voice:


    "Never mind, Little Junior. Swordsmanship also requires talent and skill, so you won''t be able to learn it as well."


    "Wesley, you''re pushing it."


    One of the red robed students behind the blue robed youth spoke while the blue robed youth himself was starring daggers at Wesley with a loss for words. Wesley looked at the red robed students and smiled amiably as he spoke:


    "Oh. Fellow Second Year Student, I apologize. Haha."


    Wesley laughed as he walked past the blue robed youth who seemed shocked still. He has emphasized the words '' Fellow Second Year Student'' on purpose in order to irk the blue robed youth further.


    Wesley hardly ever bothered with anyone, but if someone, somehow managed to annoy him, then Wesley wouldn¡¯t waste even a speck of restraint on that person. Fortunately, for this student, Wesley was not allowed to kill or injure other students, or he might have already stepped over his lifeless body.


    After Wesley was gone for almost a minute, the blue robed youth turned to his followers and barked:


    "You Useless bastards. How dare you let him speak to me like that."


    The four students all looked down looking meek. The one who spoke to Wesley spoke up again:


    "Young master, we tried to tell you. That was Wesley"


    "Who the hell is this Wesley?"


    "Young master. You missed last year''s ranking competition. Wesley made a name for himself that day. No one in the second class doesn¡¯t know about him."


    The scene of Wesley dismantling not one but two mages after they had already invoked their spells has been imprinted deep into the minds of many of his classmates.  No mage believed they could beat a swordsman in one on one combat, but they still believed that they were more powerful than a mage if only they were given the chance to invoke, however, this was not the case in front of Wesley.


    "Wesley. Wesley."


    The blue robed youth stared at the way Wesley went with murder in his eyes. He has never been so humiliated his entire life, let alone being looked down upon.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    Aloha.


    For those of you who wanted an antagonist, here you go.


    For those of you who wanted a love interest, i can''t even manage that in RL, let alone in Fic. :)


    Now, a special shout out to [ qtjr168 ] whose reading sequence of the chapters went something like this: 1, 2, 5, 3, 4, 8, 12, 9, 6, 13, 14, 11, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 22, 25, 24, 28, 27, 29, 26.


    I think this is a code, so if one of you guys breaks it, hit me up.


    Enjoy

 Chapter 31 - His Second Move

    After Wesley left the bratty first year repeater, he immediately headed back to the library to return the books he took, and then he went to his Swordsmanship class.


    After almost four hours, Wesley finished his lessons for the day and immediately headed back to the Manor feeling tired and sore. However, today, Wesley didn¡¯t go along his usual route, rather he took the main road as he headed to the seventh district.


    Usually, Wesley takes the smaller roads because they are less crowded, but today was a special day. Wesley wanted to see how Neal''s rumor was spreading among the general public.


    According to Wesley''s prediction, the rumors should have spread quite a lot. However, predictions are simply conjecture, they cannot replace actually observing the public and their reaction, because predictions are based on best case scenarios and reality is a little more complicated.


    As Wesley walked through the crowded main road, he picked up numerous conversations here and there about the assassination. There were even some people who claimed to have been at the Manor.


    Based on the fact that a lot of people seemed to know about the rumors, and that it was still spreading steadily, Wesley was already satisfied. He felt that it was enough for him to move on to the second phase without worry.


    Having been satisfied by the results, Wesley left the main road and entered the sixth district as he headed towards the seventh district. As he walked through the sixth district, Wesley suddenly had a thought and took a slightly divergent path.


    After a few minutes of walking, Wesley reached an Inn. This Inn belonged to Michael who was the first person Wesley got to know in this city as well as really good source of rumors and gossip.


    Wesley wanted to know exactly what the rumors were sayings, but he couldn¡¯t just ask random people, so he chose to ask Michael. Wesley immediately walked into the Inn.


    As soon as Wesley walked in, he noticed that the Inn was almost entirely filled. It was almost the end of the day, so many people came here to relax or catch a quick meal before heading in for the night.


    Wesley walked towards the counter where a middle aged man was currently leaning towards another man while speaking about something in a hushed voice. Seeing this, Wesley nonchalantly took a seat next to the man who was talking to the bartender and spoke with a laugh:


    "Michael. Are you planning on giving me food, or am I to starve today."


    The bartender who was engrossed in his talk furrowed his brow slightly and a small frown surfaced at  the words and turned towards the source. As soon as he saw who was speaking, the frown immediately disappeared and a sincere smile took its place.


    "Wesley. You finally decide to come visit me."


    "Haha. Sorry, you know how busy things can make people."


    "Busy? You brat? You don¡¯t even work. Could it be you have little girlfriend?"


    "Haha. I don''t know what you''re talking about, I might just be the busiest person in this city."


    "Enough of your excuses. What do you want to eat, you look somewhat tired."


    Wesley just left his swordsmanship lesson, and although the breathing exercises lesson fatigue, they do not completely get rid of them causing Wesley look somewhat haggard.


    "Haha. Get me the house special. If you want to treat me, I won''t stop you."


    "Haha. I still have a business to run. You should be the one treating me."


    Wesley and Michael continued talking and laughing together for an hour while Wesley slowly at his food. Wesley didn¡¯t directly approach the subject of his interest, rather, he spent the hour casually conversing with Michael about how his life was in the last few months.


    After talking for awhile, Michael noticed that it was getting dark outside, so he looked at Wesley deeply and spoke:


    "Wesley, you should start heading home. The City is not a good place to be walking around at night, especially for a kid."


    Wesley was secretly delighted that Michael said this as he felt it was related to what he wanted to know, so he spoke inquisitively:


    "Why. Is something the matter."


    Michael looked at Wesley deeply with a furrowed brow as if he was debating whether he should say what he meant. After a moment of silence, he slightly shook his head and spoke:


    "Last night the head of one of the ruling families was assassinated in his home. The assassin has not been caught, so there is a killer on the loose."


    Wesley widened his eyes in shock as he heard the news. He spoke with a slightly shaky voice:


    "Why would do such a horrible thing."


    "I don''t know either. Everyone In the city knows it was the Wayle family that were behind the assassination, but no one can do anything without proof and the assassin was very through."


    "Wait. How do you know it was the Wayle family."


    "There were rumors going on even before the assassination that an assassin was hired by the Wayle family. Now that the head of Ranes family has been assassinated, even a child can see the connection."


    "This is terrible. I always thought that the four families were tightly knit. To do such a thing.."


    Wesley shook his head with a convincingly sincere look of sadness on his face. Hearing Wesley''s words, Michael immediately snorted and spoke:


    "Tightly knit? It might seem so for people like you who only moved here recently, but everyone knows that the four families are anything but tightly knit. Especially the Ranes and Wayle families. Rather, am surprised something like this didn¡¯t happen sooner."


    Wesley listened to Michael speak about the situation of the four families. He learned that his initial prediction was indeed true and that there were numerous conflicts between the four families regarding control of the city.


    Aside from the strong and mysterious Kader family and the relatively weak Blume family, the Wayle and Ranes families always competed against each other to gain greater control and authority in the city.


    "Wesley, it is getting darker. Go home and be safe on your way."


    "Haha. I will, stop worrying."


    "Good. And come visit me often."


    "I will."


    Wesley immediately left Michael''s Inn and headed home.


    ........................................................................................................................


    Later that night, at the top floor of the Office of Management which served as an unofficial meeting place for the heads of the four families was currently occupied by three figures, two men and a woman, dressed in varying clothes.


    The women stared at a gray haired old man who currently had his hand to his chin and spoke:


    "Silus. Have you heard of the rumors going around the city."


    Silus looked at the woman with stern eyes as if telling her to watch her words causing the women to slightly avert her eyes. He simply shook his head and spoke:


    "Neya. I know what you mean. I heard the rumors, and before you ask, no I didn¡¯t send assassins to kill Napar."


    The woman hesitated at Silus'' words. She was not planning on asking him directly about the assassination, but she did indeed intend to see his reaction if the topic was brought up. Based on his reaction, Silus could be speaking the truth, but there is still the chance that he is pretending.


    Seeing Neya''s hesitation, Silus felt like he knew what she intended and continued speaking:


    "It is not a secret that I never liked that Napar. But I hardly have any reason to assassinate him."


    "Calm down Silus, Neya is not accusing you of anything. We are trying to make sense of what happened."


    The third man spoke with a firm voice causing both Neya and Silus to stop their bickering. He then looked deeply at Silus with a calm yet penetrating gaze and continued speaking:


    "Silus. Did you tell that youngster Mater to come see us today."


    "I sent him a message earlier. He replied that he had some things to take care of."


    Neya looked at the third man and spoke:


    "He might be busy with his father''s....."


    Neay paused her sentence midway as she seemed to think of something. Most likely the reason Mater didn¡¯t attend the meeting is because he was busy with his father''s funeral, or maybe he just didn¡¯t want to see his father''s killer.


    As this thought surfaced in her mind, she turned her gaze to Silus. Silus immediately noticed her gaze causing him to frown and immediately speak:


    "Neya. I am growing tired of your nonsense. I had nothing to do with Napar''s death, and I would appreciate it if you would stop."


    "Silus, I..."


    "Enough. I am leaving Arthur."


    Silus immediately stood up and left the office in a hurry leaving only Arthur and Neya in the office. Neya looked at Arthur with a small frown and spoke inquisitively:


    "Arthur?"


    "It is fine Neya, Silus is under a lot of pressure and is slightly on edge."


    "Do you think he really is behind the assassination?"


    Arthur was quiet for a moment as if in deep thought, and then he spoke while shaking his head:


    "It is possible he was behind it, but the chances are slim. Silus wouldn¡¯t gain much from killing Napar, as far as we know."


    "Then the rumors."


    "Hmm. That is what surprises me. I can''t help but feel there is something missing."


    "What do you mean?"


    "These rumors. They are too conveniently timed and are spreading too fast. I don''t know what it is, but something is bothering me....."


    Arthur stopped speaking almost immediately. He looked at Neya, but seemed to look past her as his eyes were covered by a thoughtful glaze. After a moment of silence, his eyes focused on Neya again and he spoke:


    "Neya. I don''t know why, but I feel something is not right In this whole matter. I want you to come to my Manor and stay there for a short while."


    Neya was startled by Arthur''s words. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread as she seemed to understand the meaning behind his words and she spoke meekly:


    "Do you mean someone might come after me."


    "I don''t know. Either Silus has gone crazy and wants to weaken the other families, or another third party is moving behind the scenes. Either way, I feel like you will most likely be in danger."


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "I understand. I will make the preparations immediately."


    "Good. I''ll also take some extra precautions."


    "Do you mean..."


    "Yes. I didn¡¯t want to do it unless I had to, but it is better to be safe than sorry."


    ....................................................................................................................


    Currently, Wesley was sitting on top of a some building overlooking a magnificent looking Manor. This Manor was the Wayle family Manor and was not any less huge or extravagant than the Ranes Manor.


    The only difference between this Manor and the Ranes Manor is that this Manor was only one story tall. Unlike, the Ranes Manor which had five stories, this Manor only has one exceedingly huge ground floor.


    According to Neal''s reports, the Manor has upwards of thirty rooms. This caused Wesley and Neal no small amount of headache. Without even considering other things such as going in and out, the simple construction of the Manor made it nearly impossible to complete their objective.


    In Manors like the Ranes Manor that have five floors, it easy to guess where the lord sleeps, because it is most likely in the top floor, however in a Manor such as this with all the rooms in one floor, there is no way you can guess which room belongs to the lord.


    Second, the main building of Manor is so big that it covers the majority of the area inside the walls of the Manor, meaning that, there are far more patrols inside than there are outside. This posed another problem to Wesley since he can''t simply warp in without knowing where the patrols are.


    Neal came up with three solutions for their problem. First, observe the Manor and look for patterns or clues to where the lord''s chambers are. Second, kidnap a guard and have him tell you what you need. And finally, wait for the family head to leave and assassinate him then.


    Wesley knew that these were the only options he had, however, he was not a fan of the last two. Kidnapping a guard is not only difficult, but the information might be unreliable; Wesley immediately discarded this option.


    The last option of killing the head while he''s outside is a good plan, but Wesley was also unwilling. He wanted to have a chance to talk to the Lord and ask him some questions about the map he found, as well as gain some information about the Kader family that might prove useful.


    Wesley favored the first method of observing the Manor and trying to deduce where the lord''s room is. Unfortunately, after almost an hour of observing, he has not made a single worthy discovery.


    Not only was he unable to make out the patrolling pattern of the guards since the majority of it is obstructed by the building, he also had no idea what the internal structure of the Manor was, or where the lord''s chambers are.


    Wesley was at a loss. He had no way of dealing with this problem, leaving him with the third option which was an out in the open assassination. He didn¡¯t like this option because it not only took the chance to interrogate the Lord from him, it also meant that Wesley had to figure out the lord''s schedule, find a suitable place for an ambush, and then fight the lord''s guards. This was a messy option, but there was no other option left.


    Wesley was frowning at how much trouble this entire matter suddenly became when he heard voices coming from the road the ran between the building he was sitting on and the Wayle Family Manor.


    There were six armored men and two white robed men walking along the road. The armored men were surrounding the two white robed men on all sides as they walked. Wesley focused on the two white robed men and noticed a gray haired old man with a frowning face full of wrinkles.


    Wesley looked at the old man even closer as he felt that his luck couldn¡¯t possibly be this good. He watched the group closely as they got closer and closer to his location. As soon as they were walking directly under the building he was sitting at, Wesley was able to hear what the two white robed men were saying.


    "...I don''t care how you do it, find out where these rumors are coming from."


    "I understand Lord Silus."


    Hearing this brief exchange, Wesley couldn¡¯t believe how magnificent his luck seemed today. He was just worrying about how troubling an open assassination was going to be plan and execute, yet, his target actually walked up to him, conveniently solving all his problems.


    Wesley looked at the six guards with some hesitation, but seeing all six of them carried swords on their hips, he was relieved somewhat. If one of the guards was of the second elder''s level and able to keep his sword within his body, Wesley would wait hundred years before he attempted to do anything.


    Wesley looked around for a moment to see if there were any other people around. Seeing that there were no people around, Wesley started muttering something while immediately putting his left hand on his dark sword imbuing it with some mana, causing his body to be covered in dark elements as he disappeared from the top of the building.


    Immediately, as soon as his body was covered in darkness he disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind the two white robed men instantaneously.


    Wesley immediately unsheathed his sword and swung at the same time, chopping the head of the white robed Silus, and then immediately turned the grip on his sword causing the blade to face the opposite direction and swung towards the neck of the second white robed man. This was Wesley''s Silent Draw followed by a simple fast swing.


    Almost a second have passed from when Wesley put his hand on his sword to when the heads have been chopped off the two white robed men. Wesley immediately turned around to look at the two guards who were standing behind the Lord and his follower.


    These two guards clearly saw how Wesley''s dark figure appeared out of nowhere and killed the two men in almost a second, but their minds have yet to comprehend what happened so they were just staring at Wesley blankly.


    Wesley was not going to let them gain their composure, so he immediately lunged towards one of the guards with his sword pointing in front of him. This was a lunge similar to Eltier''s Fencing, only it was more crude as it was performed on a spur.


    Wesley''s lunge was not as natural or fluid as Eltier''s, but his opponent had his guard down and was in daze, causing Wesley''s sword to easily go through his neck unobstructed.


    Wesley immediately swung his sword, that was still embedded in the guards neck, left causing it to rib out of the guard''s neck and towards the other guard who was still similarly in a daze.


    Wesley''s slice directly went through the second guards neck leaving a gaping wound on his neck and severing his jugular vein.


    At this point, the two headless bodies of the white robed men along with the bodiless heads reached the ground. This, coupled with the grogging of the two guards caused the other guards to turn their heads.


    These four guards reacted faster than the first two as they immediately reached for their swords. However, at this exact moment, a dark sphere, with Wesley at its center, covered the four guards inside. This was Wesley''s Dark Domain which he was preparing even before he first moved.


    The four guards were robbed of their vision as they were covered in deathly cold darkness. The guards couldn¡¯t even see an inch in front of them causing extreme dread to spread In their hearts. At this point, none of them were thinking about their lord anymore, rather, they wanted to escape.


    "WHA.....Grrr"


    One of the guards tried screaming but before he could even finish the first sentence, something cold slashed his neck causing him to gurgle in his own blood.


    As soon as the other guards heard this, they knew that one of them has already been killed. Each of them abandoned any ideas of fighting and decided to get the hell out of this place.


    Wesley, however, had no intention of letting any of them leave. The sword that was just used to slash the neck of one of the guards buzzed towards another guard, while Wesley himself used his Silent Flicker to dash next to another guard with his dagger in his hand.


    "Uggg"


    "Ahhhh"


    Two different screams that were equally as shrill resounded from the darkness. The first sound was from the guard who got his neck slashed by Wesley dagger while the second scream was from a guard whose heart was pierced by Wesley''s sword.


    Wesley then tossed the dagger in his hand towards the last guard piercing him through in the back. As soon as Wesley tossed his dagger, his dark sword returned to his side which he immediately grabbed.


    Wesley took a deep breath and then proceeded to cancel his Dark Domain. As soon as the darkness disappeared, Wesley noticed that the last guard who he threw the dagger against was slowly crawling away.


    Wesley slowly walked towards the guard. Wesley was soon enough standing on top of the guard who was trying to crawl. His eyes showed extreme fear and dread as he saw his death approaching, but he still held on to some hope.


    Wesley felt a hint of sadness in his heart, but it immediately disappeared. He plunged his sword onto the guard''s heart causing him to stop his crawling and twitch slightly while letting a pained cry out.


    Wesley immediately took out his sword and dagger and sheathed them. Wesley, once again looked around to see if there was anyone around who might have seen what happened.


    Seeing that there was no one around, Wesley invoked a Dark Warp and disappeared from the area leaving behind eight bodies.


    The whole thing, from the first time Wesley put his hand on his dark sword to now, less than ten seconds have passed.


    ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................


    Hey ladies and gents.


    So, i received an somewhat angry PM from a certain fellow who said that my grammar was third world quality, which is surprisingly accurate.


    Now, i could mad or sad or go schedule a therapy session, OR, i could invent a new game:


    ...........Who can guess which third world country am from........


    And while you''re guessing, please drop a review for the story, if you''re too busy, then either like or dislike the reviews that are there.


    thanks.......Enjoy

 Chapter 32 - His Amusement

    From the fifth district, where the Wayle Family Manor was located, to the seventh district, which is in the furthest corner of the sixth district, Wesley needed to walk a distance of around four miles.This distance only needed less than an hour to be traversed if Wesley took the a straight route and walked in a normal pace.


    However, it took Wesley almost two and half hours before he reached his Manor. The reason for this is very simple, Wesley did not take a direct route to his destination, and avoided any well lit or active streets.


    Some people might consider this paranoia, but Wesley was not off that same mind. From what he could tell from his conversation with Michael, the entire city is buzzing with news about an assassin. If someone saw the dark clothed Wesley walking around, and then later heard news of the Wayle Family head being assassinated, then all that is needed is to connect the dots.


    Wesley wanted the assassination of the Wayle Family head to be seen as retaliation by the Ranes family. If rumor spread that it was done by the same assassin, then he would be surprised if the four families didn¡¯t realized there was a third party involved.


    Wesley wanted to avoid this scenario at all costs, so he chose prudence over convenience. If the four families started looking for possible culprits outside of themselves, then it wouldn¡¯t be long before they realize it was the Black Family, after all, they are the only new variable in the City.


    Soon enough, Wesley reached the border between the sixth and seventh districts. It was already past midnight, so the seventh district was under curfew, meaning that Wesley could not walk around carelessly.


    Fortunately, the seventh district was really small compared to the other district, and the distance between his current position was almost half a mile. It took Wesley two Dark Warps to arrive in the middle of his study.


    As soon as Wesley appeared in his study, he slowly walked towards the nearest seat and slumped on it lifelessly. Ensuring that he was not seen as left the crime scene and headed home took a lot of focus and mental power; coupled with the fact that he used three Dark Warps, each taking a fourth of his mana, it was no surprise Wesley was exhausted.


    As Wesley sat on the seat, a blank look was on his face as he stared at the roof of the study. Wesley knew he looked dumb as he just sat there, but he was too exhausted to care.


    As he sat there, staring at the roof, Wesley remembered his Master. When Rale first showed him his Dark Warp, he took Wesley and took him almost five miles away. At that time, Wesley thought that Dark Warp was a simple spell and that he should be able to do it as well.


    However, Wesley''s range when using Dark Warp is barely one thousand five hundred feet. He that he was not even close to his master''s level. This realization made Wesley chuckle slightly as a small smile surfaced on his face.


    Rale the Keeper. Wesley knew that his master was powerful, however, he was simply too close to him to truly know how terrifying he was. As far as Wesley was concerned, Rale is simply an accomplished, old mage who happens to be his master, but to other mages, he is an extremely terrifying existence.


    While thinking of this, Wesley suddenly felt a small fluctuation of mana in a corner of the study. Wesley immediately turned his head and stared at the corner with the blank expression still present on his face.


    Wesley felt the mana in that area tremble slightly, and then get replaced by a earth elements. Immediately after, an earthen pillar that was six feet tall  materialized. Wesley stared at this pillar curiously as if he was about to understand something, only he had no idea what.


    As Wesley was staring at the pillar of earth, the pillar started shrinking at an alarming rate leaving behind the figure of a broad shouldered Neal. Neal turned his head a few times and then he looked at Wesley with surprise on his face.


    "Wesley? Didn''t you leave for the Wayle Family Manor earlier? Why are you still here?"


    Wesley and Neal''s initial plan was for Wesley to observe the Wayle residence for a while to try and find a way in. Neither of them expected that the Wayle Family would walk to Wesley''s location on his own. This caused Wesley to return faster than they initially estimated.


    While Neal was looking at Wesley with astonishment, Wesley was staring at something with a thoughtful gaze as he squinted his eyes. The moment Wesley noticed the mana fluctuations caused by Neal''s spell, he felt that there was something that he was seeing. Only he couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, he felt like he was on the precipice of something, but couldn¡¯t take that one last step.


    Neal who was looking at Wesley couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Wesley seemed exhausted for some reason and looked in some sort of daze. Neal once again spoke, only he almost roared this time:


    "Wesley. What is the matter?"


    Wesley who was feeling frustrated was suddenly brought out of his daze by Neal''s voice. His eyes focused as he stared at Neal with surprise, as if he forgot he was there completely. Wesley knew that whatever it was he felt was gone, so he just smiled at Neal and spoke:


    "Oh, Neal. I was coming to see you when I have rested for a while. Why are you here."


    Neal hesitated at Wesley''s question and then spoke again:


    "I just received a report that was interesting. I came here on impulse hoping that you might be here, only I didn¡¯t expect you to actually be here."


    "Haha. I wasn¡¯t expecting to return so fast either. Only, my luck was not bad tonight. What was this report you received."


    Neal looked at Wesley curiously. His smiling face and laughing seemed somewhat forced on his pale complexion and tired eyes.


    "I just received a report saying that the three remaining family heads met in the office of management a few hours ago. This would have been a nice opportunity to take out the Kader Family head. Alas, it is too late now."


    Hearing Neal''s words, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but to immediately let out a self deprecating laugh:


    "Haha."


    Wesley''s immediate laugh at his words caused Neal to be further astonished at Wesley''s odd behavior. He looked at Wesley curiously and spoke again:


    "What is so funny."


    "It''s just that I was thinking my luck was impressive tonight. But it seems it was only better than average. Haha."


    "What do you mean."


    "While I was observing the Wayle Family Manor, I found the Wayle Family head walking outside. After I killed him, I thought that my luck was extremely good. However, you just told me that the Kader Family head was within reach. Tell me, isn''t that worthy of a laugh."


    Neal''s eyes immediately lit up as Wesley spoke. It was indeed unfortunate that they missed the chance to kill the Kader Family head, but the Wayle Family head was not small causing his mood to lighten and even improve slightly.  As if seeing the irony that made Wesley laugh, Neal also started to laugh as he spoke:


    "Haha. It is indeed worthy of a good laugh."


    "Yes I thought so too. Haha."


    After laughing for a few moments, Neal suddenly spoke again:


    "Where you injured. You don''t look too good."


    Wesley''s pale and drained countenance as well as how he was slouched on the seat he was sitting on made Neal slightly worried. Wesley on the other hand just shook his head and spoke:


    "No. I am just overspent. A few hours of rest and I''ll be fine."


    "I see. That¡¯s good then. So what now?"


    "Now. Now we let things simmer down a little. The entire city believes that there is a vicious assassin on the loose, and soon, things will get even more hectic."


    "That is the best course of action. But what will you do if the new Family heads are told about the Black Family history before you can kill the remaining two."


    Wesley was quiet for a moment as he thought, and then he spoke again:


    "I don''t know. I hope that the death of two heads is enough to distract them from you. In the meantime, you should get to know these new family heads."


    "I know. I was planning on visiting the Ranes family head tomorrow to pay my respects to his late father."


    "Haha. Then it is settled. I''ll be getting some rest then."


    Wesley spoke as he got off the seat tiredly and headed towards the exit of the study. Neal only stared at Wesley as he walked away and spoke:


    "I understand."


    .........................................................................................................................................


    Next morning. A red clothed Wesley, with two dark swords hanging from his left hip, was walking  towards the academy. It wasn¡¯t too early in the morning, so the streets were somewhat crowded, however, Wesley''s flamboyantly colored uniform was extremely eye catching causing a lot of people to stare at him with a myriad of expressions on their faces.


    Wesley ignored all those gazes and walked towards his destination with an unworried expression on his face. Wesley was already used to the gazes of surprise from the people as they realized he was from the academy.


    As Wesley was walking towards the academy, numerous different thoughts were floating around his head. Wesley was trying to recall what that thing he felt last night was. He felt like it was something important, like something you know or should know, but you can''t put your finger on it.


    Even as he tried sleeping last night, he could barely do so because of the thing that was eluding him. If he was not so tired last night, causing him to fall asleep involuntarily, he probably would''ve spent the whole night thinking.


    While Wesley was surrounded by his thoughts, he already reached the academy''s gate. Shaking his head at whatever it is he was just thinking about, Wesley walked into the academy.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Walking into the academy, Wesley didn¡¯t head to the main building, rather he circumvented it to go to the swordsmanship class, which was located outside the academy. The simple fact that the swordsmanship class was located outside the main building, showed just what position swordsmanship held in this academy.


    Wesley, however, couldn¡¯t care less about the position of swordsmanship in this world or this academy. He was a mage by nature, and although he felt some familiarity with swordsmanship, it was not enough to cause him worry in situations like this.


    As Wesley was heading to the swordsmanship class, he noticed that there were numerous blue robed students walking past in  hurried paces. Wesley looked at these first years with a hint of amusement as they scampered around.


    At least a dozen blue robed students walked briskly past him, causing Wesley to wonder what they were running from. As Wesley was wondering that, he focused on a boy and girl who were among the rushing students.


    The girl was pouted in annoyance and spoke to the boy:


    "Who does he think he is. Telling us to scram like he owns the courtyard."


    The boy clearly didn¡¯t want to talk about this as a frown formed on his face. He then said with a dejected voice:


    "I don''t he is obnoxious. But, with so many second year lackeys, he must have some background."


    The girl immediately turned her head to the boy and looked at him hatefully causing her to further pout as she spoke:


    "Who here doesn¡¯t have background. If anything, he is more trashy than others. Failing to advance a year...hmph"


    Hearing the words obnoxious, second year lackeys, and failed to advance a year, Wesley''s eyes lit up as a picture of certain blue haired junior of his surfaced in his mind. A smile appeared on his face as Wesley who was feeling somewhat down today, suddenly saw an opportunity to be entertained.


    Wesley immediately adjusted his course and headed towards the courtyard. Wesley only had a few minutes before class started, but he really wanted to have some fun with his favorite junior.


    Wesley reached the courtyard soon enough. As soon as he reached there, he noticed that under the same three that he was reading under the other day, a group of five red robed students were standing there. Beyond the red robed a blue robed student there.


    Wesley was curious as to what they were doing so he nonchalantly walked towards them. The students chased away all the first years from the courtyard so they weren''t expecting anyone to come towards, enabling Wesley to walk towards without their notice.


    The moment Wesley was within hearing range of the students, he heard an extremely annoyed and prideful voice sound from behind the blue robed student.


    "Roman. You are blocking my path. I have no time to waste on your kind. Move."


    The voice was that of a girl, but if one only went by the amount of pride and disdain present in it, they would believe it belonged to a king. Hearing this voice, Wesley was rather surprised, he tilted his head slightly to look past the blue robed student.


    Wesley immediately noticed a red robed girl standing in front of the blue robed Roman while staring dagger at him.  The girl had long silver hair that reached all the way to her back and her eyes were a similar silver color. If not for the fact that her hair was somewhat disheveled, and the her eyes somewhat bloodshot, she would''ve been extremely cute.


    "Rin. You should be nicer to me. We are, after all destined to be together."


    Hearing this, Wesley could almost spit out blood. If that was not a classic line to be said by a love stricken noble boy, then there was no such line. Wesley was so amused that he was about to laugh out loud, but he still controlled his laughter so that he could hear more of this love story.


    As if making Wesley''s wish come true, the girl''s voice resounded once again:


    "Destined? You and I are destined the same way a frog is destined for a swan. Stop being deluded and know your place."


    "You are pushing..."


    However, before Roman could even finish his rebuttal, an extremely hearty laugh came from behind him. Roman immediately thought that one of his lackeys was laughing at him so he turned around and looked at them menacingly, only to find they were also looking behind them.


    Roman immediately realized that someone else was mocking him so he looked past his lackeys only to see a red robed, blue haired students with two swords laughing as he was bent over holding his stomach.


    The moment Roman noticed this person, his face turned extremely ugly and his eyes started radiating with a fierce light that seemed to be filed with hate and malice. He immediately barked at Wesley:


    "Wesley. This doesn¡¯t concern you. Begone."


    Roman hated Wesley as much as person can hate another, but he knew that Wesley was a vicious bastard that was neither kind nor considerate. He was extremely unwilling to talk to such a person in front of the girl he liked.


    Wesley just raised his head and looked at the fuming Roman while still laughing. Wesley was laughing so much that there were hints of tears coming from his eyes. Wesley looked at Roman, and then his laughing got even louder causing Roman to become even more infuriated, he spoke again, his voice even becoming louder.


    "What is so funny."


    Wesley just continued laughing without listening to Roman''s roars. After almost half a minute of incessant laughing Wesley once again raised his head and looked at Roman then spoke:


    "Little Junior. I thought your magic skills were pitiful. However, compared to your skills with girls, I dare say your magic skills are almost god-like. Haha."


    "Wesley. I said this doesn¡¯t concern you."


    "Little junior. I have been thinking, You lack so many skills that it is almost surprising you figured out how to breathe. However, I believe that being this skill-less is a skill on itself. Don¡¯t you think so, Haha."


    Hearing Wesley''s words, Roman could feel his heart clench and his blood congeal. If hate could be manifested physically, Roman was feeling it. He really hated this Wesley and regretted the day he met him. Roman just clenched his jaws and spoke:


    "We''re leaving. I will remember this Wesley."


    Roman immediately walked past his lackeys with haste. He didn¡¯t want to be near this Wesley anymore, lest he loses even more face in front of the girl he likes. Also, fighting Wesley was not an option, since none of his lackeys were confident in being his opponent.


    Seeing the leaving Roman, Wesley was not willing to let him leave as he spoke again:


    "Don¡¯t go Little Junior. Maybe if you try again, you''ll succeed. Haha."


    Roman just ignored Wesley''s words as he hurried along without even looking back. He truly wanted to get away from Wesley and his mockery. It would probably be a while before he could show his face in front of that girl.


    Wesley just continued his laughing. He completely forgot about his earlier thoughts as he continued recalling the girl''s words as she spoke to Roman. Wesley, immediately walked away while laughing only to hear a voice come from behind him.


    "You. I didn¡¯t ask for your help, so you''ll get no thanks from me."


    The amount of pride in this girl''s voice seemed boundless. Wesley just waved his hand carelessly as he continued walking while laughing. The girl''s prideful voice resounded once again:


    "You dare walk away from me while I am speaking. Do you know who I am."


    Wesley who was walking suddenly paused. He turned his head to look at the girl who was standing there with her hands crossed and her chin raised as if she was looking down on a subject. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how he always seems to attract people like her.


    Wesley spoke with teary eyes while still laughing:


    "Haha. No I don''t know who you are and I really don''t care. Haha.."


    Wesley was rather annoyed by this girl''s haughtiness, but his annoyance was less than his amusement. As he tried  being firm with her, he couldn¡¯t help but recall her words causing him to laugh as he spoke.


    Wesley knew that for someone to be this haughty and proud, they must be someone with background. However, considering his own background and the fact that titles were worthless in the academy, Wesley was not worried about who she is in the slightest.


    Wesley immediately turned around and continued his walking without even glancing at the silver haired girl.


    As Wesley walked away from her, the silver haired girl stared at his back with a complicated look on her face. As a second year student, she knew who this Wesley was superficially, but his true character was a mystery to most students, causing many of them to have high expectation of him in their minds.


    As she looked at this still laughing Wesley, she felt like laughing too, but she also felt some anger at how casually disrespectful towards her he was. These opposite emotions caused her to have a complicated look between laughter and anger to alternate on her face.


    Wesley, however, didn¡¯t see any of this as he simply continued with his walking.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    Hey se?oras y se?ores


    Welcome to another chapter of your 10003rd favorite story. [10010th last week]


    This chapter is a fluff chapter. I have to include such chapters because they serves to give you a rest from all the action as well as introduce some Imoportant-ish things........Also, they are really easy to write. Hahahaahhahahahahahah


    As you can see, i took the coward''s way out with they love interest.......Classics never die.


    As for guessing my country........the closest was [Zoo] who guessed Congo......But still wrong.


    Enjoy

 Chapter 33 - His Third Move

    After Wesley left the courtyard, he was In an oddly good mood. In fact, the earlier frustration he felt from not being able to recall what it was he felt last night, as well as the slight regret that he felt from not being able to kill the Kader Family head were all but gone.


    Wesley was not an openly abrasive person. There are a lot of people that annoy or anger him, but he would very much rather smile and walk away from an argument than take part in it, however, his relationship with Roman started oddly and progressed oddly.


    From that first time Wesley ran into Roman under the three, until now, the amount of words the two exchanged was not even a hundred, yet, Wesley felt like he understood this Roman well.


    A young master, who always had everything he ever wanted, and was always praised and put on a pedestal, now realized he was not as great as those around him made him to be. However, he still felt that he was special and above all others, so he flaunted his strength everywhere.


    However, Wesley discovered his greatest insecurity by chance. Why would Wesley care about the feelings of such a person. Furthermore, Wesley discovered that annoying this little brick actually improved his mood tremendously. Who in their right mind would avoid annoying someone like that.


    Wesley''s mood was so good for the remainder of the day that he even sparred a few times with Eltier without much complaining. This caused Eltier to wonder if perhaps Wesley was about to die. Wesley even went ahead and gave Eltier some pointers on how to improve his swordsmanship, causing Eltier to be even more suspicious of Wesley''s behavior.


    After the regular class was over and the first years were gone, Wesley and Kellan started their sparring session. This has been their pattern for almost a year, their bodies were long used to the restrictions of the armors causing their clashes to be far more fierce than they were in the past.


    As for how they were fighting, If anyone saw them, they would be unable to guess what sword style they practiced. Wesley and Kellan simply clashed without relying on their respective techniques and without evading each other. A pure, straightforward clash.


    However, the most prominent feature of their sparring was how underhanded and sly each of them was. The prototype of the proud and honorable swordsman who helps his opponent up when he falls, or hands him his sword when the other is disarmed, was nowhere to be seen. Wesley and Kellan held no such ideas in their minds, they both relied on any conceivable method to gain an advantage.


    After almost three hours of sparring, the voice of the second elder reached the ears of both Wesley and Kellan.


    "Good. That is enough for today."


    "Yes elder." They both replied.


    Wesley and Kellan were both dripping with sweat and their faces showed their fatigue, but their eyes seemed to burn with a fierce light. To them, these sparring sessions were comparable to a life and death struggle, and although they both knew they wouldn¡¯t die, neither of them wanted to be beaten.


    The second elder simply stared at these two youths who seemed to be brimming with fighting intent and nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "You two have grown nicely in this last year. It is almost time for the end of year examination. The two of you will naturally fail and attend my class another year. Any complaints?"


    Wesley and Kellan looked at each other for a moment and then they turned to the second elder and just stared at him without saying anything. If this choice was given to Wesley a year ago, he would have taken it without a thought, but now, he would choose to stay here without hesitation.


    The second elder simply nodded his head in satisfaction. His question was for complaints, and since they didn¡¯t speak, they naturally had no complaints. He spoke once again:


    "Good. Now, for the rankings competition. The two of you are not in a second year swordsmanship class, so you''re not required to attend."


    "Yes Elder."


    "Good. You may leave."


    "Yes Elder."


    Wesley and Kellan immediately left the classroom, then they bid each other farewell and went their own way.


    Wesley immediately left the academy and headed towards his Manor.


    .............................................................................................................................................


    That night, Wesley was sitting in his study holding a book while Neal was sitting across from him. Wesley''s face was as tranquil as can be, however, Neal''s face had a very clear frown as he seemed to be worried about something.


    Wesley spoke without even looking up from his book:


    "Are you sure about these reports Neal."


    "Yes. I received a few different reports from different agents indicating the same things. The Blume family head has indeed gone to the Kader family Manor, and seems intent on staying there."


    If the Blume Family head has decided to take cover in the Kader Family Manor, then not only did it become exceedingly difficult to assassinate her, but it also means that they are at least some other party is involved.


    Both Wesley and Kellan knew the implications of this. If the four families suspect that someone is out to get them, then they would be on guard. This is not too much of a problem with the Blume Family, however, the Kader Family are not so simple.


    "When did she go to the Kader Family Manor."


    "Early this Morning."


    "Hmm. If she left before she received news of Silus'' death, then it is bad news for us. And If she left as a result of the assassination, although things will be harder, it is still safe."


    "There is no way she would have heard about the death of the Silus by then. I received an official notice by noon. Assuming she is slightly more influential than I, she must''ve received it, a little earlier."


    "Then it is what we feared. The two remaining heads suspect something."


    Wesley already put away his book and had his two hands clasped against each other as he stared at Neal. Perhaps the two remaining heads won''t be able to connect the Black Family to the assassinations directly, but at this point anything is possible.


    "I think so as well. I''ll prepare the contingency plan."


    Wesley thought for a while and then spoke once again:


    "You do that. In the meantime, see if you can arrange a small residence for me in the third district. Make sure it is inconspicuous."


    "A small residence? Why do you need such a thing?"


    "I need something closer to the Kader Manor. It is too cumbersome to travel back and forth from here, all the way to the third."


    "I see your point. I''ll get it done."


    "Good. And make sure it can''t be traced back to you."


    "I know."


    Neal immediately turned around and used his earth merge to leave the study. As Wesley just sat there, he couldn¡¯t help but frown at how complicated things have gotten.


    If killing the Kader Family head was an easy matter, he would have done it long ago, however, it was not that easy. According to Neal, the four families each had their own specialty when they served under the Black Family.


    The Ranes family were in charge of the military of the city. They managed the guards, and the walls of the city and served as its defenders in case of an emergency. This is the reason why there were so many guards in the Ranes Manor when Wesley went there.


    The Wayle family were the bureaucrats. The managed most of the things of the city and kept it running through policies, laws and governance. Although they don''t have much tangible power like the Ranes Family, they still had a lot of influence in the city.


    The Blume Family were the historians. They were charged with keeping, analyzing and recording information. They held neither tangible power nor great influence, however, the Black Family were spies, so their information collection was indispensable, making them one of the four families.


    As for the Kader Family. They were the jailers; they were charged with detention of captives, interrogation and coercion. They were, to say the least, the dark hand of the Black Family. They, just like the Blume Family, held no power or influence, but they were still feared. They simply just stood there, neither getting involved in politics or seeking power, but they were still feared. They were as ruthless as they are calculating.


    Neal was unable to get any information regarding the Kader Family. They hardly ever wander out of their Manor, and they don''t get involved in any conflicts. Wesley knew just how thorough and proficient Neal was at information collection, so being unable to find anything important shows just how terrifying they are.


    If it were up to Wesley, he would completely avoid such people, since he would most likely have to pay an exorbitant price for their heads, but the die has been cast. It wouldn¡¯t take long before the four families realize the Black Family orchestrated the assassinations, and if they didn¡¯t, then it wouldn¡¯t be long before they still came after the Black Family like before.


    Worst case scenario, Wesley would need to charge into the Kader Manor and kill the two heads. If he is not killed in the process, then he''ll need to leave the City and take refuge in the Ject Kingdom. Although his father wouldn¡¯t care much if he died, he still won''t let others kill him lest he loses too much respect.


    And if the worst comes to worst, Neal''s contingency plan might do the trick, but at  too high of a price.


    ...........................................................................................................................................


    Currently, in the Kader Family Manor, Arthur and Neya were standing in a circular room with a single entrance. The room had no windows, no furniture and no decorations, aside from a single Firestone embedded in the  center of the roof, there is absolutely nothing else in this room.


    Across from and Arthur and Neya, appeared a figure of a man sitting cross legged. However, aside from its general appearance, there was nothing else that implied that this was anything other than a statue. In fact, the figure seemed to be melded to the floor of the room as if it were carved from it.


    Arthur and Neya just stood there looking at this sitting statue. Arthur and Neya looked at each other for a second and then Arthur spoke with an exceedingly respectful voice:


    "Master Arnua. I apologize for pulling you out of your seclusion."


    From Arthur''s words, he seemed to be speaking to the statue. The room was deathly silent, which is exactly what one would expect from speaking to an empty room. However, even though he looked ridiculous talking to a statue, Arthur and even Neya behind him had their eyes shining with anticipation.


    Suddenly a low rumble resounded throughout the small, circular room. Thousands of cracks and fissures appeared all over the walls of the room and seemed to get more concentrated as they got closer to the statue. Soon enough, the statue was covered in cracks, then the room descended into silence again.


    The sudden silence continued for more than a minute, causing a look of suspicion to crawl on Arthur and Neya''s faces. They were all told of what to do in this room, but they never had to before. And now that nothing was happening, they both started feeling suspicious.


    Arthur was about to say something, but before he could, the statue suddenly started moving. The statue slowly moved its hands and put them against the floor to probe itself up. Soon enough the statue was standing up straight.


    The statue just stood there staring at Arthur and Neya. Now that the statue was standing up, it seemed taller than six feet with broad shoulders and a raised chest. It struck a mighty figure that seemed to contain tremendous power.


    After the statue stood up, small chunks of earth started falling from it due to all the cracks on its surface. Soon enough, a gray robed person appeared from within the statue, however, the appearance of this person was far from expected.


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


    This person was an extremely old man. His body was the exact opposite of the statue; it was emaciated and small, barely reaching six feet, and his shoulders were slightly slumped, giving him the feeling of an extremely fragile elderly.


    The person''s face was filled with creases and wrinkles and seemed to have only skin and bone as his jaw and cheekbones could clearly be seen. His hair was also extremely white and seemed on the verge on entirely falling off.


    The person just looked at Arthur and Neya with a sharp gaze that seemed to be enough to shatter their minds causing both of them to back away slightly. Suddenly, the figure spoke with a soft yet croaky voice:


    "Brats. How dare you awaken me. Where is Maximus."


    Arthur and Neya were both frightened beyond words by this figure. They both knew who this person was and his importance to their families, but neither of them could actually believe that he was actually standing in front of them.


    The gray robed person simply stared at the pair with an unwavering gaze, then he spoke again:


    "Speak. Before I send you to your eternal sleep."


    The elder''s words caused Arthur and Neya to snap out of their stupor and they immediately fell on their knees. Neya simply looked down while Arthur looked at the elder and spoke with a shaky voice:


    "Master Arnua. I am Arthur Kader, the current head of the Kader family. Maximus was my grandfather and he''s dead."


    Arnua''s gaze shook slightly as he heard Arthur''s words, but it immediately turned calm again. He looked at Arthur and spoke:


    "Dead huh? That old bastard always clamied to be immortal. Now it seems he really wasn¡¯t. Haha."


    Arnua''s laugh resounded throughout the whole room. If one listened to his laughter closely they would notice a hint of sarcasm and sadness in it, but neither Arthur nor Neya currently had the focus to notice such a minor detail.


    After laughing for a short while, Arnua stopped laughing and spoke once again:


    "I assume you brats know what it means to wake me up. I promised that old Maximus that I''ll help his beloved four families once in case of an emergency. So, Blackreach City better be burning from all four sides."


    Arthur and Neya both let a sigh of relief. They were both told by their parents to come to this room and ask for help if the four families were ever in grave danger. This was one of the four families'' safeguards, and neither Arthur or Neya were willing to waste it.


    However, after news of Silus'' death reached them, they both came to the same conclusion: there is a third party involved in these assassination, and that whoever is behind these assassinations was intent on destroying the four families.


    After coming to this conclusion, Arthur and Neya mistakenly believed that one of the four kingdoms were making a ploy to take Blackreach City, meaning that their families were in imminent danger. This is why Arthur decided to awaken Arnua.


    Arthur spoke again with a shaky voice:


    "Master Arnua. Our Four Families are being targeted by one of the four kingdoms. Two family heads have already been assassinated."


    Arnua''s face remained unchanged as he listened to Arthur. After Arthur was finished speaking, he spoke again:


    "I see. Well, I don''t really care if everyone of your four families is killed.,,,,"


    Fear and dread immediately crept on the faces of both Arthur and Neya. They were counting on this elder to help them pass this crisis, but he seemed to not want to. Seeing the looks of the duo''s faces, Arnua continued speaking:


    "But, I have promised Maximus, so I''ll help."


    The faces of the duo lit up immediately as they spoke in unison:


    "Thank You Master Arnua."


    "Remember Brats. I will only help you not die, I will not face against the Kingdoms."


    "We appreciate your kindness."


    Arthur and Neya were not dumb. They knew that this elder was a life saving card, but they could never use to directly fight against the Four Kingdoms. Each of the kingdoms had their own hidden experts, and these experts were more loyal to them than this elder was to the four families.


    .....................................................................................................................................


    It has been two months since the death of the Ranes and Wayle family heads. For a few weeks, the entire city was abuzz about the events concerning the death of the two heads and how the two families were currently engaged in a vicious conflict.


    The fact that the two new family heads avoided making any statements, as well the other two families also keeping quiet and virtually disappearing, almost confirmed the rumors the were going around. It truly seemed that the four families were engaged in a war.


    Rumors were just rumors, and very few people had any idea what was happening. The two new heads of the Ranes and Wayle families were barely adults who had no idea what to do in a situation where they are suddenly put in a position of power.


    As for the Blume and Kader families, no one had any idea why they suddenly decided to go quiet. Everyone simply assumed that they were remaining neutral in the conflict between the other two families.


    However, because neither of the four families made any public announcements or moves to clarify their positions or reasons, there were multiple rumors going all over the city. Everyone knew of the rumors, and whether they believed it or not, there was simply no way to know what was true and what was not.


    However, in Blackreach City, there were two people who not only knew the reasons behind the actions of the four families, but could be said to have orchestrated it.


    In a small, one floor house in the third district, Wesley was currently sitting on a chair while looking at the wall in a daze. Wesley was simply waiting, but while he was waiting, he was reviewing everything he learnt about mana in his mind.


    Wesley''s mind has already been conditioned to think about mana at all times. Every time Wesley has nothing particular to think about or to divert his attention, his mind would naturally turn to analyzing mana.


    Wesley was neither a researcher or an old mage who spent decades researching mana, however, he did read a lot about mana over the last year, and his understanding of it could be said to rival that of any so called specialist.


    While Wesley was just sitting and thinking, a small knock came from the front door of the house immediately capturing his attention. Wesley looked at the door for a second and then spoke in an uncharacteristically deep voice:


    "Come In."


    The small door was pushed open and a thin, dark robed person with a veil covering their face walked in. Wesley, himself had his face hidden, but he simply wore a hood that covered his face in darkness, he was far less conspicuous than this person.


    Wesley frowned slightly at this person''s appearance. The best way to remain hidden is to not attract attention, but this person is simply attention grabbing. Wesley just put the issue to the back of his mind and spoke:


    "Report."


    The figure bowed slightly and then spoke in a soft, deep voice:


    "I just returned from the Manor. None of my operatives were able to verify what is happening inside. The entire Manor has been sealed and no one has gone in or out for the last month and a half."


    Wesley frowned slightly. There is no way the two family heads were not aware of their involvement. However, they must still realize that they are not necessarily safe inside their Manor because the Ranes head was killed in his home.


    Wesley felt like they had something up their sleeve, but he simply couldn¡¯t imagine what. He looked at the person who was looking at him intently and spoke:


    "You may leave. Pull back your operatives and await further orders."


    The dark veiled person looked at Wesley and then spoke:


    "What are you planning to do?"


    Wesley''s gaze suddenly got sharp as he looked at the person. However, his face was hidden in the shadow of his hood so the man didn¡¯t see anything. Wesley spoke:


    "That is none of your concern. Leave."


    The person seemed somewhat hesitant to leave. He once again opened his mouth to try and say something, but suddenly a figure emerged from the ground behind him and before he could even turn around, his neck has already been slashed.


    Wesley didn¡¯t move an inch or even flinch. He simply stared at the newcomer with an apathetic gaze and then he spoke:


    "Your operatives are being compromised. Am afraid it won''t be long before the Kader Family head sees a glimpse of the visage of your network."


    The new arrival simply bent over and used the robe of the dead operative to wipe the blood of his dagger. Then he simply stepped over the dead body and walked to the seat opposite of where Wesley was seated.


    After sitting down, the person spoke in a soft, whisper like voice:


    "They were expendable. I had them under surveillance, so I was aware of their turning. They served their purpose, and now we know that the Kader family are actually working in the shadows as well. Am afraid we can''t afford to wait any longer."


    Wesley immediately replied with a frown and a head shake:


    "However, since they seem the Kader Family is vaguely aware of us, it is now exponentially harder to kill them."


    "Indeed. They must have some plan. What should we do, we can''t wait too long lest they have enough time to connect the dots, and you can''t just run in, and they don''t seem to be coming out."


    Wesley was immediately silenced. Should he wait and see if an opportunity presents itself, knowing that the longer he waits, the closer his plans get to being seen through. Or, should he just run in and hope that whatever trap the Kader family has prepared is not too bad.


    Wesley''s choices were between a slow and inevitable death, since the moment the four families discover his and the Black Family''s involvement, they would most definitely attack with prejudice. Or, a quick but possibly fatal incursion that may or may not succeed.


    Thinking of it this way, Wesley immediately made up his mind. He looked at Neal and spoke:


    "I''ll go probe the Kader Manor tonight. I won''t go in too far, just enough to see what they have hidden. If there is nothing then they''ll die, if there is a trap, I''ll do my best to escape."


    Wesley''s choice was simple. If the Kader family was given enough time to connect the dots, then not only him, but the Black Family would be caught in the aftermath. The second choice, not only gave him an opportunity to do what he wanted, it also distanced the Black Family from the entire thing.


    Neal seemed to understand what Wesley was thinking. His eyes seemed to soften slightly and his face showed a clear frown. Wesley was essentially running head first into a trap for his Family. He looked at Wesley and spoke with his usual voice, with a hint of sadness present in it:


    "I understand. I''ll go make some preparations. Good luck."


    "Good. Say hello to the kids for me. Haha."


    Neither Wesley nor Neal were dumb. They both realized that the Kader Family most likely had something up their sleeve, but neither of them could afford to wait any longer. This might very well be the last time they meet.


    ...................................................................................................................................................


    Hey guys.


    I have to admit, this chapter was incredibly hard for me to write. As an author, you often feel the urge to make things really easy for your MC by making him OP and giving him awesome luck, i imagine it is like how parents always want the best for their children.


    So you can imagine how hard it is to have your MC[child] marching towards danger while you just stand there. It is even more so horrible when you''re the one writing the scenarios. FML


    Enjoy

 Chapter 34 - His Miscalculation

    A frigid winter wind was blowing through the streets of Blackreach City. Very few people were outside their homes, and aside from anyone who had no other choice, no other person would be willing to face the freezing cold.


    However, in a certain alleyway in the third district a dark robed person was walking forward with conviction as if the frigid cold had no effect on him. This person was covered in dark clothes from head to toe and their face was hidden under the shadow of their hood.


    As this person walked through the alleyways, they seemed to be sticking close to the walls of the alleyways making the wall''s shadow cover their body. Unless someone was specifically looking for this person, or were very close by, they wouldn¡¯t be able to see his complete figure.


    While Wesley was walking through the alleyways, he made sure to remain hidden; his dark clothing and the winter clouds that covered the night sky made him very hard to see, but he still walked towards the Kader Manor with utmost caution.


    Wesley is a naturally cautious person and would often choose prudence over convenience, however, today Wesley was overly cautious to the point where he would stop walking ever so often to see if he was being watched or followed.


    After a few minutes of walking, Wesley eventually reached the end of the alley he was in. Across from the place where Wesley was standing, a wall that was fifteen feet tall was standing erect. This was the outer wall of the Kader Family.


    This wall was not too tall, however, it was nearly five feet wide, and there were a few dozen guards standing on watch along the entire perimeter. This was one of the most heavily guarded places in the whole of Blackreach City.


    Wesley was feeling extremely apprehensive about entering this place. Walking into a trap unknowingly is one thing, but walking into a trap while you''re aware of it causes extreme anxiety. Wesley''s unwillingness was extreme, but he has already crossed the point of no return.


    Two of the four family heads have already died, and the last two were aware of his scheming. If Wesley didn¡¯t kill these last two family heads, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they realized that the Black Family were behind the whole thing.


    Wesley did not want anything to happen to those five kids. Putting aside their talents, Wesley felt extreme affection towards these kids. After spending a year with them, Wesley thought of them the same way he thought of his little brother, and was willing to protect them.


    However, did he feel enough affection for these kids to sacrifice his life? Wesley was willing to risk his life for them, but he absolutely would not give his life for anyone. One might think It is heroic to sacrifice one''s life for the sake of others, but a dead hero is more useless than trash.


    Wesley was not going to die for a clich¨¦. Wesley immediately made up his mind that he would try to kill the two family heads, but at the first sign of danger, he would immediately get out. It would be ideal to kill the four families'' heads and establish the Black Family in Blackreach City, but that was necessarily the only way. The Black Family could establish themselves in other cities just as easily.


    Having made up his mind, Wesley looked at the wall of the Kader Manor, his eyes filled with conviction.


    The guards on the walls of the Manor were all standing at attention, however, the cold winter wind caused most of them to feel extremely drowsy and tired. They all knew that falling asleep in the cold means death, but that didn¡¯t make that allure of sleep any less tempting.


    One of the guards who was on watch was currently looking at a random alleyway with bored eyes that were barely open. He only had a few hours left before he was relieved of his duty so all he had to do was stand there and not fall asleep, and soon enough he would be snugged in his warm bed.


    The guard who was dreaming about beautiful sleep, suddenly saw a figure emerge from the alleyways and his eyes sharpened immediately. This figure that emerged was clothed in dark clothed with a dark hood, a single glance was enough to know that this person was up to no good.


    The guard immediately decided to shout and alert everyone to the presence of this suspicious character, however, before he could do anything, the dark clothed figure suddenly disappeared in darkness. Moments later, the guard felt his throat clench and his eyes darken.


    The guard immediately clenched his eyes as he tried to breath, but whatever was around his neck was too strong. All he could do was simply gasp for air, as he felt the realization that this was most likely his last night dawn on him.


    "Open your eyes."


    An extremely soft yet sonorous voice reached the guards ears as he felt the constriction around his neck loosen slightly; just enough to let him take in some shallow breaths.


    The guard slowly creaked his eyes open. All he could see was darkness, and amidst this deafening darkness where a pair of jade green eyes staring at him unblinkingly. The guard immediately felt his heart clench as he felt that this was the after life and those green eyes were the devil''s.


    "Don''t bother screaming. No one will hear you."


    The guard couldn¡¯t even scream if he wanted to. His heart was already at his throat, making him barely able to breath, let alone scream. He simply stared at those floating pair of eyes that seemed to be looking directly at his soul.


    "I will ask you some questions. If you answer them truthfully, you''ll forget this ever happened and have the best sleep of your life. If you don¡¯t answer, you will die a very painful death. Do you understand."


    The guard simply couldn¡¯t understand what he was hearing. What could he know that the devil himself didn¡¯t. What did he have to offer the devil to appease him. He didn¡¯t know what this devil wanted from him, but he still nodded his head affirmatively.


    "Good. Tell me, have you noticed anything unusual from the Kader Manor in the last two months."


    The guard was taken back slightly by the question. He forgot everything about the Kader Family in his fear, but it seems that this devil is interested in the Kader Manor. The guard has already decided to do anything this devil asked of him so he tried speaking, but his throat was still being held.


    The restriction around his neck loosened once again causing him to cough and breath in huge amounts of air. After a few seconds, the guard looked at the pair of eyes and spoke:


    "The Main Manor has been sealed for the last two months. Aside from few maids who bring the guards food, no one else leaves or enters."


    "Hmm."


    Silence followed after the devil''s small hmm. It was as if he was pondering something, which caused the guard to feel some more fear creep up in his heart. Could it be that he wasn¡¯t satisfied with my answer. As the guard was worrying more and more, the devil spoke once again:


    "Have you heard any rumors about what is going on inside the Manor. Anything unusual or weird?"


    The guard thought for a moment. He didn¡¯t know why this devil was so interesting in the affairs of the Manor, but he had neither time nor conviction to question him. He immediately scanned his memories and after a few seconds of silence, he seemed to have remembered something as he spoke:


    "The other day we were joking around with one of the maids that was bringing us food. She said something about a mysterious old man suddenly appearing in the Manor."


    "Tell me about this mysterious old man."


    The devil immediately asked a question with some anxiety in his voice causing the guards to be slightly taken back. He continued speaking:


    "She said that this old man appeared almost two months ago and he spends most of his time eating and sleeping. She also said that the Family head instructed them to treat this old man with the utmost respect."


    "Is that all you know?"


    "Yes."


    "Hmm. You did well."


    The guard was instantly relieved at the devil''s words. If the devil was satisfied then he would survive. Suddenly he felt the thing that was constricting his throat disappear. This caused the guard''s eyes to lit in happiness as he felt his heart surge with happiness.


    "You can now rest."


    "Thank Yo..."


    Before the guard could even finish his words, a cold dark light flashed past his neck and he felt his eyes dim. Soon enough a headless body fell on the ground with a hollow thud.


    Wesley just looked away from the guard''s body and towards the wall of the Kader Manor. His hunch that the Kader Family was hiding some trump card was now confirmed.


    This mysterious old man that appeared in the Kader Manor was most likely an expert the four families invited to safeguard themselves against the assassin. This old man was most likely extremely strong for the two heads to feel safe under his protection.


    This expert was most likely either a Grand-Master or an Elder. If he is a Grand-Master, then Wesley was confident that with some luck and ambushing, that he could easily kill him. However, if the expert is an Elder, then Wesley could only ran away lest he risks dying a pitiful death.


    An Elder is an extremely powerful existence amongst mages and swordsmen. A few years ago, Wesley did not think too much about an Elder level expert, but after coming in contact with the second Elder and the many elders of the Academy, he no longer held any such ideas.


    If this expert was an Elder, comparable to the Second Elder, then Wesley would only be throwing his life away. He would most definitely die before he could even realize what was happening. The difference between a Grand-Master and an Elder is only a single step, but an Elder can kill a hundred Grand-Masters.


    However, Elders are extremely rare, the chance of Wesley meeting one is fairly slim. The four families could easily hire an Elder, but there is no way they could have done so in the short period of time they had because according to the guard, the old expert appeared some two months ago.


    The Four Moons Royal Academy has some thirty Elders as Instructors, However, these Elders serve the academy and cannot be easily moved by the four families. Wesley was absolutely confident that this expert was utmost a Grand-Master.


    Having gotten a glimpse of what was waiting for him, Wesley once again walked towards the wall of the Kader Family. He already figured out his course of action. Walk in, try to kill the remaining heads as soon as possible, then get the hell out before this old expert could make his move.


    ..........................................................................................................................................


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.Wesley used the gap in the Manor perimeter where the guard he just killed was to sneak into the Manor grounds. The night gave him some cover, but he still made sure not to be accidentally seen by using multiple Dark Ports to move forward.


    Wesley could have easily used his Dark Warp to enter the Kader Manor directly, however, he opted not to do that for two reasons. First, he doesn¡¯t know if he might accidentally Warp into the room where the expert was residing.


    Second, Wesley was still on guard against the old expert being an Elder. If he really is an Elder, then there is no way the mana fluctuations caused by his spell could be hidden from him. Although Dark Port has a smaller range than Dark Warp, it used very little mana, so his chances of being discovered were less.


    Soon enough, Wesley reached the entrance to the main Manor. After making sure that there was no one around, Wesley immediately walked in. Wesley had no intention of spending anytime more than necessary, so he immediately walked into the Manor.


    As soon as Wesley walked in, his surroundings changed. The darkness of the night that covered the world did not exist in this Manor. The hallway that Wesley walked into had multiple firestones lining its walls, causing one to not know whether it was day or night.


    Wesley would have preferred if this hallway was dark and gloomy because now he had no cover. Wesley walked forward towards the end of the hallway which led to a Manor''s central hall.


    As soon as Wesley reached the end of the hallway and he was able to see the main hall, he noticed that there were two maids standing on one corner of the hall talking about something in hushed voices.


    Wesley just looked at these two and then his eyes turned slightly cold. He immediately put his hand on his dark sword that was hanging from his hip and immediately used Dark Port to appear behind them.


    Before the two maids could even realize that Wesley was behind them, Wesley swung a backhand fist to the head of the first maid. The moment the swing reached the unassuming maid''s head, she was tossed away like a kite and immediately knocked out.


    Wesley''s training at the hand of the second elder and his use of the training armors made his body extremely powerful. When Wesley was not wearing the movement restricting armors, his body''s explosive strength and power was too tyrannical. It would be surprising, if the maid was able to withstand Wesley''s strike.


    The remaining maid was immediately surprised b what happened to her friend. She tried to turn her head, but a cold and rough hand clasped on her mouth and a dagger was held against her throat. Immediately, fear and dread crept on the maid''s heart.


    Suddenly, she heard a sonorous voice next to her ear. It seemed that whoever spoke was right next to her and she could even feel his breathing.


    "Don''t be afraid. Your friend is just unconscious. If you answer my questions, you''ll both be fine."


    Wesley was not keen on killing innocent bystanders like these two maids, but he would do it in a heartbeat if he had to. In his current situation, Wesley had no room for morality when his life hung on the balance.


    The maid immediately nodded her head vigorously. Her face was teary and she wanted to cry out, but the voice behind her struck fear in her heart. At this point, she gave up any idea of being a hero and wanted to only survive.


    "Are the Kader and Blume Family heads in the Manor?"


    Wesley was worried that the two heads snuck out and left that expert behind for him. If this was the case, Wesley would immediately leave this place.


    The maid pondered Wesley''s question. Her thinking was a little slow due to her fear, but she still understood what Wesley asked. She immediately nodded her head. Seeing the maid''s response, Wesley was delighted, he spoke again:


    "Good. You''re doing well. Now tell me, where are the Kader family head is at."


    Wesley loosened the hand that was on the maid''s mouth. The maid immediately started sobbing, but she didn¡¯t dare scream. After a few moments of silent sobbing, the maid spoke in a soft, broken up voice:


    "The he..ads are stayi..ng downstai..rs at the family vua..lt."


    The maid''s words were jumbled and unclear, but Wesley still heard everything he needed to know. The two family heads seemed to have holed up in their vault downstairs.


    "Well done. You can rest now."


    Wesley suddenly wrapped his hand around the maid''s throat and squeezed. The maid''s face immediately drained of color as she struggled to breath while scratching Wesley''s hand. Soon enough, she was rendered unconscious.


    Wesley immediately stepped over the unconscious maid and walked towards the stairs. He needed to take of things before his presence was felt by the expert. He also didn¡¯t dare use any spells lest he alert the expert.


    However, before Wesley could step on the first step of the stairs, against earthen colored wall appeared out of nowhere almost instantaneously and blocked Wesley''s path. Wesley''s face immediately changed as he realized that he was detected.


    "Shit."


    He immediately jumped backwards and tried to escape. However, after jumping backwards, at the moment that Wesley landed, his feet went through the floor as if it were sand and he sank ankle deep. Immediately, the floor hardened, trapping Wesley.


    At this point, Wesley''s face was exceedingly ugly. Not only was he discovered, he was also captured. Furthermore, the speed that those two spells were simply too fast. Unless there were two earth mages present, this speed was simply impossible.


    Wesley immediately tried reaching for his dark sword so that he could use Dark Port to escape his earthen restraints. At this point, Wesley didn¡¯t care if he was exposed as a dark mage, his life was in danger.


    However, as Wesley''s left hand went towards his sword, a well timed spike emerged from the ground and, before he could reach his sword, pierced through his palm. Wesley''s eyes immediately turned red and he let out a painful scream.


    While Wesley''s left hand was being pierced by that spike, another similar spike pierced through his right palm as well. This was the most pain Wesley felt in his entire life.


    "Don''t struggle too much little one. Today you will leave your insignificant, little life behind. Haha."


    Wesley suddenly heard a croaky voice reverberate throughout the entire hall. It was as if every single wall was speaking at the same time. Wesley looked around trying to pinpoint the source of the voice but to no avail.


    The voice once again reached Wesley''s ears, however this time it came from Wesley''s left. Wesley immediately turned his head only to see a gray robed old man walking towards him with a grin on his face.


    This old man looked emaciated, and was skeleton than person. His face was filled with creases and showed his age, but his eyes burned with vigor and determination. Seeing this old man, Wesley''s heart churned with regret and fear.


    The old man just looked at Wesley as he walked towards him. The moment he was standing in front of Wesley, the elder reached towards Wesley''s hood and pulled it off revealing Wesley''s face.


    Seeing Wesley''s youthful face, the old man was slightly startled. He had assumed that this assassin was a lot older, but now that he was looking at him, he simply couldn¡¯t fathom how such a child could be caught doing such things.


    The old man was slightly taken back, but he immediately cast it aside and he spoke again:


    "Little one. I hate to kill a child such as yourself, but it must be done. However, I''ll make your death painless if you tell me what I want to know."


    The old man''s words caused Wesley to almost laugh out loud. He has used that line so many times that it was almost his catchphrase. When Wesley would kill a troupe of bandits, he would use this line to coerce the last one to tell him the location of their base.


    Now, the same line he used so many times was being used on him. This kind of irony was enough to be used as an example of poetic justice. Wesley''s eyes slightly curved in laughter as the elder spoke.


    Wesley looked at the old man and spoke with a pained expression:


    "My lord. I am but a lackey. I will tell you everything I know, but I hope you''ll have mercy and release me."


    The smile on the old man''s face turned to a frown. Wesley''s words were what he expected to hear, but he caught a glimpse of what seemed like laughter on Wesley''s face causing him to feel that Wesley has already resigned to his face. The old man immediately spoke:


    "It seems you are not willing to listen. We''ll change that soon enough."


    The old man immediately reached towards the ground and a small needle made out of earth floated up from it. The needle floated towards the old man''s hand. The old man pointed the needle towards Wesley''s chest where his heart was.


    The moment the needle came in contact with Wesley''s chest, the tip pierced his chest causing Wesley to grimace. The old man spoke again:


    "Don''t worry. I won''t kill you yet. We''ll see how many needles can impale your heart before you die. Of course, you can tell me who sent you and where they are, and you don''t have to go through all of this."


    Wesley''s face turned a shade uglier as he listened to the old man''s words. It seems tonight was going to be the last night of his life.


    The old man saw the change in Wesley''s expression, and immediately smiled. The old man looked at Wesley''s eyes, and the moment Wesley''s eyes met his, the old man slightly pushed the needle deeper into Wesley''s heart.


    "AHHHHHHHHHH"


    "Haha. That''s one."


    ...............................................................................................................................................................................


    Ugh....


    I couldn''t wait for too long so immediately worked on this chapter, it is slightly cliffhanger, so i''ll release the next one after 24hrs.


    I don''t know if you guys saw it, but this story is 20th in this weeks top viewed. Thank you guys for this, i have to admit, i was really excited when i saw this.


    Now, if there is someone who wonders why my punctuation is so bad and there are so many comma errors in my writing, i want to refer you to visit this link.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKl6umkwKfU</a>


    Warning, this link does explain why my punctuation is horrible, but it is explicit, so don''t go there is you are easily offended or if you younger than 10yrs. :)

 Chapter 35 - His Dread

    "AAAAAAAAH"


    An extremely heart wrenching scream echoed throughout the Kader Manor. This scream was filled with so much pain that it caused anyone that heard to imagine the worst pain of their lives. Let alone those who were inside the Manor, even the guards who were outside turned towards the Manor with confusion drawn on their faces.


    Inside the main hall of the Manor, two figures were currently standing in front of one another. One of these two figures was standing with both of pierced by two earthen spikes, with three needle was sticking out from his chest, while screaming at the top of his lungs.


    Wesley has never felt any pain comparable to what he was currently feeling. The old expert''s needles didn''t directly impale his heart, rather, they only scratched the outer edges of his heart, but it was still so painful that Wesley felt his mind creak.


    The old man was intent on torturing Wesley in the worst possible way. His needled only scratch the edge of Wesley''s heart so that he doesn¡¯t die too quickly. However, after each needle went in, he would wait a few minutes before sticking in the next one.


    He was clearly toying with Wesley, making sure that he feels each needle separately. Every time Wesley''s scream''s lessened, he would push in another needle. This showed his extreme ferociousness, he also seemed adapt at torture, since his needles were so very accurately placed.


    Wesley''s face was drained of all color as he felt his blood pressure drop considerably and a small streak of blood ran from his mouth as he continued screaming his head off for ten whole minutes. The old man simply stared at Wesley with a wide smile on his face as if he was enjoying a good show.


    After Wesley was done screaming for the third time, he lifelessly lumped down with only the two spikes that were impaling his hands keeping him up. His body could simply no longer withstand the constant pain. The old man spoke once again:


    "Don''t fall asleep yet. Tell me who sent you, and you''ll be done with the pain."


    Wesley, whose head was looking down as his entire body was suspended from the two spikes, suddenly started muttered something. However, what he was muttering was slightly incomprehensible. The old man listened for a few seconds but after not understanding, he frowned slightly as he spoke:


    "Speak up child, I can''t hear you."


    Wesley continued muttering incomprehensibly. The old man frowned further as he bent over and brought his head closer to Wesley''s face to better hear what he was saying. The moment, the old man was able to hear Wesley''s mutterings, he heard:


    "Go die."


    Immediately, a dark fog spread out from Wesley''s body and engulfed the entire hall within a sensing. The entire hall descended into darkness. This darkness was clearly unnatural and seemed to go one for dozens of miles. Wesley didn''t dare cast earlier because the old man would never have given him the chance, but pretending to answer the old man''s question gave him time to invoke his spell.


    The old man''s face immediately changed as he realized what happened. He immediately jumped back and muttered something. Almost a second later, as he landed on the floor, he immediately sank into the ground. He couldn¡¯t see anything, so he wanted to leave range of this spell as soon as possible.


    The old man sank into the ground at an astonishing rate. Another second later, he was almost neck deep into the ground and descending. However, before he could descend any further, a whistling sound rushed towards him from Wesley''s position.


    The old man instantly recognized this sound as that of a sword swing, except a little odder. He immediately turned his neck to the left. Less than a second later, the whistling sound reached him and his slashed across his face.


    At this point, the old man has already disappeared from the hall. Wesley wanted to kill the old man with the surprise attack, but the old man''s reaction and invoking time were simply too fast. Wesley was slightly surprised and regretful at this old man''s prowess but he had no time to dwell on it.


    His dark sword immediately flew back towards his left hand and he immediately caught it. The moment he caught it, Wesley''s body was covered by dark elements and he immediately disappeared from his initial position and reappeared a few feet away.


    Wesley used his Dark Port to escape his bindings. He immediately muttered something; soon enough, Wesley disappeared from the hall using a Dark Warp and reappeared a few hundred feet outside the Manor.


    He instantly used another Dark Warp and disappeared from the area. Wesley did not dare remain even a second near this place. The second Dark Warp delivered Wesley to the small house he was staying in.


    The house was about quarter of a mile away from the Kader Manor, so it was within Wesley''s Dark Warp range. Wesley was also in critical condition so he needed a safe place to recuperate.


    ............................................................................................................................................


    In the Kader Family vault where the Kader and Blume family heads were staying, the two heads were currently sitting across from each other speaking about the agonized screams that were reverberating throughout the entire Manor.


    Suddenly, from the roof of the vault, a gray robed figure of a man emerged. The figure immediately fell and hit the floor with a thud causing the two heads to jump up from their seats in freight.


    They immediately thought that the assassin has reached the vault causing them both to feel intense fear. However, after a closer look at the figure, they both noticed that it was their Master Arnua.


    Arnua''s face was currently covered in blood and the entire right side of his robe was also covered in blood. His looked ragged as he held his face. He screamed loudly, however, his screams were those of anger rather than agony.


    Arthur and Neya looked at each other with worried expression. Neither of them expected Arnua to be injured. After hearing those agonized screams earlier, they believed that the assassin was already captured and was being questioned by Arnua.


    Arthur was the first one to organize his thoughts after half a minute, he immediately spoke with a shaky voice:


    "M...Master Arnua...Wh.."


    Arnua immediately turned to look at Arthur. A long bloody wound stretched from his right to his eye. His entire right eye was most likely gone. And although the wound was not too long, it was deep enough that the bone could be seen.


    Arnua stared at Arthur with his one good eye radiating intense anger causing Arthur to take a step back out of fear. Arthur saw that Arnua was currently enraged beyond words, he worried that Arnua might take his frustration out on him.


    Arnua growled slightly as he spoke:


    "Don¡¯t you dare say a word. I''ll go find that bastard, then I''ll come back and deal with you."


    Arnua immediately sank into the ground and disappeared from the vault. Arthur and Neya were left with astounded looks on their faces. Arthur was worried about Arnua''s ''I''ll deal with you'' however, Neya was surprised for another reason. She immediately spoke:


    "A...Arthur. Didn¡¯t you say that no one can use a spell to enter this vault."


    Arthur who was in deep thought, was awakened by Neya''s question. He immediately looked at her with a complicated look and spoke:


    "I don''t think a meager metal plate can stop an Elder from going where they want."


    Neya was rather surprised. A regular made was already rare enough, and Elder''s were those who stood at the peak of all mages. To meet such a figure was already astonishing enough, but that wasn''t what surprised her. She immediately spoke again:


    "Then who is able to hurt an Elder so badly."


    Arthur was also thinking about this. Neither of them dared think that the assassin was an Elder, however, to be able to cause such a great figure like Arnua to be so ragged, they couldn¡¯t have been simple. Arthur immediately replied:


    "I don''t know. But it seems our hidden enemy is extremely powerful. No one aside from the four kingdoms could wield such power."


    "Indeed."


    By using various methods, Arthur and Neya were able to get a glimpse of a web of intricate spy network weaved throughout the third district and perhaps further. From what they were able to see, these networks were laid by an expert and contained numerous traps and layers.


    They reached the conclusion that this was established by a tremendous power with astonishing wealth over a few years. They suspected that this was established by a local power, however, they discarded that assumption now.


    Aside from the four families, no other local power had nearly enough wealth to establish such a network. And now that they saw the level of the assassin sent by whomever is behind this entire thing, there is no one aside from the four kingdoms capable enough.


    "Neya. I don''t know what you''ll choose to do, but I''ll head to the sanctuary."


    Neya''s eyes immediately widened in surprise as if Arthur was speaking nonsense. She immediately spoke with some anxiousness:


    "Arthur. It is not our turn yet. We won''t be able to explain it to the predecessors."


    "I know it is unconventional. But, I can''t risk the survival of my family. What you do is unto you, but I''ll be taking a few promising youngsters from the Ranes and Wayle families, then head to the sanctuary. We''ll retreat there for a while, until things blow away."


    Neya closed her eyes and frowned deeply. After a few deep breaths, she opened her eyes with new conviction present in them and she said:


    "I see. I''ll go as well."


    "Good. We''ll leave immediately after Master Arnua returns."


    ...........................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley was currently sitting cross legged in the middle of the small house with his eyes closed. There were three bloodied, earthen needles laying across from him and blood was oozing out from his chest.


    Wesley''s heart was not directly impaled so he was not in any immediate danger of dying. However, his heart was still wounded and bleeding internally. His blood pressure also slowed greatly due to his heart bleeding. It was only a matter of time before Wesley''s heart bleeding led to his heart stopping due to shock. Wesley was expanding tremendous amounts of mana to speed up his heart''s healing.


    Normally, it would take a small amount of mana to clot a small wound such as the ones on Wesley''s heart, however, this was not the case now since the heart''s constant beating interrupted the clotting process, forcing Wesley to use a lot more mana than normal.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Wesley was sweating profusely. He has already used almost half his total mana with two Dark Warps and a Dark Domain, and now he was forced to continuously use his mana to maintain his heart. Wesley was still refining to ensure he didn''t run out of mana, but his refining speed could at best match his consumption rate.


    Wesley was in no hurry, so he didn¡¯t mind the slow refining speed. He would simply fix his wounds, then worry about completely replenishing his mana later.


    Suddenly Wesley''s eyes opened immediately. A tremendous mana fluctuation caught his attention and caused his heart to churn, and a feeling of fear engulfed him. He immediately held his dark sword and used Dark Port to reach the closest window.


    Wesley unhesitatingly jumped out of the window, disregarding the glass and wooden railings. The moment Wesley crashed through the window, the entire house behind him was compressed into a cube. Such a level spell was simply too devastating.


    Wesley rolled on the ground for a few feet and then looked back at the cube that was a house only a moment ago. Dread filled his eyes as he spit out a mouthful of blood. An enraged voice that seemed almost fanatical suddenly reached his ears:


    "Little shit. You thought you got away from me. Today is the day you die."


    Wesley looked at the source of the voice only to see a gray robed figure standing on the roof of one of the houses near the cube that was his house. Seeing the one eyed figure that was standing there, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but curse his luck; this old man was absolutely an Elder, and he was intent on killing Wesley.


    The old man spoke once again, this time almost roaring:


    "Too late to regret. You can die."


    Wesley was not going to wait for this old fiend to make his move. He immediately used Dark Port and appeared fifty feet away, which was the limit of his Dark Port. The moment Wesley disappeared from his original spot, an earthen arm appeared where he was.


    Wesley felt his heart ache even more every time he moved causing him to spit mouthful after mouthful of blood. Wesley didn¡¯t even look back at the old man as he continued using Dark Port after Dark Port.


    "That spell of yours is impressive, but I wonder how long you can keep it up."


    Every time Wesley ported, a hang or spike would appear where he was at. Wesley knew he couldn¡¯t keep this up, his mana was already less than half, and he needed a portion of that to maintain his heart.


    Hundred feet away from where Wesley was at, a shadow on a certain wall suddenly got darker. Wesley immediately used another Dark Port to appear fifty feet away.


    However, as he was about to land, the earth on his target suddenly distorted and an earthen spike emerged from the ground.


    "Shit."


    Wesley cursed this old man from the depths of his heart. The old man''s casting speed was already too fast, but now he seems to have deciphered Wesley''s spell range. This old man''s experience and ability caused Wesley to feel extremely apprehensive.


    Wesley immediately twisted his body mid air and swung his sword at the same time. Wesley''s sword met the spike and slashed its sharp tip off. Wesley immediately crashed against the blunt spike shoulder first.


    Wesley felt a cracking of a bone come from his shoulder, but it was better than spike running through his chest. He immediately used another Dark Port and disappeared from the spot before a few more spike materialized there.


    "Stop struggling you little shit. I''ll have your life tonight."


    Wesley paid no mind to the old beast''s rantings. He immediately reappeared in front of the dark shadow of the wall and jumped into it head first, disappearing without a trace.


    Arnua''s eye almost popped out of his head as he saw this sight. He has used the needles to sense Wesley''s location before, but now, there was no trace of him anywhere. He simply disappeared into thin air.


    Arnua mistakenly believed that Wesley went inside the house, so he immediately muttered something and a few short seconds later, the entire house was also compressed into a cube. This time, however, multiple screams of agony resounded throughout the house as it compressed, and no Wesley rushed out.


    Hearing those screams, Arnua was enraged even further. He didn¡¯t know whether Wesley was dead inside the house or not, however, he felt that Wesley was not going to be so easy to kill because he not only managed to injure him, he also evaded him for so long.


    Remembering how this little child cost him his eye and evaded him for so long, Arnua''s face shook with anger and he howled towards the sky. This was simply the most embarrassment he has ever endured, and he felt that he didn¡¯t have any face left.


    ...................................................................................................................................................


    As Arnua howled in range towards the sky, a tremendous mana fluctuation spread from his as the epicenter. He was not sure that Wesley was dead so he was planning to flatten this entire area, in hopes that Wesley was still within his range.


    This was going to mean the death of thousands of people, but Arnua has already lost his mind to rage, he was not thinking about the consequences of his actions, he only wanted Wesley dead. However, before he could go through, an aged voice reached his ears:


    "You might want to reconsider your actions friend."


    Arnua stared at the source of voice with a red eye and spoke in a growling voice that showed his rage:


    "Who''s there. Show yourself before I bury you."


    A white haired old man wearing a white and gold robe suddenly appeared on the roof across from Arnua. Seeing this, Arnua''s eye brows twitched slightly, but he still stared at the man with menacing eyes.


    The white haired old man only smiled at Arnua and spoke with a soft yet authoritative voice:


    "I don''t know why you''re so enraged friend. However, there are many innocent people who will die if you continue with your actions."


    Arnua stared daggers at this old man. He knew this old man was not a minor figure, but he wasn¡¯t scared one bit as he spoke:


    "`This doesn¡¯t concern you ''friend''. I''ll flatten this entire city if I so desire."


    The smile on the white haired old man still remained. He simply shook his head resignedly and spoke:


    "Am afraid I can''t let you do that. You''ll either stop now, or die a pitiful death."


    The white haired old man''s voice was stern and held no indication of being a bluff. Arnua''s brows knitted together, he immediately felt the killing intent in his heart flare up. However, before, he could make a move, the space behind the white haired old man, six azure robed figures appeared.


    Seeing these newcomers, Arnua''s face turned ugly. He immediately put aside any notions of fighting the white haired old man and spoke with frustration clear in his voice:


    "I am hunting a Dark Mage. Do you dare go against the Hall."


    At Arnua''s words, the face of the white haired old man changed and his smile immediately disappeared, and his eyes turned extremely sharp causing Arnua to take a step back. The white haired old man spoke again:


    "This is Blackreach City. The Hall holds no authority here. However, you can go ahead and die for mentioning them."


    Arnua''s face immediately turned ugly. He immediately jumped backwards and wanted to sink into the ground. However, the moment his feet touched the ground, rather than sinking, a pillar of earth emerged from the ground and pushed him into the sky.


    "Wait..I...."


    Arnua''s face was extremely ugly. He knew that he could no longer escape, and fighting these seven people was out of the question. Arnua wanted to plead with the white haired old man, but before he could even speak, one of the azure robed figures flickered brightly and disappeared.


    Almost instantly, the figure appeared behind him and punched him in the back towards the place where the others were standing. Before Arnua could even registered what happened, a green light emerged from the hand of one of the azure figures and headed towards him in astonishing speed.


    Half a second later, Arnua''s head was chopped off and his headless body fell at the feet of the white haired old man. One of the blue robed figures stepped up and threw a fireball at the body, turning it to ash in seconds, while another blue robed figure caused a wind to scatter the ashes away.


    The white haired old man simply stood there apathetically. One of the azure robed figures looked at the white haired old man and spoke with a concerned voice:


    "Headmaster. Wouldn¡¯t the Hall be enraged if they find out we killed one of their own. I don¡¯t think we can..."


    Another of the azure robed figures spoke before the other could even finish her words, his voice containing some anger:


    "So what if they get enraged. They are still licking their wounds from twenty years ago."


    The first one that spoke looked at the other and spoke with some annoyance and disdain in her voice:


    "So what if they are not as strong as they were in the past. Are you confident you can face those old monsters."


    The second figure frowned at the question and only turned his head in annoyance. The white Haired old man simply shook his head:


    "Stop bickering you two. As for the matter of the Hall, if that child was from there, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to make a ruckus here. Clearly he only wanted to intimidate us with their clout. He most likely didn¡¯t know about the event twenty years ago....."


    The white haired old man stopped speaking for a moment and looked ahead thoughtfully. The six azure robed figures looked at him closely. After almost a minute of utter silence, the white haired old man spoke again:


    "However, he did speak about a Dark Mage. I don''t know if he just said that as a bluff, but if he was telling the truth, considering how injured he was, we have at least a Grand-Master level Dark Mage in this City. We''ll need to find him and have him leave."


    ...............................................................................................................................................................................


    Hey guys.


    Here''s the chapter as promised. Slightly later than i wanted, but better late than never.


    Anyway, some of you wanted to know why Wesley must hide his magic, this gives you the answer for that, ignore the fact that there is now a bigger mystery. :):):)


    Enjoy

 Chapter 36 - His Solution

    Wesley was currently suspended midair in a dark space that seemed to have no end. Wesley''s face was currently filled with unwillingness, dread and anger. Wesley knew that he was safe from that maniac old man inside this space, but his face still contained a lot of dread for a completely different reason.


    Wesley, initially had a little more than half his mana left. He was already using half of that to heal his heart, while the other half was being kept in reserve. However, after the old monster found him, Wesley was forced to use Dark Warp, which cost him the quarter he was keeping in reserve.


    Now, Wesley was faced with an ultimatum. Remain in this space and use the remainder of his mana to stabilize and heal his heart, or, open up another Dark Warp and leave this place.


    If Wesley chose the first option, he would be able to fix his heart without fear from the old man interrupting him again. However, he would be stuck in this space until the day he dies from starvation.


    This space is, to say the least, the space between dark elements, however, there is no tunnel now since Wesley had to collapse it. Allowing your tunnel to collapse is the worst thing a Dark Mage can do because, this space is like prison.


    This space, which is simply known as the void, is the worst place you want to end up in without mana. The void is absolutely cut off from outside world. Although surprisingly, there is air, there is no gravity, heat or mana.


    Wesley would be able to fix his heart with his remaining mana, but he definitely won''t be able to refine in here, so he''ll have no way to leave, and would eventually die.


    Wesley''s second option is to leave the space. If he did this, he would most definitely die, because he won''t have any mana to maintain his heart. Also, his escape from the old bastard has caused his injuries to become worse, so his refining speed will be definitely slower than his healing rate.


    Furthermore, Wesley was afraid that the old bastard would track him down again. Wesley had no idea how that old man found him just now, but he had no intention of being caught by him, because if he did, Wesley''s death would be assured and painful.


    Wesley immediately made up his mind. Having to choose between slow but eventual death, and quick but certain death, Wesley chose the slow death.


    His reasoning was simple, first he would stabilize his heart, then he would try to find a way out of this god forsaken place. If he failed, he fails, but if he succeeds, then he would be able to survive this predicament.


    Having made up his mind, Wesley immediately crossed his legs and closed his eyes. He had no idea which was up and which was down because this space had no such thing, but he still needed to focus on his heart.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley''s remedy for his heart was extremely basic. Use his mana on his heart''s three wounds so that the body''s own clotting speeds up. However, although the theory was simple, its application was extremely had.


    Wesley had to direct three strands of his mana, to the three wounds; this required tremendous amounts of control and focus, because paying attention to three different things is no easy task. Furthermore, his heart''s constant beating aggravated and interrupted the clotting process, while disturbing Wesley''s direction of the mana.


    Wesley''s control of mana was extremely good, however, the difficulty of this certain task was so high that Wesley felt his forehead getting drenched in sweat. If it were any other situation, Wesley wouldn¡¯t have so much trouble, but he was currently racing against the clock.


    The longer he waited, the lower his blood pressure dropped, and the more likely Wesley would fall into shock and die. Furthermore, Wesley was already starting to feel lightheaded, forcing him to focus even more on the task at hand.


    Fortunately, Aside from a few blood vessels that supplied blood to the heart itself being severed, no other major vessels were injured. Although, he was experiencing intense pain, and his heart was starting to slow, Wesley was not in too much danger.


    After half hour of constant nourishment from Wesley''s mana, those three wounds were closed. Wesley still needed to make sure that the clots did not crumple under his heart''s constant, so Wesley used the remainder of his mana to maintain the clots.


    These clots enabled Wesley to be in a less critical condition, but he still had to keep a constant eye on them, because he had very little mana left, and if they broke, he would simply resign to dying.


    ..............................................................................................................................................


    Although Wesley was slightly worried about his heart, he still felt confident that he was going to be fine as long as he had enough mana and now that he has succeeded in closing the wounds, his heart should be fine with some time.


    What Wesley wasn¡¯t confident in was finding a way out of the void. If only he had enough mana to open a tunnel, this matter wouldn¡¯t even cause him any worry. However, he has already spent the last of his mana in repairing his wounded heart.


    He also had no way to refine in this void because the mana that existed in the outside world didn¡¯t exist here. Wesley had to find a way to refine enough mana to open a tunnel, so he immediately started pondering.


    Wesley wondered how air could exist in the void, but not mana. If air could enter the void, then mana should be able to enter as well. It didn¡¯t make sense that one can enter while the other is unable.


    Wesley simply continued being suspended there crossleged, while he pondered this question. Wesley needed to think of a way to escape this prison, and he did have time, but not infinite time.


    After almost an hour of constant pondering, Wesley came up with a potential explanation to the problem. One of Oliver Reme''s theories was regarding the state of mana. He hypothesized that mana didn¡¯t fit any of the known states of matter, however, it resembled solids more than liquids or gasses.


    Air is a gas, so its particles are able to move away from one another and spread. Which means that they have no fixed volume and are always spreading, unless otherwise blocked. This means that air particles will continue moving until they entered this void.


    However, mana is comparable to solids. Static and with fixed volume. They will remain unmoving in their current position, unless they are refined by a mage and then used in some way. This theory was rejected by Reme, because mana was not necessarily matter, because, even though it existed in the world, it neither occupied space nor had mass.


    Wesley felt that this was one of the reasons why mana did not exist in this space, but he didn¡¯t for a second believe it was the only way. There is no way that every no mana happened to exist at the exact position as a dark element. Simple statistics made it impossible for such a scenario to occur.


    So Wesley wondered what else could have caused no mana to exist in this void. Wesley immediately went over everything he knew about mana in his mind. Adding the multiple theories of Oliver Reme as well as the other books Wesley read, he had quite a lot to go over.


    Wesley continued going over the numerous theories, thinking about each one separately, and trying to see how each of them might explain why no mana existed inside the elements. After almost three hours of thinking, Wesley seemed to have found one theory that fit this situation.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Oliver Reme''s last theory stated that mana and the elements shared were similar origins. However, he immediately rejected this theory because it is established that opposites attract while likes repel. If mana and elements were the same, they would repel each other and mana wouldn¡¯t be able to be used manipulate the elements.


    At first Wesley accepted this theory, the same way he accepted all of Oliver Reme''s theories. However, he now felt that there were some truth in the fact that mana and elements shared something that caused them to repel, hence explaining why there was no mana inside this elements.


    As far as the fact that opposites attract and likes repel goes, Wesley thought that the explanation for that is extremely simple. When mages use mana, they refine it by attracting it with the aid of their mana core and then they store in their mana core.


    The mana core is located at the center of the mana sea, and attracts mana like magnet. After the mana enters the body, it is stored in the mana sea. Wesley concluded that since the core could attract mana, they must be opposites, and that when mana is stored in the mana sea, it is somehow altered, making it able to be used to manipulate the elements.


    Wesley''s entire theory could be described by words like conjecture of speculation. He had not a speck of evidence for any of his thoughts, and he had no viable way to test any part of his theory. Wesley, however, didn¡¯t mind that, as he suddenly found a possible way out of this place.


    According to Wesley''s hypothesis, mana and the elements are similar in some way, therefore, Wesley should be able to use his mana core to refine the parts of the dark element that is similar to mana. If he is right, then he should be able to refine and escape this place.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    Wesley immediately calmed his body and started breathing in a practice rhythm. He wanted to test if he can refine the mana component in the dark element he was currently residing in.


    Wesley''s mana core started vibrating slightly as he stimulated it. Wesley had no idea how this experiment of his might work, so he decided to start of slowly. This was the same vibration speed needed to safely refine mana in the outside world.


    There was no mana in the void, so Wesley''s core continued vibrating slightly without anything happening. Wesley, however, was not discouraged. He immediately increases the vibration rate of his core to double its initial speed.


    Unfortunately nothing happened again. Wesley once again increased the speed of the core vibration, reaching three times its initial vibration speed. However, aside from the core''s vibration causing his body to shake slightly, nothing else happened.


    Wesley immediately frowned. He immediately sped up his core''s vibration speed. Wesley''s face instantly twitched as the vibration speed reached four times the initial speed because his core felt like it was clutched and being squeezed by someone.


    If Wesley refined with this speed in the outside world, his pores would have ruptured and he would have become disabled for live because the potential amount of mana that would have rushed into his body is simply too much. Fortunately, there was no mana here, so aside from some slight discomfort, Wesley wasn¡¯t at risk of being harmed.


    Nothing happened once again. At this point, Wesley was starting to get frustrated. He couldn¡¯t maintain this rate of core vibration because it was extremely getting uncomfortable.


    Wesley immediately clenched his jaws and increased the speed of core vibration to five times the initial speed. As soon as Wesley did this, he felt as if his core was about to be ripped from his chest and fly out from his chest.


    Although, this wasn¡¯t too much pain, it scared Wesley greatly. Wesley wanted to stop with the refining. It was clear that his hypothesis was wrong and even if it was right, he would be able to test it any further. However, before Wesley could stop his actions:


    ''Creaaaak''


    The entire space around Wesley issued a low creak that seemed to echo from all directions. Wesley''s eyes immediately opened, not because he could see anything in this darkness, rather because of surprise and astonishment.


    Wesley immediately realized that the reason his core felt like it might bust out of his chest was because whatever it was pulling was stronger than it. Wesley closed his eyes again and instantly increased his core''s vibration rate to six times the initial speed.


    Wesley concluded that if his core''s pulling power was stronger than the opposing force, then he should be able to absorb and refine it. Wesley''s theory proved correct because the moment he increased his core vibration rate, the entire space around him started issuing creak after creak as if something was about to be yanked from somewhere.


    ''Creaaaaaak''


    ''Creaaaaaaaaaak''


    ''Creaaaaaaaaaaaaaak''


    Wesley''s heart was filled with anticipation as the creaking got louder and more frequent. If he found a way to escape from this place, then Wesley would be the first person to ever do so. Furthermore, he would have deciphered some of the mystery of mana.


    Ten minutes later, Wesley''s entire body was drenched in sweat and his face was paler than paper, but his expression was that of excitement. He felt that the force opposing his core was getting loose. It shouldn¡¯t take too long before he was able to pry it loose.


    ''Crunch''


    Soon enough, the sound of something breaking reverberated throughout the entire void. Wesley eyes opened while full of excitement and happiness. He couldn¡¯t believe that he would be able to leave this space.


    Wesley face was filled with incomparable happiness as he was currently grinning from ear to ear. It seems that he has used up his entire life reservoir of luck today by escaping from an elder and then from the void. This is simply the luck of the gods.


    However, before Wesley could relish in his self praise, the smile on his face froze and an expression of extreme fear appeared in his face. Wesley''s core was still vibrating with six times the normal speed.


    Let alone whatever it is that Wesley just absorbed, even regular mana would prove deadly if refined with such speed. Wesley immediately slowed stopped his core''s vibration, but it was too late.


    ''Shatter''


    Almost half a second later, the sound of glass shattering resounded throughout Wesley''s body. Wesley''s face instantly turned ugly and he spat a mouthful of blood. He looked down at his chest with wide eyes as if looking for a wound, but he knew there would be nothing there.


    Wesley''s eyes stared at his chest for a few seconds in disbelieve and then his eyes immediately turned white as he fell into unconsciousness.


    A shattered core.


    ....................................................................................................................................


    Hi.


    I have to admit something. This chapter was actually twice as long. But i thought you guys might appreciate nice and soft cliffhangers. You see there are two kinds of cliffhangers, the intentional and unintentional.


    This chapter is the former.


    Also if you spot a flaw in my <del>bullshit</del>science about mana, please let me know, i''ll fix it ASAP.


    Enjoy. -\(-_-)/-

 Chapter 37 - His Change

    The sun''s rays peeked through the clouds that littered the sky in this cold winter morning, bringing with it light but no warmth against the cold. This marked the start of the day in Blackreach city as most people needed to get on with their businesses.


    Somewhere near the center of the third district, more than a hundred white armored guards were vigilantly blocking the roads that led to this specific area. If one was able to get past these guards, they would see numerous people that wore green robes looking around.


    Amidst these green robed people, stood a similarly green robed middle aged man with salt and peppered hair, and eyes that showed his lack of sleep. Next to him stood a much younger man with similarly green robes only he was holding a file in his hand.


    The middle aged man looked at the younger man and spoke with creased eyebrows and a tired voice:


    "Have you found anything that tells us what happened here last night."


    The younger man looked at the file in his hand and spoke with a respectful and professional voice:


    "From what we can tell. A battle between two mages occurred here last night. There are a few Earth Spikes here and there, and those two houses were presumably crushed by an earth spell. We know one of the combatants was an Earth mage, as for the other, we have no hint. There is no sign of either of them."


    The middle aged man''s eyebrows creased even further and a frown appeared on his face. He looked forward towards on of the crushed houses and then spoke:


    "What about the houses. Why were they crushed?"


    "We don''t know."


    "Who do they belong to?"


    The younger green robed man looked at his file and flipped a few pages before speaking:


    "One house belongs to a family of four; the Hay Family. They are all presumed dead. The other house was bought by an Inn and there was no one living there."


    "Hmm. An empty house? Send a few people to the Inn that bought the house and figure out why they did so. Also, get me everything we have on that Inn."


    "Understood."


    The middle aged man''s face was emotionless, but seemed to be perpetually frowning. He immediately started walking away from the crushed houses, but no before saying one last thing to the younger man:


    "And report this to the Academy. Magic related incidents are their jurisdiction."


    The younger man jotted something in his file and spoke without looking up:


    "Understood."


    .................................................................................................................................................


    Around noon, In a random alley past the outer edge of the perimeter around the blocked off area of the third district, two white armored guards were walking shoulder to shoulder while speaking.


    "Jay. What do you think could have caused those two houses to become like that."


    The other guard whose name was Jay simply shook his head with a slight look of sorrow on his face as he spoke:


    "I don''t know. I just feel sorry that there could have been people inside those houses."


    The other guard just spoke apathetically, with a slightly cold voice:


    "Yeah. I guess they were just unlucky...."


    Before the guard could finish his sentence, he saw something move slightly in the corner of his eye. He immediately turned his head and as soon as he saw what it was that caught his attention, he spoke while patting the other guards shoulder:


    "Hey Jay. Check this out."


    Jay immediately turned his head. As soon as he did, he saw a dark clothed youth with a pale face sleeping on the floor motionlessly. The youth had many wounds around his body, such as two gaping holes on both his hands, and a bloody chest.


    As soon as he saw this, Jay spoke:


    "Hey Tom. What should we do. He seems injured."


    Tom just looked at the body with disinterest and spoke:


    "We don''t need to do anything. These damn bums; ever since those damn Black Family emerged, these kinds of people have been appearing more often in the other districts."


    "Tom. He seems on the verge of dying. Let''s take him to the clinic."


    Tom only looked at Jay with an odd look and spoke with some disdain:


    "He''s already on the verge of dying...."


    Tom kicked the person lightly causing the figure to grunt lightly and then continue sleeping. Tom immediately continued speaking:


    "No point wasting time on someone who''ll die anyway. Also, it is way too much work. Let us leave."


    Tom immediately walked forward while pulling Jay by the shoulder and prompting him forward. Jay looked back at the passed out figure before shaking his head and continuing his walking.


    ............................................................................................................................................


    Wesley felt like he was floating inside his mind. He felt the world around him, and yet he couldn¡¯t feel it. It was as if he was in a state between sleep and wakefulness but he still couldn¡¯t understand what was going. He only knew that it was comfortable.


    "Ugh"


    Something slammed against Wesley''s body pulling him from his slumber. He slightly opened his eyes which were immediately assaulted by the sunlight causing him to close his eyes again. He wanted to go back to sleep.


    Wesley had no idea where he was, but he still felt sleepy so he went back to sleep. However, regardless of how much he wanted to go back to sleep, his mind has already awakened.


    His eyes abruptly burst open as he remembered everything that happened. Getting captured by the old expert of the Kader Family, getting tortured, escaping, hiding in the void, trying to escape and.....his core shattering.


    All those images ran through Wesley''s mind in sequence as he laid on his back staring blankly at the cloudy sky. Wesley almost didn¡¯t believe what happened, he hoped, no, he believed that it was all a dream, or a nightmare, and that he was just waking up from it.


    How did he escape from the void? Was his core truly shattered? Was his life as a mage truly over? Multiple questioned flooded Wesley''s mind causing him to feel slightly overwhelmed. He simply couldn¡¯t believe that any of those things happened.


    Wesley''s nature was always restrained and he never considered showing off or flaunting in front of others. However, this was not because Wesley was meek or weak person, rather his pride made him how he was.


    Wesley had a lot of pride. His pride as a prince, his pride as a mage, his pride as the disciple of the Keeper. All of these things made him develop a personal philosophy. He believed that if you have power and background, then you shouldn¡¯t look down on others, rather you should be more humble and more considerate.


    Wesley was always seen by everyone as a talent less person without a single redeeming characteristics. He was looked down by his father and his other relatives. The oldest child of the king and yet the second prince, seen as inferior by everyone around him and looked upon with contempt and disdain.


    And yet, Wesley never paid their contempt any mind because he always knew that he was not talentless and no amount of contempt and disdain will ever change that.  His core was now shattered, how can he accept such a thing? His mind simply disregarded the whole thing as an illusion; a construct of his dreams feeding on his greatest fears, nothing more.


    Wesley dismissed everything as a bad dream and he immediately tried to sit up. As soon as he tried sitting up, a piercing pain shook his entire body. Wesley grimaced at the pain, but he ignored it mostly and sat himself up.


    As soon as he sat up, Wesley surveyed his surroundings. He was sitting in some alleyway. He had no idea how he got here, but he knew that he was stuck in the void, and there is no way he could have left if he core shattered.


    Wesley immediately looked at his two hands. There were two few inch wide circles in both of his hands. Seeing this, Wesley was startled and slight frown appeared on his face as he remembered how his hands were impaled and caught by two earth spikes from the old expert.


    He next moved his right hand to his chest. He could feel three circular lacerations in the area near his heart. Once again, Wesley frowned as he remembered how the old expert used needless to injure his heart.


    Wesley was feeling his heart beat faster as he realized that what he dismissed as a nightmare were proving to have truly happened. He started getting a bad premonition as the thing he dreaded most was appearing more and more true.


    Wesley looked down at his shirt which was ripped in numerous places when he crashed through the window of the small house when the old expert tracked him down. He also noticed that his left shoulder is also broken from when he was almost impaled by a earth spike right before hiding in the void.


    At this point, there was no longer any doubt that everything Wesley believed to be a nightmare truly happened. Wesley''s heart dropped, and two tears uncontrollably streaked along his face. Wesley''s stomach knotted and churned with fear and other things.


    Wesley didn¡¯t care about any of his other injuries, neither did he care about death, however, he simply couldn¡¯t heart his core being shattered. His magic was his identity, his pride, and yet now he has being deprived of it.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Wesley instantly felt his mind grow numb and dizzy. He didn¡¯t fight it or anything, rather he simply closed his eyes and embraced the blankness. He simply didn¡¯t know what to do, rather he didn¡¯t want to do anything.


    Wesley''s eyes turned dark as he instantly lost consciousness and fell on his side lifelessly.


    ..............................................................................................................................................


    Sometime past sunset. Wesley who was lying unconscious on the floor of some alleyway was brought back to consciousness by the cold night wind. After coughing a few times, Wesley''s eyes contained a dim light of confusion as he struggled to sit up.


    A short while after waking up, Wesley''s initial confusion seemed to have disappeared and replaced by a resolute look that contained no small amount of sadness. Wesley looked like a person who came into terms with something, but still felt some reservations.


    At first, Wesley went through the same process of denial where he believed that everything was a nightmare and that none of it truly happened. However, this time, Wesley didn¡¯t faint after realizing that it did truly happened.


    He truly felt no small amount of unwillingness and pain at the fact that his core shattered, however, he simply couldn¡¯t do anything about it.


    Wesley immediately crossed his legs. He wanted to see the extent of his shattered core with his own two eyes. He has already resigned to his fate, but unwillingness was still present in his heart.


    If his core was truly shattered, then mana would not be able to reside in his mana sea. The core not only attracts mana, it also holds it in place, and its shattering means that it simply can no longer hold the mana.


    He immediately urged his core to vibrate. Wesley immediately felt some pain as his core vibrated, but he clenched his jaws and held on. Unfortunately, just as he though the mana seeped out of his body in massive quantities. But something was not right.


    Wesley immediately noticed that his core was indeed shattered, but somehow still intact. There were thousands of cracks spreading from the center of his core like a shattered mirror. However, these cracks were filled by some dark matter that acted as glue and held the pieces of his core together.


    Wesley had no idea what a shattered core was supposed to be like, but he felt that it really should not be like this. Shattered implied completely broken, but his core was intact to some extent, and although he had no idea what that dark matter is.


    Wesley''s brows furrowed somewhat, but his eyes held some hint of hope. If his core was not truly shattered, then Wesley would......He simply couldn¡¯t think of what he would do if that was the case. Wesley has truly never wanted anything more.


    Wesley immediately closed his eyes and started refining mana like his life depended on it. The pain in his core was ever present, but Wesley paid it no mind, he has finally seen a ray of hope, he''ll be damned if he lets some pain stand in his way.


    After almost an hour of constant refining, the amount of mana that entered Wesley''s body was enough to fill him many times over, but almost all of it leaked out as soon as it entered his mana sea.


    However, Wesley''s face was plastered with a wide smile because, although almost all the mana leaked out, not all of it leaked out. His core acted as a sort of a sieve, allowing most of the mana to flow out unobstructed, but hanging onto a minute portion.


    "Hahahaha...."


    Wesley let out a hearty laugh filled with excitement. His core was not shattered, it was not shattered. He simply couldn¡¯t control the joy in his mind and heart, if it were to be described in words, it was like being able to breath after not breathing.


    After these five hours of refining, Wesley was able to fill about a tenth of his mana sea, this was simply too slow of a pace. Furthermore, his mana felt odd, however, Wesley was still excited beyond words.


    His rate of refining could only be called pitiful, but Wesley didn¡¯t mind. If given the choice between a shattered core and a pitiful core, Wesley would always choose the latter.


    Wesley immediately calmed his pounding heart. He really hasn¡¯t lost all hope, and the only thing he seems to have lost were the few more hours he would need to spend to completely fill his mana sea than he did in the past.


    Wesley continued refining. He was no longer depressed, on the contrary, he was in an extremely good mood. Four more hours of refining, Wesley now had half of his mana sea filled. Although, this mana felt somewhat different than the usual, he didn¡¯t pay any mind to that.


    Wesley immediately got up briskly, although feeling some pain from numerous parts of his body, his mood was too good to be ruined by such trivial matters. He immediately picked up his dark sword and walked towards the seventh district.


    He felt dome reservations against using Dark Warp, so he decided to walk. Wesley cut a miserable figure with his bloody and torn clothes and the painful expressions that flashed through his face every time he took a step.


    However, soon enough, Wesley reached the seventh district. It was almost midnight, so the curfew was not yet in place. Wesley however, didn''t directly go to the Manor, instead, he found a random alleyway and scurried into it.


    Wesley was certain that his Manor was being watched, and walking in looking like he did now, was simply too dumb a decision. He was indeed tired, and his body was in a lot of pain, but Wesley has not forgotten to be cautious.


    Considering how Wesley almost died at the hands of that old expert of the Kader Family. He was afraid that the Kader family might connect his current appearance with the things that happened, at which point Wesley would need to face that old man again. He truly was not willing to do that.


    Wesley clenched his teeth and immediately started muttering.. He was reluctant to use Dark Warp after what happened, but he had no choice. And he would need to face his fears sooner or later, so he might as well do it sooner rather than later.


    However, after Wesley was done with his mutterings, he simply stared at the wall in front of him slack jawed. Nothing happened, let alone a Warp tunnel being opened, his mana didn¡¯t even react to his invoking.


    Wesley simply couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. He had mana without a doubt, but his mana didn¡¯t even react to his invocation. Mages invoke their spells by guiding mana through specific channels; the mutterings simply open those specific channels.


    There are hundreds upon hundreds of channels in the body, but not all channels could be used by everyone. A dark mage has specific channels that he can use, while a wind mage has different channels. If a wind mage opened the channels used by a dark mage, then nothing would happen.


    However, at this moment, when Wesley opened the specific channels for Dark Warp, his mana which was supposed to pour through it, simply remained unmoving. He couldn¡¯t help but feel apprehensive; could it be that his core has lost something essential.


    Wesley immediately sat down on the ground and started thinking. He didn¡¯t care that his core''s efficiency declined, he didn¡¯t care that he was almost killed and injured severely, however, he simply couldn¡¯t resolve himself to losing his magic.


    After a few minutes of thinking, Wesley came up with two conclusions. Either, his core truly shattered and he could no longer be a mage, or his core''s changes caused him to be unable to use the methods that he used as a dark mage.


    Out of these two possibilities, it was not hard for Wesley to decide which one was more probable. He convinced himself that his core''s changes required him to use other channels instead of the original one he learnt. This also made sense since he is able to refine, which shouldn¡¯t be possible with a shattered core.


    "I guess I''ll need to experiment with different channels and see which...."


    Wesley''s words were solely for his own benefit. He knew that each affinity had its own channels, and that by being unable to use the channels for a simple dark spell, he most likely wouldn¡¯t be able to use the others as well. He also knew that it is absolutely impossible to change one''s affinity.


    At this point, Wesley''s heart was once again depressed, but he still held onto a hint of hope. He was able to refine against all odds with a seemingly shattered core, he also escaped from an Elder and was able to break out from the void, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to find a way to invoke.


    Having calmed his heart, Wesley started walking towards the Manor. Although he wasn¡¯t able to warp directly to the Manor. He can still wait until past midnight and then his watchers would be forced to leave the seventh district because of the curfew; then he can simply walk into the Manor through the front door.


    ..................................................................................................................................................................................


    Hi.


    Do you guys feel like this chapter is too filler-ish and that nothing important happened?


    I want you to blame a few smarty pants such as [Elocoman] and [qtjr168] who felt it necessary to see through my plot. I was going to give Wesley a simple generic dark core, but after seeing that some of you saw through it, i had to go to my BS machine and cook up some more things.


    You''re welcome and Enjoy.

 Chapter 38 - His Sword

    After Wesley reached his Manor. He went straight to his basement, but not before receiving odd looks of surprise and concern from his guards and maids. Wesley''s current appearance could only be described as haggard and poor, It simply didn¡¯t resonate with the image of Wesley they had in their minds.


    Wesley, however, ignored them and went straight to the basement. He was extremely tired, and although he spent most of the day passed out, he still felt like it was simply not enough. Wesley thought that it was most likely due to his injuries.


    As soon as he reached the basement, which was now Wesley''s official bedroom, Wesley went to sleep. His sleep was uncharacteristically deep, accredited to the fact that the issue of his shattered core no longer weighed on his conscious as heavily as earlier in the day.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    Almost eight hours later, Wesley woke up from his slumber. This felt surprisingly refreshed, and aside from his left shoulder which was bruised and aching, he felt great. Considering everything he went through in the last couple of days, a good night''s sleep was extremely invigorating.


    However, Wesley had no idea to marvel at his condition. He was on the verge of being late to his swordsmanship class, and although he would very much rather spend this day recuperating, he knew that he had already skipped a day, and didn¡¯t dare skip another.


    Wesley donned on his red uniform and headed to the swordsmanship class in a hurried pace. Although, he was simply going to oversee the first years during the regular class time, he still wouldn¡¯t dare be too late for fear of giving the second elder reason to make his life complicated.


    Over the last eight to nine months Wesley spent with the second elder, he was able to get a glimpse of the second elder''s true nature. Wesley knew the second elder was rather powerful, however, unlike other powerful people Wesley knew, such as his master, the second elder was more childish and free spirited.


    The second elder enjoyed conflicts and oddities, he would even encourage the first years to spar against Wesley and Kellan, simply for his enjoyment. If there is any way he can have himself some entertainment, the second elder would find it.


    However, regardless of his playfulness and open nature, Wesley still felt that this second elder was more profound than he appeared to be, especially after his encounter with that old expert from the Kader Family.


    Ever so often, Wesley would notice the second elder in deep thought causing him to wonder what in the world can force an elder to be preoccupied.


    Wesley reached the swordsmanship class in a few minutes. As soon as Wesley walked in, he noticed that all the students were staring at the center of the classroom while five blue clothed figures stood across from one azure robed figure.


    Seeing this scene, Wesley was instantly startled. The second elder was facing five first years, causing Wesley to almost have a heart attack. Wesley knew how scary the second elder is, and the fact that those blue clothed students actually stood without running, made him feel sorry for them. If only they knew.


    The second elder was holding a thin, long bastard sword in his right hand causing Wesley to heave a sigh of relief. If the second elder was serious, he wouldn''t be holding a sword, rather he would have his gigantic green sword hovering around menacingly.


    "Oh Wesley."


    While Wesley was busy remembering the second elder''s terrifying sword and his pressure, an almost laughing voice reached his ears causing him to frown and curse his luck. Wesley immediately looked towards the center of the class and spoke respectfully:


    "Elder."


    The second elder looked at Wesley for a few seconds, at which point a slight frown appeared on his face and he spoke:


    "Where were you yesterday?"


    Wesley stared at the second elder with an emotionless face as he replied:


    "I left the city for a short while."


    The second elder simply stared at Wesley with a slightly unconvinced look on his face.


    "Is that so. Where did you go?"


    Wesley frowned slightly as he replied:


    "In the outskirts. I was.....sharpening my sword."


    Wesley''s paused slightly as he spoke. His words were not a complete lie, but he still hoped that  the second elder wouldn¡¯t pursue this topic any further.


    The second elder''s frown disappeared and he looked at Wesley with an amiable smile on his face. As he looked at the slightly frowning Wesley, the second elder had a sudden thought causing his smile to get even wider. Seeing the elder''s smile, Wesley couldn¡¯t help his heart from speeding up a little, these were telltale signs that the elder was up to something.


    "I see, it is always necessary to sharpen one''s sword. Anyway, I was about to demonstrate the importance of flexibility in a fight to these young ones. They seem too rigid in their spars as they keep using one technique after another. What do you think?"


    Wesley knew the second elder was setting him up for something, but he still replied respectfully:


    "Elder is right. Techniques are important, but not as important as flexibility that enables one to respond and react to each enemy accordingly."


    "Haha. Exactly. See, young ones, Wesley knows what I mean. I worry for the young ones in the upcoming ranking competition."


    Wesley slowly walked towards the crowd of students hoping the second elder would just let him be, but that was not going to happen as the second elder spoke again:


    "Wesley, I think it is better if the young ones see you demonstrate what I mean by flexibility."


    Wesley was inwardly cursing,but he still smiled at the elder and spoke:


    "Elder. I can hardly compare to your teaching. You''re the best person to demonstrate to them."


    "Nonsense. If I do the demonstration, it will just be like an elder flaunting, but if you do it, the young ones will now it is achievable. Now come."


    What a reason. Wesley could only praise the second elder for his craftiness. Not only does he not need to teach, he can also watch a good show. If this was not sly, then there is no such thing.


    "Yes Elder."


    Wesley could only sigh and walk towards the second elder''s position with a dejected look on his face. Wesley didn¡¯t mind demonstrating, he only hated being put on the spot by the second elder, as well as the fact that his shoulder was hurt badly. Unfortunately, Wesley could only sigh and accept his fate.


    Wesley stood in front of the five students and upholstered his replica dark sword. Wesley just stood there with his dark sword in his left hand as he just stared at the students apathetically.


    The five students, seeing that Wesley was their opponent were relieved, some even had a hint of sneers present on their faces. Wesley is stronger than them, but he is not the elder, and there are five of them, how could they possibly lose.


    Wesley just stared at the five students who were clearly looking down on him and spoke:


    "You may begin."


    The five students immediately rushed towards Wesley with their swords drawn. The five students all had regular shaped one handed swords, showing that they practiced an orthodox style of swordsmanship.


    Wesley just brought his right hand to the hilt of his sword and immediately unsheathed his sword with great. Only, his left hand released the scabbard as he was halfway through the unsheathing causing it to fly out.


    When Wesley did this, four of the students snickered at his foolishness, without even noticing that one of them has already fallen behind.


    The scabbard that flew out of Wesley''s hand, rushed towards the left most of the students. The students was caught off guard and immediately knocked out by the scabbard hitting his face. Wesley''s left shoulder was injured, so Wesley used his injury to weaken his opponents.


    By the time the four students noticed that one of them was already knocked out, they were within five feet of Wesley. Wesley just leisurely walked towards the two students who were in the center, ignoring the other two.


    The four students nodded towards each other, then the two in the middle charged towards Wesley. While the other two circled around him. Seeing this, Wesley ignored the two who were circling around him and faced the two that charged towards him.


    As soon as the two charging students were within range of Wesley, they immediately swung their swords horizontally from two opposite sides. Wesley who was so far heading forward suddenly jumped backwards before the two students started their swings. As soon as those two students noticed Wesley''s jump, they immediately adjusted their swings to follow him.


    However, Wesley''s backward jump propelled him a few feet putting him past the two students who were circling behind him who were already mid swing themselves. Now, the swings that were coming towards Wesley from the back and those coming from the front found themselves heading towards each other.


    The moment the two groups collided, the two the were coming from the front were tossed back a few feet. They had adjusted their swings to follow Wesley''s backwards jump, causing their stances to become shaky.


    As soon as the two were sent backward, Wesley was already rushing to the two from behind who currently had their back to him. Wesley immediately reached the tiny space between them that he broke through earlier.


    By this point, the two students knew what just happened, so they both instinctively swung their swords sideways. They knew that Wesley was behind them and was most likely heading towards them, so they each let out a random swing to the tiny space in between them.


    Surprisingly, their swords did meet something, but it was not Wesley, but their companions sword, causing a ringing sound of swords colliding. Each of them swung their sword towards the Wesley''s position, but they both swung at the same time and towards the same place causing them to block each other''s swords.


    Suddenly, another ringing sound came as Wesley''s sword collided against the crossed swords of those two students. The initial collision between the two swords was already enough to cause the two students to feel their hands tingle with numbness, however, when Wesley''s strike came, they simply couldn¡¯t hang on to their swords.


    ''clang''


    ''clang''


    ''clang''


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.The sound of swords hitting the floor resounded throughout the classroom. However, it was not only two swords that fell, but three. If Wesley have disarmed the those two students, where did the third sound come from.


    Everyone soon received their answer as Wesley released his own sword and let it drop with the other two. Before anyone could wonder why Wesley did such a thing, they received their answer.


    Wesley immediately swung  his two hands with a backward swing towards the heads of the two students. Wesley''s hands were not in a fist, so his swing was more like a slap, but the moment it connected against the cheeks of the two students, they couldn¡¯t help fall sideways.


    Their awkward swings caused their stances to become practically ruined, that and the fact that they were surprised by Wesley disarming them, they simply couldn¡¯t help but tumble. Wesley''s face twitched slightly because of his shoulder, but soon enough went back to its usual passiveness.


    At this point, a laughing voice came from within the crowd:


    "That Is enough."


    Wesley looked at the second elder that was looking at him with a smiling face.


    "Yes Elder."


    Wesley immediately picked up his sword and walked towards where his scabbard was. The second elder, once again let out a laugh and spoke:


    "Haha. See young ones. Being flexible is indispensable. If you were flexible, you would be able to cope with a scabbard flying at you, or your companions attacking you, or your enemy appearing behind you."


    The entire classroom was dead silent. The students simply couldn¡¯t fathom what they witnessed. Not only did Wesley beat five people so quickly, he also did it so thoroughly. Is this really just due to being flexible.


    As if knowing what the students were thinking, the second elder spoke again:


    "However, am afraid if you want to be like Wesley you''ll need more than flexibility. Haha."


    At this point, Wesley was already walking to where Kellan was standing while smiling at him, but no one seemed to pay any attention to him because of the elder''s words. Each of the students wanted to know what they need to become like Wesley.


    One student who was in the crowd shouted towards the elder:


    "Elder, What else do we need besides flexibility?"


    "Haha. Do you really want to know?"


    The second elder like to tease people for his enjoyment causing him to entice the little students with a mystery, than asking them if they want to know what it is. He looked at the students who were nodding their heads with bright eyes, and then he spoke:


    "You need talent, hard work, understanding and a certain level of ruthlessness."


    The students clearly were not satisfied with the elder''s vague words so they looked at him expectantly forcing him to continue his speech:


    "Talent to grasp techniques, hard work to perfect those techniques, understanding to see your opponents intentions and ruthlessness for...Haha."


    The second elder''s words caused many of the students to wince as what he implied by ruthlessness. Some of the more acute of the first years turned to Wesley with looks of fear. They all heard Wesley say that he was sharpening his sword now..


    At the time, none of them thought much about it, but as soon as they heard the elder''s words, they seemed to have understood something. However, Wesley didn¡¯t even notice the looks these students were giving him as he simply just stood there like a statue.


    .....................................................................................................................


    After the regular class was over, Wesley and Kellan both went to put on their respective training armors, however, before they could proceed, the second elder spoke:


    "Wesley, Kellan. There is no need for that today."


    Wesley and Kellan looked at the second elder with confused looks. The second elder simply walked towards them and continued speaking:


    "The two of you have been using these two armors for almost a year now. I am afraid its effects are practically negligible."


    The second elder''s words were indeed true. Wesley has already learned how to control his muscles and manipulate them so that the restraint on him was minimal and sometime even helpful, while Kellan simply got used to the weight of his armor.


    "I believe it is about time I prepared you two for a new training regiment."


    Wesley and Kellan''s eyes lit up at the same time. They both knew how beneficial the second elder''s training was, and now they will learn new things. The second elder ignored their foolish looks and continued speaking:


    "There will no longer be any after class training for the two of you until next year and you don''t need to attend the regular classes. Think of this as time off. However, I want you both to come here with some good quality metal when you return next year."


    "Why." Kellan couldn''t help but blurt out.


    The second elder''s eyes narrowed slightly in amusement. He stretched his hand and his green long sword appeared. As the sword hovered in the air, the second elder spoke:


    "Because, for the next year, the two of you will be making a bond with a sword. You need a good quality sword, so good quality metal will be essential."


    Both of Wesley and Kellan''s eyes became circular. Both of them were curious about the methods of this second elder and wanted to learn it, but neither of them thought they would learn of it so early. Kellan wanted to speak again but was stopped by a hand from the second elder who continued speaking:


    "The better the quality of the metal, the better your sword will be. As my students, I will not allow you to bond with trashy swords."


    The second elder looked away for a short while as if thinking about something, then he looked at Wesley and Kellan, who were still staring at his sword, and continued speaking:


    "Kellan, I''ll take care of the metal for you, but for you Wesley...Haha, I''ll let you take care of it yourself. I am sure you can do it."


    Wesley smiled at the second elder''s words. He didn¡¯t know if the second elder was referring to his identity as a prince, or if he was implying that because Wesley was someone else''s disciple, he should ask his own master.


    Either way, Wesley didn¡¯t care, but he still spoke:


    "Getting a metal will not be a problem Elder. Only, I don''t know what kind of metal I should get."


    "Hmm, that is a good question. It depends on your sword style as well as your affinity..."


    Before the second elder could even finish his speaking, Kellan interjected with some confusion in his words:


    "But elder. We are swordsmen. Why do we care about affinity."


    The second elder just looked at Kellan without even flinching and he replied:


    "As swordsmen, we don''t rely on our affinities like mages do, but we can still use it to our advantage. For example, I have an average affinity for wind, and my sword is made from Green Jade Steel, which allows me to use my mana in conjunction with my sword and make my technique better and faster."


    Wesley recalled wondering if swordsmen could use affinities to improve their techniques. Only, he was thinking of it from a mage''s point of view which required a high affinity, and didn¡¯t expect that the sword itself could be used as a medium even with a average affinity.


    While Wesley was thinking about the possible applications of different affinities with swordsmanship, the second elder''s voice reached him again:


    "Now, leave you two. I have things to do. And  remember to choose your metal well."


    ........................................................................................................................................


    After leaving the classroom, Wesley immediately bid Kellan farewell.


    Because he was released from training a little earlier than usual, Wesley didn¡¯t immediately leave the Academy. Rather, he headed towards the library.


    He wanted to search for books about the different channels of the body. He was certain that something has changed about his core since it no longer responded to the regular channels associated with Dark Magic.


    He wanted a book that outlined all the channels in one''s body, and if that couldn¡¯t be found, different books for different affinities would be best. And while he was at it, he would need to get a book regarding different metals and their characteristics.


    Wesley was not too alarmed by the oddity of his core since he was able to refine mana. In the worst case scenario, he would go back to Holt City and ask his master for advice.


    And as far as his swordsmanship was concerned, Wesley was curious about the different techniques that swordsmen use. Although Wesley identified as a mage, he was still willing to learn as much as possible regarding swordsmanship, as long as it made him stronger.


    ........................................................................................................................................


    After leaving the classroom, Wesley immediately bid Kellan farewell.


    Because he was released from training a little earlier than usual, Wesley didn¡¯t immediately leave the Academy. Rather, he headed towards the library.


    He wanted to search for books about the different channels of the body. He was certain that something has changed about his core since it no longer responded to the regular channels associated with Dark Magic.


    He wanted a book that outlined all the channels in one''s body, and if that couldn¡¯t be found, different books for different affinities would be best. And while he was at it, he would need to get a book regarding different metals and their characteristics.


    Wesley was not too alarmed by the oddity of his core since he was able to refine mana. In the worst case scenario, he would go back to Holt City and ask his master for advice.


    And as far as his swordsmanship was concerned, Wesley was curious about the different techniques that swordsmen use. Although Wesley identified as a mage, he was still willing to learn as much as possible regarding swordsmanship, as long as it made him stronger.


    .............................................................................................................................


    Hey.


    Before you kill me because of this filler chapter. The next chapter is coming soon. Like in ten minutes soon.

 Chapter 39 - His Resolve

    Wesley went towards the library in a steady pace. He was in no particular rush and to be honest, he was somewhat worried that he might be disappointed, so he purposefully walked in a slow pace.


    Unfortunately, regardless of how much Wesley dragged his feet, he was bound to eventually reach the library. However, the few extra minutes of walking gave Wesley enough time to steel his resolve and calm his heart.


    Whatever was bound to happen, will happen. There is no need to lose his mind over something he doesn¡¯t have any control over.


    Wesley walked into the library and steadily headed towards the counter that was facing the entrance. The same old scrawny elder was sitting behind the counter reading that same book that he was reading last time Wesley was here.


    Wesley wondered how the Academy was able to have so many elders that some of them even acted as librarians. What level of power and influence must one have to be capable of something like that. This showed just how impressive this academy truly was.


    "Good Afternoon Elder."


    The old elder looked up from his with some annoyance. As soon as he saw Wesley standing in front of him, his face turned to show a hint of a sneer as he spoke with some mockery:


    "Oh. Young one, you''re back. What books of mana are you looking for today."


    Wesley ignored the elder''s mocking voice. He knew that mages naturally looked down on swordsmen, but he himself was a mage so he couldn¡¯t care less about how mages viewed mages. He simply replied in a respectful manner:


    "Elder. I am looking for books about channels, preferably one that details all the channels in the body. Also, a book about metals and their properties. The more detailed the better."


    The old elder looked at Wesley with some surprise in his eyes. He remained quiet for a moment and then he spoke inquisitively:


    "You are a second year now. Isn''t too early for you to try bonding with a sword."


    "Elder. I am not ready for the bond yet. I am still researching which metals are suitable for me."


    "Oh. That makes sense. Anyway, you''ll find what you need in the encyclopedia section behind me. Those are the most detailed and accurate books of what you need."


    "Thank you Elder."


    Wesley immediately circumvented the counter and headed towards the encyclopedia section to look for the books he needed. The metals one was rudimentary and could wait, what Wesley was most interested in was the one about channels.


    A few minutes later, Wesley emerged from within the shelves with three thick books in his hand. Surprisingly, Wesley found only one book about channels, while he found more than five books about metals.


    Honestly speaking Wesley cared most about the channels book, the other two books, he only chose randomly. Even though Wesley was interested in learning how different affinities could be used in conjunction with swordsmanship, it was only interest and nothing more.


    Compared to Wesley''s future as a mage which was on the line, Wesley couldn¡¯t spare too much thought on something so tangent. Wesley went back to the librarian elder to check out the books. When Wesley got there, the old elder simply recorded Wesley''s number on a small paper and then waved Wesley away.


    Wesley left the library in haste and headed towards his Manor. Wesley wanted to immediately read about channels, but he restrained himself because he needed to continuously test the channels'' reactions to his mana, and a library was not a good place, in case he accidentally got a reaction.


    ........................................................................................................................................


    The distance between the Academy and Wesley''s Manor in the seventh district was slightly less than five miles. Normally, it would take Wesley an hour of walking at a steady pace to traverse this distance. However, today, Wesley was in a hurry, so he had no mind to walk steadily as he rushed home.


    Wesley reached the Manor with a record time of fifty some minutes. To see the red robed Wesley running through the city with three books in hand and a look of anticipation on his face, people would wonder if those books were some sort of treasure.


    As soon as Wesley walked through the front entrance of the Manor, he was greeted by an odd scene. There were more than a dozen soldiers wearing dark armors standing in pairs all over his front yard.


    The first thing that came to Wesley''s mind was that four families somehow connected him to the recent happenings causing his face to slightly drain of color. However, before he could reach for his sword, he noticed the emblem on the chest of these soldiers.


    A dark crow with folded wings standing on top of a skull. The emblem of the Black Family.


    Wesley couldn¡¯t understand why the Black Family soldiers would be in his Manor, a myriad of scenarios ran through his mind. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to speculate for too long before one of his maids approached him with a smile on her face.


    This was the oldest maid in Wesley Manor. Ever since Lane left, she has taken over the responsibility of overseeing the entire Manor. The moment she was within speaking range of Wesley, she bowed slightly and spoke:


    "Welcome back Master."


    Wesley had no time for pleasantries as the frown on his face deepened and he spoke:


    "Mary enough with the drivel. What is going on here."


    Mary just looked at Wesley with a smiling face and spoke:


    "Master. The little masters are back. These soldiers were escorting them."


    Hearing Mary''s words, Wesley''s face instantly turned ugly and his lips quivered slightly. What the hell was Neal thinking? How did he think that associating the Black Family with Wesley was a good idea.


    The entire reason Wesley distanced himself from the Black Family was to insulate them from repercussion in case he ever failed and his identity uncovered.


    Wesley turned to Mary and spoke with a slight scowl:


    "Take these books and bring them to the basement."


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley walked past Mary and didn''t even glance at the dark armored soldiers before entering the main Manor. To say that Wesley was fuming with anger would be an understatement. Soon enough, Wesley reached the main hall which contained the dining table and a few couches.


    Neal was sitting on one of these couches with Sala sitting on his lap. Lavar and Wannel were no where to be seen, probably walking around the Manor, while Stein and Lane stood respectfully behind Neal.


    Lane was wearing a simple green robe and he seemed slightly taller but still skinny. On the hand, Stein seemed to become even taller than Lane, as he wore a slim fitting shirt and trousers, he also held a short dark sword similar to the one Wesley uses. Both of their faces seemed to have matured a lot.


    The moment Wesley saw them, his anger subsided and he couldn¡¯t help but smile. It has almost been an entire year since the kids went to stay with Neal, and yet, they seemed to have changed so much. Wesley also changed, but he was slightly older so his changes weren''t as vivid as theirs.


    "Master Wessss."


    While Wesley was thinking of the last year, a shrill like scream filled with excitement reached his ears. Wesley instantly saw that little Sala was already mid dash and heading towards him with an astonishing speed.


    A few seconds later, Wesley was met with a tackle like flying hug. Sala was too small to push Wesley back more than a few steps, but his shoulder was still injured, and that tackle did him no favors. Wesley just looked at Sala who was hanging from his neck and spoke while laughing:


    "Little Sala. You grew bigger, I can''t carry you for too long."


    Sala ignored Wesley''s words as she continued hanging from his neck and spoke to him with a slightly teary voice:


    "Master Wes, I missed you so much."


    "I missed you too."


    Wesley switched Sala from his left side to his right and then walked towards Neal and the others. Sala weighed so little that he barely felt her. Wesley just looked at the Lane and Stein and spoke:


    "Lane, Stein. The two of you have grown well also."


    Stein smiled towards Wesley, while Lane had a look of sadness in his face. It was clear that the two of them thought differently about Wesley. They both spoke at the same time:


    "Master."


    Wesley smiled widely at the two of them. He was clearly very happy to see them, but he still waved his hand and spoke with mock annoyance:


    "What Master. Am I worthy to be the Master of the young lords of the venerable Black Family."


    Stein simply smiled at Wesley words, seemingly understanding that Wesley was simply joking with them. On the other hand, Lane seemed to grow somewhat sadder as he spoke:


    "You are the only one worthy of being our Master. Only, I don''t know if we are worthy of being your servants."


    Lane was the closest to Wesley out of the five siblings. And, even though, all the siblings acknowledged Wesley as their Master, none of them could compare to the amount of dedication and loyalty Lane had for Wesley.


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    Wesley laughed loudly at Lane''s words. He really liked this little fellow. Thinking of this, Wesley recalled his initial anger. He really didn¡¯t want these kids to be endangered because of him. He immediately turned to Neal and spoke coldly:


    "Neal. Why did you come with the children to visit me today."


    Neal was surprised at Wesley''s question He felt a hidden meaning behind his words, but he simply couldn¡¯t understand it. He believed that Wesley was delighted beyond words after seeing the kids, he didn¡¯t expect this reaction.


    He looked at Wesley and spoke while standing up:


    "Wesley. Mind talking with me in the study. I have a few things I need to go over with you."


    "Indeed. Lane, go find Mary and tell her to prepare something nice for us to eat."


    Lane noticed the changes in both Neal and Wesley, so he knew something was wrong. But he kept his curiosity suppressed and spoke:


    "Yes Master."


    Wesley looked at little Sala who was staring at him with teary eyes as if he was about to die. He laughed at how cute she was and spoke while setting her on the floor:


    "I''ll be back little Sala. Then you can show me how much you can read."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I promise."


    Wesley patted Sala''s head causing her to crook her neck as he laughed. Then he and Neal walked side by side towards the study.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    "Wesley. What is the matter?"


    Wesley''s face was devoid of all color as he sat across from Neal. Nothing has been going his way lately, and now, even the Black Family were on the verge of being dragged down by his mess. He looked at Neal with slightly red eyes as he spoke:


    "Why have you brought the kids over. We agreed that there will be no direct contact between us until the matter with the four families has been settled. And now...."


    Neal just stared at Wesley like one would a crazed man.


    "Wesley. The four heads are already dead. What else do we need to accomplish before this matter is settled."


    Before Neal even finished speaking, Wesley''s mouth dropped and he burst out of his chair while staring at Neal. Now Wesley was looking at Neal like he was the crazy one.


    "Neal. What nonsense are you spouting. The Kader and Blume heads are alive and kicking."


    This time Neal was the one to burst out of his chair. Wesley absolutely couldn¡¯t be lying, which means that the four heads lied about their deaths. Perhaps to lure them out. Now he understood why Wesley was in utter disbelief at his action.


    Neal immediately spoke with a shaky voice:


    "Yesterday....News of the two heads dying reached me....."


    Something clicked in Wesley''s mind. This was most likely a feint by the two family heads. Perhaps they wanted to announce their deaths and then observe the powers of the city to see who the culprit was.


    Wesley and Neal just stood there motionless seemingly calculating somethings. Both of them knew the repercussion if what they feared was actually true. They were not worried about escaping because Neal has already prepared the contingency plan, and yet neither of them was willing to use it.


    The contingency plan was simple. If the four families discovered that Wesley and the Black Family were behind the assassination, then Neal would immediately leave the city with the kids, while at the same time inciting a rebellion in the seventh district.


    On the other hand, Wesley would seek refuge at the academy before sending a letter to his Master. With his master''s presence, it is very unlikely that anyone would be able to hurt him even if he walked out through the front gate.


    This plan was a last resort. Neither Wesley nor Neal wanted to follow through with it, because it not only meant that they had to leave Blackreach City for live, it also meant that the lives of twenty thousand people would be put on the line.


    Wesley instantly looked at Neal with a frown and spoke:


    "Don''t think too much about it Neal. Prepare for the worst case scenario. The contingency plan would ensure we get out of this alive, but it is too costly, so just make sure you observe the movements of the four families before making our move."


    Neal simply nodded his head weakly. He looked at Wesley curious and asked him:


    "What happened in the Kader Manor. You were gone for a day."


    Wesley immediately told Neal everything that happened in the Manor and afterwards. The mention of an Elder was enough to cause Neal to sweat profusely. Wesley purposefully avoided mentioning his being stuck in the void and told Neal that he was badly injured and needed to recuperate.


    Twenty minutes later, Wesley and Neal walked out of the study with pale complexions and sweaty foreheads. The moment they reached the main hall, all five kids were present. Wesley and Neal had forced smiles on their faces as they didn''t want to worry the kids.


    Unfortunately, their crooked and forced smiles didn¡¯t not escape the attention of both Lane and Stein who looked at each other with slight frowns. The other three seemed to be oblivious to anything and Sala even more so.


    That night, Wesley and the Black Family continued talking and catching up until midnight. This was because they haven''t seen each other in almost a year, but the true reason was to make sure that Wesley''s followers didn¡¯t report the Black Family''s visit to the four families.


    Of course it is possible that someone else was watching the Manor when Wesley want here making their efforts pointless, but it was better to be safe than sorry.


    ..........................................................................................................................................


    Wesley stood at the entrance to the main Manor staring at the backs of the black armored soldiers that were escorting Neal and the kids. He couldn¡¯t help but feel some sadness and helplessness at how the situation was unfolding.


    Wesley has his own brother, Dalan. But Dalan had the hopes of the entire kingdom on his shoulders that he hardly spent time with him. Wesley truly loved his brother, but he never really could approach him because one was the genius first prince.


    Wesley''s own mother was dead, his father was cold and uncaring, and his brother was practically a stranger to him. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Wesley has never tasted familial love.


    But then, as if the heavens were making it up to him, Wesley met these little siblings. He was impressed by their tenacity and talents, however, even if they didn¡¯t have any of these things, Wesley still would have taken them in.


    He finally had a family, and yet, his family''s safety was jeopardized and it was possible that he might never see them again. Wesley could blame luck or fate but he didn''t. He knew that there was only one reason he couldn¡¯t protect his little siblings.


    He lacked enough power.


    There are many things that made Wesley feel helpless. He hated seeing the common people suffer, he hated being looked down at, he hated being pressured.  But, regardless of how helpless Wesley felt, he either couldn¡¯t do much about it, or he simply didn¡¯t bother with it.


    However, this time was different. Wesley had what can be compared to epiphany. If he was powerful, then who in the world could pressure him, or look down on him.  If Wesley had enough power, then why would he fail to kill the two remaining family heads. How would he be chased like a rat by that Elder. If Wesley had enough power, who in this world would be able to hurt his siblings.


    Wesley''s face instantly hardened, and his eyes burned with an invisible fire. He has made up his mind. He would become powerful, he will never let anyone put those he cares about in danger. As he continued looking at the gate that was now empty, Wesley spoke in a firm voice:


    "Mary."


    "Yes Master."


    "I will be staying in the basement for a while. I am not to be disturbed at all."


    "Understood Master."


    Wesley looked at the dark, cloudy sky which occasionally allowed a glimpse of the stars to be seen. He didn¡¯t know why he felt that the sky was exceedingly bright tonight. He couldn¡¯t see the moon, and the clouds in the sky were numerous, and yet Wesley felt like tonight was the brightest, dark night he has every seen.


    Wesley immediately turned around and walked into the Manor. He thought that perhaps his vision was clearer tonight.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    WTF is this. Another Filler?


    No, chill guys, Another chapter incoming in like ten minutes. LOL

 Chapter 40 - His Transformation

    Inside the dark, gloomy basement under Wesley Manor, a single firestone sat on top of a dresser as it flickered with a weak light. The basement was so dark that this weak light didn¡¯t illuminate much.


    However, it was enough to illuminate the figure of a person holding a thick book as he sat on a bed. The figure''s face was partially lit by the firestone''s light, however, the curvature of its face caused a portion of its face to be shrouded in darkness while the rest was lit.


    This partially shadowed, partially lit face, coupled with its jade green eyes that shone brightly under the light gave it a devilish feeling. As if a devil of darkness was sitting there. It was clear that this figure was frowning slightly, which contributed further to its devilish appearance.


    Wesley has been in the basement reading the book about channels for almost a week now. In this period of time, Wesley has read the book cover to cover multiple times. If he could describe this book with one word, it would be thorough.


    This book not only talked about each known channel in the body, it also spoke about its known uses and even included how to invoke them. This was extremely detailed because even if all the channels in the body are not known, those that are easily reach the hundreds. It even contained the specific invocation for Wesley''s dark spells.


    This surprised Wesley at first because it was simply too convenient. If all one needed to became a mage was a book that told you the exact channels for all the known spells, then such a book would be extremely priceless.


    However, after thinking about it, Wesley realized that this wasn¡¯t the case for one big reason. As far as spells go, this book only spoke about basic spells with certainty, anything more complex or advanced was simply conjecture.


    So it made sense that this book was not priceless. If people wanted to learn basic spells and had the capability to do so, then all they had to do is ask any random mage and they will gladly tell them. Basic spells are nothing like a secret.


    The real treasures and secrets of mages are advanced spells. Wesley''s Dark Port and the third elder''s Holy Port were such treasures. It is very unlikely that either of them would easily teach these to anyone, let alone writing it in a random encyclopedia.


    Furthermore, as far as advanced spells go, Wesley''s Dark Record contained almost a dozen. Compared to his Dark Record, this encyclopedia was simply too common for Wesley to be interested in it.


    However, the reason Wesley was reading this book wasn¡¯t in its value, but to gain more knowledge about channels and how they function and make spells possible. In this point, Wesley''s gains could be said to have been great.


    After reading about channels and their invocation methods, Wesley learned about a lot about the basic spells of every affinity. Although he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it, Wesley learned about how they work and even the time it takes to cast them. This would definitely prove beneficial in the future.


    Officially, Wesley is a Practitioner level mage. Practitioners are those mages who know how to use only basic spells or swordsmen who haven''t bonded with a sword. Wesley only learned the three basic spells of Dark Mages from his Master, hence he was a Practitioner. However, Wesley is actually a Master level mage.


    The difference between practitioners and masters depends on if the person grasps an advanced spell. Therefore, Wesley who has Dark Port is a Master. However, this small difference is enough to make masters many times stronger than practitioners.


    As a Master, Wesley is capable of defeating multiple practitioners with ease already, and now, learning about these basic spells and their invocation times, Wesley could deal with practitioner with even more ease.


    However, Wesley didn¡¯t care about that. He could already deal with practitioners before. What he needed was a solution for his problem. If Wesley couldn¡¯t use his channels, then there is no point in worrying about his being able to grasp the timing of spells.


    Unfortunately, after the third time Wesley finished reading the book, he tried to invoke each and every spell in the book regardless of affinity, but nothing happened. It was as if the mana in his body was nonexistent.


    Wesley felt extremely apprehensive towards the results. He knew that  being able to use different affinities was impossible. But he still hoped that he would have a lucky break or some sort of miracle, but nothing happened.


    At this point, Wesley have come to terms with the fact that he was no longer a dark mage. His core didn¡¯t react to the channels of dark mages as it didn''t with the other affinities. This simply meant that he was not a dark mage the same way he was not a wind mage or a earth mage.


    Wesley felt some sadness and regret at this fact. However, he was not to distressed. He knew that his core was fine and he had mana, so he was still a mage, only he had no idea how to access his abilities.


    Thinking like this, Wesley was able to calm his raging emotions. He convinced himself that he will fix this problem and be better than before. This enabled him to focus on his research once again.


    After reading the book three more times, Wesley found what seemed to be his last chance. Wesley didn¡¯t pay any attention to this specific section before because it was more like a footnote.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    The section Wesley was currently reading was the smallest of the entire book. In fact, this book was divided into seven chapter for each of the affinities. Each specific chapter contained all the channels that correspond with that affinity, an average of fifteen channels, and allocated one page to each channel.


    Comparatively, this entire section was one page long and contained eight channels. Normally, this wouldn¡¯t capture anyone''s attention, but Wesley was desperate and needed some sort of hope which is why this less than impressive section captured his attention.


    This section was simply titled Vestigial Channels.


    Half of the page was filled with an small introduction that truthfully resembled an afterthought than an introduction. It went like this:


    [Aside from the channels that correspond to the six affinities. There are a group of channels that correspond to any of the affinities. This group of channels are Vestigial and serve no clear purpose. Some scholars claimed that they corresponded to a lost affinity, however, because the scholar had no evidence or support for his claim, and the fact that everyone in the world is born with one of the six affinities, this theory was tossed out. Other scholars claim that these channels are a product of a divergent mutation.


    Unfortunately, aside from speculation and conjecture, nothing is known regarding these channels. After hundreds of years of constant research, the invocations for these channels have been discovered, the first thing that was noticed was the simplicity of these channels'' invocations and structure, which shows that they serve no purpose whatsoever.]


    Wesley was surprised as he finished reading the introduction. If there are only six affinities in the world, then why would there be channels that correspond to neither of them. It simply didn¡¯t make any sense. But there are only six affinities and this didn¡¯t apply to any of them.


    "Perhaps...."


    Perhaps, Wesley who didn¡¯t couldn¡¯t be said to belong to any of the other affinities would be able to make use of these so called vestigial channels. Perhaps whatever affinity they corresponded to would be whatever affinity he has now.


    Wesley instantly looked at the first of the channels and its invocation. He was surprised to find that this channels invocation was not even four words long while the longest was fifteen words long. Wesley''s most basic spell was Dark Globe and it was ten words long.


    This caused Wesley to frown slightly, and the hope in his heart to be decrease. The simpler the invocation, the weaker the spell. If this channels required half the invocation of Dark Globe, then it was half as strong.


    Even if Wesley was able to cast spells using these channels, they would most likely only be weak spells. If Wesley was in his original state, he would disregard these entire channels, but now, Wesley was in desperate need of a way, so he clenched his teeth and started invoking.


    Wesley immediately muttered the invocation for this channel. It took him less than two seconds to finish the entire thing. This was the time for the fastest known spell, Wind Blade. But this didn¡¯t cause Wesley to be happy because Wind Blade is known for how weak it is.


    However, before Wesley could even frown, his mana rushed to the newly opened channel. It was as if a dammed river suddenly found an outlet as the mana rushed in tides through the channel.


    Wesley''s face that was in a perpetual frown the entire week suddenly became ecstatic. He simply stared at the mana that was rushing from his body to the outside world and he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    "Finally...Hahahaaa"


    A laugh echoed throughout the basement. The basement was relatively soundproof compared to the rest of the Manor, however, Wesley''s laugh was so loud and hearty that it couldn¡¯t be contained.


    The guards that were standing outside of the basement couldn¡¯t help but turn to the basement with suspicious looks on their faces. Their master spends most of his time in the dark basement, and now he was laughing like a maniac. They wondered what it was that he did in there.


    Wesley''s laugh continued for almost a minute, at which point it suddenly stopped. Wesley has been so preoccupied with the joy of being able to invoke that he missed something crucial..


    No spell was invoked.


    His mana simply poured out of him without causing the surrounding elements to change in any way. This meant that these channels truly didn¡¯t correspond to any affinity. They were the definition vestigial organs since they served no particular purpose.


    Wesley was alarmed by this fact, but he wasn¡¯t worried. Over the last week of learning about channels, Wesley noticed one simple difference between normal channels and these vestigial channels.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    The reason why certain channels correspond to certain spells is because of their structure. Wesley noticed that regular channels'' bodies are larger at some places while being smaller in others. This gives it the appearance of bumps which are sequenced differently for each channel.


    The book stated that these bumps enables the mana to manipulate the elements in specific ways. The Vestigial channels didn¡¯t have these bumps, so the mana that goes through them unable to manipulate the elements.


    Wesley knew that if he wanted to emulate the same spells of his original channels, then all he has to do is somehow copy these bump sequences onto these vestigial channels. Wesley wasn¡¯t worried about this at all, however something else caught his attention.


    There are eight channels in this section. Wesley wondered if he could use all six of them. If he could, then Wesley would have gained far more than he has lost. Wesley immediately started invoking those specific channels with renewed vigor and excitement present on his face.


    "Hahahaaaa"


    Thirty minutes later, another loud laugh came from the basement. The faces of the guards outside now showed more fear and worry than suspicion. They really wondered if their master was crazy to be laughing so loudly to himself.


    ....................................................................................................................................................


    "Uuugh"


    Wesley''s face was twisted into a painful expression. He was sweating profusely and his face seemed to be drained of all color except for his clenched jaws which were red. The current pain Wesley was experiencing is comparable to the time he was being tortured by that old monster. Only, this time, Wesley was the one torturing himself.


    Wesley has found a way to emulate the bumps of the regular channels on his vestigial channels. He would use his mana let it accumulate at the exact positions of the bumps. This caused the channels to have the desired bumps because the accumulating mana would stretch the channel.


    However, this caused a lot of pain because the entire process was similar to bending one''s own bones. Furthermore, to make sure that the bumps were permanent, Wesley had to do each bump multiple times and hold each time for a while


    In fact, it has been almost two months since Wesley discovered that he could use these vestigial channels. However, the process of transforming these channels was so painful and strenuous that it took Wesley the entire time to fully transform seven channels.


    Every time Wesley finished fully and permanently transforming a channel, he would pass out from pain. Sometimes he would be unconscious for a few hours and other times he would be unconscious for a day. Also, the fact that it took him far longer to refine mana was not helping his speed.


    Now, he was working on the eighth and final channel. Unfortunately, this last channel was the hardest and most painful for Wesley to transform. This was because the spell that Wesley was trying to emulate had many bumps in the original channel.


    Wesley has already been working on this final channel for two days now. He didn¡¯t get a wink of sleep in these two days, and every part of his body was aching from exhaustion. This exhaustion coupled with the pain from his channel that is being forcibly stretched, was simply too unbearable.


    Wesley was no stranger to pain. He has tasted the old monster''s torture, but he simply couldn¡¯t help but real under this pain. Pain was pain and could be withstood with some resolve, but inflicting pain on one''s self required a special kind of resolve.


    Suddenly, Wesley''s jaw that was clenched and his eyes that were tightly shut relaxed. A smile  appeared on his face and then he immediately fell into unconsciousness. That smile still plastered on his face.


    .................................................................................................................................................


    Almost two days later, Wesley slowly opened his eyes. The basement was as dark and gloomy as ever, but that one firestone on the dresser was still flickering.


    Wesley stared stupidly at the flickering light for a few seconds while wondering what was going on. Suddenly, his hazy eyes sharpened and he stood up from the bed with a smile.


    "It is finished. Haha."


    Wesley remembered that he has finished transforming the last channel. He really couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. This last spell was Wesley''s favorite. He actually knew that it was going to lead to a lot of pain for him, but he still went through with it.


    Wesley muttered something under his breath. Almost five seconds later, a tremendous amount of mana oozed out of Wesley back. Immediately, the dark elements in the surrounding contorted and shortly after, a pair of dark wings, each four feet long, emerged from his back.


    This was the spell Wesley was most excited about. It is a variation of the most famous spell in the arsenal of wind mages named Wind Wing. Wesley named it Dark Wing. Only Wesley wings were formed of dark elements and wouldn¡¯t reach the speed of wind mages.


    However, Wesley really didn¡¯t care about the fact that he wouldn¡¯t be able to use this spell the same way wind mages do. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be able to fly through the skies. Wesley has conceded to his childishness on that one.


    His wings fluttered and then he lifted off from the ground. Wesley face contained unrestrained looks of excitement, he instantly increased his flapping speed and rushed forward. The feeling of flying can only be summed by one word: exhilarating.


    The reason Wesley is able to use a dark version of the spell used by mages of other affinities was due to the vestigial channels.


    After Wesley was done transforming the first three vestigial channels according to his three original dark spells. Wesley was left with three unused channels. He had no idea what to do with these channels, so he left them alone.


    However, when Wesley was refining one day, he was slightly discouraged at how his refining speed was slowed, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but recall that damnable old bastard that was the cause of this entire thing.


    Inside the Kader Manor, if the old man didn¡¯t escape through the ground, then Wesley would''ve killed him and this whole dilemma would have been avoided. Thinking of how the old man escaped, Wesley started thinking of ways he could have counteracted it.


    In this moment of regret, Wesley suddenly had an epiphany. What would happen if he transformed one of his unused channels to a basic spell from the other affinities. If Wesley had the earth mage spell Earth Pillar, he could''ve embedded the old man''s escape.


    Wesley then used the encyclopedia of channels to study the channel that corresponds with that spell and then attempted the transformation soon after. Wesley had no idea if he was capable of copying the spells of other affinities, but he still tried.


    After withstanding the intense pain of the transformation, Wesley tried casting the spell. However, he seemed to have failed to make an Earth Pillar. Instead a pillar that was made from dark elements emerged from the ground and solidified in front of Wesley.


    Instantly Wesley understood. Although his affinity changed to something different from all the other six affinities, his core is still that of a dark mage. He can only manipulate dark elements, however, these vestigial channels could be transformed to emulate specific channels.


    No mage of certain affinity could use the already existing channels of another affinity. However, Wesley''s channels did not have a form, he was simply transforming them, not using the channels of another affinity.


    After making this discovery, Wesley was ecstatic. The fact that he could use the other channels was already great enough, but not only that, he could also use the spells of other affinities, although the spells were not the exact same as the originals.


    Wesley immediately went berserk. He immediately started transforming his remaining channels. The pain was intense, and the amount of effort he put into it was not small, but Wesley was willing to go through it.


    In these two months, aside from his original three spells; Dark Globe, Dark Warp and Dark Dimension; Wesley made emulated five more spells which are: Dark Pillar, Dark Spike, Dark Flame, Dark Prison and Dark Wing.


    Naturally, out of these five spells, Dark Flame was a failure. Wesley could make a flame that is dark colored, unfortunetly darkness is cold, so this flame was actually cold. After this blunder, Wesley spent more time considering his choices. Also, Dark Wing was more of a product of Wesley''s indulgence.


    Disregarding the one failure with the flame and the uselessness of Dark Wing, Wesley''s other spells were all successful and practical.


    In the past, aside from his Dark Domain which enabled Wesley to control his dark sword and use it to attack enemies, Wesley''s original spells had zero combat potential. However, now Wesley had almost three more spells that have combat potential.


    Also, as far as anyone was concerned, these spells were simply advanced dark spells derived from the spells used by other affinities. Wesley truly stepped into to the Master level, and as far as combat is considered, other masters wouldn¡¯t be able to face him with his repertoire of spells.


    Wesley''s intense thirst for power and strength was slightly satisfied, but not quenched. Wesley already vowed to become an elder and protect everyone close to him, this was only the first step.


    ....................................................................................................................................................................................


    Everyone: [What is this. Another chapter. He must have spent a long time writing so much. Hmm. lets drop some reviews as a thank you.]


    I know you guys feel the need to thank me with review, but i have to tell you..

 Chapter 41 - His Good News

    It has been a few day since Wesley has finished with the final channel''s transformation.


    A dark winged Wesley was flying all over the basement with a  look of elation on his face. Normally, Wesley only spent an average of few hours getting used to each of his other spells, however, he has spent almost half a day with this one.


    There were two reason for this. First, Wesley was really excited about this spell. Flying is often a far dream for mages that are not wind mages or elders. However, Wesley is now able to fly around, making his childish tendencies, which he often tries to suppress, to emerge.


    The second reason is that this specific spell was slightly different than the other spells Wesley learned. Unlike dark spike and dark pillar, which only needed to be cast, this spell needed constant mana to be maintained. This meant that Wesley needed to expand his own mana to keep his wings intact.


    After Wesley discovered this small fact, he instantly had an idea. He could no longer use refining darkness lately because his refining speed exceeded the speed at which his Dark Domain used mana.


    Even with his reduced mana refining speed, Wesley''s spells needed a smaller amounts of mana compared to before. Wesley just attributed this to the chance that perhaps his new mana core was more efficient.


    Now, Wesley was faced with a the choice between either increasing his Dark Domain size, increase the amount of mana he expended, or use another spell that consumed mana at a faster rate.


    The first option was not viable because Wesley had no more space. The second option was better, but Wesley chose the third option. He would use Dark Wing in place of Dark Domain. This was not only more fun than just sitting around, he also got to become proficient in this spell.


    Wesley was flying from one end of the basement to the other. He would twist around and glide sometimes and he maneuvered around quiet nimbly. Wesley''s Dark Wing was fundamentally different from the Wind Wing it was derived from.


    Because Wesley''s wings were made from dark elements, they were more solid than their wind counterpart which is somewhat ethereal and translucent. The solid nature of Wesley''s wings takes away from the speed that the wind ones have, however, Wesley gained something else.


    Wesley''s wings were had more uses than their wind counterpart. Wesley came up with the idea to use his wings to wrap around him and act as a shield. This was only possible because of the solid nature of his wings.


    Wesley also learned to use his wings for attacking. Although he had his sword and other spells for that, it was nice to have some tricks to surprise one''s enemies with.


    Wesley who was jubilantly flying around the basement suddenly stopped mid air as his wings continued flapping. He noticed some slight mana fluctuations in a corner of the basement, however, before Wesley could cancel the spell, a dark robed Neal emerged from the ground.


    The moment Neal emerged from the ground, his eyes landed on Wesley who was midair with ten feet long dark wings. A look of astonishment appeared on his face as he stared at Wesley. Even if it was somewhat dark in the basement, Neal was able to able to clearly see those pairs of wings.


    Neal was very knowledgeable. And as an earth mage he knew that wings were a trademark of wind mages. Wind mages would often rely on their flying abilities to neutralize the abilities of earth mages like him.


    However, he also knew that Wesley was a dark mage, and although they never really talked about it, Neal knew the first time he met Wesley and walked in on his practice session. But Wesley had wings, could he be a wind mage?


    Neal instinctively opened his mouth to ask Wesley. However, before he could speak Wesley''s feet touched the floor and the pair of wings disintegrated into nothingness. He immediately spoke with some laughter:


    "Neal. You should really stop barging in on me like this. Haha."


    Neal just looked oddly at Wesley. Clearly Wesley was focusing on the wrong thing. He once again tried speaking, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted by Wesley again:


    "Haha, any news regarding our phantom family heads."


    Wesley''s blatant attempts to change the subject knocked Neal out of his stupor. He remembered how mysterious and secretive Wesley is. As such, he immediately put the question regarding Wesley''s magic in the back of his head and ordered his thoughts.


    He immediately spoke with his usual whisper like voice:


    "No sign of the two family heads. Everyone believes that they were killed."


    Wesley was quiet for a moment. His smile seemingly gone and a frown in its place. Wesley hated the feeling of not having any information about his enemy as it put him in an exceedingly disadvantageous position.


    He looked at Neal after a few moments and spoke:


    "I refuse to believe that they have disappeared into thin air. Anything odd with the four families? They must need to use their families'' connections if they want to make a move."


    "The two family heads have truly disappeared. However, I did receive some odd reports a few days ago."


    Wesley''s eyes lit up some. He immediately spoke with some excitement:


    "What did they say?"


    "Remember how aside from the Kader family, I have planted some agents in the manors of the other families?"


    "Yeah?"


    "Well, I received reports from all of them saying the same thing. A few children disappeared without a trace from each of the families."


    Wesley became quiet as he started thinking. The disappearance of these children could mean one of two things. One of these was great news, while the other was terrible news. Wesley spoke again:


    "Do you have any details regarding these children."


    Neal thought for a moment and then replied:


    "They were all direct descendants. They were also fairly talented and a few of them were even hailed as geniuses."


    "Neal. As far as I see it, this can mean one of two things. First, the two family heads have ran away and taken with them some promising children to safeguard that their families'' blood is passed on. This extremely good news for you. However...."


    Wesley stopped speaking as a deep frown emerged from his face. Neal was not slow, so he caught up to Wesley''s thinking and immediately spoke with a similarly deep frown:


    "However, it could also mean that they are hiding their promising youths and preparing for an all out assault."


    "Hmm"


    Wesley simply nodded his head as he stared at Neal thoughtfully. However, to his surprise, Neal was now smiling slightly. This caused Wesley to wonder as he spoke:


    "What are you so happy about?"


    Neal just continued smiling at Wesley with an odd look on his face. This was the kind of look an adult would have if they saw a child thinking too hard about a simple problem. He let out a small chuckle and spoke:


    "Wesley. You are thinking too pessimistically. I believe the first scenario is the truth."


    Wesley was dumbfounded. How could he be thinking pessimistically. He reached this conclusion after thinking about everything that was happening. Wasn''t Neal being too optimistic.


    Neal simply continued speaking:


    "The first scenario is simply more probable than the second."


    "How so."


    Wesley simply couldn¡¯t see what Neal was seeing. Neal''s smile simply got broader as he spoke:


    "For the second scenario to be true two things must be true. First, the Kader family must be aware that our Black Family were behind the attacks. As far as we know, this might not be true."


    Neal paused slightly as if to see if Wesley was seeing what he was implying. Wesley, however, just stared at him confused so Neal continued speaking:


    "Second, They must be aware of the specifics of the contingency plan. Only if these two things were true could we justify them preparing for an all out assault. However, this can''t be the case because if they knew of the contingency plan, then they would realize that it is only a smokescreen for us to escape. There is simply no way they would waste so much effort."


    Neal continued speaking while his smile got bigger and bigger. He seemed to enjoy seeing something that Wesley couldn¡¯t:


    "Also, considering that the four families have tremendous wealth and even an Elder at their disposal; they simply don''t need to go through all this trouble to deal with us. Don''t you think so."


    Wesley''s furrows that were scrunched relaxed and his eyes shone with a bright light. Neal''s words were reasonable and made sense in this situation. As he heard Neal''s explanation, Wesley felt like he understood something. He has been somewhat cynical and somewhat inclined towards the worst case scenario. His fear that the kids might be hurt clouded his judgment and led his vision to narrow.


    Wesley looked at Neal with an understanding light in his eyes as he spoke:


    "The four families had no idea who was attacking them. And even if they discovered that some power was working behind the scenes, and had some suspicion regarding your Black Family, they still had no concrete information. After all, I was the only one who acted and your Black Family never did anything suspicious."


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Neal smiled and nodded as he spoke:


    "Indeed. Given all these factors. The first scenarios is the most probable. The two family heads probably retreated fearing that whoever the third party that was attacking them was too strong."


    "You already knew this didn¡¯t you. Why stress me when you could''ve just told me."


    Wesley spoke with a frown that was more of a pout than a frown. It was clear that Neal already reached this conclusion before he came, meaning that he was simply making fun of Wesley.


    Neal just laughed and spoke:


    "Haha. I did intend to tell you. But it is was too tempting to see you stumped for a moment."


    Wesley just turned around and walked towards the exit to the basement in anger. However, he spoke while walking:


    "This means we can slightly relax now. But, try finding those two remaining heads. I don''t like leaving an enemy roaming around in the shadows. That is how we got the four families in the first place"


    "I know."


    Wesley simply continued walking towards the exit without even looking back. If he had looked back, he would have seen Neal smiling towards him.


    ..................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley emerged from the basement with a smile on his face. Even though he hated the fact that Neal was playing with him, he still received good news. His little siblings were no longer in danger and they wouldn¡¯t need to escape. How could he be angry after receiving such news.


    However, before Wesley could head towards the study to read some books and relax. Mary who seemed to be walking in a hurried pace towards him. Wesley immediately looked at her oddly and spoke:


    "Mary. What''s the hurry."


    Mary breathed deeply for a few seconds to catch her breath and then she spoke:


    "Master. Two people from the Royal Academy are here to see you."


    Mary was a commoner so all she knew about the academy is that it was mostly attended by nobles and was very prestigious. That is why she came to inform Wesley of their arrival with haste.


    Wesley simply sighed. They were most likely here to receive his confirmation about his attendance next year. This caused Wesley to have some complicated emotions to emerge in his heart.


    Two years. It has been two years since he has left Holt Castle. Two years since he has seen his brother. Saying that Wesley felt homesick would be an exaggeration since he never truly felt that that place was home. Rather, Wesley missed his brother.


    Wesley had no idea how his brother was faring. He has sent him letters over these two years, but for one reason or another, he never received a reply back. This has caused him no small amount of worry, but he knew that his brother was the family''s treasure, and that nothing happened to him.


    Perhaps his father forbade him form replying. Perhaps, his brother was not interested in talking to him. Perhaps, the letter didn¡¯t even reach him. Wesley couldn¡¯t help but wonder what happened.


    "Master?"


    Wesley was pulled back by Mary''s voice. It seems he has gone to a stupor thinking about something that he had no control over. He simply chuckled to himself and spoke to Mary:


    "I''ll go see them."


    Wesley cast his distracting thought aside and went outside to meet the people from the academy. He didn¡¯t receive them in the study this time because there was no need. All he needed to do was confirm his attendance next year, receive his uniform and be done with the whole thing.


    ¡­................................................................................................................................................


    A week later.


    Outside the walls of the Four Moons Royal Academy, a plethora of students wearing varying colors of uniforms were flooding towards the entrance. The majority of the students seemed to be wearing blue, while a portion wore red, and a few wore green.


    A green clothed youth who was about five feet tall was walking along the crowd of students. This student, unlike the other green clothed students that were also walking about seemed to exude a different air. Be it strength or something else, the other students simply couldn''t compare. This caused many people to move away from him.


    His light blue hair was cut with what seemed to be a neat crew cut which made his sharp facial features clear. He also seemed to be exceedingly pale, as if he has never stepped a foot into the sun.


    However, his most visible characteristics were not his face or cloth, rather it was the two dark swords that hung from his left hip as well as the long, thin wooden box that was in his left hand No one knew what was in the box, but everyone who saw it couldn¡¯t help but wonder.


    The green robed students walked until he got past the entrance of the academy. He continued walking past the place where the blue robed students were being directed and went towards another place were green robed students were lined up which was in front of the main Academic building.


    A few minutes after lining up, he reached the front of the line and was standing in front of a table. Behind this table sat a white robed women who was currently looking down and checking something on a sheet of paper.


    The white robed girl looked up after she was done with her paper. However as soon as she lifted her head she saw a pair of jade green eyes staring at her apathetically. She startled slightly.


    She calmed herself and spoke with a  respectful voice:


    "Identification Tablet please."


    The green robed students simply extended a small, square tablet towards her without uttering a word.


    She looked at the tablet for a second, but this was but pretense. She knew who this person was so she randomly pulled a piece of paper from the pile to her right. In fact, she was startled earlier because she was looking to see if a certain person has already picked up their schedule.


    This person so happens to be the exact person she was looking for. The fact that this person was now standing in front of her slightly startled her. This was the only person who left a profound impression on her last year.


    The green robed student simply took the paper and looked at it for a few second. After a few seconds, the green robed students nodded his head and was about to walk away.


    The white robed girl hesitated for a moment and then spoke:


    "D..Did you find everything alright."


    The green robed student simply looked at the white robed girl with an odd look. He really couldn¡¯t understand why she would ask such a redundant question since he was already about to walk away. However, he still replied in a firm voice that belonged to neither child nor adult:


    "Yes. Thank you."


    The green robed student was about to walk away again, but the white robed girl spoke again:


    "Because l...last year, you were not happy with your schedule."


    This time, the green robed student was starting to get rather annoyed. He just looked at the white robed girl and spoke with some annoyance in his voice:


    "Is that so."


    The green robed student simply walked away without waiting for her response. Technically he has already answered her initial question and her last words were a statement so there was no need for him to bother.


    The white robed girl stared as the green robed student walked away. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly at herself. She really thought that this student was interesting and wanted to learn more about him, unfortunately, she really had no reason nor means.


    She simply turned her head away and spoke:


    "Next."


    ................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley walked through the academy'' as he headed towards his first class which was his swordsmanship class. This was going to be the first day of his third academic year, however, he was neither excited nor nervous. He only had three more years left, then he could leave this place and see his brother and master.


    As a third year student, Wesley was allowed to specialize and only take one class. As such Wesley only had swordsmanship class to attend; of course, it was still first year swordsmanship with the second elder since he failed to pass it last year.


    To be honest, this swordsmanship class was the only thing that interested Wesley in this entire academy. At least now he doesn¡¯t have to endure supplementary classes like history and geography.


    ..............................................................................................................................................................


    That''s all folks.


    I will release one chapter tomorrow that will serve as the epilogue for this first arc. So look forward to that.


    Also, donate a second of your time and visit


    https://favoritetranslations.wordpress.com/the-great-conqueror/</a>


    This site belongs to [syedsunnyahmed] who used his own time to make a glossary. Give it a go if you have time.


    Well am done, so good night.

 Chapter 42 - Epilogue 1

    It was the time between the waning of autumn and the beginning of winter. However, today was an uncharacteristically hot day as the sun was out in the sky bathing the world in its radiance and heat.


    In a small dirt road surrounded by green shrubbery and trees that seemed to cover everything, six people were walking forward in a steady pace. Out of the six people, five wore dark robes while the sixth wore an azure robe.


    The azure robed person seemed to be a middle aged man slightly past his fifties. His eyes were filled with ardor and strength and his slightly graying hair reached to his shoulders and was swaying with the autumn wind.


    On the other hand, the six black robed people seemed to be much younger than the azure robed man. There were three boys and two girls and they all appeared to be in their teen years. However, their faces contained no small amounts of pride uncharacteristic of people their age. Each of these black robed youths exuded an air of confidence and their eyes payed testament to this fact.


    One of the black robed youths, a girl, with dark hair that almost bordered on purple turned to the azure robed man. Her eyes contained a hint of worry that was hard to notice since her head was raised pridefully.


    The girl spoke with a melodious voice:


    "Elder. Do we really have to do this. We have no need for such a paltry amount of gold."


    The azure robed man turned to look at the girl with a complicated look. It was clear that he felt reluctant. He was about to say something, however, before he could, one of the other black robed youths, a handsome youth with welcoming features spoke as he laughed:


    "Tey. Think of this as an adventure. We do have the Elder with us after all."


    The azure robed man frowned at the words of the of the youth. He immediately spoke in deriding tone to the youth:


    "Mike, You best change your mindset now. I won''t allow you to die but you might lose an arm before I intercede. And while we''re on the subject, if I have to save you, you will fail this year."


    Mike''s welcoming smile instantly vanished. He spoke as a joke, and yet, he seems to have made the elder mad. He immediately started feeling nervous and an invisible pressure piled up on him.


    The azure robed man didn¡¯t pay attention to the youth named Mike and continued speaking:


    "And Tey. This is not about gold. This is training. If you are not confident in the training you went through the last five years, then am afraid you''ll spend five more years here."


    Mike and Tey instantly looked down. They knew that this elder was a kindhearted and happy person, so the change in his tone told them that he was serious. The other three black robed youths simply snickered at the exchange but said nothing.


    Almost an hour of walking later, the group of six suddenly stopped in their tracks. Their surroundings were still filled with trees and shrubbery, but now there was a wooden building to the side of the small dirt road.


    One of the black robed youths instantly spoke with a questioning tone:


    "Elder. Is this the place. It seems a little too shabby."


    The elder''s eyes sharpened for a moment as he seemed to be evaluating the small building closely.


    "It seems this is in fact the first destination. Let''s go."


    The azure robed man immediately strode forward followed closely by the five robed youths. The five youths were slightly hesitant in their steps, but they all had confidence that despite his words, the elder would definitely save them.


    The azure robed man and the five youths walked through the door of the small building. As soon as they did, they were met with a heavy smell of alcohol mixed in with numerous other odors. The faces of the two girls in the group instantly changed, while the three boys also frowned.


    There were nearly fifty people crammed into this small building. The building was rowdy and there was constant screaming and talking, however, the moment the group of six walked in, the entire place quietened and all eyes were turned to them.


    Out of the fifty people in this building, the majority of them wore various armors and all carried swords and shields. There were three people sitting on the counter eating something while talking and a bartender behind the counter who was also taking to the group of three.


    The azure robed man stood at the entrance to the building while the five black-robed students walked to the center of the building before standing there with their backs to one another. Everyone in the building were looking at this  scene with uncertainty.


    The azure robed man cast his gaze over everyone in the building as if he was doing a headcount. Shortly after, the man spoke to the five youth with a clear enough voice that everyone present could hear it:


    "Everyone present here must die."


    As soon as the words left the man''s lips, everyone who heard it couldn¡¯t help but stare In disbelief, but these men seemed to be rather experienced and didn¡¯t dwell n their surprise. Each of them reached for their swords. Some rushed to attack the azure robed man, but the majority moved towards the five dark robed youths.


    However, before they could even take two steps, a sonorous voice resounded from one of the black robed youths:


    "Water Fog."


    A milky white fog spread from the youth that spoke and covered the entire room. No one could see an inch in front of them. The rushing men stopped in their tracks as they realized that they couldn¡¯t see anything.


    "What is this?"


    "They are mages. Attack them before its too late."


    "Where are they."


    Screams of confusion rang out throughout the building. The armored men seemed to understand what was going on, but none of them knew what to do as they couldn¡¯t see a thing in the fog.


    While the men were shouting to one another while other were aimlessly rushing forward, another voice reverberated throughout the room:


    "Water Drizzle."


    A sort of cloud formed near the roof of the room and then small water drops started falling as if it were raining. Before any of the men could react, another voice was heard:


    "Water Fall."


    The small drops of water that were falling lightly suddenly started accelerating and increasing in size. Soon enough, it was like a waterfall was actually descending from the roof of the room.


    The armored men started feeling their bodies get heavier. Under the weight of their armors coupled with the pressure of the water that was falling on them, they simply couldn¡¯t move normally.


    "Water Needle."


    "Water Needle."


    After the two soft voiced were heard, agonizing screams started reverberating throughout the whole building. The drops of rain that were descending at an already fast pace were suddenly became elongated and hardened.


    Soon enough the rain that was falling on the men became a rain of needles and started burrowing into every exposed part of their bodies. They simply had no means of retaliation and no means of survival.


    A few minutes later, the agonized cries completely disappeared and only silence remained in the foggy room. The milky white fog now had streaks of read mixed in it, and a thick smell of blood overtook that of alcohol.


    "Disperse."


    "Disperse."


    "Disperse."


    Three voices followed behind one another, and a few seconds later, the room was back to its original state. Except, everyone in the room was now dead. There were dead bodies strewed all over the floor with faces and bodies filled with bloody holes.


    Seeing the scene around them, then five youths'' faces turned ugly and some of them even started vomiting their guts out. They have all killed before, but they have never witnessed such a scene of carnage and gore before causing them to feel slightly queasy.


    While the students were battling their own senses and keeping themselves from passing out, the azure robed man''s voice reached their ears:


    "FOCUS. There are still some enemies alive."


    The five youths instantly became vigilant and pushed their uneasiness aside. They looked around only to have their eyes settle on the counter where four people were still alive.


    Two of the people, the bartender and a middle age man were currently staring at the five youths with faces filled with horror and drained of all color. The other two simply looked forward and even seemed to be continuing their meal.


    The five youths also stared at these four figures, especially the two that were looking forward as if everything that was going on didn¡¯t concern them. The thing that scared the five youths was that there were currently two swords floating near these two.


    One of the swords was a giant greatsword that seemed somewhat larger than regular greatswords. This sword covered one of the men under it like an umbrella stopping the offensive of the five youth from reaching the man.


    The other sword was a thin dark sword that was about five inches wide. It was floating vertically behind one of the men. The amazing thing is that this sword seemed to be emitting some sort of hazy energy that stopped the spells of the five youths. It was this man''s sword energy that saved the bartender and the other man.


    The five youths understood what floating swords meant; these two were at least master level swordsmen and possibly Grandmasters. This caused them to become vigilant because the distance between the two and them was really not too big, and it is very unlikely that the two would allow them time to cast their spells.


    The five youth moved backwards slightly to put some distance between them and the swordsman, but none of them dared to run lest the two swordsmen attack them immediately.


    Before the youths could move backwards enough, the azure robed man walked past them and stood between them and the two swordsmen. He immediately spoke:


    "The five of you did well. I''ll take care of these two."


    At this point, the two swordsmen turned around and faced the azure robed man. The one with the broadsword was a giant of a man, standing at around six feet six. His body was burly and his muscles were putting a considerable amount of strain on his robe. He also had a strong face with a rectangular chin and a strong jaw. This man was simply a prototype for swordsmen.


    Comparatively, the other man was much shorter at a height of six feet. His body was extremely slim while his face was extremely defined with every bone clearly visible. With his sky blue hair and his jade green eyes, he was rather handsome.


    Now that the azure robed man was able to see the faces of these two men, he couldn¡¯t help but be dumbfounded; they both seemed extremely young, barely past their teens. However, these two youths were emanating a sort of subtle killing intent. The azure robed man didn¡¯t know whether the killing intent was because of all the carnage around him or something else, but he still grew weary.


    Suddenly, the youth with the blue hair stepped forward. He took a single step forward causing the azure robed man to prepare for a fight, but before he could do anything, the blue haired youth smiled and spoke:


    "Greetings Elder."


    The burly youth also spoke, only he didn¡¯t smile amiably like his companion:


    "Greetings Elder."


    The azure robed man''s burrows furrowed slightly, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how they knew he was an elder. However, the fact that they knew him seemed to confirm something in his mind but he still spoke questioningly:


    "Which year are you two and whose batch are you."


    The five black robed youths behind the azure robed man seemed surprised at the man''s words. Neither of them recognized these two so they just looked at them suspiciously and some even secretly started preparing their spells.


    The blue haired youth simply continued smiling and spoke respectfully:


    "We are sixth year seniors. The batch under the second elder."


    "Oh. The second elder..."


    The azure robed man looked around for a while as if looking for something then a short while later, he spoke again with a frown:


    "Where is the second elder?"


    The blue haired youth''s smile suddenly switched and became somewhat helpless as he replied:


    "The second elder is on vacation. We haven''t seen in  almost a year."


    The azure robed man suddenly understood something. He reflexively looked back at the five youths behind him and smiled resignedly. He turned back to the two youths in front of him and spoke:


    "You two get going. We''ll still need to finish up in here."


    "Yes elder."


    The two swordsmen youths were about to move; but before they could, the  man that was next them started running with all his might. The azure robed man was caught by surprise as he turned his head and looked at the man that was already running past him and towards the youths behind him.


    However, before he could even do anything, two cold lights, one blue and one black, rushed past him on either side with the black one seemingly faster. One second later, a dark sword stabbed into the running man''s back while a bluish greatsword chopped his head off an instant later.


    The azure robed man turned his head back to the two youth in front of him, as soon as he did, he discovered that they were just standing there; one still had the same smile on his face, while the other was still standing emotionless like a rock.


    Their reaction time, their coordination, their ruthlessness;everything was top notch. The azure robed man simply couldn¡¯t help but sigh at how superior these two were compared to his students.


    The blue haired youth stepped forward and spoke while smiling:


    "We''ll head out Elder."


    The other burly youth also walked alongside him. Their two swords returned and attached themselves to their backs. The two just walked forward, but when they were walking by the five black robed youths, the burly youth with the broadsword suddenly spoke in growl like voice:


    "You might want to consider attacks that do not come from a single direction."


    With this said, the two swordsmen youths exited the building without hesitation. The five students simply stared slack jawed at these two youths. They simply had no idea what to say.


    The azure robed man spoke with a hint of resignation in his voice:


    "let us also leave. We have five four more places we need to visit."


    The five youths didn¡¯t even hear what the man said. They simply continued staring at the entrance with a myriad of expressions on their faces; surprise, fear, envy, veneration. They were simply overwhelmed by those two.


    One of the girls spoke with a slightly shaky voice:


    "E..Elder. Who were they."


    The azure robed man simply shook his head and spoke:


    "They are your seniors. The students of the second elder."


    It seems that the man''s answer didn¡¯t satisfy the girl as she immediately asked another question:


    Stolen novel; please report.


    "Why didn¡¯t we see them during the send off ceremony?"


    "Hmm. Because the second elder took his students out for their final test a year ago."


    The azure robed man''s words struck the five youths like lightning. The final test only took two weeks at which point they would graduate. What kind of test were those two taking for it to continue for a whole year.


    "Enough. We''re leaving as well."


    The azure robed man didn¡¯t want his students to think too much about those two, lest they start feeling inferior and lose their confidence as he himself started losing confidence. He couldn¡¯t help but feel inferior to the second elder.


    .........................................................................................................................................................


    Wesley and Kellan were moving south along a small dirt road that was surrounded on all sides by  forest. Currently, neither Wesley nor Kellan had an ambiance of a smile on their faces, rather Kellan was even scowling.


    Kellan turned to Wesley who was walking next to him and spoke with some annoyance. Only the annoyance in his voice made anyone who heard it feel some dread and fear.


    "Wesley. What should we do now. Those little brats took our prey."


    Wesley just kept looking forward while frowning. His eyes shone with heart wrenching coldness. He spoke without even turning:


    "We are close to Blackreach City. There should be plenty of bandits around. We''re bound to run into some of them."


    Kellan only frowned further and spoke again with even more anger and irritation in his voice:


    "Why didn¡¯t we just use all those dead bodies. There was enough of them strewn all over the place."


    Wesley simply turned his head and questioned Kellan with a calm but cold voice:


    "Is that so. And what about those brats and the elder that was with them?"


    Kellan''s face changed slightly and he only snorted. Wesley just smiled slightly at Kellan and continued his walking as he walked:


    "Forget it. We''ll find the bandit base and get to work. Am sure they have more people there compared to that Inn."


    After a few hours of walking around the back roads, Wesley''s prediction came true and the two of them found a group of hundred or so bandits assaulting the guards of a small group of merchants.


    Most merchants would rather avoid the back roads, but the towns that are located away from the main road still require things; so a few merchants would often brave these bandit stricken roads. Because of the danger, most merchants charged rather steep prices for their merchandise.


    This current group of merchants were unfortunate as they have met with bandits. Although the profits merchants receive from these small towns bordered on extortion, this didn¡¯t mean much if they got killed, so many merchants chose the safe path.


    Wesley and Kellan were hidden in the shrubbery as they watched the scene of this battle. The bandits had almost double the amount of guards, and although the guards were better coordinated, they still couldn¡¯t overcome the numbers advantage of the bandits.


    Wesley turned to Kellan and spoke softly:


    "This group of bandits seem unusually large. What should we do."


    Kellan stared at the battle with a sharp gaze. He stayed quiet for a few seconds and then he turned to Wesley and spoke:


    "Those guards are well organized. They should be able to kill half of the bandits before half them also perish. We''ll wait for that moment."


    Wesley only nodded his head. Although Kellan seemed hotheaded and was often itching for a fight, his skills in strategy and tactics were not something Wesley could compare to. Wesley''s skills in strategy and tactics could be said to be impressive, but Kellan was simply a genius. He was practically built for war.


    This was the reason Wesley asked for Kellan''s advice. And, as Kellan predicted, almost half an hour later, the guards lost half of their numbers, but not before half of the bandits were dead or dying.


    Kellan spoke with some fire flickering in his eyes:


    "I''ll take the front. You take the back."


    "Understood."


    Wesley and Kellan walked in different direction. Kellan walked directly towards the battle while Wesley circumvented the battle and headed towards the rear of the bandits.


    ..............................................................................................................................................


    The battle between the bandits and the guards was very intense. The guards were fighting while slowly retreating while the bandits simply rushed towards them with recklessness. This made it easier for the guards to have the advantage over the bandits, however, the bandits still held the numerical advantage so they didn¡¯t care.


    The guards were starting to feel the hopelessness of this battle and some of them even started to consider running. However, before they could do anything, a sudden roar came from behind them:


    "FORM UP. MAKE A SHIELD WALL"


    The voice was so loud and commanding that the thirty or so guards immediately huddled together without thinking. Two lines were made with the first line putting their shields together and the second line brandishing their swords.


    "ADVANCE."


    The voice roared again, and immediately the guards started inching forward with some difficulty. The bandits started throwing themselves against the wall but accomplished nothing but slowing the wall''s advancing speed.


    And everytime one of the bandits reached the shield wall, a sword would pierce towards him from the back line. The bandits instantly realized this was not a good idea so they divided into two groups. One groups went to the left while the other went to the right.


    They wanted to attack the edges of the shield wall that was its weakness. But before they could reach their destination, another loud voice came from the back of the guards:


    "RIGHT SIDE RETREAT FIVE PACES, THE LEFT SIDE ADVANCE TEN PACES."


    The guards did as instructed. Their right side retreated while the left advanced causing their wall to wheel right and face the bandits that were heading to their right. However, as soon as they did, the guards realized their mistake.


    Now that they wheeled right to meet the enemy heading to their right, the enemy that was heading to their left is now at their back. Some of the men in the back line who realized what was happening turned back, but what they saw made them dumbfounded.


    A bluish, greatsword, that was five feet long was currently slashing past any of the bandits who approached them. Between them and the bandits stood a giant of a man waving his right hand while his left was behind his back. Each time the man waved his hand, the giant sword would follow and a bandit would lose his or be cleaved in two.


    The man turned his head and looked at the guards who were staring at him with slacked jaws. His face was twisted into an odd expression that was between a scowl and a smile and his eyes seemed almost bloodshot.


    His figure caused terror to take root in their hearts. The man turned his head back to the bandits in front of him and roared:


    "FACE FORWARD. ADVANCE."


    The guards who were looking at him turned around without a word of complaint. They had no idea who this man was, but he seemed to be on their side and extremely powerful, so none of them questioned him.


    However, the moment they turned around they saw something else that made them slack jawed again. The bandits that were in front of them started heading for their flanks again. But every time they did, a dark streak of light would appear out of nowhere and chop their heads off.


    The black streaks of light disappeared as fast as it appeared leaving those that saw it wonder what it was, while those with keen eyes were able to make out the form of a sword, but nothing more.


    After a short period of time, all the bandits in front of the guards were laying on the ground dead. All the guards remained standing for a moment as if they were confirming something, and then they all sat on their butts.


    After almost an hour of fighting, the mental and physical burden on the guards was long past their endurance level. Initially, they were being held up by their will to survive, but now that the battle was over, they simply couldn¡¯t maintain their state of mind.


    However, before they could even piece together what happened, a voice came from behind them:


    "No time to rest. Get moving."


    As soon as they heard the voice, all the guards turned and looked at the source. The moment they turned, they saw a giant of man standing twenty feet away from them with a giant greatsword floating behind him.


    Behind the man was a scene of utter destruction as incomplete bodies of bandits were scattered everywhere. The man must''ve seemed like a devil to the guards as they all instinctively stood and brandished their swords.


    The guards knew that this man was the one who was shouting at them and helped them, but they still felt a feeling of dread coming from him. Especially, that greatsword of his. The man simply frowned and then spoke:


    "These bandits were expecting reinforcements. If you want to live, leave this place. Or you can sit there like idiots and die."


    The guards just looked at each other confused for a few moments, then a middle aged man with a scruffy beard stepped forward and nodded to Kellan and then he spoke to the guards:


    "Pile the bodies in the side of the road away from sight. We leave in ten minutes."


    The guards immediately went to work without question, Almost a hundred and some bodies were pulled from the road and placed amidst the shrubbery. Ten minutes later, aside from blood stains and the occasional body part, all the bodies were cleared away.


    The guards immediately went and stood by the carriages of merchandise and merchants they were supposed to escort. The guard with the scruffy beard approached Kellan and spoke:


    "Thank you for your assistance. We have no way to repay you, but we''ll remember your favor today."


    Kellan literally looked down on the man and spoke with a calm yet cold voice:


    "Get going. The two of us will remain here and slow down the bandits."


    The man''s brows twitched slightly as he looked oddly at Kellan and spoke:


    "Two of you..."


    At this moment a voice reached the man''s ears from behind:


    "You should really get going. The two of us will not risk our lives to halt the advance of those bandits, so the further you are from here, the better."


    The man instantly turned his neck to his right only to see a brown robed, blue haired Wesley slowly walking towards him and Kellan. The man''s eyes focused on the dark sword that was on Wesley back.


    He has also seen those dark streaks of light that killed many bandits, and now that he was seeing this dark sword, he seemed to have understood what they were. He immediately bowed towards Wesley and spoke:


    "Then We''ll get going."


    The man walked away and led his remaining men away posthaste. It seemed like he was running from the bandits, and although that was true, he was actually running from these two monsters. Wesley and Kellan looked at the rushing people apathetically. Wesley was the first to speak:


    "I counted about hundred and some bodies. That should be enough for you to breakthrough, right?"


    "Right."


    "Good. Get to it while I guard you. And then we can return to the second elder."


    "Hmm."


    Kellan nodded his head and immediately walked to the side of the road where the bodies were piled. He immediately waved his hand causing the sword to plunge into one of the piles. He then sat down cross legged and closed his eyes.


    ................................................................................................................................................


    Four hours later, Kellan''s bluish sword was standing on top of a pile of ten or so bodies. It wasn¡¯t clear to the eyes, but strand after strand of blood was oozing into the Kellan''s sword through its tip.


    A few minutes later, all the bodies in that pile didn¡¯t have a single drop of blood in them;even the blood that was on their clothes and wounds was sucked dry by the sword.


    At this point, Kellan opened his closed eyes. His eyes shone with a look of anticipation and a small smile creeped on his face which coupled with the fact that he was surrounded by bodies gave him a fiendish appearance.


    Seeing that Kellan had his eyes open, Wesley walked up to him and spoke with some laughter:


    "Are you done?"


    Kellan simply nodded his head and waved his hand prompting his sword to leave the pile of bodies and appear before him. The moment the sword reached him, Kellan looked at the sword with eyes filled with excitement. Wesley immediately spoke again:


    "Well show me your zone."


    Kellan looked at Wesley with a smiling look and then his sword started shaking slightly. The moment the sword started shaking, a red mist that reeked of blood wafted out of its tip and covered Wesley and Kellan in it.


    Wesley''s nose twitched slightly as he was able to taste the blood, but that wasn¡¯t the most impressive part. Wesley was unable to see anything besides red within the mist that he was in. He simply laughed and spoke:


    "I get it. I get it."


    The mist receded and went back into Kellan''s sword revealing a smiling Kellan within it. He looked at Wesley and spoke with laughter as well:


    "What do you think of my Blood Zone. It is better than you Null Zone, isn''t it."


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Kellan''s words. He spoke with some resignation in his voice:


    "It is indeed better, much better. Haha."


    Kellan simply looked at his sword dotingly as he continued smiling sheepishly. Seeing this scene, Wesley couldn¡¯t help but smile, he looked at Kellan and spoke:


    "Time to go back. We have reached the second elder''s quota. We can now graduate."


    At the mention of graduating, Kellan''s eyes lit up and he spoke:


    "Finally. It took six years, We can finally be done."


    "Haha. Indeed."


    Wesley''s gaze became slightly unfocused as he recalled his brother. It has been six years without seeing his brother, but that was about to change. He really looked forward to it.


    "Let''s go."


    .................................................................................................................................................................


    Hola.


    This chapter is alot longer than am used to, but i have alot of things to foreshadow.


    Next chapter coming up shorty, and with it comes some not so good news.

 Chapter 43 - Epilogue 2

    The northern gate of Blackreach City was currently filled with lines upon lines of people trying to enter the city. The people that were lined up knew that they would stay there for hours, but none of them left because this sort of line in Blackreach City was the norm.


    Wesley and Kellan were currently walking along the long lines and heading straight for the entrance; this is one of the many privileges of nobility, and although Wesley didn¡¯t enjoy using his status, he was in too much of a hurry.


    Neither Wesley nor Kellan looked anything like a noble with their torn and dusty robes, however, no one complained as the giant Kellan with his similarly giant sword was enough to intimidate anyone. When the two of them reached the entrance to the city, a shout came from one of the guards:


    "Halt."


    Wesley and Kellan turned to the white armored guard that was currently staring at them with a shaky gaze. They didn¡¯t stop like they were told, but Wesley simply showed the man a tile with four moons on it.


    Seeing the four moons emblem on the tile Wesley was holding, the man''s gaze flickered slightly and then he walked away from the two of them. Who in this city didn''t recognize the emblem of the Four Moons Royal Academy.


    Wesley and Kellan continued walking forward through the gate and went along the main road. The main road that started from the gate all the way to the Central District was bustling with people who were rushing in all directions.


    After almost two hours of walking, the two of them reached the seventh district and proceeded to Wesley''s Manor. Their walking pace was slightly slowed by the crowds, but they still pushed through and reached their destination.


    Reaching the entrance to the Manor, the two guards who were standing there looked at the two suspiciously. However, after seeing Wesley, they both broke out into a smile and spoke together:


    "Master."


    Wesley simply smiled at the two guards and spoke:


    "Mark, Will. Long time no see."


    "Indeed it has been a while Master. How are you."


    "Good. Don''t worry too much. Haha."


    Wesley waved at the two guards and entered the Manor with Kellan. Walking through the Manor, Wesley was met with a barrage of greetings from the guards and maids, after all he has been gone for a whole year.


    After saying hello to everyone that met him, Wesley went straight to the backyard. As soon as the two of them reached the backyard, the scene that greeted them could only be described as odd.


    There were six green clothed guards sparring with one another while a dark clothed youth was sitting cross legged doing breathing exercises. This scene caused Wesley to wonder, but what caught his attention was the old man that was wearing a flower embroidered shirt while sipping tea under a tree.


    Wesley turned to Kellan and saw that he also had the same look of astonishment on his face. It seems that the wherever the second elder goes, swords will follow suit. Is this really a vacation since he''s doing the same thing he did in the academy.


    The guards that were sparring immediately stopped their movements and turned to Wesley and Kellan; their sensitivity was really astonishing to have noticed the presence of the two so quickly. Also, the cross legged youth opened his eyes and also stared at the two.


    After a few seconds of quietude, the entire yard burst into shouts of joy and greeting as they all recognized Wesley. Wesley smiled and greeted everyone back, but he was mostly taking with the dark clothed youth.


    He spoke with a flattering voice:


    "Stein. You grew stronger in this year. I don''t think I can be your opponent anymore."


    Stein was slightly shorter than Wesley and his body seemed extremely similar Wesley. He smiled while slightly rolling his eyes and spoke:


    "You joke too much Master. Ten of me will hardly be your opponent."


    At this point, another voice that seemed to be beaming with laughter and amusement:


    "Wesley, Kellan. The two of you are back. I was worried you died."


    The old man with the flowery shirt came up to the group while smiling. Wesley and Kellan immediately bowed to the old man and spoke:


    "Elder."


    The second elder simply smiled and spoke again:


    "Since the two of you returned, I assume you¡¯ve reached my requirement."


    "Yes Elder."


    "Well then show me. Kellan."


    Kellan immediately waved his right hand and the greatsword on his back floated in front of him. He breathed deeply for a second and then his sword started shaking while a red mist emerged from  its tip covering everyone within.


    The faces of the guards as well as Stein changed immediately. This mist was blood. The second elder''s voice resounded once again:


    "That''s enough."


    The bloody mist retreated into the sword''s tip and disappeared without a trace. Some of the guards had fearful expressions on their faces while other simply retreated away from Kellan. Kellan simply ignored the guards'' reaction and spoke:


    "I just broke through, so I am not very proficient in using my Blood Zone yet."


    The second elder smilingly nodded his head and then he turned to Wesley. Wesley also waved his hand and his dark sword floated in front of him. However, unlike the shaking of Kellan''s sword, Wesley''s sword simply disappeared into thin air.


    The sword''s disappearance caused everyone present, including the second elder to be surprised. The second elder looked around for a while and then he spoke quizzically:


    "Wesley. What is this odd Zone. I have never seen anything like it."


    Wesley smiled and spoke while shaking his head:


    "Elder, this is my Null Zone. My sword absorbs light rather than reflecting it causing it to seem like it disappeared."


    "Oh. What an odd Zone. I don''t even know if this qualifies as a zone ability. Hmm, Odd."


    Wesley couldn¡¯t help but scratch his head with embarrassment. His zone ability does not impact anything aside from his sword making it hard to qualify as a zone ability. This, no doubt, had something to do with the fact that he was a mage.


    Bonding with a sword requires smelting a sword with the users blood for a long period of time, usually a year.  And then after the smelting process is done, the sword will become an extension of the swordsman''s hand  which is why they are able to be controlled with hand movements.


    After the bonding is done, the swordsman must familiarize himself with his sword and learn how to best control it as well as how to apply their techniques to the sword. At this point, the swordsman is considered Master level.  This usually takes a year or two.


    Next, the swordsmen must refine their swords using specific methods that depend on the metal the sword is made from. For example, Kellan''s sword is made from Blood Ore, which is why he needed a lot of blood to awaken the sword''s zone ability.  After the awakening of the zone ability, the swordsman would then become a Grandmaster. This step, however, is very hard to reach because an understanding of the properties of one''s sword is needed. If you use any random metal to make your bonded sword, then you''ll most likely be stuck at the master level.


    These steps are the steps followed by all swordsmen. And although their results might vary, they all still fairly resemble each other, that is, all zone abilities impacts the zone around the sword in some way.


    This is why Wesley''s zone ability which impacted the sword itself was extremely odd.The reason why Wesley''s results diverged from the regular is because he bonded with the sword with his affinity in mind.


    The metal Wesley chose was from a meteorite that was known as the darkest  known metal in the world. Wesley took his dark sword to a blacksmith and found out that it was made from this meteorite. Next, when Wesley was bonding with the sword, he not only fed it his blood, but his mana as well, attuning the sword to his affinity and mana.


    The sword''s origin coupled with Wesley''s mana and affinity led to its odd zone ability. However, Wesley couldn¡¯t tell any of this to the second elder so he simply feigned ignorance and embarrassment.


    The second elder was quiet for a moment as he thought, and then he spoke:


    "Don''t mind. Although it is truly odd, it is still useful. Anyway, since you both reached the goal, you can now graduate."


    Wesley and Kellan''s eyes lit up simultaneously as they both nodded their heads vigorously. The second elder simply laughed and spoke:


    "Good. Go change to your uniforms and we''ll head to the Academy."


    ..........................................................................................................................................................


    Three hours later.


    Wesley and Kellan were walking respectfully behind an azure robed second elder. The distance between the Manor and the academy only needed an hour of walking,  but the second elder insisted on stopping on the way to eat.


    At the entrance to the academy, the second elder was currently talking about a spar he had with an old friend of his when he was younger. He was seemingly talking to Wesley and Kellan, but he didn¡¯t turn his head once, making people wonder who he was talking to.


    Soon enough, the trio entered the academy and headed to the sixth floor of the academy where the principal''s office was located. Wesley and Kellan simply followed behind the second elder since they have never come here before.


    There was only one office in the sixth floor. Outside of the entrance to the office were some sort of drawing. Directly above the door to office was a crescent moon and below the moon were six elements.


    The second elder simply pushed the door in and walked in as if it were his own office. Wesley and Kellan hesitated a little, but walked in as well. As soon as they did, what met them was a scene of nine azure robed elders sitting around a round table.


    At the head of this round table sat a white robed old man with white hair and a similarly white beard. Wesley instantly recognized that this old man was Headmaster he saw on his first day six years ago.


    All the elders in the office looked at the trio and some even wanted to say something, but before they could, the Headmaster spoke:


    "Simon. It has been a year since you left. How come you''re just returning."


    The second elder simply laughed and spoke as he sat down on one of the empty seats around the table:


    "My students just completed their final test. Mind confirming their graduation."


    The headmaster looked at Wesley and Kellan with an appraising look and remained quit for a moment and then he spoke to them:


    "Congratulation on passing your final test. However, I won''t let you graduate unless you answer a question of mine."


    Wesley and Kellan instantly became worried. What kind of question must they answer for them to be able to graduate. They couldn¡¯t help but frown, but the headmaster simply smiled and then spoke:


    "What is.....My affinity?"


    His Affinity?


    Neither Wesley nor Kellan expected this question, and neither of them had an answer. A person''s affinity was not visible from their appearance. Kellan was the first to speak:


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation."Fire."


    Fire was the most common of the affinities so Kellan banked on statistics.On the other hand, Wesley just remained quiet. The headmaster looked at Wesley and spoke with a slight frown:


    "What about you. What do you think my affinity is."


    "Darkness"


    Darkness was the least common of the affinities, so unlike Kellan who banked on the most probable, Wesley banked on the least because he believed the answer to an unlikely question is often just as unlikely.


    The headmaster just looked at Wesley with an odd light flickering in his eyes. He was quiet for a moment and then he spoke:


    "The two of you can graduate. Your names will be recorded as graduates of the Four Moons Royal Academy. If you ever reach the Elder level, you can come here and serve as instructors. You are also afforded the right to recommend a single student each year."


    Wesley and Kellan just looked at each other wondering what just happened. Which one of them was right. Although they felt suspicious, they still weren''t keen on arguing so they spoke in unison:


    "Thank You Headmaster."


    "Thank You Headmaster."


    Wesley and Kellan turned to the second elder. The second elder was simply smiling but not looking at them. He then proceeded to wave his hand to tell them to leave. Earlier when the second elder insisted that they stop to eat, he has already said that that was their farewell.


    The two of them bowed to the second elder and continued bowing for a few moments and then they turned around and exited the office without looking back. They have finally concluded the first part of their life.


    ...............................................................................................................................................


    The headmaster looked at the closed door to the office and then turned to the second elder and spoke with a smile:


    "He''s a smart one isn''t he Simon?"


    The second elder also smiled and replied:


    "He wouldn''t be my and Rale''s student if he wasn¡¯t at least this smart."


    The headmaster''s gaze flickered slightly at the mention of Rale and he seemed to be thinking about something. All the elders in the office seemed to sense the mood of the Headmaster so they all remained quiet.


    After a few minutes of silence, one of the elder present seemed to have run out of patience and spoke:


    "Headmaster. Why don''t you just contact Rale. Am sure he is willing to return now."


    The headmaster turned to look at the elder that just spoke with a frown causing the elder to avert his eyes. The headmaster seemed reluctant for some reason and then he spoke:


    "That brat remembers that incident from then too vividly.  Am afraid he won''t return anytime soon, and when he does, you can be certain that a lot of blood will be spilled."


    The moment the headmaster spoke those words, the eyes of every elder present turned hostile. None of them will forget that incident twenty five years ago. The second elder was the one who was frowning the most, he turned to the headmaster and spoke in a growl:


    "If Rale ever decides to make his move, I will be the first to follow him. I might not be a match for those old monsters, but I am confident I can take at least a dozen of those other  bastards."


    .................................................................................................................................................


    Outside the gate of the Four Moons Royal Academy, two youths wearing black clothes and carrying swords on their backs were standing in front of each other.


    "Wesley. What are you going to do now."


    Kellan''s eyes were slightly moist and he was clenching his jaw making his speaking sound slightly forced. Seeing this, Wesley''s heart clenched; this Kellan has been his only friend for the last six years. Wesley remembered the first time he saw Kellan. At that time he approached him because they both had few classes together. However, now Wesley thought of this youth as a close brother.


    He looked deeply at Kellan and spoke:


    "I will be heading home. I haven''t seen my brother and Master for so long. How about you Kellan, what are you going to do."


    Kellan also looked deeply at Wesley.


    "I am also going back home. Although am not as excited"


    Kellan''s voice contained some hidden meaning which Wesley instantly noticed, but he didn''t mention it if Kellan was not willing to tell him.


    Wesley and Kellan continued talking for half an hour, at which point they both started saying their farewells. Wesley was the first to act as he extended his right hand. Kellan looked at the extended hand,  reluctantly extending his right hand as well.


    When the two hands met, Wesley tugged slightly at Kellan, and although Kellan was a lot stronger than him, he still caused him to stumble forward. Wesley also went forward causing their two shoulders to collide.


    He then proceeded to speak, just enough for Kellan to hear him:


    "My name is Wesley Holt. Good brother, if you ever find yourself in Castle Holt, come find me."


    Kellan''s eyes twitched slightly as he seemed to have realized something. Blue hair and green eyes, although not very rare are most widely associated with the Holt Family. He laughed slightly at the coincidence and spoke as well:


    "My name is Kellan Faust. If you ever find yourself in Castle Faust, make sure you seek me out."


    This was Wesley''s turn to be astonished. The Faust Family were the rulers of the Norn Kingdom, which also incidentally happens to be his Ject Kingdom''s greatest antagonist. The Ject and Norn Kingdoms have no direct borders since the Blackreach County separates them, however, that doesn''t stop them from constantly fighting.


    And, although no open conflict has ever broken out between the two, they have fought often through proxy wars and in the shadows. It is safe to say that no war has ever broken out without involving both of these kingdoms in some way.


    Six years ago, Wesley received a warning from the four families that he, as a prince of one of the kingdoms, was not to act too wildly in their territory. At that time he felt that there were other royalty in the city, but the matter soon left his mind.


    Who would''ve thought that his only friend was to be this prince. And who would''ve expected that he would''ve come from the arch nemesis of his own kingdom. If this was not a perfect example of poetic irony, the sort to be written about in poems, then Wesley knew of no such thing.


    Both of them seemed to have realized the same thing as they started laughing out loudly. Both of them knew that the other will never end up in the other''s territory, they also knew that most likely in the near future, they might meet as enemies.


    However, even after this realization, none of them felt disheartened. They saw each other as brothers, and regardless of their backgrounds, they will always remain so for the remainder of their lives.


    .....................................................................................................................................................


    The next morning, near the southern entrance of Blackreach city, a group of fifty or so dark armored soldiers were standing across from a group of ten green armored guards. The surrounding people instinctively avoided this group.


    Between these two groups of soldiers stood four people. On the side of the dark armored soldiers, stood a  blue robed man with wide shoulders and a black beard, he seemed to be barely past his forties, but exuded a noble air of an old king.


    Across from the blue robed man, stood a group of three youths. One youth in particular seemed slightly older than the other two and carried a long dark sword on his back and a smaller dark sword on his hip.


    The blue robed man spoke with some ridicule in his voice:


    "Wesley, you are truly astonishing. A prince of the Ject Kingdom, Haha, you truly hid it well."


    Wesley also laughed and spoke with a  similarly ridiculing tone:


    "Lord Black. You flatter me too much. What is a measly  me compared to the reputable Lord Black of Blackreach City."


    "Haha."


    "Haha."


    Lane and Stein who were standing besides burst out laughing at Wesley''s words causing Neal to glare at them menacingly. He then spoke:


    "Take care of yourself and my nephews. And make sure to visit. Little Sala is heartbroken at your departure."


    "I know. Take care of the kids. I will visit sometime in the future."


    "I hope you''re not just saying that."


    "Of course not. I am not so naive to think that I can escape your grasp."


    Neal laughed. He knew what Wesley meant by not escaping his grasp because Neal has spent the last four years slowly expanding his spy networks. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the entirety of the four kingdoms are under his surveillance.


    "Indeed, very few people can escape my grasp. And those who do, I always find."


    Wesley also laughed at Neal''s cryptic words. Neal was speaking of the remaining family heads who he was unable to track down. However, Neal was confident that he would find them alive, and if they were dead he would find their bones.


    The entire reason Neal spent astonishing amounts of gold to establish networks in the four kingdoms was so that he could find those remaining family heads. Neither Wesley nor Neal felt comfortable with their enemies in the shadows somewhere.


    Neal then turned to Stein and Lane and looked at them with a hazy gaze. He didn¡¯t speak anything, but his gaze was enough to convey his feelings. He truly doted on these little nephews of his and cared for them deeply.


    It took Lane and Stein the entire night to convince Neal to let them go with Wesley. He was adamant on his refusal at first, but Wesley assured him they would be safe, and even told him his identity to put his heart at ease.


    It was then that Neal agreed to let the two of them go with Wesley, but not before giving them a list of demands that they needed to adhere to such as writing every month. He really resembled a worried mother whose son was going to move out than a venerable high noble.


    After bidding their farewells, Wesley and his group started walking south. Wesley''s gaze seemed to pierce the horizon and fall on his brother and Master. He was finally returning, and he was stronger than ever.


    ¡­....................In Year 8150, Wesley Holt Left Blackreach City.........................


    .....................................................................................................


    Hey.


    This marks the end of [ Volume 1 - Childhood]


    I know these two chapters seemed a little rushed but i have already said all that i could, and needed to get on with the story. Honestly, the next Volume is the one i was looking forward to most.


    Next, a piece of not so good news.


    School is starting soon, for me it is starting on the 22nd.


    This means that my pace will slow down and my schedule erratic at best and horrid at worst.


    Also, i am taking a week or two off to get used to college, i will continue writing  but i wont be posting, but when am done, i will release whatever chapters i have stacked.


    Just enjoy and see ya''ll soon.

 Status Update- Not A Chapter

    Hey Ladies and Gents.


    I know it has been a while, and before you kill me/burn me at the stake, hear me out.


    At first, i thought that after the first week of college, which in my college is called hell week, i''ll be able to continue writing.


    However, what i dint consider was that after hell week, not only did i have less time to things, but even more things to do, those of you who have been or are at college understand what i mean, for those of you who have yet to go, you''ll know soon enough.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    After five weeks, i am starting to get the hang of the the rhythm of things, so i should be able to restart writing, but the pace will be much slower.


    Anyway know that i am alive and kicking, and although other things have had me occupied lately, i still remeber you guys.


    CIAO